One More Word About Wayman: "Thanks for the Memories"
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PROLOGUE One More Word about Wayman: "Thanks for the Memories" ould that I had had the ink Sooner basketball fan of my creden- were legendary. He rewrote the OU Wand newsprint concession for dentials surely should mark the mo- record book, including total points all the words that have been ment with a personal comment or two . (2,661), total rebounds (1,048), single written about OU basketball wizard A simple thank-you note somehow game scoring (61), etc . etc. He broke Wayman Tisdale in the past three seems inadequate. the Big Eight all-time scoring record years. If ever a young man captured Only someone who has been sitting by 546 points and was the first player the hearts and imaginations ofthe citi- beside me at basketball games since in collegiate history to make the AP zens ofa state, he was Wayman Tisdale the fall of '55 could appreciate fully All-America list as a freshman, sopho- of Oklahoma . To his fans he was what a joy these past three years have more and junior. "WWT," "Wonderful Wayman," "Mr. been . In 1955, you may remember, Les- There is a quality about Wayman T ," "Flaming Wayman" or just "Tiz," ter Lane hadjust graduated ; the glory Tisdale's play, however, that will re- but most of all he was ours, however days of the Bruce Drake era were only main with Sooner basketball fans even much he may have charmed the na- a memory. It was the Big Seven then, after his records are broken, unlikely tional TV audiences or the Olympic and in 1955 Doyle Parrack's Sooners as that may seem . Wayman was so crowds . finished 7th . Bob Stevens' teams of much fun to watch. No one ever loved We gloried in his on-court exploits, 1963 and 1964 did them one better, his work the way Wayman loved to play hung on his every word, succumbed to finishing 8th in the new Big Eight. basketball, and he had a way of shar- the sports world's most captivating The crowds were certainly no problem ing his joy with his teammates and smile. Finally we shed a few tears in those days ; in fact, one year all of with the crowd that adored him. when he elected to bypass his senior us season ticket holders together con- None ofus wanted the magic to end . year to take his talents to the N.B .A., stituted a select group of six . We chanted "One More Year" to hold and all those who had chronicled his John MacLeod brought the faithful back time, to savor the moment just a every move as a collegian now spectu- some pretty fair-to-middlin' basket- little longer. "He won't have this much lated ad nauseum on the reasons for ball (except for a disastrous '68-69 sea- fun in the pros," we reasoned, meaning his decision. son) . More importantly, he brought us that we won't have that much fun with- Perhaps no more needs to be said on Alvan Adams, and Alvan brought the out him . "He could go to the Final Four the occasion of the departure of fans back to the old Field House. But next year," we insisted, andjust maybe Wayman Tisdale - and yet, an old even Alvan's Army could inspire the we could go along, too. team to only 4th, 3rd and 5th place Wayman Tisdale is that once-in-a- finishes, the last two under Joe Ram- lifetime player, the legitimate su- sey, before Adams opted for the pros, perstar. However, unlike his nearest not even putting up a shot in the new rival for Sooner all-time honors, Alvan arena that he had helped make possi- Adams, Tisdale was blessed with a sup- ble, Lloyd Noble Center. porting cast worthy of his extraordi- Dave Bliss utilized the court leader- nary talents, authentic stars in their ship of John McCullough to end the own right. They may have come to 30-year conference championship Oklahoma to play with Wayman Tis- drought in 1978-79, but the joy was dale, but they also planned all along short-lived . Billy Tubbs' second sea- to inherit the winning tradition he son, 1981-82 B .W., hinted of things to franchised here . OU's competition, come, and when Tisdale joined David who breathed a sigh of relief when Tis- Little and Chucky Barnett the follow- dale went pro, may be in for some big ing year, a new era began. surprises . In Tisdale's first year as a Sooner, Meanwhile, Wayman has done what the team finished 2nd in the confer- every college student does sooner or ence, then won the title twice running, later. He has made a judgment on ending the '84-85 season just three what is best for his future . Did points shy of the Final Four. While Wayman owe something to his fans? those three teams compiled an 84-20 You bet. And he already had repaid Wayman Tisdale record, Tisdale's individual statistics that debt with interest. -CJB.