Daily Bullets (January 24)

Why not Clip?

Good stuff here on Jeffrey Carroll (who is a lock to be All-Big 12).

Eventually, Underwood prodded Carroll with a challenge. With many of the Big 12’s premier wing players gone — Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, Kansas’ Wayne Selden, Iowa State’s Georges Niang — there was a void to be filled. “One of the first conversations I had with Jeff was, ‘Why not you?’” Underwood said. “‘Why not become that guy and become one of the best wing players in this league?’ [NewsOK]

He’s also been terrific on defense.

pic.twitter.com/3fq59kWZMO

— Kyle Boone (@PFBoone) January 24, 2017

Alex Noren, top 10 player

I wrote about this last week, but the only former Poke in the OWGR top 10 is not Rickie Fowler.

Alex Noren’s insecurity took root when he failed to win in three years at OSU. Mike Holder, his coach at the powerhouse program, described Noren as “one of the more talented players we had, with tons of potential, but he just couldn’t get out of his own way.”

The same was true as a pro. Noren hit so many balls that he developed tendinitis in both wrists and played only two tournaments in 2014. Bjorn noted that Noren has been less obsessive since starting a family in 2016. “I think Alex found a very good balance in his life last year with other things to occupy his mind,” Bjorn said. [Golf Digest]

Hoping for a big year from the (other) Big Swede.

How GIA was built

Great stuff from Bill Haisten on the man who helped build GIA.

Sparks estimates that during that time, he traveled more than 2,000 times from his home to the OSU campus. He now is writing books on the Gallagher-Iba and Boone Pickens Stadium projects.

“For 14 years, that was my life,” Sparks said. “From the start of the Gallagher-Iba job until we finished the stadium, I went through three athletic directors, three university presidents, three football coaches and a lot of different regents and donors. At the time, you didn’t think about the enormity of the whole thing. You just got up every day and went to work. God has blessed me in so many ways, beyond what I deserved. I’m glad to have been a part of the ride at my alma mater.” [Tulsa World]

Then on Monday, Davon Dillard tried to tear it down (and got on SportsCenter).

Davon Dillard windmills the Horned Frogs. #okstate pic.twitter.com/A53pjIy5xg

— Carson Cunningham (@KOCOCarson) January 24, 2017

Well, that's one way to top off a win. ? pic.twitter.com/gBhBaYCRwg

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 24, 2017

More OSU/Sports

Michigan going to Rome for spring practice, I’m sure Harbaugh won’t do anything PR-related there [sees photos of Harbaugh with sword running through Coliseum with police chasing him] … oh …

Lol!

His wife played basketball at UCLA and is cousins with Kenny Easley (1984 NFL DPOY). Their child is going to be superhuman. https://t.co/5zNszo6n87

— Carson Cunningham (@KOCOCarson) January 23, 2017

Close look at the lids.

Pick a lid, any lid. ?? #GoPokes #okstate pic.twitter.com/bhd6M03oJM

— Cowboy FB Recruiting (@CowboyFB_Elite) January 23, 2017

Good update here on Jaden Hobbs who was injured at the very beginning of the season for the Cowgirls.

More PFB

• Five thoughts on OSU’s win over TCU.
• Wrestling Pokes stay undefeated with two wins over the weekend.
• New podcast episode with Carson where we talk early 90s hoops!
• Is The Juggernaut Theory dead?
• Mini mailbag answering your questions and commenting on your thoughts.
• Notebook on the TCU game.
• Trae Young wants to go where he is needed.

More Stuff I’m Reading

Not sure if any of you watch This Is Us (I don’t), but a couple of my buddies started a podcast about it … Try to get past the fact that it’s Obama, this story on letters written to the president is spectacular … seems, uh, not that difficult to not use blackface, no?