ORUTerry Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 (excerpt) By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Writer Published: 1/23/2010 2:19 AM Last Modified: 1/23/2010 4:37 AM ERNIE BANKS CAME TO mind often during Wednesday night's Mayor's Cup contest. Thinking about a baseball player in the middle of a basketball game? Actually, it was the Hall of Famer's famous quote that repeatedly popped up as I soaked up the atmosphere inside the Mabee Center. "It's a beautiful day for a ballgame," the always-effervescent Banks said many times during his career with the Chicago Cubs. "Let's play two!" ....... Link to Full Story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUIsbig Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Wow. What a great story. He's totally right. Why would't TU want to play us twice? Because we COULD beat them twice. I love the idea. Home and home every year. it will spice up the rivalry even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Disappointed by the disparaging remarks from Wojcik. Had heard he describes ORU in confidence as "mickey mouse", but I'm surprised he would be so blunt in print about basically not wanting to play us at all, much less twice. For the record, two times a year would be one too many. Back in the 70's and 80's when we played twice a season, one or the other school was always a lot better than the other, and won both games. Made for a pretty anti-climactic second game every year. Last Wednesday night was really the perfect way to do it each year: one game, mid-season, at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManiacAlum Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 I always enjoy how much TU shows that they "don't really care about ORU" by continuously saying so and bringing a ton of fans to the Mabee. Looking at our schedules the past few years, it's laughable to think Tulsa is still ORU's "Super Bowl". And does anyone ever tell this story from ORU's side? Why would we want to play this game twice a year? Geez, if TU's veteran team doesn't squeak out a comeback win against a banged up, exhausted ORU team of freshmen, soph's, walk-on's and redshirts I would have forgotten how annoying some of the TU people can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 35 years and TU is just as arrogant as ever... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted January 24, 2010 Author Share Posted January 24, 2010 35 years and TU is just as arrogant as ever... .... and for no apparent reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I always enjoy how much TU shows that they "don't really care about ORU" by continuously saying so and bringing a ton of fans to the Mabee. Looking at our schedules the past few years, it's laughable to think Tulsa is still ORU's "Super Bowl". And does anyone ever tell this story from ORU's side? Why would we want to play this game twice a year? Geez, if TU's veteran team doesn't squeak out a comeback win against a banged up, exhausted ORU team of freshmen, soph's, walk-on's and redshirts I would have forgotten how annoying some of the TU people can be. I've said this for years and I still stand by it: the Mayor's Cup game has grown to mean more to TU than it does to ORU. One of the reasons is that, regardless of what they do against TU, ORU still has to win three little games in March to achieve their goals. Winning or losing the TU game has nothing to do with that. The Mayor's Cup is a game that would be cool to win, but it's simply not a back-breaker to lose. TU, on the other hand, can't afford a loss to ORU in any given year without taking a major hit to their NCAA at-large chances. It's a game they dread losing, from both a philosophical and tactical standpoint, and it's game that they take great relief in winning. Another reason is the one ManiacAlum gave: when you play a non-conference schedule like ORU's, against programs such as North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Louisville, Wake Forest, Stanford, and Texas in just the past three seasons alone, it's not like Tulsa is THE game everyone at ORU circles on their calendar. It was different when ORU was an independent and didn't play anybody back in the 70's, and needed to beat - heck, even just play - TU for validation and attention. The Mayor's Cup is still one of ORU's high-profile non-conference games year-in and year-out, but it's far from the only one, and I can't remember the last time it was the biggest one. And while it's typically the highest-attended home game in Mabee Center in most years, the fact that half the crowd is unruly Golden Hurricane fans tarnishes the overall experience, in comparison to smaller but predominantly pro-ORU crowds for the likes of Missouri, New Mexico, Valpo in years past, etc. Across town, meanwhile, ORU has surprisingly become an every-other-year highlight of TU's home non-conference schedule, due to Doug Wojcik not playing very many big name schools in the Reynolds Center (Oklahoma State, Brigham Young, Charlotte and Colorado topping that list the past few seasons). Last, but not least: ORU's victories in three Mayor's Cups in a row - and four of five - represented to Golden Hurricane fans the low-water marks of TU's malaise in the previous decade. TU's recent success against the Golden Eagles (winning 3 of the last 4 meetings) has been equally symbolic to them of their return to respectability. Basically, TU has come to view a win or loss to ORU as an overall barometer of the state of their basketball program. In years past, a loss to ORU was certainly considered cause for concern (and likely for good reason), but now even a win over ORU is treated with equal parts fanfare, perhaps out of respect to ORU's high level of play under Scott Sutton. ORU, however, has for years under Sutton approached TU in the same way, in seasons both good and mediocre: a team to be respected, but by no means a team to be feared. Basically, a winnable game if we play well; a game we'll likely lose if we don't. But not an indicator one way or the other of how good or bad ORU is at that