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Bedlam 2005-2006

Football:

Bedlam Big On Homefront

The impact of today’s game, OU beat Oklahoma State 42-14, stretches beyond the standings and the bragging rights. It carries into the homes of recruits across the state and beyond. "In the state of Oklahoma still, if you’re a kid growing up, you want to go to Oklahoma,” Cowboys defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said. "You have to look at that. I’m a realist. "In order for us to have a legitimate chance at those kids, you have to beat the University of Oklahoma.” Bedford, a Texas native and a former Longhorn, is no stranger to intra-state rivalries. "You go down to the state of Texas, Texas and Texas A&M, unless you grew up in your family of A&M people, you’re going to the University of Texas. "Same situation. So this is a big game for us, as far as recruiting goes.”

Sudden sentimentality

For OSU’s 19 seniors, today will be the last game of their college careers. For most, it’ll be their final game, period. That sentiment hit Paul Duren earlier this week. "The finality is kind of setting in on me,” said Duren, a four-year starter. "I come into the weight room thinking, this will be my last lift. "I’ve been at this place for five years almost every day of my life. Now it’s going to be just, pfft, it’s gone, you go cold turkey with it. That’s just the way life is, you’ve got to move on.”

Injury update

The Cowboys hope to be healthier today. Starting left tackle Charlie Johnson, who missed the Baylor game with an illness, will play. Defensive end Nathan Peterson, who hasn’t played since the Texas game due to a strained hamstring, could also return, bolstering OSU’s pass rush. "I’m hoping he’s out there, because he’s an active player,” Bedford said. "He makes things happen. He brings a lot of enthusiasm to the defense. "We’re counting on him being ready to go.” Linebacker Lawrence Pinson (ankle) is probable, while strong safety Stephen James (ankle) is questionable.

Bedlam bummer

Before his recent successes against OU, Mike Gundy’s Bedlam memories were mostly bad. As a player, he never beat the Sooners. Worse, due to some schedule shuffling by the Big Eight, the Cowboys played in Norman three of his four years at OSU in the late ’80s. Gundy joked this week that Barry Switzer must have been behind that.

John Helsley. OSU Notebook. The Oklahoman. Sat November 26, 2005.

Basketball:

Cowboys Fans Sent Packing

During a timeout late in the game, half of the 13,611 fans having left early due to the Sooners’ domination in a 73-65 win over arch-rival Oklahoma State. Raucous as usual in the early stages, the self-proclaimed "rowdiest arena in the country” had little to cheer. The cold-shooting Cowboys turned in one of the worst offensive halves in the Eddie Sutton era, while in the second half, OU’s offense carved up their suspect defense.

Sutton said this is the softest team he’s had in 16 seasons at OSU. "Maybe some of that is youth,” Sutton said. "Toughness shows up on the boards, it shows up on defense. I’m talking not only about physical toughness. I’m talking about being mentally tough.” Oklahoma led by as many as 18 points. It was a statement win for the Sooners, who squandered a 16-point second-half Sunday in a 59-58 loss at Kansas.

For the first time in 18 years, the Cowboys (13-10, 3-6) have lost three consecutive home games. OSU has lost four games at Gallagher-Iba this season, the most in one season in Sutton’s 16 seasons. "It’s frustrating,” said OSU sophomore guard JamesOn Curry. "Like coach said, we play soft a lot. That’s coming from everybody, not just the perimeter or down low, but as a whole. We have to get tougher. It’s still not too late. Our backs are against the wall. These last few games you will see some character built.”

Terrell Everett, averaging 17.0 points the past seven games, scored a game-high 23 points. Michael Neal (12 points), Kevin Bookout (11), Taylor Griffin (10) and David Godbold (9) picked up for Taj Gray’s off night. OSU’s offense was stagnant the first 34 minutes. Mario Boggan (18 points) was the only Cowboy to produce anything until Curry (20) and Byron Eaton (13) contributed long after the outcome had been decided.

Mike Baldwin. Sooners’ dominating win sends Cowboys fans packing. The Oklahoman. Thu February 9, 2006.

