OSU missing two players at Alamo Bowl

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Oklahoma State's kickoff specialist and punter Quinn Sharp and a long snapper Marc Yerry will not play in the Alamo Bowl, Cowboy head coach Mike Gundy said.
"Everybody made it except we're short two players who didn't pass the six hours," Gundy said. "It was just the two guys who didn't pass the six hours, Marc Yerry and Quinn Sharp."
According to NCAA rules, a student must successfully complete six semester hours of academic credit during the preceding term to be eligible to participate in post-season competition, including bowl games.
Field goal/extra point specialist Dan Bailey will handle kickoff duties for the Alamo Bowl. Either Bailey or Michael Reichenstein will punt.
"We worked on that a little bit Thursday," Gundy said. "Andrew Suter has done the snapping all year, so we should be in the flow there."
Oklahoma State's wide receiver coach Gunter Brewer learned his mother had died shortly after the team arrived in San Antonio. Brewer and his family left for Mississippi to be with their family, Gundy said.
"We got here and he was getting settled (when he received the call)," Gundy said.

Cowboys 11-1 going into break

The winter break concerns Oklahoma State's men's basketball coach Travis Ford.

Tuesday night, the Cowboys ran their record to 11-1 with a 79-68 victory over Stanford.

"I wish we were 12-0," Ford said. Oklahoma State's lone loss was a 56-51 loss on Nov. 26 to Virginia Tech in the 76 Classic.

The players should be proud and humble about the 11-1 record. The Pokes have won 11 games, and haven't played a complete game, yet, Ford said.

The coach hopes his charges won't go away for the holidays, get out of playing shape and forget everything they have learned and accomplished en route to the 11-1 record.

"We need to continue the climb up the ladder," Ford said. "I'm a little concerned about the break."

The Cowboys will travel to Spokane, Wash., to face Gonzaga on Dec. 31 before hosting University of Texas San Antonio on Jan. 3 in the final tuneup before Big 12 play starts Jan. 8 against Kansas State at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

"It was a big win before Gonzaga. ... We needed this win before we go to Gonzaga. Gonzaga is one of the toughest places to play," Ford said.

The Bulldogs (6-5) before Wednesday's game against Xavier posted their signature win of the season so far on Dec. 18 with a 68-64 win over the previously unbeaten and then-9th ranked Baylor Bears.

Gonzaga may be tough but the Big 12 schedule should be much tougher.

No. 3 Kansas is 10-0. Four teams – OSU, No. 25 Texas A&M, No. 9 Missouri and No. 15 Baylor – have one loss. Three teams – Iowa State, Nebraska and No. 18 Texas – have two losses and two teams – Colorado and No. 11 Kansas State – have three.

Oklahoma is at .500 with a 6-6 record and Texas Tech is 5-6.

The Big 12 has six teams in the AP Poll and USA Today/ESPN poll released Dec. 20. Oklahoma State isn't ranked but is receiving some poll votes.

A win over Gonzaga may put the Cowboys into the Top 25.

Oklahoma State's girls soccer team has been playing lights out since late August.

The Cowgirls could tie the program's longest unbeaten streak with a win Saturday against Nebraska.

Oklahoma State has not lost in 12 games. Thursday night, the team beat Colorado, 3-2.

Oklahoma State is ranked fifth in the nation and leads the Big 12 conference.

Nebraska is second in conference with a 4-2 record and are 11-4-1 overall.

Oklahoma State head coach Colin Carmichael expects a physical game from the Cornhuskers.

About when the soccer match ends, Oklahoma State's football team will start playing Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Oklahoma State hasn't won in Lubbock in 66 years. That's a long dry spell.

The Cowboys could end that drought Saturday afternoon. Texas Tech's offense looked good against Baylor, but the defense has stopped improving.

Oklahoma State should be able to come away from Lubbock with a "W," and bring a 6-0, 2-0 record into its homecoming game against Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers and Texas Longhorns also tangle at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Awards and athletes

