Beeler Leaving Team

[Jay C. Upchurch]

NORMAN — Reserve offensive center Chase Beeler has notified Oklahoma's coaching staff that he is leaving the Sooner football program.

OU head coach Bob Stoops confirmed Beeler's decision Wednesday night and said, "Chase wants to concentrate on his academic interests. He just decided that he did not want to play any more. We respect his decision. We're all for Chase. He was a good, strong student-athlete while he was with our program and we wish him the best."

Beeler, from Jenks, Okla., started one game last season, the Middle Tennessee contest, when Jon Cooper was out with an injury.

OU SID Report

[chbrew09]

damn

[Widescreen]

Damn you, Schmitty!!!!!!!!1111!1!1!

[Soonerus]

Thanks JC

[sooneron]

That sucks for our depth, but I think we'll be OK. Best of luck to a kid that decided to focus on what matters to him.

[OKLA21FAN]

maybe this is a dumb question


but what happens to his scholly?

[Ash]

Good luck to him in his pursuits. Sad to see a player go, but you have to move on.

[Rhino]

Beeler, Roark, why are these Oklahoma prima-donna's quitting for. I am sick and tired of these kids that are ALL WORLD quitting on the program. Folks, let's not be stupid.

He left the team in good standing and Stoops has nothing but good things to say about the kid - we should follow his lead and NOT act like poor sports about this.

The kid came to us as a bigtime academic kid - we had to pry him away from Stanford - so it should come as no surprise when he wants to drop football to concentrate on academics. This is no different than Carl Pendleton leaving the team - be happy that the kid has his priorities straight and is going after what he wants.

And in a time when we need available scholarships, you can't help but look at the bright side for us -- he opens up one more scholly for the next class.

[jk the sooner fan]

yeah a kid going to college....to get a degree.......

good on him, and best of luck to him

[SoonerDood]

another hole in the "we should only recruit Oklahoma linemen" argument.

[BASSooner]

Hey, we really don't know if this is Schmitty's fault so don't go out and start pointing fingers at people. If it was because of a stronger concentration on his academics, then I give my props to him. That is what universities are for.

[olevetonahill]

:rolleyes:

[BASSooner]

:rolleyes: What the hell are you talking about? Academics?? Pshhh This is oklahoma!!! Football is OUr priority!!!! Get it straight!!!!
fixed:D

[goingoneight]

maybe this is a dumb question


but what happens to his scholly?

The NCAA revoked it.

[goingoneight]

Stop blaming Schmiddy and Stoops, and the Jenks/Oklahoma kids... this is clearly not the time nor the place. The kid is more interested in his academics, rather than third-stringing for the football team. If he wants to do something different with his life, cool. No one ever said he couldn't hack it... all of the coaches praised his work ethic, and he even got to start in a game. if you're trying to go to OU for academics, then football is always going to get in your way if you're on the team. Media, fans, random people on campus, practices everyday, family gnaws at you for the inside scoop all the time...
Congratulations to Chase for making a difficult, but still the right decision. Academics first, always.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I'm just glad he didn't wait til the week before the first game to quit, like those starting linemen did a couple yrs ago.

[goingoneight]

For all the people who think it's JUST a football team, he had Cooper and likely a few others ahead of him and it won't hurt your team's "depth" too badly. This is a commendable choice by a good-standing kid in Stoops eyes.

[swardboy]

I don't know....the NCAA has knocked down practice time to 20 hours...lots of students pull part-time jobs and get excellent grades. There are academic all-americans. Does every 3rd stringer have the right to renege on his commitment...apparently so.

[MojoRisen]

Bealer was good - this hurts a bit...

Do you think he changed his mind about football or did the 100 degree heat and 2x days- start him thinking about law school????

[Jason White's Third Knee]

I wonder though... Is he going to regret this for the rest of his life? I know I would. Getting a degree is (well, maybe over rated a little) important, but how many people can say they played on a top 10 college football team? And he could do BOTH.

Dog pile me if you want, but a college education isn't going to make or break a person. I'm getting philisophical here, but depending on a person's goals, a degree might be superflous. My wife's uncle is probably the wealthiest guy in this area. Hell, he built a building at the U of I and named it after his dad. He only graduated highschool.

