Blackmon and a Sooner: A Bedlam tale
Bedlam oftentimes brings out the best in teams but the worst in people.
In case you hadn’t noticed, this rivalry can be a mean one.
But after Saturday night’s game, there was a moment on the Boone Pickens Stadium turf that shows the good that can come out of this hard-fought series. Chuck Bowman, who played at Oklahoma but may be better known for his Fellowship of Christian Athletes work, forwarded me an email that had been sent from Kent Bowles. Bowles oversees FCA in Norman and at OU, but he used to work in Ardmore and got to know Justin Blackmon, who went to Plainview High School.
I’ll let Bowles tell the rest of the story:
“As the game ended, I did what I normally don’t do. I acted like a coach and walked across the field shaking hands. My goal was to see Justin, and I had already made up my mind that if he didn’t immediately recognize me, I wouldn’t bother him.
“After a few minutes of wondering around, his eyes met mine and he was smiling from ear to ear at me. I hugged him and asked him how his mom and dad were doing in South Carolina. He said that they were great and that they were moving back to Ardmore soon. I told him that I was proud of him and that we were always pulling for him. He said that he knew that, and that he appreciated it a lot.
“Then as we hugged again, he said, ‘I love you,’ and I said, ‘I love you too.’ No big deal. Just a moment between two guys that found each other after a game, right? An FCA rep and an athlete.
“But the ‘feel’ of that moment was special. It was comfortable. It is amazing how God supersedes team lines, winning and losing, and any feeling of team pride that can stand between people in a pressure moment of sport. Justin was comfortable with me in that moment, and he trusted my words. Not because I was anything special to him and his daily life. It was because of our faith. It was because of the investment that (Stillwater FCA rep) John Talley continues to make in him at OSU and his comfort level with FCA.
“If I had told you that I told him I loved him, you would appreciate that and say that is an FCA guy being an FCA guy. But the fact that he said it first makes you and I realize our role. It is to build young men and women and invest in them before they are known as sports heroes.
“Justin Blackmon is special. He has made mistakes just like all of us do. His mistakes make him human. His ability to stand back up and be the young man that he was raised to be, tells us that he loves the Lord. It also tells us that myself, Randy Kendrix and John Talley were and are allowed to be a vital part of that raising.”
Can’t get enough Bedlam? Stay tuned
The fans are talking Bedlam. The media is talking Bedlam. The teams are talking Bedlam.
Want a little more talk?
(You know you do.)
Be sure to tune into a new show on KSBI Channel 52. OK SportsWrap debuted this week with hosts Brian Birchell and Mark Rodgers, and yours truly was invited onto the show along with Bob Barry Jr. We talked about Oklahoma’s road problem (yes, the Sooners still have one), about Oklahoma State’s improving offense (yes, the Cowboys are still getting better) and about Bedlam predictions.
Who’d everyone pick?
Well, you’ll have to tune in to find out. The show aired originally Monday night, but it’s being re-aired at 10:30 tonight and at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
There’s even a special guest appearance by a guy who knows first-hand what Bedlam is like.
It was really a fun show, and next week, our man Berry Tramel will be on along with broadcasting legend Bob Barry Sr. I know I’m not going to miss it.
National coach of the year? Easy call
‘Tis the season — the college football awards season.
A slew of finalists for a variety of individual awards were announced earlier this week, and today, my ballot for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year arrived in my email inbox. Members of the Football Writers Association of America are allowed to vote, and I clicked on the ballot thinking it would take some time to figure out my vote. With eight candidates, surely I’d need to do some homework.
Turns out, it didn’t take any time at all.
8. Gene Chizik, Auburn: What he’s done has been impressive, but I have to admit, the cloud hanging over the program with all this Cam Newton whatnot was too much to ignore. (Does this mean I won’t be putting Newton on my Heisman ballot? Still can’t say.) Chizik goes No. 8.
7. Chris Petersen, Boise State: He’s become a victim of his own success. Yes, the Broncos are contending again for a spot in the national championship game. Yes, they are sure to be a BCS bowl participant. Yes, it is unbelievably impressive what Petersen has done in Idaho. But isn’t this what everyone has come to expect? Petersen is No. 7.
6. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin: The Badgers have a shot at the Big Ten crown. Then again, what Big Ten team doesn’t have a shot at it? That conference is a mess — in a good way — so the fact that Bielema has the Badgers in position to go to the Rose Bowl isn’t overly impressive. Besides, this was a team expected to contend. Bielema ranks No. 6.
5. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State: See, No. 6. The reason Dantonio ranks a spot higher on my ballot is because the Spartans weren’t expected to be quite so good this season.
