The fact of the matter is, most of OSU's fans publicly condemned those actions as out of line. I don't support anything like that regardless of what team is playing. It's an embarrassment to sport in general. I know most of you got up in arms about that incident when it happened at bedlam because it was against your team but everyone else should just blow it off when it happens.

And to point out, those players didn't come up in the stands and push anyone but they did their fair share of taunting and flipping students off.

Like I said, it's an embarrassment to the game and anyone who defends it, I lose a ton of respect for.

The fact of the matter is that poor fan behavior has been an issue at OSU in football and basketball for many years and it not just OU fans who have complained...
It also been officials at other university’s.... I would suggest that if you really want to do something that might make a difference contact the OSU president and demand better crowd control.... There are real reasons why large Oklahoma highway patrolmen are sometimes stationed between OU and OSU fans in the football stands, but only in Stillwater!

Ok. Thanks for the tip.

The players do more trash talking to each other than any of the fans. Clearly none of you have been close enough to the court to hear what these guys say to each other.
Not true some of us have been close enough...... but you are right about the trash talking which begs the question why can't Smart handle a mild form trash talking from a white guy?

Since Smart made a false charge of racism its not to hard to figure out.

I think this article pretty clearly illustrates the point I've been trying to make.

What if Marcus Smart hadn't shoved Jeff Orr? - SBNation.com (http://www.sbnation.com/2014/2/9/5395524/marcus-smart-shove-fan-oklahoma-state-basketball)

I think this article pretty clearly illustrates the point I've been trying to make.

What if Marcus Smart hadn't shoved Jeff Orr? - SBNation.com (http://www.sbnation.com/2014/2/9/5395524/marcus-smart-shove-fan-oklahoma-state-basketball)

Lost me at "We still don't know what Texas Tech fan Jeff Orr said to Marcus Smart that prompted the Oklahoma State guard to shove him near the end of the Red Raiders' upset on Saturday night. "

This is simple. A spoiled rotten 19 year old with a chip on his shoulder and full of regrets attacked a 50+ year old man WITHOUT provacation out of frustrations that had nothing to do with Jeff Orr or any thing he said.

The fact of the matter is that poor fan behavior has been an issue at OSU in football and basketball for many years and it not just OU fans who have complained...
It also been officials at other university’s.... I would suggest that if you really want to do something that might make a difference contact the OSU president and demand better crowd control.... There are real reasons why large Oklahoma highway patrolmen are sometimes stationed between OU and OSU fans in the football stands, but only in Stillwater!

I see you're still more obsessed with OSU than you are w OU.

This whole issue is already been solved and i think the outcome is fair.

But as a one time middle/high/and college (club team)athlete ive always wondered two things, that completely transcend race -

-Why the people who cant even run down the field or court are always the ones who are yelling the loudest about how much other people suck?

-Why are student athletes told non stop to be professional on and off the field just to have non stop insults thrown at them by groups of people who 'really should know better'. In this case a 60 year old man; or in other cases college educated, come from a good family, raised in a church people who think its ok to throw turkey legs and beer bottles at other students because they are just so into the game? - Give me a break

Yet collectively we all turn the other way?

I see you're still more obsessed with OSU than you are w OU.

Good grief.... if what I'm saying about the pokes bothers you it would help you gain perspective on this when it's far from just OU fans talking the truth about OSU and Smart.
Some are having a little fun with it too.

NSFW or hyper sensitive osu fans.
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=172&f=2481&t=12675275&p=1

I see you're still more obsessed with OSU than you are w OU.

I wonder if these OSU fans are asking the OU player to come to church on Sunday?


http://i.imgur.com/ql98GC0.png

People have been yelling at the opposition and doing just as this man did for as long as I can remember in my fifty some-odd years. I've never seen an athlete become violent in reaction (except the famous Artest episode). I'm a little baffled at those who seem to think this is behavior that has any excuses whatsoever. People seem to be saying there aren't any excuses and then make them. He should have been ejected, and thrown out for the rest of the season. If this had happened on a city street, he would have been arrested for battery without question.

Teach these athletes discipline. When Marcus steps out into real life, he can't be pushing and shoving and fighting every person who may say something that angers him. But this mollycoddling three-game suspension is a slap on the wrist at a VERY serious situation. It does Marcus Smart no favors. But, it helps Cowboy basketball get to the tournament, and unfortunately I think that's all they're looking at.

Proverb: "To understand a man, you've got to walk a mile in his shoes, whether they fit or not." This holds true for OSU's Marcus Smart and Texas Tech Super fan Jeff Orr.

