Dolphins sign troubled lineman JD Quinn: As first reported by Miami Dolphins beat writer Armando Salguero's Dolphins in Depth blog, ex-Oklahoma lineman JD Quinn has signed with the Miami Dolphins.. The Dolphins (my favorite NFL team) have signed interior offensive lineman JD Quinn and will announce the addition early next week. Quinn is, um, interesting for a handful of reasons: He was at the team's rookie minicamp last weekend on a tryout basis after going undrafted out of Montana. He impressed coaches and general manager Jeff Ireland enough that they tried to get to know him and his personality more so they could feel comfortable with him on the team. (MiamiHerald.com)
Bomar discusses Oklahoma dismissal: And yesterday, ex-Sooner Rhett Bomar discussed his dismissal at Oklahoma with Newsday writer Bob Glauber.
Rhett Bomar, who was picked by the Giants in the fifth round, refers to the issues that led to his expulsion from Oklahoma's football program as his "situation," choosing not to review the details during an interview Friday.
"There's no doubt I've grown up a lot since then," Bomar said after a morning rookie minicamp practice, his first in the NFL. "That's a tough thing to go through. Not a lot of people have been through that."
"I made a mistake. I was young," the 23-year-old Bomar said. "I moved on from there."
Panthers select Duke Robinson No. 163 overall: Carolina Panthers drafted Duke Robinson a 6-5, 329-pound guard in the fifth round. Robinson on what position he'll play, "I think I can play any position [guard or tackle] wherever they need me."
If you missed the NCAA ruling, find it at NCAA Lays Down the Law to Oklahoma -- Sooners to Vacate Wins. Oklahoma does not forfeit games: "Vacate does not mean forfeit," explained Paul Dee, acting chair of the committee, which issued the findings and assessed the penalties. The teams that Oklahoma beat wouldn't get credit for victories. The Sooners' record for 2005 would be 0-4. (Dallas Morning News)
Audio from the NCAA teleconference available at KFOR.com:Part 1 - Part 2
No Response from Rhett Bomar or Brad McRae: Former Big Red general manager Brad McRae and Bomar did not return phone calls Wednesday. Bomar's father, Jerry Bomar, declined comment. Quinn told The Associated Press the ruling was "dumb." "I have no idea," Quinn said. "I don't care." (NewsOK.com)
It's comical when he tells KFOR's Brian Brinkley get a REAL job.
Two ESPY wins related to Oklahoma-Boise State:Boise State's improbable last-second win over Oklahoma during a wild finish in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl helped take the team to the top of the Internet voting in the best game category -- over an Oklahoma State/Texas college hoops tilt, and the Colts/Patriots NFC Championship game. The Jared Zabransky to Ian Johnson two-point conversion play that won the game in overtime took the best play category. The so-called "trick play" beat out plays from Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA and the X Games. (AP/KTVB)
The University of Oklahoma to vacate 2005 wins: The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has penalized the University of Oklahoma for major violations in its football program.
These violations involve three football student-athletes receiving payment for work not performed at a Norman, Oklahoma automobile dealership. The impermissible benefits totaled approximately $17,000 in unearned wages and led to the committee finding that the institution failed to monitor the employment of football student-athletes.
Penalties for the violations include adding two years to the university's current probationary period, a reduction in allowable financial aid, and a vacation of records for the 2005 season including a bowl game victory.
The committee stated in its report that, "although this case centered on a few violations involving three student-athletes, the committee finds this case to be significant and serious for several reasons." These reasons include the value of the extra benefits provided by a booster; the fact that the violations continued over several months, which led to two of the student-athletes competing while ineligible; and the university had appeared before the committee only one year earlier for a case in which the committee found that the institution failed to monitor the men's basketball staff's telephone contacts with prospective student-athletes.
The violations were intentional on the part of the involved student-athletes and the dealership's manager, who was also a representative of the university's athletics interest. Two of the involved student-athletes received payment from the dealership for time that they were participating in football practices and voluntary workouts, attending class and otherwise away from the dealership.