You don't play football to win individual honors. The Heisman Trophy, Bilitnikoff Award, the Groza Award and Walker Award are by-products of success on the playing field.
After five games, three Oklahoma State football players are solid candidates for major post-season awards.
The Doak Walker Award honors the nation's top running back. OSU's Kendall Hunter is in the hunt. Through five games, Hunter has:
• a 140 yard per game rushing average (Fifth nationally)
• a 10.8 points per game scoring average. (No. 11 in the country, third on the team)
• an average of 164.6 all-purpose yards per game. (No. 13 nationally).
• a healthy 6.4 yards per carry rushing average this season.
Impressive numbers for Hunter, who has put the running game into the Air Raid offense.
Speaking of Air Raid offense, receiver Justin Blackmon say hello to the Fred Bilitnikoff Award, presented annually to the nation's top receiver.
"Big play" Blackmon has:
• 47 catches in five games.
• 11 touchdown catches so far this season. (No. 1 in the nation)
• at least 100 receiving yards in all five games this season.
• at least one 29-yard catch or longer in all five game this season.
• at least two touchdown catches in four of five games this season. He only had one TD catch in the Texas A&M game.
He leads the nation in TD receptions, scoring (14.4 points per game), receptions per game (9.4) and receiving yards per game (149.6).
Kicker Dan Bailey is phenomenal. He has kicked 163 consecutive extra-point attempts, an OSU record. He has kicked 11 of 11 field goals, including two career best 52-yarders against Louisiana-Lafayette last week.
Bailey has:
• scored 65 points this season
• averaged 2.2 field goals per game (No. 2 in the nation)
• not missed a field goal in 2010, one of 14 perfect kickers. His 11 tries are second most among perfect kickers
• kicked a game winner at the gun against Texas A&M. It was OSU's first walk-off field goal since 1981.
So far, Oklahoma State players aren't mentioned as Heisman contenders. The next two weeks could change that situation. If Blackmon or Hunter have huge games against Texas Tech and Nebraska, one or both might make the leap onto the Heisman list.

Familiar faces new places

What do you want in a Chamber of Commerce president?

The answer is business know-how, integrity and a love for the city the chamber serves.

And that describes Jace Dawson, Stillwater's new Chamber president and chief executive officer.

Dawson's mother graduated from Oklahoma State University with an education degree. The family would return often to OSU and Stillwater during Dawson's childhood. When it came time for Dawson to pick a university, OSU was at the top of a short list.

He graduated in 1999, went to work in Tulsa, and longed to return to Stillwater. He returned in 2002 working for an engineering firm and then Stillwater National Bank.

Monday, he started his new job at the Chamber.

Dawson is a familiar Stillwater face in a new place.

New and familiar faces will be returning to Stillwater this week. Oklahoma State University cranks up on the Aug. 23, and students already are filtering into the city.

Local retailers are loving it, as students flood the stores to get everything from groceries to residence hall or apartment decorations.

Brings back fond memories of my years at Oklahoma State in the late 70s. Yes, I remember when Eskimo Joe's was just a bar. The Gray Fox Inn was THE place to hang out, and pitcher's were 2 bucks and $1.25 during happy hour. My favorite eateries was the Garden of Eatin and Hideaway. Running out to Spav's to dance, and stopping at the Coney Islander after the bars closed also legend in my mind. I can't forget the throngs of students on Washington Street a couple of nights before spring break as we waited for students to shed their clothes and 'streak' through the crowd.

Hello, goodbye

The Stillwater Chamber of Commerce has selected Jace Dawson as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Dawson works at Stillwater National Bank, and will start at the Chamber on Aug. 16. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1999.
It's funny how many OSU students stay or leave only to return to Stillwater. A recently completed survey of OSU alumni who graduated between 2004 and 2008 shows many still call Stillwater home. A total of 3,149 surveys were completed. It surprised me to learn that 358 or 11.4 percent lived and worked in Stillwater. Only Tulsa had more 2004-2008 alums living and working there. You can read more about the survey in Sunday's NewsPress.
Writing about alums, OSU lost a great one this week with the death of Bob Fenimore. He put Oklahoma A&M football on the map, and played in the National Football League. Mr. Fenimore was more than a great athlete. He was an outstanding person who helped make Stillwater into the city it is today. He also touched and positively changed the lives of many people. He will be missed.

Open primaries for Oklahoma?

It's been a while since my last post. I took a week off to visit my mom and brother in Indianapolis.
Today, I went to my polling place and voted in the primary election. About 25 people had voted by 7:20 a.m.
Oklahoma needs to adopt open primaries.
The County Commission District 3 race is a good example why. Democrats and independents likely won't have any participation in the election of their county commissioner.
The candidates are running in the Republican primary. The Democrats didn't field a candidate. There could be an independent candidate file to run in the November election, but it's doubtful. Many voters won't be able to decide who represents them on the county commission.
I realize there are hazards in an open primary. In some races, voters will cross party lines, and vote against the strongest opposing party candidate. In theory, setting up their party candidate for victory in November.
We could do away with party primaries completely, and put a full slate of Republicans and Democrats in a July election with the two candidates receiving the most votes battling in November.
I'm sure this idea won't fly. It would be like Division I football doing away with the bowl system in favor of a championship playoff. It'll never happen, but it's fun to discuss.