4. Gary Patterson, TCU: Much like Petersen, Patterson is a victim of his own success. But the thing that makes what he’s done worthy of the No. 4 spot is the Horned Frogs’ defense. That unit is Patterson’s baby, and it has done him proud. It’s one of the best in college football.
3. Chip Kelly, Oregon: Much like Patterson, Kelly has put his stamp on one of the units on his team. The difference? His imprint is on the offensive side of the ball. Slowing down the Ducks has been nearly impossible. Wouldn’t a great national championship matchup be Kelly’s offense and Patterson’s defense? I don’t know who I’d pick. That I picked Kelly above Patterson on my ballot is no indication of which team I think is better. It’s simply because the Ducks have remained undefeated playing better competition than the Horned Frogs have.
2. Jim Harbaugh, Stanford: It wasn’t all that long ago that Stanford was a 41-point underdog to USC. This season, the Cardinal not only was favored against the mighty Trojans but also took it to the long-time standard bearer in the Pac-10. Harbaugh has built a winning football program. Plain and simple. And that is no easy task at Stanford.
1. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: A team expected by some to finish last in the Big 12 South already has a share of the division crown and is now going for a spot in the conference championship game. It’s been an unbelievable year for the Cowboys. Much like Harbaugh, Gundy has built a winning football program at a time and at a place where some folks thought that would be impossible. There was little question who deserved to be at the top of my ballot for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.
Maybe he’s at least enjoying OSU’s big year …
Former Oklahoma State standout Kevin Williams is one of my all-time favorite players to interview.
He had a totally unassuming but funny way about him during his time as a Cowboy.
Maybe that’s coming in hand nowadays.
Williams and his Minnesota Viking teammates are suffering through the roughest of seasons. They’ve won only three of their first 10 games, the latest defeat a 31-3 rout at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. Despite having Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre and a star-studded defense, the Vikings are all but out of the playoff hunt.
And it’s not even December.
Oh, but wait, it gets worse for Williams. He had to play Sunday’s game against the Packers with the name on his jersey misspelled.
How to do you mess up Williams?
Like this: W-I-L-L-A-I-M-S.
The Vikings have a couple other guys named Williams — fellow defensive tackle Pat Williams and safety Madieu Williams — but apparently, Reebok got those names spelled correctly. Kevin Williams was the only one who had to play with a misspelling.
I mean, the guy is only a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the best defensive tackles in the league. But even if he wasn’t, his name is Williams. Not exactly Kleinsasser or Shiancoe, is it?
Maybe the fact that his alma mater is having a great season is some consolation for Williams. Or maybe that unassuming personality is coming in handy.
Whatever the case, Williams has to know that better days are ahead — the name on his jersey will be right next week.
Heisman voting: To Cam or not to Cam …
The bad press keeps mounting on Cam Newton.
Must more, and the stout Auburn quarterback won’t be able to see of the mountain of negative clippings and reports. First came the report that his services had been shopped when he was being recruited last year – with an asking price of $200,000. Then came allegations of academic fraud while Newton was still at Florida. Finally were the comments from some Mississippi State officials that Newton picked Auburn because the money was too good.
In this Oct. 30 photo, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton throws a pass against Mississippi.
Is it true?
Is it false?
I can’t say. I’d like to believe it’s false, that a kid who stole a laptop,then had a run-in with the law at Florida has changed his ways. I’d like to believe Newton’s amazing season and Auburn’s undefeated records are the feel-good stories of the season.
But it’s not that cut and dried.
Neither is the Heisman voting.
Ballots are soon to hit voters’ mailboxes, and they will be asked to do one thing — vote for the best player in college football. About the only stipulation that the Heisman puts on who is a candidate is that the player must be in good standing, good standing with the NCAA and good standing academically. That’s where the issue of Cam Newton becomes sticky.
Right now, he is in good standing. He hasn’t been deemed ineligible by anyone. That’s why he was still at the top of my ballot in the HeismanPundit.com straw poll this week. He meets the eligibility criteria, and I believe he’s the best player in college football.
But if I had to send in my final ballot today, I’m not sure what I would do.
The Newton situation is in such flux — something seems to change every day — so it would be difficult to vote for Newton. What if he was later found guilty of these charges? What if he was deemed ineligible? What if he was stripped of the trophy?
But what if he wasn’t? What if all of this was just some ruse by some overzealous types who wanted to smear Newton and harm Auburn? Hey, they do things a little differently in the SEC.
