Balogun breaks his silence

[Sooner4FCD]

http://newsok.com/mike-balogun-breaks-silence/article/3445203?custom_click=rss


"The night we get back from the national championship, I get a call from (OU’s) compliance office saying they’re investigating me again because Florida State called and asked how did this guy have eligibility because an announcer during the game said something about me playing semi-pro ball,” Balogun recalled. "I didn’t understand what (Florida State) was trying to accomplish.”
The Seminole official asserted a box score found on the Internet showed that Balogun had played semi-pro ball after his 21st birthday. Balogun turned 21 on Sept. 28, 2004. The box score was from a game dated Nov. 12, 2005, when the North American Football League’s Maryland Marauders played in the league’s title game. In the box score, Balogun was listed as recording seven tackles and recovering a fumble in a 13-10 loss to the West Sound (Wash.) Saints. He would have been 22 during that game.
"A box score from (five) years ago still posted by somebody not even associated with the organization they said I played for,” Balogun said. "My name is still posted on their rosters to this day. But am I still on their team?
"At that point, I was done with (semi-pro ball), finished with it. I was working construction then. I didn’t even play in that game. They had me playing a great game. I was like the Player of the Century. Come on, don’t give me all that when I didn’t earn it.”


Retribution is coming Seminoles...

[NormanPride]

We have to have FREE MIKE signs for that game. HAVE to.

[BigTime1]

I was kinda worried about them coming in this year but bing as pumped up as they will be anyway and with the team knowing this...that they single handily took a Sooner off the field...maybe its more like---JUMP AROUND!

[goingoneight]

Dear Ronnell,

On the night we play FSU in 2010... Avenge me!

Signed,
Mike Balogun

[rainiersooner]

Good luck Mike!! I hope he gets a roster spot and I hope he scorches some earth against the NCAA!!!

[KantoSooner]

I sincerely hope that Mike has:

1. A lawyer with a heart of ice. A man or woman so dedicated to hurting their opponents that even once the NCAA starts to come to the table it's too late.
2. An accountant who can work up the loss of earnings, over a career, that add up from being a 4-5th round pick to being a free agent. Try X,000,000's.
3. And that the legal strategy includes piercing the veil of the NCAA to go after the people inside the organization on a personal basis. Take their houses, cars and money away from them.

I hate the NCAA worse than the love child of a gang bang involving Tim Tebow and the entire UT and USC rosters.

(Though I must admit that, on a purely professional basis, I'd be interested in watching video of the above.)

[badger]

extreme hugs and kisses to Mike. We hope you make an NFL roster AND successfully sue the NCAA!

Down with the NCAA! Down with the NCAA!

Screw you, FSU! Screw you, FSU! :mad:

[Collier11]

I wish some of these college players who have been screwed by the ncaa would take the low road and just come out and blast the ncaa, I realize they dont want to do that before the draft but I wish everyone of them would do it

[homerSimpsonsBrain]

Is Mike even pursuing legal action at this point?

[Collier11]

yea he is suing

[badger]

yea he is suing

hell yeah, he's suing, and I hope he wins!

[The_Red_Patriot]

FSU is bitter because we put a bullet in that football program back in January of 2000. That was really the last time we all heard from FSU when it comes to National title talk.

[badger]

FSU is bitter because we put a bullet in that football program back in January of 2000. That was really the last time we all heard from FSU when it comes to National title talk.

:D cuz they couldn't beat miami to save their program.

[Dio]

We have to have FREE MIKE signs for that game. HAVE to.

or "Snitches Get Stitches"

[badger]

or "Snitches Get Stitches"

Or "Bob retired Bobby"

[SunnySooner]

I really have a special hate for all Florida football teams. Lucky for me I'm surrounded by their fans on a daily basis.:rolleyes: Hope we embarrass and humiliate them this fall.

[goingoneight]

Or "Bob retired Bobby"

"We STILL want OUr boy's trophy back!"

[King Barry's Back]

I hope this lawsuit clears up the facts -- did Balogun or did he not play semi-pro ball after his 21st birthday.

