Reader Questions: How do golf and baseball affect hoops?

It always seemed like an inefficient endeavor to pour my time into answering one question for one person on Twitter or email but because I’m a moron I never thought “hey, maybe there are other people who want these same questions answered, I could write a blog post on them..” Then I read this book which suggested that very thing and decided to give it a whirl.

1. Baseball and golf coaching changes yielding almost immediate big results. Does it influence Holder in any way on basketball? -Mike McCarthy

It has to, right?

The interesting part about the success of golf and baseball and even football to a degree, though it came before hoops so not as much as the other two, is how much they shine a spotlight on the basketball team.

It’s fun to be good at golf and baseball but it’s imperative (if you’re serious about your athletics program) to be good at basketball.

Also, think about this. If you look at OSU’s five most important/biggest men’s sports they are football, hoops, wrestling, baseball, and golf. Probably in that order depending on who you ask. The common denominator between the men leading those squads?

Mike Gundy: Class of 1990
Josh Holliday: Class of 2004
John Smith: Class of 1988
Alan Bratton: Class of 1995
Travis Ford: Class of 1994…..from Kentucky

You can bet Holder is looking at that.

2.

@pistolsguy is there any way Dax plays a down in an OSU uniform?

— TOMCAT (@Tweave00) June 4, 2014

Well yeah, I mean there’s a chance I get picked up by the New Yorker but it’s not very good. Does anyone else think it’s strange that nobody really knows anything about Daxx? He hasn’t played in a competitive football game in half a decade and he’s almost done with college.

Here’s the scenario that’s going to be interesting: JW gets named the starter (he will), Gundy hints at wanting to redshirt Rudolph (he probably will), then JW gets hurt in the third game (he probably will). Then what? Do you burn Rudolph or give the reins to Daxx? This fall is going to be really interesting.

3.

@pistolsguy You gonna be in Stillwater for the Supers? Also, who is your favorite player on this year's team (baseball)?

— Tyler Ames (@TyAmes93) June 4, 2014

I won’t but I’m considering road-tripping up to that city in Nebraska that starts with an “O” if OSU wins two games this weekend. I probably haven’t followed this squad enough this year to have a favorite guy but I’ll go Donnie Walton. I do love me a slick-fielding shortstop who can run and swing it a little bit. It’s like the opposite of all the things I was.

Photo Attribution: Scott Weaver