Sixth man needed for OSU men's basketball team

It is the biggest win this season for Oklahoma State's men's basketball team.
Nobody, and I mean nobody outside the OSU men's basketball team, believed Oklahoma State had a chance of beating No. 2 ranked Missouri on Wednesday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
But Oklahoma State's senior point guard Keiton Page kept telling the Cowboys' younger players about the Pokes upset of Kansas a few years back.
Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford kept the Pokes offense under control. He slowed the tempo and his players looked and worked for open shots on set plays. The deliberate offense frustrated the Tigers and threw them off their game.
The Pokes took it to the Tigers, winning 79-72 and evening their overall record at 10-10.
Freshman Le'Bryan Nash scored 27 and redshirt freshman Brian Williams chipped in 22. Both are career numbers for Nash and Williams.
The only fly in this ointment is fans. Gallagher-Iba Arena wasn't packed and it should have been just to see the No. 2 team in the nation. The official attendance was 9,476 and it may have crept up to close to that by halftime. I estimate that only 6,000 fans were at the game for the opening tipoff at 6:30 p.m.
Either number is much too small.
Gallagher-Iba Arena seats 13,611. If you accept OSU's attendance figure, there were 4,135 unfilled seats. That is empty. It is fortunate the fans that were there were vocal.
The win over Missouri was a huge victory for Oklahoma State's men's basketball team. It's a young team averaging just a little over 19-years old. The Pokes will be inconsistent at times, but the players practice hard, play hard and are getting better.
They need OSU fans to support them and become their sixth man.

Weeden is THE quarterback at Senior Bowl practices

Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden is proving he is the best quarterback at the Senior Bowl as the north and south teams prepare for Saturday's game in Mobile, Ala.
One of three South QB's, Weeden is drawing praise from commentators and coaches alike. They like his arm strength, command in the huddle,  drop-back passing, ability to roll out and accuracy.
If he can keep this up, which I think he will, he is definitely going to improve his draft position.
The commentators are even starting to say his age 28 — 29 when he is a NFL rookie — should be a positive because of his maturity.
Weeden said he is a young 28 in football terms because he rarely got sacked or hit in his two seasons as OSU's full-time quarterback.
Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin also is getting noticed for his pass-coverage ability. Right now, he is slated as the fourth safety to be taken in the NFL Draft. His draft stock will improve if he continues to have good practices.
Weeden and Martin will need a solid game on Saturday to solidify their draft positions.
Weeden could go in the second round if he has a good game. Martin probably is a third-round pick.

Class of 2012 reaches 20 for OSU football

Oklahoma State's football team has 20 verbal commitments for the 2012 recruiting class.
The Pokes added four verbal commitments last weekend.
Here are the latest to say they are coming to OSU in 2012.
Chance Allen, wide receiver, Elkins High, Missouri City Texas, 6-3, 191
Kevin Peterson, defensive back, Wagoner, Okla., High School, 5-11, 170
Jhajuan Seals, wide receiver, Port Arthur, Texas, Memorial High School, 6-1, 185.
Michael Wilson, offensive line, Aliedo, Texas High School, 6-6, 265.
The additions of Allen and Seals gives OSU five wide receivers in this recruiting class.
The Pokes have three offensive linemen commitments and four defensive ends.
National Signing Day is Feb. 1.

Oklahoma State Cowgirls basketball team learning to soar

The moments didn't last long, but both were special.
The Oklahoma State women's basketball team roared back in the final 10 minutes of Bedlam to beat the Oklahoma Sooners 66-63 Saturday in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
After the final horn, the Cowgirls and their coaches celebrated on court and gathered to sing the alma mater.
As the school song ended, Cowgirls basketball coach Jim Littell raised his arms upward with his index fingers outstretched in a No. 1 salute. He turned his face toward heaven to honor and remember  his longtime friend Kurt Budke, OSU women's basketball coach who died in a plane crash during a recruiting trip in November.
A few minutes later, tears flowed as Littell presented the game ball to Budke's widow, Shelley.
It has become a tradition for the Cowgirls players to walk into the stands behind their bench and hug the Budke family after each game. Littell was last in line with the game ball tucked under his right arm. He hugged Budke's widow, talked with her and gave her the ball.
Yes, Saturday was extra special.
The Cowgirls' victory snapped an eight-game losing streak to their in-state rivals that dated to Jan. 12, 2008.
It was special in another way as well.
More than 5,500 fans — mostly OSU supporters — attended the game. Their cheers spurred the Cowgirls on. OU lead for 19:32 of the second half. The Cowgirls would surge close, but couldn't take the lead until sophomore guard Jenni Bryan nailed a 3-pointer with 28.1 seconds left.
The Cowgirls held the Sooners at bay and ran their record to 10-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12.
"This is my 34th year of coaching, and I have never been more proud of a team than I am today," Littell said.
I'm sure all Oklahoma State fans echo that sentiment.

New to the Big 12

Former Dallas Cowboys coach and defensive coordinator Dave Campo has joined Charlie Weis' staff at the University of Kansas. He will be Weis' defensive coordinator.
Campo spent the first 18 years of his career in the collegiate ranks, and was the secondary coach on Jimmy Johnson's University of Miami teams in 1987 and 1988. Johnson coached at Oklahoma State before taking the Miami job.
He was the Dallas Cowboys' head coach from 2000 to 2002.
Other members of Weis' staff are Rob Ianello (recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach), Buddy Wyatt (defensive line coach) and Scott Holsopple (director of strength and conditioning).
Training in the desert
Oklahoma State University quarterback Brandon Weeden is preparing for the NFL Combine at the Athletes Performance Training Center in Phoenix, Ariz. The center has specialized in NFL Combine training since 2001.
Blackmon hires agent
CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell reports OSU wide receiver Justin Blackmon has signed with agent Todd France. France runs AllPro Athlete Management in Atlanta, Ga. France also represents Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis.
Leading the nation
Oklahoma State University women's basketball point guard Tiffany Bias is averaging 8.4 assists per game. She is the nation's assist leader. Kansas guard Angel Goodrich is second with 8.2 assists per game.