And if he did not, I hope he takes the NCAA to the cleaners financially, for his own sake, and morally/administratively -- for the the good of the game.

If Balogun really did not play, what the NCAA did was just a massive miscarriage of justice executed to absolutely no good end.

[Leroy Lizard]

I'm not going to get too wound up in it, because frankly I think the courts will that there is enough evidence to back the NCAA's decision.

[rawlingsHOH]

I'm not going to get too wound up in it, because frankly I think the courts will that there is enough evidence to back the NCAA's decision.

Based on?

[NormanPride]

Here's the evidence against him:
A roster created by the opposing team's kicker's dad that is out of date and STILL lists him on the team.

Here's the evidence for him:
Testimony by his coach
Testimony by the opposing coach
Testimony by the league commissioner

And I think they got some players and assistant coaches to testify as well. There are no official stats kept, or rosters. This is like a beer league where you just kind of show up and play. Even the term "semi-pro" is ridiculous. How is it semi-pro if you have to pay to play?

[KantoSooner]

yep, Badger, that about gets it.

[Jello Biafra]

Here's the evidence against him:
A roster created by the opposing team's kicker's dad that is out of date and STILL lists him on the team.

Here's the evidence for him:
Testimony by his coach
Testimony by the opposing coach
Testimony by the league commissioner

And I think they got some players and assistant coaches to testify as well. There are no official stats kept, or rosters. This is like a beer league where you just kind of show up and play. Even the term "semi-pro" is ridiculous. How is it semi-pro if you have to pay to play?

i wondered that too...i played for the midwest city grizzlies back in 95. the money i made through the season didnt even pay for the helmet i had to purchase at the beginning of the season...i wouldnt consider this even close to a semi pro league...

[rawlingsHOH]

Even the term "semi-pro" is ridiculous. How is it semi-pro if you have to pay to play?

Yep, it's a very generic term, and one that I feel is constantly misused or misrepresented, especially in the men's amateur baseball ranks. There are very few true semi-pro organizations out there. I would say Independent "Professional" Baseball Leagues are the closest thing to the spirit of semi-pro. They set you up with a place to live, maybe a place to earn a couple bucks, but get little more than peanuts for salary. Not enough to earn a living.

[NormanPride]

It was a complete screw-job, and the NCAA knows it. If Mike keeps pushing, look for them to try and settle. They are not popular in the government right now.

[KantoSooner]

Eggzakly, which is why he needs Attila the Hun as his attorney, on a contingency fee.

"Why, yes, that would be a nice start to compensation. And what type of mercedes do you drive? How about the title to your house? Just keep throwing that stuff on the pile; I'll get back to you when the thing gets big enough."

[Leroy Lizard]

Whether the league he plays for is semi-pro is another matter. I don't think that the decision will revolve around that issue.

We had a long thread on this some time back and a lot of evidence that was offered didn't support Balogun's contention. Maybe new evidence has come about since then.

It really comes down to this: Is there official league documentation of him playing (i.e., insurance forms, signed waivers, etc.)? If not, then he has a good chance. If there is, he's screwed.

[Jello Biafra]

Whether the league he plays for is semi-pro is another matter. I don't think that the decision will revolve around that issue.

We had a long thread on this some time back and a lot of evidence that was offered didn't support Balogun's contention. Maybe new evidence has come about since then.

It really comes down to this: Is there official league documentation of him playing (i.e., insurance forms, signed waivers, etc.)? If not, then he has a good chance. If there is, he's screwed.

the fact that a college student went out, hired a lawyer and has stuck with the lawsuit, tells me he thinks he has a pretty good case.

[NormanPride]

Whether the league he plays for is semi-pro is another matter. I don't think that the decision will revolve around that issue.

We had a long thread on this some time back and a lot of evidence that was offered didn't support Balogun's contention. Maybe new evidence has come about since then.

It really comes down to this: Is there official league documentation of him playing (i.e., insurance forms, signed waivers, etc.)? If not, then he has a good chance. If there is, he's screwed.

