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GIA redesign: An outsider's perspective
Published: 6/23/2008 2:08 PM
Last Modified: 6/23/2008 2:08 PM

Voting has started to determine the new design look of Gallagher-Iba Arena.

In the estimation of one person, Eddie Sutton's name should not be removed from the basketball court in Stillwater.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette sports editor and columnist Wally Hall wrote the following in a column last week:

"Oklahoma State’s athletic department should be ashamed of itself.

The idea of removing Eddie Sutton’s signature from the basketball court is nothing more than a precursor to having his name taken off the court.

If this is the strongarm tactics of some booster, then the entire Cowboys nation should be embarrassed.

When Sutton took over the reins of the basketball program in 1990, the Cowboys had been to three postseason tournaments since 1957.

Sutton led them to 14 in 17 seasons. It would have been 15, but he turned down an NIT bid one year because he didn’t think the team’s play down the stretch was worthy of postseason action.

Sutton, who won 364 games as the OSU head coach, led the Cowboys to the Final Four in 1995 and 2004.

Yes, he took a leave of absence in February 2006 after an automobile accident and being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

Alcoholism is a disease, one that he immediately sought treatment for after his arrest.

Sutton returned to coaching this season and moved over the 800 victory mark at San Francisco.

Whatever stumbles and fumbles Sutton had were of a personal nature.

Eddie Sutton Court was an honor for what he did as a coach."

OK, OSU basketball and Sutton fans, do you agree or disagree with Hall's statement?

---Matt Doyle

Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer



Reader Comments 9 Total
Brian (5 years ago)
There has been and will continue to be a lot of change at OSU - athletic and academic. 99% of the changes I am aware of I am fully supportive of. Yes, the school is not exactly like the one I attended 10 years ago but it's better, and that is fine with me.

This however really bothers me. Whether this is the first step in trying to marginalize the Sutton influence and name on the campus or not, that is certainly what it looks like. And I, as an alumni and donor, am not happy about it and have voiced my opinion to the AD. We'll see if that matters or not....
MIKE (5 years ago)
Unfortunately Brian, unless you plan on donating over $100 million, your opinion will fall on deaf ears. As for me, I'm not sure if this writer from Arkansas is getting ahead of himself with whether or not the name will be completely removed but if he is correct, Holder will have to answer to a much larger mob of OSU fans than he already has.
Mark (5 years ago)
Cart; horse.

The re-design is much needed. The court looks like something out of Space Jam.

I think downsizing his signature or replacing it with a simple font-style tribute is appropriate.

It's hard to criticize the look of something you haven't seen.
Tbone (5 years ago)

Yes, I am much more ashamed if OSU took Eddie's signature name off the GIA Court. I am ashamed of Eddie for having a drunk driving charge even though alcholism is a sickness, I wish he had taken the cure earlier. No doubt that he is a good coach and can only wish him the best.
Danny (5 years ago)
Although the Eddie Sutton era ended on a disasterous note, Eddie contributions to OSU basketball are exemplary and his good memories should always outlive his personal battles.
Just as Barry Switzer's adulterous liasons with his assistant coaches wives or his cheating, drug dealing, guntotting players have no bearing on his reveared status at OU and his name adorning OU football, it's all about the sport and what they accomplished professionally.
Although OSU normally outshines OU when it comes to taking the high road on issues of character, the OSU fans will not stand for Eddie Sutton's name to be stricken from GIA quickly, if ever.
Perhaps the signature could be shrunken to a more accomodating size -- something considered too small for NASCAR would be just fine.
SixGunSam (5 years ago)
Joseph Stalin would have loved it. The Purge. Classic Orwell. Double-speak. All mention of one's name is removed from all records and writtings as if they never existed.

I suppose Eddie and Sean should be greatfull that it's illegal for Holder to build and manage a Goulag in the State of Oklahoma.
Billy (5 years ago)
Read closely...besides the fact that Wally is an idiot (read him regularly and you'll agree), the question of the redesigned court (agree w/Mark...MUCH needed!) is whether Eddie will continue to be honored w/his signature or simply a classy font that is lettered below the name of the arena on the floor. Eddie will be honored one way or another. Does it really matter if it's his signature or not? Coach Chechevski just has a big blue "K" to represent him on Duke's floor. Is that better?
scott (5 years ago)
If anyone owes anything to anyone...Eddie owes OSU and heres why

1. After his debacle at Kentucky, who was it that gave him a job? OSU

2. After his drunk driving charge(which was stupid, I don't care what label of disease you put on it) who treated him with honor and dignity and took the embarrassment??OSU

3. Who will leave his name on the court, signature or not? OSU

4. Who gave his son a job when he REALLY REALLY didn't deserve it?? OSU

Grow up Eddie, YOU not boone not holder screwed up.
SixGunSam (5 years ago)
Do tell, SCOTT; which was more "stupid"? Eddie getting "drunk" OR a OSU Assistant AD and two OSU police handing that "drunk" Eddie his dropped key's in the GIA parking lot, helping him into a OSU vehicle, then sending him on his way to the eventual accident a few minutes later? The later was either "stupid" or calculated.
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Tulsa World Sports Writer Jimmie Tramel is a former class president at Locust Grove High School. He graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern State University with a journalism degree and, while attending college, was sports editor of the Pryor Daily Times. He joined the Tulsa World on Oct. 17, 1989, the same day an earthquake struck the World Series. In 2007, he wrote a book about Oklahoma State football with former Cowboy coach Pat Jones.

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Tulsa World Sports Writer Kelly Hines joined the World staff in September 2007. She grew up in the Oklahoma City area, was valedictorian at her high school and attended Oklahoma State University. She previously worked at The Oklahoman and KOTV and in the World's web and news departments.

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