Felisha Gibbs

[sybarite]

Apparently, Earle, AR is sufficiently behind the times that they have not yet discovered photography, which may be the reason nobody else had discovered Felisha.

 

[SoonerShamrock]

I was under the impression that scholarships were year-to-year. Just that Oklahoma had in the more recent past chosen to treat them as given for the duration of eligibility. However, I can remember "back in the day" when players who I certainly assumed were on scholarship one year (and had not exhausted their eligibility) were not on the team the next year. There was no fanfare because, quite frankly, no one cared what the deal was, as this was before Sherri had any following other than those of us who "followed" her from NHS.

If it's true that scholarships are year-to-year, what would it hurt to give her one for this year? We still would only have given out 14 and could have given out 15.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I believe it's true that ships are for one year. However, if you recruit a kid a give them a ship for just one or two years, that could really affect recruiting. Other coaches would tell recruits, "you better not go to OU or they could take away your ship at the drop of a hat".

 

[SoonerShamrock]

I believe it's true that ships are for one year. However, if you recruit a kid a give them a ship for just one or two years, that could really affect recruiting. Other coaches would tell recruits, "you better not go to OU or they could take away your ship at the drop of a hat".

I might argue that could depend on what your concerns about the recruit were. If it was ability to play your kind of ball and fit in with the team, I would agree with you totally. The coach needs to develop both the ability to make those tough projections about talent development, as well as the determination to stand by her/his word when it doesn't work out as projected, especially if it's through no fault of the player (i.e., she worked plenty hard, went to class, did all those expected things; her ceiling just wasn't as high as the coach initially thought).

On the other hand, if the concern was about academics, either the recruit will prove able to handle college or she won't. If she doesn't, the prospect of her being enrolled at OU her sophomore year is probably not great; and though the coach or the program can't speak as to reason, enrollment at a junior college could be a clue.

 

[35TangoTango]

I believe it's true that ships are for one year. However, if you recruit a kid a give them a ship for just one or two years, that could really affect recruiting. Other coaches would tell recruits, "you better not go to OU or they could take away your ship at the drop of a hat".

You don't really think OU's policy is different than other schools, do you?

 

[SoonerNorm]

You don't really think OU's policy is different than other schools, do you?

Not that I know of.

 

[AustinTXSooner]

You don't really think OU's policy is different than other schools, do you?

You mean like Oklahoma State?

I believe that OU's policy is similar to most schools; however, I believe there are some schools that take advantage of the year-to-year renewals. Obviously women's basketball seems to have plenty of scholarships available to carry players that don't work out like you thought they would. But sports like football, where the number of scholarships is somewhat restricting, some schools are pro-active in running off players. I don't think OU is.

At OU, I think players that make their grades, stay out of trouble, and work hard will keep their scholarship as long as they still want to be here. Maybe I'm naive.

 

[tycat947]

You mean like Oklahoma State?

I believe that OU's policy is similar to most schools; however, I believe there are some schools that take advantage of the year-to-year renewals. Obviously women's basketball seems to have plenty of scholarships available to carry players that don't work out like you thought they would. But sports like football, where the number of scholarships is somewhat restricting, some schools are pro-active in running off players. I don't think OU is.

At OU, I think players that make their grades, stay out of trouble, and work hard will keep their scholarship as long as they still want to be here. Maybe I'm naive.

There's exceptions to every rule but I think you've got it.

 

[sybarite]

I must admit that I have been fascinated with this story. Usually, when we find the name of a potential recruit, if you google her, you can find out a lot of information. Often, there are several sites that have listed her as a basketball recruit for a given year, give at least some minimal information about her, and some have even posted you tube links to see them play.

It has become so routine that if there is any history of a potential recruit, they often put their own sites up as early as the seventh grade. There are newspaper stories. There is always something. Maybe it isn't very complete, comprehensive, or even accurate. But, there is something out there.

There is so little information on Felisha that her name may well be on the back of some milk carton. She is missing. I did see one story of one game, and it didn't give a lot of information. The story was mostly about the boy's game on the same night. I think the Earle boys won state a year ago.

I find that the Top Secret project that I worked on in the Army which I thought would be classified forever is the subject of all kind of articles on the internet. Felisha is a better kept secret.

The last time someone arrived so completely unheralded in such a confusing situation was George Cumby who was Gumby, Coombie, Comby, and other things for three or four days in the Oklahoman, Journal, and Transcript. With a class of Sims, King, Lott, Tabors, Hicks,----who the blazes was this kid from where?

Felisha is a better kept secret. I find it interesting in this era that anyone can be so completely under the radar. I'm not sure that time has found Earle yet.