Wayman memories Thread

[BigTime]

For those of us that didn't get to see him play at Oklahoma, please post your memories of Wayman on and off the court while he was at OU.

I had the pleasure of talking to him twice over the past five years at two OU functions. Both times, he made me feel like he actually cared about what I had to say. I have recently become a big fan of his music, and still am amazed that a person could achieve at the highest level of two industries that are next to impossible to make it big in.

One of my best memories of WT was when he appeared on a local fishing show with his nephew as a part of the Oklahoma Tourism series. Wayman was undoubtably the life of the boat, and it was great to see the two guides and hosts for the show just having a blast with Wayman and his nephew while they were catching stripers. It was so funny to see him cracking jokes and having a great time on a small boat in the middle of the lake (I think Texoma).

So in honor of Wayman day at the LNC next Saturday, please share with us some Wayman memories.

 

[Sooner Quick]

Wow this is a tough one on so many levels. No one made people feel good like Wayman Tisdale his smile, that sense of determination and focus and his spirit. He had this way of making everyone feel special. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to spend a few times with him, just to hang out but even if you didn’t know him, there was so much love in what he offered the world that you couldn’t help but love him back.

I met him on several occasions when I was a student trainer and later worked with Alex Brown. Not one time did he not come up and shake my hand, with that smile, always remembered my name. Who was I but some trainer? But that was Wayman, always making YOU feel special. I remember just seeing him just a few days before it was announced that he had cancer, you could have never had known it by the way he acted. He was treated in Tulsa at the same center as my Grandma was when she lost her battle, and as I just tear up writing this, I remember my Mom and Aunt trying to fix her wig that she had on her head and Wayman walked over, took the wig, and said "Be proud to be bald!" How he could make something so sad into something so funny is just what he did best.

Here I've went on rambling and I haven't even gotten into the many basketball memories I have of him, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I do remember Stacy King saying "People used to talk about 'Be like Mike (Michael Jordan),' but I wanted to be like Wayman." I think that says it all.

 

[BigTime]

Wow this is a tough one on so many levels. No one made people feel good like Wayman Tisdale his smile, that sense of determination and focus and his spirit. He had this way of making everyone feel special. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to spend a few times with him, just to hang out but even if you didn’t know him, there was so much love in what he offered the world that you couldn’t help but love him back.

I met him on several occasions when I was a student trainer and later worked with Alex Brown. Not one time did he not come up and shake my hand, with that smile, always remembered my name. Who was I but some trainer? But that was Wayman, always making YOU feel special. I remember just seeing him just a few days before it was announced that he had cancer, you could have never had known it by the way he acted. He was treated in Tulsa at the same center as my Grandma was when she lost her battle, and as I just tear up writing this, I remember my Mom and Aunt trying to fix her wig that she had on her head and Wayman walked over, took the wig, and said "Be proud to be bald!" How he could make something so sad into something so funny is just what he did best.

Here I've went on rambling and I haven't even gotten into the many basketball memories I have of him, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I do remember Stacy King saying "People used to talk about 'Be like Mike (Michael Jordan),' but I wanted to be like Wayman." I think that says it all.

Great stuff, SQ. Thanks. I love that quote by Stacey.

 

[MO]

In the early days, we sat high behind the south basket. One of the most electric moments I can remember inside the LNC was Wayman walking up the tunnel after the win against Georgia Tech, a huge smile on his face and the crowd still going crazy.

Back in those days, I use to tape all the games and re-watch them. As I watched the end of the game I reflected on the moment as Musberger (sp) said something like "and two fine basketball teams leave the floor". OU basketball had reached the upper tier of the college game. It is why I think we have been and still can be a basketball power. It all started with Wayman.