He wasn't going to be a Sooner football player either though, so maybe I don't have a point.

He has a 150' ship and 2 jets though. That's cool. I went to college. No jets.


Dang.

[OUmillenium]

Schmitty and the heat were not factors.

Chase is an incredible student. He was really torn between Stanford and OU but the strength of OU's football program compared to Stanford was the deciding factor(and closeness of family).

Let me say it again, Chase made incredible ACT scores, took every AP course at Jenks that he could, and could have gone anywhere in the country on academic scholarship alone.

This truly is an academic decision.

We would someday be voting him for POTUS but he has way too much integrity and intelligence for that position.

[Grimey]

The Tulsa World mentioned that he chose Oklahoma because he was hoping to use his status as an OU football player to further a career in politics, a la Jack Mildren.

[sooneron]

I wonder though... Is he going to regret this for the rest of his life? I know I would. Getting a degree is (well, maybe over rated a little) important, but how many people can say they played on a top 10 college football team? And he could do BOTH.

Dog pile me if you want, but a college education isn't going to make or break a person. I'm getting philisophical here, but depending on a person's goals, a degree might be superflous. My wife's uncle is probably the wealthiest guy in this area. Hell, he built a building at the U of I and named it after his dad. He only graduated highschool.

He wasn't going to be a Sooner football player either though, so maybe I don't have a point.

He has a 150' ship and 2 jets though. That's cool. I went to college. No jets.


Dang.
Dude, there are plenty, or shall I say a ****LOAD of careers out there that demand at least two degrees.

[Kray]

Dog pile me if you want, but a college education isn't going to make or break a person.
Well, the facts disagree with you. Your uncle is the exception, not the rule. The odds are against you without that degree. It's not impossible to get wealthy without it, but most of us won't ever be millionaires or found Microsoft, just like most kids in our locker room won't be in the NFL.

The 2000 census (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2002-07-18-degree-dollars.htm) confirms that it is increasingly important to be degreed. The days of blue-collar, well paying union jobs are fading.


WASHINGTON (AP) — If you are a high school student thinking about college, consider this: Someone with a bachelor's degree earns nearly $1 million more over his or her lifetime than a high school graduate. A Census Bureau survey released Thursday shows a college graduate can expect to earn $2.1 million working full-time between ages 25 and 64, which demographers call a typical work-life period. A master's degree-holder is projected to earn $2.5 million, while someone with a professional degree, such as a doctor or lawyer, could make even more — $4.4 million.

As to the comment asking if he had the "right" to leave (not yours), it is a scholarship not an indentured servitude.

Props to the kid for following his heart.

[XingTheRubicon]

He has a 150' ship and 2 jets though. That's cool. I went to college. No jets.


that's funny, and we should have jet parking for our players at the Fock.

[TheUnnamedSooner]

I think the difference between this kid and Pendleton is the timing. Had he made this decision at the end of last or next season instead of 3 weeks before the first game, it would have been much more well received (not that it should matter what everyone thinks). I know the kid probably wouldn't have played much, and I agree academics are very important. I don't know any of the reasons that made him finally decide to quit, it just seems this time of year hurts the team more.

[Tear Down This Wall]

another hole in the "we should only recruit Oklahoma linemen" argument.

:eek: :D

[Tear Down This Wall]

Well, the facts disagree with you. Your uncle is the exception, not the rule. The odds are against you without that degree. It's not impossible to get wealthy without it, but most of us won't ever be millionaires or found Microsoft, just like most kids in our locker room won't be in the NFL.

The 2000 census (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2002-07-18-degree-dollars.htm) confirms that it is increasingly important to be degreed. The days of blue-collar, well paying union jobs are fading.



As to the comment asking if he had the "right" to leave (not yours), it is a scholarship not an indentured servitude.

Props to the kid for following his heart.

First, it doesn't matter if you have a degree or not. Degrees are overblown. I've got three of them. Want one?

Second, scholarships are only one year deals that are renewed or not renewed each year. No one "signs on for four years" like recruiting idiots like to say.

