Tonight I was representing the radio station at the BYU-TCU basketball game in Provo, UT. My full attention should have been on the game: BYU went into the game ranked 9th in the national polls and is currently a projected 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament according to several online "bracketology" musings.
And my attention was on the game, honest! I sat right behind the TCU coaches and could hear most of their conversations; I could feel the adrenaline rising from the court just a few feet in front of me. I had my laptop open, notebook and pen at the ready, and the game notes fully embedded in my brain....everything was fine and how it should have been.
And then it was halftime.
Expecting BYU to blow TCU out of the building, I decided that if I were going to make it through what would undoubtedly be a rough 2nd half of basketball I was going to need some dinner. So I ventured into the tunnels in search of some victuals. However, when I reached the luncheon room, the line was out the door and down the hallway, and I am not the waiting type. So I continued down the hallway and rounded a corner.
Then, I got lucky.
O'Neill Chambers, the wide receiver who had been kicked off BYU's football team mid-season in 2010, was standing next to me.
I should mention that I was fortunate enough to help cover BYU football for the radio station last season, and that I had tried on many occasions to get Chambers to talk to me about the whole situation and what happened, on record. He always either declined or was very closed and vague in his responses. I always suspected he feared retribution from his coaches or the school if he said how he felt, no holds barred, on record.
But now, here he was. A regular student. Someone who is free to talk to who they want, when they want, and about what they want without it being cleared by the sports information office first.
I couldn't resist.
I introduced myself and reminded him of who I was and what I do for a living. Once I was sure he remembered (or at the very least realized my intentions), I began asking him about his current situation. He was very open, warm and friendly, not to mention cordial, always responding with "Yes sir," or "No sir." Even asked me how my holidays went for me and my family. I'm starting to believe I had Mr. Chambers pegged all wrong.....
Here is a rough transcript (from memory) of our conversation after exchanging pleasantries:
Me: "So do you know what your plans are regarding football and where you might transfer to?"
Chambers: "I'm staying here. I've been working out with the team in the mornings. I gotta get better."
Me: "Oh really? Are you back on the team?"
Chambers: "I will be. I'll be back this year."
Me: "So everything's good and ok with that whole situation then?"
Chambers: "Yes sir, it's all fine."
Me: "You're serious? Are you willing to go on record with that?"
Chambers: "Sure, no problem."
At this point I had a billion and one questions running through my mind and I was without my mp3 recorder. We agreed to meet at that same spot following the basketball game's conclusion. I told him I'd be there with my recorder and we'd have a legitimate, professional interview. But after the game I couldn't find Chambers anywhere, so that will have to wait for another time and place.
Chambers was at the game with Ross Apo, another WR on the football team who missed most of last year with a hand injury. Apo could not comment to me about anything regarding the football team without prior consent from the sports information directors at BYU, as he is still on the current roster.
Since I wasn't able to speak with Chambers again after the game, I tracked down Brett Pyne, BYU's Associate Director for Athletic Communications. He wasn't able to confirm or deny anything Chambers reported to me, but did provide a little insight:
1-Chambers is most likely participating in a class offered to students who wish to tryout or walk onto the football team; this is held in the mornings as a weight lifting and strengthening class.
2-Chambers is still enrolled at BYU and is therefore not barred from trying to rejoin the team, at the coaches' allowance.
3-Chambers still has a redshirt year available to him, so that may factor in somewhere along the way.
Pyne then said he would try and get a comment from a coach or two in the next little while, but mentioned it might be hard as most of them are gone on recruiting trips at the present time.
When I got home tonight I did send O'Neill a message over Facebook inquiring whether or not he would agree to sit down for a formal interview. He replied in a matter of minutes that he would indeed be willing to do so.
Whether or not it will happen, that's a different story. When I told another BYU beat writer about all this, he chuckled and exclaimed, "You trusted O'Neill Chambers?!?!?"
I guess I do. It's either that or just continue to assume and speculate my way through life. And we all know what happens when we a$$-u-me things.......
So, that's it. That's the whole story as of right now. More to report in the near future, hopefully.
Oh, by the way, BYU won 83-67...I paid just enough attention to the game to give you that at least!
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