Dorial Green-Beckham: Fate Lies In Missouri Tigers’ Hands

If Dorial Green-Beckham has a parade, it’s the Missouri Tigers’ to rain on. And I’m hoping for a flash flood.

When he was finally forced out, no one was surprised, but everyone was distraught.

The big news concerning Tigers fans this weekend is the former MU Wide Receiver’s enrollment at the University of Oklahoma, where he plans to join Bob Stoops’ squad on the football field. This is big news for the ultra-talented, but oft-troubled Green-Beckham, who was dismissed by Missouri in April.

And while the Oklahoma Sooners believe they’ve boosted their offense in a big way, and while Green-Beckham believes he’s salvaged his career, it isn’t all sunshine and daisies for either party.

Bob Stoops is taking a huge risk by bringing in Dorial Green-Beckham. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Now comes the hard part.

Because Green-Beckham was forced to leave Mizzou and then decided to enroll at Oklahoma, he has a big NCAA regulation to hurdle: all transfers from one FBS school to another must sit out for an entire season before they are eligible to play. As expected, Green-Beckham and OU are trying to get that waived.

Many have assumed that the appeal will get easily approved and that DGB will be suiting up in the crimson and cream in 2014. But this assumption is ultimately flawed.

It’s true. He was forced to depart Missouri and didn’t do so on his own choosing, which many believe is the reason why he’ll get the stipulation waived. The rule is, in fact, designed purely to motivate players to stay at the school they’re enrolled in and to deter them from leaving on their own accord– not to punish the already punished.

But in this instance, punishing Green-Beckham wouldn’t be such a bad thing in a lot of Tiger fans eyes, many of whom felt extremely let-down, angered and all-around embarrassed by the receiver’s antics that culminated in his suspension and then inevitable dismissal.

Dorial Green-Beckham will get a second chance– which everyone deserves– but it will come with a zero-tolerance policy under head coach Bob Stoops. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

And now it seems, Missouri gets a say in whether or not Green-Beckham gets to play.

What the receiver will need is what is called a “run-off” waiver to get the transfer rule waived. According to NCAA Rules, one requirement for this waiver is “a written statement from the student-athlete’s previous institution indicating that the previous institution supports the request.”

In other words, if Green-Beckham wants to play in 2014, Mizzou will have to sign off on it. And what an opportunity to add a little salt in the wounds for the guy.

While he me must meet other stipulations, this one seems to be the biggest crux of the deal. Of course both Green-Beckham and the OU program had getting the transfer rule waived in the forefront of their minds when they were going through this whole process. Now, Mizzou can throw a wrench in the works and he’ll be doing solo workouts and golfing for a year.

Let’s face it; Green-Beckham’s asinine behavior made Tiger fans suffer. They had to watch as a blooming young star took them on wild ride of success in 2013, while also frustrating the fan base in the process with off field troubles. When he was finally forced out, no one was surprised, but everyone was distraught.

Mizzou fans had to lose an exceptional pair of hands and swift pair of legs, but they also watched as a key to their team’s achievements on the field embodied and exemplified the “typical Mizzou” letdown feeling that seems to follow the program around like a duckling who thinks you’re its mother.

This isn’t the time to let the man appeal to your soft side, Mizzou. Let him have it.

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South Bound & Down

In the days following the enrollment, many have readjusted their thinking. Now that it lies in Mizzou’s hands, playing in a Sooners uniform in 2014 is more of a long shot, as it should be.

The 6-6, 225-pound Springfield, Missouri native caught 59 catches and 12 touchdowns, averaging 15 yards per catch as a sophomore in 2013.

But a string of drug charges and arrests– and involvement in a dispute that led him to be suspect of assault led to the perpetual necessary punishments from the program. But his inability to progress personally sealed the deal and the team decided it was best to give him a fresh start.

All people deserve a second chance. And I truly believe that. We must be given the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. But I just can’t help but marvel at Mizzou’s extra chance to give him one more parting gift for all of the trouble.