wray.vings KYLE WRAY
COWBOY UP
Ever get into a car with a group of people, take one deep breath and smell something so rank it had everyone immediately checking the bottoms of their shoes? Steve and I found ourselves in this position after a quail-hunting trip. We got up into the truck and quickly smelled something fowl (dogs were not the suspects, but there were lots of cows around). You do the math … or maybe it’s science. We shrugged and arrived at the decision, ‘where there are cows, Cowboys usually follow. Maybe that is 82
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where we “stepped in it.” At Oklahoma State, we have the greatest mascot in the country. What could be cooler than a Cowboy? As a group, they conquered and settled the American West. As individuals they strike a rugged romantic chord, easily identifiable as historic and present day heroes. There are silver screen Cowboys: John Wayne, Matt Dillon, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Clint Eastwood. They roped, rode and rifled their way into our hearts from an early age. And don’t let anyone tell you “Cowboys” is a male-only term. Some of the most famous “Cowboys” in history had names like Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane and Belle Starr. To have a real story about a real Cowboy like Frank Eaton puts us in rarified air. We don’t have a mascot whose lore lies in a zoo escapee or caged feline. Nor do we follow a group of cattle or restrained ponies. Cowboys are free, smart and creative. They are tough but helpful. There is a certain Cowboy ethic that compels them to always employ a True Grit type POSSE 09
of effort in all they do. The neat thing about being a Cowboy is you don’t have to wear Justins and a Resistol to be one. Of course if you do, it removes all doubt. You don’t have to know the difference between a Palomino and an Appaloosa. You do have to know you love Oklahoma State and carry a certain Horatio Alger (look that one up) type of attitude. Cowboys are kind and polite, until its time to step into the street and take care of business. Some Cowboys use a rope, others use a fountain pen. Different tools, same determination. One Cowboy drives a truck, another a luxury car. Opposite modes of transportation, same smile and wave as you pass. So sit tall in the saddle, hold your head high and take pride in our one-of-a-kind western heritage. My advice — regardless of what you drive — if you’re around some cows, check the bottoms of your boots before you get in.
Go Pokes.