Sports by guys who like sports

Bedlam 2006

2006-11-21T09:02:00.000-08:00

I am overly excited this weekend, but I think me excitement will come to a screeching halt. I predict that OSU will pound my beloved Sooners into submission by the end of the first half. OU just doesn’t have the personnel to hang with the likes of Reid, Savage, Woods, and Bowman.

That reminds me. I wish OU had just one of OSU’s tailbacks. I had high hopes that All Day could recover from his collar bone injury, but I don’t think it is going to happen. In fact, I am beginning to question why I call him AD. Shouldn’t we start calling him IP for Injury Prone.

I hate to write this but: OSU 66 – OU 3.

-Schilling

Trouble in OSU basketball?

2006-10-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

It’s not shaping up to be a good year for Oklahoma State sports. Just an hour after I saw that the Cowboys defense gave up 14 fourth-quarter points to Kansas State and lost 31-27, I read Sean Sutton dismissed Gary Flowers for violating team rules. (Flowers apparently likes the chronic.)

Flowers joins former forward Torre Johnson of the OSU castaways. Sutton would not comment on either dismissal other than to say “I like the guy. I wish him the best. It’s in the best interest of the program that we part ways…. Blah, blah, blah.”

Throw these two dismissals on top of Eddie Sutton’s drunken driving incident and you’ve got one troubled basketball team. I sure hope Sean can keep the team focused. But the cynic in me says we’ll just suck this year and our program will go down the tubes.

I hope I’m wrong.

Greatest Fall in ML History

2006-09-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

As a loyal Cardinal fan it is hard for me to watch baseball this year. They have had three 7 game losing streaks, two of those have gone on to 8 games. They had a 7 game lead in the division 9 games ago, with the ability to close out the year by winning a couple of games against Houston. Instead they go and get swept, then lose 2 of three to San Diego at home. I honestly hope they don't make the playoffs. They are an embarassment to their fans. They play with no heart and don't seem to care whether the win or lose, they will collect their paycheck either way. The ownership instead of rewarding the fans for selling out their new stadium and giving them ever increasing revenue, instead decide to remain cheap and only bring in players that other teams have dumped. They have refused to pony up and pay some money to really improve this team. The unfortunate part is the Cardinals window for getting the World Series is closing. Their minor league system is a joke and ownership will not bring in high priced free agents as they would rather site back and make a profit. Unfortunately Cardinal fans are too loyal and will come out and sell out the stadium even when the team that is put out there is a disgrace. Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter are the only positive thing for the Cardinals this year. The rest of the team should be very disappointed with their effort and should make strides to do something next year. Good riddance Jason Marquis, Jeff Weaver and Ronnie Belliard and thanks for nothing. Good luck to the Astros in the playoffs.

The True Letter From David Boren

2006-09-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Commissioner Weiberg:

To describe the lapses in accurate officiating at the Oklahoma-Oregon football game last Saturday as constituting an outrageous injustice is an understatement. Since officiating is a conference responsibility as opposed to an individual institutional responsibility, we must look to you to launch a vigorous, and I mean vigorous, effort to correct the situation. On behalf of the University of Oklahoma, I ask that you as Big 12 Commissioner take the following actions:

1) Seek an apology from the PAC-10 Conference for the gross errors in officiating. I would ask for an apology from the officials themselves, but I don’t want to bog them down. The officials will be busy working out for item #2.

2) Ensure that every official at the OU/UO game poses in the PAC-10 playgirl issue, and I think it should be a given, that I should get a personalized autographed copy. The officials screwed us, but at least I can dream of screwing them.

3) It is my understanding that the PAC-10 has a rule that they will only use PAC-10 officials at games with other conference institutions hosted by PAC-10 members. In light of what happened Saturday, I think that OU should be at least allowed to appoint a time keeper, much like the OU/Texas Tech basketball game two years ago.

4) The Big should request that the game should not go into the record books as a win or a loss by either team in light of the officiating mistakes. However, I do feel that it is prudent that Adrian Peterson gets credit for all of his statistical categories. Hell, we are forcing him to return kick-offs, to boost his all-purpose yards, in hopes that he can win the Hiesman. In fact, I would also like for you to retroactively award Tommie Harris and Rocky Calmus with 10 tackles and 4 sacks, distributed as you see fit.

5) For my personal pain and suffering, due to this extreme injustice, I should be granted 10 Oregon slaves, all young virgin men, who have good “quacking” vocal cords.

Since the University of Oklahoma and its officials are required by conference sportsmanship rules to limit their comments in situations like this, we must look to you as the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference to vigorously, and I mean vigorously, demand that our teams be treated fairly when participating in non-conference games. It is truly sad and deeply disappointing that the members of our football team should be deprived of the outcome of the game that they deserved because they couldn’t kick a field goal, um, I mean because of the an inexcusable breakdown in officiating.

Sincerely,
David L. Boren
OU Prez.

Lou Holtz sucks

2006-09-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

Did anybody watch Lou Holtz this weekend on ESPN’s halftime show? Man, he disturbs me.

When Lou talks, he sounds like he’s choking on his own saliva. And you can see how the makeup person has tried to hide his wrinkles, which overlap and make the mascara gu visible for all to see.

It’s not that I don’t like old people on television; I love Keith Jackson. But watching Lou Holtz is like listening to a corpse flap its jaws. Sorry, Lou, but you stink.

Bomar and Quinn are gone, yet there is still something fishy going on in Norman

2006-08-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

February 2006 – OU’s compliance department supposedly begins an investigation into players and Big Red.

March 3, 2006 – David Boren receives a Email charging that players are being paid while doing no work at Big Red. “OU expanded the investigation after receiving the Email on March 3rd. Interestingly the Email to Boren was addressed to David Price, the NCAA VP for enforcement thus leaving OU no option but to “expand” their investigation.

April 6, 2006 - The Big Red payroll clerk makes a written statement.

June 21, 2006 - The Big Red payroll clerk reiterates her statement in a interview conducted.

Late July, 2006 – OU confirms the rules violations in a report to the NCAA.

August 2, 2006 – Bomar and Quinn are dismissed from the team.

According to the OU Compliance Department, Bomar and Quinn confessed that they knew they were breaking the rules. Just exactly when did they confess to this? Exactly when were they confronted?

The reason that date is so important is because that is the date where there would be clear and unavoidable evidence that rules had been violated. They were confronted with allegations and confessed. End of story. Game over.

So when did this occur?

On August 2nd when Bob Stoops dismissed the two players and had his Press Conference, he claims that it was not a hard decision to dismiss the players and more than implies that his decision was immediately obvious once he knew they knowingly broke the rules. The obvious spin is that both OU and Stoops took the ethical high road in this matter… so did they really?
Are we supposed to believe that OU’s Compliance Department began investigating allegations about their starting QB and a starting OL specifically (after they were named in a March 3rd Email) and yet didn’t bother telling Stoops?

OR

Are we supposed to believe that with all these allegations and evidence, that OU and Stoops didn’t confront Bomar and Quinn until the first of August?
Again, just when were Bomar and Quinn confronted? Just when did they confess to OU’s Compliance Department?

If it was immediately obvious to OU that they had to do the right thing and dismiss these players once they confirmed the rules violations (their confession), then minimally David Boren and the OU Compliance Department allowed all the 1st team practice reps these players took during Spring Camp and through the Summer Work Outs to be wasted on two players they were going to dismiss.