As a regular practice, the two student-athletes clocked in for work, left the dealership, then returned later to clock out of work. On other occasions, one of them would clock the other in or out, so that both would be paid when only one was present. Based on records obtained from the dealership, it was also found that the third student-athlete was also clocked in and paid for times that he did not work, including time that was spent participating in a scrimmage and game.
In finding that the university demonstrated a failure to monitor, the committee noted the university failed to follow established procedures for the monitoring of student-athletes' employment when it did not timely collect gross earnings statements for 12 student-athletes who notified the university of their employment at the auto dealership during the 2005 summer vacation period. It was also found that the university failed to detect that football student-athletes worked at the auto dealership during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 fall and spring academic terms.
The university disagreed that facts of the case demonstrated a failure to monitor, stating that the compliance monitoring system was adequate and effective, but could not have been expected to detect this specific situation. The university noted that the situation involved student-athletes, in concert with the dealership's manager, engaging "in a deliberate scheme to deceive both the employer's payroll system and the university's employment monitoring system in an attempt to violate NCAA rules of which they were well aware."
However, the committee found that the university "made several mistakes in a narrow, but significant area – the employment of football student-athletes at the dealership, which resulted in a breakdown of its monitoring. When such mistakes result in significant violations of NCAA legislation, as in this case, a finding of failure to monitor is appropriate and justified."
The committee stated that because the dealership was the apparent largest employer of student-athletes, the university should have undertaken more extensive efforts to monitor the student-athletes' employment. It was noted that the university relied on the initiative of the football student-athletes to register their employment with the school as the only means of triggering the monitoring process. The committee also stated that the delay in detecting the violations meant that two of the student-athletes were able to compete during the entire 2005 season and practice during the spring of 2006.
In determining the penalties, the Committee on Infractions considered the university's self-imposed penalties and corrective actions. The penalties, some of which were self-imposed by the institution and adopted by the committee, are as follows:
-Public reprimand and censure.
-Two additional years of probation to be added to the conclusion of the institution's current probationary period. As a result, the institution's extended probationary period will expire on May 23, 2010.
-The institution permanently dismissed two student-athletes from the football team at the point when it determined they had knowingly and willfully been involved in receiving payment for work not performed. The third student-athlete had been previously dismissed for violations of team rules (self-imposed by the university).
-During the 2006-07 academic year, the university did not re-award or reallocate the financial aid awarded to the two dismissed student-athletes, resulting in a reduction of two scholarships in football (self-imposed by the university). The university shall further reduce football scholarships by two for each of the 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years. This limits the university to a total of 83 football scholarships for those two years.
-Vacation of all wins in which the two ineligible student-athletes competed during the 2005 football season. The individual records of these student-athletes shall be vacated as well. Further, the university's records regarding football as well as the record of the head coach will be reconfigured to reflect the vacated wins and so recorded in all publications in which football records for the 2005 season are reported, including, but not limited to, university media guides, recruiting material, and university and NCAA archives. Finally, any public reference to these vacated contests, including the bowl game, won during this time shall be removed from athletics department stationary, banners displayed in public areas and any other forum in which they may appear.
-The institution disassociated the dealership's manager who supervised the student-athletes at the center of this case. This period of disassociation will be for at least five years (until Aug. 21, 2011) (self-imposed by the university).
-The committee further requires that the dealership manager be restricted from supervising or otherwise overseeing, in an employment capacity, any of the university's student-athletes during the five-year period.
-The university will reduce the number of football coaches who can recruit off campus by one during the fall 2007 evaluation period (self-imposed by the university).
The Committee on Infractions consists of conference and institutional athletics administrators, faculty and members of the public. The committee independently rules on cases investigated by the NCAA enforcement staff and determines appropriate penalties. The committee's findings may be appealed to the Infractions Appeals Committee.
