October 2007
The Official Magazine of OSU Athletics
The official magazine of OSU Athletics
Vol. 1, N o. 2
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LOCATED IN THE OSU STUDENT UNION
THE BEGINNING
LETTER
COMPLIANCE
MIKE
[from]
It’s an exciting time to be an OSU fan. There is much going on right now in Cowboy and Cowgirl athletics. Our soccer team is nationally ranked. The men’s and women’s golf teams are placing high in national tournaments. The football team is battling through the conference part of the schedule, and the basketball teams and wrestlers are preparing to begin their seasons. You’re already a POSSE member and a vital member of the OSU family. But we’re going to ask for a little bit more. What we need from you now is to show up. Buy tickets. Bring your friends. Bring your kids. Get out and support our student-athletes. In a very real way, purchasing a ticket provides our student-athletes with the resources they need to excel on the field and in the classroom. Thank you for your support of OSU athletics and I’ll see you at the game. Mike Holder
The Official Magazine of OSU Athletics
POSSE Director JASON PENRY Event Coordinator BRANDON ARMSTRONG Donor Relations ELLEN AYRES Publications Coordinator CLAY BILLMAN Athletic Development Assistant STEPHANIE BOESE Club Seat Coordinator MATT GRANTHAM Premium Services KARYL HENRY Project Manager SHAWN TAYLOR Programs Coordinator MINDY WALTHALL
OSU POSSE 102 ATHLETICS CENTER STILLWATER, OK 74078-5070 P: 405.744.7301 / 877.2B.POSSE F: 405.744.9084 WWW.OKSTATEPOSSE.COM POSSE@OKSTATE.EDU
POSSE MAGAZINE Director of University Marketing KYLE WRAY Editor-in-Chief CORY CHENEY Art Director KIM BUTCHER Director Of Photography PHIL SHOCKLEY Contributing Photographers GARY LAWSON Contributing Writers CLAY BILLMAN, LONNA MANN, CLINTON WIEDEN ADVERTISING: 405.744.7301 E-MAIL: jason.penry@okstate.edu EDITORIAL: 405.744.6263 E-MAIL: cory.cheney@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University Athletic Department would like to thank John Clerico for his vision and dedication to our athletic programs. His generosity has made POSSE magazine possible. cover photo by PHIL SHOCKLEY
I hope everyone used the summer to gear up for another exciting year of Cowboy Athletics! Due to the success of many of our programs, tickets to OSU events can be hard to acquire. Many of you may be aware that student-athletes receive complimentary admissions to contests in the sport in which they participate. We are aware that our student-athletes are often approached by family, friends and fans regarding tickets to OSU competitions. Therefore, the focus of this article pertains to NCAA rules and regulations surrounding student-athlete tickets. As mentioned above, as a benefit related to a student-athlete’s participation in collegiate athletics an institution is allowed to provide student-athletes complimentary admissions for use by the student-athlete’s family and friends. Complimentary admissions are designed to allow a student-athlete the ability to provide his or her support network the opportunity to attend and share in the student-athlete’s experience. NCAA legislation states, “A student-athlete may not receive payment from any source for his or her complimentary admissions and may not exchange or assign them for any item of value.” Basically, a student-athlete is not allowed to sell his or her complimentary admissions. In addition, a student-athlete is not allowed to “trade” his or her tickets for any item(s) of value (e.g. meals, furniture, transportation, lodging, etc). Unfortunately, over the years, many student-athletes have been declared ineligible for selling their complimentary admissions to fans and boosters. You can help OSU and our student-athletes by recognizing this rule and not approaching our student-athletes to buy their complimentary admissions. If you happen to have an established relationship with one of our athletes and are lucky enough to be listed as a recipient of one of his or her complimentary admissions, please be aware that NCAA regulations also prohibit you from selling your complimentary admission. NCAA legislation states, “Individuals designated by the student-athlete to receive complimentary admissions are not permitted to receive any type of payment for these admissions or to exchange or assign them for any item of value.” Therefore, it is important to remember that the student-athlete listed you on his or her pass list due to your friendly or familial relationship. Please do not sell this benefit to another individual. By using your admission in accordance with NCAA legislation you are properly supporting the student-athlete with whom you have developed a relationship and the success of the Oklahoma State athletic program.
CONTENTS The Official Magazine of OSU Athletics
12
FIRST & TEN John Smith
28
42
PAGE
JOHN CLERICO
MEN’S BASKETBALL
54
PAGE
PAGE
October 2007 vol. 1 / no. 2
RICK COOPER
47 LEAVE A LEGACY 17 YOUNG ALUMNI 14 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Rhonda[Kite]Fields
22 RUNNING BACKS
PAGE
18
50 THE 150
POSSE MEMBERS
46 52 EQUESTRIAN
ROAD WARRIORS
Last year’s road wins set the stage for 2007/2008
PAGE
GAME FUEL
PAGE
ANATOMY
of a
56
38
PLAY
OSU vs. FAU: The six-minute play
PAGE
31
SOOCER Midseason: LIFE IS GOOD
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photo by GARY LAWSON
photo by GARY LAWSON
INTERNATIONALTOURS FOR ALL OF YOUR OSU SPORTS TRAVEL NEEDS
Be sure to contact us for all your travel plans. 800.678.2255 or email us at osu@travel-its.com www.travel-its.com
photo by PHIL SHOCKLEY
THE DONORS
John Clerico John Clerico is among OSU’s most generous donors and ardent supporters. He may also be one of the biggest OSU athletics fans around. If you ask his secretary, she’ll tell you he almost never misses a football game. “I don’t think there’s anyone who is a bigger fan than I am,” says Clerico, a 1963 business graduate. “I lived overseas for 10 years. I remember when I lived in London, at 2 o’clock in the morning, I would get my little transistor radio and try to catch some little bit of the games or scores from Armed Forces radio. “I’m about as big a fan as they come.” He is not just a fan of the athletic department, but all of Oklahoma State. He attributes it to the innate personality of the campus and its people. “The family atmosphere and the support most of us received as students cause us to feel an allegiance to the university,” he says. “I don’t know too many people who went to OSU who don’t feel that way. All of us have an obligation when we get involved with something to leave it better than we found it.” Clerico wants to make the institution better both in athletics and academics, and is actively involved in doing just that. He heads the investment committee of the OSU Foundation and is an at-large representative on the OSU Presidential Search Committee. Clerico also served on the search committee that selected Mike Holder as athletic director. “I sit on a couple of corporate boards, and the most important thing a search committee does is elect a CEO,” says Clerico. “The most important thing a Board of Regents does is select a university president.”
Clerico says the committee has six cangoing to be a lot of money raised for scholdidates and believes they are stronger than arships. I think there’s going to be a lot of those found the last time a presidential new facilities built.” search was conducted. If that is to happen, Clerico says it will “We’ll be able to pick someone who has be because of the financial contributions the right blend of experience, leadership abilfrom alumni. He notes that less than 30 ity and vision for the future,” says Clerico. percent of the university’s resources come “We realize the university can’t get to the from the state of Oklahoma. next level without great leadership.” “The family atmosphere and the When he says “next level,” Clerico means acasupport most of us received as demically and athletically. He envisions OSU becomstudents cause us to feel an ing one of the leading Midwestern broad-based allegiance to the university.” public universities and one of the best land-grant insti“Financial support is needed more tutions in the country. than ever,” says Clerico. “Speaking toward “All those things, to me, are quite feaathletics in particular, we’ve achieved a sible,” says Clerico. “And I think athletic lot of excellence on few resources. But it excellence is a key driver to that.” is going to take a lot more to get better. If He believes the athletic department can we, the alumni, don’t do it, who will?” be an example for the rest of the university. He places a high priority on being a “Athletics can lead to a number of good POSSE member – something he’s been things for academics, one of which is to for more than 30 years. Clerico thinks create more interest and demand for the uniPOSSE membership should be a foreversity,” says Clerico. “Let’s face it, having gone conclusion for the average OSU fan. a good athletic department is important to “If you’re an OSU alumnus and care anysmart high school students. They want to go thing at all about athletics, you should to the games and feel good about their unibe a POSSE member,” he says. “Maybe versity. Athletic excellence attracts academic you forego something you might otherexcellence.” wise spend money on to join. That’s what He points to the planned athletic village it’s going to take. We can’t just keep doing as an example. what we’ve been doing and be successful. “If you can just imagine what that’s “In the United States, excellence going to look like when it’s complete. Except doesn’t come cheap. We all have to confor the part of the campus by the library, tribute,” says Clerico. “Just because Boone it’s going to be the classiest part, and that gave us a ton of money doesn’t relieve the should inspire the rest of the university,” he rest of us of the responsibility to do what says. “I think it will inspire people who gave we can, and that includes people who can’t money to athletics to give money to academafford to do anything but be a POSSE ics. No one just supports athletics. member.” “Some time in the next two or three years, I think you’re going to see similar Cory Cheney excitement on the academic side. There’s
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THE
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Rhonda[Kite]Fields
O-CLUB Presents
[Hometown] Panama, Okla. [Sport] Basketball [Number] 55 [Years played] 1978-80 [Position] Forward [Degree] Health, physical education and leisure science [Current residence] Tulsa, Okla. [Current job] Jenks High School head girls basketball coach [Family] Celebrated 25 years of marriage to Wendall Fields this year. Two sons, Josh and Jace. Josh is a former Cowboy baseball and football player, currently with the Chicago White Sox, and he is married to former OSU softball player Ashleigh Tweed. Jace is a sophomore at OSU, currently doing a marketing internship in Orlando, Fla. [Life after OSU] I was signed by the Dallas Diamonds of the WBA in a free agent camp. After my third knee injury requiring surgery, I retired as a player and began a coaching career. This year begins my 26th year as a coach, and I’m proud to say, all in Oklahoma. [Hobbies/interests] I love to be around sports, whether participating or watching. We travel a lot in our motor home and love to take the boat to the lake. I teach low-impact aerobics and look for opportunities to see my kids every chance I get. [Best OSU Game] I scored 32 points in a tournament game in Chico, Calif., while running a 106-degree fever with the flu. [Do you keep in touch with former teammates] Yes, not as much as I’d like, but my generation of athletes always has a great turnout for the Cowgirl alumni events. I go every chance I get, but since I coach in high school, there have been years that I have had conflicting games and could not attend. I always hate to miss because I played with some great girls, and I love to see them. [Thoughts about being OSU’s first female student-athlete to receive a full scholarship] I call myself a “Title IX baby.” I came through school at a time when doors were being opened for female athletes. I went two years to Eastern State in Wilburton and was a JUCO All-Region player. By this time four-year colleges and universities were implementing Title IX regulations, and I accepted a full scholarship to have OSU. I have always considered myself very fortunate to put myself through college doing what I love. All I wanted to do was play basketball and someday coach, so I was very serious about getting my education degree. Playing gave me experience, and my degree gave me opportunity. [What’s it like to be the mother of one of OSU’s most popular and successful student-athletes?] It was fun and stressful all at the same time. I can remember being in a box seat as the team was coming on the field for the Houston Bowl. The band was playing, friends were around, and I got totally overwhelmed
— my son was playing for the university I love. We were very fortunate to be living in Stillwater during that time and really got to enjoy it with him. [What’s it like to be the mother of a Major Leaguer?] That’s a “whole ’nother thing” I am still getting accustomed to. It’s wonderful to see him living out his dream. It’s BIG, and exciting, and scary, and fun, and all kinds of other emotions. To be there, and see how he handles it all makes me very proud of the man he has become. [Thoughts on current state of OSU athletics] My favorite t-shirt, which I wear all the time says, “I Bleed Orange.” I love Oklahoma State and support all Cowboy and Cowgirl sports. There is a special place in my heart for football (Mike Gundy is one of Josh’s coaches and friends and a friend of mine); baseball (Go team and good luck, Coach Anderson); and how about those Cowgirls! Coach Budke and staff have done an incredible job! And to all other OSU sports, coaches and some of the greatest fans ever … GO POKES!
