@51 – I guess I disagree. I think it’s the invocation of cocaine that’s problematic, not making up stories. Orson writes about Dennis Erickson driving a golf cart into a volcano, Chase Daniel moonlighting as a pizza delivery boy (an NCAA violation), and how SEC players are faster because they bone fat chicks. We all know he’s kidding. If he’d write about, say, Todd Reesing leading a human trafficking ring, it’ wouldn’t be funny (actually, it probably would be because Orson wrote it, but you get the point). My point is the prank itself was poorly executed and contained a poor choice of humorous accusation, but humorous accusations themselves can be funny. One need look no further than EDSBS to see this is so.

Google on “Gary Gibbs” and “Schnellenberger” and let me know how that worked out for you. Maybe you have a short memory but your guys were there not that long ago.

This is the last post I’ll make in defense of my comments, but I do have a younger relative playing D1 ball, and yes, he expects that he will will get all kinds of crap from other fans and players about the game and plays he made/ did not make specifically. And the family knows that will happen. He didn’t make a big play (nationally televised game) and we were all sick for him, but knew that he could handle it. There a lot of nasty comments on message boards about him and we just had to step back, take a deep breathe and let it go. If someone had accused him of cocaine use/distribution, that would have been different story.

Comments, even in jest, about these kids on personal matters, especially one where they are accused of unlawful behavior, is just irresponsible. Everything you write on boards, etc. now can and probably will be disseminated. My comments thread on this topic will probably be around long after I am gone. A smart IT guy should know that.

I never said it was a defense, I’ve just read a lot of posts that seem to insinuate that this was clearly a nefarious plot that took hours, when in fact it was a pretty simple prank.

The families have a right to be pissed, but come on. You’re division one athletes. This guy posted this on a message board. It was intended as a joke in a flame fest on a message board. If I was pissed at anyone, it’d be the people who made it into national news because they can’t figure out that this…

69.49.239.85/newsok/sports/soo…0NewsOK.com.htm

…is probably not a legit url.

As for James thinking about how it would feel for the kids, well, again, he never intended this to be national news. And I’m sure it’s no worse on the kids psyche than the things defensive players say to them after they sack them. I mean, really, these are fucking football players. Suck it the hell up.

I’m also sure that the two families who have talented sons playing for OU, who do not use and/or distribute cocaine, are justified in their anger. James should have thought about what it would feel like if his own child was accused of something unlawful on a message board, even in jest, before he posted the prank.

Being an IT guy isn’t a legal defense for thoughtless stupidity. At least, not yet. Unless some lawyer on this blog decides to take up the cause…

As for the fake news story guy, that’s how Fox News gets all of its (noticed I used the correct possessive pronoun) news. Seriously, someone makes up a story about someone Fox and its backers don’t like, “prints” it in the Backwater Arkansas Gazette, and then Fox quotes “sources” as saying whatever the article said. There are literally dozens of examples. If I weren’t so lazy I’d find the link to the website where they guy documented it.

And to anyone who thinks this was a meticulous, time-consuming process, well, you see, we have these things called computers now, and with them you can do stuff like this pretty easy.

James is an IT guy by trade. This probably took all of ten minutes out of his day.

That was an entertaining comment. Pelini will probably bring your program back, it is just a matter of time. He was a very good assistant coach and will, most likely, be an outstanding head coach. The rest of the Big 12 expects that will happen in the near future.

Is it the deception that has people so upset or the invocation of cocaine?

Neither. I just think it is unfair to make up a story about any kid that insinuates that they broke the law, even in jest. If you want to criticize their play on the field, fine. These kids know that they are under the microscope and their skill and/or ability is always being evaluated by the general public, that is expected when you play D1 ball. Personal attacks against 18-21 year olds are pointless and cruel. Any CFB player, whatever school they attend.