I don't know what "evidence" you saw, but I pretty much summarized the only piece that the NCAA had against Balogun. At one point the opposing coach was saying he played, but then reversed his position and went on the record as saying he didn't.

[Leroy Lizard]

Okay. Maybe Balogun has a good chance. The NCAA might even reverse its decision to stay out of court. (In one my earlier posts, I questioned the NCAA's wisdom in denying Balogun another year since there was little to gain and a lot to lose.)

[NormanPride]

Yeah, that was one thing I didn't understand. From the reports I read it was like the compliance offices just ignored everything and said "too bad".

[Soonerwake]

I've always thought the NCAA has too much power. I'm all for regulation, but this seems to have gotten out of control.

[Leroy Lizard]

When it comes to public schools, they have too much power. When it comes to private schools, they don't have enough.

[FroggyStyle22]

When it comes to public schools, they have too much power. When it comes to USC and Notre Dame, they don't care enough.

Fixed

[oudavid1]

Dear Ronnell,

On the night we play FSU in 2010... Avenge me!

Signed,
Mike Balogun

Ambulances standing by

[GKeeper316]

I sincerely hope that Mike has:

1. A lawyer with a heart of ice. A man or woman so dedicated to hurting their opponents that even once the NCAA starts to come to the table it's too late.
2. An accountant who can work up the loss of earnings, over a career, that add up from being a 4-5th round pick to being a free agent. Try X,000,000's.
3. And that the legal strategy includes piercing the veil of the NCAA to go after the people inside the organization on a personal basis. Take their houses, cars and money away from them.

I hate the NCAA worse than the love child of a gang bang involving Tim Tebow and the entire UT and USC rosters.

(Though I must admit that, on a purely professional basis, I'd be interested in watching video of the above.)


this is the best post ever.

[Leroy Lizard]

3. And that the legal strategy includes piercing the veil of the NCAA to go after the people inside the organization on a personal basis. Take their houses, cars and money away from them.

No. Can't go along with that.

[KantoSooner]

No. Can't go along with that.

Why? The individuals involved, in my opinion, long ago ceased any professional detachment and allowed their personal biases to govern their use of the NCAA's power (Miles Brand, anyone?). They do not deserve the collective shield.

[Leroy Lizard]

Why? The individuals involved, in my opinion, long ago ceased any professional detachment and allowed their personal biases to govern their use of the NCAA's power (Miles Brand, anyone?). They do not deserve the collective shield.

It would take a lot more than that to go after their personal assets. They may have been hardasses, but they were still operating within the guidelines of the NCAA.

For example, if a rival team privately paid them to decide against Balogun, or that their decision was done as personal revenge.

[KantoSooner]

I think it at least arguable whether they were operating "within the guidelines of the NCAA".
And since they delight in nailing people, with very personal consequences, for even narrowly defined, purely technical excursions from the 'rules', it would be only fair that they suffer massive personal disaster for their own transgressions.

[KantoSooner]

further, personal responsibility has been pretty degraded in our society. We have rules that allow for individuals to be held accountable, but they are rarely used (see FRCP Rule 13 governing frivolous lawsuit filing by attorneys).

I think it would go a long way toward enforcing some reason and balance in NCAA administration if several of their luminaries lost personal assets and were humiliated.

[Leroy Lizard]

And since they delight in nailing people, with very personal consequences, for even narrowly defined, purely technical excursions from the 'rules', it would be only fair that they suffer massive personal disaster for their own transgressions.

What transgressions? They received some evidence that Balogun had played semi-pro ball. They may have unwisely given the evidence more weight than it deserved, but it was still a judgment call. To go after their personal finances, you would need to show that they denied Balogun his season of football for personal reasons outside their normal duties or through negligence that was especially egregious. Good luck with that.


I think it would go a long way toward enforcing some reason and balance in NCAA administration if several of their luminaries lost personal assets and were humiliated.