 

[Dave4OU]

I was in high school when Wayman played at OU, I can remember a friend of mine and I would do turn around left hand jumpers in practice. We used to shoot so many that it became part of my game, the left handed shot not turn around jumpers. You don't see may 5'5" post men, and that is how tall i was when i graduated high school. Stacey King said it best, "People used to talk about 'Be like Mike (Michael Jordan),' but I wanted to be like Wayman." I think that says it all. I had the opportunity to meet Wayman one day while I was at work shortly after Wayman signed his NBA contract with Indiana. I was standing there talking to a friend of mine and someone pulled up at the Lot A Burger across the street in a Gold Benz. There was an NBA exhibition in Tulsa that night and I thought it was just one of the players. Then I saw that smile. I walked across the street to get his autograph. I ordered a coke of some sort and borrowed a Pen and they gave me a lot a burger sack for him to sign. I went back across the street and left my coke there. At that point I didn't care, I had one of my heroes signature. Wayman was such a joy to watch, and that smile was contagious.

 

[BigTime]

Thanks Dave and Mo. Let's hear some more memories.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

About two years ago [and not that long after the amputation] I was at the Beacon Club in OKC eating lunch. Looked up [and up and up] and saw WT waiting on a private room to finish getting ready [something to do with the Thunder]. The INSTANT I caught his eye that HUGE smile had me over there meeting him [for the first time]. He had JUST had his leg amputated and he is smiling? The most inviting smile I'd ever seen...I was literally drawn to going and introducing myself. Very large man in person, but he had to be that big to carry that much charisma. Day I'll never forget.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

Any chance of pinning this?

 

[Darwin]

To me it will always be about his demeanor on the court ldwt356: we got so much ldwt356: during the game, every game. Even after he was called for a foul ldwt356:He had fun playing, maybe because he was better than everyone but maybe because he understood that he was playing a game.

 

[ou10304]

I was young and living in KC I didn't get to go to any OU games. Had seen him on TV but never in person. The Big 8 tournament came to KC. Wayman's freshman year. My dad took myself and a neighbor (MU) buddy of mine down to the open practice. It was OU's turn to take the floor so my buddy and I went down by the tunnel to watch them come out. From deep in the belly of that tunnel we start hearing a deep "OU....OU....OU....OU.." chant. They were coming.

Then HE came out. The guy I had idolized all season. I was speechless. My buddy, the MU fan, said "Oh my God Dave..there he is" in a flat tone. He too was in complete aw of Wayman. It was like seeing Jesus.

Oh I miss the days of being a kid!! And I miss Wayman. So much fun to be a kid and look so forward to seeing your hero play. What a great and classy player he was.

 

[BigTime]

Bump. Let's hear some more....

 

[jaymOU]

I saw every home game Wayman played and most of the OKC neutral site games. My favorite memory is Wayman against a then - almost unknown - guy from LA Tech. I little dude named Karl Malone. Malone had a monster jam over Wayman and then Wayman returned the favor with a great dunk and another dozen or more turnaround jump shots. Sooners won a great game at the Myraid during the All College that night. Two superstars in action.

I go all the way back to Wayman in HS, when I thought he'd be an average player in college, because he didn't hustle enough. And so went my career in recognizing basketball talent.

Finally, my dad and I watched all of those games and in those days there was no running scoreboard for player point totals. We'd go to the car and say, Wayman made some shots today, he probably had 18-20 points. Then we'd hear John Brooks recap, indicating Wayman had 32 or 34. You just got so accoustomed to seeing him make a jump shot, you just forgot how spectacular he really was.

This is fun, I could go on and on....

 

[Seymore Cox]

I saw every home game Wayman played and most of the OKC neutral site games. My favorite memory is Wayman against a then - almost unknown - guy from LA Tech. I little dude named Karl Malone. Malone had a monster jam over Wayman and then Wayman returned the favor with a great dunk and another dozen or more turnaround jump shots. Sooners won a great game at the Myraid during the All College that night. Two superstars in action.

I go all the way back to Wayman in HS, when I thought he'd be an average player in college, because he didn't hustle enough. And so went my career in recognizing basketball talent.

Finally, my dad and I watched all of those games and in those days there was no running scoreboard for player point totals. We'd go to the car and say, Wayman made some shots today, he probably had 18-20 points. Then we'd hear John Brooks recap, indicating Wayman had 32 or 34. You just got so accoustomed to seeing him make a jump shot, you just forgot how spectacular he really was.

This is fun, I could go on and on....