Members of the Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case are Paul Dee, director of athletics at the University of Miami, formerly the university's general counsel, and acting chair; Eileen Jennings, general counsel at Central Michigan University; Alfred "Jim" Lechner, Jr., attorney with the Westfield, N.J., law firm of Lerner David and formerly a federal district judge in New Jersey; Gene Marsh, James M. Kidd Sr. Professor of Law at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa School of Law; Thomas Phillips, attorney with the Austin, Texas, office of the law firm Baker Botts and formerly the chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court; Bonnie Slatton, professor of physical education and sport science, University of Iowa; and Dennis Thomas, the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and formerly director of athletics at Hampton University. (NCAA PR)
Rhett Bomar sits down with ESPN: ESPN.com's Joe Schad sits down with former OU quarterback Rhett Bomar.. Rhett Bomar is standing in his bedroom, a room so small that it barely contains his bed and two dressers. On one wood dresser rests the most valuable player trophy he claimed while quarterbacking Oklahoma to victory at the Holiday Bowl two seasons ago. "I'm proud of my time there," Bomar explains. "I'm not going to throw it away or anything like that." Bomar says when he arrived at Oklahoma at a true freshman in the summer of 2004, a school administrator mentioned the dealership as an employment opportunity... How often did he go to Big Red? "There were certain times we were not there," Bomar said. "The majority of the time we were there. It started out, we went there all the time, and things like that, and then one thing leads to another, you know, and you get in trouble." Why did this happen? Did Bomar, who was raised in suburban Dallas, the son of two schoolteachers, need the money? "You don't have time for a job," Bomar said. "Football is basically a full-time job at big-time schools and everything like that. Things happen. And things are easy. And you do it. Ultimately, it was my decision. And I got caught up in it. My actions, you know, are there. They are clear what happened. And so, I mean, I'll take full blame." (Much more, plus video at ESPN.com)
McRae speaks for the first time: Brad McRae, the booster at the center of the excessive-pay scheme that landed Oklahoma a date with the NCAA infractions committee, blamed the problem on OU football players Wednesday and said he had no knowledge of what was happening. "Did I tell Rhett Bomar that he could come in there and punch in and out anytime he wanted to? I did not," McRae said in a telephone interview with The Dallas Morning News. "I never liked Rhett Bomar, anyway." Asked if he felt persecuted for being blamed, McRae said: "Yes. What are you doing to me right now?" He said reporters were just writing what they wanted about the situation without regard for the truth. (More at Dallas Morning News) So why does McRae speak now? Who knows? After KFOR-TV tried to track him down months ago.
Bomar says, he didn't intend to break the rules: The former Sooner quarterback just sort of veered astray, according to comments Bomar made to ESPN.com for a story that will appear online Friday. "It started out, we went there all the time" Bomar told ESPN.com. "And then one thing leads to another, you know, and you get in trouble" Bomar took responsibility for his missteps. "Ultimately, it was my decision" Bomar said. "And I got caught up in it. My actions, you know, are there. They are clear what happened. And so, I mean, I'll take full blame" (NewsOK.com)
Roommate to players at Big Red Sports/Imports speaks: A former University of Oklahoma walk-on football player accused of being paid for work he didn't perform at a Norman auto dealership regularly brought home dealership cars for his personal use, a former roommate said. Logan Brosky roomed with Jermaine Hardison, the walk-on, for about a year. Brosky said he knew several players who worked at Big Red Sports/Imports. Some of them would talk about how easy the job was. "They'd just sit there and not do anything and let the Mexicans do all the detailing," Brosky recently said the players told him. "They'd clock in and go eat." Former Big Red manager Brad McRae often threw parties at his house for players and other guests, Brosky said. "He'd buy pizzas, Chinese, Quiznos -- anything they wanted," Brosky said. "I know it happened for sure three times, and it probably happened more than that." (More at Dallas Morning News)
