snuffy
05-08-2009, 06:59 AM
OSU receiver Bo Bowling had to prove himself at every turn
Former Tonkawa star athlete is facing major drug charges
http://newsok.com/bowling-had-to-prove-himself-at-every-turn/article/3367526?custom_click=lead_story_title
BY SCOTT WRIGHT
Published: May 8, 2009
TONKAWA — A sign hanging outside the Tonkawa High School principal’s office, just to the right of the school’s mission statement, reads "Pride in our Past, Faith in our Future.”
Those are words that couldn’t fit more perfectly for one of Tonkawa’s former star athletes, Oklahoma State football player Bo Bowling.
Bowling will be in a Payne County courtroom today standing trial on felony and misdemeanor drug charges, including possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of an anabolic steroid.
Just a few months ago, Bowling had become a major source of pride in Tonkawa, mostly an OSU town, after he worked his way from lightly recruited high school quarterback to self-made major college wide receiver. And he did it just an hour down the road in Stillwater.
If he’s convicted of the charges against him, his fans in Tonkawa will turn to faith, hoping that Bowling can learn from his mistakes and move forward in a positive way.
Bowling was charged Feb. 10 with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, as well as misdemeanor possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
If convicted, Bowling will be at the end of an otherwise phenomenal run in which he proved over and over again that he was good enough — all the way up to the Big 12 level — even if he was the shortest guy on the field.
The 5-foot-9 Bowling quarterbacked Tonkawa to a state championship as a senior in 2005, played point guard on the basketball team, and was a sprinter on the track team.
Tonkawa High School administrators chose not to offer any recorded comments for this story, but recall Bowling as a good student who generally stayed out of trouble — and a fantastic athlete.
Still, Bowling was without any scholarship offers from major football programs when he graduated, so he looked for a place to prove himself.
"He wasn’t a guy we were actively recruiting,” said Rob Green, Bowling’s head coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College, now coaching at Piedmont. "Bo basically showed up and recruited me.
"I’ve had the fortune to be around some unbelievable athletes who went to the NFL — Jeremy Shockey, James Thrash, Rod Smith — and I’ll put Bo, athletically, right in there with those guys.”
At NEO, Bowling spent the first few weeks at defensive back, then switched to running back, until the defensive coordinator asked Green if he could use Bowling as the scout team quarterback to prepare for an upcoming opponent that used a running QB.
"The first three snaps Bo took, he scored — against our No. 1 defense,” Green said.
Before long, Green moved him to quarterback, and Bowling eventually won the job, starting the final five games of his freshman year and all of his sophomore season.
"He was an excellent leader,” Green said. "Just an ol’ country boy. He was never late for meetings, never missed bed check. Just a good kid.”
And when major-college scholarship offers didn’t come his way at NEO, Bowling saw another opportunity to prove himself.
"I asked him what he was gonna do, and he said he wanted to walk on at OSU,” Green said. "He told me, ‘I watched them practice. I can play for them.’ ”
Having never played receiver before, he showed his athletic ability in the spring, and earned playing time as a reserve in the fall, finishing with 10 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns — the third-best totals among OSU receivers.
With a brother, Brian, and a cousin, Ben, having played for the Cowboys before him, Bo Bowling was on the verge of becoming the most successful of the three.
Life hasn’t been easy for Bowling lately. His attorney’s motion to have evidence against him suppressed because of an unlawful search was denied last month. Bowling’s father, Danny, was convicted in federal court last December of bank fraud, and could face prison time along with a fine of more than $800,000 in a case which is still going through the appellate process.
Bo Bowling earned a scholarship in January, but he is currently suspended from all team activities at OSU, though he would have been in position to start at receiver this fall. If he’s convicted, it almost certainly closes the door on his OSU football career.
If Bowling was using street drugs or steroids at OSU, it’s possible that the Cowboy coaches would have known, perhaps from a failed drug test or through the rumor mill. But Bowling was never suspended for any games. OSU football coach Mike Gundy has not discussed Bowling’s situation with media.
An anonymous source with knowledge of the situation said steroid use is not believed to be a widespread problem within the Cowboy football team.
And while at NEO, if Bowling was involved in anything similar to the charges he’s facing now, Green didn’t see it.
"When I heard about the charges, I was shocked,” Green said. "I was and still am a big fan of Bo Bowling.
"He’s a smart kid, and I hope that somewhere along the line, something good comes from this for him. I hope he gets a second chance and makes it count.”
