Defining success
Published: 11/9/2006 5:05 PM
Last Modified: 11/9/2006 5:05 PM
This will not be a popular opinion in the OSU Orange Nation. So what. They’re going to hear it anyway.
Teams that win six games do not belong in bowl games. Period.
Good. Now that I got that off my chest, here’s my explanation.
Does a 6-6 regular season record define a good season? What if that 6-6 team loses in its bowl game? That’s right, it finishes with a losing record. Nobody defines a losing record as a successful season.
The 2006 version of the Cowboys have made progress. There is no questioning that. With the exception of last Saturday’s setback at Texas, OSU has been a very entertaining team. Fans can say they have gotten their money’s worth (even at some of those ridiculously high Boone Pickens Stadium ticket prices) watching Mike Gundy’s team this fall.
With the Jekyll and Hyde nature this OSU team has taken on this season, it would not be shocking to see the Cowboys roll off two or three more wins in the regular season. If that were to come true, then hopefully we won’t have to worry about Shreveport as the bowl destination. Of course, it would not be surprising if the Cowboys dropped these last three games and make all bowl talk moot.
D’Juan Woods is in my corner, sort of.
The senior receiver gave his thoughts after the Texas loss about defining a successful season. Woods stated that barely scrapping to get into a bowl game with only six wins is not a goal.
“Yes, it would be good to make it to a bowl,” he said. “But I didn't come here for that. I don't want to end with just six wins. It's bigger than that. We want to win them all.”
I asked Woods after practice Monday night if he wanted to clarify his postgame statement. Woods is sticking to his beliefs.
“Six wins is not a settling point. Yeah, it’s good to go to a bowl. But there is a difference between the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Cotton Bowl from the paper clip bowl, toilet bowl or envelope bowl,” Woods said. “Or no bowl, for that matter. They all have degrees to it. I don’t want this program to be satisfied with just barely making it to a bowl.”
First things first. OSU needs to pick up its sixth victory to become bowl eligible. Beating Baylor on Saturday will do the trick. If that happens, I know Woods will make sure his teammates are not satisfied on settling on that as a definition for success.
--- Matt Doyle
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
