New ‘do for Sherri? What’s next?
Sherri Coale might be going through a mid-life crisis.
Not that that’s a bad thing.
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The Oklahoma women’s basketball coach showed up at Big 12 media days earlier this week sporting a new ‘do. Her signature curly blond locks are gone, replaced by a straighter, more feathered look.
Frankly, I can believe I’m talking about feathered hair, but we know that many of you are. Some of you miss the curls. Some of you love the new look.
Coale knows how all of you feel.
“I can’t decide,” she said, when asked about changing styles.
There’s reason to believe this might be part of a permanent change. You see, I’m buying into the mid-life-crisis theory. The reason? A story that Sooner point guard Danielle Robinson told a couple days ago at Big 12 media day.
Apparently, the Sooners had a throw-back day last season. Everyone wore their high school gear or some sort of old-school apparel to practice one day. There were short shorts and polyester and headbands.
Suddenly, the players looked up and coming down the stairs into the practice gym was Coale. She was wearing her uniform from her college days at Oklahoma Christian.
She last wore that uniform in the mid 80s.
Needless to say, it was short and tight, but she still got it on.
So, maybe this changing hairstyle should come as no surprise.
No word on whether Coale is driving a convertible or planning long vacations these days, but hey, if the 43-year-young coach is having a mid-life crisis, I say live it up. Go for the gusto. Wear the shorts. Embrace the fun.
Heck, go ahead and change the hair. Talk about living on the wild side.
A Life Worth Following
I still can’t recall what I was doing on June 3, 2002.
But it’s a day that I keep coming back to.
That was the day that Justin Sullivan was killed in a freak accident on Interstate 44.
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Sullivan, you may remember, was a star baseball player at Yukon High School. He was named the state player of the year the day before he died. Massive tires on a semi-truck broke loose, bounded across the median and crushed Sullivan’s SUV.Five years later, I met a youth pastor named Chris Wall. He had been Justin’s youth pastor at Council Road Baptist Church, and he had written a book called “A Life Worth Following” about Justin.
Wall told me the first time we met that he and several others had big plans. They wanted to start a baseball team, do camps and clinics, maybe even go overseas and share their faith through baseball. They wanted to use the game that Justin loved to share the faith that he had.
Lo and behold, the Ambassadors baseball team was born last summer. They played games all over the country and did baseball clinics where they shared their sport and their faith. Then, their summer culminated with a trip to Central America where they again played and preached.
It is truly an amazing story, the way that the life of one young man continues to change lives even though he is gone.
And the story isn’t over. The Justin Sullivan Foundation wants to do more, and you can help.
On Sunday, Oct. 26, the foundation is doing a fundraiser banquet in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni. The cost is only $25 a person.
Your wallet too thin for that these days? The foundation is also a finalist to receive a free website. You can cast your vote online for free.
Want more information? Check out www.alifeworthfollowing.org.
What happened to Justin Sullivan on the afternoon of June 3, 2002, is unexplainable, but what has happened since is truly unbelievable.
OSU victory gets better with time
More than 24 hours have passed since Oklahoma State’s stunning upset of Missouri, and frankly, it’s still pretty stunning.
Not that the Cowboys won. That part has definitely sunk in. No, the thing that gets me is how they won.
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If you’d have asked anyone before the game for an upset formula, just about everyone would’ve said that the offense needed to have a big day. And even more than that, one of the Cowboy stars would’ve needed to have a career day. Surely, Dez Bryant or Kendall Hunter or Zac Robinson needed to do something spectacular. Maybe Bryant needed 200 yards receiving or Hunter needed 300 yards rushing. Perhaps Robinson needed to throw for 300 or rush for 100 or both. Or maybe another Cowboy needed to do something out of this world. Maybe it would be Keith Toston or Damian Davis.
But in the end, OSU didn’t have anyone do anything super special. Sure, Hunter had 154 yards rushing and Robinson threw for 215 yards. Yes, Davis had a couple touchdown catches.
Plenty of guys had nice days, but no one had an eye-popping, jaw-dropping day. And still, the Cowboys beat the Tigers.
OSU didn’t need that career day from someone to pull the Saturday shocker.
