We Love You Eddie!
I am so sad today after hearing that Eddie Sutton is seeking treatment for alcohol. Of course, not sad that he is getting treatment, but sad that he succumbed to the need to drink. I've been reading all of the articles written since Friday about the accident and the speculation surrounding his car accident. I'll admit, I was hopeful that it wasn't a DUI. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Any hardcore OSU basketball fan (or OSU fan in general) loves Eddie Sutton. Students don't chant Eddie during the game for nothing. Eddie is the reason that people come to OSU, that they buy tickets to the game. He has done so much for the school - he has built our program back to the way Coach Iba intended. I was really distressed by an article in the Oklahoman yesterday. The article questions his legacy. As most people know, he is one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history. He is 2nd among all active coaches - just behind Bobby Knight. His defensive style is replicated by many. Anyone who knows basketball is shocked with the Cowboys use zone defense. My basketball coach in high school followed Eddie's style.
The article goes on to say that Oklahomans will forgive Eddie. Actually, why should we need to forgive him? The only people that need to forgive him are the people that he hit. But anyway, we will move on and his legacy shouldn't be tarnished in our state. However, the author suggests that the greater basketball community will be less forgiving. He already had a tarnished reputation from whatever really happened at Kentucky. Lord knows that Kentucky fans still haven't forgiven him (and they really should get over that). Eddie Sutton, however much deserving that he is, has still not been granted a place in the Hall of Fame. And sadly, he probably won't in the future due to this one incident.
After watching Sportscenter this morning, I feel like even people at OSU are turning their backs on him. The President of the University (whom most people don't like anyway) said that they will evaluate Eddie's status as head coach at the end of his medical leave. Even if they retain him and Eddie wants to stay, the president said that we would advise Eddie to retire. If Eddie wants to stay, why not let him? He's, again, the best thing that happened to OSU. He's 6 wins short of 800. Let the man coach. He knows what he can do - he knows his physical limitations. If the pain gets so bad again that he thinks about taking a drink, let Sean coach the game. But don't take basketball away from him. Let it be on his terms and his terms alone. Don't let him resign when in actuality it was pressure from the university. I am a little concerned with the direction that OSU has been headed since President Halligan retired in 2002. Trying to force Eddie Sutton out will be about the last straw for me.
The article goes on to say that Oklahomans will forgive Eddie. Actually, why should we need to forgive him? The only people that need to forgive him are the people that he hit. But anyway, we will move on and his legacy shouldn't be tarnished in our state. However, the author suggests that the greater basketball community will be less forgiving. He already had a tarnished reputation from whatever really happened at Kentucky. Lord knows that Kentucky fans still haven't forgiven him (and they really should get over that). Eddie Sutton, however much deserving that he is, has still not been granted a place in the Hall of Fame. And sadly, he probably won't in the future due to this one incident.
After watching Sportscenter this morning, I feel like even people at OSU are turning their backs on him. The President of the University (whom most people don't like anyway) said that they will evaluate Eddie's status as head coach at the end of his medical leave. Even if they retain him and Eddie wants to stay, the president said that we would advise Eddie to retire. If Eddie wants to stay, why not let him? He's, again, the best thing that happened to OSU. He's 6 wins short of 800. Let the man coach. He knows what he can do - he knows his physical limitations. If the pain gets so bad again that he thinks about taking a drink, let Sean coach the game. But don't take basketball away from him. Let it be on his terms and his terms alone. Don't let him resign when in actuality it was pressure from the university. I am a little concerned with the direction that OSU has been headed since President Halligan retired in 2002. Trying to force Eddie Sutton out will be about the last straw for me.
posted by Guyla at 10:00 AM
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