95 Final Four Reunion Brings Back Memories and More Momentum for Eddie Sutton to the Hall
STILLWATER -- Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Superman didn't look like Superman? How about picturing that line from the Jim Croce song about pulling the mask off the Lone Ranger? I don't know about Jim, the character in that song, but nobody messed with Eddie Sutton, at least not until the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Many of the players, Bryant "Big Country" Reeves, Randy Rutherford, Scott Pierce, sixth-man Chianti Roberts, Terry Collins, and freshmen Jason Skaer and Tommy Warner all made it back for the 1995 Final Four Reunion and salute. There were support staffers like Steve Buzzard from Sports Information; Mike Strauss, who was the primary contact for the media with that team; and team trainer Steve York. Former players, even some that played with Coach Sutton like Arlen Clark and Mel Right were there too.
Coach Sutton takes a picture with former Oklahoma State basketball athletic trainer Steve York.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
A celebration on Friday night was followed by brunch on Saturday before the game as the memories came spilling out about a team that lost by a whopping 15 points to Providence in the Dunkin' Donuts Center, then one game later lost their Big Eight opener on the road to a very average Kansas State team 74-66.
"I was walking out of Bramlage Coliseum with Coach Sutton," relayed Mike Strauss. "He looked at me and said, 'Mike, this my be one of my worst teams ever.' What he meant I think was it was one of his most underachieving teams. What he did in getting that team turned around and into the Final Four was one of the most amazing coaching jobs I've ever seen and that was the memory for me."
"Yeah, I think we got beat at Providence by 30 points and then lost our opener in the Big Eight at Kansas State and Coach Sutton broke us down and built us back up into team that could make it to the Final Four," added Chianti Roberts.
Teammate Scott Pierce credits Coach Sutton for taking Roberts out of the starting line-up and inserting Pierce at the high post.
"I was able to help Country some, but Chianti was so versatile, he could play all five positions," Pierce explained. "Wherever we struggled early, foul trouble, defensive issues, mistakes, Chianti came in at that position and stabilized us. He could play everything from post to point guard."
The memories flowed freely during all the events, but the architect of the entire operation, head coach Eddie Sutton, took pictures from his wheelchair, smiled a few times, but never saw him say a word. Speaking with several of the players and support staff from that celebrated season, they agreed that it was hard to see Eddie Sutton that way. The same man that could break a player with his stare, make that glare from the other side of the floor. The coach that paced the hardwood sending teams to the Final Four from Arkansas and Oklahoma State (twice) and guiding Creighton and Kentucky into the NCAA Tournament becoming the first coach to take four different teams into March Madness, barely resembles the mountain of a man that his players and so many fans choose to remember him being.
Oklahoma State point guard Isaac Likekele dribbles in the first half in the classic Oklahoma State uniform from 1994-95.
USA Today Sports Images - Rob Ferguson | 2020 Feb 15
The 1995 Final Four Reunion wasn't all about Sutton, but somehow things often flow that way. Oklahoma State in the uniforms that the 95 team wore, the black road uniforms and the visitors, with Sean Sutton, an assistant for his dad on that team and now executive advisor to head coach Chris Beard at Texas Tech, wore a special warm up shirt. The shirts said Hall of Fame on the front and Coach Sutton with the number of wins 806 on the back. A very classy move by Beard and the Red Raiders.
Cowboys assistant Scott Sutton in the background as a Texas Tech player warming up sports the shooting shirt honoring Eddie Sutton and a pitch for him to be voted into the Hall of Fame.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
There is no shortage of support for Sutton, again a finalist as he was named on Feb. 14 from the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. The candidates that get 75 percent of the secret ballot voting and will be in are revealed at the Final Four.
"He is one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game, so it's a shame on the (Basketball) Hall of Fame that he is not in there," sharp shooting All-Big Eight guard from that team Randy Rutherford said.
"It is a shame on the Hall of Fame that he's not in there. Randy's right, he is a one of the greatest coaches ever," added Big Country Reeves, We all knew that when he was coaching us."
Chianti Roberts, Bryant Reeves, and Randy Rutherford answer questions for the media and give their pitches for their coach, Eddie Sutton, to be voted into the Hall of Fame.
Robert Allen - Pokes Report publisher
Then there was the player that not only was the most versatile for those Cowboy teams, but also the best quote, Roberts, that summed it up best.
"He proved what he was as a head coach because he coached the game in so many different eras," started Roberts. "He coached when there was no three-point shot and no shot clock. He coached with a three-point shot and no shot clock. He coached with a three-point shot and a shot clock, and he coached with a shortened shot clock. He taught us about life by coaching us basketball. He should be in the Hall of Fame. In fact, I think of him as being in the Hall of Fame."
The reunion was a huge success as the current team treated the Final Four alumni to a game similar to many they used to grind out in the old Big Eight, a 73-70 triumph. Theses Cowboys are playing much better the past two weeks.
Across from the bench as the game finished up, Eddie Sutton had the slightest of smiles.
It would be nice to see him smile being introduced into the Naismith Hall of Fame. The shot clock is winding down and if that is going to happen while he is still with us and not only a memory then it needs to happen soon.