Who do you want the POSSE Magazine to catch up with next? Send us a suggestion at posse@okstate.edu.
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The Official Magazine of OSU Athletics
October 2007
Josh, 2020 Graduate Matt, 2009 Graduate
Each day nearly 500 student athletes juggle work in the classroom and on the field.
Each dreams of a greater success beyond the playing field. Each relies on private support to fulfill their dreams.
All are rooted in a solid education.
Step up to the plate.
Endowed scholarships support the dreams of our student athletes today and tomorrow. Read more scholar stories online at: Office of Scholarships 1.800.622.4678 | scholarships@OSUgiving.com 400 S. Monroe | PO Box 1749 | Stillwater, OK 74076-1749
Get ready for more Orange Power this season. Because we’re bringing more horse power. Here comes Bullet.
www.shopokstate.com first floor - student union
1-800-831-4678
The Student Store is Oklahoma State University’s original outlet for Cowboy clothing and souvenirs. Owned and operated by OSU, all proceeds help fund the many activities the Student Union and Campus Life provide to keep memories alive in the students at OSU.
POSSE MEMBER
NEW GRAD PROGRAM
WAYLON [&]
MELISSA LEWIS Waylon and Melissa Lewis both graduated from OSU in May 2006. Waylon had his bechelor’s degree in business management/marketing, Melissa, a master’s in accounting. They are football and men’s basketball season ticket holders, New Grad Program members and also give above and beyond their required membership level to take advantage of their employer matching gift programs. [What is your current profession?] [Melissa] is a tax associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers [Waylon] does business development and recruiting for the Rowland Group [What do you think of the POSSE New Grad program?] [Waylon] I think it allows recent grads who were borderline being able to become POSSE members the opportunity to do so. With the donation being discounted for five years, it gives recent grads the opportunity to start earning points and learn the benefits of being a POSSE member. [How did you become so connected to OSU Athletics?] [Waylon] Melissa and I both received degrees from Oklahoma State. I got my bachelor’s while she lapped me in getting her Master’s of Accounting. During this time, whether it be waiting in line three days to go to a basketball game or traveling to College Station for a football game, OSU athletic events were the thing we loved to do most. [What does OSU mean to you?] [Both] It means so much. It has become more than just the school we went to. It has become a true passion and a lifestyle. It was a place where memories were created, and a place that continues to draw us back. It is every life-long friendship we made. It is tailgating for seven hours before home football games. It is standing in line for days to get floor seats at a basketball game. It is wearing orange on Fridays and Sundays, whether we win or lose. It is jumping in the car with five of our friends and hoping we could make it to the Alamo Bowl. It is me every August talking about whether or not we will get a shot at the national title if we go undefeated. It is being proud of the color orange and having a strong dislike for anything crimson. OSU has played a big part in our lives. We never would have met and would not be where we are today if we had not obtained our college degrees. OSU was a great place to go to school and sporting events that we were lucky to be a part of made OSU a little more special. [Why is investing in our student-athletes and coaches through POSSE membership so important to you?] [Waylon] It makes sense to us that if you care so much about something, why not try and make it better? Without
photo by PHIL SHOCKLEY
the POSSE, OSU would not be able to attract talented coaches and athletes. These talented individuals will continue the tradition of OSU athletics. If we can do our part, no matter how small; it will at the very least be a step in the right direction. It won’t happen without everyone doing their part. [With massive facility construction ongoing and planned, what do you think the future holds for OSU Athletics?] [Waylon] It can do nothing but help in every aspect, whether it be fans in the seats, recruiting or national exposure. It shows not only Oklahoma State’s but also the fans’ commitment to winning. And it isn’t isolated to football. The tennis team has been winning without much and the same can be said for soccer. We are going to be a top 10 all-around sports program. Being an all-around sports program should be the ultimate goal. [What is your favorite memory of OSU Athletics? Was it a certain play? Was it a particular win? Was it an entire season? Was it a coach or student-athlete?] [Melissa] One of my favorites was John Lucas hitting that three pointer against St. Joe’s. It was one of the most exciting moments of my time at OSU. I already had tickets, a room and a partner-in-crime in advance for the Final Four that year. And now OSU was going. It was perfect.
[Waylon] If I had to choose one, it would be the night we played Missouri after the plane crash. In particular when we sang the alma mater. During those few minutes it just seemed like every one was connected. It was a very sad, but awesome feeling.
And then watching Eddie Sutton get his 700th, seeing the win to surpass Henry Iba and being in the stands when the court was named after him are just a few basketball memories that we will always remember. [How has the POSSE New Grad Program kept you connected to OSU Athletics?] [Waylon] It has just given us a new avenue to stay connected to the university. As a student, it is your role to be wild and crazy at games. Now, as a working professional, it is our role to give a little back. October 2007
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Danielle Green
Taylor Hardeman
Andrea Riley photos by PHIL SHOCKLEY
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October 2007
RoadWARRIORS
Cowgirl Basketball enters the season ranked No. 23
W
hen POSSE magazine caught up to OSU women’s basketball head coach Kurt Budke, he was on the road to a volleyball game of all things. Like his team, coach Budke is a road warrior. “I’m trying to find an edge on my competition,” says Budke. Sharpening the edge on the competition might be a better way of saying it. Last year, the Cowgirls finished 20-11, made their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1996, and were named the most improved team in the nation. This year, the team begins the season ranked 23rd in Lindy’s College Basketball magazine. “I think it’s an honor to have our name in any ranking, but the only one that matters is the one at the end of the year. It is exciting for the kids and exciting for our recruits,” says Budke. “We came in making these promises a couple years ago, and now they see what we’re talking about is starting to come true. It’s definitely helping us get in a lot more doors.” He cautions that it’s a lot for the team to live up to so soon in the turnaround, though he doesn’t back down from the challenge. “We’ve finally reached our goal of getting to the NCAA tournament — that’s what our program can expect every year from then on,” says Budke. But the road through the Big 12 is precarious. Last year, the Big 12 had a conference RPI of 2, and the Cowgirls were successful because they were tough away from Stillwater. The Cowgirls were the only team to beat Iowa State at home, and they captured wins at Texas and Kansas State. The team returns its top-three players: sophomore Andrea Riley, senior Danielle Green and junior Taylor Hardeman. Budke expects a big year from all three. Riley, last season’s Big 12 freshman of the year, led the Cowgirls in scoring average, assists, steals and minutes played. “Andrea is very excited about this year,” says Budke. “She wants to be a great player, and she’s such a competitor. I can’t see her taking a step backward, but she has to realize everyone knows about her now and they’re going to gameplan for her.” He’s also confident in Green, a fiery
senior with a ferocious competitive streak. “We call Danielle ‘monster,’” says the coach. “Everything we do competitively, she’s a monster. She fights for everything. What some people might not know about Danielle, she was a straight-A student last spring. That’s the kind of player we need in this program to take the next step. She’s a huge key to this team.” Last season, Hardeman led the team in three-point shooting, hitting 37 percent of her attempts in conference play. “Two years ago, I would have told you I didn’t think she could play in the Big 12,” says Budke. “But she’s worked so hard and developed her game. Last year, she became someone we just couldn’t take out of the ball game. She’s become our three-point specialist.” The Cowgirls are set at guard, but down in the post, it’s all new faces. Budke says they’ll need the new players to perform immediately if the team is to return to the NCAA tournament. “We have some young guards we’re excited about, too, but the players we need to come through right away are our post players,” says Budke. He says sophomore center Megan Byford and junior forward Shyvon Spears could have an impact on the sea-
son, and he hopes freshman center Alex Richardson can contribute significantly right away. “We’re really anxious to get practicing, put the system in place for the new players and get the season started,” says Budke. The Cowgirls tip off the season Nov. 2 with an exhibition game against the Oklahoma Flyers in Gallagher-Iba, followed by another exhibition game versus East Central on Nov. 6. The season officially begins Nov. 9 when the Air Force Academy comes to town. Budke says fans are key to another successful Cowgirl season. “I’ve said from day one that we have to earn the respect of our fans,” says Budke. “We have rabid basketball fans at OSU. The day we start getting attendance like the men do, I don’t think we’ll lose many games.” By now, Budke believes Cowgirl and Cowboy basketball fans know the kind of play they can expect from his team. “When they come to the games, the girls are going to give them 40 minutes worth of hard effort. They’ll enjoy their time in Gallagher-Iba Arena.”
