Boone statue going up; it's time for Sanders'
Athletic director Mike Holder says OSU never could thank Boone Pickens enough for what he did for his alma mater.
But that doesn't keep the Cowboys from trying.
OSU announced Thursday that Pickens will be “permanently honored” with a statue in front of the football stadium that bears his name. The statue will be unveiled before the Nov. 28 Texas Tech game.
Some might wonder why the stadium's first statue is of its namesake and not, for example, Barry Sanders, who ran a little bit with the pigskin back in 1988 and was given his own miniature statue, the Heisman Trophy.
The lack of a Sanders statue is a burr in Bullet's saddle to many a Cowboy old-timer.
The stadium already has Pickens' name. Now a statue. What's next? Rename Hall of Fame Avenue to Boone Pickens Boulevard?
This is no slam at Boone. I liked Boone, liked him a lot, and better yet, he seemed to like me. I visited his office a few years ago, where he gave
The American Athletic Conference has postponed the Tulsa at Navy game scheduled for Saturday because of positive COVID19 cases and contact tracing at Navy.
The schools and conference made the announcement Thursday. It's the fourth FBS game this week and the 41st since Aug. 26 to be postponed or canceled. Earlier this week, Conference USA rescheduled seven games that have been postponed for mid-December.
A makeup date has not been announced. Tulsa and Navy do not share a common open date the rest of the season, so the conference will “consider a number of options with regard to the playing of the contest.”
Also Thursday, Minnesota announced defensive coordinator Joe Rossi would not coach this Saturday against Illinois because he had tested positive for COVID-19.
This is the fourth time that a Tulsa game has been postponed or canceled because of COVID cases. Tulsa's game against Oklahoma State was pushed back a week to Sept. 19 because Tulsa had COVID issues. The Golden Hurricane were supposed to play Arkansas State on Sept. 26, but the Red Wolves couldn't put a two- deep lineup together. That game has not been rescheduled. Tulsa was set to play Cincinnati last month, but the Bearcats said they couldn't play, and the game was moved to Dec. 5.
“We knew that this season would be different in the face of the pandemic, and unfortunately has forced another weekend without football for our team,” Tulsa athletic director Rick Dickson said. “I'm disappointed for our football student- athletes and coaches who continue to work and practice diligently, but it reinforces the challenge facing all programs.”
Navy halted all football activities after positive COVID- 19 cases among players and players being placed in quarantine after contact tracing determined they had high- risk contact with an infected person. Navy did not specify the number of players affected.
“Protocols and guidelines are very comprehensive both at the Naval Academy and within the American Athletic Conference,” Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said. “An administrative decision has been made that clearly reflects the safety and welfare of all involved with both institutions.”