We manage to think that our lives are difficult because we give, receive and take so much for granted. We are fortunate in the United States; because we are the best country providing for our people and those of many nations.




As a nation of people, there is a code of conduct.

As players there are rules in which we need to adhere.

As fans, we need to respect the game and the competitiveness among players; their efforts should be appreciated.

The rules & regulations should be enforced for both players & spectators.

Universities, colleges, clubs, teams, organizations & the likes are making a paradigm shift. Has the new emphasis shifted to 'winning at all cost?'

My mama is prettier than your mamma!
My daddy can whip your daddy.
My team is better than your team.

Has ' R-E-S-P-E-C-T ' jumped off the cliff?

The dialogue has been civil and many posters on this forum have weighed in on this controversial thread.

We're never too young or too old to understand or to learn...

Let's hope that we can all learn something from these episodes; things could have been a lot worst had cooler heads not prevailed.


http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif "Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.http://www.thunderfans.com/vforum/images/smilies/okc.gif

To zookeeper about being more disciplined-----

-We tell our kids not to bully their peers.

-We tell them to immediately notify the school if they are a victim of bullying.

-We tell them to immediately tell us if bullying is going on and work with the police if our kids become a victim of cyber or school bullying.

-We see weekly the school shootings and suicides that are going as a result of bullying

-We work in workplaces with anti-discrimination laws and recently (at least at my work) have multiple reoccurring training on bullying in the workplace

-We work with HR departments to document and hopefully remove people from the workplace who are intimidating and taunting others because we know it has a profound effect on those who are around it.

Saturday night rolls around all of that goes out the window and we go scream, taunt, and dehumanize unpaid high school and college students who (in a lot of cases) have overcame massive amount of barriers in their own lives to achieve MORE than we ever did at that age---then if they dare raise their voice or fight back we go on and on about how THEY need to be more professional on and off the field.

Give me a break, you want a role model for your kid – YOU BE ONE.

If you want to be part of the game – SUIT UP AND GO OUT THERE.

I mean, how fragile and weak are YOU, most people crumble at any sort of real criticism about the quality of work they perform. They would be in the doctor’s office begging for a prescription to make them feel just a little bit better about themselves and contemplating ending it all because they just can’t go on and on with someone berating them. Most people couldn’t make it up and down the field/court without collapsing, run any real play with any sort of precision under pressure, or manage school or college with a full time sport and all the other aspects of life – but suddenly they are an expert on the sport (that they aren’t playing) and have the right to dehumanize someone else who is doing something they mentally and physically can’t?

I’m happy that the outcome this time wasn’t all about race, it opens it up to the larger conversation about why athletes somehow don’t deserve the same rights that we do.

I guess the next time a student athlete assaults his girlfriend we should focus sharply on what she said that triggered the violence.

What is it about sports that makes normal reasonable people go coo-coo for cocoa puffs.

Exactly..... the more I think about this the more I'm thinking Smart should be done for the year. What is it we were taught as kids about words?

... He should have been ejected, and thrown out for the rest of the season. If this had happened on a city street, he would have been arrested for battery without question.
...

Addressing the latter portion first ... hogwarsh, poppycock and balderdash. Even scuffles directly in the eyesight of officers are not all arrested, or even given a citation. Way overstated on your part.

Three games is not mollycoddling, and is to me at the upper end for a shove. I fully agree an athlete doesn't take it to the stands, ever, and if he had punched the guy, my original assessment of suspend a game or three would have been different. The three game suspension is proportionate. If the athlete doesn't take the lesson to heart, then it would be time for coaches and the school or the conference to look at taking a harder line. I'll agree to disagree this constitutes a slap on the wrist. I feel it is a much larger hit than that when it comes to his future prospects.

I think the heckling fan was a typical heckling jerk, but credit where due, his season long stepping out (whether voluntary or strongly urged) is more than I thought was truly necessary on his end.

No way would he have been arrested. The fan barely took a step back off the push. Fists involved yes. A little baby push no.

We shouldn't be too surprised that this type of situation occurs from time to time with 15,000 screaming fans along with boatloads of adrenaline flowing inside 20 year olds.

Kelly Ogle had a good piece about this -

OSU basketball star Marcus Smart lost it Saturday night when he pushed a fan who was badgering him. He deserves the punishment he got, kicked out for the next 3 games, no more than that.