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owboy fans have seen it again and again in the short amount of time senior tailback Dantrell Savage has been at OSU. He’ll break across the field, cutting through holes in the defense he has no right to fit through. Then, as the field becomes crowded, he’ll come to a sudden stop. Defenders fly past, unable to react to his abrupt change in velocity, their hands grasping at his jersey or the air, failing to find purchase. A first down, or maybe a leaping touchdown, seems a foregone conclusion. In that moment, as he’s reaccelerating, you know what’s going through his mind? He’s wondering what members of his family are doing, or what else is going on in the world. He’s on autopilot. Zoned out and just racing through the traffic on pure instinct. “I’ll get the play first,” says Savage. “I think about my steps and what hole to run to. Just go through the basic things I’m supposed to do. And then I just zone out and worry about scoring a touchdown.” When he gets near the endzone, that’s when he starts thinking. How can he put a finish on the run to get the fans pumped up? More than once, OSU fans have seen him literally fly into the end zone. “It’s a habit of mine,” he says. “I like to end everything explosively, just to feed the crowd. That gets them into the game, and it helps motivate the team.” OSU running backs coach Curtis Luper says, “He’s like the Energizer Bunny. Our team feeds off him, especially early in games.” When he was younger, Savage used to watch players like Michael Irvin, Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith and imagine playing in that kind of big-time atmosphere. “I wanted to see what it felt like to play in front of 50,000 people,” says Savage. “It has a big effect on you when you see that sea of orange. It makes you want to put on
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a show.” Savage says he has a passion for running the football, and he considers himself a fan of the game. When he started looking for a place to play after his junior college career at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, he already knew about OSU’s legacy of great running backs. “It just seemed like a great place,” says Savage. “And all the running backs they’ve had here – Sanders, Thomas, Morency, Bell – if I did well here, they might start comparing me to them, and that attracts scouts.” That said, Savage isn’t planning on playing in the NFL. “If it comes, it comes. I’m not focused on it. I’m focused on graduating,” he says. “I just practice and try to get better day by day. If I end up getting 999 yards, it doesn’t matter as long as I did my best.” Savage’s best on his own is more than enough for opposing defenses to worry about, but he’s joined by a squad of runners capable of putting their own running clinics. “We have one of the best backfields in the Big 12, if not the best,” says Luper. “That’s my opinion, but I haven’t seen all the other teams yet.” Luper says the running backs call themselves “GBs” or “game breakers.” “We like to be in a position to break the game open,” the coach says. “We like to win because of us.” “We want to make our opponents look like they’re nothing,” says Savage. “That’s what we practice for Monday through Thursday. We have four backs who are itchin’ to get in the game. But no one’s greedy. We’re behind each other 100 percent.” Savage says the group is tight-knit, and that they do pretty much everything together – eat, watch game film, study, hang out. “We have a real bond between each other,” he says. “It’s basically like having brothers from other mothers.”
photos by PHIL SHOCKLEY
“They’re like brothers for sure,” says Luper. “They rag on each other all the time, but they won’t let anyone else do it. They just have a genuine care for one another. It’s not always that way.” Savage will give you honest appraisals of his fellow runners easily enough, and never think to mention himself. When prodded, he’ll tell you he wants to run like Barry Sanders or Warrick Dunn when he played for Florida State. “He was a very elusive runner,” says Savage. Luper describes Savage as a “combination back.” “He can make you miss, and he can break some tackles,” says Luper. “People generally fall into one of those categories. He’s deceptively strong.” You’d expect a man who one day wants to coach to have a keen eye for other strengths as players. Of his fellow runners, Savage says, “Julius (Crosslin) brings a real physical style and strength to the field. If we need a fourth and one, he can get it. Kendall Hunter is an explosive back, kinda like Barry Sanders. He can break a long one at any time. Keith Toston brings both. He has the strength to get a fourthand-one or he can break one for 50 or 60 yards. Chris Offor, he just comes in and finishes off the opponent.” Luper says there’s a strong team-first attitude among the backs. “During the Texas Tech game, Kendall and Dantrell were just going back and forth depending on who felt the best,” says Luper. “They have the same goal that we do. They just want to win.” Savage says it doesn’t matter who he’s standing beside during a game, it’s always the same. “I know he’s itching to get in,” he says. “I just tell him, ‘it’s coming.’”
How many cars can one train pull? photo by PHIL SHOCKLEY
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FIRST & 10
John Smith WRESTLING COACH
What does it mean to you to coach at your alma mater? As long as I can remember, I wanted to coach wrestling. I’m talking back in junior high. I realized early I had a passion for my profession. After 15, 16 years I’ve coached, I still consider it a great privilege to coach wrestling at Oklahoma State. What are your long-term goals for the program? To have this program in great shape not only in national standings, but also financially. Coach Holder’s vision of the Athletic Department has motivated me to follow his lead with our program. For the program to have the ability to provide a financial foundation for an Olympic future for those student-athletes who wish to follow their dream. Bottom line is that I want the next coach to have the opportunity to compete for a national championship every year. What is your favorite OSU sports memory? The one that sticks out for me personally would be my first win in Gallagher Hall as a true freshman against a Penn State wrestler who was ranked number one in the country. When Daryl Monosmith beat a national champion to win the Big 8 team championship, I was actually the towel boy who ran out and hit the official in the back. I was 12 at the time. That’s the night that the lights shattered because it was so loud in Gallagher Hall. When I was running out there, the floor was vibrating under my feet. The noise was unbelievable. Outside of my sport, I would say that probably the year we beat Nebraska and tore down the goal posts. I had my binoculars in my office. I was looking down at the goalposts, and two of my student-athletes, Zack Esposito and Chris Pendleton, were on top of the goal posts. It was a great experience for everyone What athlete, living or dead, do you wish you could see play? I would have loved to see Yojiro Uetake wrestle live. He was so far ahead of his time in our sport. I’ve seen him on film some, and it amazes me how far ahead of the field he was. Yojiro Uetake was from Japan and was recruited here by Myron Roderick. I believe he went 58-0 and won three national championships. He’s still living in Tokyo. He’s still involved with Oklahoma State. Other than him, Jim Thorpe. He was an Oklahoman we grew up studying in history and today is still honored for his accomplishments as an athlete. What’s something that gets you riled up? When my student-athletes don’t take on responsibility for their actions. That’s what gets me about as crazy as it comes. That drives me nuts. I hate excuses. 28
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What is your proudest accomplishment so far? That I have four wonderful children. Truly. I’m really happy with the growth of my children. Not any question about that. Professionally, I don’t think that has come yet. I’m still looking for bigger and better things as a coach and as a team. I don’t see that I’ve reached my proudest moment yet. I don’t know what I am looking for, but I know I want more from myself, my student-athletes, and my program. Athletically, staying focused for six long years to be the best in the world. That means more to me than winning Olympic and world gold medals. What three things would you have to have with you if you were stranded on an island? Obviously I would need the necessities to live. Assuming I have the essentials … my family, a fly rod and box, and my horse. Who do you admire and why? Tiger Woods. Not so much because of a golf thing, though I enjoy golf. I just appreciate the balance he has had throughout his career. He has been very successful. He has anything and everything that he wants, but the focus of his career is still about winning championships. He’s humble when he wins and hates losing. He’s always on a mission to be the best. That’s something that you sit back and appreciate from the standpoint of a coach and an athlete. Also, Mother Theresa has always been a role model in my life, as someone who’s given and never taken anything at probably the most extreme levels. She’s has been a leader in teaching us about sacrifice. You have one wish. What is it? In the last days of my life, to know I did it right. That includes everything I’m involved with. Family. Living. Coaching. That’s the first thing that came to my mind. Kind of sounds a little morbid, but I think that’s my wish. Just to know I did it right. I know I have made mistakes, but hopefully I learn to do it right. What is your favorite type of music and where do you listen to it? I’m not a great music lover. I don’t listen to a lot of it. But if had my choice, there’s no question it’d be country. Garth Brooks, having his tie to Oklahoma State while I was here, is someone I listen to and enjoy. I still like old country. Hank Williams Jr., George Strait. Who had the biggest effect on how you turned out? I think my father and mother. I grew up in a family of 10, and I was cared for, looked after and disciplined in a very challenging time in their life. You don’t realize it at the time. You don’t realize the challenges your parents faced until you are raising your own children. It’s just mind-boggling to understand the sacrifices and commitment they had to make on a daily basis raising 10 children. Everything I’ve done, everything I’ve accomplished, starts with them. How big of an OSU fan are you? I love Oklahoma State. It’s home. It’s everything I do. It’s been my life from the time I arrived on campus in 1983. There have been a lot of people who’ve helped me find that devotion for OSU over the years. One would be my first coach, Tommy Chesbro. He really gave us a great lesson through his actions of how to love your program, how to love your university. He always put it in a way where it was a privilege to be a part of it, and to this day, I still feel very much that it is a privilege to be a part of Oklahoma State.
