Congratulations Mark Clayton

[GKeeper316]

now a graduate of the university of oklahoma with a degree in communications...

[Eielson]

He's definitely one of my favorites.

[olevetonahill]

Did ya ferget someone ?
Derrick Strait, also got his .

[Collier11]

Good job guys, glad to see them go back to school.

[Collier11]

on another note, word is that either Clayton or Demetrius Williams will be cut, they both make too much money and with the recent additions of Boldin and Stallworth, they dont have as much value. Hopefully it will be Clayton so he can sign with a team that will better suit him

[olevetonahill]

Not up on the NFL much
will that make him a Free Agent ? :confused:

[GKeeper316]

Did ya ferget someone ?
Derrick Strait, also got his .

my bad...

clayton talked to us at the luncheon this afternoon. dont know where derrick strait was.

[Collier11]

Not up on the NFL much
will that make him a Free Agent ? :confused:

Yea, Baltimore low tendered him which he hasnt signed yet, if they release him that frees him up to go anywhere he pleases. If he can stay healthy I still think he can have a pretty good career.

[GKeeper316]

could st. louis afford him? sam throwing to mark clayton would be a whoooole lotta fun to watch.

[Soonerus]

one of my pet peeves...Congratulations to all of the graduates !!! Why do these "has-beens" get the press...dumb...

[Leroy Lizard]

Soonerus, be prepared for the backlash.

[jumperstop]

He's right though, there are a lot of people who graduated, not just all the former football players. Congrats to everyone, I wish that less people would be graduating though so maybe my degree would be worth more. Graduated last year and it seems like nobody cares about the fact that I have a degree, experience is better. If anyone knows where I can get a job... =)

[JLEW1818]

Mark Clayton was my favorite sooner of the decade.

[olevetonahill]

one of my pet peeves...Congratulations to all of the graduates !!! Why do these "has-beens" get the press...dumb...

Rus . Its not that anyone is belittling the Graduating class.
Just recognizing the fact that 2 young men who went on to the NFL have returned and finished their degrees.

When they are probably set for life without it .

[mehip]

Congrats to everyone, I wish that less people would be graduating though so maybe my degree would be worth more. Graduated last year and it seems like nobody cares about the fact that I have a degree, experience is better. If anyone knows where I can get a job... =)

My nephew was offered two jobs before graduation. He got an Engineering degree from CalTech and will be going to work for google next month. But, when I graduated from the same school almost two decades ago it was a lot harder to find work. I really think it is simply a cycle; we can blame or praise politicians all we want but I really don't think it matters; business cycles just need to run their course.

[SoonerMom2]

Yea, Baltimore low tendered him which he hasnt signed yet, if they release him that frees him up to go anywhere he pleases. If he can stay healthy I still think he can have a pretty good career.

I say he should go to the RAMS and be there for Sam Bradford! :) Two of my favorite players together. I would be just as happy if all the Sooners were on one team with no Longhorns or Cowboys -- no orange!

[starclassic tama]

one of my pet peeves...Congratulations to all of the graduates !!! Why do these "has-beens" get the press...dumb...

out of all the things to bitch about, you pick football players going back to get their degree?

[yermom]

dumb...

[Collier11]

Cmon Rus, weak

[Soonerus]

disparate publicity sickens me...

[Collier11]

they came back to school and did something that they didnt have to do, especially Clayton who has made millions. I doubt they asked for the press release ya know

[Soonerus]

I don't blame them it is clearly the press...

[bluedogok]

disparate publicity sickens me...


I don't blame them it is clearly the press...
I don't think the Egg Drop has ever received the publicity of any football game, just the fact of life. Normal Joe Grad is never going to get the attention from the media that someone who has played at a high level for any college is going to get, even the career backups are not going to get the attention that a starter did.....it's nothing new and just a fact of life and something that will probably never change.

[Soonerus]

I love OU football...the jock-sniffing journalists sicken me...

[SCOUT]

I am honestly astounded. The common gripe is that the news is always tinted toward the bad.

This is a good story about an athlete who did the right thing even though he didn't have to.

That bothers you?

I guess they should have spent more time on Dez Bryant's shoes.

[Soonerus]

Just ignore it....jock-sniffers...

[Collier11]

now youre just reachin Rus, that doesnt make us jock sniffers.

[Soonerus]

pathetic...

[SCOUT]

pathetic...
Please clarify. You have indicated that the ellipses means that you always have more to say, yet you are being purposefully vague.

A news story about a former player doing good is jock sniffing, according to you. Why?

[Collier11]

He has nothing else to say so he is just saying random stuff, this is RUS for ya

[Soonerus]

I love OU football yet I abhor the jock-sniffing journalists who try to sensationalize former OU players years after the played...i.e.after OU, the jocks are just like everybody else, except mostly the jocks are failures... Why ? why ? why?