Paul Thompson didn’t take his first practice snap as a QB this year until after OU’s August 2nd announcement.

Stoops and OU spun the notion that they had taken some kind of ethical high ground and yet someone at OU went to the extent of allowing 1st team practice repetitions to be wasted on two players that would eventually be dismissed from their team.

I’m sorry but it doesn’t wash.

I don’t buy that OU’s Compliance Department launched an investigation into and uncovered evidence against Bob Stoops starting QB and a starting OL without bothering to mention it to him for 5 months.

So was it really immediately evident to Stoops what he must do once he found out?

Let me suggest alternative scenario.

The reason that Bomar and Quinn continued to get all the 1st team practice snaps through the Spring and Summer was because Stoops and OU were desperately trying to see if the whole thing could be covered up. There is no way they wouldn’t have tried to get Paul Thompson QB snaps in the off-season if they immediately knew they were going to dismiss Bomar. They were trying to keep him and trying to cover it all up.

When looking at OU’s own timeline, there’s only two possibilities:

1. Stoops told the truth in the Aug 2nd Press Conference, immediately confronted Bomar and Quinn, and immediately did the right thing and dismissed the two. This means David Boren and the OU Compliance Department kept all of this from Stoops until late late July or early August. It also means that Boren allowed Stoops to waste all his off-season practices on two players they were going to bust.

2. Despite what the Compliance Departments investigation had uncovered, the reason Bomar and Quinn continued to get all the 1st team practice reps through the Spring and Summer was because it was Stoops and OU’s intent to play them this Fall despite the rules violations. They spent the Spring and Summer trying to cover it up.

Something is definitely fishy here. It just doesn’t add up.

You make the call

2006-08-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

You make the call
Is it good baseball strategy or a weak attempt to win?
by Rick Reilly

This actually happened. Your job is to decide whether it should have.
In a nine- and 10-year-old PONY league championship game in Bountiful, Utah, the Yankees lead the Red Sox by one run. The Sox are up in the bottom of the last inning, two outs, a runner on third. At the plate is the Sox' best hitter, a kid named Jordan. On deck is the Sox' worst hitter, a kid named Romney. He's a scrawny cancer survivor who has to take human growth hormone and has a shunt in his brain.
So, you're the coach: Do you intentionally walk the star hitter so you can face the kid who can barely swing?
Wait! Before you answer.... This is a league where everybody gets to bat, there's a four-runs-per-inning max, and no stealing until the ball crosses the plate. On the other hand, the stands are packed and it is the title game.
So ... do you pitch to the star or do you lay it all on the kid who's been through hell already?
Yanks coach Bob Farley decided to walk the star.
Parents booed. The umpire, Mike Wright, thought to himself, Low-ball move. In the stands, Romney's eight-year-old sister cried. "They're picking on Romney!" she said. Romney struck out. The Yanks celebrated. The Sox moaned. The two coaching staffs nearly brawled.
And Romney? He sobbed himself to sleep that night.
"It made me sick," says Romney's dad, Marlo Oaks. "It's going after the weakest chick in the flock."
Farley and his assistant coach, Shaun Farr, who recommended the walk, say they didn't know Romney was a cancer survivor. "And even if I had," insists Farr, "I'd have done the same thing. It's just good baseball strategy."
Romney's mom, Elaine, thinks Farr knew. "Romney's cancer was in the paper when he met with President Bush," she says. That was thanks to the Make-A-Wish people. "And [Farr] coached Romney in basketball. I tell all his coaches about his condition."
She has to. Because of his radiation treatments, Romney's body may not produce enough of a stress-responding hormone if he is seriously injured, so he has to quickly get a cortisone shot or it could be life-threatening. That's why he wears a helmet even in centerfield. Farr didn't notice?
The sports editor for the local Davis Clipper, Ben De Voe, ripped the Yankees' decision. "Hopefully these coaches enjoy the trophy on their mantle," De Voe wrote, "right next to their dunce caps."
Well, that turned Bountiful into Rancorful. The town was split -- with some people calling for De Voe's firing and describing Farr and Farley as "great men," while others called the coaches "pathetic human beings." They "should be tarred and feathered," one man wrote to De Voe. Blogs and letters pages howled. A state house candidate called it "shameful."
What the Yankees' coaches did was within the rules. But is it right to put winning over compassion? For that matter, does a kid who yearns to be treated like everybody else want compassion?
"What about the boy who is dyslexic -- should he get special treatment?" Blaine and Kris Smith wrote to the Clipper. "The boy who wears glasses -- should he never be struck out? ... NO! They should all play by the rules of the game."
The Yankees' coaches insisted that the Sox coach would've done the same thing. "Not only wouldn't I have," says Sox coach Keith Gulbransen, "I didn't. When their best hitter came up, I pitched to him. I especially wouldn't have done it to Romney."
Farr thinks the Sox coach is a hypocrite. He points out that all coaches put their worst fielder in rightfield and try to steal on the weakest catchers. "Isn't that strategy?" he asks. "Isn't that trying to win? Do we let the kid feel like he's a winner by having the whole league play easy on him? This isn't the Special Olympics. He's not retarded."
Me? I think what the Yanks did stinks. Strategy is fine against major leaguers, but not against a little kid with a tube in his head. Just good baseball strategy? This isn't the pros. This is: Everybody bats, one-hour games. That means it's about fun. Period.
What the Yankees' coaches did was make it about them, not the kids. It became their medal to pin on their pecs and show off at their barbecues. And if a fragile kid got stomped on the way, well, that's baseball. We see it all over the country -- the overcaffeinated coach who watches too much SportsCenter and needs to win far more than the kids, who will forget about it two Dove bars later.
By the way, the next morning, Romney woke up and decided to do something about what happened to him.
"I'm going to work on my batting," he told his dad. "Then maybe someday I'll be the one they walk."

=============================================================
What do you guys think?

