OU basketball assistant coach resigns

by jtesooner on Apr 8, 2010 1:18 PM CDT

Oronde Taliaferro

According to the University of Oklahoma, assistant basketball coach Oronde Taliaferro has resigned. Taliaferro was with the program for the past three years and was on the staff at Arkansas before that. (Random side note, dude has a spectacular uni-brow)

This could be just another hit to the rapidly increasing turnover that is the OU basketball program right now and believe me when I say I hope that's all it is. However, there have been rumors involving the Tiny Gallon debacle that an assistant coach could have possibly been involved. Up to this point, they are completely unsubstianted rumors and honestly the more that comes about this story the flimiser the "source" of this rumor appears.

I sincerely hope that the timing of this resignation and OU's investigation into the Gallon mess is purely coincidence and I expect that it is. That said, the last thing this program needs after turning over nearly half it's roster from last year is some kind of NCAA violation. OU's coaches and administrators (specifically Castiglione) have earned the benefit of the doubt at least in my eyes. They've proven that they are not afraid to punish any student athlete who does not live up to the standards of the university and I have no reason to believe they will not do exactly that should the results of the investigation warrant doing so.

UPDATE: more b-ball news; One of OU’s top recruiting targets, junior-college point guard Marquise Carter, has committed to Gonzaga. Carter, the younger brother of former OU standout Nate Carter, was an NJCAA first-team All-American this past season and a second-team selection last season. He scored 35 points in Three Rivers’ overtime loss to Howard in the NJCAA title game. Carter was thought to be deciding between OU and the Zags. With Mason-Griffin and Warren both going pro, the Sooners currently have no player capable of running the point guard spot on the roster.

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Asst. Coach

It may be a blessing if he were involved and there were some sort of oversight problems within the program that would allow for Capel to be fired without a buyout. Sooner basketball is staring into the abyss at the moment and the buck stops with the head coach who assembled this train wreck.

"When you play happy, good things will happen"-Elvis Andrus

by pblack on Apr 8, 2010 4:49 PM CDT reply actions

rumors

Who decides if a “rumor” is worth investigating. I suggest that with the anonymous nature of the internet, I could log on to a hated rivals sight, or place an anonymous call to said university, and claim knowledge of wrong-doing. I would at least try to establish some sense of credibility to my accusation by NOT offering it only if I will be PAID for it. I presume that “investigating” these rumors carries a cost to the compliance department. Again, is it worthy became it came from the credible TMZ?

Another “rumor” to consider was offered by Al Eschbach last night. Taliaferro is simply a scapegoat in an attempt to keep Keith Gallon available for next year’s team. According to Al, this “happens all the time.” Call me naive, but if this rumor is true, then shame on OU.

Team FIRST, Effort SECOND, Talent THIRD, Selfish NEVER

by omsooner on Apr 9, 2010 8:59 AM CDT reply actions