I have read all your posts from the Update story that I did yesterday on conference realignment and feel like I can draw a picture of each of you based on what your opinions are of Oklahoma State.
There are some OSU fans that want more (Get it?). They want to be in the best conference playing the best teams. There are those fans that for some reason, maybe internal, that want to be in a reconfigured and softer Big 12 where it would be easier for victories to mount up. Some of those fans see Oklahoma State in a lesser light as a school that is not equipped to play at the top.
Oklahoma State in some eyes is a top tier school and in other views they are a school not quite ready for the top of college football and athletics.
Why is Oklahoma State in the position it is right now?
If you are talking about the position of being on the outside looking in to either the SEC of the Big Ten and watching longtime Bedlam rival Oklahoma and shorter term Big 12 punching bag but legendary program Texas ride off and leave Oklahoma State behind it is because of this.
After World War II, Henry Iba made the decision that Oklahoma State was not going to enter into the bidding war for WWII veterans that were talented football players and pay them above and beyond the GI Bill. Then Oklahoma A&M was going to major in basketball and wrestling and be a national powerhouse there. That led to Oklahoma A&M/OSU football being marginal and less, going to Arkansas every season and later playing more money games on the road to help build up other programs like a softball stadium. That long drought in football and the only venture out of it being due to major cheating of which Oklahoma State got caught resulted in a bad view of Cowboy football.
Oklahoma State football was not a blueblood, but thanks to Boone Pickens' money and Mike Gundy's program building Cowboy football is a strong "johnny come lately" showing with the record on the field, increased interest in television viewing, and a now recognized brand worthy of consideration or at the least sitting on top of the schools not inside the bountiful ropes of the SEC and Big Ten.
Oklahoma State has no invitation to the Big Ten or SEC. Their academics, while solid, don't meet the Big Ten's internal barometer of academic excellence. The Cowboys could be added to the SEC. As I have written a number of times they would be a fit and would bring value.
Having toured Fayetteville, Ark. and the University of Arkansas campus on the way home from a short vacation, I found that the U-of-A and Fayetteville and Oklahoma State and Stillwater are on a pretty good par with each other. Arkansas has a much better track and field facility, but Oklahoma State has a top flight cross country course. Oklahoma State has a much nicer soccer facility. Baseball and softball are both good with Oklahoma State's O'Brate Stadium being nicer and Arkansas' Bogle Park not any bigger, but a little nicer that Cowgirl Stadium.
The Razorbacks have more indoor facility with both refurbished Barnhill Arena and the larger and more modern Bud Walton Arena. Gallagher-Iba Arena certain measures up. It would help wrestling and perhaps, women's basketball to have a secondary and smaller arena like Barnhill.
I've been to Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Mississippi State, LSU, Texas A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma. I can certainly say that Oklahoma State's facilities would fit right in.
The crown in the football stadium and while Boone Pickens Stadium would be the second smallest stadium in the SEC at 55,509 (record 60,218), it is in the same neighborhood of Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri, Mississippi that are all in the 60,000-64,000 range. Arkansas' Donald W. Reynolds Stadium at 76,000 is where the stadium capacities jump up in the league.
All of those same reasons listed above are why Oklahoma State is now considered at the top of the schools not currently members in the Big Ten or SEC. It is why when rumors kicked up earlier this week of Oklahoma State having an invite to the SEC that fellow Big 12 schools became nervous. Oklahoma State is a brand considered to be close to that top line to get in. Oregon joins Oklahoma State as more of a newcomer to being a college football power. The two schools are also kindred spirits in how they have used uniforns, logos, mascots and overall looks to wow fans and further create identities.
While Clemson is the leader of the new wave of schools having football success including a national championship. Oklahoma State has had more success recently than Washington and Stanford of the Pac-12; Kansas State, West Virginia, Baylor, TCU, and all others in the Big12; and Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech, and any other schools in the ACC.
For whatever reason, Oklahoma State is not a media darling. Many old school members of the new media have not taken a shine to Oklahoma State, but reporters like Adam Rittenberg, Andy Staples, Max Olson, and Stewart Mandel have written about Oklahoma State fairly and have gained the trust of head football coach Mike Gundy, not easy for an outsider to do.
If new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark were to read this story he would learn a few things. I love the post about how having a new commissioner that isn't from the college sports background that doesn't sleep a lot of hours, and is rushing into action is a recipe for disaster or at the least a less than desirable outcome. One Big 12 administrator told me Yormark has done more in a week in the area of realignment and positioning the Big 12 better than the previous commissioner did over months and even years.
History is a weakness for Yormark, but it is one he is dealing with on the fly. The truth to the situation is that Yormark needs briefings, multiple briefings from all the Big12 schools as he tries to learn about the new institutions that he is representing and fighting for.
I hear he is getting those as he is multitasking his way through the week. One Big 12 administrator told me that Yormark is moving at warp speed compared to his predecessor and where his history may be lacking, his economics, negotiating, improvising, and communicating are all over the top.
His wife and her family are the owners of Fresco by Scotto and Fresco on the Go Restaurants in New York. The Scotto name is famous and synomous with fine dining in the Big Apple. I'll give Yormark points on that alone.
I love great Italian food, but right now I think all of us are more hungry for what the future holds for Oklahoma State and for the Big 12.
