Coach Sutton Had So Many Admirers and Some Made It to See Him This Weekend
MIAMI, Okla -- I was sitting here in Miami with my son Zach, his wife Sam, my wife Lynne, and in the other room was my grandson Cash. When we first heard that Coach Sutton may have passed away this evening, I told everybody in the room that the two greatest coaches that I covered their teams in person in my professional career were Eddie Sutton and Gary Ward. Of course, Ward's son Roger is the head baseball coach at NEO A&M Junior College, and my son is friends with him as the head football coach at the same school. I was proud to hear Zach say, "no question," when I made my pronouncement of the two greatest coaches that I covered.
Zach grew up in the Eddie Sutton era at Oklahoma State. As a son of two Cowboys, the nephew of a long-time administrator at the University, Zach loved the Cowboys and he loved going to watch Eddie Sutton's teams play. Once, after Zach had his elbow cracked in baseball taking a fastball on the point of the elbow he received a package in the mail. It was one of those famous Eddie Sutton letters telling Zach to get well soon and it included a Cowboy basketball t-shirt. I had no idea that Coach Sutton even knew about it. I have no idea how.
That was Eddie Sutton. He was a prolific letter writer. He would send letters and gifts of good will to those he knew. He would read about somebody down on their luck and needing a break and would send them a letter of encouragement and include a check.
It is no surprise that as Eddie Sutton was knocking on heaven's door this Memorial Day weekend that many of his former players like Randy Rutherford, Bryant Reeves and others along with friends and admirers that were close to him made the pilgrimage to Tulsa to say good-bye. Sutton was there today receiving hospice care with his sons and family close by. Just this week, his grandson Spencer, was named head basketball coach at Lubbock's Trinity Christian High School making it three generations of coaches in the Sutton clan.
That had to give Coach Sutton joy just as the announcement that he had made it into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame did two months ago.
Today, one close friend to Eddie Sutton and the family told me that Coach Sutton's eyes opened wide and his presence picked up with all the former players and admirers stopping by, but a call from close friend and former President Bill Clinton really had Coach's eyes going wide open and more expressive.
For so many years, the former player for Henry Iba at Oklahoma A&M and Oklahoma State; the son of Bucklin, Kansas; the extra successful coach at every stop; brought a huge smile back to the face of Iba when he returned to Stillwater to breath life into the program Iba put so much of his life into.
It was a tough time. Football had just been a big winner, but all that was tarnished by a massive probation that put the program in the Big Eight basement. Wrestling was also on probation. Baseball was a big winner and golf maintained it's strong profile. Still, Oklahoma State needed something to be proud of. The athletic department and it's fans needed something to enjoy and success that could be built on in a sport that really resonated. Sutton delivered with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, two Final Fours (1995 and 2004), three regular season conference championships, and three conference tournament championships.
Eddie Sutton won 368 basketball games at Oklahoma State, more than anyone other than his coach and his mentor, Mr. Iba.
There is a case to be made that Sutton's wins counted more. They came at a time when Oklahoma State badly needed them. Make no mistake, and current head football coach Mike Gundy will tell you. Sutton kept Cowboy athletics relevant and helped it into the era it currently enjoys with strong programs virtually across the board. Eddie Sutton is on the Mt. Rushmore of Oklahoma State coaches and of the most influential people in the school's history.
A legend has passed and one that despite his faults has put Oklahoma State then and now in a position to thrive.