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SOCCER
COWGIRL SOCCER
LIFE is GOOD photos by GARY LAWSON
October 2007
The Official Magazine of OSU Athletics
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Life is good for Colin Carmichael. On September 10, his first child was born. Given his occupation as OSU’s head soccer coach, it was appropriately a girl — Maggie Cameron Carmichael. On Sept. 16, the girls he already had – the Oklahoma State Cowgirls – broke through for what Carmichael calls “the biggest win in program history” by knocking off ninth-ranked Notre Dame. “Last year, we had a great year. I think a lot of people were wondering, ‘Was it a one-off year or is this team legitimate?’” Carmichael says. “I think it kind of stamps what we did last year and makes people take notice.” Carmichael’s Cowgirls are off to a 7-2-1 start to the 2007 season, with a high ranking of 13th by Soccer America. At press time, the Cowgirls are also ranked 22nd by SoccerTimes.com and 22nd by the NSCAA. The Cowgirls were ranked in preseason polls for the first time in program history. But as is often said, polls mean nothing on the field – something the Cowgirls learned quickly. The season almost started the wrong way, as the New Mexico Lobos struck early to hold a 1-0 lead throughout most of the season opener at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex. But a late Lobo goal ended up sending the game to overtime, where Cowgirl senior defender Niccole Grimaldi put a ball from sophomore midfielder Kasey Langdon in the net to claim a 2-1 victory. “They’re a very good team, and they’re very good defensively,” Carmichael says. “They got an early goal, which made it even tougher, but we just kept pounding them. At the end we were fortunate to get a break. I think at the end of the season that will end up being a pretty good win for us.” The next three games were smooth sailing for the Cowgirls. The comeback win over New Mexico was followed by a 3-0 triumph on the road at Arkansas State. Defender Jessica Jarrell opened the scoring off another Langdon assist, followed by the first career goals from midfielder Annika Niemeier and forward Katie Richardson. The ASU trip was followed by two games in the OSU Invitational, and the Cowgirls were less than hospitable to their guests. Carmichael’s squad trounced Xavier 5-0 and then routed Louisiana-Monroe 7-0 to claim the tournament title. “We got to play a lot of freshmen and younger players. It keeps the morale and spirit of the team pretty high when everyone can contribute,” Carmichael says. “With the returning players, we got to work on a lot of things that maybe weren’t quite sharp 32
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enough at the beginning of the season.” Then came the trip to South Bend, Ind., for the Inn at St. Mary’s Soccer Classic. The Cowgirls faced games against a solid Washington State squad and the host team, last year’s NCAA runner-up, Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish. The first game didn’t go quite according to plan. Washington State’s Mallory Fox scored in the fourth minute, and despite outshooting the Cougars 9-4, the Cowgirls couldn’t find an equalizer. The 1-0 loss was only the second regular-season nonconference defeat for OSU since 2002. “We made a defensive mistake early in the game, and credit to their kid - she capitalized and scored,” Carmichael says. “The rest of the game, I’d say we were the better team and had more opportunities to score than they did, but unfortunately we weren’t able to capitalize on any of their mistakes. To be honest, we didn’t play our best game and they did a good job of defending us.” The next game, however, saw the script reversed. Sophomore midfielder Siera Strawser scored her first goal of the season in the 22nd minute. All of a sudden, the Cowgirls were out in front at one of the nation’s toughest venues. “At halftime, we told the girls, ‘Notre Dame will probably throw everything at you, and we need to make sure we’re ready for it’,” Carmichael says. “Sure enough, they came out firing.” After a barrage of shots, the Fighting Irish broke through. In the 69th minute, Notre Dame’s Kerri Hanks – winner of the 2006 Hermann Trophy, presented to the national player of the year in women’s soccer – curled a free kick past Cowgirl goalkeeper Erin Stigler into the top right corner of the net to tie the match.
“She just had a beautiful free kick into the top corner,” Carmichael says. “Not much we can do about that.” Despite a 20-6 shot advantage, the Fighting Irish could not pull ahead of the Cowgirls, and the match went to overtime. Just 79 seconds into the extra period, Kasey Langdon hit a cross that a Notre Dame player touched, but not enough to clear the ball away. Senior midfielder Sasa Jackson then stepped in, and her aim was true on one of the biggest shots in Cowgirl soccer history. Final score: Cowgirls 2, Notre Dame 1. Carmichael admits he got lost in the moment. “I jumped up, and I think our whole bench jumped up as one,” Carmichael says. “I ran onto the field briefly and I think I hugged the closest player to me, which was Nicci Grimaldi, and then realized, ‘Geez, I better go shake hands with Notre Dame’s coach.’” The Cowgirl victory wasn’t simply a landmark for the program – it was also a piece of NCAA history. The OSU win ended Notre
Dame’s 43-game home unbeaten streak, the third-longest in NCAA history. The Fighting Irish hadn’t lost at home since 2003. “After the handshakes were done, we got the girls together. We hadn’t talked about their unbeaten streak at home or any of that before the game, but we let them know afterward,” Carmichael says. “Our girls really felt like they achieved something special.” “It’s the most difficult game we’ve had to play,” Carmichael says. “You could argue that winning the Big 12 championship might have been a bigger game to get our program going, but as far as the most difficult game for us to win, there’s no question that to beat Notre Dame at their place is the most difficult challenge we’ve faced.” While the Notre Dame triumph may be a building block for the program long-term, the more immediate focus is on this season and improving on last year’s finish. Many players are doing their part and more to make sure that happens. Jackson is leading the team with five goals. Forward Adriane Radtke has a chance to become OSU’s all-time leading goal scorer, and has moved closer to the top spot with two goals on the year. All-American midfielder Yolanda Odenyo has scored just one goal thus far, but she has influenced every game in ways that don’t appear on a stat sheet. Carmichael gives much of the credit for the team’s fast start to these three, Grimaldi and fellow senior Stephanie Lovely. “They’re tremendous. They have a lot of leadership skills,” Carmichael says. “They’re just very, very motivated, very hard-working kids. Not only do they do well on the field, they’re also good students, and I think the young players coming in see what they do to balance that. Their leadership has been invaluable.” Of course, there’s more to the team than just the seniors. Stigler has given up only six goals this season, and her 0.65 goalsagainst average leads the Big 12 conference. Langdon has been a strong offensive presence in midfield.
Most crucially, the Cowgirl freshman class has made its presence known. Richardson has four goals for the year, and fellow newcomer Allyson Leggett has been a key part of the OSU back line. “I think the next couple of weeks will test them a little bit more than they have been already,” Carmichael says. “Allyson Leggett, Katie Richardson and (goalkeeper) Kaitlyn Gustaves have all come in and done a nice job for us. We’re very happy up to this point with the freshman class.” The main portion of the nonconference season closed with games against Colorado College (0-0 tie after two overtimes) and SMU (a 2-0 Cowgirl victory), both NCAA Tournament participants last season. Big 12 play began on the road at Iowa State (0-3, Iowa State) and Nebraska (a 1-0 Cowgirl victory). Carmichael knows the schedule isn’t going to get any easier. “Texas has beaten UCLA, and they’re in the top five. Texas A&M beat Duke. Colorado’s ranked in the top 25, Missouri’s jumped into the top 25, and Kansas and Nebraska are always good. It’s going to be a knock-down drag-out. The margin of error is so small – the difference between second and seventh could be one game,” Carmichael says. The home conference opener may be another of the most important games in Cowgirl soccer history. Seventh-ranked Texas A&M – the only team in the Big 12 the Cowgirls have never beaten – comes to the Cowgirl Soccer Complex. With as many implications as this game could have on the Big 12 title race and on NCAA seedings, it’s no stretch to say the battle with the Aggies will be a big game. So big, in fact, that Fox Soccer Channel will make its way to Stillwater for the Cowgirls’ first-ever nationally televised home game.
Understandably, Carmichael is excited. “What a great experience for our kids, and what an opportunity. Fox Soccer Channel is a nationwide network. If you can’t get excited for that kind of game, you don’t need to play,” Carmichael says. “We’re very excited to be on TV — it’s a chance to get our team more national exposure.” The Fox Soccer Channel visit is a sign of how bright things are on the field for Carmichael, but things are just as bright off the field as well. Remember little Maggie? “She’s very healthy. Both mother and child are at home and doing really well. Stacie told me she was listening to the radio when we scored against Notre Dame and she’s sure Maggie made a noise, so I hope she knew what was going on,” Carmichael laughs. A top-25 team and a healthy new baby girl?
Yeah, life is good for Colin Carmichael. Clinton Wieden
“You could argue that winning the Big 12 championship might have been a bigger game to get our program going...” October 2007
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Stillwater is growing and much of that growth is going in a new direction. In 2006, Kraybill Homes, Inc. broke ground on THE CANYONS, Section I, located on North Perkins Road one-half mile north of Richmond Road. Your acceptance and enthusiasm for THE CANYONS have been gratifying. In 2007, Kraybill Homes, Inc. and Todd Kraybill Construction, Inc. will begin building new homes in THE CANYONS, Section II. Prices will range from $180,000. Come visit THE CANYONS, select the location for your next home, then contact Kay Burns, 405-747-1772 or Charlie Scott, 405-880-1040. Additional information is available at www.TheCanyons-Stillwater.com.
Center for Executive and Professional Development » Pl an to attend the OSU B usiness Spe aker Series
education beyond the usual OSU’S ExEcUtivE ManagEMEnt BriEfingS/tUlSa BUSinESS fOrUMS
Wally Uihlein chairman and cEO, acushnet company (titleist, footJoy and cobra) » topic: “Worldwide Business Opportunity of golf” golf’s global gnP is a $70 billion-dollar opportunity made up of golf course operations revenues, food/beverage, travel, equipment and real estate variables. Uihlein, who is a 30-plus year veteran of the golf industry, will break down the opportunity and its constituent parts.
» tUlSa BUSinESS fOrUM • thursday, October 18, 2007 • crowne Plaza Hotel, tulsa • luncheon & Presentation: 12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
Juan Enriquez chairman & cEO, Biotechonomy and author of As the Future Catches You and The Untied States of America » topic: “the Untied States of america” Enriquez was the founding director of the Harvard Business School’s life Science Project and is the world’s preeminent authority on the economic and political impact of the life sciences. He is also an expert on the dynamics of the knowledge economy and the other social and political forces that are driving change in america and the world today.