The good news is, ballots aren’t due today and I don’t have to make my final decision just yet. Maybe the investigation won’t be complete by the time ballots are due, but it will be further along. We should know more then than we do now. We should have a better idea about whether Cam Newton is not only worthy of the Heisman but also eligible for it.
There’s nothing to fear about Texas, unless …
Oklahoma State fans, you are pumped about your football team.
Rightfully so.
But you have some trepidation about this Texas game.
Rightfully so.
Both of those are entirely acceptable emotions if you’re a member of the Cowboy Nation. This team has gone above and beyond the expectations of most, winning eight of its first nine games and sitting atop the Big 12 South. But this program has developed an Austin problem. No matter what kind of team it has taken to Texas over the past few years, no matter what kind of performance that team has turned in, nothing has resulted in a victory.
This year will be different, Cowboy fans.
The reason?
OSU is the better teams. Period.
The Cowboys don’t have an advantage here or there. They don’t have to get a dozen breaks. They don’t have to pull a bunch of trickery or use a ton of shenanigans. If they play the way that they’re capable of playing, they will for sure win Saturday in Austin.
Unless, of course, Mack Brown decides to change quarterbacks.
Now, I’m not saying Texas will surely win if it ditches starter Garrett Gilbert for back-up Case McCoy. Quarterback play, after all, isn’t the Longhorns only problem. But a change at quarterback could be an infusion of hope. It could give the Texas offense reason to believe it can score. It could give the Texas defense reason to believe the offense might be able to actually reward its stops with some points. It could give the Longhorn faithful reason to stand up and cheer.
And that could be big. That’s because there are lots of folks in burnt orange looking for something to believe in right now.
There might be no one better than McCoy. He’s not only a symbol of what might be in the future but also a link to past successes. He’s the younger brother of Texas legend Colt McCoy, and seeing a quarterback with “McCOY” on his jersey back on the field would give the Longhorns a charge.
But would he be able to lead Texas to an upset of OSU?
I say no.
McCoy is a freshman who’s never played in such a high-pressure situation. And remember, this Cowboy defense is playing better and better each week. But if McCoy does trot onto the field Saturday evening in Austin, OSU will need tot keep its cool, stick to its fundamentals and play within itself. It is good enough to handle the Texas offense regardless of whether Gilbert or McCoy is under center.
McCoy playing quarterback should be cause for some concern, Cowboy fans, but it is hardly a reason to panic.
Thunder hoops: KD brings mountain to OKC
There was a day when everyone talked about how there was no way that Kevin Durant would stay in Oklahoma City long term, that he would jump to a big market as soon as possible, that he just couldn’t become a superstar in a market as small as this.
If they didn’t change their tune this summer when the Thunder star signed that big contract extension, they should be changing it now.
Our man Darnell Mayberry had a heck of a story in the paper today about an endorsement shoot that Durant did Monday for Degree Men. He is a new spokesman for the deodorant’s Chain of Adventure video series, a collaboration also involving New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and adventure expert Bear Grylls.
Check out this Durant quote: “I don’t want to sound like a prima donna. But if companies want to come out here and be a part of what I have going on, they’re going to have to come to Oklahoma City.”
That, my friends, is good news for our fair city and the longevity of Durant’s career here.
Durant doesn’t feel the need to jet all over the country for endorsement deals. He doesn’t feel like he has to journey all around. He doesn’t see the need in going to the mountain.
He is bringing the mountain to Oklahoma City.
Even more good news was the revelation from Durant’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, that Durant has turned down several deals because he didn’t want them to take too much attention away from basketball. You know what that means? Durant is content with his endorsements, with his place in the pitchman pecking order.
If KD wasn’t, that might be a concern for OKC. He might feel the need to play in a bigger market with more exposure and increased opportunities. He might be looking for that next team. He might be shopping for that next city.
And who knows? The day may very well come when Durant leaves OKC. That is always a reality in pro sports. But right now, Durant seems satisfied on and off the court. He seems content with the young team that has been built around him and with the opportunities that have come to him.
Turns out, those opportunities are coming to OKC, too, and that may just keep Durant here for many years to come.
You wanna talk good college football?
The college football has gotten so bad in Gainesville, Fla., that they’re calling reporters in Oklahoma to talk about the good stuff we’ve got going on here.
Well, maybe that’s not entirely the truth.
Still, I was asked to do a segment on 105 The Game in Gainesville earlier this week. Pat Dooley, columnist at the newspaper there, does the late-afternoon show on The Game, and he’s always a lot of fun to be with on the air. He asks good questions and enjoys what he’s doing.
Hope you enjoy the segment.
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Robert Griffin: Shades of Vince Young?