But I want to talk about the fans, like the middle aged Texas Tech crazy who was railing on Smart, a 19-year-old kid in Lubbock.

To him I'd simply say, you gotta get a life buddy. You should be ashamed that Big 12 Coaches have to warn their players about your behavior.

But I go to a lot of sporting events and I see so called "adults" misbehaving all the time.

Grownups it's not okay for you to yell "miss it" when a high school basketball player is trying to make a free throw. Are you that desperate to give your team an advantage?

It's certainly not okay for you to call a college athlete derogatory names.

I don't even like it when I hear fans, usually guys who think they were once high school hot shots, berating the pros as if they can even begin to understand that talent level.

Adults, it's real simple. Cheer for your team, your players, and you can make noise that distracts the other team but don't get personal with the athletes.

Simple rule. Treat them like you'd want other fans to treat your child.

48A, osu fans want you to believe that the OU players were giving the finger and yelling back at them during the entire game. So instead of the team focusing on another OU victory over the pokes, the team was turned around and mouthing off to the players.

So lets take a look back at the last 2 years,
OU has traveled to 8 different places to play, None of the other schools reported this "bad behavior" by the players towards the fans.
OSU fans, last 2 years during home games, UT complained about the fans, even putting up screens so they wouldn't be spit on, and the OU game, well we can all look at the picture.
So who has the problem? For osu fans, they quickly point the finger

At some point OSU fans need to look in the mirror. They blame everyone else for their actions or their players actions. Nothing is their or their schools fault. It is always someone elses. I think it starts uptop with Holder. Putting a bounty on the heads of your most generous donors is no way to run an athletic program.

Lost me at "We still don't know what Texas Tech fan Jeff Orr said to Marcus Smart that prompted the Oklahoma State guard to shove him near the end of the Red Raiders' upset on Saturday night. "

This is simple. A spoiled rotten 19 year old with a chip on his shoulder and full of regrets attacked a 50+ year old man WITHOUT provacation out of frustrations that had nothing to do with Jeff Orr or any thing he said.

Without provocation? Smart was facing away from Orr until provoked by the "piece of crap" comment. What Smart did was dumb, but it certainly was not without provocation. I'm confused how you could even make this comment.

It's weird how people twist facts around when trying to make an argument.

What we've learned from this thread is that its impossible for opposing fans to remain objective when discussing this. Probably the same for OSU fans too but arrested..? Suspended for rest of season..? A spoiled rotten kid..? All because of a weak shove?

As I said before, Smart's antics on the court have become annoying and has shown real immaturity a couple times this year but some of the comments here are absurd. One can only know what goes through the mind of a kid who grew up extremely poor and becomes an elite athlete who left millions on the table this year to try to enjoy another year of college. Im guessing 90% of the posters on this thread have never had that much pressure put on them. Let alone as a teenager.

What we've learned from this thread is that its impossible for opposing fans to remain objective when discussing this. Probably the same for OSU fans too but arrested..? Suspended for rest of season..? A spoiled rotten kid..? All because of a weak shove?

As I said before, Smart's antics on the court have become annoying and has shown real immaturity a couple times this year but some of the comments here are absurd. One can only know what goes through the mind of a kid who grew up extremely poor and becomes an elite athlete who left millions on the table this year to try to enjoy another year of college. Im guessing 90% of the posters on this thread have never had that much pressure put on them. Let alone as a teenager.

Its funny on this thread you say don't judge Smart because you haven't walked in his shoes, but on the mary fallin thread, you judge on me my beliefs and have no idea who I am or walked a day in my shoes.
Follow your own advice before you start giving advice to others

What we've learned from this thread is that its impossible for opposing fans to remain objective when discussing this. Probably the same for OSU fans too but arrested..? Suspended for rest of season..? A spoiled rotten kid..? All because of a weak shove?

As I said before, Smart's antics on the court have become annoying and has shown real immaturity a couple times this year but some of the comments here are absurd. One can only know what goes through the mind of a kid who grew up extremely poor and becomes an elite athlete who left millions on the table this year to try to enjoy another year of college. Im guessing 90% of the posters on this thread have never had that much pressure put on them. Let alone as a teenager.

Excuses............. Going after a fan and giving him a "weak shove" should never be tolerated for any reason. That little shove could've have started a big nasty brawl. And all because he was called a name? Again, what were we taught at a very young age about words?

Excuses............. Going after a fan and giving him a "weak shove" should never be tolerated for any reason. That little shove could've have started a big nasty brawl. And all because he was called a name? Again, what were we taught at a very young age about words?

