Daily Mullets (November 11)

Happy Veterans Day to everybody reading this who served. We don’t have enough holidays that remind us to thank you for your selflessness. Also, gonna try something a little different with the Bullets today. They won’t be as long as normal.

Jalen on his Pops

Man, I love Jalen McCleskey. He talks about his dad here and why nobody really calls him “Jalen” anymore. It’s all “lil sho.” Also, his dad watches the games 5-6 times! Can I get him to write for the blog?!

Burton’s last home game

Noted pescatarian Jordan Burton will play his final home game in BPS on Saturday. His path to OSU, as many are, was a long one. Glenn Spencer said he had to go to the mall when he was first recruiting him out of Kilgore JC.

“My first contact with him, I went to the shoe store in the mall,” Spencer said. “He’s playing football, he’s working full time, going to school full time … He couldn’t get off work.” [NewsOK]

Oklahoma State will miss him probably more than people realize when he’s gone next year. Jordan and Jordan ejecting from this defense — not a world I want to live in.

Underwood era starts tonight

It seems obvious in retrospect that Brad Underwood is the dude, but kudos to Mike Holder for recognizing it in the moment and laying a vision that not everyone had (raises hand).

“Before he ever came up here, he knew he wanted the job,” Holder said. “Before I ever sat down with him, I knew I wanted to hire him. “It just seemed so obvious, looking back. It was a no-brainer. I can’t believe how lucky we were.” [NewsOK]

This is why he’s an athletic director who makes half a mil a year and we’re all sitting around reading sports blogs. Speaking of sports blogs! Here’s one that predicts Underwood was the best long-term hire in the country.

New coach who will have the most longterm success at his school: Brad Underwood, Oklahoma State. He’s comfortable in the Big 12, he knows the recruiting territory and he has a track record of success. In three years at Stephen F. Austin, Underwood won a pair of NCAA tournament games and went 89-14 overall and 53-1 in league play. [Yahoo]

This is me after OSU wins by 40 tonight.

When you bring your Mom to a @warriors game…? (via @BleacherReport)

MORE on The Sideline: https://t.co/KjorDdinN1 pic.twitter.com/HOZWpPzQ7K

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 10, 2016

The Recruiting scene starts to come into focus for Underwood

Oklahoma State netted eight stars worth of players from Miami on Thursday during the early singing period. Brad Underwood compared one of them to LeBron in terms of how he plays. *eyes emoji*

Latravian Glover is a 6’7, 215 lb. wing that also possesses incredible athleticism, length, and outstanding strength at the small forward position. Glover can shoot it some, but will make an immediate impact in Stillwater because of his athleticism and physical presence on the wing. [PFB]

This is a good step forward for Underwood though I would also love to see him grab some Dallas or OKC dudes (although we’re picking nits there because eight stars is eight stars).

Big 12 playoff hope

Berry Tramel compares the Big 12’s playoff chances to Donald Trump’s chances to win the presidency which is actually a pretty good comp. I hope the outcome here is as positive for OSU (I know he’s talking about OU) as it was for Trump.

OU actually is in a better slot now than it was a year ago at this time. The Sooners were ranked 12th by the 2015 committee, two weeks into November. They are 11th now.

Yes, OU has two losses and had just one a year ago. But with four weeks left in the regular season, only seven Power-5 conference teams have zero or one loss. With four weeks left in the 2015 regular season, 15 Power 5 conference teams had zero or one loss. [NewsOK]

What does Oklahoma State have to do to win the Big 12?

Oklahoma State has been great for a number of reasons this year, but Jake Trotter boils it down to the two biggest (and most simplistic): Obtain more drives than your opponent does.

They’ve forced four more turnovers than any other defense in the Big 12. And QB Mason Rudolph has a tremendous 22-to-4 TD-to-interception ratio. If those trends continue, Oklahoma State will be a load these final weeks. [ESPN]

Which comes first?

I have talked for years about how Mike Gundy likes to use the pass to set up the run. That is not universally the case of course, but Mike Yurcich agreed that it definitely was last week against Kansas State.

“I think we’ve continued to improve each week,” said OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. “We faced a really good rush defense last week, and we were able to run the ball effectively. Some games we’ve been able to run the ball to open up the pass. Last week, it was more of the pass opening up the run.” [NewsOK]

This week hopefully it will be the TD setting up the next TD setting up the next TD.

Misunderstood Dez

Dez doesn’t get enough credit for his goodness-to-background ratio. It is far higher than any of ours, I presume. He’s getting criticized (oddly) for saying he’s OK with not wanting the rock as long as the Fightin’ Jerrys win games.

“Because of who I am as a person,” he said. “Who I am. I feel like I’m a great person. I do. I care about people. I genuinely care about people. I like to see people do good. I’ve been around a lot of hate in my life. That’s something I try my best to eliminate every day.”

“How many big games [statistically] have I had and we lost? And I said, ‘It’s not about that. I don’t care. We didn’t win.’ Same thing, if we winning and I’m not getting it, that’s OK,” Bryant said. “I know my time is going to come. When it comes, it’s going to be big.” [Dallas Morning News]

It always is.

Ernie Goes Off

This should have 500,000 retweets. It is the best and most rational piece of commentary I’ve heard in the last 12 months regarding the election (from a NBA host!) I could not agree more with the entire thing.

Ernie Johnson's thoughts on the presidential election. https://t.co/mONk8ZCcBY

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 11, 2016

Also this is me right now.

"I never post anything on political on Facebook, but today, I feel the need to." – everyone, all the time, on Facebook

— Andrew Gilman (@AndrewGilmanOK) November 10, 2016

More Stuff I’m Reading

Look at Kyle Boone starting strong at CBS with a Kansas over Indiana prediction … Chris Peterson is trying to lock up that 10-year deal, wily … how should Christians respond to the election … Bryan Curtis (who is awesome) on what in the world just happened.