Rohnde article about Bomar and Quinn

2006-08-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

By John Rohde
Turns out the Oklahoma football team has a quality punter after all. Bob Stoops punted Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn off the team Wednesday.
And if state law permits, Stoops no doubt would like to punt a conniving, jock-sniffing OU booster across state lines as well.
Quarterback and the offensive line - two positions where the Sooners could ill-afford to take a hit - just got blind-sided.
Bomar and Quinn got precisely what they deserved.
So don’t blame Stoops, don’t blame athletic director Joe Castiglione and don’t blame school president David Boren. Instead, you should thank them.
If you want to blame somebody for the Sooners’ latest tango with trouble, blame Bomar, Quinn and a bumpkin booster.
And to a certain extent, blame Kelvin Sampson.
Sooner athletics remain squarely in the crosshairs of the NCAA following its recent investigation into the men’s basketball program. Wounds remain fresh for OU’s compliance department.
The NCAA sniffed out Sampson’s oversized phone bills and didn’t like what it smelled.
The Sampson case officially is closed, but the stench still lingers.
Sampson revived the school’s renegade reputation when he and his staff combined to make 577 impermissible phone calls in a four-year span.
And because sports fans love to hold grudges, that unmistakable aroma of nationwide discontent toward the Sooners is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The NCAA major infraction rap sheet has six cases against OU - Jan. 11, 1956; Jan. 11, 1960; Sept. 20, 1973; Nov. 11, 1980; Dec. 19, 1988; and May 25, 2006.
In an effort to prevent a seventh entry, Bomar and Quinn wisely got booted.
In the Sampson case, OU acted swiftly with self-imposed sanctions. As a result, the school managed to escape the NCAA’s dreaded “lack of institutional control” tag, which is the insult of all insults.
What Castiglione and Co. did in the Sampson case was a pre-emptive strike (men’s and women’s gymnastics also were implicated).
What Castiglione and Co. did Wednesday with Bomar and Quinn was preventative maintenance.
If there is a problem, get rid of it. Be it player, coach or booster. And that’s precisely what OU did.
Had the Sampson investigation not occurred, would Bomar and Quinn still have been kicked off the football team? Presumably yes.
But since the Sampson investigation did occur, the answer unequivocally became yes.
There is no wiggle room these days in the OU compliance office, which incidentally received high praise from NCAA officials for its internal handling of the Sampson affair.
Until Sampson’s stumble, the school had gone 18 years without a major violation.
Now thanks to Bomar and Quinn, the NCAA no doubt will soon pay a visit, if it hasn’t already.
Don’t hold your breath for Bomar’s return. He’s gone. Permanently. As he should be. Ditto for Quinn.
The mere thought of possibly reinstating either player would turn up the stink meter full-blast.
With his partying, drinking and ill-gotten gains, Bomar is beginning to resemble Pigpen from Peanuts.
A dirty cloud surrounds him. Bomar won’t be welcome at any NCAA institution - unless it’s an incredibly stupid one.
Therefore, NAIA ball awaits Bomar and Quinn.
In ruining their own reputations, Bomar and Quinn have sabotaged everyone else associated with OU.
Those who remain true to the Sooners will now bear the brunt of jokes, snickers and innuendo.
Sadly, this has been going on for 50 years.
Despite Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer having an NCAA rap sheet, OU fans’ reverence remained unwavering.
The same no doubt will hold true for Stoops.
The final stop on the annual Sooner Caravan will be held at 6:30 tonight in the National Cowboy and Western History Museum.
The standing ovation Stoops was going to receive anyway will last a little bit longer and sound a little bit louder.
Stoops has earned that standing O.
It was a helluva punt.

What's on your IPOD?

2006-07-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

I am just curious to learn what type of music everyone listens to. Sorry to Mike and Conor for ending that last sentence in a preposition. Please limit it to about 30 songs.

Reckless Kelly - Crazy Eddie's Last Hurrah

Pat Green - George's Bar

Guy Clark - LA Freeway

Hank Williams Jr - Dinosaur

Hank Williams Jr - Outlaw Woman

Jimmy Buffett - A Pirate Looks at Forty

Jimmy Buffett - The City

Cross Canadian Ragweed - Proud Souls

Cross Canadian Ragweed - Carney Man

Ray Charles and Willie Nelson - Seven Spanish Angels

Gary P Nunn - What I like about Texas

Natalie Merchant - Wonder

Robert Earl Keen - Corpus Christi Bay

Waylon Jennings - Bob Wills is Still the King

Shooter Jennings - 4th of July

David Allen Coe - You Never Even Called Me By My Name

Jason Boland - Rich Young Dumb Nymphomaniac

Todd Snider - Beer Run

Elvis - In the Ghetto

Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently

Sammy Johns - Chevy Van

James Taylor - Fire and Rain

Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

George Strait - Give it Away

The Wreckers - Leave the pieces

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

Chris Daughtry - I walk the Line

Kid Rock - Sex Rhymes

The Dixie Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice - I had to put this last because I am a little embarrassed by it being on my list.

Mark Mulder Fall From Major League Pitcher

2006-06-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Mark Mulder has in a matter of about 3 weeks gone from one of the most dominant pitchers in the game of baseball to "Borderline Helpless". He is now 6-5 with a 6.09 ERA for the season and 1-3 with a 13.50 ERA over his last 6 starts. He has looked helpless on the mound, no control, no movement on his pitches and he has never been a power pitcher. His pitching coach has all but given up saying he has tried everything he can think about and at this point is at a loss for what to do with Mulder.

So what do you do, if his name was not Mark Mulder and he didn't make $5 Million a year, then I can tell you what would happen. He would be a new starting pitcher for the Memphis Redbirds. Or he would be slotted into their bullpen as a situational lefty and they would promote Adam Wainright to a starting pitcher role. At the beginning of the season if the Cardinals would have offered Mark Mulder for Bobby Abreau the Phillies would have most likely jumped on it. However now, I doubt they could get an outfielder from KC for him.

The Cardinals may win the NL Central on the strength of their lineup and other starting pitchers and bullpen, however they have now gauranteed themselves that they will once again spend the fall wondering what it would be like to win a Championship, because with Mulder they don't have a chance.

Poor Cubbies

2006-06-20T07:20:00.000-07:00

I honestly for once do feel bad for the Cubs. How does a sports franchise with such a loyal fan base in one of the largest cities of the country never compete for a championship? You could say bad luck, losing stars to injuries, Bartman grabbing the ball. However at what point does the organization take the blame? First, when are they going to step up and spend money to get the stars the fans in the city deserve? St. Louis is not near the market that Chicago is and their payrolls are relatively close. Second, it is like the organization has been content with losing, as long as they fill the stands, which they know they will each year, who cares about winning, not the management at least from an outsiders perspective. Finally, talent scouts, I have heard from my Cubs friends for a long time about the talent in their minor league system, and how they have the next Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Lou Brock (Had to throw that in for the Cards fans) however they still don't ever seem to be able to put it together. So either one of two things is happening, they are overhyping their players- Yankees or they need better managers at the minor league level to prepare them for the majors? Again not being a fan, I don't have the answer to this question. So I ask Cub fans, when do you finally demand that your organization actually steps up to the plate and produces something other than a division championship once every 15 years or so?

Oh Jeez, here goes David Duke again….

2006-06-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

So, the gist of the story is Geno’s, a famous Philadelphia Cheesesteak Eatery, posted a sign “This is AMERICA: WHEN ORDERING PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH.” Some protestors want Joey Vento, The owner of Geno’s, to take the sign down. After approaching the Pennsylvania government, the protestors were told that the sign is an example of free speech.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13272368/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,198757,00.html

So, now I will get into my rant. Are you freakin’ kidding me? Isn’t this sign just stating the obvious? If you walk up to the counter at Geno’s and I order “banh mi thit voi pho mat wiz va hanh” what do you expect the man at the counter to do? By the way, that is my phonetical version of “steak sandwich with cheese wiz and onion” in Vietnamese.

It really disappoints me that in this FOXNEWS article, that the word racism is used to define this situation. Race has nothing to do with language. Nothing. However, it does not surprise me that the director of Juntos, a Hispanic neighborhood organization, tries to make this into a racist statement. The sign might be rude and th4e owner might be

I personally believe that the store owner should be able to post this sign. If he wants the line to do the wave before every order, then he should be post a sign saying this also. It might be bad for business, but it is his freakin’ business.

Anybody else want to chime in?