Vicente Fox President of Mexico, 2000 – 2006 » topic: “Bringing the new Economy to latin america” President fox discusses his business-centered approach to the development of Mexico, the future of the north american free trade agreement (nafta), and the opportunities available for international corporations in the region. a critic of the populist movements sweeping central and South america, President fox offers an alternative that should be heard by everyone concerned with the future of the hemisphere.
Marcus Buckingham author of three international bestsellers, including First, Break All the Rules and Go Put Your Strengths to Work » topic: “go Put Your Strengths to Work” renowned management expert Buckingham says the secret to great performance is to uncover and leverage strengths while managing weaknesses. He will get to the heart of building and sustaining strength-based individual and team performance.
Center for Executive and Professional Development To Order Tickets: 1.866.678.3933
» ExEcUtivE ManagEMEnt BriEfing • tuesday, December 4, 2007 • cox Business center, Oklahoma city • luncheon & Presentation: 12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
» ExEcUtivE ManagEMEnt BriEfing • tuesday, february 5, 2008 • Oklahoma city civic center • Presentation: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. » tUlSa BUSinESS fOrUM • tuesday, february 5, 2008 • Mabee center, tulsa • Presentation: 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
» ExEcUtivE ManagEMEnt BriEfing • tuesday, March 25, 2008 • national cowboy & Western Heritage Museum • Presentation & Book Signing: 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. » tUlSa BUSinESS fOrUM • tuesday, March 25, 2008 • renaissance tulsa Hotel • Presentation & Book Signing: 2:30 – 5:00 p.m.
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here’s an axiom in regard to nutrition and fitness: You get out of your body what you put into it. At no place on campus is that taken more seriously than OSU’s Training Table. Five to six nights a week, the football team and men’s and women’s basketball teams partake of a buffet of the highest quality food available. It’s high-performance fuel aimed at ensuring Cowboy and Cowgirl athletes’ bodies are operating at peak efficiency. Training Table began in the spring of 2005, with Andrew McGee, general manager of OSU Cowboy Dining, and his team feeding the football team 15 meals. Later that fall, Mike Gundy and Mike Holder approached McGee about initiating the program on a permanent basis. The decision was made the Friday before school started, and Training Table officially opened five days later on the south-side Club level of Boone Pickens Stadium. “We only had an oven, a steamer and a couple closets for pantries,” says McGee. Training Table has since moved to the north side of the stadium, and the pantry has grown substantially. “We still only have ovens and steamers, but down on the plaza level, we’ve built an outdoor kitchen with a grill and an outdoor griddle. We just have four pieces of cooking equipment, really,” says McGee. The kitchen may be small, but McGee and his team create a first-class dining experience for the student-athletes, complete with linen tablecloths and napkins, stainless steel silverware and full service. “It’s like sitting down and eating at a nice buffet restaurant every night,” says McGee. Where Training Table differentiates itself from a restaurant, however, is in the healthiness of food. While there’s an emphasis on healthy dining, that’s not to say the student-athletes don’t get what they want. “We offer fried chicken, hot wings, burgers … anything you’d find anywhere else in town or on campus,” says McGee. “The difference is if we do a fried chicken, we feel we can do it a little healthier.
photo by GARY LAWSON
We can use a better oil, a better quality of chicken. We can make things a lot healthier without sacrificing the taste of the food. “You have to give them what they want. They’re all still kids,” says McGee. “They’re not looking for a grilled chicken breast and a steamed vegetable every night. I don’t believe in saying you shouldn’t eat what you enjoy.” Every night, the Training Table offers up a salad bar, a baked potato bar, two types of soup, pre-made salads, fresh fruit and a variety of snack items. On top of that, there are two to three entrees, two starches and two vegetables. “We try to give three different options, not only in variety, but in nutrition,” says McGee. “We try to put out enough variety so that the athletes are interested in eating with us, which they are not required to do. They’re just required to report. We learned early on that if we don’t provide them with stuff they’re interested in, they show up, look at what’s there, then walk right back out. If we can’t keep the kids happy, they’re not going to eat with us. We’ve lost them.” It’s an ongoing mission of the Training Table not only to provide good nutritional options to the student athletes, but to educate them on how they should be eating. All
the food on the buffet is labeled. “For instance, for our proteins, we have a traffic light system,” says McGee. “Red means it’s a very fatty item, so if you’re trying to lose weight, you stay away from red items, and so on. Items that are high in iron, calcium or fiber get a label as well. Our carbs we label as ‘good’ or ‘bad.’” McGee says he’s noticed more and more student athletes paying attention to the food’s nutritional content. “Three years ago, we might have had two or three guys asking us about the food,” says McGee. “Now we have 25, 30 student-athletes coming through the line and looking at the labels before they pile whatever on their plate. “That’s our goal. If we can get a kid in as a freshman and start exposing him or her to looking at food labels and learning to eat a healthy mix of certain things, by their senior year they realize the connection, ‘Hey, my body is a machine.’”
October 2007
The Official Magazine of OSU Athletics
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Achieving Greatness Achieving Greatness
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Sutton Seeks Winning Formula Sean Sutton earned a degree in social studies from Oklahoma State in 1992. Now entering his second full season as the Cowboys’ head basketball coach, he may wish he’d been a chemistry major.
“Team chemistry is one of the most important things in athletics,” he says. “I think you saw a great example the two years we won a combined 57 games [2004, 2005] and went to the Final Four and Sweet 16. Those two teams had unbelievable chemistry. They were great players, but they sacrificed individual goals for the goals of the team. And last year you saw a little bit of the opposite late in the season.” A negative reaction was to be expected. OSU won 22 games last season and made the postseason National Invitational Tournament for the second consecutive year. But the expectations of OSU fans – and anyone named Sutton – are to go to the Big Dance. “We’ve had great success – going to the NCAA Tournament eight years in a row – and when you don’t go, it’s tough. If you’re a competitor, I think it’s a constant motivation. There’s extra motivation there for me, and I think there’s extra motivation there for the players, because they understand how important winning and making the NCAA Tournament is to our fans. That’s what they’re accustomed to, and that’s what we expect around here.” Sutton says that while last year lingers in the back of his mind, he won’t dwell on the negative energy with his squad. “It’s not something we’re going to sit and talk about. We’re going to move on and focus on this year,” he says. “This is an entirely different team from last year, so last year is not going to be mentioned that much, because really we have so many new players who weren’t here and weren’t a part of it. We’re going to focus on the positives of this year and the opportunities that are out there for this team to achieve.” OSU returns a nucleus of just four scholarship players from a year ago, but with the addition of seven talented newcomers to the roster, 42
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Sutton feels he has the necessary ingredients for a winning season. “I really think with this team we’ll have solid leadership at the top, and this team will have good chemistry,” he says. “I think chemistry, togetherness and everybody pulling in the same direction are huge factors if we’re going to have success.” Junior point guard Byron Eaton says the team has already forged a tight bond, both on and off the court. “The chemistry is very good. Everybody knows how everybody plays because we spent the summer together. This is the best group I’ve been around since I’ve been here. My freshman year when I came in, our chemistry wasn’t as good as it is now. It’s like brotherhood already.” Eaton cites informal player meetings as an example of the team’s new attitude. “We’ll call a meeting and tell everybody to be there at such-andsuch a time, and when you walk in, people are there early. Last year and the year before that, people would walk in late. These guys now, they’re just ready. Their attitude is, ‘Whatever we’ve got to do, man, we’re going to do it.’ I’m loving it. So far, everything’s good.” Sutton expects to rediscover another missing element this season: fun. “This is going to be a fun team to coach, and I think this is going to be a fun team to watch,” he says. “I think it will be exciting for our fans to kind of watch this team grow up over the course of the season and I think they will really like the character of our players, and they’ll be impressed with how hard they’re going to play night in and night out.”
Ss coach
photos by PHIL SHOCKLEY
Full-squad practices officially begin Oct. 12, and Sutton is eager to experiment with them all out on the court. “I’m excited about this group of guys,” he says. “I think we’ve got quality people, guys that are going to work, guys that want to win. They understand the tradition of Oklahoma State basketball and will embrace it. We’re athletic, and I like the talent and the attitude and the work habits of the guys we have coming into our program. Despite their talent, Sutton says youth can sometimes be unstable. “At the same time, they’re still a very “I think chemistry, togetherness and everybody young basketball team. With young playpulling in the same direction are huge factors if ers you have to go a little bit slower, and it requires a lot of teaching, but I enjoy that. we’re going to have success.” My staff enjoys that. They’ll have to learn the system, and it takes time. We’ll spend as much time with them on the court as the NCAA will allow. Off the court, we’ll be watching film with them, going over things on the blackboard, trying to get them as comfortable as they can be as we head into the season.” Sutton says his main goal is getting his team to give maximum effort. “I think any successful coach wants to be known for his teams playing hard and competing at a high level. That’s always the been the staple of our program – that our guys play as hard as any team in college basketball. I think that’s really important if you’re going to win, and we’ve got to get back to playing that way.” The coach says he also wants to get back to playing the type of aggressive defense OSU has been known for. “I expect our team to compete at a high level every night and to get after people from start to finish,” he says. “We’re going to try and harass them and pressure them the entire game. I think you’ll see us press more than we’ve ever pressed. “Last year’s team, for whatever reason, never defended like our teams in the past, and I take responsibility for that. I’ve got to do a better job everyday in practice of emphasizing that and getting our guys to buy into the importance of defending every night and defending on every possession where we don’t give up easy baskets; where they take great pride in not letting their man score; where they feel like when they give up an easy basket they’re not only letting themselves down, they’re letting their teammates down and they’re letting their fans down.” Eaton is determined to show Cowboy’s fans a renewed brand of basketball. “I’m just ready for this season to start so we can show everybody that we’re a new team, and all those other things that happened to us were just something we had to go through for us to bring out the best,” he says. “They’re going say that Oklahoma State is back. This year we’re going to get back to that type of gritty Oklahoma State ball they’re used to seeing. We’re going to pressure for 94 feet and get up in people’s chests – just D ’em up and make them not even want the ball. Defense is what OSU basketball is about, and that’s what Coach Sean has been preaching.” Sutton feels the team’s athleticism will translate into increased opportunities on the offensive end of the floor. “Running has always been a big part of our offense. We plan on pushing the ball in transition and creating a fast tempo,” he says. “We may speed it up even more this year to try to use the quickness and talent and experience of our guards. The biggest challenge we have is finding some consistent play inside and finding some guys who can score with their back to the basket. But this should be a good shooting team, a team that can score.” That’s the winning formula, Sutton says: Effort plus Defense plus Tempo equals Wins. “Those are the three things that are important to me, along with getting our guys to play as a team. If we do those things I think we’ll have a really successful season.”
