MajorMike
01-24-2007, 09:45 AM
O-State coach proves to fans that he 'gets it'
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
1/24/2007
STILLWATER -- A poignant moment in the aftermath of Monday night's Bedlam basketball game at Gallagher-Iba Arena was missed by most of those in the sold-out crowd.
It was one of those scenes that told you Sean Sutton "gets it." It also demonstrated why Oklahoma State doesn't defer to anyone in the Big 12 Conference when it comes to the league's best basketball school.
And, yes, that includes tradition-rich Kansas and its astute fan base.
The majority of the 14,042 spectators who watched OSU's 66-61 victory over Oklahoma were filing out of the historic arena when Sutton sprung into action.
In a spontaneous move that resembled the combination of a traffic cop and tour guide, OSU's first-year coach waved his arms, pointed and grabbed several players to direct them toward the student-section seating. If they still didn't understand, Sutton personally escorted them to the behind-the-basket areas where the Pokes' loudest and proudest fans had remained to soak in the victory.
Within seconds, guard JamesOn Curry, forward Mario Boggan and several other Cowboys were in the middle of celebrations at both ends of the court. They danced, jumped and hollered right along with their orange-clad classmates and fans.
Sutton didn't venture into the center of either victory dance. But he also didn't remain in the middle of the court directing traffic. He eventually ran down to both ends of the court, pointing to the crowd and applauding them in appreciation for their eardrum-bursting vocal support the previous three hours.
A former OSU point guard, Sutton has long understood the importance of a home-court advantage. And now that he's the coach at his alma mater, he wanted the students and other fans to realize he still gets it when it comes to recognizing their impact on a game
About 90 minutes after the commotion had subsided and OSU's marvelous and historic arena sat quiet and empty, Sutton stood in a hallway and explained his post-game actions.
"It's not something we've done here very often," Sutton said. "But I wanted our players to go acknowledge them (fans), and let them know how much we appreciate them.
"A lot of those guys (and girls) had been out there since Thursday, camping in tents in this weather."
That's correct. A Tent City was formed late last week by OSU's most loyal and rabid students. They weren't going to allow an historic ice storm and frigid temperatures stop them from forming a line outside the arena, so they could score the prime seats once the doors opened 90 minutes before tip-off.
Not a single one of those dedicated OSU students was allowed to sit inside the arena, although the wide hallways would allow a warm harbor during their marathon vigil.
KU students have a similar passion. But many early arriving students are allowed to camp out in the corridors of venerable Allen Fieldhouse instead of battling the elements.
KU and some other schools have Tent Cities. But no student group in the Big 12 is outside as long, often and faithfully as those hearty hoop souls at OSU.
"I told our guys afterwards," Sutton said, "that they don't understand how fortunate they are to have the fans and the students that we have here, night-in and night-out, to provide a great atmosphere to play in."
First-year Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel came away from his first Bedlam experience impressed by the intensity on the court and in the bleachers. The former Duke point guard understands rivalries and arenas after spending his college career playing in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and against hated in-state rival North Carolina.
"You have the same passion here from the fans," Capel said. "You see all that orange in there and it reminds you of the Smith Center (at North Carolina) and all the blue that is in there.
"These (OSU) fans are very, very passionate about their basketball team and their university. This is a great place to play basketball."
And a great place to watch it, even if it means spending nearly 100 hours inside an ice-covered tent warming up your vocal cords.
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
1/24/2007
STILLWATER -- A poignant moment in the aftermath of Monday night's Bedlam basketball game at Gallagher-Iba Arena was missed by most of those in the sold-out crowd.
It was one of those scenes that told you Sean Sutton "gets it." It also demonstrated why Oklahoma State doesn't defer to anyone in the Big 12 Conference when it comes to the league's best basketball school.
And, yes, that includes tradition-rich Kansas and its astute fan base.
The majority of the 14,042 spectators who watched OSU's 66-61 victory over Oklahoma were filing out of the historic arena when Sutton sprung into action.
In a spontaneous move that resembled the combination of a traffic cop and tour guide, OSU's first-year coach waved his arms, pointed and grabbed several players to direct them toward the student-section seating. If they still didn't understand, Sutton personally escorted them to the behind-the-basket areas where the Pokes' loudest and proudest fans had remained to soak in the victory.
Within seconds, guard JamesOn Curry, forward Mario Boggan and several other Cowboys were in the middle of celebrations at both ends of the court. They danced, jumped and hollered right along with their orange-clad classmates and fans.
Sutton didn't venture into the center of either victory dance. But he also didn't remain in the middle of the court directing traffic. He eventually ran down to both ends of the court, pointing to the crowd and applauding them in appreciation for their eardrum-bursting vocal support the previous three hours.
A former OSU point guard, Sutton has long understood the importance of a home-court advantage. And now that he's the coach at his alma mater, he wanted the students and other fans to realize he still gets it when it comes to recognizing their impact on a game
About 90 minutes after the commotion had subsided and OSU's marvelous and historic arena sat quiet and empty, Sutton stood in a hallway and explained his post-game actions.
"It's not something we've done here very often," Sutton said. "But I wanted our players to go acknowledge them (fans), and let them know how much we appreciate them.
"A lot of those guys (and girls) had been out there since Thursday, camping in tents in this weather."
That's correct. A Tent City was formed late last week by OSU's most loyal and rabid students. They weren't going to allow an historic ice storm and frigid temperatures stop them from forming a line outside the arena, so they could score the prime seats once the doors opened 90 minutes before tip-off.
Not a single one of those dedicated OSU students was allowed to sit inside the arena, although the wide hallways would allow a warm harbor during their marathon vigil.
KU students have a similar passion. But many early arriving students are allowed to camp out in the corridors of venerable Allen Fieldhouse instead of battling the elements.
KU and some other schools have Tent Cities. But no student group in the Big 12 is outside as long, often and faithfully as those hearty hoop souls at OSU.
"I told our guys afterwards," Sutton said, "that they don't understand how fortunate they are to have the fans and the students that we have here, night-in and night-out, to provide a great atmosphere to play in."
First-year Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel came away from his first Bedlam experience impressed by the intensity on the court and in the bleachers. The former Duke point guard understands rivalries and arenas after spending his college career playing in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and against hated in-state rival North Carolina.
"You have the same passion here from the fans," Capel said. "You see all that orange in there and it reminds you of the Smith Center (at North Carolina) and all the blue that is in there.
"These (OSU) fans are very, very passionate about their basketball team and their university. This is a great place to play basketball."
And a great place to watch it, even if it means spending nearly 100 hours inside an ice-covered tent warming up your vocal cords.