NORMAN — By now, you've probably seen Josh Jarboe's YouTube video, and if you haven't, consider yourself lucky.
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Jarboe's jabbering about shooting people — two months after he pleaded guilty to carrying a gun onto a Georgia high school campus — shows that he is undeserving of an Oklahoma scholarship.
But that doesn't mean he won't get a third chance. Bob Stoops is not the most sentimental of souls, no Father Flanagan, but he has a solid track record turning troubled players into solid citizens, or getting rid of them before they embarrass the school and the state too much.
Stoops indicated Thursday he won't remove Jarboe from the squad.
"Kick a guy off the team for what he says?” Stoops said. The whole Internet culture frustrates Stoops. "We're starting to talk about everything kids say and do,” Stoops said. "Now we're in people's homes, in their private spaces.”
Maybe so. But the same youth culture that makes this kind of video acceptable also knows that YouTube is the destination of any interesting video. Jarboe himself took this from private to public.
Jarboe's status certainly is a reasonable debate.
It was no clear choice for Jarboe to even be welcome in Norman in the first place, after he was charged with a felony in March and pleaded guilty in May. A judge reduced the conviction to a misdemeanor under Georgia's First Offender's Act, otherwise Jarboe would not even have been eligible for a scholarship, under OU policy.
Oklahoma media did not chastise Stoops for taking the gamble; he had earned the right to be trusted on such dicey decisions.
Now, Jarboe has burned Stoops. The video calls into question whether Jarboe has any clue of the gravity of what he did last spring.
Among the lyrics of his rap:
"...Shoot ya in you head, you might be dead, with a halo.
"I put his a** in a coma.
"I'll shoot ya a** up like a damn pool table.”
Yes, all kinds of kids, of all kinds of upbringings, rap such ridiculous lyrics. But when it happens before the ink is dry on a gun-at-school conviction, you're talking strike one and strike two.
The old good-kid-who-made-a-mistake argument doesn't wash. Put the gun conviction with the video, and Jarboe loses all claim to being just a knucklehead and not an outlaw.
When OU announced in late May that Jarboe's scholarship would be honored, Stoops said, "He understands that anything less than exemplary behavior will not be tolerated.”
It's quite apparent that Jarboe understands no such thing.
Jarboe has placed Stoops in quite the pickle.
Stoops stuck his neck out for Jarboe, and before the first practice, this is how Stoops is repaid. Stoops is stepping farther and farther out on a thin branch if he keeps Jarboe.
But Stoops is no stranger to thin branches, though maybe not this thin.
Stoops recalled what I wrote seven years ago, that dynasties crumble from within and he better be careful. This was after Stoops brought in Lynn McGruder, a transfer from Tennessee who was facing a felony drug charge.
McGruder became an exemplary student and even a hero for his help with a family in a burning van after an I-35 crash. The Big 12 named McGruder and teammate Mark Clayton its sportsmen of the year.
That's a great story. McGruder was at a crossroads, where his life could spiral into a mess, and instead OU football helped him turn triumphant in the most meaningful of ways.
Stoops knows what he's doing. But I'm glad it's his reputation, and not mine, that rests in the hands of Josh Jarboe.
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This situation is all about character. Jarboe should have been thanking the University of Oklahoma for allowing him a chance after the incident. To me it seemed that he was tied to a lifestyle that is not fit for college students. After the events at Virginia Tech, there is no way that I feel safe with my loved ones that attend school there. The few that have brought such terror to schools in the past fifteen years are the ones to blame. Talking about shooting people on a college campus is almost as bad as saying, "Bomb!" on an airplane. Especially, after the charges against this kid. It's called common sense. Dave, you are a disgrace to Oklahoma for your narrow thinking. This isn't about Stoops. This is about campus like at the University of Oklahoma. You can bet that Boren was involved in the decision.
Matt from moore: I'm pretty sure that Johnny Cash went to Viet Nam and the others didn't bring a gun to school before singing a song about it. Racism, get real. Not even the same situation.
From another article: "Habern briefly pokes his head in the background of the video, which was filmed inside the Bud Wilkinson House, an all-male dormitory comprised largely of athletes." Clearly states that the video was shot at OU so it would put it time wise after the gun felony charges.
John, Stigler: Remember that too. This wasn't some freshman "kid" as Humphreys made him out to be, but wasn't he a 5th year Senior? Wasn't his major Airport Administration? A tad ironic. Humphreys was a terrible Mayor and someone I wouldn't trust to make change for a dollar (true of most politicians). Sadly I voted for the man before he showed his true colors.
