The University of [tag]Oklahoma[/tag] issued a statement today that two players had been kicked off the football team for receiving “extra compensation above that to which they were entitled, related to their employment at a private business.” No names were cited in the release but numerous outlets are reporting that one of the two players was starting quarterback Rhett Bomar. The other player is reportedly Bomar’s roommate, starting right guard J.D. Quinn.
Bomar was working at an Oklahoma City car dealership, the same one that made news by letting Adrian Peterson “borrow” a Lexus for several weeks, and reported $18,000 of income for the year despite only working about five hours per week. That would work out to about $70 per hour (if he was working 52 weeks a year) for whatever he was supposedly doing for the dealership. Like Al Capone and possibly Barry Bonds, I guess it was the IRS that finally did Bomar in.
This obviously has big Big 12 and national implications as the Sooners were being touted by many experts as national title contenders going into the season. They were also voted as Big 12 favorites by the media. Now they’ll head into next week’s practices without their starting quarterback and no clear answer as to who will take over the position. We’ll likely see QB-turned-WR Paul Thompson moved back to quarterback where he’ll battle with JUCO transfer Joey Halzle and a true freshman for the starting nod. The Sooners’ QB situation just became as murky as the Longhorns’.
I guess this brings new meaning to the term “Bomar’d.”
Update
Rumors are flying that this is just the beginning and that more suspensions will be coming soon. Adrian Peterson’s name has of course been mentioned due to his relationship with Big Red Sports/Imports. The other names are D.J. Wolfe, projected starting cornerback, and Garrett Hartley their starting placekicker. Now these are definitely just rumors, and I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more of this in the next couple of days. It is hard to believe that just two players were involved when we know that other OU players had relationships with this car dealership. (5:30 pm)
reply to #1
Matt
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:16 pm
If they lose AD they might as well not even play this season.
reply to #2
Brian
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:33 pm
With the line they’ve got now, that might be a real possibility even if he’s not in any trouble.
reply to #3
Brad
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:33 pm
1) you’re right. it was a great opportunity for him to switch roles and play the arm-chair coach/local politician and shooting barely a month after the MNC it couldn’t have come at a better time… look for this VY-induced honeymoon to end and the ghosts of the applewhite vs. simms era to return.
2) show me the evidence that it was un-paid and i will take it back. Unless he was on the recruiting trail, i doubt Mack would’ve taken the time to go to Pflugerville (pilot location) one night to shoot a scene for a show that wasn’t even assured a pick-up at the the time of the shoot.
reply to #4
Anakin
August 9th, 2006 at 12:30 am
As a Texas fan I am disappointed that we will not be getting a chance to face the “best” OU has to offer due to Rhett’s early departure. However, I do have a new found respect for Coach Stoops. He made a decision that I think a lot of us fanatics would have a difficult time making.
reply to #5
Brian
August 9th, 2006 at 5:42 am
You’re living in a dream world young Jedi. Stoops made the move because he had too. The university investigated the players working there and driving free cars from the dealership back in April and decided nothing illegal was going on. The only reason Stoops took action was that a new owner took over and got a look at the books and immediately started asking questions.
reply to #6
Atha
August 10th, 2006 at 9:44 am
100 schools out of 125 D-1 football schools have something happening like this “under the table”. Even Texas. But most coaches choose to look the other way. Stoops did the right thing as soon as he found out about this.
Why didn’t Brown kick off Taylor after he got busted for 5lbs of weed? This isn’t the first QB Stoops has kicked off his team. Hunter Wall was dismissed after getting busted for pot. Kind of shows the character of your beloved Mack Brown doesn’t it?
reply to #7
Brian
August 10th, 2006 at 10:05 am
Um Atha… Ramonce Taylor is no longer on the Texas football team. Try to get your facts straight. Plus pretty much every source is reporting that charges against Taylor will be dropped due to mounting evidence the pot wasn’t his.
Plus there’s a big difference (NCAA eligibility-wise) between getting paid to play football and smoking a little reefer. Nice try though.
reply to #8
Jared
August 15th, 2006 at 8:06 am
So thats how it is down there in Austin? It’s OK to smoke pot and still play football? Nice standards. Slow clap for you. Yes, idiot, I know Cheech isn’t on the team, but he quit on his own terms, Brown didn’t dismiss him even after these charges came up. Why didn’t he (is what I’m asking)? And no, there is not a big difference between NCAA violations and “smoking a little reefer”. If anything illegal drug use is a little worse than getting paid to play football. Nice try though.
reply to #9
Atha
August 15th, 2006 at 8:08 am
Excuse me: Yes there is a big difference between NCAA violations and “smoking a little reefer”.
reply to #10
Brian
August 15th, 2006 at 8:16 am
You seem to be pretty uninformed. First off, Taylor was suspended throughout the spring to “focus on academic issues.” And now if you really think Taylor chose Texas College (or wherever he ends up) over the University of Texas on his own accord you’re very naive. Mack has enough class to let the kid save a little face, there’s no reason to trash a 20 year old kid over an issue with some gray area.
And yes, unless you’re a complete jackass there’s a huge difference between doing something 50% of college kids do and getting paid by a booster. By the way, if you suspended every football player for smoking pot, both the Sooners and Longhorns would have to play six-man football.
reply to #11
Brian
February 15th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
The crap is hitting the fan in Norman. The NCAA has found at least one more player getting paid by Big Red for work he didn’t do.