So, you are right, it's not indentured servitude. It's like Right To Work - he can leave any time, just as his scholie can be pulled or non-renewed at anytime.

[sooneron]

When are Howard, Hughey and Cooke gonna leave the team?

[Tear Down This Wall]

When are Howard, Hughey and Cooke gonna leave the team?

Dude, whether they come or go is irrelevant. What is relevant is that your new Quint avatar is greatness!

[sooneron]

First, it doesn't matter if you have a degree or not. Degrees are overblown. I've got three of them. Want one?


Try going to Goldman Sachs and applying for job with no degree or just an undergrad and see how far you get.

[sooneron]

Dude, whether they come or go is irrelevant. What is relevant is that your new Quint avatar is greatness!
Thanks, it was an inspired imdb moment last night.

[RedstickSooner]

Stoops, while notorious (and entertaining) for using double-speak, coach-speak, and vagueness in his public statements, is usually pretty clear when a kid leaves.

If Stoops talks about what a great kid the guy was -- the kid made a good decision. Maybe not one we're totally pleased with, but one which I don't believe we're in the position to criticize.

If, OTOH, Stoops talks about it being a "surprise", or "sudden", or "unexpected", we know the kid in question is a turd -- and deserves all the Innerweb flaming we can come up with.

Every student is different, in terms of how much time they need for their studies, and how much they can devote to other pursuits. If he needed more for his studies, then I'm glad he took it, even if I'd like the depth.

[MichiganSooner]

Good luck to Chase. Saw him play when he was with Jenks. Yeah, Jenks players are real soft. (they aren't, how about Kejuan). What are the chances of a regular making it big in the NFL? Think of Rufus and Steve Owens and their injuries before you answer that one.

Maybe Chase will be taking Organic Chemistry and the lab is during practice.

[Kray]

First, it doesn't matter if you have a degree or not. Degrees are overblown. I've got three of them. Want one?
Got a couple of my own, thanks. :)

But the facts are clear. People with degrees out-earn people without them. Significantly. So how are they exactly "overblown"?

Anyway, Beeler was getting his one way or another. It's sad to see him go in that you want smart, quality kids on the team, but it isn't very likely to affect our season.

[Taxman71]

The obvious problem here is recruiting a guy named Chase to play football. That name should be limited to field hockey and rowing.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Try going to Goldman Sachs and applying for job with no degree or just an undergrad and see how far you get.

Look, I understand what you are saying. But, you have to understand that not everyone wants to work for Goldman Sachs. And, that's fine.

It's like this...

...when I was in high school, I did as much of my own maintenance on this truck I had that I could. One afternoon, I was changing the oil and my dad came home. He walked up and said, "What are you doing?"

I said, "Changing the oil."

He said, "Take it to the oil change place up the street. Those people need to make a living, too."

So, there ya have it. If every last person in America is badgered into the "you have to have a degree" mindset to get a white collar job, no one will be left to work blue collar jobs.

Further, what is really the point? We're already to the point where a bachelor's degree is about worthless. We can argue about whether that's due to watered down academics or greedy business owners underpaying a workforce and, in addition, giving them less benefits than before or none at all.

To me, the point is, if a kid has a knack and love for doing thing like tinkering with cars, why beat him to death with a "get a degree" kick to the nuts. Let the kid do what he wants to do.

I mean, there are high school kids that hack their way onto corporate and government computer systems. They obviously didn't need a degree in computer science to show them how things worked.

It's a question of what each person wants and what they want to do. If someone wants a blue collar job, a smaller house, and a loyal wife and kids, let it be.

We brow beat kids entirely too much. There's no telling how many people are out there in jobs they hate because they went to college and got degree in whatever their parents badgered them into getting degrees in. The whole thing is worthless. Let kids prusue their dreams, college degree or no.

The whole "you've got to do it this way" mindset of the Baby Boomers can stick it where the sun don't shine. After all, look where it got them. Crappy marriages...careers they hated...not enough money saved for retirement...screw them and their crappy mindset.