Former Tonkawa star athlete is facing major drug charges
http://newsok.com/bowling-had-to-prove-himself-at-every-turn/article/3367526?custom_click=lead_story_title
BY SCOTT WRIGHT
Published: May 8, 2009
TONKAWA — A sign hanging outside the Tonkawa High School principal’s office, just to the right of the school’s mission statement, reads "Pride in our Past, Faith in our Future.”
Those are words that couldn’t fit more perfectly for one of Tonkawa’s former star athletes, Oklahoma State football player Bo Bowling.
Bowling will be in a Payne County courtroom today standing trial on felony and misdemeanor drug charges, including possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of an anabolic steroid.
Just a few months ago, Bowling had become a major source of pride in Tonkawa, mostly an OSU town, after he worked his way from lightly recruited high school quarterback to self-made major college wide receiver. And he did it just an hour down the road in Stillwater.
If he’s convicted of the charges against him, his fans in Tonkawa will turn to faith, hoping that Bowling can learn from his mistakes and move forward in a positive way.
Bowling was charged Feb. 10 with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, as well as misdemeanor possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
If convicted, Bowling will be at the end of an otherwise phenomenal run in which he proved over and over again that he was good enough — all the way up to the Big 12 level — even if he was the shortest guy on the field.
The 5-foot-9 Bowling quarterbacked Tonkawa to a state championship as a senior in 2005, played point guard on the basketball team, and was a sprinter on the track team.
Tonkawa High School administrators chose not to offer any recorded comments for this story, but recall Bowling as a good student who generally stayed out of trouble — and a fantastic athlete.
Still, Bowling was without any scholarship offers from major football programs when he graduated, so he looked for a place to prove himself.
"He wasn’t a guy we were actively recruiting,” said Rob Green, Bowling’s head coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College, now coaching at Piedmont. "Bo basically showed up and recruited me.
"I’ve had the fortune to be around some unbelievable athletes who went to the NFL — Jeremy Shockey, James Thrash, Rod Smith — and I’ll put Bo, athletically, right in there with those guys.”
At NEO, Bowling spent the first few weeks at defensive back, then switched to running back, until the defensive coordinator asked Green if he could use Bowling as the scout team quarterback to prepare for an upcoming opponent that used a running QB.
"The first three snaps Bo took, he scored — against our No. 1 defense,” Green said.
Before long, Green moved him to quarterback, and Bowling eventually won the job, starting the final five games of his freshman year and all of his sophomore season.
"He was an excellent leader,” Green said. "Just an ol’ country boy. He was never late for meetings, never missed bed check. Just a good kid.”
And when major-college scholarship offers didn’t come his way at NEO, Bowling saw another opportunity to prove himself.
"I asked him what he was gonna do, and he said he wanted to walk on at OSU,” Green said. "He told me, ‘I watched them practice. I can play for them.’ ”
Having never played receiver before, he showed his athletic ability in the spring, and earned playing time as a reserve in the fall, finishing with 10 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns — the third-best totals among OSU receivers.
With a brother, Brian, and a cousin, Ben, having played for the Cowboys before him, Bo Bowling was on the verge of becoming the most successful of the three.
Life hasn’t been easy for Bowling lately. His attorney’s motion to have evidence against him suppressed because of an unlawful search was denied last month. Bowling’s father, Danny, was convicted in federal court last December of bank fraud, and could face prison time along with a fine of more than $800,000 in a case which is still going through the appellate process.
Bo Bowling earned a scholarship in January, but he is currently suspended from all team activities at OSU, though he would have been in position to start at receiver this fall. If he’s convicted, it almost certainly closes the door on his OSU football career.
If Bowling was using street drugs or steroids at OSU, it’s possible that the Cowboy coaches would have known, perhaps from a failed drug test or through the rumor mill. But Bowling was never suspended for any games. OSU football coach Mike Gundy has not discussed Bowling’s situation with media.
An anonymous source with knowledge of the situation said steroid use is not believed to be a widespread problem within the Cowboy football team.
And while at NEO, if Bowling was involved in anything similar to the charges he’s facing now, Green didn’t see it.
"When I heard about the charges, I was shocked,” Green said. "I was and still am a big fan of Bo Bowling.
"He’s a smart kid, and I hope that somewhere along the line, something good comes from this for him. I hope he gets a second chance and makes it count.”