Former Oklahoma State coach Jim Stanley brought toughness to Cowboys

Jim Stanley was Oklahoma State's football coach during my first three years at OSU.
My main memory of Stanley's teams is just how physical they were on offense and defense.
The Cowboys punished their opponents.
Of course, I attended every home game as a fan, sitting in the stands and cheering for the Cowboys. The cheers came often in 1976 as the Pokes rolled to a 9-3 overall record and went 5-2 in the Big Eight. Unfortunately for OSU fans, the Bedlam game was in Norman instead of Lewis Field in Stillwater. We listened to the game on the radio. We were almost as stunned as OU when Poke running back Terry Miller ran wild and brought a 31-24 victory back to Stillwater.
Those Cowboys defeated BYU 49-21 in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Fla., and finished with a No. 14 ranking in the AP Top 20 poll.
The wins didn't come as often or as easy in the next two seasons, but OSU always played hard and hit harder.
Stanley produced a lot of great players on offense, defense and special teams during his tenure at OSU.
Miller was the standout skill player on offense. Derrel Gofourth made OSU's offensive line go as its center. Daria Butler and Phillip Dokes anchored the defensive line at tackle and end. Kicker Abby Daigle and punter Cliff Parsley started OSU's long line of outstanding punters and kickers.
I never met or interviewed Stanley. I didn't try my hand at sports reporting for the Daily O'Collegian  until Jimmy Johnson arrived as OSU's coach, but I'll never forget Stanley's teams as I watched them from the student section at Lewis Stadium.

Wes Lunt to enroll this spring

You can add Wes Lunt's name to Oklahoma State's pool of quarterbacks vying to replace senior Brandon Weeden.
Lunt says he will enroll for the spring semester and participate in OSU's spring drills. The spring semester starts Jan. 9.
Lunt, 6-5, 210, played in a pro-style offense in Rochester, Ill.

Oklahoma State pre-game thoughts

It's game day in Phoenix.
Some bowl games have already started. The Fiesta Bowl will be the night cap. It should be the best bowl game of the day.
Here are a few final thoughts before tonight's kickoff.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is 6-1 against PAC-12 teams.
The Cowboys No. 3 ranking is their highest-ranking ever for an OSU bowl appearance.
Oklahoma State gave up just 229 points in Big 12 Conference play. The 229 points leads the league in fewest points allowed in conference play.
The Poke defense has given up just 36 points in the first quarter all season. Stanford's defense has allowed just 28 first-quarter points.
Oklahoma State's offense has scored 342 points in the first half. Stanford's offense has scored 230 in the first half.
Stanford's defense has limited 15 of its last 18 opponents to 21 points or fewer. The Cardinal offense likes to score first. It has come away with first-drive points in 16 of its last 26 games.
Stanford coach David Shaw said the Cardinal must contain Justin Blackmon, but Stanford likes to play man-to-man coverage in the secondary. A single defensive back cannot cover Blackmon, and Stanford will have to use double coverage. If they double Blackmon, OSU's Josh Cooper and the rest of the receiving corp will have great days.
If the Cardinal focus on the pass, Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith should have a repeat performance of the Oklahoma game with each back rushing for more than 100 yards.

The devil is in the details

It was review day on Sunday  for the Oklahoma State and Stanford football teams.
Practice is over for the Cowboys and Cardinals. Sunday, the teams held meetings to review game plans and work out anyfinal kinks.
Monday, the teams will go through their game-day routines in preparation for the 7:30 p.m. Monday Fiesta Bowl kickoff at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
It's OSU's first trip to a BCS bowl, and Stanford's second straight.
Stanford coach David Shaw said Oklahoma State has played in big games and the Cowboys lack of BCS-bowl experience shouldn't give Stanford an advantage.
"They have got some big-time players that are not going to shy away from the spotlight tomorrow night. So I think it is still pretty even."
The quarterback match-up between Stanford's Andrew Luck and Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden has been hyped since the game between No. 3 OSU and No. 4 Stanford was announced. They will play important roles, but both teams are too talented to rely solely on their quarterbacks to pick up a win.
"Both quarterbacks are very important to their offense and to their teams," OSU coach Mike Gundy said. "I don't think there is any question that these two quarterbacks were certainly the most valuable players to their teams."
Stanford runs first and Oklahoma State throws first.
So Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor will be critical. OSU will rely on receivers Justin Blackmon, Josh Cooper and others as well as running backs Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith.
The Cardinal must try to contain the pass and run, Shaw said.
Oklahoma State will have to control Taylor, Luck and prevent big plays.
"We know that Oklahoma State has great weapons. We know they have an opportunistic defense. It is going to be a big challenge tommorrow night," Shaw said.
Oklahoma State will need to be physical against Stanford on offense and defense, Gundy said.
"They players have started to pay attention to the importance of getting prepared for the game. We have practiced well. The players tarted getting in game mode yesterday (Saturday)."