Great to Be Back, So Let's Get to Work

STILLWATER – Happy Wednesday, everybody. I hope everyone’s had a great start to the week, as well as the new year. I want to start this article by saying it’s great to be back full time at Pokes Report. I’ve certainly missed covering events and interacting with all our great readers on a daily basis hear at Pokes Report.

Even though I helped cover the 2023 season, a season which saw yet another 10-win season, an appearance in the Big 12 title game, a win over SEC’s Texas A&M in a bowl game, a massive win over Oklahoma in what’s going to be the final Bedlam game for several years, as well as the birth of my son the morning of that Bedlam win, I’m thrilled to be back with Robert full-time.

With a majority of starters and backups returning in all three phases, the finish to winter workouts and the spring looks to be quite exciting for Cowboy football. Doak Walker award winner Ollie Gordon and Alan Bowman head up an incredibly dangerous offense, while Collin Oliver and Kendal Daniels look to get the Pokes’ defense back towards the top of the conference once again.

I’m excited to be roaming the sidelines of the Sherman Smith indoor here in a month or so.

My first event back will be media day for Cowboy baseball on Thursday. A season which certainly holds a lot of promise with Nolan Schubart and Carson Benge being tabbed preseason All-Americans. 

Then you’ve got Kenny Gajewski and Cowgirl softball. It’s kind of ironic really. I last spoke with Kenny on the concourse of of the USA Softball Hall of Fame stadium last summer, my final full-time coverage at Pokes Report. And now I’m back at the start of softball season and I’m excited to help bring top-notch coverage of the Cowgirls.

We’ve also got a top-5 wrestling program and the Cowboys are rolling with a chance to have several Big 12 champs, All-Americans and possible national champions across the weight classes. 

Along with wrestling, I’ll be back full-time on the basketball beat. The Cowboys have had quite a rough go of it the past few months, but there’s been moments of hope, such as the win over Kansas State. The rest of February looks to not be any easier as they travel to Norman on Saturday for Bedlam, host a ranked BYU next weekend and round out the month against Cincinnati, round two of Bedlam and then finish at UCF, all teams with winning records on the season. The three games in March might be the toughest as they travel to Austin, host a ranked Tech team and finish the season in Provo.

Cowgirl basketball’s having an equally tough go of it as they’re currently sitting at .500 on the season. 

However, I’m excited to cover some Cowgirl tennis as Chris Young has his team back in the limelight with a chance of winning not just the Big 12, but a real chance of winning the program’s first national championship. 

If anyone has any questions or suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach out in the messaging system here on the site, or you can reach me on Twitter/X at zlancaster91. Cheers and I hope everyone has a great rest of the week.