Finally a book that deals with the Oklahoma State plane crash

2006-06-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

"Hancock's 'aw shucks' persona jumps off the pages.""For those who didn't know Will Hancock, this book will touch your heart. For those who did know Will Hancock, this book will caress your soul."
-- The Daily Oklahoman

After the death of his son, Will, in the 2001 airplane crash that took the lives of nine additional members of the Oklahoma State basketball team and support staff, survival became a common word in Bill Hancock's vocabulary. Bicycling was simply the method by which he chose to distract himself from his grief. But for Hancock, the 2,747-mile journey from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast became more than just a distraction. It became a pilgrimage, even if Hancock didn't realize it upon dipping his rear tire in the Pacific Ocean near Huntington Beach, California in the wee hours of a July morning.

On his two-wheel trip, Hancock battled searing heat and humidity, curious dogs, unforgiving motorists and the occasional speed bump—usually a dead armadillo. Hancock's thoughts returned to common themes: memories of his son Will, the prospect of life without Will for him and his wife, and the blue moth of grief and depression. That pesky moth fluttered around Hancock as if he was a beaming lamp pole in an empty parking lot. Some suggested Hancock cope with medication; others suggested he get back to his job as director of the NCAA men's basketball tournament as soon as possible. But, Hancock found himself a glutton for his own punishment, unable to shake that blue moth from shadowing him on each step of his everyday routine.

So, Hancock chose to battle the beast one-on-one, taking the moth on the ride of its life across America in the hopes of shaking free of its constraints. Possibly, he could lose it around a corner in one of the small towns he would traverse through: Hope, Arizona; Chickasha, Oklahoma; Onward, Mississippi; Pleasant Hill, Georgia. On a muggy August morn, Hancock dipped his front wheel into the Atlantic Ocean along the Georgia coastline of Tybee Island. The bothersome blue moth was still loitering nearby. But, by completion of the trek, the pest had taken on a new role for Hancock. The blue moth wouldn't be drowned in either ocean, or in the buckets of perspiration that Hancock shed along the highways of this country. He was with Hancock for the longer haul, and for once Hancock was okay with that.

About the AuthorBill Hancock is a grandfather, musician, writer, outdoorsman, marathon runner and former director of musical-theater productions. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Hancock works as an administrator of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. He also served in various administrative roles at the University of Oklahoma and the old Big Eight Conference, and so his ties throughout college sports are extensive. He has volunteered for the USOC at six summer Olympics games. This is his first book. Bill lives in Prairie Village, Kansas, with his high school sweetheart, Nicki, an award-winning high school English teacher.

Oh.....really?

2006-05-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

http://newsok.com/article/1853489/

I agree with on thing that Tubbs said, "calling Sutton the second best coach in state history." Duhh, Iba was better.

I am surprised that this kind of nonsense is actually released to the public.

President Bush sighting at Eskimo Joes

2006-05-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my brother graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and my mother, wife, and I were all there to witness it. A Dillon that went Ivy League, hard to imagine. By the way, my brother and I are extremely different, but we have a great relationship.

The commencement speech was given by Jodie Foster, and it was a little controversial, but a very good speech. However, while at Penn, I was flabbergasted by the attitudes of the Penn Faculty, Alumni, and Students. They were extremely cocky, rude, and arrogant, while all dressing like Carlton off the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. (I yelled to the cabby yo’ homes smell you later!”)

My brother does not act this way, but the most of the “Fighting Quakers” seem to live in lala land. Over half of the students that I talked to did not have jobs yet, but after graduation they were going to try to get one. They viewed a job as something that should be provided to them, much like most of their lives had been to that point (Most of the students grew up in extremely wealthy homes). I am not speaking of those that had tried to get a job, but had failed. This happens to almost all of us. However, I heard Jodie Foster and the Dean of the University both say that it was OK to not have searched for a job yet. Is it really? Why do students go to this University?

While I thought the University of Penn was beautiful and rich in tradition, I also thought that Penn wasn’t teaching students what they need to learn to help themselves or better society. I see the opposite at OSU, and if I were to venture out, I imagine that I would see this at most schools in the Midwest. The attitude at these schools is about work, dedication, and building your own life. President Bush did a great job with “his” OSU commencement speech, and I think he summed up the attitude of the university.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060506-2.html

When I graduated, I didn’t know anyone that didn’t have immediate plans, either furthering their education or a job. I believe it is this attitude that also separates the blue from the red states. There is much to be learned from both sides, and both sides have great points, but most know where to go, if you want something to get done.

Eddie Sutton retire?

2006-05-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

The Daily Oklahoman's Mike Baldwin compared the Oklahoma State basketball program to the Lion King. He predicts Sutton will resign by next week.

http://newsok.com/article/1844177/?template=sports/main

Sean Sutton interview

2006-05-13T14:34:00.000-07:00

This is an interview with Sean Sutton on a pro-OSU Web site. There was not one question about having an alcoholic father who left his team out to dry because "he was not able to talk about his dad."

Sean Sutton hit the ground running immediately after the OSU Cowboys' first-round NIT loss to end the 2005-06 season, and didn't slow down for nearly two months. That's what happens when you miss playing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years. The 37-year-old Sutton was forthcoming and upfront when he sat down for an interview with Go Pokes earlier this week (although he was not able to talk about his dad or Eddie Sutton's future).

What did the team learn from this past season?

Sean Sutton: Well, I think it forced them to grow up. They got put in a difficult situation that guys with less character and commitment would not have performed at the level they did down the stretch of the season. They clearly made improvement, and they deserve the credit for that. They're the ones who came out to the practice court every day and had the right approach to practice, the right attitude and worked hard to get better. I thought our overall chemistry got better down the stretch, and I thought we became tougher minded. I think they reached a point where losing hurt a lot more, and that's the way it ought to be. That's the way it's always been here. It was a tough season to go through. We did not necessarily perform up the levels that this program has been expected to, but at the same time I'm proud of their efforts and excited about the future. I think they understand what it takes to be successful at this level. I think it was proven with them that when they play well they can play with most teams in the country, and they showed that last year. They've worked hard this spring. Individually a lot of guys got better. We've got a chance to have an exciting season this next season.

Were the expectations for last year's team unrealistic?

Sean Sutton: I don't know. I think if everything fell right last year's team could have got into the NCAA Tournament. That would have been a big achievement. From the coaching staff standpoint, that was the goal - to get back to the tournament for the ninth straight year. It was a rebuilding year much like the 2001 team did. It would have been considered a very successful year (if we'd made the tournament), and we had opportunities along the line and missed on some games we should have won that we had opportunities to win that we didn't close out or find the ways to win the games. So much happened at the end of the season that I was just proud that they hung in there and got better. What did Sean Sutton learn?Sean Sutton: I'm a firm believe that you've got to win at home. This is a hard league to go on the road and make up ground. We lost four home games ... no, we lost five and four in the conference. You can't do that in this league and expect to finish in the top two or three spots, where we've been. You've got to protect your home court. We let some games get away here that shouldn't have happened. That's one thing that there's no substitute for experience. When you've got young players mistakes are going to be made, and a lot of times it's out of your control. When games are there to be won you've got to find a way to win them. You can't let games get away. I think one thing that will help prepare us for the future is we got put in a lot of different circumstances late in games that we hadn't been put in in quite a while. We can take the things from this season, and that's something that we'll stress throughout this next year. We've always tried to have a segment (in practice) for situations late in the game, special situations, what do you do, but we probably more than we've ever had when you look at the three- or four-year window, let alone one year. Those are things I think we're going to be able to practice and get where they're comfortable and know exactly what to do.