CHEM IS TRY
Clay Billman
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POSSE MEMBER
I
t’s not surprising that brothers Shane and Corby Smithton have such a deep love and affection for Oklahoma State University Athletics ... they have had an excellent role model. Their mother, Linda, has closely followed her alma mater for more than four decades and instilled her passion for OSU in both sons at a very young age. From the days of watching the bruising runs of Walt Garrison, to watching the Pokes beat the tradition-rich Alabama Crimson Tide in the Independence Bowl, Linda has been dedicated to the Cowboys through the good and tough times. Linda, an OSU graduate who now works as a travel agent, has seen firsthand through her sons how participation in athletics can contribute to academic success. And through POSSE membership, she has been advancing two important aspects of her life, academics and athletics. “You can’t affect change standing from the outside looking in. If you have the financial ability, I don’t believe it is right to be a fairweather fan,” she says. Linda, along with her two sons, has actively served on the POSSE Auction Committee for years. It was 1966 when she purchased her first football season tickets. She has also had season tickets for Cowboy baseball, basketball and wrestling. “It has been a pleasure to have the opportunity to get to know Linda, Shane and Corby,” says Ellen Ayres, POSSE donor relations coordinator. “I have enjoyed seeing their passion for OSU and am thankful for their generosity to OSU Athletics.” All three Smithtons understand that Boone Pickens’ gift for facilities does not help the critical day-to-day operating budget. They realize that gifts of all sizes serve as difference makers for OSU Athletics. For the Cowboys to have an opportunity to celebrate a football national title, it is going to take the financial support of many alumni and fans. Corby, a family physician practicing in Stillwater with his wife,
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Colbi, played defensive back for the Cowboys from 1990-92. He has seen some big moments in the Pokes’ athletic history, such as Bryant “Big County” Reeves’ half-court shot against Missouri; however, he thinks the best is yet to come for OSU. “Mr. Pickens has given us the opportunity to see growth most of us would have never dreamed of,” Corby says. “With the building of the facilities, I think the sky is the limit for the athletics program.” Shane, who was a football letterman for the Cowboys in 198587 and is now practicing law in Woodward, understands that with improved facilities the Cowboys will now have an opportunity to compete at the highest level. “Football is certainly the most difficult sport in which to compete in the absence of top-notch facilities. What our facilities will do is put us in a position where we have a chance to compete for titles on a consistent basis,” Shane says. Now he and his wife, Kimberlee, see the need for all alumni and fans to get on board. “For those that truly care, we need their full financial, as well as full emotional, commitment. I still believe a lot of people don’t understand that the gifts of Mr. Pickens, Mr. (Sherman) Smith and others have made are designated to facilities, not operating budget. Even with vastly improved facilities, it will take a greater financial commitment to continue to grow our athletic budget and endow scholarships to put us on par financially with other top flight programs. If you really care about something, you have to put your time, money and heart into it,” says Shane. The Smithton family’s generosity to OSU Athletics serves as a reminder that without POSSE members’ annual donations, it would be impossible to raise the funds essential for growing a championship athletics department. “Now, we have the opportunity to enhance big facility gifts with whatever we can — big, small or somewhere in between,” said Linda. “Let’s strive to be the best program in the country.”
A
LEAVE CHANGE
LEGACY LIFE
OSU shotputter LaKendra Greathouse hopes one day to become a collegiate track and field or basketball coach, but she might not have had the opportunity if not for an athletic scholarship. The senior physical education major from Gonzales, Texas, started getting scholarship offers when she was just a sophomore in high school. She had always done well in class, but the offers made her dreams possible. “I really wanted to go to college,” says Greathouse. “I am the first person in my immediate family to go.” Her scholarship is changing her life. “It’s everything,” says Greathouse. “I wouldn’t be in school if I didn’t have a scholarship. My mom doesn’t have to struggle for me to be here. I’m a big family person and it means a lot to me that they don’t have to worry.” She chose OSU because when she came to visit, the team immediately embraced her and put her at ease. “I liked the people here,” she says. “I was a very shy person and they just brought me in and helped me out. It’s a big school, but it’s a close-knit kind of place like where I grew up.” There’s a word for people who take care of their own: family.
photo by PHIL SHOCKLEY
photos by GARY LAWSON
o dollar amount can be put on the impact a scholarship makes on the life of a student-athlete. Far from just paying the bills, a scholarship provides a way for these young adults to reach their potential. This is the primary goal of the OSU Athletics Scholarship Endowment initiative. The program began in the summer of 2006 after Shane Crawford and the OSU athletic department development team conducted extensive research of the operations of many other Division I colleges around the country. Several meetings later and with full support from Athletic Director Mike Holder, a game plan emerged that ultimately affects the bottom-line of the annual budget and assists student-athletes in each sport. “The Leave a Legacy endowment campaign is strategic in that it’s the next obvious step after having our facility needs addressed,” says Craig Clemons, vice president for external affairs and development. “We’ve had a 90 percent ‘yes’ rate with this campaign,” says Clemons. “Our donors find it very appealing. It’s a combination of athletic and academic philanthropic support. Supporters find this campaign more attractive than, say, discussing a need to build a sports venue or resurface a field. They are literally providing funding for a young woman or young man’s scholastic pursuit so that whether or not they go into professional sports after graduation, they’ll have a college education and the opportunity for success in the marketplace. This is a great way to leave an on-going legacy at Oklahoma State in the name of a donor and their family.” The goal of the campaign is to raise $115 million, totally endowing the financial needs representing the 400 athletic scholarships for the university. “We’re making significant progress,” says Clemons. “We’ve gone from $2 million to $15 million in commitments within just one 48
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year. Our very generous donors have bought into the vision for the OSU Athletic department. Associated funds help shape OSU student-athlete’s lives in perpetuity – on the field, on the court and in the classroom.” That ranks OSU Athletics higher in the Big 12 conference regarding endowed dollars. Prior to the campaign, OSU stood alone in last place. Compared with 2006 data, Texas A&M lead athletic endowment funds with $60 million. There is a secondary effect of having all the athletic scholarships endowed: it has a direct bottom-line impact on the operating budget. In short, the department can redirect funding toward specific needs surrounding the department – this can include coaching, support staff, travel, recruiting – all elements leading to being more competitive in every sport. “Fully endowing each scholarship would currently free up $4.5 - 5 million of our operating budget annually,” adds Holder. “Our coaches are involved in the campaign and understand how scholarships for their sports benefit their programs.” There are three levels of endowments: the Full Scholarship Endowment, the Half Scholarship Endowment, and the First Quarter Scholarship Endowment (*see sidebar for more information). At certain levels, donors choose which sport and even which position their endowment will fund. Each donation makes a substantial impact on the respective OSU sport. There’s a new twist in athletic giving within this campaign”, Clemons says, “along with tax deductions and POSSE Priority Points awarded for cash or stock gifts, we are awarding POSSE Priority Points for planned (estate) gifts. Donors can use points for premium seat upgrades, post-season ticket requests and so on. Roughly half of the committed funds are associated with a donor’s bequest, estate planning, life insurance or charitable trust.”
True to the name of the campaign, the university plans to commemorate each donor’s contribution in special ways. “While we have plans to recognize campaign supporters in a significant and creative way” says Clemons, “the Cowboy family is extremely humble. They typically don’t ask for recognition. They don’t ask to see their name in lights. They understand their gifts make a significant impact for the school they love.”
Bruce Smith (bachelor’s ’75, master’s ’77, civil engineering) is such a donor. He and his wife Nancy contributed a First Quarter Endowment to the wrestling program. Smith remembers many exciting wrestling matches in Gallagher-Iba as an undergrad, and continues to attend as many as he can. “They have a tradition of excellence and the best coach in the country, if not the world,” says Smith. “I wanted to do something for the school and to assist the wrestling program in continuing to compete at the highest level. Wrestling only has nine and a half scholarships, and 10 guys on the team. Then there are 30 or 40 more student-athletes in the practice room.” “Budgets being what they are, endowments are a no-brainer. They ensure the future, tradition and success of our athletic programs.” photos by PHIL SHOCKLEY
To provide greater opportunities for supporters to participate in this historic fundraising campaign, three prominent donor categories have been created.
1
2
3
Full Scholarship Endowment ($500,000)
This gift opportunity allows a donor to name a scholarship for a specific position on the Cowboy or Cowgirl team of his or her choice. Associated earnings will cover the full scholarship cost for the student-athlete in a specific sport. The endowment will be forever named in honor of the donor.
Half Scholarship Endowment ($250,000)
With this endowment gift, the donor will name half of a scholarship on a Cowboy or Cowgirl team of his or her choice. Associated earnings will cover half of the scholarship cost for the student-athlete in a specific sport. The endowment will be forever named in honor of the donor, donor’s family or other individual designated by the donor.
1st Quarter Scholarship Endowment ($125,000)
The donor of this endowment gift will name a partial scholarship on a Cowboy or Cowgirl team of his or her choice. Associated earnings will cover the partial scholarship cost for an OSU student-athlete in a specific sport. The endowment will be forever named in honor of the donor, donor’s family or another individual designated by the donor.
