My first memories of basketball of any kind include Wayman. Any time I think of him, I also think of my Grandma who died in 1996. She loved her Sooner Hoops. Her friends learned early on not to call during a game, because she wasn't going to answer. Wayman was always her favorite. I've posted this previously, but I think it is worth posting in this thread. When my Grandma died, all of her important papers and keepsakes were discovered in a small lock box in her closet. Included in this box along with the standard insurance papers, were valentines, birthday cards and letters from her 5 grandkids. We also learned that my Grandma secretly wished she had a 6th grandchild. You see, along with all of the mementos we had given her were newspaper clippings and photographs and an autograph from Wayman Tisdale.
I am in agreement that the BEST thing to do would be to rename the arena after Tisdale. I don't know how that would work with the current namesake, but bare minimum Tisdale court.
Tisdale public memorial service info here. Here's info on how to donate to Wayman's foundation: Wayman Tisdale Foundation c/o Paul Samuels Morgan Stanley 2200 S. Utica Place, Suite 500 Tulsa, OK 74114 (918) 582-3211 or (800) 877-8651 Cards and letters can be sent to: Regina K. Tisdale c/o Friendship Church 1709 N. Madison Ave. Tulsa, OK 74106
More info on today's and tomorrow's events, as well as an Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame tribute/fundraiser here.
I didn't care about basketball at all before Wayman came to Norman. He turned me into the kind of fan willing to wake up early on a Saturday and go to LNC at 8:00 to get a good seat in the student section for the Georgia Tech game and a college hoops fan since. I hope to see a statue of him outside the LNC. RIP Wayman.
While I was an OU basketball fanatic five years before his arrival, I definitely agree on the statue!
It was suggested by me and others that similar to Heisman Park we could start a Naismith Park at LNC for our Naismith winners... I'm sure we can find a way to include Tisdale in our memorializing plans... perhaps an area for Olympic medalists?
His public funeral at Tulsa's BOK Center just ended. A lot of speakers and music performances, including Wayman's band and Toby Keith. An estimated 3,000 attended.
New song by Toby Keith about Wayman Tisdale on his new album. Very good and touching song. (Ignore the foreign website and dude modeling underwear) Cryin' For Me (Wayman's Song)
Thats awesome of Toby to do that. I have so many Wayman autographs. He couldnt believe the basketball cards that i brought for him to sign back at the OLD athletic village. He loved the card when he played in the ole baby blue Kings uniform
Here is a link to the music video version of TK's song. If you're at work, you might want to wait until you're at home where nobody can see you tear up
Anyone else notice the Wayman 23 patches the players are wearing? Very cool. Sorry, that's the best pic I could find on SS.com showing it They wore red ones with their cream uniforms last night.
