The Football Brainiacs

If by some chance you were still unaware, last night the official OU Football Twitter account sent out the following:

There is some unfounded reporting. Baker Mayfield has shoulder fatigue.

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) July 2, 2015

It was somewhat unprecedented in that from what I can gather, few people, if any, can seem to recall a similar instance in which OU has chosen to publicly address the reporting of an injury. Or at least chosen to do so in the manner in which they did last night.

It would also seem this was meant as a direct response to my reports from both this past Monday and Wednesday. Many will say (or have already said) this tweet was intended to refute what I reported, and perhaps that was the intent. But whatever the intent, it does certainly confirm at least some of what I first reported.

I feel compelled to take some time to re-address the actual facts of my reporting on this Baker Mayfield situation. My intent here is to reiterate the facts of what I have actually reported. Normally I would not feel this was necessary. But given that what I reported has been taken so far out of context and misrepresented — a lot of which, of course, is simply inherent with the Internet — by some, I felt this dictated a response on my part.

So again, let us quickly go back and re-address the actual facts.

– I was first to report there was any issue or otherwise with Baker Mayfield’s shoulder. Since then literally every single person that has reported and/or commented on this situation, including OU last night, has also confirmed there is an issue with Mayfield’s shoulder. Whether they have referred to it as soreness, or fatigue, or whatever term they have chosen to use, the consensus, by all accounts, is that there is an issue with Mayfield’s shoulder. That alone would seem to make, what appears to be, a reference to my reporting as “unfounded” a little disingenuous.

For those who question my sources, I’d simply remind you that no other news outlet was even aware there was any kind of shoulder issue, or that Baker sat out this past week until I reported it. And yet now, again, everyone is acknowledging there is in fact an issue, though the nature of said issue is obviously the point of contention.

– I was first to report Mayfield sat out this entire past week of workouts. This has not been refuted by anyone.

– I specifically stated that I could NOT confirm the full extent of the injury, nor offer a timeline for his recovery or return to practice/workouts. However, I did report what I knew at the time because missing multiple workouts in a week this time of year is not ‘normal’ or ‘ordinary’ despite what some may have you believe.

– It would seem the lone point of contention is what’s causing this issue with Mayfield’s shoulder. Whether referred to as “shoulder fatigue” or soreness, neither of those address the medical source of said “fatigue” and/or soreness. My sources attributed the injury/issue to his rotator cuff, and I continue to stand by what I reported.

What we know is that this “fatigue” has been serious enough to prevent Mayfield from practicing this past week. Nothing in the official OU tweet denies that, no other news outlet has refuted that, and I have no reason to doubt what I have been told by my sources. And I am NOT accusing anyone of anything here, but to be fair this definitely wouldn’t be the first time a representative from OU attempted to use language that downplayed the degree of an injury.

No matter. Whatever “fatigue” means, it certainly was made to sound like something a few days of rest and relaxation could potentially heal. So after the extended holiday weekend off, it should be reasonable to expect Mayfield will be back out on the field throwing when the players return next week. Perhaps at that time some of the other outlets will utilize their sources to report on whether he is indeed back out there.

I will say one more time, I continue to stand by what I reported. I was careful only to report what I had been able to confirm through multiple sources, some of which has also since been confirmed by other outlets as well as someone who is evidently speaking on behalf of the OU Football program.

One final note I’d like to add is with regards to my sources, or really just ‘sources’ in general. It’s only through our sources that we have been able to provide you updates on players in the offseason (something you probably won’t find much of elsewhere), or having been the first to report on certain coaching changes (see the Kerry Cooks hiring), report commitments (see, among others, the Austin Kendall commitment – it took almost an hour for any other outlet to confirm our initial report of Kendall’s commitment). When you aren’t permitted to see things with your own eyes, you have to use sources whom you trust.

In fact, just a couple of weeks ago we were first to report the news — both regarding his desire not to attend UT & his interest in OU — on Du’Vonta Lampkin. Several major Texas media outlets attacked our report. In fact, Lampkin’s own coach denied the validity of the report through a well-known ESPN CFB writer. But I trusted my sources, stood by the story, and shortly thereafter Lampkin himself confirmed our report.

It doesn’t mean I’m always right, no one can be held to that impossible standard. But we do believe in our protocol, practices, and our sources. And as far as I’m concerned, it has led us to bringing our readers a tremendous amount of behind the scenes news and updates they may not otherwise be privy to. And we plan on continuing to do so, free of charge.