Do you think JamesOn Curry will be a different player this next season?

Sean Sutton: I do. He got put in a tough spot with so much pressure put on him as a sophomore. He was expected to carry so much. That's a pretty big adjustment when you go from a freshman on a veteran team where you're a good player but you're surrounded by a lot of good players to where all of a sudden he was the man. Everybody was trying to stop him. I think you'll see the player we all know he can be. How did his spring go?Sean Sutton: Good. I thought he worked hard. I thought his attitude was great. He got stronger in the weight room. He worked on his game during individual workouts. He seems happy, and he seems motivated to have a great year to get this program back to where people expect it.

Did you worry about his psyche after last season?

Sean Sutton: We talked to him a lot. At times he was clearly frustrated and disappointed, like he wasn't doing enough. He could have played better, but that's not the way it went. I still have a tremendous amount of confidence in him that he can be one of the best players to ever play here, and he can be one of the best players in the country. He's got that type of ability, and I think we'll see the JamesOn that everybody is hoping to see the next two years.

How has the Big 12 changed with K-State hiring Bob Huggins and Missouri hiring Mike Anderson?

Sean Sutton: It makes it harder. Those two schools went out and got two outstanding coaches that will pop new life into those programs. K-State just could never get over the hump and they've got a coach now who will push them over the hump. I think they're a team that you will see compete for spots in the NCAA Tournament, and I think you'll see them competing for a chance to win the Big 12. Mike Anderson is one of the best young coaches, in terms of head coaches, in all of basketball. What he was able to do at UAB (Alabama-Birmingham) was tremendous. We played against his teams twice (the past two seasons) and their style of play is hard to deal with, and his teams play as hard as anybody in the country. I think you can look at Missouri and K-State, both of those programs to take a climb up. I've known Mike for a long time and he's as good of guy as there is in coaching. He got passed on some jobs when he was an assistant at Arkansas, but I think he's been able to prove to everybody just how good he is. I don't know coach Huggins very well but his teams always play hard, and he wins. He's a great competitor. Having those two guys, and coach (Greg) McDermott at Iowa State, will to the competitiveness of the Big 12. I think you can make the argument that the Big 12 has the best coaches in college basketball. Marcus Dove and Torre Johnson both had wrist surgeries after the season. How are they doing?Sean Sutton: They've still got about three or four weeks left and then they'll start working out again around the first part of June. It's important for both of those guys to have good summers. There are some areas offensively that both of those guys have to improve in, and they both have got to get stronger in the weight room. Marcus has got to become a more legitimate offensive player, an offensive threat that can score points. We don't need him to score a lot of points but he's got to score some. Torre has got to improve his ball-handling. Right now, he's a catch and shoot player. When he gets pushed out of his comfort zone, and he gets against physical players, I wouldn't say that he disappears but he isn't as nearly as effective as he is when he's able to play the game the way he wants to play it. Other than Roderick Flemings (who is transferring) do you expect everyone else back next season?Sean Sutton: Everybody will be here. We're happy about Obi (Muonelo) and Gary Flowers. Both of those guys will be good players, and have a chance to come in and play a lot as freshmen. We're pleased with the effort and attitudes of the players over the course of the spring by how hard they worked in the weightroom and how hard they worked during their individual workouts with the coaches.

Is Gary Flowers a player you expect to help next season?

Sean Sutton: I think he's got a good chance to come in and play right away. He's athletic, he's versatile, he's tough, he can shoot the ball from the perimeter, and also score with his back to the basket. He rebounds the ball consistently on both ends. He's got to get stronger and he's got to improve in some areas, but from a talent standpoint and how hard he plays he factors in strongly in the rotation. How about Obi Muonelo?Sean Sutton: I think he'll play a lot and could possibly start depending upon how well he picks everything up. He is a very, very skilled basketball player and has a great feel for the game. He's good at everything. He passes the basketball. He handles it well enough to play three different positions. He's a terrific shooter from the three-point line. He's a good athlete. Defense is something that he's going to have to commit to playing and he's got to get in a little bit better condition, but if he does those things he's got a chance to compete for a starting position. Last season you found it difficult to redshirt anyone despite having eight new players. Does it appear that you'll be in that same situation again with Obi and Gary?Sean Sutton: Ideally you'd like to redshirt all of them as true freshmen because they're a lot better their fifth year than they are their first year. It just depends on how it goes. There may be somebody that returns, that maybe doesn't make the improvement, that may really benefit from a redshirt year. That's always a possibility. I don't have anybody in mind at this point but that's something that we might consider. Eleven guys is hard to deal with sometimes. Nine, in my eyes, is the ideal number, (and) 10 if you think somebody is going to get hurt.

Thoughts on NFL Draft

2006-04-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

The Houston Texans just screwed up. How do you pick Mario Williams over Reggie Bush? Don’t get me wrong, Williams is a straight up stud, but Bush is perhaps Barry Sanders.

Other first-round thoughts.
The Cardinals just made the pick that will finally make them a true playoff threat. Next to Bush, Matt Lienhart was the best offensive player in the draft. After Kurt Warner is injured next year, he will be starting and earn rookie of the year honors.

Vince Young is the next Akili Smith, the Oregon quarterback who choked, not Steve McNair. In five years, Tennessee will drop Young after several attempts of making him an NFL quarterback.

Santonio Holmes was the best middle-of-the-pack pick. He will make a nice No. 2 receiver to Hines Ward now that Randle El is gone.

-fred

An idiot writes an article

2006-04-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

http://newsok.com/article/1825625/

Did anyone proof read this?

Rhode is basking three kids who want out of their Letter of Intent, after finding out that OU has been recruiting kids illegally. “When you give your word, plan to keep it” is the title of his article. Later in the article Rhode praises Coach Capel for being a man of his word. Didn’t Capel break his word with VCU to leave them to go to OU.

I don’t blame Capel, it was an obvious choice. However, saying that he is a man of his word, and implying that the three recruits who want a release from their LOI are not “men of their words” is ludicrous. Are Leech, Mangino, and Mike Stoops men of their words? Yes, they simply positioned themselves better by going somewhere else.

Rhode is putting more spin on this situation than is being put on the “Peterson driving a Lexus” situation.

The E! True Hollywood Story of Kelvin Sampson – Revised

2006-03-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

Kelvin’s downfall began in 2000-2001 season, with a poor showing at the NCAA tournament. Many attribute the 1st round loss to Indiana State to JR Raymond, who was the starting PG before getting dismissed from the team prior to the tournament. What did JR Raymond do to get kicked off the team?

DRUGS!

In 2002, Hollis Price emerged as a team leader, and with Eduardo Najera, they ventured into the final four. 2003 was more of the same with Hollis Price taking the Sooners to the Elite Eight. This was uncharted territory for the Sooners, and with it came high expectations for Kelvin Sampson. Two straight successful years, and many more expected. This is also when the Oklahoma Coaching Staff started to be investigated by the NCAA for making illegal contact with recruits.

Well the 2003/2004 season was a rebuilding year, which brought Jabahri Brown to Norman, OK. However, he only made it through the Big XII tournament. Why you ask?