THANK YOU The Athletic Department would like to thank these generous donors for their support and encourage others to get involved in this important endeavor. 1) Mike and Robbie Holder 2) Jim and Vicki Click 3) John and Gail Shaw 4) Les Dunavant 5) Dave LeNorman 6) Anonymous 7) Jerry and Linda Baker 8) Andy Johnson 9) Jim and LaVerna Cobb 10) Fred and Janice Gibson 11) Paul and Mona Pitts 12) Tom Naugle Family 13) Bryan Close 14) Al and Martha Strecker & Family 15) David and Gina Dabney 16) Evelyn Harrington 17) Jay and Connie Wiese 18) Willard and Wanda Roberts 19) Robert and Sharon Keating 20) Dr. Scott and Lynne Anthony 21) Ricky and Suzanne Maxwell 22) Dr. Zane Uhland 23) Patrick and Patricia Cobb 24) Bruce and Nancy Smith 25) Anonymous 26) Bryant and Carla Coffman 27) Kent and Margo Dunbar
Full Football Scholarship Full Football Scholarship Full Football Scholarship Full Football Scholarship Full Football Scholarship Full Football Scholarship Half Football Scholarship Quarter Football Scholarship Quarter Football Scholarship Quarter Football Scholarship Quarter Football Scholarship Quarter Football Scholarship Quarter Football Scholarship Quarter Football Scholarship Quarter Football/Equestrian Scholarship Full Men’s Basketball Scholarship Half Men’s Basketball Scholarship Half Men’s Basketball Scholarship Quarter Men’s Basketball Scholarship Quarter Men’s Basketball Scholarship Quarter Men’s Basketball Scholarship Quarter Men’s Basketball Scholarship Full Wrestling Scholarship Quarter Wrestling Scholarship Full Baseball Scholarship Half Baseball Scholarship Quarter Women’s Golf Scholarship
To learn more about the Leave a Legacy Endowed Scholarship program, please call 877-OSU-ATHL or e-mail lreece@osugiving.com or scrawford@osugiving.com.
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OKLAHOMA STATE’S TOP DIFFERENCE-MAKERS.
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T. Boone & Madeleine Pickens [2] Sherman & Eloise Smith [3] Karsten Manufacturing [4] Walt & Peggy Helmerich III [5] Ed & Jana Evans [6] Ross & Billie McKnight [7] John Clerico [8] Bob & Nedra Funk [9] Joe & Connie Mitchell [10] ONEOK Inc [11] Mike & Robbie Holder [39,595 pts.]
MEN’S GOLF
[12] Gary & Jerri Sparks [13] Harold & Joyce Courson [14] Joullian & Co. [15] Toklan Oil & Gas Corp. WRESTLING [16] Richard & Barbara Bogert [17] Home National Bank MEN’S GOLF [18] W & W Steel Co. [19] Stillwater National Bank [20] OG&E [21] Dennis & Cindy Reilley [22] SemGroup LP [23] Chad Clay [24] Chuck & Kim Watson [25] United Supermarket [26] Lew & Suzanne Meibergen [22,454 pts.] [27] Andy Johnson [28] Phillip & Shannon Smith [29] Bob & Kay Norris [30] OSU President’s Office [31] David Bradshaw [32] Flintco Inc. [33] Jon & Suzanne Wiese [34] OSU Foundation [35] Garland & Penny Cupp [36] Sparks Financial [37] Les Dunavant [38] KNABCO Corp [39] Anonymous [40] David LeNorman [41] A.J. & Susan Jacques WOMEN’S SWIMMING [42] Ed & Mary Malzahn [43] John & Gail Shaw [44] Thomas & Barbara Naugle [45] Richard & Joan Welborn [46] K.D. & Leitner Greiner [47] Larry Bump [48] Russ & Julie Teubner [49] Jim & Barbara Carreker FOOTBALL [50] Mark & Lisa Snell [12,163 pts.] [51] William K. Warren Foundation [52] Scott & Kim Verplank MEN’S GOLF [53] Austin & Betsy Kenyon [54] Johnson’s of Kingfisher [55] Bryant J. Coffman [56] Harvey & Donna Yost [57] James & Mary Barnes [58] Russ Harrison & Natalie Shirley [59] Chandler USA Inc.
[60] Jay & Connie Wiese [61] Jerry & Lynda Baker [62] Bank of Oklahoma [63] Bill & Claudean Harrison [64] Dennis & Bonnie Smith SPIRIT SQUAD [65] John & Sue Taylor [66] Anonymous [67] A-Cross Ranch [68] Bob & Tammie Tway MEN’S GOLF [69] Jay & Fayenelle Helm [70] Norman & Suzanne Myers [71] Titleist & FootJoy Worldwide [72] The Siegenthaler Family [73] Brent & Mary Jane Wooten MEN’S TRACK [74] Ike & Mary Beth Glass [75] Al Litchenburg [76] Greg & Kay Massey [77] E.K. Gaylord [9,012 pts.] [78] Bill & Laurie Dobbs BASEBALL [79] Larry & Shirley Albin [80] John & Jerry Marshall MEN’S GOLF [81] Tom & Patricia Maloney [82] Darton & Jamie Zink [83] David & Marellie Littlefield [84] AEI Corp.-Oklahoma [85] Griff & Mindi Jones [86] The Oklahoman [87] John & Terri Smith [88] Brad & Margie Schultz [89] Greg Casillas [90] M.B. Seretean [91] Spirit Bank [92] Midfirst Bank [93] Emricks Van & Storage [94] Jim & Vicki Click Jr. FOOTBALL [95] Chesapeake Energy Inc. [96] Lambert Construction [97] Jack & Joyce Stuteville [98] Bob & Mary Haiges [99] Judith G. Mace [100] Ron & Marilynn McAfee [101] F&M Bank & Trust [102] BancFirst [103] Jameson Family LLC [6,987 pts.]
[104] [104] [105] [107] [108] [109] [110] [111] [112] [113] [114]
SPIRIT SQUAD
Harriett Phillips Phillip & Susan Ryan Lonnie Jay & Sally Lamprich Kirk & Jan Jewell Ed & Marilyn Keller Pixley Lumber Co. Max & Lynn Elsberry Jerry & Rae Winchester FOOTBALL
Southwest Filter Co. Southern Cross Alliance LLC Wentz Oil Company LLC
FOOTBALL
[5,920,636 points] [115] Bill & Karen Anderson [116] Drummond Investments [117] Jack Allen Jr. [118] Roy & Norma Townsdin [119] AT&T [120] Robert C. & Martha Buford [121] Fletcher Family [122] Edd Bellatti [123] Steve Tuttle [124] Fred Harlan [125] Steve & Judy Thurman [126] Randy & Pati Thurman [5,669 pts.] [127] Jim & Ann Berry [128] Danny & Jeannie Stith [129] Barry & Roxanne Pollard [130] Chris & Julie Bridges [131] Z-Equipment LLC [132] Don Lippert [133] James Hays [134] Jack & Janet Griffith WRESTLING [135] John & Delone Hessel [136] Dick & Carol Ann Powell [137] Joe Tippens [138] Stan & Shannon Clark [139] Frank & Ludmila Robson [140] Jack Bowker Ford [141] Richard & Lawana Kunze [142] SemMaterials [143] Linda Smithton [144] Gary & Mary Ellen Bridwell [5,070 pts.] [145] David & Clydella Hentschel [146] Shane & Kimberlee Smithton FOOTBALL [147] Cust-O-Fab Inc [148] Tom & Marti Carey [149] Shaw’s Gulf Inc. [150] Kent & Margo Dunbar Former athlete or coach OSU Athletics Priority Point System The Priority Point System provides a fair, consistent and transparent method of providing benefits to donors in exchange for their financial investments in OSU Athletics.
Donors gain points four ways:
• Current contributions - All current contributions (cash or stock) are worth 3 points per $100 donated. Planned (deferred) gifts in the new Leave a Legacy Endowment Campaign, will receive 1 point per $100. • Consecutive years of contribution Donors will earn point for each consecutive year of POSSE donations. • Continuous ticket purchases Donors will earn points each year (per sport) for continuous season ticket purchases. • Connection with the university - Donors (or their spouses) who are OSU alumni receive a one-time 10 point bonus, as do OSU faculty and staff members. Points never diminish and will carry over to subsequent years. Donors retain all previously earned Priority Points in their giving history. For questions about the POSSE Priority Point System, e-mail posse@okstate.edu or call us at 405-744-7301.
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photo by PHIL SHOCKLEY
I
Equestrian
n the fall of 1998, OSU needed another women’s sport. After some research, two sports rose to the surface: crew and equestrian. With so many horses in the state, the decision was an easy one. “When Dave Martin started looking at the facts, he found that Oklahoma has more horses per capita and hosts more world, national and breed association championships than any other state in the country,” says OSU equestrian team head coach Larry Sanchez. “We’re in the middle of horse country. What better sport to add here at OSU than equestrian?” Sanchez was hired as head coach on January 4, 1999 and started recruiting for the team. In the eight years since, the team has won the Varsity Equestrian National Championships three times – 2003, 2004 and 2006, as well as the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championship in 2000. In collegiate equestrian, teams compete in four events: Equitation over fences, Equitation on the Flat, Reining and Horsemanship. In each event, riders from each team ride head-to-head on a set of horses provided by the host school. A random draw assigns the riders to specific horses, and the athletes face the challenge of riding an unfamiliar horse after a brief warm-up. The women of the equestrian team excel in competitions as well as in the classroom. “We are very fortunate to have a great group of kids,” says Suzanne Flaig, associate head coach. “They work hard, they support each other, they get good grades.”
