WARNING: This blog is NOT real journalism. I do provide the facts, but the facts are my opinion. You got me? I am here to give you hot and spicy takes that you may or may not be ready for. This blog is meant for you 10-20-minute commode break at work. Blame our editor (there isn’t one) for any grammatical errors or anything else you wish to complain about
It’s time to start giving my Boynton his credit. At times, Boynton has been criticized for not winning enough. And although he has only made the tournament only once in his first five seasons, the excuses are there.
“Excuses!? That’s loser talk Tyler!” Well, yeah, it is loser talk but let me break it down:
- Year one: Mike Boynton goes 21-15 and 8-10 in conference play after sweeping Kansas in the regular season and winning two out of three against Oklahoma. “Well maybe he should have won more!” yeah maybe he should have. But considering Oklahoma (who he beat twice). Oklahoma finished the regular season at 18-12 and Oklahoma State 18-13 before playing in the first-round of the Big 12 Tournament- a game in which OSU won giving them a record advantage. The fact OU made it and OSU didn’t is a snub of all snubs. Even Dickie V agrees!
And that’s not to say OU didn’t deserve to go, but putting the Sooners in and not OSU is still a crime.
- Year two: Mike Boynton has to kick off multiple players for legal troubles and has a student try out in the middle of the season. Not joking, I had a fraternity brother on the team (Shoutout C-Peezy). And I know of another kid who was also in a fraternity who joined the team as well. So, you have two frat boys playing Big 12 basketball when they should be on court 1 at the Colvin Center.
- Year 3: no excuses. 7-11 in conference then COVID-19 hit.
- Year 4: Best season he’s had. Cade Cunningham, 21-7 record, 11-7 in conference, Big 12 tournament championship game appearance and a NCAA tournament win. BUT he had to go through the troubles of 25% crowds, COVID guidelines and testing. Even with his best team it was a tough season for more reasons than just ball.
- Year 5: Gets a DUMB STUPID DUMMY NCAA Tournament ban SIX YEARS AFTER SANCUATION GOT SELF REPORTED for NO FAULT OF HIS OR ANY FAULT OF A CURRENT STAFFER OR PLAYER. I still get worked up thinking about it if you can’t tell. Yet, he manages to have the team go 8-10 in conference play. I believe that last year’s squad makes the NCAA Tournament as they take out-of-conference more serious than they did. That team, you could tell, was not all-in for OOC play. And you can’t really blame them when you don’t have any hope for a postseason. But once conference play started, they turned into a good and competitive basketball team. All while playing for nothing but pride.
What’s the one constant variable with all these seasons? He has the respect of his players. And he has the respect of the fan base. Through all the ups and downs of Mike Boynton’s tenure so far, he has never lost the locker room. His teams always fight, never fold and always get progressively better as the season goes along.
I remember being a freshman when there were more walk-on players than scholarship players and Oklahoma State went into Lubbock and fought their tails off in an OT loss to eventual national runner-up Texas Tech. That was the first time I really though “oh, they play hard for this guy.” The Pokes went on to win their last two games of the regular season when they could have easily mailed it in. And honestly- no one would have blamed them.
So now here he we are. With only seven games to go and Dirty Mike and the boys are 6-5 in conference play and control their own destiny for an NCAA Tournament bid. Surely this blog won’t come back to backfire on me, right? Surely this team can win two of their last seven to feel comfortable about getting into the tournament.
Mike Boynton recruits at an elite level, absolutely understands the Stillwater/Cowboy culture and what it means to be a Cowboy and has dominated the Bedlam Series (especially as of late) in his tenure as head coach.
His involvement around campus and the community is second to none.
I have thought this for years and ready to say it… although this is a reach and thinking way too far ahead, if Mike Boynton has real success with some conference titles and tournament runs that includes at least one final four… he could go down as the most beloved Cowboy coach of all time. For any sport. And I think a lot of OSU fans would agree if they looked into the future on this.
But first things first… beat Iowa State!