By Christian Potts For The Transcript
Bedlam brings out the emotions in Oklahomans from the rocky tip of the panhandle to the forests and hills of the southeastern corner of the state.
And in a week where Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will square off not just on the football field but also the wrestling mat (at 2 p.m. Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater), it's a good time for banter back and forth between coworkers, neighbors and often even family members.
What's a little more unusual this week is a person who has been squarely on both sides of the rivalry. Enter Sooner Wrestling Coach Mark Cody, in his fourth season leading the OU program but had two stints as an assistant coach on the Cowboy staff, most recently from 2000-02 for current Cowboy leader John Smith.
"I surely have grown to appreciate this rivalry," Cody said. "It's a little different as a coach, since I haven't competed at either school as a wrestler. But you get a great appreciation for the passion that goes into it."
Cody spent nine seasons away from Bedlam as the head coach at American University before returning to OU in 2011. In all his years around the wrestling scene it's built his respect for the passion the teams, fans and communities bring to this rivalry.
"A lot of schools don't have an in-state rival quite like this, where both are able to compete at such a high level," he said. "It has been exciting and fun to be able to coach at this level."
It also provides a chance to compete against his old boss, and one of the legends of the sport, in Smith, who Cody considers definitely to be a friend.
"But business is business," Cody said. "Once you get out there in competition, it's just like coaching against anybody else, and your focus is on winning."
OSU sports a 133-27-10 advantage in the series, with the teams splitting last year's two duals. OU's win at home in December snapped a six-year losing streak to the Cowboys.