The discipline of the equestrian team goes further than riding and achieving in the classroom. The women of the team also help care for the animals and the facilities. Fifty-four horses roam on 20 acres behind the Animal Science Arena on the corner of McElroy and Western. The horses are fed, groomed and maintained not only by the equestrian staff, but by the team as well. On practice days, each of the 60 team members is individually assigned a horse. They are responsible for bringing the horse from the pasture to the barn, grooming, saddling and warming the animals up before practice starts. After practice they must clean all of the tack and cool down the horses before the animals are put back in their paddock. On competition days, the women are involved with the management of the show, as well as the horses. After competitions, they are involved in cleaning the facility and sweeping the barn. “You see a passion in what they are doing. They really love it,” says Sanchez. “When you are doing something that you love, the effort you put into it is going to be greater.” The team has mandatory study time with the academic center and meets with a strength and conditioning coach on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. “Our goal is to help them succeed in the classroom and become better athletes,” says Sanchez. “We want to provide them every opportunity to perform at a higher level.” In the fall of 2000, a new saddling barn was built behind the Animal Science Arena. The barn includes a tack room, locker rooms and coaches’ offices. It’s already too
small. The team locker room is at maximum capacity, and there are no restroom facilities. “The school is supporting us in every way that it can,” says Sanchez. “But we’re bursting at the seams. We’re at our limit as far as what we can do at this facility.” He looks forward to the eventual remodeling of the Swine Barn – part of the OSU Athletic Village expansion plans -- and the large acreage it will provide. Sitting right off State Highway 51, the facility that Sanchez envisions would be as nice as those in Lexington, Ky. Per NCAA rules, the team of 60 also shares just 15 full-scholarships. Sanchez divides those among his team members and has never given a full ride to any one athlete. Just a quarter of one of the equestrian team’s scholarships has been endowed so far. Equestrian has a 144-day playing and practice season, divided between the fall and spring semesters. The team can compete in a maximum of 15 competitions a year. This year, seven competitions will come to the Animal Science Arena, including three in October and a showdown with rival Texas A&M on Nov. 10. For more information about the OSU equestrian team, visit www.okstate.com. Lonna Mann
Once the stadium is bowled in, the noise level will grow and the energy of the crowd will be amazing. It’ll be a special place to watch a football game.
photos by PHIL SHOCKLEY
THE DONORS
Cooper Rick
If you’ve been anywhere near the construction of the west end zone of Boone Pickens Stadium in the last couple of months, you probably noticed the name of a company painted in white all over the steel beams. That company is W&W Steel, and it’s owned and operated by the Cooper family, almost all of whom are OSU fanatics. Their contributions to the stadium represent a labor of love. “It’s not the largest project we have in progress,” says CEO Rick Cooper (’77, business), “but it’s definitely the most important to us. My father, W&W Chairman Bert Cooper, has taken an extreme interest in it. He wants to make sure it’s done right and on time and it’s something we can be proud we helped the university with.” Rick Cooper is as excited about the final project as anyone and says it’s among the nicest athletics facilities he’s ever seen. “I have not been in another NFL or college stadium that is as nice or has the atmosphere that Boone Pickens Stadium
has,” says Cooper. “Once the stadium is bowled in, the noise level will grow and the energy of the crowd will be amazing. It will be a special place to watch a football game.” In many ways, Boone Pickens Stadium is already a special place for the Coopers. On Saturdays when OSU plays at home, you can expect to find a whole bunch of them in attendance, and most of them are OSU alumni. “Between my wife’s family and my own, we’ve had 17 family members attend Oklahoma State,” says Cooper. “My dad was at OSU in Boone’s class. My wife and I were there in the '70s, and my son Tanner and his wife Lindsay graduated in 2004.” The list continues with sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and everyone in between. “We haven’t grabbed them all, but we’ve certainly tried,” he says. Cooper and his wife, Lerri, met at Oklahoma State as freshmen in 1972. “She’s probably the most important thing I took out of OSU,” says Cooper. For the Cooper family, OSU athletics are family get-togethers. “We all go to the games together,” says Cooper. “It’s just gotten to be a family thing for us, as it is for a lot of OSU families. It’s a neat thing to have two or three generations attending athletic events on campus. It’s something we all have in common that we might not necessarily have when we’re trying to pick a movie or decide where to go eat. We all have an
enduring shared interest in OSU athletics. “OSU athletics keeps alumni active and involved,” says Cooper, “which, of course, spills over and benefits the university as a whole. To me, it’s reasonable to assume that success in athletics will only foster more interest and pride in our university. “We still have a lot of work to do to fulfill the vision that Boone Pickens, Mike Holder and the rest of us now have for our athletic program, and it’s going to take the entire OSU family to make it happen,” says Cooper. “We all need to contribute financially at whatever level we can and we will get there.” The Coopers give in other ways to OSU as well. Bert Cooper, recently funded an endowed professorship in the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology. In addition, Rick Cooper frequently helps to provide jobs to OSU graduates. “We’re always looking to hire OSU grads. There aren’t many universities that put out as good a product as OSU does. It’s a great education that’s also a terrific bargain.” W&W Steel has offices and plants in 10 locations across the country, as well as an office in India. “We’d like to have OSU grads at all of them,” says Cooper. Cory Cheney
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ANATOMY OF A PLAY
photos by PHIL SHOCKLEY
SIX MINUTES.
For six minutes at the end of the second quarter, it looked like Big Mo had swung the way of Florida Atlantic. Moments before, Adarius Bowman had jetted toward the northeast corner of the east endzone, leaped in the air, and with FAU cornerback Corey Small in his face, came down with the ball. Bowman took two steps, Small draped all over him, then the two crashed to the ground, sliding out of bounds. Small ripped the ball away. The officials awarded FAU the interception. Then the replay ran. The whole football stadium erupted in outrage. Gundy ran to the sideline official and pointed at the screen, challenging the call. Cowboy fans, players and coaches anxiously waited as the officials reviewed the tape. And waited. And waited. If you ask Adarius Bowman, he’ll tell you it was always a touchdown, that the guy didn’t take the ball until they were on the ground. As it turns out, Bowman was right. Then again, all the refs needed to do was come look at the pictures on our photographer’s camera.
TOUCHDOWN, COWBOYS.
21FAU6
OSU
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3
The route is called “Quick 9,” according to offensive coordinator Larry
NCAA Rules Completed Pass
Fedora. “It’s a basic three-step route where the QB gets the ball in the air as fast as possible with the proper trajec-
ARTICLE 6. Any forward pass is completed when caught by a player of the passing team who is inbounds, and the ball continues in play unless completed in the opponent’s end zone or the pass has been caught simultaneously by opposing players. If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by opposing players inbounds, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the passing team.
tory so that it’s in a position where only our receiver can catch it over his outside shoulder, away from the defender,” says Fedora.
“The receiver must attack the defender’s inside shoulder and hold his line while fading at the last possible moment to the ball. He must know
(Rule 2-2-7) (A.R. 2-2-7-III and A.R. 7-3-6-I-IX).
2
where the ball will be before he ever looks. It takes a lot of practice.”
1
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THE END
WRAY.VINGS
T
he other day I ran across an old photograph of myself. It was at a birthday party (my own). I must have been 10 or 12 years old, and I was dressed in a football jersey. On the kitchen table in front of me were two items. One was a NFL football signed by O.J. Simpson. On the box it said, “Officially signed by an NFL hero.” My, how times have changed. The other item was a cherry-chip birthday cake. My mom knew it was my favorite, and I think I ate half of it. Years later, for no good reason, I decided to try to bake a cake of my own. I’m not sure why. I am about as adept in the kitchen as General Custer was at touring Little Big Horn. How hard could it be? Mix the ingredients given to me by Betty Crocker herself, set it and forget it. The first thing I discovered is there is a fine skill associated with applying enough pressure to crack an egg and not break the egg. Too bad it took me a dozen attempts to get the “feel” of it. The rest of the recipe seemed pretty easy until it came time to mix it all together. Who knew electric mixers were so powerful? Too much cake mix on the wall and floor, not enough in the bowl. Start over. More eggs. Clean up later or let the dog in? Finally, with the goo blended and in the cake pan, I set it in the oven at 350 degrees. Now the one thing I did not want to happen was for the cake to burn. I had seen my mother skillfully insert a toothpick in the middle of a cake towards the end of the baking time. If the toothpick came out with no batter sticking to it, it was done. Good idea. I tried it. Several times. By the time I had “checked” the cake an appropriate number of times, it looked like it had lost a fight with a porcupine. And by opening the oven 15 times, the cake was… well, very rare. Julia Child would not have been impressed. So I did what any sane man would do if he wanted cake -- I drove to Wal-Mart and bought one. Building a successful football program is surprisingly similar to cake making. You have to start with the right ingredients: top-notch facilities to attract the nation’s best student-athletes; great coaches and support personnel with the promise of security and consistency that enables steady recruitment opportunities as well as strength and conditioning advantages. And then there is a critical element: time. A measure of patience is paramount in the long-term performance of a football program. In our world of instant access to information, news, entertainment and everything else under the sun, the old adage still rings true: You can’t rush success. Ultimately you have to read and follow the directions, mix well and place in the oven at the right temperature. Then you wait. Without opening the door. Remember, it’s OK to break an egg or two and spill some flour. When the cake is finished and the candles are lit, everyone will appreciate the journey it took to get there. Kyle Wray
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“Give yourself a break: take five.”
You’ll be amazed how much you’ll save when you take these five powerful steps to use energy wisely: 1. Replace lights with compact fluorescent light bulbs. They give just as much light, but last much longer and use 75 percent less electricity. 2. Replace your old heating and cooling system with a new, high-efficiency system. Consider a geothermal system — they’re about 200 percent more energy efficient, and may qualify for lowinterest financing.
3. Insulate, caulk and weatherstrip your home. Most people don’t realize that a third of their energy bill can come from air leakage alone. 4. Set your water heater thermostat at 120ºF. Adding a water heater blanket can cut water heating costs another 10 percent. 5. Shade your house. Plant trees that shed leaves to give shade in the summer and admit sunlight in the winter.
Saving energy and money is in our power See more energy-saving tips at www.oge.com. ©2007 OGE Energy Corp.