Barry Switzer chimes in on Tressel's situation...

[SteelClip49]

http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2011/03/11/barry-switzer-on-jim-tressel-suspension-thats-jaywalking-to-me-this-stuff-has-gone-on-forever/

[OU-HSV]

That guy seems to have some hard feelings toward Switzer. Oh well...eff that dude who wrote it

[TheHumanAlphabet]

The hate can be seen dripping off the ink...

[gaylordfan1]

Jealousy? Maybe?

[Leroy Lizard]

Switzer is right, although I wished he would have phrased it differently. In the past I never even heard of any issues with players selling their merchandise, but the rules are being applied more strictly today than in the past. Barry needs to keep up with the times.

[HBick]

People love to hate the King. It still holds true 2,000 years later.

[Leroy Lizard]

Honest to a fault.

[oudavid1]

Well i went ahead and asked.

http://i55.tinypic.com/2w1tzf7.jpg

Not that i really care, i wasnt even alive when Barry was around.

[bonkuba]

Well i went ahead and asked.

http://i55.tinypic.com/2w1tzf7.jpg

Not that i really care, i wasnt even alive when Barry was around.

I was a little Sooner in the 70s....growing up listening to my dad yell at the tv in joy and then in despair when the Sooners fumbled.

My dad doesn't like Barry at all....which I thought was weird....so I asked...he said it is mainly due to the lack of morals and high standards for his beloved Sooners. Something to do about never leave your wife or young daughter around Barry. Seriously though he had a hard time when Barry seemed to lose control of the players towards the end...the drugs, guns, money, etc.

Me? Eh....he may have been a eff up as a human being but he did coach some good ball and was a great motivator....

Time will tell I guess if the other crap fades away.

[texaspokieokie]

I was a little Sooner in the 70s....growing up listening to my dad yell at the tv in joy and then in despair when the Sooners fumbled.

My dad doesn't like Barry at all....which I thought was weird....so I asked...he said it is mainly due to the lack of morals and high standards for his beloved Sooners. Something to do about never leave your wife or young daughter around Barry. Seriously though he had a hard time when Barry seemed to lose control of the players towards the end...the drugs, guns, money, etc.

Me? Eh....he may have been a eff up as a human being but he did coach some good ball and was a great motivator....

Time will tell I guess if the other crap fades away.

this is stupid !!!
Barry was not an "eff up as a human being".you just don't know anything about which you speak, & there's the "eff-up" !!!!!

[GDC]

The guy says Switzer is "still bat**** looney".

If Barry is crazy, it's like a fox.

[texaspokieokie]

The guy says Switzer is "still bat**** looney".

If Barry is crazy, it's like a fox.

so is bonkuba.

[prrriiide]

Let's see...the reporter is doing really well to pull down $250K a year, assuming he does some TV. If he's web and print only, considerably less. Barry, OTOH, has parlayed his notoriety into an under-the-radar business juggernaut making him 7 figures or more annually.

Now, who is bat-**** crazy?

Barry's only real problem was that he was a human being when the rules didn't allow for something so outlandish. Given the choice between bogus rules and common-sense compassion/humanity, he chose wisely most of the time in my book.

[sooneron]

I seriously doubt that Barry is pulling in 7 figures. I would venture that he's making around $500-750k. Over a mill is a different stratosphere. What is he doing that is so lucrative these days? Making a boatload of money, (which is what Barry is doing - esp compared to most people) doesn't exclude him from bat **** crazy arguments. There are PLENTY of bat **** crazies making bank - Uh, Charlie Sheen, anyone? T Boone? The list is long. Being loaded is when someone really shows their colors- b/c they think they can get away with it.

[cantwait48]

"Let's see...the reporter is doing really well to pull down $250K"

dang, I must have gotten into the wrong profession

[KantoSooner]

I was on campus when Barry left. The football team was not running amok. Barry had not 'lost control'. Barry himself was never, never, the reeling madman that morons and azzholes make him out to have been today.

He was the finest coach OU has ever had. Bud didn't have to deal with the social issues Barry did. Bob has not, yet, reached the level of success Barry had; though I hold out hope for him.

Those who criticize Switzer are idiots.

Period.

[sooner518]

One guy is a writer for NBC Sports. I cant think of any entity less relevant to the world of sports than NBC Sports. Do they show any sports other than one NFL game per week and a weekly Notre Dame game?

The other is a hall of fame coach with 3 national titles and a super bowl ring. He is telling it like it is which is the honest-to-God truth.

