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View Full Version : Kyle Hardrick's mom testifies before Congress



badger
11/1/2011, 05:25 PM
Hate to put a damper on the season before it starts... her timing is probably on purpose:

Link (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20111101_92_0_WASHIN805229)

I am not sure who is right or who is wrong in this situation but in a nutshell, mom is saying OU won't grant a medical hardship waiver and didn't pay his medical bills after he had issues.


One mother, Valerie Hardrick, said the University of Oklahoma refused to grant a waiver for medical hardship that would allow her son, Kyle Hardrick, to play basketball at junior college after transferring from OU. Prior to Tuesday's forum, Hardrick's family provided to The Associated Press documentation showing that team doctors diagnosed him with a torn meniscus in his knee and wrote down on practice logs that he should be held out because he was hurt. Hardrick's family said the university has refused to pursue the waiver unless the family agrees to a settlement that would prohibit him or his family members from enrolling at Oklahoma or any of the universities governed by its board of regents. The proposed settlement also would prevent the Hardricks from filing a lawsuit against the university.

"My insurance does not cover all of Kyle's medical bills," an emotional Valerie Hardrick said. "The university of Oklahoma refused to pay for Kyle's surgery, his rehab, and his medication. The university actions also allowed Kyle to be released without appropriate medical treatment before consulting his original surgeon."

As the article notes, Kyle played a total of 6 minutes for the Sooners and is now at a comm college in Kansas. He apparently isn't allowed to play without the waiver.

On the OU side of the argument, perhaps the Hardricks are trying to milk the situation for more than it's worth and are unwilling to sign reasonable documentation to prevent the university and its associated colleges (via the regents) from further litigation and liability. Perhaps there has been blackmail and threats and the like and OU is trying to rid itself of a problem family that sees this as a money and publicity opportunity.

But again, I'm not sure who is right or wrong here. Take it for what it's worth.

Frozen Sooner
11/1/2011, 06:44 PM
After a quick look at Title 51 of the Oklahoma Statutes, she can't sue the university anyhow. At least I can't find anything that says Oklahoma waives sovereign immunity for college athletes that get injured while playing. Super-quick look, though, so I'm probably wrong.

Also, why would the school want him to sign a waiver that neither he nor his family members could enroll at Oklahoma? Such a waiver wouldn't be binding on the family members anyhow.