The Morning Fade – 1.20.11

Helsley with a great quote from JPO last night – On Keiton’s game-tying three – “‘That was really big,’ Olukemi said. ‘He stepped up and hit a shot that he hits consistently every day in practice. I couldn’t be more happy to see that go in.'”

Helsley on Ray Penn’s struggles – “Penn has been inconsistent, which has to frustrate Travis Ford, an old point guard, to no end. Keep in mind that Penn was injured last year and only played in five Big 12 games, so he’s still adjusting to the Big 12 level of play. The biggest thing for Penn is to run the offense and not try to carry the team offensively. He can be a solid contributor, but he’s not going to be the man. And sometimes it looks like he thinks he can be.”

Good take by Dr. Saturday on the Texas TV deal – “…so the rich get richer: Already, Texas consistently tops the lists of the wealthiest or “most valuable” programs in the nation, reportedly bringing in over $85 million in net revenue on football alone* in the 2008-09 school year – well above the No. 2 revenue generator, Ohio State. Based on that number, with the guaranteed network cash on top of the Big 12’s desperate promise to significantly increase payouts by up to $20 million on its next television contract, Longhorn Football stands to clear $100 million in gross annual revenue within the next five years. Easily.”

Fred Hoiberg in the Ames Tribune – “‘There is a fine line in this game between being an average team and being a great team, and right now we are hovering around that,” Hoiberg said. “If we make those extra plays, those hustle plays, get those extra possessions, we win this one for sure and probably a couple more.'” Great might be a little much, we can start with good though.

Olin Buchanon recaps OSU’s football season – “Biggest surprise: Oklahoma State. The general consensus in the preseason was that Oklahoma State would finish fifth in the Big 12 South. Maybe sixth. Instead, the Cowboys posted a school-record 11 victories. First-year starting QB Brandon Weeden excelled, WR Justin Blackmon emerged as perhaps the best in the nation at his position and TB Kendall Hunter came back from injury and showed his ’08 form. The Cowboys tied for the South Division title.”

Bruce Feldman has OSU as the biggest winner going into 2011 – “With the Cowboys losing offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen to the West Virginia Mountaineers, it didn’t seem like a stretch that they’d lose strong-armed 27-year-old quarterback Brandon Weeden and Biletnikoff Award-winning wide receiver Justin Blackmon, too, but Mike Gundy had to be high-fiving everyone in sight when he found out both were coming back for another year. The chance to work with both of these players certainly will make Gundy’s sales pitch easier as he courts potential offensive coordinator candidates. If the two had left, it’s doubtful the Cowboys would have been a preseason top-20 team. With them, they figure to be somewhere in the top 10.”

Three Cowboy football players in all-star games – “A trio of Oklahoma State seniors will compete in post-season all-star games in the coming weeks. Kicker Dan Bailey and linebacker Orie Lemonwill both suit up for the West team in the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday, Jan. 22 and running back Kendall Hunter will play in the Senior Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 29.”

OU is trying to launch its own TV channel – Wow, hope they aren’t contractually obligated to show hoops.

Big day tomorrow.