Weed and Weapons seemed to get in Jabahri's way. After being caught by the Norman PD, Kelvin took disciple into his own hands, releasing Brown from the team. What happened to Jabahri Brown anyways?

During the Jabahri Brown investigation, they found his favorite pipe, which he had cleverly stashed underneath a tree.

A young, Mark Mangino was called on site to make sure that this contraption was really used to smoke pot.

The marijuana and weapon’s charges not only lead to Brown's dismissal, but also a limited time behind bars.

The 2003/2004 season ended with a second round loss in the NIT. Knowing this was a rebuilding year somewhat saved Kelvin from the ridicule of the Sooner fans.

The 2004/2005 season was somewhat uneventful. With a team packed full of Juniors, and a JC transfer Taj Gray, the team was invited to the NCAA tournament once again. Unfortunately, the second round loss was not what the Sooner fan base desired. However, with all these juniors, they still had next year.

The 2005/2006 was an extended version of the 2004/2005 season. Kelvin’s team had problems scoring points, but the last second wins kept rolling in. Pressure was starting to build as the NCAA did not accept the University of Oklahoma’s self-imposed sanctions, and the NCAA scheduled a hearing for Mid April. Reports of over 500 illegal phone calls, in person conversation, and lack of intuitional control were mentioned by the NCAA.

OU gained an at large bid to the NCAA tournament, and to celebrate, Terrell Everett decided to smoke a few joints. Well, he was caught by the Norman PD. However, Kelvin took a different stance with Everett than he had in the past two similar situations (Brown and Raymond), he decided to allow Everett to start in the first round of the NCAA tournament. However, it didn’t help, OU lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to an unknown UW-Milwaukee team.

Why? The reason I wrote all of this is to show that Kelvin knew he was going to jump ship, and he didn’t care about any penalties enforced on the OU basketball team. This shows me that Kelvin is a very selfish individual. Why would Indiana want him?

Hey Kelvin, Keep the denim clean!!!!

Tiger Woods is a fake

2006-03-27T17:12:00.000-08:00

Did anybody else watch the 60 Minutes interview with Tiger Woods and think: What a fake?

The most-revealing thing he said: I would want to kick your butt in whatever we play.

At least, Michael Jordan admitted to gambling. Tiger’s biggest confession was stuttering. Hell, that ain’t nothing to be ashamed of. Hey, Tiger: Tell us about the time you nailed two hookers at Stanford or the time you cheated at the Masters but didn’t get caught or how you slept with David Duval’s wife and that’s why he sucks now.

My point is, Americans love Tiger Woods and they will buy whatever ever babble that comes out of his mouth. I’ve never read anything negative about the guy. He’s revered as high as Babe Ruth and Willie Mays and Walter Payton.

Tiger Woods is a nice guy with a hot wife. I’m just waiting for life to catch up with this good guy. Maybe he’s a closet Michael Jackson. Or perhaps he’s secretly financing a terrorist cell in Guatemala. My point is, this guy ain’t the Golden Boy everybody, including reporters, makes him out to be. He’s just really good at controlling his emotions and making you think he’s just so nice. Mark my words: this guy will do something down the road to reveal his true personality. Do I have proof? No, just history…

Remember, O.J. was a nice guy, too. So was Rae Carruth. And Pete Rose.

Everett and Bomar

2006-03-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

So, about a week ago, I flamed a few guys on gopokes.com who were being harsh on Bomar for getting a MIP. Well, ladi – freakin – da. I realize the 21 year old drinking age law was put into place to protect blithering idiots from hurting others and themselves. Well, get over it, almost every underage college student drinks alcohol. Live with it. Somehow mankind survived quite a long time without the assistance of the 21 year old drinking age, and high school and college students are going to continue to break the law, and everything in the US is going to be A – OK.

http://www.oudaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/03/19/441e381c8ca63

Now onto Everett. Did he really let the cop into his apartment when he had a compressed block of pot sitting on the TV. What a freakin idiot. At least make an attempt to hide it.

Now here is the dilemma. (Please notice the cut & paste) I realize the criminalization of marijuana was put into place to protect blithering idiots from hurting others and themselves. Well, get over it, almost every college student has at least tried it.

I am all for decriminalization of pot, but as long as it is illegal, you must pay the consequences if you get caught. Well, you have to pay the consequences unless you are an athlete.

But onto bigger questions:

1) Did I catch wind of this before the daily Oklahoman did?
2) Did Kelvin Sampson know about Everett’s law problems, when he started him in the NCAA tournament?

Sutton

2006-02-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

Ok, I just returned from vacation today and was following the Eddie Sutton situation as closely as you can while out. But while I was watching the OU debacle in Boulder, the ESPN break-in occurred to the Stillwater news conference. So I had to go splitscreen and watch ESPN News (knowing they'd have more live conference coverage) too. And it's time to open Pandora's box on this one. I can only imagine how many discussions we'll have on this over time, and honestly have no idea what Dillon's take will be. Seeing the OSU Recruit and Prentiss articles though - the pressure's on.

Here are some of my thoughts on this, as structured as I can make them right now:

- Gottleib repeatedly stated tonight he feels Eddie should have outright resigned and has likely coached his last game @ OSU. I definitely agree with that assessment, and felt that way when I heard he was taking the medical leave. But was even more convinced when I realized he gets credit for the wins while Sean mans the bench. Talk about backing into 800 wins.

- Having said that, I think Eddie has earned the right to go out on his own terms. He should be allowed to resign however he deems appropriate. In my opinion, one of two things will happen:

1. He'll officially resign and never coach on the sideline again.
2. He'll comeback next year, and end up sticking around even longer than he would have prior to the accident.

- I really wanted to hear Eddie had just taken too many painkillers. I really did. My mother-in-law (a registered nurse) even speculated (I think somewhat hopefully even if she's a Sooner fan) that diabetics often times have that "fruity odor" on their breaths that the media reported. Given how old he is and his alcohol history, diabetes seemed like a possibility. These are only two examples of how we really wanted to believe Eddie wasn't drunk.

- The question that keeps crossing my mind is regarding the Hall of Fame though. Eddie was already being punished for his Kentucky days by voters. Does he even get in now? It's conceivable (and somewhat likely) he'll get 800 wins and not be voted in - at least not while he's alive.

I do think if voters plan to vote him in at any point, there's no value served in waiting. If you ever think you'll vote for him, do it now and inaugurate him. He deserves to enjoy it in person if he ever goes in.

Needless to say this is not my most structured posting, but Eddie's already interesting story just got deeper. And the past few days are only an inkling of what we're likely to hear and read over the future months / years about him and his legacy. If I had to project right now, I'd say Eddie goes down as a tragic figure who was a great coach and just couldn't ever eliminate all the offcourt demons that haunted him.

I also wanted to point out that either in the Hawaii newspaper or the Los Angeles Times I was reading today, Kelvin Sampson was quoted speaking very glowingly about Eddie and how badly he felt about the whole situation. I didn't want to bring him into this, but Kelvin showed yet again that in spite of your personal opinions of him - he's a great person just like Eddie.

- Conor

Athletes in Society

2006-02-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

Is it fair for athletes to get preferential treatment?

I followed the Prentiss Elliott story while he was at OSU, and most of you know that I was very critical of OSU signing him. I knew he was a superb athlete, but I also knew about his troubled past. Well, I quit following the story after Coach Gundy dismissed him from the team, and I just saw the sentence of his trial.

