Sports Illustrated completed a 10-month investigation of the OSU football program. It’s time to show how we will respond. (Photo courtesy of thecollegerag/flickr)

The first part of Sports Illustrated’s “The Dirty Game” debuted today with reactions all over the map.  I just want to offer some quick thoughts about this article before OSU fans lose their heads:

1. Don’t get too worried quite yet.  The people interviewed didn’t leave the university on the best terms and some of the people mentioned in the article have already come out to say that what is said in the article is false, most notably, Tatum Bell.  There is no better time to attack an organization then when they are at their best.  This wouldn’t be as big of a deal if we were still having sub-.500 seasons.

2. This all came about because of how good OSU got in a short amount of time.  Thayer Evans of SI says we got too good too fast.  Sorry, Thayer, but we aren’t the team going for a three-peat this year.  Let’s take a closer look at Alabama really quick: Between 2003-2009 they had three winning seasons. Three.  Interesting.  Let’s continue: between the 2006 and 2007 seasons, they went 13-13.  From 2008-2011, they went 48-6. Seems like a pretty fast rise there, Thayer.  You might want to go check out what’s going on down there.  I’m not saying Alabama is doing anything wrong, just trying to keep to the principle Thayer put in motion.

3.  Speaking of Thayer Evans, I wonder who OSU fans will hate more after this blows over: Les MIles or Thayer Evans?

4.  I think Evans will get more tweets this week than he will the rest of his life.  Shows how OSU fans stick up for their brothers and sisters.

5.  Look at how the OSU family has come together in the midst of all this.  We are a family no matter what. Loyal and true.

6. Remember Miami back in 2011?  The NCAA had a lot more evidence of what happened down there right from the start and nothing came of it other than the NCAA getting laughed at.  It has a lot less to start with concerning OSU, so I don’t expect anything major to really come of this either.

7. If the NCAA does choose to bring punishments, I hope they take a page out of the NFL’s playbook and punish the people responsible.  With the Saint’s bounty scandal, the NFL punished the coaches and players involved, not the entire Saints organization.  If the NCAA wants to point fingers, point them at those responsible.  Go after Les Miles, Joe DeForest, and Larry Porter.  Don’t punish the current players who are doing everything right.

8. Speaking of that, I think LSU, West Virginia and Texas should take a good, long look at their current programs and make sure the coaches aren’t doing any of the things they are alleged of.  If they did it at OSU, why would they stop just because they switched schools?

9. Remember, these are just allegations.  Nothing is set in stone, yet.  OSU has already said they will do a full investigation to see if there is any validity to the claims.  These all could be false and if that comes to light, we will show the nation the character we have in situations like this.  And if some turn out to be true, we will show how we bond together and fight through the adversity and come back stronger.

And finally,

10. This investigation shows me one thing: We have arrived! Thayer Evans is scared of how good we are.  This team is the best in the Big 12 and that didn’t happen overnight.  This investigation shows we are now a threat to be reckoned with.  We told every team that came into Boone Pickens Stadium to “tell ’em we’re coming!”  Now, we have America’s attention.  They’re finally listening.  We are one big family.  We are orange to the bone.  We bleed orange.  We live orange.  We are loyal and true.  We’re coming. And hell’s coming with us.

Ride ’em, Cowboys.

I Ride With the Cowboys!