Yeah, I remember the matchups more than anything. Carl Malone was one, Keith Lee Memphis State was another. Joe Adkinson at OSU was another good matchup he had. That whole era or basketball with Stewart at Mizzou and Orr at ISU was really good.

 

[MsProudSooner]

My oldest daughter was about 8, 9, 10 years old while Wayman was at OU. We lived near Tulsa and didn't make it to very many games, but watched the games on TV.

Before a home football game, we were in the store that used to sit at the south west corner of the stadium.. If you were ever in that store, it was always cram packed with people. I was trying to find things I wanted and keep track of my daughter. All of a sudden, she tugged on my arm and I heard her awestruck voice, "Mommy, there's Wayman!"

There he was across the room, standing head and shoulders above everyone else in the store, his head within just a few inches of the ceiling, smiling in the middle of that mob of humanity.

Nothing really spectacular about the story, but I can still hear the tone of my daughter's voice when she recognized him.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

I remember the 1st time WWT set foot on the court wearing the C& C, it was obvious that he was a manchild!!!! He was unstoppable on either block from the word go.....

Probably my best memories of Wayman were made off the court. I remember watching him dominate at Booker T. He would play ball at a rec center in Tulsa when he was a HS kid, and he would dominate along with his brother William. People don't know how good he could play before the leg injuries.....

One of the biggest memories that I have on a personal level was the yr that the olympic team played an exhibition game at the old Myriad in OKC( now the Cox Center). Stacy King was signing autographs during the game, and Wayman was there watching the exhibition. I had not seen him in some time since he had gone to the NBA. I made my way over to him, and he immediately lit me up with his trademark smile. We were talking briefly, there were swarms of kids/fans trying to get his autograph, but he was signing and talking to me. Out of the crowd came his brother William, and it was obvious that they hadn't seen each other in awhile. Wayman said what's up Will Will, and William said what's up Way Way???? Don't know why that has stuck in my head for so many yrs. It was so obvious to me how much the brothers loved each other. He was extremely happy to see his brother, and the feeling was mutual.

I could typr b-ball stories forever, because he was the best that I ever saw in Oklahoma, and that includes Blake. I loved watching Blake, but I wouldn't trade watching Wonderful Wayman Tisdale for anyone who has played in the state.....


My greatest memories was how much he loved his family, people in general, the Sooner Nation, and representing all of the above. He was full of class, integrity, and love for everyone.

 

[NMSooner'80]

One memory that I have, which had nothing to do with anything Wayman did, was in '84 when he had his first "staying or going to the NBA" press conference. That year, he did come back for another season - but seconds before he made that announcement a woman in the front row started crying. Apparently she thought he was going to say that he was leaving OU after his sophomore year.

I couldn't make his true "final LNC" game in '85, but I know how it turned out of course. Wayman and the guys were laying it to last-place OSU in the first round of the Big 8 tourney, and the crowd chanted, "One more year! One more year!"

Also, I did some photography for a metro area newspaper back then and got to go to OU's media day for his last season. Billy sat on his lap like he was Santa Claus, and Tubbs even stuck his thumb in his mouth like a little kid (which he looked like, size-wise, compared to Wayman). That was funny, if you could have seen the look on both of their faces.

Finally, I did live in rural New Mexico when he signed with OU - close enough to Texas that we got newspapers from both Amarillo and Albuquerque. On signing day, I hoofed it up to a Circle-K to get the Amarillo paper bright and early. The headline on the front page of the Amarillo Globe-News read, "Highly Recruited Tisdale Picks Sooners." That made my whole month, back in April of '82.

 

[Sooner04]

This has been a great thread to read. I wrote the following the day WWT died, and I thought I'd share it with you fine folks:

In the fall of 2002 I began interning in the Channel 9 sports department. Thursdays weren't so bad because there was high school football to watch, chart and edit.

But Tuesdays were brutal.

So, about three weeks into my three month, twice a week internship, I began to spelunk around the department's video archives. I watched Abe Lemons get tossed in a game against Oklahoma Christian. I watched Stan Chase, the sports department's cameraman, go deep into the reasons why the US Open bowling conditions at Boulevard Bowl in 1988 would be far different than what the house bowlers were used to.