Joe Washington joins the OU Athletics Department: Joe Washington, a three-time All-America running back at Oklahoma from 1972-75, has been named Special Assistant to the Athletics Director and Executive Director of the Varsity O Association at his alma mater. The position being assumed by Washington is newly created. It is part of a restructuring effort designed to place added emphasis on outreach to former student-athletes. OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione made the announcement. Washington will assume his new duties in May. (More about the announcements at SoonerSports.com)
Former Sooner Bomar highlighted on ESPN Outside the Lines:The Oklahoman has learned that Bomar will be the subject of a segment on Wednesday's Outside the Lines program, which airs at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN (Cox 29) (DirecTV 73 HD). He's not the focus of the show, but part of one segment. ESPN reporter Joe Schad recently visited Bomar in Huntsville, Texas, where the former Sooner bad boy is trying to revive his career with Sam Houston State. Schad tells The Oklahoman that Bomar spills forth no new revelations. (NewsOK.com)Update: ESPN did not air the Rhett Bomar piece, due to Outside the Lines special coverage of the death one of the Greatest coaches in college history, Grambling State's Eddie Robinson dead at 88. No word on later air time. Quinn defends himself, calling penalties harsh: JD Quinn telling the Tulsa World.. "All I did was take cash," Quinn said. "I didn't break any laws and I get kicked off the team, but there's people on the team that are breaking laws and failing drug tests and stuff like that, and there's nobody getting kicked off the team for that type of stuff." Quinn, 21, refused to give any details of his allegations about other players. He was in legal trouble at OU before last summer's incident. In 2004, Quinn was convicted of two misdemeanors (actual physical control of a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of a fake ID). When asked to clarify his allegations in a second telephone interview on Tuesday, Quinn said, "I said that, but I wasn't really regarding as much about Oklahoma. I was just saying around the country. I wasn't saying it in the context of Oklahoma. There's just people I've heard of doing things." OU football coach Bob Stoops and Oklahoma on Tuesday declined comment, other than associate athletic director Kenny Mossman saying, "the university has turned over all of our material to the NCAA and we stand by that dialogue." (Much more at the TulsaWorld.com) Its obvious Quinn, has little if any remorse, only that of being caught breaking NCAA rules and regulations.. A selfish act of putting self in front of team.
University of Oklahoma disputes NCAA allegations: The Associated Press reports.. Oklahoma "strongly disagrees" with the NCAA's allegation that the university failed to adequately monitor the employment of dismissed starting quarterback Rhett Bomar and other athletes at a Norman car dealership, according to documents released by the university Friday. "We ... assert that the University met, if not exceeded, industry standards regarding our student-athlete employment monitoring," university president David Boren said in a letter dated March 7, which was obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request. "There were no other reasonable additional steps we could have taken that would have prevented these violations or detected them any sooner," Boren said in the letter. The NCAA has claimed that Oklahoma violated its own guidelines by failing to collect earnings statements from 12 football players who worked at the dealership, and as a result did not detect NCAA rules violations. (AP/ESPN.com)
NCAA Releases final report on Bomar/Quinn: As anticipated, the University of Oklahoma has received its notice of allegations from the NCAA related to the employment of student-athletes at a Norman automobile dealership and has announced its self-imposed penalties. According to OU officials, after several months of additional review and investigation by the University and the NCAA the content of the notice revealed nothing new from the University's original report with respect to the focus of the investigation. "The notice is part of the process we anticipated and is based on information contained in the report we submitted to the NCAA on August 21, 2006," said OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione. "The University diligently investigated this matter and has worked closely with the NCAA throughout this process so there are no surprises." The first allegation was reported by the University based on facts developed by its athletics compliance staff. The lone additional allegation included in the notice by the NCAA is that the institution failed to adequately monitor the specific employment of some student athletes during a limited period of time, a more limited allegation than "failure to monitor." "Upon completing our investigation, the University took action above and beyond what was required under the NCAA rules. The University permanently banned the involved parties from further athletics participation at the school. "Upon review, the NCAA reinstated the eligibility of the involved students. However, we maintained our original action of permanent dismissal of the involved parties. " More at SoonerSports.com
