OSU Hoops: Gottlieb; Penn Update
By John Helsley
jhelsley@opubco.com
Came across a great tribute by Doug Gottlieb at espn.com. For OSU fans, it’s a must read.
Gottlieb, the former Cowboys point guard, puts not only faces, but spirit into each member of the basketball crew lost in the 2001 plane crash in Colorado in his touching tribute titled “The Ten will live in OSU hearts forever.”
Absolute must read, for Cowboys and non-Cowboys, anyone who remembers — or more poignantly may have forgotten — that heartbreaking period in Stillwater.
Proceed to the link — now.
And grab a hanky.
* Free Ray Penn
As OSU tries to shake a two-game losing streak, the return of point guard Ray Penn appears near.
And it can’t come soon enough.
While the Cowboys were able to disguise some weaknesses and win twice without their freshman point man, teams have begun to exploit Keiton Page and Fred Gulley.
Turnovers have skyrocketed and now the good gained from a road win at Kansas State could be surrendered if the Cowboys don’t start winning again quick.
Penn practiced a bit this week, although in a limited capacity. His status for Saturday’s game at Texas Tech is iffy, but with a full week between games before a Bedlam in Stillwater clash, the most he should miss is one more game.
“My trainer, he has been working with me every day, getting extra work in,” Penn said Thursday. “I’m almost there now. We are still in the debate of whether I am going to play Saturday, but definitely against OU.”
OSU is now officially calling the injury a “stress reaction,” which, fortunately for Penn, is something less than a stress fracture.
Still, it’s quite painful. And after first cropping up in the Baylor game, then worsening against Colorado, Penn knew it was more than just a sore knee.
“I can play through pain,” Penn said, “but that pain was starting to reach a certain point to where I couldn’t even bend it.”
Penn said that there is no indication this will be a lingering problem and he stressed hope that he’ll return to full speed at some point this season. The sooner the better, with his spectator status anything but fun.
“It’s miserable, you know,” he said. “It’s miserable, especially when you are losing and you know you can’t help your team. But you know, like I said, I’m healthy now and it’s in the past and just move forward for the second half of the Big 12.”
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