[MojoRisen]

If you look at the whole - Degree yes

but most of this stuff is done through nepotism :)

[Stitch Face]

I wonder though... Is he going to regret this for the rest of his life? I know I would. Getting a degree is (well, maybe over rated a little) important, but how many people can say they played on a top 10 college football team? And he could do BOTH.

Dog pile me if you want, but a college education isn't going to make or break a person. I'm getting philisophical here, but depending on a person's goals, a degree might be superflous. My wife's uncle is probably the wealthiest guy in this area. Hell, he built a building at the U of I and named it after his dad. He only graduated highschool.

He wasn't going to be a Sooner football player either though, so maybe I don't have a point.

He has a 150' ship and 2 jets though. That's cool. I went to college. No jets.


Dang.

Well reasoned, sir.

[swardboy]

The Tulsa World mentioned that he chose Oklahoma because he was hoping to use his status as an OU football player to further a career in politics, a la Jack Mildren.

I think he just torpedoed his political career.

[sooneron]

Look, I understand what you are saying. But, you have to understand that not everyone wants to work for Goldman Sachs. And, that's fine.

It's like this...

...when I was in high school, I did as much of my own maintenance on this truck I had that I could. One afternoon, I was changing the oil and my dad came home. He walked up and said, "What are you doing?"

I said, "Changing the oil."

He said, "Take it to the oil change place up the street. Those people need to make a living, too."

So, there ya have it. If every last person in America is badgered into the "you have to have a degree" mindset to get a white collar job, no one will be left to work blue collar jobs.

Further, what is really the point? We're already to the point where a bachelor's degree is about worthless. We can argue about whether that's due to watered down academics or greedy business owners underpaying a workforce and, in addition, giving them less benefits than before or none at all.

To me, the point is, if a kid has a knack and love for doing thing like tinkering with cars, why beat him to death with a "get a degree" kick to the nuts. Let the kid do what he wants to do.

I mean, there are high school kids that hack their way onto corporate and government computer systems. They obviously didn't need a degree in computer science to show them how things worked.

It's a question of what each person wants and what they want to do. If someone wants a blue collar job, a smaller house, and a loyal wife and kids, let it be.

We brow beat kids entirely too much. There's no telling how many people are out there in jobs they hate because they went to college and got degree in whatever their parents badgered them into getting degrees in. The whole thing is worthless. Let kids prusue their dreams, college degree or no.

The whole "you've got to do it this way" mindset of the Baby Boomers can stick it where the sun don't shine. After all, look where it got them. Crappy marriages...careers they hated...not enough money saved for retirement...screw them and their crappy mindset.
I agree with you on many points here. I just don't think a lot of this applies to this situation- the kid is obviously motivated towards his education here.

I agree that America needs more trade training- of course this should only happen if companies stop being coddled for sending jobs overseas/down south. I think a large part of the college education is focussed on crap that is unnecessary. I feel it should better prepare people for the actual workforce environment.

[Taxman71]

You have to realize that not everyone loves football the way most of us do, even those who excel at it (see Keith Jackson's early retirement despite his success and $$$). For some, it isn't all that much fun, especially if you don't play much or at all.

As for college degrees, it doesn't guarantee anything, but it gets you into doors you can't get in otherwise, which only increases your chances of success. Regardless, you still have to work hard, stay out of trouble and constantly try to improve your skills. That formula will make you a success in just about anything.

[SoonerSinger3]

well i worked with a guy that went to jenks and was good friends with Chase...my friend said that chase was almost forced by his dad to go to OU instead of Stanford, so he was probably never wholeheartedly focused on the program or football...but hope he does well w/ whatever he does because my friend says Chase was the smartest guy he ever met, and that's saying alot because my friend was damn smart himself..

[StoopTroup]

Smart guys sometimes get tired of getting the cr*p beat out of them everyday. If his personal goals are greater than being on a Top 10 and possibly a 8th MNC Team...then it's his choice.

I had to choose between sports back in H.S.

I can't imagine having to make a choice like he did.

I wish him well.

