By JOHN KLEIN
Senior Sports Columnist
Travis Ford has been a sensational hire for Oklahoma State in almost every way possible.But in the one way that matters most, Ford has continued to fall far short as OSU's basketball coach.
Ford, seven years as the head coach of the Cowboys, continues to struggle to
keep the Cowboys relevant on the national college basketball stage.That is not an unrealistic expectation. Oklahoma State has the resources,
facilities, fan base and legacy to be a high-level collegiate basketball
program. To suggest otherwise is looking for an excuse.Ford's future at OSU remains a serious discussion among significant OSU
boosters and officials a week after the Cowboys were pushed out in their
first game of the NCAA Tournament by Oregon.
OSU athletic director Mike Holder had no comment.But Oklahoma State officials have long believed, as do most OSU fans, that
the Cowboys should have a nationally significant men's basketball
program.
Eddie Sutton's name is on the court. Henry Iba's name is on the building. Basketball is important in Stillwater.
If Ford did not understand the expectations, that was awfully naive on his part.
A high-level basketball program does not have one NCAA Tournament victory over the past decade.
A high-level basketball program does not brag that it finished sixth in its conference instead of a predicted eighth.
A high-level basketball program does not accept the mediocrity.Fornearly three decades under Iba and two more decades under Sutton,
Oklahoma State basketball was among the upper echelon of schools that
helped turn college basketball into one of America's favorite sports.
The Cowboys were more than relevant. They were once a part of college basketball royalty.
There are a lot of reasons for Oklahoma State's fall from the national stage.Certainly,part of it was the nature of Sutton's departure from OSU. Sutton, one
the greatest coaches of his generation, fell from grace when an auto
accident exposed an alcohol relapse.
It was an ugly end to what was a glorious era of basketball for the Cowboys.
Then there was the clumsy handoff to his son, Sean, who had a brief and unsuccessful two years as the OSU head coach.SoFord did not inherit OSU at its peak or in a smooth manner. However,
most coaching changes are made because there was something wrong with
the program.Ford should have been aware there were high-level expectations at OSU, a
school with a terrific heritage that dates back nearly 70 years as the
first national powerhouse program in NCAA basketball. OSU was the first
back-to-back national champion in college basketball.
Nearly 50 years later, Sutton revived the program and put it back in the Final Four twice in a decade.
Gallagher-Iba Arena was renovated, its capacity doubled in size, and was full almost every night.
OSU feared no one in college basketball. Plenty feared a trip to Stillwater.Inhis introductory news conference seven years ago, Ford said his goal
was to win a national championship as the OSU coach. Not play for one.
Not reach a Final Four. Win it.
However, that goal looks farther away now than at any time in the last quarter-century.
Yet, in almost every other way, Ford has been everything that OSU could have hoped.
Ford is a terrific guy. He is extremely kind and helpful to the media. He is gracious in dealing with OSU's fans.
He promotes his team and games by giving out free tickets to students around campus.He'sa fantastic recruiter. He has brought a handful of high school
All-Americans to Stillwater, disproving the myth that it is hard to
recruit high-level basketball players to OSU.
Ford's players have a tremendous loyalty to him and appear to love playing for him.In just about every way possible he appears to be a great fit for Oklahoma
State. But coaching is about winning. That's where Ford has failed at
an alarming rate.
If not for a 10-year contract, which many now admit was a mistake, Ford probably would no longer be the coach at OSU.Fivetrips to the NCAA Tournament in seven years might be acceptable and
cause for a raise at some schools. However, at O-State, just one NCAA
Tournament victory in seven years is not acceptable.Anopening-game loss in the NCAA Tournament for a team that was ranked in
the preseason top 10 and was a co-favorite to win the Big 12 in 2014 is
not acceptable.
Oklahoma State fans do not have unreasonable expectations for their basketball program.
Everything is in place to win big in college basketball except, well ... wins.
918-581-8368
john.klein@tulsaworld.com
This post was edited on 3/30 7:41 AM by Tarem
This post was edited on 3/30 7:42 AM by Tarem
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/osusportsextra/john-klein-oklahoma-state-hoops-falling-short-of-great-expectations/article_fe7e922e-7792-5c7e-8326-364ce41eec6f.html
Senior Sports Columnist
Travis Ford has been a sensational hire for Oklahoma State in almost every way possible.But in the one way that matters most, Ford has continued to fall far short as OSU's basketball coach.