Balme it on racism, Stoops, Jarboe's upbringing. Whatever. I'm tired of hearing about kids like this with an obvious gift, throwing away a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY! There are plenty of other kids that could only wish and dream of having a scholarship from OU or any school for that matter. Jarboe made ANOTHER costly mistake. Maybe it is what he needed to get his stuff together. Maybe OU should have walked away from the deal back when? I'm sure Jarboe has an aspiring career in rap'in. Keep up the good work Stoops. Boomer Sooner!!!
no school is going to allow any student, especially one who already has trouble with guns, to rap, write, speak or whatever about killing people and continue at school. ask Virginia Tech about that. i'm pretty sure this idiot wasn't planning a massacre but hey, he's already been busted bringing a gun to school.
Racism? wtf? Matt, pull your head out. Look at the kids history. Sounds like a good quality kid huh? If you throw out the previous felony gun charge like it never happened, then maybe this "rap" has little significance. But, you can't so don't call this "racism at work" Call it stupidity at work on the part of a punk kid who can't seem to figure out what is right and what is wrong. Common sense goes a long way and unfortunately, this kid has none.
I agree that there is some racism at work here. I dont think it is from Stoops, but from the general public. Jarboe aside, because he is obviously not a smart kid. I like guns, I went to the range tonight in fact, and Im not a rap fan, but I know enough to know that was not a good rap. I am a country music fan however, and I wonder if we would react the same as when we hear a black kid rapping as opposed to a white kid singing one of the many country songs that reference shooting, killing, drinking and other irresponsible acts. Johnny Cash spoke of killing a man just to watch him die and killing his (fictional) wife. The Dixie Chicks killed Earl. Blake Shelton sang of killing and then escaping from prison. Reba sang about prostitution. Garth spoke of killing twice, once in the extended version of Thunder Rolls and then in Papa Loved Mama. Should I go on??? What about all the drinking references??? Like I said, Im not defending this kid or rap music, but lets call a spade a spade and get off our moral high horse.
blacks will always be a silly people as long as they act silly and kill each other. the whole culture celebrates fatherless children, degrading women and criminal behavior. then there's a huge uproar when the culture isn't taken seriously. if leaders, like obama says he is, doesn't start speaking out against the downward cultural spiral blacks in this country are now embracing they'll never be able to move beyond this time when atheletes, rappers and thugs are celebrated and doctors, lawyers and buisness execuitives are called uncle toms and sell-outs. this issue is much bigger than bob stoops. its all about acting responsible.
Stoops is an embarrassment to the University and the State of Oklahoma. His only success was with players recruited by John Blake. On his own Stoops has been a disaster for OU.
Freedom of speech, just watch what yOU say. Now I no way condone Jarboe's wack rap, and I think he was dumb for takin a gun to school, but seriOUsly, kickin a guy off the team for kickin a rhyme? What is the world comin to? And if it wasn't recorded and put on yOUtube, he'd still be a Sooner. Is it me or is thug the new term for n!gger nowadays? I have never heard of a white person, regardless of his actions be called a thug or goon? Noone called Dusty a thug when he put his friend in the hospital. Noone called Tim McVeigh a thug either. yOU can say what yOU want, but this whole thing wreaks of racism. I attended OU and I lived in Oklahoma 10 years and i will be the 1st to say, there's alot less tolerance for blacks than it is in a city like ATL, that's a predominantly black city. Now I'm sure yall gonna rip and roast me, but I call it how I see it. Cuz most of yall haven't walked in a black kid's shoes. I think he shOUld've been benched, but dismissing him for rappin is a crock. If that's the case he shOUld've never been given the oppurtunity to play @ OU in the first place after the gun incident. What's worse, catchin a gun charge or kickin a rap? Cuz @ the end of the day, that's what he got dismissed for. Are Okies that fearful of rap music? If yall mad @ Jarboe for his words, then turn off the news, cuz its much more violent.
Don't know if Josh truely has violent tendencies, but definately has a propensity for being a dumbass so I say good riddence thugzz. Don't want people like him in my town. Sure, free speech amd all- I work with troubled kids and can say overcoming the glorification of the thug life and gun violence and the joint is a challange. He had to go after the gun charge, then shooting this moronic video on university property. Enjoy the thug life - adios dumbass.
Stoops has done the right thing in dismissing Jarboe. Jarboe now has a choice in life....an important one. Do you clean up your act and become a human...maybe even better...such as a good citizen...or do you become the thug everyone now expects of you. Good luck Josh. I hope you make the right decision and take the right route.
Keep in mind that this is the same coach who kept Broyles on the team after his little gas stealing episode, and more importantly his failure to cooperate with police. It may be about time for these decisions to be made by someone else.
JD, I think you mean mediocre at all cost cowboys. As to Tom 7 his ilk, this has nothing to do w/OU football & everything to do with people making judgments about people they don't know based on two incidents in a person's entire life. Even country music sings about shooting people, btw. See Hank jr's Country Boy will Survive.
Jarboe dismissed from OU football team 08/01/2008 NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops announced Friday that he has dismissed freshman wide receiver Josh Jarboe from the team.
“We...
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"Jarboe on thin ice with Stoops"
Seems more like it to me.