My dreams are slowly coming true

[CSpoke]

As much of a football fan as I am, I've always dreamed of OSU being a Basketball school. I was lucky enough to grow up in the Eddie days of sold out GIA and elite 8's. Its nothing that the younger generation has ever experienced in Stillwater, even the 2011 football season (in my opinion).

I think even the most ardent OSU football and Mike Gundy fan would admit we will never be a blueblood in football. That is no indictment of HCMG, football is just a different animal and we don't have the history or resources to compete with the Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, OU's of the world. We can certainly be a top 20 program but never top 5 or 10 program year in and year out.

Everyone knows football is king in Oklahoma but basketball is a close second-especially nationally. Wrestling and baseball are great (as well as Softball and Soccer, etc) but neither captivate an entire nation for a month like March Madness. It would be nice to have big brother bragging rights for six months of the year in a major sport. It would be nice to be in the elite 8, while sooner fans only have spring practice to look forward to.

The thing is OSU has tradition, facilities, and an arena to be a top program - we just needed a coach to get us there. We got close with Eddie but his age and unfortunate demons got in the way, but now it looks like we have a guy that might get us there. Its a financial winner as well, if I remember a post from last year correctly Kansas had a slightly higher total revenue than we did even with the putrid teams outside of basketball they had.

 

[Two Healthy Poo's]

Yet to be seen. Recruiting/signing talent is only half the battle. Just ask Travis Ford.

 

[gundysburner]

Yet to be seen. Recruiting/signing talent is only half the battle. Just ask Travis Ford.

Exactly. Super excited, but it ain't like we haven't seen some great recruiting during the post-Eddie years.

 

[TheMonkey]

Yet to be seen. Recruiting/signing talent is only half the battle. Just ask Travis Ford.

Agreed, but I would argue Boynton has already proven to be very good at getting the most out of the talent he’s had so far. Much more than TF ever did. Those kids played their guts out last year.

 

[gundysburner]

Agreed, but I would argue Boynton has already proven to be very good at getting the most out of the talent he’s had so far. Much more than TF ever did. Those kids played their guts out last year.

I was ready for Ford to go, but this is kind of apples to oranges, imo. Taking over the program with a celebrated recruiting class vs. picking up the pieces of a program in shambles are 2 different things.

 

[PanhandleCowboy]

I haven't been this excited about Cowboy Basketball in a long time. Cowboy Basketball is what developed my love for this school. I just hope that the OSU community gets behind this team and shows Coach Boynton and the team the support they deserve. I can still remember the days when as a student you could only get half the home game tickets. I would love to see that support again!

 

[malpoke]

Exactly. Super excited, but it ain't like we haven't seen some great recruiting during the post-Eddie years.

....and don't forget that we still have a Sutton on the sideline.

 

[PanhandleCowboy]

This just seems different with Coach Boynton than it did with Coach Ford. Coach Boynton has surrounded himself with quality former head coaches and seems like a tireless recruiter. He has embraced the fan base and OSU community. He just seems to "get it". If the fans/students would get behind him and this team, I think the future could be very bright. He is doing his part, it is time for us to do ours. I am trying like mad to find ways to get back to Stillwater to support this team.

 

[malpoke]

As much of a football fan as I am, I've always dreamed of OSU being a Basketball school. I was lucky enough to grow up in the Eddie days of sold out GIA and elite 8's. Its nothing that the younger generation has ever experienced in Stillwater, even the 2011 football season (in my opinion).

I think even the most ardent OSU football and Mike Gundy fan would admit we will never be a blueblood in football. That is no indictment of HCMG, football is just a different animal and we don't have the history or resources to compete with the Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, OU's of the world. We can certainly be a top 20 program but never top 5 or 10 program year in and year out.

Everyone knows football is king in Oklahoma but basketball is a close second-especially nationally. Wrestling and baseball are great (as well as Softball and Soccer, etc) but neither captivate an entire nation for a month like March Madness. It would be nice to have big brother bragging rights for six months of the year in a major sport. It would be nice to be in the elite 8, while sooner fans only have spring practice to look forward to.

