For love of the game
Texas men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes is one of many Big 12 coaches who have telephoned to congratulate former Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton on his 800th career victory, which came last Saturday in San Francisco’s victory over Pepperdine.
“I’m happy for him. And you know what? I think he’s happy,” Barnes said of Sutton after beating Oklahoma 64-54 in Norman on Wednesday.
Though San Francisco is just 2-8 since Sutton’s arrival, the Dons have improved immensely. Barnes is good friends with Gonzaga’s Mark Few, who also coaches in the West Coast Conference.
“When you go to San Francisco, I’m not sure you even think you can win a game,” Barnes said. “But talking to Mark, he’s amazed in a two-week period how Eddie Sutton changed that program. He’s amazed. He said they’re a totally different team.”
Sutton returned to coaching to collect career win No. 800. Barnes had a front-row seat for career win No. 700. It came in 2002 when the Cowboys beat Texas in Austin and OSU players carried Sutton off the court inside the Erwin Center. “That seems like forever ago,” Barnes admitted.
Barnes said he thinks there was more to Sutton’s return than getting No. 800.
“Why’d he come back? I think it’s the love of the game,” Barnes said. “He’s never ever said anything to me about getting into the Hall of Fame or 800 wins. You can tell he still loves the game.”
This was no life of Riley
On Page 9B of today’s Oklahoman (Feb. 3) is a story entitled “Riley recalls perfection.” But former Miami Dolphins defensive end and Oklahoma All-American Jim Riley does far more than recall the Dolphins’ unbeaten 1972 season.
The story is about Riley, not the Dolphins. It is an account of Riley’s imperfection, not perfection.
Riley spoke of how his life became out of control, how an infection nearly cost him his left leg in 1972, how he lived with the shame of being an addict, how he sobered up and is now saving lives with his Outreach program.
And Riley shared this information the only way he knows how– with brutal honesty and hearty laughter.
“I don’t hide anything in my life, that way I never have to worry about what I say. Never,” Riley said. “It is a lifestyle that has been so easy for me because 23 years ago I’d tell all these lies and half-truths, and then have to go back and remember them. Nowadays, I don’t remember that well anyway so I have to tell you the truth. If I don’t, I’m going to mess everything up.”