Close Games Haven’t Been Kind To Cowboys

Bedlam was representative of Oklahoma State’s frustrating season. Eight games have come down to the final possession. Too many times the Cowboys have left the court frustrated. The latest chapter was a controversial 67-66 loss to Oklahoma Monday night.

OSU is 2-6 in final possession nailbiters. Instead of possibly closing in on 20 wins and a possible NCAA tournament at-large berth the Cowboys are 15-14 heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale. "I’ve never seen a season quite like this where you lose that many close games,” said OSU interim coach Sean Sutton. "There’s been some tough breaks at the end of some of those games.”

While OSU fans will discuss two questionable calls in the final seconds that were critical in Oklahoma’s win, the Cowboys let a nine-point deficit evaporate too quickly due to turnovers and five consecutive wasted possessions. The Cowboys once again made too many mistakes down the stretch to let a win slip away but publicly couldn’t say what was obvious to a nationwide audience.

In three losses officials made questionable calls. The free-throw disparity against Gonzaga spoke volumes. In Lubbock, replays showed Jamaal Brown fouled Jarrius Jackson before he drained a game-tying 3-pointer which allowed Texas Tech to win in overtime. Against the Sooners on Monday, two questionable calls in the final seconds were critical. "I told our guys not to address it until we see it on film,” Sutton said. "I was standing pretty close (to the play) but it’s not going to change anything. I told them regardless of how you feel right now, there’s nothing I can say, or anybody can say that will change the outcome.”

Sean Sutton later added officials should be forced to attend a press conference to explain their call. But Sean Sutton emphasized he was proud of his team’s effort to keep battling all season despite the close losses and his father, Eddie Sutton, taking a medical leave following a highly publicized automobile accident. "I really admire how they’ve hung together and willed their way to try and have a good season and finish on a high note,” Sutton said.

As the Cowboys left the court, OSU assistant James Dickey glanced at Big 12 basketball director John Underwood and opened his arms wide as if to say, "What was that?” In the locker room, Dickey said too many mistakes put the game’s outcome in the officials’ hands. OSU had three consecutive turnovers after Mario Boggan fouled out with OSU leading 57-48 with 5:31 to play. JamesOn Curry had seven turnovers and scored only two points the final 29 minutes. "We were in control of the game and had three straight turnovers,” Dickey said. "And you have to make plays when you have a chance. Turnovers and not making plays at key times have plagued us all season.”

Mike Baldwin. Close games haven’t been kind to Cowboys. The Oklahoman. Thu February 28, 2006.

Steve Mocco pinned Oklahoma's Jake Hager in the second period to close out the dual.

Wrestling:

Top-ranked Oklahoma State Downs No. 3 Oklahoma In Bedlam Dual

Rusty Blackmon pulled out a last second victory over 11th-ranked Justin Dyer to spark top-ranked Oklahoma State (3-0) to a 23-12 victory over Bedlam rival Oklahoma (1-1-1) in front of 7,988 fans inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. With Oklahoma leading 12-11 after the 174-pound match, Blackmon took Dyer down and put him on his back for a five-point move turning a defeat into a 6-3 decision for the Cowboys. “He (Justin Dyer) is a tough kid,” Blackmon said afterward. “I am just trying to keep myself on an even keel. I do not want to get too up or too down after a loss. It is one win and we still have a long time until March. “I do not know what to say about that last 20 seconds. I just started wrestling and did not think too much. Dyer is a tough kid, he is strong and a solid wrestler.

The dual started at 125 with a battle of All-Americans between Sam Hazewinkel and Coleman Scott. Hazewinkel scored two first period takedowns to carry him to victory and help OU put the first match in the books. The two teams traded the next seven matches with OSU getting major decisions from Nathan Morgan at 133 and Zack Esposito at 149.

The Sooners received a big spark from freshman Will Rowe. Rowe trailed in the third period, 3-1, and scored two takedowns in the final 44 seconds to send the match into overtime tied at five. Rowe forced the action in the sudden victory period and got the takedown to win the match 7-5 and turn the momentum in favor of OU.