Who is tolerating it? However, why give the "fan" a pass? All I've heard anyone say here is that both sides behaved badly. And that's what I believe.

The biggest problem with the OSU basketball program is not Marcus Smart or Stevie Clark - it's Travis Ford. He is not a leader. He narrowly focuses on wins, not creating a culture of accountability where doing things the right way matters. These problems continually resurface because he doesn't do what's right for the program as a whole day-in-and-day-out. This article nails it: Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford could have helped Marcus Smart - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10427500/oklahoma-state-coach-travis-ford-helped-marcus-smart). Could there be a bigger difference in how the basketball programs in Stillwater and Norman are being run?

Who is tolerating it? However, why give the "fan" a pass? All I've heard anyone say here is that both sides behaved badly. And that's what I believe.

One called the other a name. The other physically shoved the other. Big, big difference.

Its funny on this thread you say don't judge Smart because you haven't walked in his shoes, but on the mary fallin thread, you judge on me my beliefs and have no idea who I am or walked a day in my shoes.
Follow your own advice before you start giving advice to others

Pokes, but especially liberals live in a world of double standards and hypocrisy bending the rules and standards as they see fit regardless of the facts. It's just who they are.
But at least with some maturity the majority of pokes usually grow out of it to some degree.

Kelly Ogle had a good piece about this -

OSU basketball star Marcus Smart lost it Saturday night when he pushed a fan who was badgering him. He deserves the punishment he got, kicked out for the next 3 games, no more than that.

But I want to talk about the fans, like the middle aged Texas Tech crazy who was railing on Smart, a 19-year-old kid in Lubbock.

To him I'd simply say, you gotta get a life buddy. You should be ashamed that Big 12 Coaches have to warn their players about your behavior.

But I go to a lot of sporting events and I see so called "adults" misbehaving all the time.

Grownups it's not okay for you to yell "miss it" when a high school basketball player is trying to make a free throw. Are you that desperate to give your team an advantage?

It's certainly not okay for you to call a college athlete derogatory names.

I don't even like it when I hear fans, usually guys who think they were once high school hot shots, berating the pros as if they can even begin to understand that talent level.

Adults, it's real simple. Cheer for your team, your players, and you can make noise that distracts the other team but don't get personal with the athletes.

Simple rule. Treat them like you'd want other fans to treat your child.

Now this is a typical poke local yokel media response for the gullible. LOL

Write one or 2 quick sentences on how an OSU interest did something wrong and then spend 90% of the time on how bad something else was... It's a classic Alinsky tactic to deflect the attention away from their own personal interest. Its a disingenuous act.

Kelly Ogle employed the same tactic over the OSU's SI deal and after the poor OSU fan behavior following last years OU- osu football game.

This is not a good piece for Kelly! This shows Kelly Ogle abusing his bully pulpit and how he has has no professional journalist integrity.

Because Kelly won't talk about the false charge of racism made by Smart, Kelly really looks like the classic little brother.

Its never a poke's fault. Its always someone elses. usually its the refs or big brother but now its currently a fan of tech

Holy hyperbole batman.
We are still talking basketball...right?

Holy hyperbole batman.
We are still talking basketball...right?

Still waiting on your answer about u preaching to people not to judge Smart but judge me ....

Holy hyperbole batman.
We are still talking basketball...right?

This never was about basketball.
It is about human emotion and the ability to control one's self and who doesn’t do it.

This never was about basketball.
It is about human emotion and the ability to control one's self and who doesn’t do it.

Well, I'm pretty sure Saul Alinsky has nothing to do with it.

Pokes, but especially liberals live in a world of double standards and hypocrisy bending the rules and standards as they see fit regardless of the facts. It's just who they are.
But at least with some maturity the majority of pokes usually grow out of it to some degree.

This post reveals far more about you and your narrow-mindedness than anyone else... and this is from an OU fan and graduate. People who cast sweeping, simplistic generalizations like this generally lack the critical thinking skills to understand different perspectives or complexity, and have an inability to suspend their judgment. Not surprisingly, this type of egocentric view of others is also characteristic of toddlers who lack the cognitive development to see from other perspectives. So, it's not just who liberals and OSU fans "are"... it's who you are that is far more clear.

Sorry for the mini-rant, but it just gets irritating to continually read the posts of people who think they've figured out the whole world and freely cast their judgments upon others in public spaces. The hubris is nauseating.

Still waiting on your answer about u preaching to people not to judge Smart but judge me ....

