Pat Kinnison - Oklahoma State Maven
Hot Takes: Things to Dig and Despise
The dog days of winter – yes, this is a thing, when school is out and attention wanes – near an end.
Classes resume Monday and the pace picks up across the board for athletics. Heck, Cowboy baseball’s season opener is 37 days away. One month plus!
So buckle up for the ride ahead.
Not that there’s a lack of things to talk about now. Oh, there are chatter-worthy topics, led by the the Chuba Watch gripping us all. And that ain’t all.
There’s good, and bad. Here are some things I dig. And some things I despise.
THINGS I DIG
Chuba Twitter. I offer no inside information on what the Chuba Hubbard will do, stay or go, but I’m here for the watch on Twitter. Tylan Wallace announced he’ll be returning, and soon after Canadian flags began to flood my Twitter feed. From teammates. From coaches. From intriguing places, like former (future?) offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Surely some of this was orchestrated. And the campaign, while simple and understated, has been nothing short of fantastic. Hubbard even weighed one day, after it was suggested someone had sources indicating the decision to jump to the NFL was already made. Whatever Hubbard does, for a few weeks during the dog days, we couldn’t take our eyes off him again.
John Smith, GOAT. If you ever wonder if John Smith has lost some of his swag, think again. Dominance in collegiate wrestling may have expanded to include more teams, taking the spotlight away from OSU of late. But Smith is still working hard, coaching and recruiting, and the Pokes will likely be back on top soon. Meanwhile, Smith continues to look and act the part of the GOAT.
Discovered Optimism. OSU fans struggled to deal with the flow of the 2019 football season. And granted, it was a carnival ride, with twists and turns and eruptions and injuries marking the season. The Cowboys finished 8-5, creating increasing grumbles as the Texas Bowl played out with a thud while at least three assistant coaches were reportedly considering an exit. But then, almost magically, the narrative shifted. Kasey Dunn, OSU’s valued receiver whisperer, did an end around in pulling out of a gig with UNLV to remain with the Cowboys. Wallace announced his return. Hubbard remains a possibility, which is something in this age of running backs saving as many hits as possible for their paydays. Wallace and Hubbard rank among the absolute best at their positions in college football, so those are premium pieces for the offense, which also returns quarterback Spencer Sanders, who some have in the early top 10 of next year’s Heisman race. Realization also set in that the Pokes return 21 of 22 players who made up the Texas Bowl defensive two-deep. And suddenly, 2020 oozed with optimism. Sure, Sean Gleeson left for a job at Rutgers, but that’s a spot of plug-and-play for Mike Gundy. The offense will be just fine.
Spring Sensations. March, April, May and even June always offer OSU fans with reasons to keep watching. Baseball and softball, men’s and women’s tennis, golf and track and field are always in contention. And unlike some other schools, you like your springs sensations in Stillwater. And it’s not just the games we’re eyeing this spring. The addition of another new palace – O’Brate Stadium – should delight as a fan-friendly environment offering something for everyone. Looking forward to these offerings makes the dog days much warmer.
THINGS I DESPISE
Fire The Coach. Hey, it’s not just the OSU fan base; it’s all too common across the land, disappointingly so. But c’mon, be better than that. It’s not always going to go your way. There will be wins and losses. Artistic wins. Hideous losses. That’s sports, especially when they involve 18-to-22 year olds. Both teams prep for games. Both teams have game plans. Some plays work, some don’t, although every play is designed to work. Still, fans get easily frustrated, and in because the games are personal to them, they start calling for heads to roll. Fire him. And him. And her. It’s never bench so-and-so when he’s shooting 2-of-19 from the floor. It’s, “Well, coach didn’t prepare the team.” That’s nonsense.
PLAYING SHORTHANDED
The Cowboys were snakebit during the football season, losing Wallace and later Sanders, both major losses. Now the men’s basketball team has battle the bug, literally. OSU lost three games while Isaac Likekele was out with an illness, and another Monday night with Thomas Dziagwa missing with the flu. These Cowboys aren’t deep enough to just fill the gap. Not yet. Now, missing persons aren’t all that ails the Cowboys. Other issues are at play, for sure. But playing without starters isn’t ideal, either.
