SoonerBread
4/29/2011, 11:06 PM
Linky (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=216&articleid=20110429_216_B1_CUTLIN292756)
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Published: 4/29/2011 2:29 AM
Last Modified: 4/29/2011 10:42 AM
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Go to Jimmie Tramel's Blog
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THE PERSON - or people - who decided Oklahoma State should play a mid-November Friday night football game in Ames, Iowa, apparently never saw Brad Seely's mustache.
On Nov. 23, 1985, OSU trekked to Ames for a game against Iowa State and the Cowboys were greeted by weather conditions better suited for Yeti hunting.
"It was the worst winter snowstorm you had ever seen," former OSU coach Pat Jones said during a 2007 interview for his book. "Snow, wind, cold - everything. This was way worse than the Ice Bowl game against OU the following week."
The temperature was 22 degrees at kickoff and flurries were blowing around freshly plowed Jack Trice Stadium. Jones said he still gets cold when he thinks about Seely, who was OSU's offensive line coach.
Said Jones, "His mustache was completely frozen and icicles were hanging down."
Legit tough guys played on that team. But Jones worried that Cowboy players who grew up in south Texas might be shocked and awed by un-Texas-like weather.
Fretting was justified. OSU entered the game with an 8-1 record and lost 15-10 despite being a 20-point favorite.
If OSU had won, an Orange Bowl trip, a share of the Big Eight title and maybe a shot at being in the national championship hunt would have been at stake in OU-OSU seven days later.
All that literally got put on ice.
Cowboys fans should hope history doesn't repeat in 2011.
OSU, which set a school record with 11 victories last season, expects to compete for a Big 12 crown this season. But powers-that-be upgraded a potential land mine on the championship path when they switched a late-season game at Iowa State from Saturday, Nov. 19 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18.
The temperature in Ames is likely going to be frosty any day in November.
But this game won't be played on any "day." It will be played at night, which means zero chance of precious sunlight. It could be like opening the refrigerator door to discover the light bulb is out - except colder.
After the switch was announced, I blogged that the people who chose to stage the game at night should have to stand next to players on the sideline. It falls under the category of don't ask anyone to do anything you wouldn't do yourself.
Body temperatures are being sacrificed so the game can be shown on ESPN2. That means most people who contend OSU should man up and play without complaint will have the luxury of watching the game from the comfort of a warm couch, snuggie optional.
Frostbite isn't the only reason the Ames trip looms as dangerous.
Last season, Iowa State was scrappy enough to take Nebraska into overtime and beat Texas in Austin, though ambushing the Horns is suddenly not reason enough to pop a cork.
Because of the date change, the Cowboys will lose a day of preparation between consecutive road games in Lubbock and Ames - unless more schedule juggling occurs.
And, as effective as OSU's new offense was last season, will it travel north in November? The old Big Eight philosophy was you better be able to play smash-mouth when cold late-season winds start blowing up north.
OSU has gone to Ames 21 times in the Big Eight/Big 12 era and owns a respectable 9-5 record when playing November road games against the Cyclones.
Jones recalled that, prior to a 1981 game, firetrucks arrived at the stadium and pressure hoses were used to blow ice off the field. The temperature was 25 degrees and the wind chill was 10. OSU ignored goose bumps and won by 20.
The Cowboys weren't as fortunate on Nov. 24, 1973. They took a No. 18 ranking to Ames and lost 28-12 to a Cyclone squad that was living in the league cellar.
OSU committed seven turnovers. Another possession was forfeited when a punt (the ball hit the foot of a Cowboy return man) wasn't successfully fielded.
If not a freezing day (the temperature was 43 degrees) at the office, it certainly was a bad day at the office: OSU lost five yards when an onside kick attempt scooted backward and out of bounds.
With OSU trailing 14-0 in the fourth quarter and Iowa State quarterback Buddy Hardeman racing down the sideline, Cowboy guard S.L. Stephens had seen enough.
Stephens left the bench area and threw Hardeman onto a soggy field. Officials awarded Hardeman a touchdown.
Quizzed by reporters afterward, Stephens said, "I just couldn't let him go."
On most November days in Ames, Stephens could have used this as his motive: Hey, I needed to move around just to keep warm.
