Cowboys Reflect on Bedlam Feelings
STILLWATER -- As disappointing as it is, there's no denying the fact that the Bedlam series hasn't gone the way Oklahoma State would like. In fact, there's only been eight OSU wins since 1976.
But for Oklahoma State fans, and players and coaches alike, that only intensifies the rivalry game that dates back to 1904.
Fans of Oklahoma State and Oklahoma understand the rivalry and have always had this deep-seeded loathing for one another, but for Oklahoma State, a large portion of the team is from outside the state of Oklahoma.
So, what was it like for some of those guys? Did they understand, or know anything of Bedlam before they stepped on campus? Or did they first learn of it once they got to Stillwater? For corner A.J. Green, it was once he got to Stillwater.
“Not being from Oklahoma, I didn’t even know much of the rivalry,” A.J. Green said. “When I got here my freshman year, I saw it was a big deal; I mean the stands were packed out, they were talking about it weeks before and I knew there was a lot at stake. So, the atmosphere, you could just feel it in the atmosphere, so this is a real rivalry.”
For center Johnny Wilson, it was the same way.
“Oh, it was instant,” Wilson said of how quickly he understood the Bedlam rivalry. “All the other guys; [Zach] Crabtree, James [Washington], Mason [Rudolph], all those guys, as soon as Bedlam week hit, it was different. It’s still the same, stayed the same, so we’re really excited to play them and hopefully play a really good game.”
For guys like head coach Mike Gundy, he's been immersed in Bedlam since a young age. He grew up in Oklahoma, he played quarterback for the Pokes and he's been on staff at Oklahoma State for over two decades. He was on staff from 1990 to 1995, left for a few seasons and came back in 2001.
I asked him to look back through his time being involved in the Bedlam rivalry and see if he could come up with some of his favorite memories. He answered almost immediately and it was a short and sweet answer.
"Well, when [Brandon] Weeden played and when Tyreek [Hill] played. Those were good ones."
Those are coach Gundy's only two wins as either a player, or as the Head Coach, and they were rather sweet to watch.
The Cowboys have an offense that's clicking, as well as a much-improved defense that's playing the best football we've seen from an OSU defense in quite sometime.
Can the Cowboys pull off another upset this season and find themselves the Bedlam victors in Stillwater this coming Saturday, adding to the sweet memories of Cowboy fans? Oklahoma's proved over the decades that they're a rather tough mountain to climb, but I certainly think that it's possible this season.
