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Keep Hall-of-Famer Glenn “Smitty” Smith in your prayers this holiday season: he’s home now after being hospitalized with a life-threatening case of pneumonia that caused an infection in his heart and kidneys as well. His wonderful wife Mona says he has a long road back to a full recovery, and would really appreciate your thoughts and prayers at this time. Smitty is one of the all-time greats at ORU, beginning as athletic trainer under Ken Trickey in the early 70’s, and also teaching in the ORU HPE department for decades. “Get well soon, Babe!!”

If TheEagleman recalls correctly....he met his wife Mona at ORU where she was a student around the time the I was attending ORU....pretty sure she is a grad....Smitty took over as trainer when ORU was a Top 25 team and I think his first year was my freshman year or maybe the prior year so 1971 or 1972....a really good man..........true story....in my ORU days, I was very friendly with asst coach Terry Scott who I think is now head coach at Muskogee HS (???) or at least he was....Terry's brother Alvin was my next door neighbor at Fairmont Terrace Apts. and was ORU's starting small forward and was drafted and played in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns.....but I digress....Coach Scott usually sat on the ORU bench during games next to Smitty and was next to him during the 1974 Midwest Regional Final at Mabee Center vs. Kansas....with about 3 minutes left to play, Kansas called time out and ORU was up 8 points and Terry turned to Smitty and said "we're going to Greensboro for the Final Four"....Smitty said something like...."don't jinx us"....well....the rest is history.....we lost in OT by 3....

The King: “LET CONFERENCE PLAY BEGIN.” The Court (in unison): “DILLY, DILLY!!” The Squire: “...and cash those checks!” The Court (in unison): “DILLY, DILLY!!”

I think AL is just getting out played by Chris and Javan. The clearest strength of this team is rebounding and specifically offensive rebounding. Eman, Javan and Chris are very strong rebounders and as a group can be pretty dominant. Al weakens that element when he's out there and we really need it to win. I don't know why he's such a lackluster rebounder, that part doesn't make sense.