On a September Saturday back in 2005, I sat in the press box at The Horseshoe watching Texas beat Ohio State.
It was an epic game in a storied stadium. I remember the sea of scarlet and gray, the dotting of the I, the energy of the day. But the thing that sticks out most in my mind is Vince Young.
The Longhorn quarterback had a day for the ages. He accounted for 346 yards of offense.
Texas’ total: 382 yards.
His performance was about more than his yardage, though. On the Longhorns’ game-winning drive in the 25-22 victory, Young completed three of four passes including the go-ahead touchdown to Limas Sweed. He was composed. He was controlling.
He refused to let the Longhorns lose.
So it was the rest of that season as Young led Texas to the national championship. He infused that team with his refuse-to-lose attitude. He changed the course of that program.
Which brings us to Robert Griffin.
The Baylor quarterback has transformed the Bears. A program that hasn’t been to a bowl since 1995 — and remember, there are enough bowl games to accommodate just about every team in college football — is not only bowl eligible with a 7-2 record but also atop the Big 12 South standings.
The difference?
Griffin.
After missing last season with a torn ACL, he has turned around the program. You saw evidence of that last weekend. With Texas leading in the second half, Griffin rallied the Bears. He picked up a first down on fourth-and-1 with a gritty dive. He scored a touchdown on a third-down keeper after being stuffed on his first two tries.
He refused to let Baylor lose.
Never mind that the Bears hadn’t won in Austin in almost two decades. Never mind that no one thought they’d win even though they were ranked while the Longhorns were reeling.
“The tide has changed this year,” Griffin told reporters after the game. “We are the team to beat, and we are just going to keep rolling with that.”
Griffin and the Bears will bring that attitude to Stillwater on Saturday.
I’m here to tell you that I think OSU has a better team than Baylor. While the Bear offense is better than the Cowboy defense, the Cowboy offense is much better than the Bear defense. OSU could score every time it has the ball. In fact, I recommend that the Cowboys do, because if Griffin and the Bears see even the slightest weakness, they will take advantage.
Griffin is a gamer, a winner, a program changer.
Can the Bears be beat? Sure.
But Griffin has them believing that they can’t. He has a powerful hold on this team, and the Cowboys will have to work hard to break it.
OSU recruit Herschel Sims more than 5-star
Herschel Sims is a jewel in Oklahoma State’s 2011 recruiting class.
But more importantly, the Abilene, Texas, tailback is a survivor.
He was the victim of child abuse when he was only 6 or 7 years old. He recently talked to KTAB, the CBS affiliate in Abilene, about the abuse that he endured along with his younger brother and sister. His step-father and mother were eventually arrested and sent to prison, him for the abuse and her for not reporting it.
“It was a rough, rough time,” Sims told the TV station. “I pretty much remember like it was yesterday.”
In this undated photo, Abilene High School running back Herschel Sims poses for a portrait in Abilene, Texas. (AP Photo/Abilene Reporter-News, Thomas Metthe)
The abuse began one night after his mom and step-dad returned from a movie. His step-dad became angry at the children, tied their feet to the bunk beds, tied their hands to a door knob and started whooping up on them.
“He used an extension cord and his fist,” Sims said. “It just went on for days and days.”
A teacher eventually noticed that Sims’ younger brother was having trouble sitting down in class. That led the teacher to report the abuse and the authorities to arrest Sims’ mom and step-dad.
She was sentenced to eight years in prison, he to 25 years to life.
“To this day, my brother still has real bad scars on his back,” Sims said. “My scars went away.”
But do scars ever really fade? How can a child, a boy still young and innocent and vulnerable and years away from becoming the 5-foot-9, 190-pound, five-star powerhouse that Sims has become, endure such violence and not be forever hurt?
Listen to Sims talk, though, and you sense that he has forgiven. He is calm. He is measured. He seems at peace.
“I don’t hold anything against her,” Sims said of his mom, who was released from prison in August. “To be honest, I really don’t have hate for my step-dad. I actually want to meet him and confront him and meet him and ask him why.
“I want to go as soon as possible. As soon as my mom can get in touch with him and he can put me on his visiting list (at the prison), I’ll go up there.”
Sims is sure to excite Cowboy fans for years to come, but really, he is someone who we can all cheer. This is a young man who has fought. This is a young man who has endured. This is a young man who has experienced the worst in people but refused to let it get the best of him.
Regardless of your Bedlam affiliation, you can root for Herschel Sims.
“I see all the negative things that my family has been through,” said Sims, who also said during the television interview that almost all of his aunts and uncles have been incarcerated at some point. “I know the path that they took, and that’s something that I don’t want to take.”