Uhhh...that was my first post in this thread...

At OSU, it really looks like the Tail is Wagging the Dog. The regents need to step-up and make the tough call.

This post reveals far more about you and your narrow-mindedness than anyone else... and this is from an OU fan and graduate. People who cast sweeping, simplistic generalizations like this generally lack the critical thinking skills to understand different perspectives or complexity, and have an inability to suspend their judgment. Not surprisingly, this type of egocentric view of others is also characteristic of toddlers who lack the cognitive development to see from other perspectives. So, it's not just who liberals and OSU fans "are"... it's who you are that is far more clear.

Sorry for the mini-rant, but it just gets irritating to continually read the posts of people who think they've figured out the whole world and freely cast their judgments upon others in public spaces. The hubris is nauseating.
And yet you patronize me with your way of thinking of how you think things should be.
Hypocrite.

At OSU, it really looks like the Tail is Wagging the Dog. The regents need to step-up and make the tough call.

They don't have the courage.
They sold their university to T. Boone Pikens.... he is the owner!

Well, I'm pretty sure Saul Alinsky has nothing to do with it.


I would bet money that Kelly Ogle has read Alinsky's rules because when there is something he is passionate about on his 2 cents it's just like he is following
Alinsky's rules.

I would bet money that Kelly Ogle has read Alinsky's rules because when there is something he is passionate about on his 2 cents it's just like he is following
Alinsky's rules.

This thread has now jumped the shark.

What's next...should we be asking the real questions?
Is Smart really a citizen...maybe he's a Muslim...are any pokes really citizens...is Boone really Lenin? Who knows? Have you actually seen them together at the same time?

This thread has now jumped the shark.

What's next...should we be asking the real questions?
Is Smart really a citizen...maybe he's a Muslim...are any pokes really citizens...is Boone really Lenin? Who knows? Have you actually seen them together at the same time?

trousers, i can help pull it back in for you. When state universities get "embarrassed", they look real quick how to clean the slate / get distance from the issues... ( Smart / Ford / Holder ).

This thread has now jumped the shark.

What's next...should we be asking the real questions?
Is Smart really a citizen...maybe he's a Muslim...are any pokes really citizens...is Boone really Lenin? Who knows? Have you actually seen them together at the same time?
But we have got to understand that taking anything Kelly Ogle seriously is like listening to a osu chearleader....
Hopefully its not like the poke cheerleader who tried to trip the OU player though

Without provocation? Smart was facing away from Orr until provoked by the "piece of crap" comment. What Smart did was dumb, but it certainly was not without provocation. I'm confused how you could even make this comment.

It's weird how people twist facts around when trying to make an argument.

I'm confused if smart was facing away from the fan then how could he be so sure what was said and more importantly who said it. If you think so little of smart that a smart arse comment from a 50-60 year old man is provocation for a physical assault then that's your right, I just tend to give the young guy a bit more credit.

I think a few people here need to take off their crimson-colored glasses. I have and will say that there was fault on both sides. We have a 19 year old acting like an 8 year old and a 60 year-old doing the same. Neither did the right or mature thing.

I think a few people here need to take off their crimson-colored glasses. I have and will say that there was fault on both sides. We have a 19 year old acting like an 8 year old and a 60 year-old doing the same. Neither did the right or mature thing.

So was it the 60 year old mans fault that Smart accused him of being a racists?

So was it the 60 year old mans fault that Smart accused him of being a racists?

We get it. You hate everything OSU. No matter what happens, you will also take the opposite side. Same with a handful of people here. Can we just move on from this topic. The discussion just keeps going in circles.

No, it was his fault that he cannot behave like an adult. This wasn't an isolated incident according to other players. And then Marcus Smart was responsible for overreacting to that immature behavior. Neither behaved well or maturely. That's all.

Can sombody ansewer this
Why does osu have a PR firm to spin things?
Tramel mentions that osu has a PR firm here

Marcus Smart: Watching his teammates will be anguish | News OK (http://newsok.com/marcus-smart-watching-his-teammates-will-be-anguish/article/3932346?custom_click=rss)

“I wish Smart had taken questions. I understand why OSU’s PR firm directed things to proceed the way they did. But it would have been good to hear more from Smart.”

I'm pretty sure the Gooden Group represents OSU. As well as the Thunder. I would also bet some money that OU has it's own PR firm that represents them.

