Bennett quotes from yesterday
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 2:24 pmIn answer to questions about OU's recent problems and how he approaches it, Bennett said this at media day Saturday, Aug 5:
"I think, number one, being in the metroplex, we have to do a good job, and especially [with] our history."
"We are constantly ... talking about the choices that [our players] make. Unfortunately, they're still 18, 19, 20 years old. Whether it's OU players or SMU players or Texas A&M, these young men are impressionable, whether you like it or not. It doesn't mean they're bad people, ... but we try to educate them, constantly, about the things that are out there that can cause them to lose the opportunity to play here."
"As I tell [the players], and I say this laughing, there's NOTHING that they do that I don't find out about. I'm worse than their ex-girlfriend."
Bennett gives players a 'THINK' card, to carry at all times.
It says:
*Is this right or wrong?
*Is this a risk I can afford to take?
*How will it affect my future?
*How will this affect my team, my coaches?
*How will this represent SMU?
Bennett said when players got into trouble on Greenville Avenue earlier this year, he received a call from them in the middle of the night.
"They felt comfortable enough to call me, because they knew the situation was out of hand. And I was there within fifteen minutes."
"I'm not saying that I don't have kids that make mistakes. They do."
"It's not a right, it's a priviledge to represent SMU and to try to do what we're doing."
"I think, number one, being in the metroplex, we have to do a good job, and especially [with] our history."
"We are constantly ... talking about the choices that [our players] make. Unfortunately, they're still 18, 19, 20 years old. Whether it's OU players or SMU players or Texas A&M, these young men are impressionable, whether you like it or not. It doesn't mean they're bad people, ... but we try to educate them, constantly, about the things that are out there that can cause them to lose the opportunity to play here."
"As I tell [the players], and I say this laughing, there's NOTHING that they do that I don't find out about. I'm worse than their ex-girlfriend."
Bennett gives players a 'THINK' card, to carry at all times.
It says:
*Is this right or wrong?
*Is this a risk I can afford to take?
*How will it affect my future?
*How will this affect my team, my coaches?
*How will this represent SMU?
Bennett said when players got into trouble on Greenville Avenue earlier this year, he received a call from them in the middle of the night.
"They felt comfortable enough to call me, because they knew the situation was out of hand. And I was there within fifteen minutes."
"I'm not saying that I don't have kids that make mistakes. They do."
"It's not a right, it's a priviledge to represent SMU and to try to do what we're doing."