With the college basketball season moving into its homestretch, ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla is away from his Dallas home most of the time. But he's not complaining. He loves covering all the hoops.
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"I'm in the midst of being home once in 13 days, three days in 20,” Fraschilla said. "I've got a stretch coming up where I have five games and a studio appearance in eight days. But this is my time of the year. It's the reverse of being a grizzly bear. I hibernate in the summer and I come out in the winter.”
Broadcasting the Bedlam game with Ron Franklin and Holly Rowe before a packed house Monday night in Norman will snap Fraschilla out of any work fatigue.
A former head coach at Manhattan, St. John's and New Mexico, Fraschilla is expecting a tight game as both teams strive to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
"There have been some great Bedlam games through the years decided by one or two plays, and I expect this game to be the same way,” he said. "I think both teams need this game.”
For the Sooners to reach the NCAA Tournament, he said "they must hold their proverbial head above water until Blake comes back. More people will have to step up in Blake's absence. Taylor Griffin was a good example of that Saturday (against Texas Tech).”
Fraschilla said he would discourage Blake from turning pro after this season, allowing him to play another season with his brother and join a strong incoming recruiting class.
"He could cash out now and probably be a top 15, top 17 pick,” he said.
"Yet in a year or two from now, he could be a top five pick.”
As for OSU, Fraschilla said the Cowboys need to develop consistency and avoid critical mistakes to make a second-half run.
"Going to Norman and not having any success on the road is a double whammy,” said Fraschilla, who also will be in Stillwater on Saturday to broadcast the Texas A&M-OSU game for ESPN. "They have to play with poise and take care of the basketball.”
Fraschilla doesn't believe a coaching change should be in order at OSU.
"I think Sean and the Sutton family have done enough for Oklahoma State baksetball over the last 20 years, he ought to be allowed to continue this building process.”
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ou is not a top flight school in either. football is obviously top notch! but everything else is average at best. womens basketball you could argue is good.... but lets be honest who cares? i have a friend who got a 14 on the act twice that has an ou degree on his wall.... and he can barely spell his own damn name.... its not exactly a berkely degree or anything.... not that an o state degree is either....
Matt...thanks for the research on school rankings. That was AWESOME!
K...yeah, you might want to check out Proverbs 10:8, "..a babbling fool will be ruined." I'm just saying.......!
K is yet another example of UO wannabe's who never do any research before trying to talk smack. Don't blame him, blame the "top notch" college he attended.
K, according to the washington post rankings of schools OSU is ranked #86 and OU is #127....so next time you want say something at least be half way correct
K, although i seriously doubt you actually went to OU, Bob was right. Why would you state that OSU is near the bottom becasue hat is far from true. Aso, OU isn't exactly a top flight school in academics. I am not saying it is a bad school becasue it isn't. OU and OSU both are about the same, neither at the top or bottom. OU is not a top flight school athletically either. They are good in football but average in everything else. So lets get your facts straight next time.
K, of Bartlesville: Don't make up bogus "facts" just because you are such a hate-filled (or maybe envious?) person. OSU is NOT "ranked near the bottom of Public Universities". In fact, the Engineering School there is rated as one of the very best in the country, behind such places as MIT, CalTech, IIT, and Texas. Maybe one or two others, but that's it. Definitely in the top 10. And the Vet Med school is regularly rated as one of the top 2 or 3 in the country. That's one of the big reasons for Oklahoma's predominance in the q-horse breeding industry. Please don't spout your hate like that, it just demonstrates your ignorance, as well as you bias. Obviously, OU didn't teach you very much about honesty and character.
Um..hey Ryan. I went to OU. And if you are talking about getting an education, you DO know that OSU is ranked near the bottom of Public Universities, don't you? So I went to a top flight school in both education and sports---you chose neither---well crafted.
umm i guess im out of my mind since i go to school here! I am actually very proud to go here as is everyone else who attends. You need to realize you go to school to get an education. You do not go to the school with the best football team. That is what is so frustrating with ignorant people like you. Just wondering, where did you attend school?
Who cares who the OSU basketball coach is?
They are as irrelevant as their football team. Wake us up when they start playing ANY sport in Stillwater again...sheesh---who in their right mind would even GO to that school?
How could this and last season be considered building seasons? It looks like a stretch to go NIT for OSU. I would say if Sutton's team can't get off the 16-0 road game streak it should be over.
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K...yeah, you might want to check out Proverbs 10:8, "..a babbling fool will be ruined." I'm just saying.......!
They are as irrelevant as their football team. Wake us up when they start playing ANY sport in Stillwater again...sheesh---who in their right mind would even GO to that school?