The thing is OSU has tradition, facilities, and an arena to be a top program - we just needed a coach to get us there. We got close with Eddie but his age and unfortunate demons got in the way, but now it looks like we have a guy that might get us there. Its a financial winner as well, if I remember a post from last year correctly Kansas had a slightly higher total revenue than we did even with the putrid teams outside of basketball they had.

Football will ensure other programs are well funded. Football will dictate and consider/decide into which conference we belongs as alignments keep shaping up.

Coach Gundy & the team are building a nice winning culture that eventually become a tradition. We need to continue doing the good job.

We are in a better shape now than the traditionally rich Nebraska. We still have a winning season with all the changes at coordinator level and breaking in a young turnover prone freshman QB and reloading the whole entire DL with young players.

Football is hard but we are on winning track and making money to finance the other athletic programs

 

[JoeHero]

Yet to be seen. Recruiting/signing talent is only half the battle. Just ask Travis Ford.

Maybe I'm remembering wrong but didnt Ford struggle to fill a solid class? I remember all the big names that he got but weren't there a lot of reaches as well?

 

[JoeHero]

As much of a football fan as I am, I've always dreamed of OSU being a Basketball school. I was lucky enough to grow up in the Eddie days of sold out GIA and elite 8's. Its nothing that the younger generation has ever experienced in Stillwater, even the 2011 football season (in my opinion).

I've always felt we should be second only to Kansas in the conference and even then whoever is third should be a distant third. I feel bad for the students that havent gotten to experience GIA like it was in the Sutton days. OSU basketball is a sleeping giant and it's just a matter of having the right guy that wakes it up. If that's Boynton then it's a dream come true.

 

[Family of Pokes]

As much of a football fan as I am, I've always dreamed of OSU being a Basketball school. I was lucky enough to grow up in the Eddie days of sold out GIA and elite 8's. Its nothing that the younger generation has ever experienced in Stillwater, even the 2011 football season (in my opinion).

I think even the most ardent OSU football and Mike Gundy fan would admit we will never be a blueblood in football. That is no indictment of HCMG, football is just a different animal and we don't have the history or resources to compete with the Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, OU's of the world. We can certainly be a top 20 program but never top 5 or 10 program year in and year out.

Everyone knows football is king in Oklahoma but basketball is a close second-especially nationally. Wrestling and baseball are great (as well as Softball and Soccer, etc) but neither captivate an entire nation for a month like March Madness. It would be nice to have big brother bragging rights for six months of the year in a major sport. It would be nice to be in the elite 8, while sooner fans only have spring practice to look forward to.

The thing is OSU has tradition, facilities, and an arena to be a top program - we just needed a coach to get us there. We got close with Eddie but his age and unfortunate demons got in the way, but now it looks like we have a guy that might get us there. Its a financial winner as well, if I remember a post from last year correctly Kansas had a slightly higher total revenue than we did even with the putrid teams outside of basketball they had.

Suddenly, it's 1948 again and Mr. Iba has stepped to the podium at OAMC...

Other posters have dropped some truth nuggets in the thread so let's pull it all together. Football drives the money bus and every other sport is along for the ride. It's not a matter of being "king in Oklahoma", it's economic reality with few exceptions like Duke, UK, KU, etc. The same recruiting realities discussed here about how tough it is getting kids to OSU for football are amplified for MBB. The net result is consistency in football means ticket sales and TV contract money. Losing focus on your money machine means less resources for all sports. OSU has already seen the results of those choices.

 

[Rack]

We are an all sports school...always have been.

That includes all sports and we have no reason that we can't be great at football and basketball and soccer and wrestling and golf and baseball and tennis and softball and track and cross country...In fact I think we are pretty damn healthy right now in all sports. Good Job Mike Holder!

 

[SiggyPoke]

Yet to be seen. Recruiting/signing talent is only half the battle. Just ask Travis Ford.

