🏈 In EXPANSION terms, how do you feel about OK STATE?

[LBS]

http://blog.al.com/solomon/2010/06/oklahoma_president_sec_invited.html

It seems that Oklahoma State not being invited to join the SEC was at least in part a cause for the Sooners to not accept an SEC offer.

I want to know how you feel about the prospects of the Cowboys joining the SEC...next time.

 

[psychojoe]

I personally supported adding Texas, aTm, Oklahoma and the Cowboys, but from everything that I have learned Texas just didn't want to come. OSU is well funded, competitive in several different sports, easily accessible. If they didn't come as a package deal with the Sooners, though, they wouldn't generate much excitement IMO. (Other than the famous "I'm a forty year old man" rant.) I did some graduate work there, and from my observations they would fit in well with other SEC schools.

 

[LBS]

Within the context of their rivalry, OKSU is clearly little-brother. As a pair, clearly OU and OKSU are greater than their individual parts. But when I try to put my finger on the value of OKSU as a individual it gets difficult.

We know their name, but they are not a "Named Program."
They field an interesting product, but is such that it doesn't need a Named Co-Star in order to sell (i.e. are simply a perinneal "Spoiler")?
T.Boone Pickens has improved facilities, but they are not upper SEC level yet. They could get better with an SEC bump, but that leans heavily on T.Boone stepping up again...or would it?

I suppose a question as good as any is "What could the SEC build OKSU into?"

 

[psychojoe]

In terms of football I'd say the Cowboys would bring a mid tier program to the SEC, along with one of the more colorful coaches in Mike Gundy. They would be upper tier in basketball IMO, and historically they have had a strong baseball program. They have been a perennial power in collegiate wrestling, though that wouldn't bring anything to the table as far as the SEC is concerned.

I have no doubt that Boone Pickens would step up if the SEC felt the Cowboys needed better facilities to compete in the SEC. The fan base would also respond to better competition. Historically they get really juiced for OU and Texas, but kind of blah about the rest of their opponents. Geographic proximity would probably spark a rivalry with Arkansas. I'd say with SEC money being added OSU might be able to step it up to a higher level.