2010 Christmas Wish List…

My 2010 Christmas Wish List for Oklahoma State

New video boards
In theory the 4-plex of football video screens encircling Boone’s field is a great idea. Fans can see them from any angle. The effect of 4 replays running simultaneously from the 4 corners of the stadium sounds awesome. Unfortunately, we don’t live theoretically, because in reality, the video screens stink. I never know which one to look at, the sounds is always about 3.5 seconds off, and the graphics are downright atrocious. If we want to be a big-time program (and we act like we do), we need better technology than what we’re rolling out there. Either post two wide screens in the northeast and southeast corner gaps next to Gallagher-Iba or make a call to Mr. Dodds down in Austin and get the number for whoever installed theirs. I would address the basketball video board situation but it’s so bad I don’t even know where to begin.

A Rockin’ Gallagher-Iba Arena
GIA hasn’t really rocked in 5+ years. It was nice when Lucas and Joey and Tony were here. It was easy with I-Mac and Vic Williams. It was basically child’s play when Gottlieb was tossing oops to Desmond. Gallagher was packed EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. It was perfect because those teams were so easy to fall in love with.

They catered to the crowd, they fed off the energy, they made the building sway back and forth, and we loved them for it. I want to see that again. I want 4 good years of Markel and Cobbins to revive the ghosts. I want senior nights to be emotional like they used to be instead of complimentary send-offs to players who did their time, got their degree, and moved on. I want to feel history again.

Pro Combat Uniforms
I keep hearing this is “a done deal” and “it’s definitely going to happen” and trust me, the day it does you’ll have a 6,000 word piece on this site to dissect every single detail. Until then, though, I’m trying not to get my hopes up. I think we have a real opportunity to springboard the last 3-4 years of gunslingin’ success into something special and I truly think new uniforms could and should be a big part of that. I’m not in the camp that says we’ll eventually be a tier 1 football program (Texas, Florida, Bama, tOSU, etc.) but I do think we could be a tier 1.5-type like an Oregon or an Auburn and play for a title someday.

Markel Brown: Big XII FOY
Yes, I know he’s been average (at best) so far. I also know our offense doesn’t
revolve around him and we have no intention of making it do so. But I also know what I’ve read and I know Travis Ford loves him and I know we’re going to need a LOT of help when the Big XII schedule comes around. I want to see Markel average like a 12 | 4 | 3 for 16 conference games and steal the FOY from Josh Selby and Perry Jones.

Cya LeRoy
I’m sure the microphone-toting “number one fan” of the Cowboys is a good guy in real life. I just don’t need him leading “orange power” chants while jumping up and down on the logo at midfield. Again, big-time programs do not employ 25-year olds in jerseys trying to pump up 50,000+.

It would have been too cliché to put Blackmon/Weeden returns on my wish list and I’m absolutely terrified to talk about it so we’ll save that for an early January post…

Thank you to all the readers out there. You guys make this place what it is. I wish you the merriest (and orangest) Christmas ever.