And Leonard Hamilton. I'm cautiously optimistic at this point. HCMB certainly has the passion to get us to greatness and (like the already mentioned) is doing outstanding in the recruiting game, but it remains to be seen how strongly that will translate to the hardwood.

 

[Alum in AZ]

And Leonard Hamilton. I'm cautiously optimistic at this point. HCMB certainly has the passion to get us to greatness and (like the already mentioned) is doing outstanding in the recruiting game, but it remains to be seen how strongly that will translate to the hardwood.

I went to OSU from 82-87. The second great era for us in football, IMHO (we are still in the third). As much as I loved football then however, my favorite sports experiences were at basketball games. We made the tourney in 83, but went 1 and out. Still... the basketball game experience and home court advantage were outstanding in those days. I am optimistic that we are going to see another round of great basketball experiences in Stillwater and hopefully we will be better on the road as well!

 

[malpoke]

I went to OSU from 82-87. The second great era for us in football, IMHO (we are still in the third). As much as I loved football then however, my favorite sports experiences were at basketball games. We made the tourney in 83, but went 1 and out. Still... the basketball game experience and home court advantage were outstanding in those days. I am optimistic that we are going to see another round of great basketball experiences in Stillwater and hopefully we will be better on the road as well!

The gentleman Paul Hansen was hard to dislike.

Leroy Combs, Matt Clark, Lorenza Andrew and Raymond Crenshaw (Bill Self was on the bench mostly) won the Big 8 Championship on the road in KC

 

[AI-Cowboy]

I was there from 93-97 and couldn’t wait to get the O’colly in October-ish to see if my name made the lottery for basketball tickets. Even if your name was selected, you’d only get 1/2 the season...the KU package or the OU package. Those games were so much fun. I’m just as excited about these guys (and Boynton) as I was about Rutherford and Big Country.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Orange Papi]

I'm excited too. Boynton and staff can recruit no doubt. More importantly, I see and hear great leadership quality in him. He has built a quality coaching staff.

Can Boynton take OSU to the championship level? That question is yet to be answered.

 

[Burton Cummings]

Another thing about Boynton we OSU fans must like is that he doesn't hesitate to boot the bad actors off for large infractions.
He runs a tight, but fair ship.
How can one dislike a gentleman who can coach and recruit? You can't. I'll answer that for you.

 

[OrangeInAustin]

And Leonard Hamilton. I'm cautiously optimistic at this point. HCMB certainly has the passion to get us to greatness and (like the already mentioned) is doing outstanding in the recruiting game, but it remains to be seen how strongly that will translate to the hardwood.

I went to OSU from 82-87. The second great era for us in football, IMHO (we are still in the third). As much as I loved football then however, my favorite sports experiences were at basketball games. We made the tourney in 83, but went 1 and out. Still... the basketball game experience and home court advantage were outstanding in those days. I am optimistic that we are going to see another round of great basketball experiences in Stillwater and hopefully we will be better on the road as well!

I’ve told this story before but my folks were stationed at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls. I decided to head back to campus early in thanksgiving 98 because I’d bought a basketball package and figured I’d go see what was up. Had to stay in Bennet as KD wasn’t open during break.

Having no clue what to expect, I walked into GIA with those gloriously low ceilings and took a seat a few rows behind the goal post in the student section. If I recall we were playing TCU OOC who was coached by an ex-OU guy...at the time I really didn’t understand the hatred of OU and was surprised to see people actually had T-shirts commemorating beating them as we seemed to handle them pretty easily in football the one year I was in band freshman year.

The noise absolutely blew my mind. Was it Tubbs who was the opponents coach? When he walked onto the court the place exploded. I was hooked. First taste of The Hey Song that kept going after the band was required to stop, raising arms for free throws, Left Right Left Right SIT DOWN...etc.

Went to many games after that, in wild victories and sad defeats to Florida Atlantic...heard Doug mention that the other day on the radio as an example of great stats not helping in bad losses. But man I have yet to recreate that experience of my first time knowing how amazing that building can be. Was blessed with bad weather when I graduated in 02 and was able to walk on that floor to earn my degree.