In a further sign that there could be a compromise in the offing, a hearing scheduled for this afternoon in the civil suit filed by Oklahoma’s Mike Balogun against the NCAA has been postponed, Tulsa World is reporting.
Balogun’s attorney, Woody Glass, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Saturday that the hearing would be canceled as the two sides work toward a compromise with the NCAA over the decertification of the linebacker’s eligibility.
“I am working with the attorney representing the NCAA on a resolution that would keep the TRO (temporary restraining order) in place (allow[ing] Mike to practice) while the amateurism committee reconsiders Mike’s certification,” Glass wrote in an e-mail to the World. “Obviously, the timing is a concern but we are working on an agreement that would expedite the process. I am optimistic that we could have a decision from the NCAA before September 5th.”
The Sooners open the 2009 regular season on the fifth, and the coaching staff hopes to have Balogun’s availability cleared up by then.