Oklahoma State University Athletics
Homecoming 2010
November 02, 2010 | Cowboy Football
Nov. 2, 2010
Looking Back with Pat Quinn
Welcome to Oklahoma State's 88th official homecoming week and the football game, a celebration that plays warmly on the hearts of Cowboy students and alumni since the inaugural game in 1921.
OSU first fielded a football team in 1901, a five-game card that saw dear ole A&M post a 2-3 record. For reasons unknown, a homecoming game for the following season was overlooked but that celebrated week has held strongly in the hearts of all since that oversight.
O-State's record in homecoming tilts since 1921 is 48-34-7. At one point (1972 through 1981) the Cowboys won 10 straight games before tying Colorado, 25-25, in 1982.
OSU immediately picked up the pace the following year and pounded out eight straight victories that included wins over Big Eight conference foes Kansas State, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri.
All and good for recalling the games on the hallowed homecoming Saturday but you never forget your undergraduate years and the hours and days spent finalizing decorations on dorms, sorority and fraternity houses, plus the marvelous floats seen in the parade in downtown Stillwater.
OSU is one of the very few universities to embrace the time and expense put in to homecoming celebrations.
In recent years, there have been spoken assaults against the waste of time and money to elevate the celebration, concluded with a football game. Most of these sentiments are expressed by those unrecognized few that resent these laborious extracurricular activities that take away from the normal course to graduation.
Without a doubt the absolute and primary reason these students are here is to scale the academic requirements to achieve an undergraduate, or graduate, degree in their chosen fields of study.
Still, when you compare the negatives to the positives of the homecoming week this writer feels the plus marks well out weigh negative aspects of these arguments.
Several years ago a friend broadsided me with extreme complaints of student involvement to such an extent. This friend was pointed in his criticism of the time taken from students in dormitories, Greek houses and other residential structures that surround the campus.
He had even researched his argument to the point that he had read about the indulgences of the students in this area at OSU that it had brought some rather caustic remarks about the university.
But, I had to give credit when he didn't balk in joining in the traditional walk-around on Friday evening before the game. This was where I gained a good portion of my argument to these festivities and the students, alumni, friends and family more than carried my share of the argument.
Most of all, the good ole friendly spirit of the university and its products were more persuasive than any words I could muster.
The house and dorm decorations stunned my visitor to the point he didn't question the following day's newspaper saying more than 60,000 people toured the festive area.
The Sunday following the football game the area was in a state of collapse with tired and weary eyed students starting clean up of the battered decorations on their cars, dorms and houses.
They were exhausted but sharply aware of the long, laughable and loveable hours that went into their efforts and bonded them in friendship to last a lifetime.
It certainly did for me … for the umpteenth time!
Don't you wish you could repeat being with those friends and functions of years gone by?
I certainly do, especially whenever that wonderful time called “homecoming week” rolls around.
Pat Quinn worked in the Oklahoma State Sports Information Office for 26 years, including serving as the director from 1969-1984.
