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Joe Mussatto
@joemussatto.bsky.social
700 followers 54 following 280 posts
Sports columnist, The Oklahoman | OKC Dream Team contributor | Have a story to tell? Email: jmussatto@oklahoman.com
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Brent Venables and Eli Drinkwitz had a staredown. 

Drinkwitz blinked first.

On a second-quarter sequence that flipped the game for the Sooners:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
How Brent Venables, OU football defense made Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri tuck tails | Mussatto
Brent Venables and Eli Drinkwitz had a staredown. Drinkwitz blinked first.
www.oklahoman.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:48 AM
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In this week’s edition of Mussatto’s Minutes …

- Re-ranking Venables’ best wins
- OU keeps proving me wrong
- Shawnee’s Caleb Hawkins
- OSU women’s historic start
- Thunder pick swaps

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
OU football on verge of CFP berth thanks to Brent Venables' epic year | Mussatto's Minutes
In this week’s edition of Mussatto’s Minutes, we update Brent Venables’ list of best wins and search for help in figuring out the Sooners.
www.oklahoman.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:49 PM
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On Ajay Mitchell’s breakout: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Ajay Mitchell's NBA breakout is latest case of OKC Thunder getting even scarier | Mussatto
The Thunder has been that good without Jalen Williams in part because Ajay Mitchell has been that good.
www.oklahoman.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:27 PM
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A ripple effect of the Luka trade: Nico Harrison robbed us of a Thunder-Mavs rivalry that had just started to simmer

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Nico Harrison, in ripple effect of Luka trade, ruined Thunder-Mavericks rivalry | Mussatto
Nico Harrison robbed us of an I-35 rivalry that had just started to simmer.
www.oklahoman.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:17 PM
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www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Brent Venables got to 'just be dad' watching son at Clemson during OU football bye week
OU football coach Brent Venables dressed like a Tiger dad — Clemson pullover and ballcap — Saturday to see his son Tyler play one final time.
www.oklahoman.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:09 PM
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Brent Venables and Lincoln Riley are simultaneously trending upward in Year 4: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Mussatto: CFP hopefuls Brent Venables, Lincoln Riley trending upward simultaneously
OU football coach Brent Venables and USC's Lincoln Riley are trending up while the pressure on them has been dialed back.
www.oklahoman.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:54 PM
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How Jalen Williams’ short-term setback could have long-term consequences:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
How Jalen Williams' injury could affect All-NBA status, upcoming salary with Thunder
OKC Thunder star Jalen Williams' delayed recovery could have long-term consequences. Millions of them.
www.oklahoman.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:07 PM
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Thunder shot 100% in the restricted area tonight
November 5, 2025 at 6:34 AM
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An exclusive with former Thunder forward Kyle Singler in the wake of his assault charge and concerns about his mental well being (via @nolan50ok):

www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2...
Ex-Thunder player Kyle Singler accused of assault months after post drew concern about mental well-being
"I'm not a bad person," Kyle Singler told The Oklahoman after being charged with domestic assault and battery in the presence of a minor.
www.oklahoman.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:12 PM
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Bringing back my weekly Monday Minutes feature, where I’ll have all sorts of stuff OU, OSU, Thunder and beyond.

Today’s edition:
- BV’s best win?
- OSU streak
- Thunder small samples
- College hoops outlook

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Mussatto's Minutes: Where does OU football win at Tennessee rank in Brent Venables' era?
It’s crunch time in college football, and the Sooners are in the thick of the College Football Playoff hunt thanks to one of the biggest wins of Brent Venables' tenure.
www.oklahoman.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:08 PM
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“Absolute animal.”

On a divine kicking night in Knoxville by Tate “Short Shorts” Sandell: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Mussatto: How 'absolute animal' Tate Sandell kicked OU football to huge win at Tennessee
Short shorts wasn’t short. Tate Sandell had just enough leg to be good from 55. And 51. And 40. And 55 again.
www.oklahoman.com
November 2, 2025 at 3:29 PM
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www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
From banana suits to bare chests, Oklahoma State football fans aim to 'solve the problem'
Two quirky communities became one Saturday night: The bananas, new to the party, and the bare-chests, which rose to Oklahoma State football fame a week ago.
www.oklahoman.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
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They call themselves Pete’s Peelers. And they’re here to fix OSU football by wearing banana costumes.

