JimBob
01-13-2008, 09:19 AM
OSU Notebook: They're back
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
1/13/2008
Larry Reece is the public address announcer at OSU. He stopped calling Gallagher-Iba Arena the "rowdiest arena in the country" because of small crowds at recent home games. Reece surveyed the crowd before Saturday's Big 12 opener against Texas Tech and decided that it was OK to once again call the arena the rowdiest in the country.
"We definitely got the rowdy back," Reece said. "This is a special place and the crowd was there from the get-go. They got behind this team and it inspired them and energized them. Shooting well helps, but they seemed to play a little better defense because of the crowd, too."
Coach's perspective: Sean Sutton said a crowd of 11,005 made a "huge difference" for his players.
"I think they have been somewhat down that the crowds haven't been better, but I told them they would have an opportunity again and when (fans) came, they would have to respond," the second-year coach said. "I thought today they did that and our crowd through the years -- and I have said this a lot -- have helped us win a lot of games and just the overall intensity of our team was a lot better today and part of it was it was a conference game, but a big part of it was the crowd.
"They play a huge role and they can play a huge role in the rest of our season if we have an atmosphere like that every time out the last seven conference basketball games."
Milestone postponed: Texas Tech coach Bob Knight came to Stillwater in search of his 900th career win.
"Before the game, that's all we were talking about in the locker room," Obi Muonelo said. "Bobby Knight is a great coach, but we were just talking about how we didn't want him just to come in here and get his 900th win and them have a celebration on our court. We can't let that happen at Gallagher-Iba."
Sutton respects Knight and hopes the Red Raiders coach will soon get No. 900.
"I got a chance to meet him when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old and he has always treated me really well through the years and helped me a lot as a player when I was at Kentucky and the transition in between Kentucky and Oklahoma State," Sutton said. "He called three or four times that year I was out and would check on me from time to time. I have never forgotten that."
Sutton called Knight one of the great coaches in any sport.
"I don't think, unless (Duke's Mike Krzyzewski) coaches a long time, you will ever see anybody win 900 games. I pull for (Knight's team) to win every night out except for the two times they play us."
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
1/13/2008
Larry Reece is the public address announcer at OSU. He stopped calling Gallagher-Iba Arena the "rowdiest arena in the country" because of small crowds at recent home games. Reece surveyed the crowd before Saturday's Big 12 opener against Texas Tech and decided that it was OK to once again call the arena the rowdiest in the country.
"We definitely got the rowdy back," Reece said. "This is a special place and the crowd was there from the get-go. They got behind this team and it inspired them and energized them. Shooting well helps, but they seemed to play a little better defense because of the crowd, too."
Coach's perspective: Sean Sutton said a crowd of 11,005 made a "huge difference" for his players.
"I think they have been somewhat down that the crowds haven't been better, but I told them they would have an opportunity again and when (fans) came, they would have to respond," the second-year coach said. "I thought today they did that and our crowd through the years -- and I have said this a lot -- have helped us win a lot of games and just the overall intensity of our team was a lot better today and part of it was it was a conference game, but a big part of it was the crowd.
"They play a huge role and they can play a huge role in the rest of our season if we have an atmosphere like that every time out the last seven conference basketball games."
Milestone postponed: Texas Tech coach Bob Knight came to Stillwater in search of his 900th career win.
"Before the game, that's all we were talking about in the locker room," Obi Muonelo said. "Bobby Knight is a great coach, but we were just talking about how we didn't want him just to come in here and get his 900th win and them have a celebration on our court. We can't let that happen at Gallagher-Iba."
Sutton respects Knight and hopes the Red Raiders coach will soon get No. 900.
"I got a chance to meet him when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old and he has always treated me really well through the years and helped me a lot as a player when I was at Kentucky and the transition in between Kentucky and Oklahoma State," Sutton said. "He called three or four times that year I was out and would check on me from time to time. I have never forgotten that."
Sutton called Knight one of the great coaches in any sport.
"I don't think, unless (Duke's Mike Krzyzewski) coaches a long time, you will ever see anybody win 900 games. I pull for (Knight's team) to win every night out except for the two times they play us."