[Collier11]

Whether you want to admit it or not, OU football players bring in more money to OU than almost everyone else on campus minus those who are making donations...the reason the journalists are publicising it is because it is 1) rare for college athletes who leave early to eventually complete their degrees 2) they are easily recognizable

[Soonerus]

No journalists are reporting because they are poooooooorrrr.

[Collier11]

if the paper ran an add saying that I had graduated from OU no one would give a sh*t, if it says Mark Clayton it brings in readers

[Leroy Lizard]

No journalists are reporting because they are poooooooorrrr.

Soonerus,

Pointing out the absurdity of jock-sniffing is my territory.

[Collier11]

but the obvious thing that both of you blowhards are missing through your griping is that two ex-stud OU football players came back and got degrees, thats a great deal.

[Soonerus]

...and that is news ???

[Collier11]

in Oklahoma it def is

[Leroy Lizard]

but the obvious thing that both of you blowhards are missing through your griping is that two ex-stud OU football players came back and got degrees, thats a great deal.

For them. Why should I care?

(It's mildly interesting, I guess. And it helps the football program's image in a small way. But it doesn't exactly make my day.)


in Oklahoma it def is

Why? Are OU players normally incapable of getting a college degree, making this a standout story? 'splain.

[Collier11]

Dont be so dense Leroy, you and I both know that any news involving OU football dominates this state

[Leroy Lizard]

We know the way it is. The question is, should it?

I don't really care that much. But I understand Soonerus' argument. Why should it matter to us if an athlete goes back and gets his bachelors degree?

[Collier11]

There are alot of things that are important that really shouldnt be, if we wasted all of our time questioning that crap we would never appreciate anything

[sooneron]

http://jaysplace.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/retards-birds-demotivational-poster.jpg

[diegosooner]

good job Mark!

[Leroy Lizard]

There are alot of things that are important that really shouldnt be, if we wasted all of our time questioning that crap we would never appreciate anything

How about not paying attention to it in the first place?

[Collier11]

youve definitely succeeded at that havent you

[SoonerAtKU]

Why do any of us watch Oklahoma Football, for that matter? Shouldn't we be working harder, or creating art, or just enjoying a nice fall afternoon? Why is it ok to waste time watching people play a sport or posting on a message board, but it's not ok to write a blurb about people you've heard of getting a degree?

[Leroy Lizard]

Why do any of us watch Oklahoma Football, for that matter?

Because it's entertaining? I watched Seinfeld, but I didn't worry whether Jerry Seinfeld got his masters degree or whether his parents were sick. I didn't care.


You can admire the skill of an athlete without idolizing him.

You can cheer an athlete to score a touchdown without slapping his posters all over your bedroom wall.

You can appreciate an athlete graduating without making it a news story.

You can take an interest in his on-field talents without begging for his autograph.

You can discuss his draftability without worrying about his finances.


Idolatry is for losers.

[goingoneight]

Enjoy the positive press while you can. As soon as we have a kid fark up, we'll hear about it for at least three months.

I rather enjoy hearing about guys doing things like this, chairty work many of them are involved in and cases of guys like Sam and GK just being altogether awesome. Paul Thompson was the epitome of class in 2006, but which EX-SOONER QB did we hear about ALL DAMN SEASON LONG that year?

[Leroy Lizard]

True. True.

[sooneron]

You can appreciate an athlete graduating without making it a news story.



Really, Einstein? Because if I wasn't at the graduation ceremony, I would not have known that he came back and got his degree. Thus, a "news" story brought it to my attention.:rolleyes:
I don't idolize Mark Clayton, I loved watching him play and I'm happy for him making good life choices, especially, because he was a Sooner. That makes me a decent person, not a jock sniffer. Sorry that you can't say the same about yourself.

[Collier11]

You can appreciate an athlete graduating without making it a news story.

.

This goes back to the point that we have discussed many a time Leroy, that of course is that the average student is in school to get a degree, the average big time athlete is in school to get drafted. Doesnt make it any better, doesnt make it right, but it is how it is. It also doesnt mean that every athlete is like that but we know that most are.

Therefore, when athletes go out of their way even while making millions to complete that degree, it is commendable. You may say no because that should have been the goal the entire time but again, we both know that isnt how it works

[stoopified]

Enjoy the positive press while you can. As soon as we have a kid fark up, we'll hear about it for at least three months.

I rather enjoy hearing about guys doing things like this, chairty work many of them are involved in and cases of guys like Sam and GK just being altogether awesome. Paul Thompson was the epitome of class in 2006, but which EX-SOONER QB did we hear about ALL DAMN SEASON LONG that year?Bingo

[Leroy Lizard]

Really, Einstein? Because if I wasn't at the graduation ceremony, I would not have known that he came back and got his degree. Thus, a "news" story brought it to my attention.:rolleyes:
I don't idolize Mark Clayton, I loved watching him play and I'm happy for him making good life choices, especially, because he was a Sooner. That makes me a decent person, not a jock sniffer. Sorry that you can't say the same about yourself.