[KC//CRIMSON]

Yet another OL guy quitting during summer workouts :mad: Same crap different year. :(

Yeah, because your Saturday entertainment is more important than someone's personal goals. :rolleyes:

[birddog]

i'm sure he rassled with his decision for quite some time. perhaps the heat and intensity of the workouts played no part in his decision, but i wouldn't be surprised if he got home one night and said "the hell with this."

[Tulsa_Fireman]

well i worked with a guy that went to jenks and was good friends with Chase...my friend said that chase was almost forced by his dad to go to OU instead of Stanford, so he was probably never wholeheartedly focused on the program or football...


Whoa, whoa, whoa, stud.

I know Chase Beeler's dad.

He's a fire investigator for the Tulsa Fire Department. Trying to spin negative light on the scenario by taking he said/she said shots at a man that A) you don't know from Adam, B) is a sworn peace officer and protector of the entirety of his community, and C) is a pretty damn successful athlete in his own regard ain't the way to roll. The young man made a decision. The young man changed his decision.

Whoopty-frickin'-doo.

When he graduates and becomes Chet Finance or Bobby Engineer, or hell, even Chase Fireman like his old man Darryl, he'll have made a decision that works for him. Yes, he may be passing on glory in OUR eyes as Sooner fans, but if he wants to flip burgers for a living and smoke crack on his off time, who cares? That's his place to decide. I for one wish him well regardless of what he does and hope this is an indicator that for a young man, his head is screwed on nice and tight as opposed to a large majority of young men out there today.

[badger]

Stoops, while notorious (and entertaining) for using double-speak, coach-speak, and vagueness in his public statements, is usually pretty clear when a kid leaves.

If Stoops talks about what a great kid the guy was -- the kid made a good decision. Maybe not one we're totally pleased with, but one which I don't believe we're in the position to criticize.

If, OTOH, Stoops talks about it being a "surprise", or "sudden", or "unexpected", we know the kid in question is a turd -- and deserves all the Innerweb flaming we can come up with.

Every student is different, in terms of how much time they need for their studies, and how much they can devote to other pursuits. If he needed more for his studies, then I'm glad he took it, even if I'd like the depth.

The most telling sign, however, is if he uses the player's name or not, or just refers to them as "the cornerback" (which he did when he was upset at DJ Wolfe blowing the Washington receiver coverage) or "the quarterback" (no more information necessary). If he doesn't mention you by name, you're in T-R-U-B-B-L-E.

See kids, if you don't go to college, you won't learn the correct spelling of trouble... then again, I went to college, got my degree and am working professionally... maybe that was just a random act of stupidity. I hope Beeler won't think that about his decision to quit the football team in a few days.

[ItsZep]

best of luck

[Tear Down This Wall]

I agree with you on many points here. I just don't think a lot of this applies to this situation- the kid is obviously motivated towards his education here.

I agree that America needs more trade training- of course this should only happen if companies stop being coddled for sending jobs overseas/down south. I think a large part of the college education is focussed on crap that is unnecessary. I feel it should better prepare people for the actual workforce environment.

You and I feel the same, it sounds like. As an aside, my academic posts have nothing to do with Chase Beeler. It's just the way I feel in general. He's smart to concentrate on academics.

I guess in my perfect world, we'd go back to do more true mentoring. That is, hiring someone who knew absolutely nothing about a professional or trade and aspired to join it. Once hired, the kid would be taught the job day to day, and perhaps sent to college, if necessary, after awhile.

They did this for centuries. It's how attorneys used to learn the trade.

The thing is, most kids have some sort of dream about what they may or may not want to do. Instead of having them start in college, start at a job. If they like the job, then they can go to school and get the education needed to succeed at it. If they don't the the job, they can move on (.org :D ) and try something else.

Anyway, it just seems to me that even the best of college have become nothing more than diploma mills, cranking out thousands of aimless kids with worthless degrees. I think working first would give the majority of kids more focus on what to study at school and what to avoid.

I could be wrong.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

I could be wrong.

But I doubt it.

[LosAngelesSooner]

OMG!

For a second I misread the title of this thread and thought it said, "BEER leaves team!"

I was really upset for a minute...