Elliott assaulted an off duty police man, acting as a security guard for high school basketball. The maximum sentence is one year in jail and $1000 fine. He was sentenced to a $250 fine.

This is ridiculous. The law system is failing to teach Mr. Elliott the lesson that he needs to be taught.

Dillon

In Case there was doubt

2006-02-06T10:59:00.000-08:00

Trouble is revealed in OSU recruit's past
Cowboys signee, a former Texarkana star, under indictment
01:48 AM CST on Thursday, February 2, 2006
By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
Oklahoma State's class of 28 signees Wednesday included Chris Collins, a former Texarkana Texas star linebacker who has been indicted on one count of aggravated sexual assault against a 12-year-old.
Collins is enrolled at OSU and is expected to go through spring drills.
An OSU official said that coach Mike Gundy addressed the matter at a news conference, saying he had researched the situation in depth but would not elaborate.
Collins was named all-state as a junior in December 2003 and committed to Texas.
Sgt. Shawn Fitzgerald of the Texarkana police department said that four males were involved in an incident at an after-prom party in May 2004 and that three were charged with aggravated sexual assault – there is an outstanding warrant for one. Fitzgerald said Collins was one of two men arrested initially. There was a pretrial hearing Monday, but the Bowie County district attorney's office said a trial has yet to be scheduled.
Collins' biography, released by OSU on Wednesday, said the 6-1, 230-pound player has "a 450-pound squat and a 34-inch vertical leap to go along with his natural football ability."
Collins, who The Oklahoman reported last played as a junior and finished high school at an alternative school, was listed in OSU's media guide as early as last fall, though he apparently did not enroll at the school until last spring.

OSU Recruit

2006-02-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

OSU is evidently using a new recruiting method, I saw them Mike Gundy at the Hornets game this weekend. He said he was trying to recruit another LB for the team. I asked him why would he then choose to watch a basketball game? He told me that he liked his linebackers to have the skills of an NBA player. I said who would that be? Kobe Bryant! Oh yes, it seems in his recruiting he has decided players who have the background of a Kobe Bryant are great prospects.

Chris Collins, the new LB that OSU signed after he left the University of Texsux is now being investigated the rape of a 12 year old girl. He and his buddies got one of the girls friends to convince her to go out with them, they then proceeded to get both drunk and take advantage of them. I understand every program has thugs, but just wanted to point, out that sense Mr. Orange Glasses, will never admit it, OSU has the same problems and will recruit anyone as well.

Recruiting Rankings

2006-01-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

I wanted to find out how much people really believe the recruiting rankings that are out there today? I remember when OU got their class a few years ago with Quentin Griffin, Derek Strait, Andre Woolfolk, et al, it was thought to be their worst class in years and it ended up winning a national title. Lately I have been paying more attention to these sites and rankings lately and noticed some inconsistency. Such as OU has a running back that is the number 2 all purpose running back in the nation, however in the top 100 he is listed behind I believe 5 or so running backs. Therefore he does not help OU's recruiting class as much and lowers their rankings. I just wonder how does everyone feel about these rankings are they accurate to tell us the future of success of a program?

Bud Lights - Real men of Genius

2006-01-25T11:04:00.000-08:00

I am sure that everyone here has at least seen one Bud Light Real Men of Genius commercial, so I thought it would be fun to create our own.

(music starts)
Bud Light presents “Real Men of Genius”

Today we salute you Mr. NCAA basketball rule bender
You know what you can get away with, because you helped mold the rules.
[[no one will care who you call]]

Misleading other coaches at the Ethics Committee shows the dubious character that we look for in a basketball coach, which deserves applause.
[[applause from the background]]

So, stand there proud in your denim shirt, and shout “Everyone does it” and everything will be just fine.
[[Everyone does it]]

Go ahead and make a few more illegal phone calls.
[[you'll never get caught]]

But, if basketball were the battle, some would say you were fighting dirty.
[[regulations, shmegulations]]

So crack open a nice cold bud light Mr. NCAA basketball rule bender
At the end of the season, we salute you Mr. NCAA basketball rule bender
[[ rules are meant to be bent]]
(music ends)

--Dillon

I am Bored – So let’s have fun

2006-01-20T07:33:00.000-08:00

Just for a minute let’s pretend that the Gaylord family donated $165 million to the University of Oklahoma. Write your best Daily Oklahoman headline:

1) Stoops has a new “Owner” -- You would get it if you read the Daily Oklahoman
2) Gaylord family pay’s for OU long distance bill
3) OU football team gets $163 million, Gymnastics gets $2 million.

Unbiased Reporting by the Joklahoman and Sampson

2006-01-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, Dillon - any comments on John Rohde's article on today's Joklahoman? This is someone who has been called out as a clear Sooner supporter, and as a less than nice journalist by some other friends of ours around here. http://newsok.com/article/1736163/

I also have to say that, while not unpredictable, I agree to a large extent with what Kelvin is saying and not Rohde. Kelvin is a tireless worker. And he clearly broke the rules. But I have to believe he did not do so intentionally. There isn't a clear track record here (not even as lengthy as Eddie Sutton's if you ask me), which I believe is key to proving undeniable intent.

We'll see how all this plays out, but I sure hope it doesn't compromise the OU program more than it already has.

And more related to this year's team, I have to say this year is frankly - disappointing so far. Usually at this point, OU has a couple of losses to good teams. But they've also traditionally shown a lot of promise and improvement. The talent's there. The question to answer remains to be whether they'll actually live up to it.

- Conor (sorry for not signing my other posts)

Hey T. Boone - Thanks for the $165 Million

2006-01-10T10:44:00.000-08:00

http://oklahomastate.scout.com/2/487492.html

This morning Boone Pickens announced that he is giving $165 Million to the OSU athletic department. This is the biggest sum of money ever donated to an NCAA athletic department; obviously we are limiting this to biggest legal sum of money.

Stillwater get ready, the west end zone will now be completed, there will be a new indoor football practice facility, new soccer facility, new track and field facility, new tennis facilities, new baseball stadium (Goodbye Allie P. Reynolds Stadium), new baseball practice facilities, new equestrian, ..........

Thank you Mr. Pickens, but all of this comes at a high cost. The section of housing immediately north of the football stadium, Hester, Ramsey, Knoblock, Scott, Connell, Cantwell, ..... is all being rezoned for University use. I lived in this part of Stillwater for over 2 years. I hope the character of this area gets passed on somewhere else. The outdoor parties, tailgating, never lock your door, and the never ending stack of orange road cones that seems to accumulate when Dave Thompson had too much to drink.

I also heard T. Boone say at the end of his speech that this will not be his last donation. Well, it is going to be hard to outdo yourself this time.

Thanks again!!!

From Squeaky Clean to 10 Scholarships – The E! True Hollywood Story of Calvin Sampson

2006-01-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Article:
http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9153113

Please take a minute or two to read the entire article. Now reread the section on “The friendly media”. I commented on this exact idea, and I was critized of wearing “orange blinders” by no other than Schilling and the Commish (BTW, please label your posts)!!!! I guess CBS has my same taste in “blinders.”

http://beermensports.blogspot.com/2005/12/dillon-and-sports-writing.html

Anyways, back to the Article. Phone calls, are you freakin' serious!!!! Three years of investigations, and the NCAA accuses OU of making too many phone calls!!!! You fuckwits….. I was expecting hookers, 3 hour boat rides, or at least something that sounds slightly illegal.