A third player took benefits, NCAA meeting set for April 14: Three Oklahoma football players, one more than the university has previously acknowledged, may have accepted money for work they did not perform at a local car dealership, according to an NCAA document disclosed Monday. School officials, including football coach Bob Stoops, will go before the NCAA committee on infractions on April 14 and argue their self-imposed penalties announced Monday are sufficient. OU spokesman Kenny Mossman said Monday night that the NCAA is alleging three players took money they didn't earn. But the university maintains that only two players, Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn, took excess pay from Big Red Sports/Imports in Norman. The NCAA, in its notice of allegations, says Oklahoma failed to monitor the working relationship of its players and Big Red, particularly with booster Brad McRae, who used to run the car dealership. (Dallas Morning News)
One Less Recruiting Coach: OU will also reduce the number of football coaches who can recruit off campus by one this fall. (Dallas Morning News)
University of Oklahoma releases investigation documents: The University of Oklahoma asked an attorney for a Norman car dealership to provide a list of players who used vehicles from the dealership during an investigation that resulted in the dismissal of two players from the school's football team. The university released two pages of documents Friday after an open records request by The Associated Press. The documents are a letter from the university's legal counsel, Joseph Harroz Jr., to Jeff Atkins, an attorney for David Hudiburg, the current owner of Big Red Sports and Imports, and an attachment to that letter. In the letter, dated Sept. 5, Harroz asks Atkins to require two employees be made available to interview with university officials. It said that OU had no reason to believe the employees were involved in any NCAA violations but that their testimony was needed "to clarify and confirm our current understanding of the relevant facts of the matter.” Among the documents requested in the attachment to the letter are the dealership's service records for an unknown number of people; tax forms, paycheck stubs and-or timesheets from 2005 and-or 2006 for 10 student-athletes; and "names of football student-athletes who have made purchases from Big Red, driven Big Red vehicles and-or had their vehicles serviced by Big Red.” The names on the list of requested documents were redacted. (More at AP/NewsOK.com)
Bomar , Quinn ruled ineligible and pay money back: Former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar was ruled ineligible Wednesday to play for Sam Houston State this season but will return in 2007 with two years of eligibility remaining. Bomar and offensive lineman J.D. Quinn were kicked off the Sooners' squad in August for accepting payment for more work than they performed at a car dealership, a violation of NCAA rules. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Bomar transferred to Sam Houston and Quinn to Montana, both Division I-AA schools. Quinn also was ruled ineligible by the NCAA this year but will be allowed to play next season, Montana associate athletic director Dave Guffey said. Bomar must pay $7,406.88 and Quinn must pay $8,137.17 to charities of their choice for receiving wages for work not performed. "I am happy to get this behind me," said Bomar, who has been allowed to practice with the Bearkats. "I look forward to having the opportunity to represent Sam Houston State. This decision today will help take the focus off me and put the focus on the team." "Obviously, we would have liked for him to able to play in games this season," Sam Houston coach Todd Whitten said. "But, with his experience working with the squad this fall and spring training ahead next year, we look forward to having him as a Bearkat for the next two seasons." (AP/KHOU)
A&M-Oklahoma tickets still available: As of late Tuesday, about 1,500 tickets remained for Saturday's game. The $83 tickets can be bought online at AggieAthletics.com or 12thmanfoundation.com or by calling (888) 992-4443.