You can probably get on an RSS feed to make sure that you get updated on all of the former football players getting their college degrees, if it's that important to you.

Celebrity idolization does not make you a better person, just a tabloid news reader. "Gee, I hope Oprah can lose some weight."


Therefore, when athletes go out of their way even while making millions to complete that degree, it is commendable. You may say know because that should have been the goal the entire time but again, we both know that isnt how it works

Actually, I think it is far more newsworthy if some destitute slob skimps and saves his way to a college degree while holding down two jobs. Of course, no one cares about him. He isn't a celebrity.

[diegosooner]

Of course some don't want it to "count" because he didn't do it in 6 years.

[Leroy Lizard]

I'll defend the NCAA on this one. If you don't put a time limit on it, then every school claims that every athlete will eventually come back and get their degree, so they all have 100% graduation rates. It isn't just being mean on the NCAA's part, it's really necessary.

[Collier11]

Its not necessary though to use it as a gauge on whether to penalize a school or not and thats what the retarded azz Ncaa does

[swardboy]

I cannot find fault with celebrating good role models.

[Leroy Lizard]

I cannot find fault with celebrating good role models as long as they're celebrities.

Fixed. :D

In all seriousness, people get degrees all the time. No one cares unless it is a celebrity.


Its not necessary though to use it as a gauge on whether to penalize a school or not and thats what the retarded azz Ncaa does

Then what's the solution?

I offered one solution in here: Have every athlete take the GRE at the end of their junior year and yank scholarships for poor performance. Sounds reasonable to me but no one liked it. So now what?

I agree that when an athlete leaves early to join the pros it is misleading to call attention to his lack of a degree. But I don't see any way to do otherwise. The NCAA can't look at tax returns, so if an athlete leaves to join Citibanc there is no way to substantiate whether he is doing well or not. I suppose we could limit exceptions solely to the NFL, MLB, or NBA draft, but what if he isn't drafted?

We could have the school declare that the athlete was well on his way to graduating before he departed, but I don't think the university can disclose his academic record to the NCAA.

[Collier11]

Leroy, its the same as why we hear about the guy who jerked it in a pizza hut or the paris hiltons who make a sex tape with some random guy but we never hear about the military guy who saved 10 lives. Our country has their priorities backwards, atleast in this case it is good news

[Leroy Lizard]

My God, I can't disagree with you.

I hate it when that happens.

[Collier11]

I feel dirty

[Leroy Lizard]

I feel like I just played in a tied football game.

[gaylordfan1]

I feel like Pee Wee....

[diegosooner]

Fixed. :D

In all seriousness, people get degrees all the time. No one cares unless it is a celebrity.



Then what's the solution?

I offered one solution in here: Have every athlete take the GRE at the end of their junior year and yank scholarships for poor performance. Sounds reasonable to me but no one liked it. So now what?

I agree that when an athlete leaves early to join the pros it is misleading to call attention to his lack of a degree. But I don't see any way to do otherwise. The NCAA can't look at tax returns, so if an athlete leaves to join Citibanc there is no way to substantiate whether he is doing well or not. I suppose we could limit exceptions solely to the NFL, MLB, or NBA draft, but what if he isn't drafted?

We could have the school declare that the athlete was well on his way to graduating before he departed, but I don't think the university can disclose his academic record to the NCAA.

I don't know if this type of situation has been corrected or not, but a few years ago, stories were coming out that OU's basketball team had a graduation rate of 0%. Zilch. Nada.

The basis? The class of record had only two recruits. One transferred to another school and graduated but it counted against OU as not graduating. The other recruit took seven years to graduate.

The irony was we had a 0% graduation rate according to the report, but 100% of them earned college degrees.




I've seen numerous women who left college, raised kids, and returned to finish their degrees 15 or 20 years later. Try telling them it doesn't count.

[Leroy Lizard]

I don't know if this type of situation has been corrected or not, but a few years ago, stories were coming out that OU's basketball team had a graduation rate of 0%. Zilch. Nada.

The basis? The class of record had only two recruits. One transferred to another school and graduated but it counted against OU as not graduating. The other recruit took seven years to graduate.

The irony was we had a 0% graduation rate according to the report, but 100% of them earned college degrees.

I've seen numerous women who left college, raised kids, and returned to finish their degrees 15 or 20 years later. Try telling them it doesn't count.

Again, give them the GRE and this problem goes away. It won't matter how many players graduate if they can demonstrate they learned something while in college.

I see few problems with it.

Athletic departments don't like the idea because they would be held accountable for not providing an education for their students. I don't think that's a very good reason.