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he movie industry has come a long way in the last 30 years. Special effects and computer technology have given movie directors the ability to turn the supernatural plausible, at least on the sil- ver screen. Composers are able to score film with such dramatic music; it leaves audiences on the edge of their seats or slumped in sorrow. e one thing they have not been able to change in 30 years is: you still have to set through an entire movie to determine if it was terrible. WRAY. VINGS T Even then, who am I to make the com- plete determination? I mean, my last name is not Siskel or Ebert. I simply don’t have the credentials to accurately critique the movie industry. e same things can be said for many so- called, self-proclaimed experts in the sports media world. Magazines, newspapers, televi- sion and sports talk radio are overpopulated with those who know enough about athlet- ics to be dangerous. But because they have pen and paper in their possession, expertise is awarded. A great analogy would be: I own a set of golf clubs, but you won’t hear me calling out Scott Verplank any time soon. In a world full of instants, (information, coffee, pota- toes) the local sports market is full of Monday morning Lombardi wanna-be’s. Just add water. Oh, they’re experts alright. Just ask them. ey pick on everything from coaches decisions to the Cowboy fan base. It forces us, the readers, listeners and viewers, to have something they don’t: objectivity. For those who want to criti- cize the fan base, here is a message: its okay. We know you can’t comprehend it. I heard a really intelligent fan say, “From the inside you can’t explain it and from the outside you can’t understand it.” ere is a great deal of pride associated with being a Cowboy. Oklahomans for Oklahoma State are proud for the integrity to call a team “theirs,” even when times are tough. Unlike the fictional family from Steinbeck lore, Cowboys meet hard times head on, where they stand. Success and set-backs are dealt with realistically, and are embraced as part of the journey. It’s a noble quest to represent an institution as well as the greatest icon of the American west. Being a fan is more than purchasing a sweatshirt in a team color, only to toss it in the trash on the way to your car if you come up on the short end of the stick. ere is a degree of self-actualization which envelopes you as a Cowboy fan. It is above wins and losses. So the next time you read, hear or watch a biased report about OSU or the fan base, you might remember a few things: 1. It’s entertainment. e writer is merely an actor on a stage. e lines, motive and agenda will all change next week. 2. It’s an opinion. eirs. And opin- ions are like navels. Everybody has one, and some have lint in them. 3. It’s difficult to write about some- thing you don’t understand. You get it. at’s all that maters. Ride ‘em. Kyle Wray Illustration by: Hannah McGill
