On the Riverwalk
Friday night, Sooners dominated the Big 12 title game. I flew from Dallas to Oklahoma City on Friday morning and was stunned by all the Missouri fans on my plane. Probably 30 or so, with only about 10 OU fans. I thought, wow. Then I waited on comrades Ebony Jackson and Jake Trotter for their flight from OKC, via Houston, and when their plane landed, you’d have thought it was an Oklahoma land run. Forty, maybe 50 OU fans emerged, and the guys said the plane ride was wild, with the flight attendant dogging Missouri and Southwest playing Boomer Sooner over the PA and OU fans chanting.
And Friday night on the Riverwalk, OU fans clearly dominated. Must have been 5-to-1, maybe more, although admittedly red stands out more than black. I saw all kinds of people I knew, from OU team chaplain Kent Bowles and his family, to ex-Sooner hoopsters Bo Overton and Steve Bajema (who dined with ex-Norman High sharpshooter Steve Eoff; that was one solid basketball table). And that was all just at Cafe Ole’.
Anyway, I think Saturday afternoon is going to be wild. I think the Riverwalk, say 2-3 p.m., will be wilder than Dodge City the night of payday, and it will be painted crimson. San Antonio is the best spot for this game, and OU fans will respond en masse.
As for the game, I still expect a thriller. High scoring. Lots of big plays. Missouri has so many weapons, it will be hard to hold down the Tigers. The Sooners don’t have as many weapons; they will resort to more physical football. I don’t know who will win. I picked Missouri 28-27 but have no real insight with that one.
I will say this. I think Gary Pinkel has proven to be a very good coach and has built a solid program. Looks like a Bill Snyder program to me. Something built for the long haul. The only question of sustainability is this: How will Mizzou fare once Chase Daniel is gone. OU has proven it can with just anybody playing quarterback. Missouri has not. Of course, barring injury, that won’t be a factor tonight. Daniel is in the house.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Well….
I was wrong about Pelini and Gill, possibly Miles as well as it sounds (hold your breath) that he will stay at LSU.
You can pretty much guess how well I will do in tonight’s Powerball drawing. Have I mentioned that I think Misery (Missouri) will win tonight.
I am not wrong about my thoughts on a playoff. Perfect example why it won’t happen was the Va Tech/BC game. No one was there. That is what the early round playoff games would be like. Schools will not go for that at all. It would effect revenue too greatly. Bowls…are guarranteed money and that is what shools want at the end of the day. You can also see how fans won’t or can’t travel based upon that game today.
Actually, I love the edge that Coach Stoops has had and I hope that it translates on to the fellas and we play lights out defense. If that happens….we can all celebrate another Big 12 title. I think we are more athletic, bigger, faster and will wear them down. Cinderfella can go back to his room tonight in Columbia. We aren’t Kansas. WE ARE… OU!
By the way, I wish everyone would stop saying that USC is the best team going right now. Prime example of how the media can give people perception. They are simply in the argument. I am not sold on the Pac 10……so…..enough already!
Go Sooners!