I know who I am listening to.....

That said, if the NCAA is going to suspend Dez Bryant for a year for lying about something that wasnt even a violation, then they sure as hell better suspend Tressel for at least the same amount of time!

[boomermagic]

The guy says Switzer is "still bat**** looney".

If Barry is crazy, it's like a fox.



THIS !!

[boomermagic]

I was on campus when Barry left. The football team was not running amok. Barry had not 'lost control'. Barry himself was never, never, the reeling madman that morons and azzholes make him out to have been today.

He was the finest coach OU has ever had. Bud didn't have to deal with the social issues Barry did. Bob has not, yet, reached the level of success Barry had; though I hold out hope for him.

Those who criticize Switzer are idiots.

Period.

I agree 100 %..

[Sabanball]

Comparatively speaking, he's right.;)

[OUChampsBig12]

Like mentioned before, The King is only speaking the truth! And to take it a step beyond, The King does not care what some Drip Dick says about him. The King is the The King and that writer is a Drip Dick! Enough said! Hang 1/2 Hundred on Em'!

[Leroy Lizard]

In terms of coaching, he's unmatched in my opinion. However, I have some issues with his style.

1. In his zeal to help individuals, he often dismissed his responsibility to the university. Some of the social issues mentioned above he brought on himself. This was largely due to his own rough upbringing. I understand that he grew up in a community in which a lot of kids were at-risk, and I realize he felt a certain kinship to them, but you can't always use the university as a vehicle to help them.

2. Honesty is not always the best policy. There is no straighter shooter than Barry, but damn he can make statements that make university supporters flinch. Yes, I realize that these things go on at all institutions, but when your ex-coach claims it happened, people don't take that into account.

He had a big heart and he was as honest as any coach that ever walked the earth, but sometimes a person's strengths are also his weaknesses.

[sarpedon]

So Switzer believes that Tressel's lying under oath (Sept., 2010, NCAA compliance form) and twice to his superiors and the public (April and December, 2010) is like "jaywalking?" He acts like players' selling memorabilia, no doubt for inflated prices, is something that has always gone on and just happens. That is a way to pay players to play for you and that is a no-no. It seems that Switzer knew that it went on when he was head coach and didnt report it (why should he, it's just jaywalking) and if he did he is no better than Tressel who a bunch on this board want to emasculate. What's good for the goose...
What bugs me is that Switzer's comments downplaying the whole thing reminds everybody, again, that OU was a dirty program for some years under Switzer . Why does he need to run his piehole without remembering that he left the program in disgrace and on probation? It just gives the OU haters like this reporter a reason to bash us once again.
Really, Barry, just shut up.

[Leroy Lizard]

So Switzer believes that Tressel's lying under oath (Sept., 2010, NCAA compliance form) and twice to his superiors and the public (April and December, 2010) is like "jaywalking?"

I think he was referring to the selling of merchandise.


He acts like players' selling memorabilia, no doubt for inflated prices, is something that has always gone on and just happens.

It does. He is being honest there. Again, the problem with being honest is that people learn the truth.


That is a way to pay players to play for you and that is a no-no.

Sure, if that was the scheme. I don't think it was at OSU and Barry didn't say it was at OU.

There is a big difference between a player selling merchandise and arranging a player to sell merchandise as part of a pay-the-player scheme. C'mon, you should know that much.



What bugs me is that Switzer's comments downplaying the whole thing reminds everybody, again, that OU was a dirty program for some years under Switzer . Why does he need to run his piehole without remembering that he left the program in disgrace and on probation? It just gives the OU haters like this reporter a reason to bash us once again.
Really, Barry, just shut up.

I tend to respect this point better than your others.

[MyT Oklahoma]

I never considered Barry's private life to be any of my business. Did he make some mistakes? Yes but then who hasn't?

What do I think of him as a human being? I think he's done just fine in life and I'm glad that he is a Sooner.

[Sabanball]

When it came to following the rules, Barry definitely knew how to go over the speed limit but I still think he was one of the best coaches ever at the collegiate level. Not many coaches have three NC rings. And as far as his personal life goes, he could carouse and drink 24/7 for all I care as long as he was winning ball games.

As others have said, as good as Bob is he still has yet to accomplish what Barry did and he may never....

[TheHumanAlphabet]

I would tend to agree Saban, but did he have to do it with one of his coaches wives, before the OB game???

However Baryy was in a different era and if Bob did what Barry probably did, we might just have the death penalty...