If we did that, we would have a million school teachers lined up in court defending every petty lawsuit thrown their way. "Kid got an F. He should have got a C. Sue!"

You are forgetting why we protect employees working in the capacity of their positions at a company: Who would be able to render the right decision with the sword of Damocles hanging over him? USC would get off scot free because the NCAA investigators would get personally sued if they decided against them.

You haven't thought this through.

[KantoSooner]

Leroy

...And I believe you are overly sanguine regarding the desireability of the status quo.
You foresee a world eaten alive with frivolous retributive action and paralized with fear of same. Yet, what have we now? A world in which individuals acting 'in the course of their duties' at large organizations are effectively beyond any review or recourse....short of lawsuits....which they can effectively stonewall to the point of insufferability; and continuous fear that one's actions will somehow be construed by one or more of the 'regulatory' bodies (that multiply like mushrooms) as being, retroactively, against some set of rules or another.
I see your concerns, raise them with mine and suggest that we might with to try a bit more individual accountability.

(to respond directly to your example, my inner teacher would reply, "Little Susie got two 49%'s and a 51% on her tests, didn't turn in her homework and you, Dad, didn't respond to my note requesting a meeting. Yep, she failed the course.She doesn't know the material and my lying about it won't change that fact.")
(Now, if the teacher has no records, never gave assignments to gauge progress and took no action to rectify matters, maybe being sued would be an excellent thing for the kid, the school system and the teacher.)

[Leroy Lizard]

You foresee a world eaten alive with frivolous retributive action and paralized with fear of same. Yet, what have we now? A world in which individuals acting 'in the course of their duties' at large organizations are effectively beyond any review or recourse....short of lawsuits....which they can effectively stonewall to the point of insufferability; and continuous fear that one's actions will somehow be construed by one or more of the 'regulatory' bodies (that multiply like mushrooms) as being, retroactively, against some set of rules or another.
I see your concerns, raise them with mine and suggest that we might with to try a bit more individual accountability.

There is already individual accountability: If I cause my organization to get sued and lose, I could be fired.


(to respond directly to your example, my inner teacher would reply, "Little Susie got two 49%'s and a 51% on her tests, didn't turn in her homework and you, Dad, didn't respond to my note requesting a meeting. Yep, she failed the course.She doesn't know the material and my lying about it won't change that fact.")
(Now, if the teacher has no records, never gave assignments to gauge progress and took no action to rectify matters, maybe being sued would be an excellent thing for the kid, the school system and the teacher.)

So who's going to teach? Count me out. I wouldn't mind the low pay and the tough job a teacher faces, but to lose my life savings? Screw that.

BTW, a rich dad will win no matter how strong your case is. As a teacher with no access to the district's legal team, you can't afford a protracted court battle. And the rich dad knows it. So his little Junior is going to get his A by sheer threat alone.

And it isn't just Junior. A high school teacher could have well over 100 kids for which they are assigning grades. How many lawsuits is the teacher going to face every year?

The solution is simple: Give every kid an A and you won't get sued. Sure, the district could fire you over it, but at least you won't lose your life savings. So it's A's for all!

And as I said before, USC would LOVE your flavor of personal accountability. All they need to do is threaten a personal lawsuit against an underpaid, overworked NCAA official and they win.

Is that what we want?

[KantoSooner]

No, nor do I want faceless little people in big orgs being beyond the reach of accountability.
But we've pretty well beaten this mule to death. It's an important point, we can find a common venue and bellow at each other on our own time if you wish. In the context of SF and Balogun's particular issue, this is just a quibble and one that's probably starting to bore a lot of other people.
If it's called for, I'll happily yield to preserve board harmony.
Cheers.

[Leroy Lizard]

At what point do the fans sue KW?

[Collier11]

I saw a story lastnite where a woman is suing a man for knocking her up and leaving her

[KantoSooner]

I specifically deny all involvement of whatever nature.

[Leroy Lizard]

I dunno about that, Kanto. They said the baby is real ugly.

[KantoSooner]

That makes me deny involvement all the more frenziedly.