Oklahoma tried to carry that into the 165-pound match, but top-ranked Johny Hendricks was too strong for Jarrod King. Hendricks pulled out the 5-0 decision to put OSU back on top in the dual, 11-9. OU regained the lead at 174 when the experienced Wes Roberts took down OSU freshman Brandon Mason twice and came away with a 5-3 decision.

The Cowboys seized the momentum at 184 after Blackmon’s victory. The crowd rose to its feet in the closing seconds while Blackmon was searching for a pin. Blackmon settled for an upset decision, but Steve Mocco closed the dual with the fall the crowd was looking for. “It did not seem like we got a click going,” head coach John Smith said. “There is no question Rusty (Blackkmon) had a nice win for us at 184 to get some momentum going to send Jake (Rosholt) out with in a tough bout and to finish up with Steve (Mocco). “I am pleased to win. The score could be that again, but I want to see more out there and we did not give that tonight. I thought we wrestled a little bit tight.” After top-ranked Jake Rosholt came away with a decision over second-ranked Joel Flaggert, Mocco got the crowd excited again by pinning fifth-ranked Jake Hager in 3:41.

Brandon Mason keyed OSU's Bedlam victory with a decision at 174.

Cowboys Sweep Bedlam With 21-12 Win Over Sooners

Oklahoma State continued its dominance over instate rival Oklahoma winning 21-12 at the Howard McCasland Fieldhouse in Norman, Okla. The Cowboys improved to 16-2 on the season and have now won 16 consecutive duals against their Bedlam rival.

The dual remained close early as the Cowboys won three of the first five matches, but OU got a technical fall from Teyon Ware at 141 and OSU led 9-8 at the halfway point. Oklahoma was leading the dual 8-3 following Ware’s technical fall, but Oklahoma State took the lead with consecutive decisions from Zack Esposito and Kevin Ward. Ward gave up a late takedown to Will Rowe to tie the match, but Ward escaped with four seconds left to win.

The Cowboys began to assert themselves after the 165-pound match. Johny Hendricks bullied Jarrod King around the mat for seven minutes. Hendricks was looking for a major decision but got countered in the third period for a late takedown and won 12-5.

Brandon Mason kept OSU’s string of victories alive against OU’s Wes Roberts. Mason scored the match’s only takedown to win 3-0. The win put the Cowboys ahead in the dual, 15-8. Justin Dyer got the Sooners back on the scoreboard putting Rusty Blackmon on his back twice and earning a major decision.

Jake Rosholt iced the dual for Oklahoma State scoring a late takedown over Joel Flaggert to win by decision, 4-1, and putting OSU up 18-12 heading into the heavyweight match. Steve Mocco put the finishing touches on the dual defeating Jake Hager, 8-1

Oklahoma State Wins Eighth Big 12 Title and Fourth in a Row

Team Standings Oklahoma State 80 Oklahoma 52.5 Nebraska 52 Iowa State 47.5 Missouri 42

Oklahoma State’s wrestling team won its fourth consecutive Big 12 wrestling title at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa on Saturday evening. The Cowboys crowned four individual champions out of seven finalists and out distanced second-place Oklahoma by a score of 80-52.5. Nebraska, Iowa State and Missouri rounded out the team scoring.

Nathan Morgan, Zack Esposito, Johny Hendricks and Steve Mocco all defended their titles after winning a year ago. The Cowboys got a pair of nice victories in the early rounds from fifth seeds Ethan Kyle and Rusty Blackmon. Kyle put Chris McCormick on his back for three near-fall points to record a major decision, 9-0. Blackmon recorded a reversal and a two-point near fall with less than 10 seconds left in the match to defeat Justin Dyer, 6-3.

Cowboys Take Home Fourth Consecutive Wrestling Title, Crown Two Champions

Team Standings Oklahoma State 122.5 Minnesota 84.0 Oklahoma 80.5 Iowa 70.0 Cornell 62.0 Arizona State 61.5 Michigan 57.5 Edinboro 56.0 Lehigh 53.5 Penn State 53.5

Oklahoma State put the finishing touches on its 34th national wrestling championship by crowning two champions and finishing with 122.5 team points, 38.5 points ahead of runner-up Minnesota, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. OSU finished the tournament with six All-Americans, the most of any school in the tournament. The Cowboys and Minnesota both crowned two champions.

