Sports Illustrated is currently on the third day of its new series that reveals some very serious accusations of cheating and deplorable ethical behavior by the Oklahoma State University football program during the years that Les Miles was the head coach. In the first installment of the series, “The Money,” Miles, now with LSU, and others are accused of overseeing a program that paid players for their on-field performances, according to former players that named at least 29 of their teammates as recipients of cash in the report.
“The Money” claims that OSU players were paid bonuses for anything from sacks to touchdowns, with more money being awarded to the bigger plays and better players, and the system ran from at least 2001 to 2011. Some players allegedly received as much as $25,000 for an entire season, while some received nothing at all. I assume those were the punters.
I’m sure that I don’t need to break down the accusations and reports involved in “The Academics,” and I’m positive I’m also not the only one waiting for the juicy details in tomorrow’s installment, “The Sex.” But there’s one person who doesn’t want to read any of this nonsense, OSU booster and oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens.
There’s one word I have for the Sports Illustrated reporting on Oklahoma State University: Disappointing.
This series is not reflective of Oklahoma State University today. Many of their sensational allegations go back a decade ago.
There have been wholesale changes at the school in recent years in leadership and facilities. During that time, I have given more than $500 million to OSU, for athletics and academics. Have I gotten my money’s worth? You bet. We have a football program that has a commitment to principled sportsmanship. They understand the expectations we, as fans and supporters, have for the program. We have an incredible and growing fan base, and a loyal group of alums that believe in the character of our players, coaches and administrators.
But I do welcome this scrutiny. If people take the time, it’s an opportunity to better understand where Oklahoma State is today, not a decade ago. It’s a different university today. It’s a better university. If there are areas where we need to improve, we’ll do it.
Which leads me back to my disappointment with Sports Illustrated, and their failure to ask the most important question of all: What’s happening at OSU today? (Via USA Today)
Ah yes, the most important question of all – “What have you done for me lately?” I f*cking love when schools, players, fans, administrators, etc. bust this lazy question out when their school or team is accused of cheating. It’s like if Urban Meyer said, “Sure, so many of my former players have been arrested more times and made more poor decisions than most crime families, but what about today? None of my players have been arrested today, but you don’t want to talk about that, do you?”
But what truly matters here isn’t whether or not Miles and the Cowboys cheated for years by paying players and luring top recruits to OSU with promises of easy grades, free cash and sex with all of the women on campus. It’s whether or not T. Boone Pickens donated a lot of money and feels good about himself, and the answer is yes.
Case closed, Sports Illustrated.
(Banner via Getty)
