Kansas Game a Special Win and for Six Guests a Very Special Day

STILLWATER – After Oklahoma State upset No. 23 Kansas inside Boone Pickens Stadium 39-32, the head coach at Kansas Lance Leipold gave the Cowboys credit.

"They were the more physical team today, but at the same time, I thought we answered that at times,” Leipold told the media. “We had trouble slowing them down, but we battled back and took the lead. Again, [Oklahoma State] is playing with confidence now."

They are and the Cowboys may have been the most physical team, but the most brave and courageous individuals in Boone Pickens Stadium were the six young men, ages 8-through-16 that were there as special guests of Cowboys football and the Eddie Sutton Foundation and the Cowboys vs. Cancer program. Those young people are all battling various forms of cancer and doing it as boldly and determined as can be. They are truly inspirations to those of us that get to know them and host them.

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy (right) with Sawyer and Joseph.

Kendria Cost heads up the efforts and coordinates with Mike Gundy’s administrative manager Danielle Clary. The day includes a full VIP tour for the youngsters and their parents. They see all of the West End Zone with highlights including associate athletic director for athletic performance Rob Glass and the weight room, football equipment coordinator Justin Williams and the locker room and equipment room, The Walk with the team, seating on the coaches level of the West End Zone, and concluded with joining the team on the field for the alma mater after the win. 

I had the honor of interviewing Crew after the alma mater and the 12-year-old told me it was one of the mosot fun days of his life. Crew is a dedicated Oklahoma State fan that we have seen before as Cowboys vs. Cancer and the Eddie Sutton Foundation team up for events in almost every sport, the annual gold tournament fund raiser, and the guest waiters night at Eskimo Joe’s another great partner and fund raising night for the fight against cancer. 

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Cowboys players (left to right back row) Preston Wilson, Chance Clements, Constantino Borelli, and Calvin Harvey with the kids after the game. 

“Kendria (Cost) and Danielle (Clary) do such a great job organizing and planning this,” head coach Mike Gundy said after the game. “Those kids and their families are so brave and courageous and our players and our football program enjoy giving them a special experience. We can’t do enough and our program will always do whatever we can anytime we can for those families. They are truly special.”

People always wonder what is meant when the term “Cowboy culture” is used, I believe that Saturday is a major part of that.