Since shortly after he stepped on campus, Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon has been a controversial figure in Norman. Before the season started in 2014, he knocked a woman unconscious at a local establishment and was suspended for the entire season.
Well, Mixon’s most recent indiscretion is not even close to what happened over two years ago, but it doesn’t make the star running back look very good.
Mixon reportedly received a parking ticket on the University of Oklahoma’s campus on Tuesday morning. He proceeded to tear the ticket up in front of the parking attendant and threw it on the ground. According to Mixon’s attorney, this kind of frustration is not unusual.
The parking attendant proceeded to file a complaint to the OUPD and Mixon has been suspended for Thursday night’s game against Iowa State.
On the field, this hurts the Sooners. Samaje Perine will miss a third-straight game with a hamstring injury. So, that leaves Oklahoma with just one available scholarship running back for the game—freshman Abdul Adams. It’s expected that walk-on Devin Montgomery will be Adams’ back up on Thursday night.
Mixon has had an outstanding season, rushing for 813 yards and five touchdowns, while catching 24 passes for 357 yards and four touchdowns. But my God, when is this kid going to grow up. I have a pet peeve where I don’t like to call college athletes “kids”. Typically they’re bigger, stronger, and faster than 99% of the population, so they deserve better. But, while Mixon may be physically more impressive than the rest of us, he continues to prove he’s a mental midget.
Mixon has technically been with the program for 3 years, so he can leave for the NFL Draft after this season. Based on the fact that scouts love his on-field ability, and he doesn’t do himself any favors with his off-field antics, now might be the time to make the move. It would be a big blow to the Oklahoma backfield if both Perine and Mixon leave after this season, but sometimes, there can be addition by subtraction.
The running back’s attorney told the Oklahoman, “He was frustrated, as most of us are when we get a ticket. He tore the ticket up in front of the parking attendant, and threw it on the ground.”
Well, I can count on two hands how many tickets I received, be it real tickets, or tickets on a college campus, and at no point did I stand there and rip it up in front of the attendant. Frankly, it never even crossed my mind. In any other instance, for any other person, this is not a huge deal. But, when you’ve already been seen on security camera knocking a woman unconscious, you don’t really get, or deserve, the benefit of the doubt.
Luckily for Bob Stoops & Co., they should have no trouble with Iowa State on Thursday night. But then, does anyone even learn their lesson? Probably not. Status quo and business as usual come Friday morning. #bigtimecollegesports
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