Johny Hendricks successfully defended his title at 165 winning a thriller, 9-8, over previously undefeated and top-seeded Ryan Churella of Michigan. Hendricks was leading 4-3 in the second period when Churella got him in a cradle for a takedown and two near fall points at the buzzer to go up 7-4. Hendricks escaped and took Churella down on the edge of the mat with 30 seconds left to tie it up. Hendricks decided to go for the win by cutting Churella and with time running out; Hendricks scored a takedown with three seconds left to a chorus of cheers and boos at the Ford Center.

Baseball:

Teams lucky to avoid all-out Bedlam

Sunny Golloway and Frank Anderson stood toe-to-toe at home plate, a piece of rubber Sooner runners never found and Cowboy pitchers rarely missed in two Bricktown ball games, exchanging language unfit for the Sabbath, particularly Mother's Day. OSU sweeps OU; gesture fuels rift

Bedlam, the bad kind, broke out Sunday night after Oklahoma State swept OU, and it could have turned ugly. We were one lit match from 1989, the year of the infamous Stillwater brawl. Football is bloodsport in this state, and nothing juices OU-OSU like hoops, but the most testosterone-laced sport can be found on the genteel baseball diamond, where suddenly it's the Battle of Bullcrap Run.

Can't we all just get along? I mean, you can't even blame Tom Holliday for this one. He's 400 miles south, minding his own beezwax in Austin's city limits. "It was nothing," said Anderson. "Tough game, just glad to get out of here." Said Golloway, "Frank and I get along fine."

Yeah, right. Maybe you can guys can have dinner with Hillary and Trent Lott the next time you stroll through the D.C. dogwoods. Thankfully, no blows were thrown, though they were offered. Golloway told Anderson, "I'll kick your (butt)." Later Sunday night, Golloway expressed regret over the blowup. "I wish it had never happened," Golloway said.

Golloway referred to himself as a Christian, and Anderson referred to himself as a family guy, and who I am to throw stones? We all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of Mother's Day. This Bedlam barbecue has brought out the worst in many a man, including the knucklehead fans who brawled Saturday night at The Brick. Final score: three to jail, three to detox. Besides, Golloway and Anderson weren't alone in stealing the spotlight from the Cowboys' three-game sweep. Here's what happened and how it could have been avoided:

1. Pistol Pete grabbed a broom and danced atop the OU dugout with two out in the ninth inning. Great theater, but low class. I love Pete, always have, but he should have jigged atop the Cowboy dugout. Anderson agreed: "We shouldn't be up on their dugout. I didn't think that was right." Golloway complained to Anderson after the game, and Anderson immediately went to address the situation with an administrator.
2. During the postgame handshakes, OSU backup outfielder Steve Ptak presented OU pitcher Daniel McCutcheon with a copy of the Saturday Oklahoman, in which McCutcheon was quoted as saying, "Our team's going to get fired up and ... win 15-2. Then we're gonna win on Sunday." Dumb quote by a frustrated pitcher. Golloway called a team meeting Saturday morning to upbraid McCutcheon for the bulletin-board material. And dumb move by a taunting winner. Sweep Bedlam, and you don't need to gloat. Gary Ward used to get ripped for not having his Cowboys participate in postgame handshakes with foes after games, but maybe he was onto something. Those rituals rarely lead to Kumbaya; now they're starting grassfires.
3. That altercation led to more jawing between players, and coaches yelling at players to get back, and then coaches yelling at coaches to start concentrating on their own players. That led to Golloway and Anderson at home plate with a most regrettable Mother's Day chat. "Bottom line, I was asking Frank to care of his team and I'll take care of my team," Golloway said. "We had a discussion about controlling our team." A discussion? "A strong discussion," Golloway said. Said Anderson, "I'm just glad it didn't escalate into anything else."

Glad? Lucky is more like it. Bottom line, Golloway didn't control himself as well as he should have, and Anderson didn't control his team as well as he should have. Both must do better in two weeks, when this fiery feud could resume in the Big 12 Tournament.

Berry Tramel. Teams lucky to avoid all-out Bedlam. The Oklahoman. Monday, May 15, 2006.

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