But what I really loved was watching Wayman. The Georgia Tech game in '85? Check. Syracuse in '84? Check. The two meetings with the Mailman and La Tech during the '85 season? Check.

But the one that blew me away was the 55-point game against Southwestern Texas. Wayman would come down the floor, post up, and score. There was absolutely nothing to it. It was like watching some sort of bionic scoring machine. He'd make a move and score. Next time he'd fake the first move and go to another move to score.

Then the turnaround.
Then the fadeaway.

The great ones make it look effortless. Wayman looked like he was in a rec league back home in Tulsa.

I'd wear those tapes out. Defenses would throw the kitchen sink at him and it was useless. Once he got the ball down in that block you might as well start jogging back down the floor because it was money. WAYMAN TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISDALE!

I saw Blake Griffin go for 40 and 23 against Texas Tech in Norman. As we left the arena I heard all these people talking about how they'd just witnessed the greatest performance in Sooner history. I smiled, but I didn't nod. I let them have their thoughts, but I knew better.

Why? Because I'd seen better. I saw Wayman Tisdale.

 

[GParker]

This has been a great thread to read. I wrote the following the day WWT died, and I thought I'd share it with you fine folks:

Thanks guys for the great memories. Wonderful Wayman will always be my favorite OU athlete regardless of sport.

Watched this again yesterday:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ4DaBVn4Uk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ4DaBVn4Uk[/ame]

 

[Big Old Booger]

Memories of Wayman...too many to post but I'll try:

1.) Scoring 60 on UTA at the Myriad in the all-college tourney.
2.) Reverse dunk vs Ga Tech to end the game and cap a wild comeback by Billy's boys.
3.) Catching the ball at mid-court and making a great pass to David Little who hit the game-winning shot vs OSU in Gallagher Hall in 1983 after OSU had just taken the lead with 4 seconds left on 2 free throws by Lorenza Andrews.
4.) Hearing Mike Treps, who used to do the PA back in those days at home games, start calling him by different names after his made baskets because he scored so much (Waaaaayman, Mr. T, Tisdale, etc.).
5.) That soft left-handed turn around jumper that put Oklahoma basketball on the map.
6.) Arm in arm with Calvin Pierce, Jan Pannell, and Shawn Clark (I think) as another sooner was icing the 84 OU-KU game in Larryville for our 2nd Big 8 conference title ever. All 4 of them had their index finger in the air as the KU crowd was booing quite generously. All 4 of them were smiling as big as Wayman. Priceless.
7.) The smile which he played with every second of the game. It was an infectious smile.
8.) Dribbling the ball down the court vs. UTA in the Myriad because Wayman hardly ever dribbled. He'd catch and shoot, and was the best at doing just that.
9.) Placing the Sooners on his back in the Carrier Dome as we beat Syracuse and Earl the Pearl Washington in 84. Big win for the program.
10.) At halftime of the OU-NC State game in Raleigh, must have been 85, they showed video of Wayman playing his guitar at his dads church and William on the drums. It was a story on Wayman and was very good.

I've got many others I just need to think and see what else I can come up with. He was the best...ever, and probably had the best 3 year career of any OU athlete in any sport. At least in the top 5.

 

[Edmond_Sooner]

This has been a great thread to read. I wrote the following the day WWT died, and I thought I'd share it with you fine folks:

Sooner04, that was a great read....i wish i had the pleasure, like you did, of watching Wayman's games here at OU...even if it was in the archives...

Unfortunately, and i dont know why, i have never seen a full game of when Wayman played at OU...i have seen all the highlight films but for some reason the first team at OU i remember is when Stacy and Mookie were tearing it up along with Grant and company...

I remember listening to some games on the radio, hearing the name Choo and the "helicopter"...but still dont remember Wayman...

It really makes me mad because i remember the 83, 84 and 85 Sooner Football teams...going to games and watching on TV...

I am just glad i will be in attendance this Saturday and be able to take it all in...a tribute to a person that truely was greater than the name on the front of the jersey...Wayman is OU basketball...