[Jacie]

What happened to The King was the rules changed (a lot) over his tenure. The biggie was the reduction in scholarships, one way the NCAA tried to level the field between schools that want to play Division 1 football and schools like OU and sa*et where we are insane for it.

Another change came about in rules of conduct for scholarship athletes and the relevant one to this discussion concerns selling things that are a direct result of being a scholarship athlete.

Early in Barry's head coaching career, it was legal to give the players tickets for games. When the OU/sa*et game came around, each player would receive up to 10 tickets (the rest of us students had to be content with buying 2 and that was only if we won the ticket lottery). Although the tickets were meant to be distributed to family members, it was not-so-secret that they would (gasp) sell them, and being OU/sa*et, for more than face value. This happened at both schools. At least one year during an OU winning streak over the whorns, it came out that before the game sa*et players were in contact with Sooner players asking them to sell their tickets because Oklahoma fans were paying more for them.

So forgive Barry for not wanting to throw Tressel under the bus for what he sees as something minor.

[sarpedon]

I read the WSJ article and it's difficult to ascertain the context of Switzer's remarks. But Switzer himself referred to the "Jim Tressel situation..." which I would think would include Tressel's lying and not just the selling of memorabilia by players. Given Barry's commentator job, I hope would hope that he would know that Tressel is accused of lying which is much, much worse than the players' selling stuff.
If a high schooler learns that current players can make money by selling their football stuff and the coaches dont care, that would be a recruiting incentive which could make the difference in his school choice. That may not be directly paying players to come to your school but it is nonetheless the same because it's "winked at."
I have read "Bootlegger's Boy" and I believe Barry when he says he never paid a player to come to OU. And I will hate David Swank, Jerry Jones and Troy Aikman forever for the way they treated him. But Barry broke a lot of the minor "jaywalking" rules and got us publicly humiliated. I put it out of my mind and he brings it up again. Barry's the King but he aint perfect.

[Leroy Lizard]

I read the WSJ article and it's difficult to ascertain the context of Switzer's remarks. But Switzer himself referred to the "Jim Tressel situation..." which I would think would include Tressel's lying and not just the selling of memorabilia by players. Given Barry's commentator job, I hope would hope that he would know that Tressel is accused of lying which is much, much worse than the players' selling stuff.
If a high schooler learns that current players can make money by selling their football stuff and the coaches dont care, that would be a recruiting incentive which could make the difference in his school choice. That may not be directly paying players to come to your school but it is nonetheless the same because it's "winked at."

We know that. Everyone understands the purpose of the rules. It's just that some rules are bigger than others, and Barry doesn't consider this one especially egregious.

As for whether Barry was saying that lying to the NCAA is like jaywalking, I highly doubt that. I can bet with some certainty that he was referring to the selling of merchandise by his players.

A former player (Steve Lee) once offered to sell me his Orange Bowl ring. Strange thing is, he was playing for another college at the time. I'm not sure what the NCAA would do in that situation. Who do you punish?


I have read "Bootlegger's Boy" and I believe Barry when he says he never paid a player to come to OU. And I will hate David Swank, Jerry Jones and Troy Aikman forever for the way they treated him. But Barry broke a lot of the minor "jaywalking" rules and got us publicly humiliated. I put it out of my mind and he brings it up again. Barry's the King but he aint perfect.

To Barry, skirting the rules with a wink of the eye was part of the fun of coaching a team. He simply never took it all that serious. To him, it was like paying taxes: Sure the IRS says that, but what can I reasonably get away with? That's part of business, and he felt that was part of coaching. It was a game of "gotcha!"

At least, that's how I view his stance regarding the NCAA.

I agree with you that he needs to be careful about what he says. It isn't just his reputation on the line.

[sarpedon]

And Kelvin said hundreds of illegal telephone contacts were just "outworking" the other coaches. OU and Indiana have paid dearly for these coaches' playful conduct. I do not for a moment excuse them, no matter how insignificant they believe their actions to be. Besides, in this day nobody just hands out cash--they do little stuff that can add up to a lot.

[Sabanball]

I would tend to agree Saban, but did he have to do it with one of his coaches wives, before the OB game???

However Baryy was in a different era and if Bob did what Barry probably did, we might just have the death penalty...

