Long time WSU coach takes Oklahoma job

[89rabbit]

Although not directly related to SDSU, I thought I would pass on this link. Gene Stephenson, Wichtia State's long time baseball coach has taken the coaching job at Oklahoma. Big news in the world of NCAA D-I baseball.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/spo...y/12103788.htm


Go State! ;D

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Long time WSU coach takes Oklahoma job

For those who don't remember: Oklahoma's former coach, Larry Cochell, resigned during the season this year after he used the n-word in reference to two African American players, uttering the word to two different ESPN employees. Interestingly, Cochell had a grand total of two African American players on his 27-man roster. Quite a contrast to every other OU sports team.

Cochell had his defenders in Oklahoma who claimed it was an uncharacteristic slip of the tongue (that, oddly enough, happened twice in 20 minutes in conversations with two different people) but even in "OU-can-do-no-wrong" Oklahoma, that sort of stupidity didn't fly.

I hope for OU's sake that this new coach is a lot smarter.

[89rabbit]

Re: Long time WSU coach takes Oklahoma job

In a shocking (couldn't resist) turn of events, just one day after taking the Oklahoma job, long time Wichita State Baseball Coach Gene Stephenson is back with the Shockers.

http://www.goshockers.com/

Citing unresolvable scholarship issues at the University of Oklahoma, Gene Stephenson will return to Wichita State University as head baseball coach and has declined the head coaching position at the University of Oklahoma.

"We are very appreciative for the opportunity to coach at the University of Oklahoma," Stephenson said. "However, some scholarship issues have arisen that are unresolvable to our satisfaction.

"We have worked over the years at Wichita State in order to use our scholarships and to plan for the use of our future scholarships.

"As we assessed the Oklahoma baseball scholarship situation, we would be too limited in our ability to take the program in the direction that we think it should go. . . .




That is a lot of turmoil in a little over 24 hrs.  I wonder how much closed door dealing was going on.  :-X

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Long time WSU coach takes Oklahoma job

That says something about how messed up the OU baseball program is. "Scholarship" issues? Let's see, OU's athletic budget is $50 million. No doubt they have the max number of scholarships for baseball. Perhaps 'scholarship issues' is code for 'forthcoming NCAA investigation' or perhaps Stephenson couldn't stomach the 'win-at-all-costs' mentality at OU, those costs often including pushing the limits of NCAA rules.

Pure speculation on my part, but as a professor there for the past three years, I was privy to information about serious corruption in OU athletics. My sources: Student athletes in non-revenue sports.

[89rabbit]

Re: Long time WSU coach takes Oklahoma job

OK,

You are right on. I read the KC Star (paper additon) and it appears that OU is over the NCAA D-I Scholarship limit of 11.7 by 4 scholarships. It appears that the NCAA will be getting involved with the OU baseball program, and thus Gene will not.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Long time WSU coach takes Oklahoma job

OK,

You are right on.  I read the KC Star (paper additon) and it appears that OU is over the NCAA D-I Scholarship limit of 11.7 by 4 scholarships.  It appears that the NCAA will be getting involved with the OU baseball program, and thus Gene will not.

Yikes.

I'm thinking that is just the tip of the iceberg as far as OU corruption goes.

[jacksfaninne]

Re: Long time WSU coach takes Oklahoma job

perhaps Stephenson couldn't stomach the 'win-at-all-costs' mentality at OU

Isn't Stephenson the guy who ordered his pitcher to drill a batter in the on-deck circle, who was timing his pitches while he warmed up on the mound? So he did, right in the face. Pretty much ended both kids' careers, if I remember right.