[Bruiser53]

One of my roomates knows chase and he said that part of the reason he left is that he had a hard time to keeping his weight up and that he was never going to get playing time.

[badger]

OMG!

For a second I misread the title of this thread and thought it said, "BEER leaves team!"

I was really upset for a minute...
No LA, the only place beer has left is not the sooner football team, but the sooner ba...

hehe. rules are made to be broken.

AS for Beer-ler, I, too, was once highly pressured by my parents to attend OU. It was a school that my parents highly valued because my brother was already attending for meteorology, and since they were moving to oklahoma following my h.s. graduation, it would just work out better for me to be in the same state.

It really didn't turn out to be that bad, even if I was in an unfamiliar state and area. After all, I met NP here :D

[Soonerfan88]

I believe this is a combination of events. Chase was pressured by his family (I've heard Mom, not Dad) to sign with OU instead of his personal choice of Stanford. Coach Patton has been quoted about his concerns over Beeler's low weight. Chase was 2nd on the depth chart but Hannan has been impressive and may have moved ahead of him this year.

Suddenly, 3 weeks before the season opener, Chase announces he is quitting the team to concentrate more on academics. The timing is extremely suspect and makes many, including me, think there is more to the story. Why put yourself through summer workouts and 2-a-days if you're not going to play? Maybe it was more about your lack of playing time than study time?

Now, Scout is running an update saying Beeler has obtained his release and is on an official visit to Stanford. So much for giving up football. First, I think he should have been allowed to go to Stanford last year if he wanted. It's his life, not his family's. Second, if you finally convinced your family to let you transfer to Stanford, why not just say so? Most of us would have understood. Instead, many feel deceived and maybe even insulted, as if Oklahoma isn't good enough. (I'm not comparing OU to Stanford on academic reputation. He's going into politics, not med school.)

In the end, I wish Chase well at Stanford and in life. Could it have been handled better? Sure, but he's just a 19 yr old kid (even if he's a genius) who hasn't had enough political spin writing classes yet. :)

Disclaimer: I just read the boards & press releases and reach my own conclusions.

[goingoneight]

If he wanted to go for academics, why didn't he go to that Yale-Harvard standard in Austin? :confused:

[47straight]

I knew the family of another O-Line recruit whose lifelong dream was to attend OU. Beeler got the scholly instead. When Beeler was wafting right before signing day, they let this other guy know it would be coming to him if Beeler didn't sign.


I've got no problem with Beeler making the best decision for himself and I wish him a world of luck, but the reality is that he screwed up someone elses dream. Maybe it opens the door for some other kid's dream next year, but the disappointment here was real and deep.

[badger]

I knew the family of another O-Line recruit whose lifelong dream was to attend OU. Beeler got the scholly instead. When Beeler was wafting right before signing day, they let this other guy know it would be coming to him if Beeler didn't sign.


I've got no problem with Beeler making the best decision for himself and I wish him a world of luck, but the reality is that he screwed up someone elses dream. Maybe it opens the door for some other kid's dream next year, but the disappointment here was real and deep.

He should have walked on then, or like cover boy on ESPN, goto another college that was originally a second choice and become a Heisman candidate (referring to Cal's DeShan Jackson)... although I admit, OL isn't exactly a Heisman position.

If it was mom making the decision, she probably wanted her boy close to home. If it was dad, it was probably his own dream to wear a Sooner jersey on Saturdays... or perhaps, the dream was to see his son wear Sooner crimson on Saturdays.

Rather than thinking about what could have been, think about what is right now--- another top 10 team :)

[1stTimeCaller]

on a side note TDTW, who owns the company that you work for?

on topic, if the guy doesn't want to play football anymore he made the right decision. The timing could have been better but oh well.

How many of you guys bashing him or questioning his decision have ever quit a job?

Best of luck to him in his future endeavors and a thank you for his time playing for my Sooners keeping me entertained.

[JohnnyMack]

You shut your whore mouth.

[Mjcpr]

How many of you guys bashing him or questioning his decision have ever quit a job?

If OU owes him $43.70, I'd be happy to pay it to have a little depth.

