In your September 11, 2008, Oklahoman video clip, you proposed “Boomers” as a nickname for the Thunder, you saying, “Some thunder cracked the other day and I got to thinking about the sound it makes. And all of the sudden I had a nickname for our nickname. * * * The Boomers were the group that petitioned the government to open the unassigned land but had the scruples to wait until the firing of a pistol, or, yes, boom of a canon, to start the land grab.” That bit about hearing thunder cracking is a bit disingenuous since you’d already proposed Boomers as the team’s name in your August 25, 2008, Oklahoman article (unless, of course, by “the other day” you were referring to August 25).

You got the 1st part right but got the 2nd part dead wrong. While it is true that David Payne and his group did lobby Congress to open the unassigned lands for settlement, it is COMPLETELY FALSE that they “had the scruples to wait until the firing of a pistol …” Nothing could be further from the truth. The Boomers made repeated incursions into the unassigned lands BEFORE “the firing of a pistol,” as you put it. Their leader, David Payne, actually sold tracts of land in the unassigned land (as though he had title to sell) to unwary buyers BEFORE the unassigned lands were opened for settlement. Can you say “fraudulent land sales?” The Boomers by their forays into the unassigned lands BEFORE the firing of a pistol were criminals, law-breakers, and were most often forcibly removed back to Kansas by the Buffalo Soldiers (black cavalry units) stationed at Ft. Reno, but on occasion some were taken to Ft. Smith for federal prosecution. The people who DID WAIT until the firing of a pistol or boom of a canon at the start of the land run were not Boomers at all.

Second, you said, above, that, “I guess a little history lesson is necessary. Boomers are the sworn enemies of Sooners.” Yes, a history lesson is needed but it’s you who needs to have it if you’re speaking about Oklahoma history. Sooners and Boomers were NOT sworn enemies, they were merely different and unrelated sets of lawbreakers. The Boomers were those led by David Payne and, after his death, William Couch, in their invasions into the unassigned lands before it was legal to do so. The Sooners were those individuals (i.e., not part of a group) who lawfully reconnoitered space in the unassigned lands when they were permitted to do so BEFORE the land run. After their reconnaissance, they were supposed to leave the unassigned lands area and wait for the pistol to be fired (as you put it). Instead of doing that, they remained in the unassigned lands and hid out to wait to claim “their” land once the pistol shot had been fired. There was no relation between Boomers and Sooners. They were merely different sets of criminals.

In your August 25, 2008, Oklahoman article, you said, “why couldn’t Oklahoma City have played off Sooners and gone with Boomers?” By your insistence of the Boomer nickname, you appear to be still trying to make that happen. What you promote is divisive and not unifying. Despite history from the Land Run period, these days the term “Boomer” is more linked to the University of Oklahoma than it is anywhere else, notwithstanding Payne County’s history. We don’t need any college-type acrimony or banter between OU and OSU (or other college) fans when it comes to the Thunder. We need to be unified in our support of the team.

Aside from that, if the team comes to have a nickname other than Thunder, wouldn’t it be better for such a name to develop naturally rather than because of a journalist’s campaign who uses his bully pulpit to push off his ideas on everyone else whether they like it or not?

I have the DVD “Oklahoma vs. Texas Red River Rivalry” by ABC. You are one of the commentators in this and when talking about the infamous 1984 tie you said that everyone was cheated. OU fans left knowing that they should have won; UT fans left with their coach trying for the tie.

I think this reminds me of this year’s situation. Texas beat OU by 10 fairly soundly on a neutral field. We did lose 1 game but it was to Tech on basically the last play of the game on the road. OU is a great team and is advancing on but do OU fans truly feel that they are better than UT? Even after losing by 10 on a neutral field?

I think UT fans (like OU fans in 1984) are being cheated by the system and I think deep down OU fans know they shouldn’t be the ones advancing.

Perhaps our comeuppance some 24 years later.

Good Morning All!

Great Win. Should cement a Big 12 Title and a Heisman.

Dez Bryant is a player!

Bradford deserves the Heisman. But again, media boneheads say things like…well, he has more weapons than other players, so he shouldn’t win. Hey dummies……Tebow…..all the guys around him…….all the speed……..marginal arm, yet throws lots of TD’s and runs for lots. Did he do all of that on his own?

Tired of these arguments. Why play anymore games after the Red River weekend? Why? It seems that people think the conference was settled then. Apparently though, we all had a few more games to play…and they mattered too.

How many games are neutral field? Florida-Georgia (in Florida), Missouri-Kansas (truly neutral)…..OU-Texas (in Texas). What other games really matter? If every BCS eligible team played one…then you could make that argument…but they don’t. So how is this part of the thought process? OSU didn’t lose at home all this year….til last night. Does that matter? Texas struggled with OSU at home….does that matter? Texas needed breaks to beat OU…does that matter?

Tech beat Texas. So if Texas trumps OU then Tech trumps the low upside-down Horns. Wins a win. Regardless of margin.

All of these talking heads try to drive the issue using the media. And how bout good ole Mack Brown……is there a better politician in college football? I think he was even on my local radio station here in VT.

Note to Mack: you played NO ONE in your non-conference schedule. You barely beat OSU at home and you lost to Guns Up! Loss is a loss.

OU Defense and Special teams: please stop pulling at the football and just get the pads on and hit squarely. I can barely take it. You will cause just as many turnovers with big hits. Please…tackle with technique.

Note to Coach Gundy: great job with the program, but you have to either stop tanning or stop using the tanning solution. You look more orange than the uniforms your guys wear. There just isn’t that much sun this time of year, man! Be a Man….had to.

I was impressed with The Boone. However, I have never seen more sky boxes. Priorities…I know.

Still no snow here at my house in beautiful Northwestern VT. Good….I dislike snow.

Go Sooners! On To Arrowhead!

However, my call is, after all the politicing, Texas sneaks in and Gelding wins the Heisman…..because he had less weapons and apparently no offensive line in front of him…..and does it all like Tommy the Pinball Wizard.

Jeff in Vermont

“SILLY FIGHT SONG”? Now THEM’S fightin’ words!!