particular time. An example of how things may have changed in the way the two programs view the game was on display this weekend, when TU players and staff worried early and often in the local press about avoiding an emotional "ORU hangover" for their home game against a weak Rice team on Saturday. Considering the Golden Hurricane escaped with a lackluster 72-68 win before a home crowd that could best be described as "subdued", perhaps their concern was justified. While down on South Lewis, I don't think I've ever heard Scott Sutton - in any year - worry about a similar emotional letdown on the part of ORU players following a game with TU. Quite the opposite: he typically talks about using the game as a springboard to better things. And last night, in what some may have viewed as a "trap" road game in Shreveport against an equally-weak-as-Rice Centenary team, the Golden Eagles turned in what might well be their finest performance of the season, routing the Gents by 30. Which may in a nutshell explain why Doug Wojcik would rather play ORU just once a year, if at all: considering how important the game has become to TU, it would just be too much to ask of his team to recover from two Mayor's Cup games in one season... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Well said, OT.....TheEagleman has little or no respect for the TU coach and their fans...they have not changed since the 70's......Wojcik = Jerk..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cornelius Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 This all comes down to TU from their coaches to their fans having a very poor understanding of the RPI. For some reason they seem to believe that if they have a strong enough RPI they will receive an at-large bid. One glaring problem... TU doesn't play a strong enough schedule to accomplish this. You have to play big names to beat them. TU never plays big names. When they do they choke... or make excuse like "the stomach flu" And no... OSU is not a "big name", every D1 Oklahoma team beats OSU by 20+. Sutton beat #14 New Mexico and Missouri with a depleted roster... zero excuses I just find it funny that the best TU team in a decade beat an ORU team with 7 scholarship players and a few walk-ons and that is how the coach responds. Settle down Wojick you just beat ORU not the LA Lakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Which makes you want to beat them all the more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Which makes you want to beat them all the more. Maybe, but for some reason I find myself feeling very ambivalent* about the ORU-TU series, both before and after the game was played last Wednesday. I am frankly more fired up right now about giving the Dakota schools a much-deserved butt-kicking this week. *Editor's Note: Earlier, I used the word "ambiguous" here by mistake. Which, come to think of it, made the entire post pretty ambiguous... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Certainly winning the conference is more important than the Mayor's Cup, but if I could have my cake and eat it too, I'd like both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold* Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Scoreboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Scoreboard. "scoreboard" = "no viable rebuttal". Just finished reading the TU message board free-for-all regarding the Rice game, which resembled jackals and vultures fighting over a carcass, and the audio from Doug Wojcik's post-game meltdown on the KRMG.com website, where he takes his frustrations out on an unsuspecting Bruce Howard and Rick Couri just trying to do their jobs. Epic kick-the-dog fail. For crying out loud, what are you guys like to each other when you lose? Quite possibly the most dysfunctional and miserable 16-3 college basketball team in America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold* Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 "scoreboard" = "no viable rebuttal". "scoreboard" = "not worth the time, we won, buh bye now" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 "scoreboard" = "not worth the time, we won, buh bye now" Funny, I always thought Gold* was an adult - and a guy. My bad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManiacAlum Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Exactly. Sometimes it seems like this question of a 2-game Mayor's Cup is brought up just so TU and Wojcik can pat themselves on the back. The story is always painted like poor 'ol Scott Sutton is on the phone everyday with TU begging for that 2nd game. And Woj Almighty, SO tired from having to waste his precious time with the ORU peasants, steps up from his throne to announce in a booming voice: "NO, out of the kindness of my heart, TU shall grant ORU one game per season and no more!" Sutton and ORU then cower away thanking Woj Almighty and TU for the gracious opportunity. Woj Almighty then angrily goes back to his "bigger fish to fry" rhetoric, which I guess includes losing to Nebraska and taking the best TU team in years to the NIT. I would just like to know if you lose to Mickey Mouse 4 times in 7 years by an average of 15ppg, what's that make you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenj Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 He is right in that Tulsa did win this year and that is all that really matters. However i do like that the ORU coaches did not make any excuses about the game other than they should have played better in the 2nd half. I wonder what type of team they would be and what their record would be if they lost their top 2 point guards and were playing with 6 healthy scholarship players? Doesn't really matter i guess. Doug W. just wants to make the tourney one time so that he can take the best available job and i don't think most people at TU would be upset about that at all. They would switch coaching staffs in a heartbeat with ORU. At least their fans would get to see some better teams on their schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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