What he did to Larry Lacewell was disgusting and morally repugnant. But it doesn't change the fact that he was one of the most successful coaches--EVER. Just as I and others that grew up in the 70s/80s probably lacked appreciation for what Wilkinson accomplished, I think the younger crowd today fails to completely understand just how good OU was under his tenure. You guys simply did not lose very often under Barry--I know, I was living in the state at that time. It took him only 13 yrs to win 3 NC's, something that is already out of reach for Bob to ever attain.

I think the man has earned the right to give his unvarnished opinion...

[Leroy Lizard]

What he did to Larry Lacewell was disgusting and morally repugnant. But it doesn't change the fact that he was one of the most successful coaches--EVER. Just as I and others that grew up in the 70s/80s probably lacked appreciation for what Wilkinson accomplished, I think the younger crowd today fails to completely understand just how good OU was under his tenure. You guys simply did not lose very often under Barry--I know, I was living in the state at that time. It took him only 13 yrs to win 3 NC's, something that is already out of reach for Bob to ever attain.

I think his 9 Top-3 finishes in only 16 seasons is what is most impressive about his coaching record.

Bowden had 9, but he coached a lot longer than Barry. How many did Dr. Tom have? Six?

[sperry]

What he did to Larry Lacewell was disgusting and morally repugnant. But it doesn't change the fact that he was one of the most successful coaches--EVER. Just as I and others that grew up in the 70s/80s probably lacked appreciation for what Wilkinson accomplished, I think the younger crowd today fails to completely understand just how good OU was under his tenure. You guys simply did not lose very often under Barry--I know, I was living in the state at that time. It took him only 13 yrs to win 3 NC's, something that is already out of reach for Bob to ever attain.

I think the man has earned the right to give his unvarnished opinion...


I disagree. If we were under the old system, Stoops would almost certainly have more NCs than the one he has now. In any of '03, '04, or '08 we could easily have played some 9-3 team in our bowl game and won the championship, rather than playing the #2 and losing like we did in each of those years. In '04 at the very least we certainly would not have played USC in the Orange Bowl, and I don't think there was another team that could have beaten us that year.

[ouwasp]

The Sooners were so close to winning even more MNCs under the King... and if that worthless Donnie Duncan had a pair, he maybe coulda helped Barry withstand the firestorm. We never would have been saddled with the Dark 90s. KSU might never have ascended. Neb would not have been the Big Red beast it became. tex would have been really, really bad...

[AlboSooner]

I wish sometime Barry would keep his mouth shut.

[Sabanball]

I disagree. If we were under the old system, Stoops would almost certainly have more NCs than the one he has now. In any of '03, '04, or '08 we could easily have played some 9-3 team in our bowl game and won the championship, rather than playing the #2 and losing like we did in each of those years. In '04 at the very least we certainly would not have played USC in the Orange Bowl, and I don't think there was another team that could have beaten us that year.

That may be your OPINION, but you don't know that, and you can't prove a hypothetical anyway.

I'm in no way trying to diminish what Bob has accomplished, and he may yet overtake Switzer in accomplishments. One thing he has in his favor is that he is still relatively young and could potentially be in Norman for many years to come. But as you yourself point out the landscape of college football has changed, and championships are not determined by just the AP anymore. Still, as someone over 40, I can remember how dominant your team was at times under Switzer and in MY lifetime he is still your most successful coach.:)

[MamaMia]

Do NOT disrespect the King! :mad:

[EatLeadCommie]

Guys, it is one quote and it is not in context. Now if we know anything about Switzer, it's that he doesn't simply provide one quote. He provides about 50 of them, plenty of context, and an irrelevant story or 2 when asked about something. This Tressell stuff is pretty tame by his standards, because both Switzer's and the NCAA's standards were much different when Barry was coaching. This is just an example of a newspaper taking one quote in order to illustrate a predetermined point. I'm sure had he quoted Barry in his entirety, the article would've been much more entertaining.

[texaspokieokie]

Guys, it is one quote and it is not in context. Now if we know anything about Switzer, it's that he doesn't simply provide one quote. He provides about 50 of them, plenty of context, and an irrelevant story or 2 when asked about something. This Tressell stuff is pretty tame by his standards, because both Switzer's and the NCAA's standards were much different when Barry was coaching. This is just an example of a newspaper taking one quote in order to illustrate a predetermined point. I'm sure had he quoted Barry in his entirety, the article would've been much more entertaining.

