Spring & early summer are usually strong months for OSU athletics–golf, softball and baseball. This year, no college world series for either sex and no golf tournaments. However, the pokes have maintained a strong presence on the worldwide leader of sports–espn. To start with, Gundy made some remarks early on during the covid deal. Then his t-shirt blew up the internet and this gave a bunch of the talking heads something to talk about.
Recently, they aired “Eddie”. A documentary about Coach Eddie Sutton. It was a well made program that showed both sides of the story. I knew Coach Sutton was successful at Arkansas. I did not realize that he was afro perm in a hot tub doing a coach’s show big time. Wicked! It is apparent that this guy could coach the game as well as any, yet faced a demon or two.
Tonight, they aired the program “Finding Big Country”. I haven’t seen it yet. I will later tonight when it shows up on espn+.
Big Country and I were at OSU at the same time. I didn’t know him. I saw him on campus and he was easy to pick out. I watched a lot of basketball during that time. I didn’t know any of the Sutton family. But I liked the way they played the game. That family was a fit for Okie State.
However, I do have a story about my freshman year at OSU. There is a family from Shattuck that has a lot of ties to the Oklahoma State University. Several family members have played numerous sports while attending the great cow college in Stillwater, OK.
In the fall of 1989, I got a phone call from this family. They asked if I wanted to make a few dollars a month doing some tasks. Sure. I was given the address of the house. The homeowners wouldn’t be around much. I had to rake leaves. Pick up limbs after wind storms. Sweep the garage. Just menial tasks, but hey, $20 is $20 when you are in college. I didn’t know who lived there. Didn’t care. It was a nice place but not anything retarded fancy.
In the spring of 1990. I don’t remember the date– end of March, first of April. I got a call from this family. We need you to go to that residence and do some quick clean up work. The owners are coming back to town and things need to look right. Sure thing.
So, I headed to the place. Made sure the yard was clean, all trash barrels were empty, garage was tidy and ready to go. As I was finishing up, a car pulled into the drive. I looked as the people got out of the car. I immediately recognized the man as he got out. Oh crap! I’ve seen him on tv and in lots of pictures. He walked up to me, shook my hand, asked my name, introduced himself and thanked me for keeping things in order. We talked about how I knew the family in Shattuck. I told him that I grew up with their kids. He asked if I was a basketball fan. I said, “I wish we were better.” He then said, “Young man, tomorrow we are announcing a new basketball coach. We are bringing home one of our own and it’s going to be a good thing.” He gave me a $10 bill for a tip and thanked me again. I left and went back to class.
I told some buddies that I met Coach Iba. Of course, they told me that I was full of $h!t. I didn’t have a picture or a check from him. I just had a story. But, the very next day, Coach Sutton was announced as the new basketball coach. So, there was a bit of credence to my story. And from then on, Coach Iba was at more and more games and was back around Stillwater more often. 30 years ago was a different time. I might have gotten a selfie but I guarantee that there would have been no mention of why he was back in town.
This story has no meaning and no tie to the goat industry. It’s just one of those memories as I was watching “Eddie”.
Some students and I took some welding projects to the powder coaters. Ironically, these projects are being built for that same Shattuck family. We turned in Tulsa nominations. (We are acting like they are actually going to have a Tulsa show?!?!) We used the wee-bander on a potential show goat. Checked some sheep & cattle projects and then called it a day as it was getting HOT!!!
Have a good one and a better tomorrow.