I, for one, am now investing in those trac phones that you sell at wal-mart. Trace this!!!!

I also expect to hear more out of this
story as it develops, but until then, Calvin......

--Dillon

Coaching Decisions

2006-01-06T05:40:00.000-08:00

I watched the National Title game and watched coaches go for it on 4th down multiple times and not make it. This ended up costing USC the game. I know it is easy to second guess as I am not out there with my name on the line. However I have to wonder, why go for it on 4th down with 2 minutes left instead of punting and making them drive the entire length of the field. Pete Carroll is supposed to be one of the "Defensive Geniuses of the game" according to the commentary during the game. He could not set up a defense that could limit Texas from driving the field with 2:00 minutes on the clock? However then you look at the opposite had they gotten the first that is the best call of the game and wins the game for USC. I like aggressive coaching, so I would have to say I support his call, except he had the wrong personnel in the game. I don't think you can leave Reggie Bush the best player in college football on the sideline for this play. Even if he is just a decoy, he has to be on the field.

Vince Young

2006-01-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

I may be in the minority with the opinion, but I'm not sure last night's game proved Vince Young is going to be the next great NFL QB. I think he's one of the better college QBs I've seen. Sure I hope he goes pro because I'm an OU fan, but I've tried to remove that bias from this argument.

He had a very nice completion percentage of 75%, threw for 267, and added 201 on the ground. His size and running ability will not be debated - those are legit. This argument will center around his passing since that's always the debate on running QBs.

The majority of his completions were to receivers who found holes in the USC zone and sat down, or on seam routes to a very good TE. I didn't see the precision (read: timing) and velocity to complete the 10-yard out or deep post that is required from an NFL QB. I'm not saying I could have completed the passes he did. I'm just saying I think Michael Vick even has more arm strength than him.

Also, there's the throwing motion. Texas has attempted to correct this for many years, but I don't know it can last in the NFL. Only time will tell how good of a career he has, but I don't think this is as open and shut as some. I certainly wouldn't bet anything significant on it yet.

Favre

2006-01-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I watched a legend on his home turf.

It was cold. The game was meaningless.

But No. 4 played liked it was a Super Bowl or perhaps like it was his last. Brett Favre threw for 259 yards and a touchdown against the best team in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks. The Packers won 23 to 17.

Favre looked like his old self, as he scrambled and threw. And his receivers looked like they have all year, dropping passes and running lazy routes. Tony Fisher, the Packers fifth-string running back, could barely run pass the line of scrimmage. Indeed, like it has been all year for the 4-12 Pack, the game was on Favre’s shoulders. And maybe that’s why he hadn’t thrown a TD pass in five games.

Terrell Owns said a while back that if you placed Favre in the Eagles lineup, they would be much better than with Donavan McNabb. I believe this. And I think Favre has a year or two left in him. He just didn’t have the supporting cast this year. The fans at yesterday’s game agreed.

Although the Packers weren’t in contention for anything but Reggie Bush, Lambeau didn’t have an empty seat in the house and the fans chanted, “one more year,” throughout the game.

Though I lived in Wisconsin for some time, I am not a Packers fan. But I am a football fan. And the day No. 4 leaves, I believe we will miss a player who meant more to the sport than Joe Montana or Dan Marino. If he leaves before next year, I can say I saw his last game.

And the program will be worth something on eBay.

ESPN's USC Analysis

2005-12-26T22:08:00.000-08:00

I'm just wondering how many other people are completely put off by ESPN's current daily comparisons of USC to the best teams over the last half century. The 1955 OU vs 2005 USC "comparison" was what reminded me of this thought that I've had before. And I think this isn't isolated to USC, but rather is applicable to any "all-time" analysis.

The fundamental issue to this is relating eras. USC is obviously the better team when compared to a team that played with leather helmets in the 50s! I mean - sure I'll take the guy with the plastic helmet and facemask over a guy who is going to potentially shatter his face when he tackles!

Or look at the size, athleticsm, and complexity of the game. I'll take USC's 300 pound offensive linemen over the 200 pound defensive linemen of past eras. Not to mention current schemes are much more complex than old ones. You can look as recently as Nebraska for evidence. You simply cannot run the wishbone effectively today with the way big players run these days.

So what you really have to do is look at their season-long "body of work". You look at how they were (if they were) challenged by teams on their schedule, where they played the games, and then a position-by-position analysis. By this comparison, I'll take the USC teams of the 2003 and 2004 over this one!

For a good comparison, Don Shula even says the 1972 Dolphins weren't his best team. They just had the best record.

My point is if you're going to compare a team from one year to another, you need to go deeper than a 1:1 comparison. And by that measure, USC is not better than half the teams they're being compared to - but rightly, commentators are picking them because they're only asked to look at players versus players.

Dillon and Sports Writing

2005-12-17T09:44:00.000-08:00

Dillon, this is a similar argument to that made by Sux fans about the Chicago Tribune. And in that case, it's even moreso since the Cubbies are owned by the Tribune, Co. Anyhow, the fact is if it's newsworthy they're going to report it with equal emotion and detail.

There was even an article in this morning's Trib from a Sux fan columnist who took the World Series trophy to Tribune's headquarters yesterday. It went as far as saying that other employees who are Cub fans avoided touching it politely.

The Joklahoman, as I've always called it, reports OU and OSU equally. But you have to admit there have been more newsworthy events coming out of Norman. The caveat I would make to that is OSU does very well in less popular sports - golf, wrestling, etc. Their basketball team has been well-covered when it does well, and their football team hasn't had much to talk about outside of a few Bedlam upsets.

So yes, once again - your orange blinders are donned.

Best football players from Conference USA

2005-12-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

Somebody recently said that players from smaller conferences shouldn't receive All American consideration. Here’s a shortlist of great players from Conference USA.

Jeff Blake
Andre Ware
Randy Moss
Isaac Bruce
Tommy Kramer
Doak Walker
Brett Favre
Shawn King
Steve Largent
Bryan Thomas
Daunte Culpepper
Don Maynard

You know most of these names for their NFL careers, but it all started in Conference USA.

Top five college mascots

2005-12-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

5) Joy and Lady - The Baylor Bear
4) Smokey - The Tennesse Blue Tick Hound
3) The Georgia bulldog
2) Ralphie - The Colorado Buffalo
1) Pistol Pete - Oklahoma State

Poor sports writing

2005-12-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

Since when was “OSU Loses Player” front page news (referring to losing a 17-year-old football recruit)?

I am absolutely convinced that the Daily Oklahoman (which will be referred to as the Jokelahoman or the Daily Disappointment) is a propagation machine for the Sooner nation, and therefore report on all negative angles out of Stillwater while shining golden beams towards Norman.

In the same news cycle, the local NBA franchise (the Hornets) won a tough road game, but OSU loosing Goodson was more front page-worthy. Did the Daily Disappointment even report on Jeremy Maclin and James Henry decommitting from OU? No, originally I thought this kind of info just wasn’t news worthy to Okies, however yesterday’s Headlines must be different.

-Brian