As a Student of Both Schools

I have been out of town the last few days (which reminds me of the not so good 'ol days where I traveled all the time--next time Matt comes with me...). I was invited to help with odds and ends at a Climate Science workshop in Dallas at the Trinity River Audubon Center. It was a really neat location (you can learn more here).  I was excited to go because some of the speakers were people that I reference in the work that I do. It was like an opportunity to meet academic celebrities! 

On Wednesday I headed to the Big D. 

Then I was asked to make name tags. It was funny to me just because I had just found out I passed the comprehensive exams and the first thing I am asked to do professionally is hang out at Fed Ex and format and print name tags. When a Nobel Prize winner asks you to do something, you do it. 

Somehow they got a ridiculous rate at The Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas. It was so nice I had to take a picture before I messed it up. 

So I did all of the workshop stuff for a day and a half and then headed to Lubbock. I knew that OSU was playing TTU and I also needed to tie up some loose ends. Siva was also back and this time Yamuna was with him so I was really excited to meet her. 

We went to dinner and it was like we were old friends. I had such a nice time. I have no idea how I didn't get a picture. What I did get a picture of was myself in the Saree they had made for me while they were home in India. 

Event after re-watching the same YouTube video over and over, I ultimately realized that this is a difficult garment to put on. That's my best effort. 

I worked in the lab for a few hours and then I went to see Kristina and her new baby Finn. I also some how did not get a picture of it. He was absolutely adorable though.

I had some time to kill and I was really hungry so I stopped at Double Dave's. Matt and I used to love eating there when we lived in Midland. I also had a nice Texas beer because it felt like the right thing to do.

Siva and I went to a RecycleMania event they were having on campus. I also was given a couple of pretty good tickets to the basketball game by the manager of recycling at TTU. That was a really fortunate outcome because I had no idea the game was sold out and I really didn't want to pay much for a ticket. 

 I also met my advisor for the beer he promised me upon the completion of comps. He's a Texas dude. Forgive him.

Siva came with me to the game. Yamuna wasn't feeling well so she didn't get to come, but hopefully got some good rest while we were gone.  

I had heard that TTU had sold out the game (first time since 2007) which made me a little nervous based on the last few games OSU had played. This picture does not represent it well (about 10 minutes before the game) but they did have a really good turnout. There were plenty of seats still empty which makes me wonder what determines "sold out" but overall it was impressive. Especially because Matt and I went to the OSU vs TTU game last year and it was not impressive in the least. 

They were also very excited about the game. The student section was full. They had some cool streamers come from the ceiling. They had a really cool half time show of magic. They even had fire. 

Now let's talk about the game and TTU sports in general. I wore a black top (which was okay since it was a "blackout" game) and an orange skirt. When I sat down I watched the girl in the next seat roll her eyes. Honestly, I didn't even blame her. It's annoying to sit next to someone from the opposing team. I politely cheered for OSU but also kept it to a minimum because I didn't want to be that annoying fan. While I do enjoy Texas Tech and the majority of people I interact with there, I just can't get myself to have any attachment to their sports program. Here is a few reasons:

First, I cannot detach myself from my love for OSU and I wouldn't understand anyone that could switch their allegiance from their Alma Mater to their graduate school. I don't have criticisms of those people, but I cannot fathom my brain ever making that switch. The majority of my friends are OSU people. My brother is currently a student so I have good reason to visit frequently. We buy season tickets to games. We're invested in a bunch of ways and it's just "my school." 

Second, I am not a fan of TTU sports fans, especially students. They have a chant that makes "We're gonna beat the hell out of you" sound like a nursery rhyme, especially in terms of profanities. They're extremely aggressive and it makes me uncomfortable. I even felt that way when I went to the TTU vs TCU football game. 

Third, I have a natural anti-TTU sports mentality because we are in fact in the same conference so we are in fact competitors. Their gain actually is our loss and since I'm so invested in OSU I want to protect that investment (not that my feelings or investment have a true impact in the grand scheme of things in any real way). 

When I was at the game in orange I did feel awkward because I was just waiting for someone to say something to me. I was a little bit nervous about my car in the parking lot with the OSU emblems, even though there's a Double T on my car too. When Marcus got the technical, I actually didn't see it and thought that TTU had gotten the technical because they were told over the announcement to stop throwing paper on the floor when it was essentially imminent that they had won. I was really confused why that guy in the white jersey was shooting. I didn't know anything about the Smart/Orr incident until Matt told me about it later. 

Everyone is unanimous that Smart shouldn't have behaved that way. Everyone. Even him. Travis Ford maybe said it 100 times yesterday (GAH his press conference COULD NOT have looked more rehearsed). But, I wish they would post pictures of Jeff Orr all over ESPN and shame that behavior. Fans get completely out of hand and it's ridiculous. When we were sitting in the stands there was some guy two rows back who wasn't wearing orange but decided he was the new OSU coach and would NOT SHUT UP the entire game. DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE!! REVERSE REVERSE!! ON POINT ON POINT! I was super annoyed. I looked to the people behind me and said "On behalf of Oklahoma State University, I would like to apologize." They smiled in a way that said "yeah, this guy is a little much."

Now someone reading this is likely saying "But Shanna I went to OSU one time a very long time ago and someone did whatever and I didn't think it was right." You're right. I have heard that story maybe three times ever. OSU does not amongst practical people have a reputation for being an aggressive school when it comes to sports ESPECIALLY if we are talking about all games except Bedlam. Schools that are particularly aggressive need to take action. They need to have celebrities from the institution put up a video and tell them to cut it out. Jeff Orr is a grown man with a reputation for harassing young athletes and that's unacceptable. It was honestly only a matter of time before that happened to him; I just HATE that it was one of our players because it makes us and him look awful. I don't believe in physical aggression (or a lack of sportsmanship) at all but I also don't believe in allowing fans to conduct themselves that way. The school should have stepped in a long time ago.  He makes me think of Preacher Bob just looking for a law suit. 

As far as education goes and the opportunities afforded to me by each institution I am incredibly proud. On neither side of the coin was I a proud individual on Saturday night. I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. The loss the game wasn't that big of a deal to me, but the loss of dignity no matter how I looked at it was. 

 

Posted in: Reflections