Re: Rotnei Clarke

[Old Titan]

In response to the handful of e-mails, PM's and phone calls I have received the last couple of days since I first broached the topic, let me be perfectly clear:  I never said I thought Rotnei Clarke should go to TU; I said I thought he would go to TU.

Frankly, I think the best place for him in the whole, wide world of college basketball is ORU, for so many reasons I can't delve into them all here.

But - just in case my original posts came across as indifference, resignation - or worse yet - opposition, I want to reiterate that RC is a very special player who would no doubt enjoy a ton of success at ORU, perhaps more than he would anywhere else.

And, as always, feel free to keep those cards and letters coming! 

[OKC Eagle]

Can you guys take this argument to another thread.  I want to read about Rotnei.  I don't give a rip about Conference USA.  And neither does most of the rest of the USA.

[Ting]

So what you're saying is that a couple wins in the NCAA by ORU would be more of a newsmaker, ala Bryce Drew? 

[SpaceManSpiff]

I moved the tangent to Free-for-All...

Please do not bring either side of the C-USA/Summit argument back into this thread.

[Old Titan]

I moved the tangent to Free-for-All...

Please do not bring either side of the C-USA/Summit argument back into this thread.

"Hey, I wasn't finished yet!!"

Bill Haisten's blog on The Tulsa World website this morning says Rotnei has narrowed his choices down to TU, ORU, OSU, Arkansas and Gonzaga.  Says RC will make an official visit to OSU on October 18 (which, oddly enough, is a weekday), that he may use his last two official visits for weekends at ORU and TU, and that any announcement of where he is going to sign won't be made until the end of October.  Says that Rotnei will definitely sign a letter-of-intent on the November 14 "early signing" date:

Bill Haisten's Tulsa World Blog

[Bogus Smith]

October 18 is Fall Break for Oklahoma schools so Rotnei won't be missing school during this visit.

[ORU Eli]

who would have thought a couple months ago that OSU would end up in the top 5 and OU wouldn't?

[ORUTerry]

Here is what some Kentucky fans are saying about Rotnei and the facts that they are out of the running:

Kentucky Basketball Message Board (CatsPause.com)

[ORUTerry]

According to Bill Haisten's blog in the Tulsa World (10-3-2007), Rotnei has narrowed the schools down to four - with Gonzaga off the list.

Bill Haisten's Blog

[ORUTerry]

Saw this post on the Gonzaga message board:

Clarke (again) banned

According to an article in this AM's Oklahoman, Clarke has been asked to stop playing the basketball shooting games at the Tulsa State Fair. It seems he's been picking up too many ( at least of those oversized stuffed animals. I'd link to it or repost it, but the article is not up on their website yet. It did mention he's taking an "official" to OSU on the 19th.

Link

I cannot find this story on the Daily Oklahoman web site; it might be just in the paper version - or a prank.

[Old Titan]

Saw this post on the Gonzaga message board:

Clarke (again) banned

According to an article in this AM's Oklahoman, Clarke has been asked to stop playing the basketball shooting games at the Tulsa State Fair. It seems he's been picking up too many ( at least of those oversized stuffed animals. I'd link to it or repost it, but the article is not up on their website yet. It did mention he's taking an "official" to OSU on the 19th.

Link

I cannot find this story on the Daily Oklahoman web site; it might be just in the paper version - or a prank.

My 10-year-old son was convinced he could make a shot on one of those Tulsa State Fair midway hoops - until I took him around to the side of the booth and showed him how the distance between the front and the back of one of those rims is only about 12".  But, standing in front of the booth, the rim looks OK.  It's amazing how your perception can so often be hampered by your point of view - especially when there are those who deliberately attempt to pull the wool over your eyes.

Which in a roundabout way brings me to this:  if I hear one more RC or RR rumor, I may pull out what remaining hair I have.

By my latest calculation, Rotnei just received a vote of confidence from the ORU regents, and P-Rob just verbally committed to play power forward at Gonzaga.

Or, something like that...

[ORUTerry]

Well, as Bill Haisten is reporting in the Tulsa World today - Rotnei has apparently taken TU off his list of potential schools. Don't know how Haisten could say that ORU and OSU are the only schools left - unless he has spoken to the family. This thing won't be over until it's over.

[Cletus]

If what Hairsten says is true, and ORU is still in the running, that says a lot for ORU, us and Mr. Clarke. 

I hate to bring this up, but I worked at a state university and we were asked to participate in local political campaigns--plus, we knew the president lived high on the hog--yes, even higher than RR.  If Rotnei Clarke can see through all this and still pick ORU with all the controversy in Tulsa, we'll know that we have someone special. 

We all came to ORU during COF controversy, etc. and you know what?  At least for myself, I'm doing fine!  I'm sure Rotnei will too, if he chooses ORU

[Sterns78]

I remember controversies over the years but what has remained is the fruit of ORU - the students who respond to the call, the staff who serve, the faculty who give ... and the basketball fanatics on this website who keep it fun.

[vcboy2000]

So true, Sterns.

[Cletus]

Go on boy, go on!

as Brother Bob would say! 

[Sterns78]

who IS that fourth man?!

[ORUalum]

i have to admit i never really thought ORU had much of a chance of landing Clarke, but as the list keeps getting smaller i am becoming cautiously optimistic.

totally unrelated...

who IS that fourth man?!

...found this on youtube awhile back