I'm pretty sure the Gooden Group represents OSU. As well as the Thunder. I would also bet some money that OU has it's own PR firm that represents them.
OU doesn’t have an outside PR firm....and I have never heard of any other university to hire a out side PR firm to spin it's bad events like its a propaganda and marketing event.

OU has hired people including attorneys to directly handle the various issue. They IMO tend to cover the leagal issues (CYA) before anything else.

OU doesn’t have an outside PR firm....and I have never heard of any other university to hire a out side PR firm to spin it's bad events like its a propaganda and marketing event.

OU has hired people including attorneys to directly handle the various issue. They IMO tend to cover the leagal issues (CYA) before anything else.
You're probably right or...

University of Oklahoma - Saxum | A full-service, creative advertising, public relations, digital communications and marketing agency (http://www.saxum.com/work/university-of-oklahoma-sooner-born-sooner-bred/)

OU doesn’t have an outside PR firm....and I have never heard of any other university to hire a out side PR firm to spin it's bad events like its a propaganda and marketing event.

OU has hired people including attorneys to directly handle the various issue. They IMO tend to cover the leagal issues (CYA) before anything else.

Good lord man did Pistol Pete run over your dog or what?

You're probably right or...

University of Oklahoma - Saxum | A full-service, creative advertising, public relations, digital communications and marketing agency (http://www.saxum.com/work/university-of-oklahoma-sooner-born-sooner-bred/)

I saw that too when I googled OU and PR.

I saw that too when I googled OU and PR.


You're probably right or...

University of Oklahoma - Saxum | A full-service, creative advertising, public relations, digital communications and marketing agency (http://www.saxum.com/work/university-of-oklahoma-sooner-born-sooner-bred/)That's a marking firm that would not be handling day to day problems for OU.
OU problems are handled in house by OU people.

Good lord man did Pistol Pete run over your dog or what?

Good lord man.... if you your going to make it personal you can not be taken seriously.

That's a marking firm that would not be handling day to day problems for OU.
OU problems are handled in house by OU people.

That's "A full-service, creative advertising, public relations, digital communications and marketing agency"

Why does this all seem so familiar?

http://youtu.be/3Tx8jnndMes

That's "A full-service, creative advertising, public relations, digital communications and marketing agency"

This is OU’s chief in house CYA person. Not SAXUM!
You will see him along with others at any major OU athletic press conference where there are problems above normal.
Larry Naifeh - Oklahoma Sooners (http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208803467)

if you your [sic] going to make it personal you can not be taken seriously.
lol!

Maybe a little good can come from this.
I would imagine that many coaches have address this incedent with their own team similarly.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Sooners coach Lon Kruger addresses Smart situation with team

By*Ryan Aber

As practice concluded Monday, Oklahoma coach*Lon*Krugergathered his players around for a talk.Kruger addressed Saturday’s incident at Texas Tech where Oklahoma State’s*Marcus*Smart*shoved a Red Raiders fan in the game’s final moments.“We talk to them all the time about that but everyone in the country is talking about it a little bit more,” Kruger said of reminding his players not to get involved with any kind of back-and-forth with a fan. “It’s just the idea of keeping it between the lines and hopefully everyone learns something, not just those who are involved but everyone in the country.”

Kruger said he hasn’t heard anything from fans in 30 years, hearing the roar of the crowd but not specific things said by individual fans.“That’s pretty impressive because sometimes in a stall in play, you hear a few things,”

Sooners senior forward*Tyler*Neal*said. “It’s kind of hard not to hear. When you sign up to do this, you kind of assume that this is part of it. There’s people out there that don’t care what people think of them and don’t realize that you’re just college kids.:Neal said thicker skin came with experience.“It’s funny a lot of the high-profile guys these years are freshmen–guys who are one-and-done guys,” Neal said. “They’re not around for three years. They’ve got to learn a lot in a year. Big ups to those guys that are able to do that and figure that stuff out and help lead successful programs.”

Mike Leach, as only he could put it.

Washington State Coach Mike Leach weighs in on the Marcus Smart incident - All Coug'd Up - A Washington State Cougars Site (http://allcougdup.com/2014/02/11/washington-state-coach-mike-leach-weighs-marcus-smart-incident/)

“Words are just words and that’s always been the case.

*Then somebody says, ‘They hurt my feelings’. Well, too bad.

Be tougher than that and have self-esteem that’s not going to allow you to get your feelings hurt.”

It was a shame to hear about this while in Mexico. My view...gotta hold your cool out on the court NO MATTER WHAT. The punishment justifies his behavior and as a Pokes fan I'm fine with it.