Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon met with reporters today, marking the first time he’s spoken to the media since being suspended for one year after allegedly punching a woman in the face. From the outset, the university tried to prevent reporters from asking about the alleged assault.


Media members tried to indirectly ask Mixon about the incident, only to be chided by a PR staffer overseeing the proceedings:


Things only got worse from there. From Tulsa World:

Has he had a desire to answer any non-football related questions? “No,” he said. Does he think that he should? “Not here.” At any point, does he owe that to anyone? “No, not here.” * Earlier he said he would describe himself as a great person. Why does he say that? “If you get to know me, you’d know how I am,” Mixon said. Then he asked the reporter, “Are you a great person?” She said, “No, I wouldn’t say I’m a great person.” Mixon: “You seem like it.”

Sooners AD Joe Castiglione was similarly slippery when Mixon came up:

The whole situation was a mess, and the university demanding that reporters only ask Mixon football-related questions is a very bad look. If you’re of the mind that Mixon has already served his punishment and doesn’t deserve to have it brought back up, remember that he not only skated by on an Alford plea, but benefited from the video tape showing the alleged assault being destroyed before it could become public. If that tape had ever gotten out—if you happen to have a copy and think the public should see it, do let us know—it’s unlikely Mixon would be on the Sooners’ roster at all.