Paris: No title, no scholarship money

[JLEW1818]

ESPN.com news services

Oklahoma's Courtney Paris has not only guaranteed that the Sooners will win the NCAA women's basketball title, she's willing to put up her scholarship to back it up.

Paris
Paris

In a speech on senior night last week, Paris said that if the third-ranked Sooners don't win the title, she'll give back her scholarship money, valued at close to $64,000, according to a story in The Oklahoman.

"I have a passion for our fans and university, and I want to do something special," Paris said, according to The Oklahoman. "That's why I put my scholarship on the table. I meant what I said."

The Sooners are ranked third in the polls and are the top seed in the Big 12 tournament. Still, they face by most accounts a daunting challenge if their path to the national title is obstructed by No. 1 Connecticut. UConn is 31-0 overall and routed Oklahoma by 28 points back in November.

"I feel like we're not missing pieces," Paris said. "If we play hard, we execute, we are a great team that can win a national championship," Paris said. "If we don't do that, it won't be because we're not good enough.

"So when you're good enough and don't do something, then you have to take accountability for that and that's your own fault. We can win a national championship. If we don't, I'll feel like I didn't earn my scholarship."


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=3964512



Was this a little to much?

[Frozen Sooner]

Well, I guess when you've got a father who played for a decade in the NFL you can afford to give back $64k. Nice motivational speech though.

[Collier11]

I think it shows that she is sick of losing in the sweet 16, hopefully it will come to fruition

[Remembering Tom Stidham]

With Whitney back, we have a chance. We would never have lost to A&M if she had played.

[NormanPride]

Okay, so she meant for all 4 years and not just this one? Wow. Well, if we see her step up her game, we'll know why. Let's just hope the other girls get as fired up about it, because it's the guards that need to take care of the ball.

[badger]

Soooo.... um.... what does daddy think of this?????

I mean, I love CP3's passion and determination to win this, but an outta state $64k tab to attend OU is an expensive bill to foot, even if your dad played in the NFL. Sure he made his millions with the 49ers, but he has other kids to take care of too... I think he has about six, right? Ashley and Courtney were the youngest, I think.

Plus, it's not like a WNBA career is lucrative. The rookie minimum is $34k.

But get this - unlike its big brother, there's also a maximum amount that each player can make, and for rookies, it's $97k... and that applies whether you're drafted to LA or to someplace cheaper, methinks.

I am going to be my usual, positive orb and say "Tee hee, it's not like she's gonna have to PAY, anyway!"

Still, I wonder what daddy had to say about that...

[AlbqSooner]

Bubba probaly said something to the effect, "I hope your mouth didn't write a check that your brain won't honor".

[Collier11]

I would assume she has a trust with a fat load of money in it

[badger]

Bubba seems like a good father. He doesn't seem to just be giving his kids expensive handouts or anything. They obviously had to work hard to be ranked as high as they did recruiting-wise, and then continue that hard work in college to get all of the accolades they both are.

Perhaps most amusing, though, is the car story we heard about a few years ago. Courtney and Ashley both really, really wanted a car (and who in college doesn't?). Bubba admitted on national television that he would get his girls a car... but that's just the thing: CAR. Singular form. Two girls, one car to share.

The next year, however, according to CP3's blog on ss.com, daddy wanted them each to get their own car. However, that didn't mean trade in the old, get two new cars. Rather, according to the blog, the sister with the better grades that semester would be getting a new car and the other sister would get the old car.

I am not sure who got the new car, but I think the car story illustrates that while they are financially well-off, Bubba is teaching his kids the value of hard work.

Thus... I am really, REALLY curious what Bubba has to say about the scholly thing.

[missann]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=290630201

Paris had 12 points and 16 rebounds in her final game at the Lloyd Noble Center for the 123rd double-double of her career, then followed a speech full of laughs with a guarantee.

"We're going to win a national championship this year," Paris said, bringing the crowd to its feet. "We're going to win one. And if we don't -- which is not even an option -- just to put something on the line, I will personally -- it might take me the rest of my life, but I will pay back my scholarship because I didn't do what I said I would do."



She's not gonna ask Bubba for it.

[stoopified]

How many people out there have that much passion and audacity?I LOVE it.

[nighttrain12]

That's a dangerous precedent. What if schools demanded players give back their scholarships if they didn't win enough games in any sport?

The purpose of the scholarship is to help them get an education, not tie it into winning championships.

[JLEW1818]

well lets just win it, so this won't matter.

[badger]

That's a dangerous precedent. What if schools demanded players give back their scholarships if they didn't win enough games in any sport?

The purpose of the scholarship is to help them get an education, not tie it into winning championships.

[Collier11]

[JLEW1818]

collier is approaching 7,000 post, this has to be a good sign heading into March Madness

[stoops the eternal pimp]

she could pay it out at 1000 dollars a year for 64 years..

[Frozen Sooner]

That's a dangerous precedent. What if schools demanded players give back their scholarships if they didn't win enough games in any sport?

You have a fairly odd idea of what a scholarship is or how it works.

I mean, a school possibly could include such a clause in their scholarship package, but they'd quickly lose every recruit to a school that doesn't include such a clause.

I think the NCAA would likely step in before such a scholarship contract was ever signed, though.

Now, if a player voluntarily repays their scholarship because they didn't perform to their own standards...well, it's odd, but it's their choice.

[Lott's Bandana]

Bubba seems like a good father. He doesn't seem to just be giving his kids expensive handouts or anything. They obviously had to work hard to be ranked as high as they did recruiting-wise, and then continue that hard work in college to get all of the accolades they both are.

Perhaps most amusing, though, is the car story we heard about a few years ago. Courtney and Ashley both really, really wanted a car (and who in college doesn't?). Bubba admitted on national television that he would get his girls a car... but that's just the thing: CAR. Singular form. Two girls, one car to share.

The next year, however, according to CP3's blog on ss.com, daddy wanted them each to get their own car. However, that didn't mean trade in the old, get two new cars. Rather, according to the blog, the sister with the better grades that semester would be getting a new car and the other sister would get the old car.

I am not sure who got the new car, but I think the car story illustrates that while they are financially well-off, Bubba is teaching his kids the value of hard work.

Thus... I am really, REALLY curious what Bubba has to say about the scholly thing.

Last fall I saw a BMW 3-series with a plate that read Paris 5.

#5 was driving it.

Was it a new one? Who knows, but it weren't CP3 behind the wheel.

[badger]

Last fall I saw a BMW 3-series with a plate that read Paris 5.

#5 was driving it.

Was it a new one? Who knows, but it weren't CP3 behind the wheel.

She must've gotten a 4.0 to get a BMW

Wait... we're in Oklahoma. She must have gotten a 5.0

(Before any of you try to correct me, it's a joke, treat it as one)