NCAA Bomar Investigation "ongoing": The NCAA's investigation into rules violations by former Oklahoma football players Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn is "ongoing," according to OU athletic director Joe Castiglione. In the notice of inquiry, dated Sept. 20, NCAA director of enforcement Julie Roe said the investigative portion of the process could be completed by today. "That date is just a target," Castiglione said. "It would be great if (the enforcement staff) would hit it, but I don't know if it's possible, or probable."(More at NewsOK.com)
Coach Stoops 100th Game, Maybe another 100? Bob Stoops will coach his 100th game at Oklahoma on Saturday. In his eighth season, Stoops, 46, is 81-18 and said Tuesday he could see himself coaching another 100 games at OU. Yet there is speculation that Stoops will leave campus life for the NFL, possibly for the Cowboys if Bill Parcells retires. "I've never tried to speculate on his behalf," OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said. "I do know that he is happy, and that he is very, very focused on how this program can get better, better and better. Likewise, we're trying to match his passion and continue our improvement." (Dallas Morning News)
Davis Imitating Lane in practice: OU will use sophomore fullback Alan Davis in practice to emulate Jovorskie Lane, Texas A&M’s 6-4, 274-pound running back, OU head coach Bob Stoops said after practice Monday. Lane has 554 rushing yards on 124 attempts and is tied for second place nationally with 17 touchdowns. The 6-2, 253-pound Davis played last season as a defensive lineman but was converted to fullback this year. (The Oklahoma Daily)
Stoops pleased with Dotson: OU defensive end Alonzo Dotson saw his most significant action of the season Saturday at Missouri and came up big for the Sooners, especially on the goal-line stand in the third quarter. "I should have given him a game ball immediately after the game, but sometimes you don't realize it until you watch tape," OU coach Bob Stoops said. "He makes the first three plays on the goal line. All three of them in a row are Alonzo." (NewsOK.com)
Smith sits out practice, plans to play Saturday: Sophomore strong safety Reggie Smith missed his second straight day of practice Tuesday with an infection on his left shin, but said there is "no way" he'd miss the game with No. 7 Texas on Saturday. Smith said he sustained a turf burn in the game at Oregon on Sept. 16 and contracted an infection Saturday. "I guess I wasn't cleaning it good enough," Smith said. "They cut it open and let all the fluids drain out, and hopefully I'll be ready to go by tomorrow." Head coach Bob Stoops said earlier Tuesday that Smith would play against the Longhorns. "I'm missing physical reps, but mentally, I'm still in there," Smith said. (Tulsa World)
Bomar apologizes saying it was 'very bad mistake': In a letter sent to the NCAA, former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar apologized, saying he didn't use proper judgment and "got caught up in the limelight" as reasons why he took money from a booster. In a letter dated Aug. 24, Bomar wrote that he wasn't blaming anyone and he was truly sorry. Bomar said he had embarrassed himself, his family and OU for the negative publicity. "I know the difference between right and wrong," Bomar wrote. "I had no intention of taking money for not working. I got caught up in a situation and listened to the wrong person. I made a very bad mistake." The News received the letter Tuesday as part of an open records request from Bomar's new school, Sam Houston State. The document did not mention how much money Bomar received from Big Red Sports/Imports, a Norman, Okla., car dealership, for work he did not perform. (Dallas Morning News)
Iowa State-Oklahoma Tickets Available: Oklahoma fans have been filling Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to overflowing this season and now another opportunity is availing itself. Iowa State has returned 350 tickets for the Oct. 14 game featuring the Sooners and the Cyclones. The tickets are on sale now. The cost of the tickets is $67 each. They may be purchased online at SoonerSports.com, on the phone at 1-800-456-GoOU or in person at the office located on the west side of the stadium. The kickoff time for the Sooners and Cyclones is yet to be announced. (SoonerSports PR)
No ESPN Game Day in Dallas: ESPN's "College Game Day" won't be at the State Fair of Texas Saturday. ESPN decided to send host Chris Fowler and analysts Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso to Gainesville, Fla., Saturday for the Florida-LSU game. Stoops was asked if he was going to miss the hysteria Corso creates with his pregame prediction. "I'm sure he'll have his pick regardless of where he's at," the coach said. "Hey, it's going to be an exciting atmosphere regardless. There's been plenty of games where they haven't been there." (Norman Transcript)
OU-Texas fans to flip endzones after Saturday: To keep the Texas-Oklahoma series in Dallas through 2010, OU officials had to make a major concession during negotiations. OU will give up its seats in the Cotton Bowl's south end zone next year and end a decades-long tradition of Sooners fans sitting over the tunnel entrance, which enables them to cheer their team and harass their rivals. UT fans normally sit on the north end of the stadium, but school officials asked OU to flip sides last year as part of a gentleman's agreement. OU balked at that idea. Now, it's written into the five-year contract extension that the home team will choose its side, athletic directors at both schools said. "We didn't have to agree to anything," Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said. "Let's make it loud and clear to everybody, there are always choices. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said it was the fair thing to do, and he praised Castiglione for agreeing to include the new seating option. Castiglione said officials thought the decision through. (Dallas Morning News)