Regardless, the Cowboys should brace themselves for another cold war.
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Published: 4/29/2011 2:29 AM
Last Modified: 4/29/2011 10:42 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Go to Jimmie Tramel's Blog
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE PERSON - or people - who decided Oklahoma State should play a mid-November Friday night football game in Ames, Iowa, apparently never saw Brad Seely's mustache.
On Nov. 23, 1985, OSU trekked to Ames for a game against Iowa State and the Cowboys were greeted by weather conditions better suited for Yeti hunting.
"It was the worst winter snowstorm you had ever seen," former OSU coach Pat Jones said during a 2007 interview for his book. "Snow, wind, cold - everything. This was way worse than the Ice Bowl game against OU the following week."
The temperature was 22 degrees at kickoff and flurries were blowing around freshly plowed Jack Trice Stadium. Jones said he still gets cold when he thinks about Seely, who was OSU's offensive line coach.
Said Jones, "His mustache was completely frozen and icicles were hanging down."
Legit tough guys played on that team. But Jones worried that Cowboy players who grew up in south Texas might be shocked and awed by un-Texas-like weather.
Fretting was justified. OSU entered the game with an 8-1 record and lost 15-10 despite being a 20-point favorite.
If OSU had won, an Orange Bowl trip, a share of the Big Eight title and maybe a shot at being in the national championship hunt would have been at stake in OU-OSU seven days later.
All that literally got put on ice.
Cowboys fans should hope history doesn't repeat in 2011.
OSU, which set a school record with 11 victories last season, expects to compete for a Big 12 crown this season. But powers-that-be upgraded a potential land mine on the championship path when they switched a late-season game at Iowa State from Saturday, Nov. 19 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18.
The temperature in Ames is likely going to be frosty any day in November.
But this game won't be played on any "day." It will be played at night, which means zero chance of precious sunlight. It could be like opening the refrigerator door to discover the light bulb is out - except colder.
After the switch was announced, I blogged that the people who chose to stage the game at night should have to stand next to players on the sideline. It falls under the category of don't ask anyone to do anything you wouldn't do yourself.
Body temperatures are being sacrificed so the game can be shown on ESPN2. That means most people who contend OSU should man up and play without complaint will have the luxury of watching the game from the comfort of a warm couch, snuggie optional.
Frostbite isn't the only reason the Ames trip looms as dangerous.
Last season, Iowa State was scrappy enough to take Nebraska into overtime and beat Texas in Austin, though ambushing the Horns is suddenly not reason enough to pop a cork.
Because of the date change, the Cowboys will lose a day of preparation between consecutive road games in Lubbock and Ames - unless more schedule juggling occurs.
And, as effective as OSU's new offense was last season, will it travel north in November? The old Big Eight philosophy was you better be able to play smash-mouth when cold late-season winds start blowing up north.
OSU has gone to Ames 21 times in the Big Eight/Big 12 era and owns a respectable 9-5 record when playing November road games against the Cyclones.
Jones recalled that, prior to a 1981 game, firetrucks arrived at the stadium and pressure hoses were used to blow ice off the field. The temperature was 25 degrees and the wind chill was 10. OSU ignored goose bumps and won by 20.
The Cowboys weren't as fortunate on Nov. 24, 1973. They took a No. 18 ranking to Ames and lost 28-12 to a Cyclone squad that was living in the league cellar.
OSU committed seven turnovers. Another possession was forfeited when a punt (the ball hit the foot of a Cowboy return man) wasn't successfully fielded.
If not a freezing day (the temperature was 43 degrees) at the office, it certainly was a bad day at the office: OSU lost five yards when an onside kick attempt scooted backward and out of bounds.
With OSU trailing 14-0 in the fourth quarter and Iowa State quarterback Buddy Hardeman racing down the sideline, Cowboy guard S.L. Stephens had seen enough.
Stephens left the bench area and threw Hardeman onto a soggy field. Officials awarded Hardeman a touchdown.
Quizzed by reporters afterward, Stephens said, "I just couldn't let him go."
On most November days in Ames, Stephens could have used this as his motive: Hey, I needed to move around just to keep warm.
Regardless, the Cowboys should brace themselves for another cold war.
By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer