Grounded
Friday, September 10, 2021
What it was like being in the air on 9/11 gers the plane would be escorted to the ground by an F-16. Taking off from Oklahoma City early in the morning, Kyle Wray, Anna Pope senior vice president of executive affairs for News Editor Oklahoma State, said he was going to speak at a Before Kyle Wray’s marketing conference in flight landed on the Fort Myers, Florida and morning of 9/11, the pilot the plane was due to land announced to the passen- in Atlanta, Georgia.
When the pilot made this announcement, Wray said when he looked out the window, sure enough, the fighter jet was beside them. When they landed, Wray, a frequent flier, said the pilot returned and said there were no gates available.
That’s what cowboys do See Grounded on 4A
Habbie Colen
On the morning of 9/11 Kyle Wray was on a flight to a marketing conference.
Lessons Garth Brooks learned on his path from Willie’s to superstardom would echo throughout stadiums and arenas on Oklahoma State game days. Aside from the two Grammys and numerous hit songs, Brooks’ songs are an OSU tradition. When his song “Friends in Low Places” plays at home football games or at the bars, thousands Ryan Novozinsky of people sing it in unison. The same Staff Reporter thing happens when he sells out the biggest stadiums in America on his In 1986, with ‘American Pie’ tour. by Don McLean blaring in the back“I’m ground, a 24-year-old Garth Brooks not saying leaned on the bar at Willie’s, guzzled a ‘Friends in 25 cent pitcher of cold beer and thought Low Places’ about his future. is on the level One could blame it on his buzz, of ‘American or maybe the cigarette smoke engulfPie’ or ‘Piano ing him, but he was having serious Man,’” Brooks self doubts. He loved playing concerts said. “With that at Stillwater’s Washington Street, said, it’s hard to but Brooks wanted to be an icon like find someMcLean. He dreamed of having a song body everyone knew. “You ended the night at Willie’s with ‘Piano Man’ or ‘You Never Even Called Me by My Name’ or ‘American Pie’ and you think, ‘man, how cool would it be to be associated with one of these kind of songs?’” Brooks told The O’Colly in an exclusive interview. Little did he know, years later his songs
who doesn’t know the words to it.” While he understands his status, Brooks has taken a humble approach since his college days. When someone suggests he is one of the greats, he immediately responds with someone who he thinks is great, like Robin Ventura and Barry Sanders. Brooks attributes his success and humility to lessons he learned at OSU. He ranks attending OSU near the top of his achievements. “The things that I’m proudest of, other than my children and being married to the love of my life, would have to be that I’m an Oklahoma State Cowboy,” Brooks said. His legend continues to grow at OSU, decades after he graduated. Students and faculty constantly bring his name up. “I came here
from Fort Worth in 2018 and when I get asked the best place to go in Stillwater, I always refer to Willie’s because it’s where Garth first performed,” said OSU student Keaton Hargett. Some who saw Brooks’ rise predicted his fame. OSU public address announcer Larry Reece said Brooks was close with some of OSU’s most famous students, but still shines as one of the most notable alumni. “During the 1980’s, OSU had three students who would go on to become GOATs,” Reece said. “Robin Ventura had the all time longest hitting streak of 58 games and would become a major league all star. Barry Sanders set 34 rushing records and is considered the greatest running back ever to play the game. Then there’s Garth Brooks who went from playing Willie’s on the strip to selling more music than any other solo artist in history. All friends and as humble as anybody you could ever meet. It’s the Cowboy way.” Although some things can change when a person becomes famous, according to Brooks, he still performs every show the same way he did at Willie’s. “(At Willie’s) we ended every night with ‘American Pie’ and the last time I played in Lincoln, Nebraska, in front of 91,000 people, the last song we did was ‘American Pie.’” news.ed@ocolly.com
Unanswered prayers Tribune News Service
Ryan Novozinsky Staff Reporter File photo Garth Brooks earned a degree in advertising from Oklahoma State in 1984.
Garth Brooks desperately wants to perform at OSU – but ac-
cording to him, it is impossible. “Logistically, it’s not possible to play there,” Brooks told The O’Colly in an exclusive interview airing Friday on O’Colly TV. “Would I want to play there? Hell yeah. That’d be like ordering two buffets at a pizza joint. There’s no better place to play.” Brooks, a 1984 alumnus, has been doing a stadium tour since 2019, but Boone Pickens Stadium
never came up as a possible location. As a result, thousands of Twitter users started the “#GarthToBPS” campaign in an attempt to persuade the two-time Grammy winner to play there. Unfortunately for these users, Boone Pickens Stadium is not built properly to suit Brooks’ concerts. See Prayers on 3A