Ford, seven years as the head coach of the Cowboys, continues to struggle to
keep the Cowboys relevant on the national college basketball stage.That is not an unrealistic expectation. Oklahoma State has the resources,
facilities, fan base and legacy to be a high-level collegiate basketball
program. To suggest otherwise is looking for an excuse.Ford's future at OSU remains a serious discussion among significant OSU
boosters and officials a week after the Cowboys were pushed out in their
first game of the NCAA Tournament by Oregon.
OSU athletic director Mike Holder had no comment.But Oklahoma State officials have long believed, as do most OSU fans, that
the Cowboys should have a nationally significant men's basketball
program.
Eddie Sutton's name is on the court. Henry Iba's name is on the building. Basketball is important in Stillwater.
If Ford did not understand the expectations, that was awfully naive on his part.
A high-level basketball program does not have one NCAA Tournament victory over the past decade.
A high-level basketball program does not brag that it finished sixth in its conference instead of a predicted eighth.
A high-level basketball program does not accept the mediocrity.Fornearly three decades under Iba and two more decades under Sutton,
Oklahoma State basketball was among the upper echelon of schools that
helped turn college basketball into one of America's favorite sports.
The Cowboys were more than relevant. They were once a part of college basketball royalty.
There are a lot of reasons for Oklahoma State's fall from the national stage.Certainly,part of it was the nature of Sutton's departure from OSU. Sutton, one
the greatest coaches of his generation, fell from grace when an auto
accident exposed an alcohol relapse.
It was an ugly end to what was a glorious era of basketball for the Cowboys.
Then there was the clumsy handoff to his son, Sean, who had a brief and unsuccessful two years as the OSU head coach.SoFord did not inherit OSU at its peak or in a smooth manner. However,
most coaching changes are made because there was something wrong with
the program.Ford should have been aware there were high-level expectations at OSU, a
school with a terrific heritage that dates back nearly 70 years as the
first national powerhouse program in NCAA basketball. OSU was the first
back-to-back national champion in college basketball.
Nearly 50 years later, Sutton revived the program and put it back in the Final Four twice in a decade.
Gallagher-Iba Arena was renovated, its capacity doubled in size, and was full almost every night.
OSU feared no one in college basketball. Plenty feared a trip to Stillwater.Inhis introductory news conference seven years ago, Ford said his goal
was to win a national championship as the OSU coach. Not play for one.
Not reach a Final Four. Win it.
However, that goal looks farther away now than at any time in the last quarter-century.
Yet, in almost every other way, Ford has been everything that OSU could have hoped.
Ford is a terrific guy. He is extremely kind and helpful to the media. He is gracious in dealing with OSU's fans.
He promotes his team and games by giving out free tickets to students around campus.He'sa fantastic recruiter. He has brought a handful of high school
All-Americans to Stillwater, disproving the myth that it is hard to
recruit high-level basketball players to OSU.
Ford's players have a tremendous loyalty to him and appear to love playing for him.In just about every way possible he appears to be a great fit for Oklahoma
State. But coaching is about winning. That's where Ford has failed at
an alarming rate.
If not for a 10-year contract, which many now admit was a mistake, Ford probably would no longer be the coach at OSU.Fivetrips to the NCAA Tournament in seven years might be acceptable and
cause for a raise at some schools. However, at O-State, just one NCAA
Tournament victory in seven years is not acceptable.Anopening-game loss in the NCAA Tournament for a team that was ranked in
the preseason top 10 and was a co-favorite to win the Big 12 in 2014 is
not acceptable.
Oklahoma State fans do not have unreasonable expectations for their basketball program.
Everything is in place to win big in college basketball except, well ... wins.
918-581-8368
john.klein@tulsaworld.com
This post was edited on 3/30 7:41 AM by Tarem
This post was edited on 3/30 7:42 AM by Tarem
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/osusportsextra/john-klein-oklahoma-state-hoops-falling-short-of-great-expectations/article_fe7e922e-7792-5c7e-8326-364ce41eec6f.html
