Emails in on Tisdale & Chaisson

The new emails are in, and many wrote to reminisce about the death of Wayman Tisdale. Other subjects: Big 12 South football, OSU’s desire to play in Dallas and Justin Chaisson. Tisdale dominated

J.R.: “I live in Colorado, but I was born and raised in Oklahoma. I attended the University of Oklahoma from ’86-89 and stayed in Walker Tower. I am deeply saddened by the news concerning Wayman Tisdale’s death. As soon as I heard the news, I contacted OU about getting a jersey with his number and name on it. They don’t have any. In a tribute to him and what he has done for our university and what he has done for cancer patients fighting for their lives, we should come out with OU basketball jerseys with his name and number on them. It would be even better if they had cancer ribbons embroidered on the front. They could come in our colors and also come in pink. Maybe some of the profits from the shirt could even go to cancer research in honor of his name.”

Here’s what’s interesting. You see the masses wearing school colors at college games more than you see the masses wearing franchises colors at pro games. But you see a lot more jerseys at pro games. Probably all kinds of reasons, emotional and financial, why.

Ken: “I live in Portland, Ore. I’ve followed Wayman’s career since he played basketball at OU. He was obviously a great talent on the court. But his music was outstanding also and will live on. He just had it! When I think of the greatest smiles I’ve seen, he’s up there with Scatman Crothers, Magic Johnson and Curly Neal. A smile that’s unforgettable. How fortunate the state of Oklahoma is to have had such an individual. He was universal.”

You can go many a year without a reference to Scatman Crothers. I forgot what he looked like. So I looked him up, and Scatman did indeed have a world-class smile.

Jerry: “It sure hurts to lose a guy like that.”

It would hurt worse to never had a guy like that.

James: “Any thought of naming the court at Lloyd Noble Center after Wayman?”

Now that’s an idea that has merit. If there’s one thing college sports do, it’s honor coaches too much and players not enough.

John: “What a loss to us Oklahomans. He was Mr. Oklahoman. Loved the man.”

Wayman Tisdale was loved. There are worse tributes to a man’s life.

Craig: “We never had one like Wayman before he came to OU and we’ve never had one like him since.”

Players like Wayman? Probably will see it again. Heck, we saw someone about as good with Blake Griffin. Personalities like Wayman? Probably will see it again, though it will be tough to duplicate. Both in the same package? No chance.

Josh wrote about the possibility of another three-way tie in the Big 12 South. “How do you think the following scenarios would break down? Scenario #1: OSU beats Georgia and Texas, loses at OU and finishes 7-1, 11-1 Texas beats OU, loses at OSU, finishes 7-1, 11-1. OU loses at Miami and to Texas, beats OSU and finishes 7-1, 10-2. My thoughts: OSU wins tiebreaker. Scenario #2: OSU loses to Georgia, beats Texas, loses to OU and finishes 7-1, 10-2. Texas beats OU, loses at OSU and finishes 7-1, 11-1. OU loses at Miami, loses to Texas and beats OSU to finish 7-1, 10-2. My thoughts: Texas wins tiebreaker. Scenario #3: OSU loses to Georgia, loses to Texas and wins at OU to finish 7-1, 10-2. Texas loses to OU, wins at OSU and finishes 7-1, 11-1. OU loses at Miami, beats Texas and loses to OSU to finish 7-1, 10-2. My thoughts: Texas wins tiebreaker. Scenario #4: OSU beats UGA, loses to Texas and wins at OU to finish 7-1, 11-1. Texas loses to OU, wins at OSU and finishes 7-1, 11-1. OU loses at Miami, beats Texas, loses to OSU and finishes 7-1, 10-2. My thoughts: OSU wins tiebreaker.

First of all, I love this kind of thing. I love it when people think about stuff. OSU playing Georgia and OU playing at Miami leads to all kinds of non-conference possibilities. Anyway, I disagree with Josh on No. 1. I don’t see OSU winning the tiebreaker if it loses after Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I’m with him.

Larry, the big Texas Tech fan, took umbrage at talk of a three-way tie not involving the Red Raiders and responded with some sarcasm: “Since we lost old Harold Graham and that Crabtree boy, we have nobody left who can throw or catch a football. Not a soul. Scuttlebutt out of Lubbock is that Coach is trying to decide whether to go to the single wing or quit football altogether. We also have to replace that big Mexican boy played in the line. Vasquez or something. From what I’m hearing, we got us a good prospect. Never played football before, but was a Class A all-state tuba player out of Lone Star Beer, Texas. She’s supposed to be a big’n too. We lost some guys off defense, but Coach is down there at the rodeo grounds right now scouting the bulldoggers. Most of our defense is there on rodeo scholarship, since we can’t get no real football players to come to Texas Tech. We’re just hoping we can finish fifth again.”

Here’s the deal. This guy will totally wear you out. But he has a point. Tech is annually overlooked.

Josh wrote about the Thunder: “I know it might seem kind of random, but now that Oklahoma City has its own potential NBA superstar in Kevin Durant, how long until we have a giant black and white Nike mural of Kevin Durant adorning one of the buildings downtown? I think it would be cool to see a 50-foot Kevin Durant on the side of the BOK building (or some other building) in downtown OKC. Don’t you?”

Yes I do. Sign me up for that. Or at least we could have huge Thunder hanging along Reno Avenue.

Mike, a big LSU fan, wrote about me mentioning LSU as a

possible opponent for OSU in the greater Dallas area. “Several. years ago, LSU had scheduled a home and home with OSU, but OSU cancelled it for some reason. LSU had home and homes scheduled with Texas Tech and Baylor as well and they got cancelled. LSU has tried to get A&M for a home and home with the A&M game being played in either Houston or Dallas and A&M won’t do it. We do have a home and home with TCU coming up in 2011 and 2012. The big question in this for LSU, as with most everything nowadays, is money. LSU would be glad to play somebody in Dallas if the money was right. I believe that if LSU would be guaranteed expenses and a modest profit, they would be willing to play a game each year in Dallas. We LSU fans in the area would love to see LSU in Dallas every year!”

Anything that beefs up non-conference schedules, I’m for.

Rick: “Read your piece on OSU trying to go to Dallas. Holder now believes it is necessary? I agree, but not this year. Eight home games in Stillwater will be more beneficial. A really quality bowl game could be in the future for the Cowboys. And I still believe that the Cotton Bowl in Dallas is going to win the stadium wars. The DART line to Fair Park is the key to attendance. Weak point is the Tech-Baylor game. After 2010, Holder should revisit Tech on a series to replace Baylor. By that time the dust will have settled. The Cotton Bowl will have won out on location. I tell you, the Arlington location is going to hurt the program. You don’t move away from the money. The Cowboys (Dallas) are still advertising for season tickets.”