[Purple Tiger]

Beeler, Roark, why are these Oklahoma prima-donna's quitting for. I am sick and tired of these kids that are ALL WORLD quitting on the program.

I think someone was saying earlier on another thread that some of the Jenks kids are soft. What's up with this @hit?



Perhaps he couldn't adjust to the level of competition. Did he play against tough competition in high school or did his school have all of the talent?

[1stTimeCaller]

perhaps he wanted to focus on academics.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Sounds like he is looking at Stanford; wonder if he will play football when he gets there?

[bstuff1979]

This whole argument is really really starting to get a little on the sad side of absurd. The guy wants to focus on academics, let him focus on academics. Heck, even if he just didn't want to play football anymore...what's the problem with that? Unless you're actually on the coaching staff or in his social/family network, you can't justify a great deal of criticism. OU football is a big deal in this state and elswhere (financially and otherwise), but you can't let it get so out of hand that it becomes some sort treasonous offense to God and country when a college kid would rather focus on GPA and post-grad opportunities (that's an assumption on my part, but that's what it sounds like) than football. Yes, he could/can do both...but why get so angry (those that are) over it? It's not your decision and it's not your place to judge.

[birddog]

Perhaps he couldn't adjust to the level of competition. Did he play against tough competition in high school or did his school have all of the talent?

dude, not every player becomes a 4-year starter. it's one player that chose to concentrate on school. if 6 or 7 guys decided to quit, you might be able to play the talent card.

[opksooner]

This whole argument is really really starting to get a little on the sad side of absurd. The guy wants to focus on academics, let him focus on academics. Heck, even if he just didn't want to play football anymore...what's the problem with that? Unless you're actually on the coaching staff or in his social/family network, you can't justify a great deal of criticism. OU football is a big deal in this state and elswhere (financially and otherwise), but you can't let it get so out of hand that it becomes some sort treasonous offense to God and country when a college kid would rather focus on GPA and post-grad opportunities (that's an assumption on my part, but that's what it sounds like) than football. Yes, he could/can do both...but why get so angry (those that are) over it? It's not your decision and it's not your place to judge.

BINGO!!

[Fraggle145]

This whole argument is really really starting to get a little on the sad side of absurd. The guy wants to focus on academics, let him focus on academics. Heck, even if he just didn't want to play football anymore...what's the problem with that? Unless you're actually on the coaching staff or in his social/family network, you can't justify a great deal of criticism. OU football is a big deal in this state and elswhere (financially and otherwise), but you can't let it get so out of hand that it becomes some sort treasonous offense to God and country when a college kid would rather focus on GPA and post-grad opportunities (that's an assumption on my part, but that's what it sounds like) than football. Yes, he could/can do both...but why get so angry (those that are) over it? It's not your decision and it's not your place to judge.

In other news water is wet. :D

[Seamus]

If it was mom making the decision, she probably wanted her boy close to home. If it was dad, it was probably his own dream to wear a Sooner jersey on Saturdays... or perhaps, the dream was to see his son wear Sooner crimson on Saturdays.



This made me see another perspective. On the one hand, I absolutely deplore the tennis father/stage mother mentality. On the other, I absolutely agree that the decision is and should be the kid's rather than the family's.

But on the third hand ( :eek: ) I can empathize with Badger's statement. What lifelong fan of a school, OU or otherwise, wouldn't dream of seeing his boy put on that school's jersey and play on Saturdays? Seriously, I'd love that, and it would be a little hard not to live vicariously through my son.

Bottom line is, my kids would get to attend college where they want -- unless they choose texass, miami or notre dame.

Then they're dead to me. :cool:

[insuranceman_22]

Beeler seems to be a "quality" person, regardless of quitting the football team. He did it for the right reason (I know, but there aren't many better ones). He hasn't come out and neg. the football team or any of that stuff. Most of us have had a job that we were excited to get, but after a while you simply didn't want to go anymore. If his heart wasn't it and academics were more important to him, then so be it......and I wish him the best of luck. Evidently he's a very intelligent young man.

[stoopified]

Dagreases are crap,I bearly finished 8 grade and I am a gazillionair.