There are no bad ideas at this point.
October 18, 2025 at 11:17 PM
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The Thunder’s stability is part of its special sauce.

A closer look at the continuity in the front office, on the coaching staff and the roster:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
From Sam Presti to Mark Daigneault to SGA, Thunder's secret to success is stability
The Thunder's stability is threefold — extending beyond the players into its coaching staff and front office/ownership.
www.oklahoman.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:36 PM
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Part 3 in our OSU head coaching search: OCs to consider for the top job

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Ranking Oklahoma State football coaching candidates among offensive coordinators
Here's a look at 10 offensive coordinators Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg might consider to succeed Mike Gundy as football head coach.
www.oklahoman.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:29 PM
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Part 2 in our OSU head coaching search: Candidates from the Group of Five ranks www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Ranking Oklahoma State football coaching candidates from Group of Five ranks
Now we turn to 10 Group of Four head coaches — those from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt — to consider for the job.
www.oklahoman.com
October 13, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by Joe Mussatto
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Friday's OklahomanSports & A1 covers:

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@coltonsulley.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/2p8xfbyp
@jennicarlsonok.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/43xm3me2
@scottwrightok.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/a424bezk
#okpreps: tinyurl.com/yc7spj9c
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October 10, 2025 at 8:32 PM
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A story about Jaren Kanak and his dog, Burger: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Meet Burger the wiener dog, whose owner, Jaren Kanak, has been OU football's breakout star
He is a wiener dog named Burger … get it? And his owner, OU tight end Jaren Kanak, has been a breakout star for the Sooners this season.
www.oklahoman.com
October 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
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OU-Texas roundtable: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
OU-Texas roundtable: What to expect from Arch Manning, John Mateer in Red River Rivalry?
Heading into OU-Texas, the respective quarterback situations the Sooners and Longhorns find themselves in are iffy at best.
www.oklahoman.com
October 9, 2025 at 9:26 PM
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We’re starting a series to find OSU’s next football coach, sorting candidates into five categories.

First category: The candidates with OSU/Oklahoma ties www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Ranking potential Oklahoma State football coaching candidates with in-state ties
Chad Weiberg is no doubt casting a wide net to find the next OSU Cowboys’ football coach. Here are the best potential candidates with Oklahoma ties.
www.oklahoman.com
October 6, 2025 at 11:11 PM
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On OSU’s deflating loss in Tucson: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Oklahoma State football's blowout loss at Arizona leaves Cowboys deflated | Mussatto
Oklahoma State football was competitive — entertaining, even — in Game 1 of the post-Gundy era. The Cowboys were neither of those things at Arizona.
www.oklahoman.com
October 5, 2025 at 1:35 PM
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A few takeaways from the Thunder’s first week of camp: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Why Mark Daigneault says 'improvement is necessary' for Thunder despite winning NBA title
With his team coming off an NBA title, Mark Daigneault is careful in setting the right tone during training camp.
www.oklahoman.com
October 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
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“I think everyone in the world that watches basketball can see that Chet isn’t even a fraction of the player he’s going to be.”

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Why Chet Holmgren is most intriguing player for OKC Thunder in 2025-26 season | Mussatto
The way in which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander talked about Chet Holmgren at OKC Thunder media day should send shivers down the spine of opposing teams.
www.oklahoman.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:55 PM
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Doug Meacham is bringing the fun in a season that’s been anything but:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
Doug Meacham wanted Oklahoma State football to have fun. It did, even in loss to Baylor.
Doug Meacham, said he wanted Oklahoma State to have fun, and even in a 45-27 loss Saturday to Baylor, it looked like the Cowboys did just that.
www.oklahoman.com
September 29, 2025 at 9:03 PM
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Mike Gundy still wants to coach, his brother, Cale, told The Oklahoman.

“There’s no doubt about it.”

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...
For Cale Gundy, 'there’s no doubt about' brother Mike Gundy coaching again | Mussatto
In a conversation with The Oklahoman, Cale Gundy shared that his brother is doing OK. That Mike Gundy, even after a lifetime in football, isn’t done coaching.
www.oklahoman.com
September 26, 2025 at 7:10 PM