THIS

[boomermagic]

So Switzer believes that Tressel's lying under oath (Sept., 2010, NCAA compliance form) and twice to his superiors and the public (April and December, 2010) is like "jaywalking?" He acts like players' selling memorabilia, no doubt for inflated prices, is something that has always gone on and just happens. That is a way to pay players to play for you and that is a no-no. It seems that Switzer knew that it went on when he was head coach and didnt report it (why should he, it's just jaywalking) and if he did he is no better than Tressel who a bunch on this board want to emasculate. What's good for the goose...
What bugs me is that Switzer's comments downplaying the whole thing reminds everybody, again, that OU was a dirty program for some years under Switzer . Why does he need to run his piehole without remembering that he left the program in disgrace and on probation? It just gives the OU haters like this reporter a reason to bash us once again.
Really, Barry, just shut up.


Hey, YOU shut up and leave the KING alone..:mad:

[sarpedon]

So Switzer believes that Tressel's lying under oath (Sept., 2010, NCAA compliance form) and twice to his superiors and the public (April and December, 2010) is like "jaywalking?" He acts like players' selling memorabilia, no doubt for inflated prices, is something that has always gone on and just happens. That is a way to pay players to play for you and that is a no-no. It seems that Switzer knew that it went on when he was head coach and didnt report it (why should he, it's just jaywalking) and if he did he is no better than Tressel who a bunch on this board want to emasculate. What's good for the goose...
What bugs me is that Switzer's comments downplaying the whole thing reminds everybody, again, that OU was a dirty program for some years under Switzer . Why does he need to run his piehole without remembering that he left the program in disgrace and on probation? It just gives the OU haters like this reporter a reason to bash us once again.
Really, Barry, just shut up.

[Leroy Lizard]

So Switzer believes that Tressel's lying under oath (Sept., 2010, NCAA compliance form) and twice to his superiors and the public (April and December, 2010) is like "jaywalking?" He acts like players' selling memorabilia, no doubt for inflated prices, is something that has always gone on and just happens. That is a way to pay players to play for you and that is a no-no. It seems that Switzer knew that it went on when he was head coach and didnt report it (why should he, it's just jaywalking) and if he did he is no better than Tressel who a bunch on this board want to emasculate. What's good for the goose...
What bugs me is that Switzer's comments downplaying the whole thing reminds everybody, again, that OU was a dirty program for some years under Switzer . Why does he need to run his piehole without remembering that he left the program in disgrace and on probation? It just gives the OU haters like this reporter a reason to bash us once again.
Really, Barry, just shut up.

We don't need wolves in sheep's clothing in here. Mods, ban him.

[boomermagic]

So Switzer believes that Tressel's lying under oath (Sept., 2010, NCAA compliance form) and twice to his superiors and the public (April and December, 2010) is like "jaywalking?" He acts like players' selling memorabilia, no doubt for inflated prices, is something that has always gone on and just happens. That is a way to pay players to play for you and that is a no-no. It seems that Switzer knew that it went on when he was head coach and didnt report it (why should he, it's just jaywalking) and if he did he is no better than Tressel who a bunch on this board want to emasculate. What's good for the goose...
What bugs me is that Switzer's comments downplaying the whole thing reminds everybody, again, that OU was a dirty program for some years under Switzer . Why does he need to run his piehole without remembering that he left the program in disgrace and on probation? It just gives the OU haters like this reporter a reason to bash us once again.
Really, Barry, just shut up.

Ban his ***...

[d.stOUgh]

Let's see...the reporter is doing really well to pull down $250K a year, assuming he does some TV. If he's web and print only, considerably less. Barry, OTOH, has parlayed his notoriety into an under-the-radar business juggernaut making him 7 figures or more annually.

Now, who is bat-**** crazy?

Barry's only real problem was that he was a human being when the rules didn't allow for something so outlandish. Given the choice between bogus rules and common-sense compassion/humanity, he chose wisely most of the time in my book.

To all Sooner Fans...

Barrys' autobiography, 'Bootleggers Son' should be mandatory reading!

[MrJimBeam]

I wish sometime Barry would keep his mouth shut.

Then he wouldn't be the King.

[C&CDean]

Say it once, shame on you. Say it twice, say bye bye. Bye bye troll.

[Leroy Lizard]

To me, i's not so much what he said. I would have no problem with a Horn fan spouting anti-Sooner crap, because I can at least fire back. But masquerading as a Sooner fan to give his argument more credibility was a bit much.

[boomermagic]

Dean, You da man !!

[MamaMia]

Say it once, shame on you. Say it twice, say bye bye. Bye bye troll.Dang it Dean. I didn't even get to neg him. :mad: