YOU DON’T MESS
WITH
MOTHER NATURE
AS I WRITE THIS PIECE, I’M LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW AT A HALF-INCH OF FLURRIES. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WINTER STORM DESCRIBED BY METEOROLOGISTS AS ARMAGEDDON BLIZZARD 2015. Your local grocery store aisles reflect
challenging for the fans because, let’s be
MOTHER NATURE moves lines and
the results of our so-called winter weather
honest, who doesn’t want to rush out and
blows wind in different directions in sports
catastrophe. Maybe it’s a conspiracy to
get that new hat and sweatshirt, drink the
too. Sometimes, she lets you catch a
sell more? By the time you read this it will
Kool-Aid and put on the colored glasses?
second punt. At other times, she gives you the inspiration to put a defensive tackle
probably be 85 degrees and sunny. Or it
Those glasses help you believe the print
could be two-below and sleeting. Spring
and buy the hype. A lot of people like to
in the backfield … and then throw to him.
is a funny season around here. But then
gather around the water cooler and spout
Teams go on winning and losing streaks. Winning streaks always seem
again,
ALL of them are funny seasons
the statistics given by the local writers
around here. I have a friend from New York
or the radio and television professionals
fleeting, while losing streaks appear as an
who visited Oklahoma in mid-August and
when the forecast is for sunny skies in ref-
endless odyssey across the Gobi.
due to the heat, expected to see the devil
erence to “your” team in a particular sport.
This winter we have seen two visit-
OVERLY POSITIVE PRESEASON PONTIFICATION
ing teams who were supposed to leave
himself running around at the Cowboy
Caravan in Tulsa.
is even more problematic for players. No
Stillwater victorious, one in men’s bas-
When weather experts use technol-
coach wants their players believing they
ogy and attempt to perform a predic-
have the conference won, or a single game
ketball and one in wrestling. According to the professionals, the Cowboys didn’t stand much of a chance at victory. But all victory needs is a
tive analysis, they still have to rely on the
for that matter, before the season starts.
whims of MOTHER NATURE . She can
Someone once said that compliments and
still move a freezing line north or south
poison are only fatal if you swallow them.
and change the wind direction in a nano-
The other end of the spectrum is when
chance, and some people to believe. Shoot, our entire country is based on that one.
second. It’s an educated guess based on
we read or hear about how bad a team is
the information they have.
going to be in a particular sport or season.
Regardless of the sport or the season,
The band GREAT WHITE released a
Haven’t we learned by now there are a host
we watch. We cheer. We support. The
single in 1989 called, “Once Bitten Twice
of variables that determine team success
sun sets and it comes up again. The great
Shy.“ It was a song that told the girl the
in conference play? There is experience
thing is, when life gives you an orange, we
guy had been burned before, so he was
or
LACK of it. Injuries play a big role, for
make orange juice. And if a little bit spills,
slow to step out there again. A few years
your team as well as for those competing
it’s ok. It happens to match the clothes
later, country crooner GEORGE STRAIT
against you. Some players underperform,
you’re wearing.
sang: “FOOL ME ONCE SHAME ON YOU … FOOL
others play above their heads.
GO POKES!
ME TWICE SHAME ON ME.”
82
For many players, underperformance
We all get taken in sometimes. For better or for worse. Especially when it
comes to visit, and never leaves. For others,
comes to sports. There are times when
game until they have developed an
achieving at a high level occurs game after
we read and believe the headlines that
ALLAMERICA TYPE CAREER. The point is, it’s not
say how great a team is and or how won-
a single event or even a single season that
derful the season is going to turn out. Of
is important. Like most of us have found
course these predictions seem to always
out about life, it’s a journey.
come well before the season starts. It’s
take time and patience.
SPRING 2015
Journeys
KYLE WRAY VICE PRESIDENT ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT & MARKETING