The reason? The Cowboys are stout.
They could’ve gone to Missouri and won because they used a bunch of trickery or because the Tigers made a bunch of unforced errors, but that isn’t what happened. OSU won by simply doing what it does. It ran its offense and played its defense.
No more.
No less.
That makes what the Cowboys did Saturday all the more telling. They didn’t need to do something spectacular to beat the No. 3 team in the country. They just needed to do what they do.
And right now, what they can do is pretty darn impressive.
Shadows of the 2000 Sooners
There’s been lots of talk lately about this Oklahoma football team resembling the Sooners of yesteryear.
The 2003 and 2004 teams are the most popular comparisons. Thing is, there’s a team looking a lot like the 2000 Sooners. And it’s not OU.
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Alabama has many of the same ear-markings of the 2000 team that won the national championship. Some of the similarities, frankly, are so close that they’re eerie.
In 2000, the Sooners had a hot coach in his second season in Bob Stoops. Now, the Crimson Tide has Nick Saban, a hot coach in his second season.
In 2000, the Sooners relied heavily a bunch of youngsters, guys like Derrick Strait and Brandon Everage among them. Now, the Crimson Tide are doing the same. It has a bunch of first- and second-year guys leading the charge.
In 2000, the Sooners scored a big-time beatdown of their hated rival. OU throttled Texas that season, a defining win that resonates even now. Last weekend, the Crimson Tide notched a defining victory of its own, going to Georgia and smacking around the Bulldogs. At one point, the Crimson Tide rolled up a huge lead in the first half.
Told you the similarities were striking.
Nate Hybl saw them for himself last weekend. Earlier this week, I had a chance to talk to the former OU quarterback who now lives in Atlanta, and he told me he was actually at the Alabama-Georgia game. He had the same feeling then as he did in 2000 at the Texas game. Hybl said there was a moment in that game eight years ago where everyone looked around and said, “Wow, how good could we be?”
Hybl felt like Alabama types had a similar moment against Georgia, that realization that they might be even better than they thought.
Now, I’m here to tell you that Alabama has a tougher row to hoe than OU did in 2000. The SEC is deeper now than the Big 12 was then. But the Sooners did have perhaps the toughest three-game stretch college football has ever seen. Top five Texas. No. 1 Kansas State. No. 1 Nebraska.
Having to maneuver through a rough road isn’t the only thing that the 2008 Crimson Tide and the 2000 Sooners have in common.
Only time will tell, though, how far the similarities will go.
New (good) guys in town?
Sometimes being in the sports media is drudgery. Waiting in hotel lobbies hoping someone will talk to you. Standing outside locker rooms praying for a willing source.
But then there are times when we get a gem of an assignment.
Monday was one of those days. We in the media had a chance to meet the new guys in town. It was media day for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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For the better part of four hours Monday, we had a chance to chat with the players. Kevin Durant. Jeff Green. Earl Watson. Nick Collison. Joe Smith. All of those guys were there, and so many more.
Much of their time was ate up with interviews and photos and the like. These guys were doing everything under the sun. They were reading radio liners. They were taping spots for the NBA’s overseas TV networks in places like Italy and China. They were doing videos that you’ll see all season on the Ford Center jumbotron. All of them had a full day.
And yet, there were down moments during the day. That’s when I had a chance to strike up several conversations. I talked to Earl Watson about how tough it is moving because no two houses are the same so you’re always having to buy something or ditch something else. I talked with Jeff Green about his fun-loving personality. I talked with Damien Wilkins about the summer AAU tournament that I saw him play in many moons ago in Kansas City.
I also had a chance to chat with some media types about their experiences during media day.
From everything I experienced and everything I heard, it seems like Oklahoma City got itself a good group of characters on this NBA team. This is something that Clay Bennett and Sam Presti have said would be a priority, getting players who would play the right way and act the right way. Monday, the latter was evident.
Granted, none of us every really know pro athletes. Kobe was thought to be a great guy right up until that incident in Colorado a few years back. We just don’t know for sure what these guys are like when they’re out of the spotlight.
And yet, the first-blush impression is that this is a team that Oklahoma City is going to be proud of. There didn’t seem to be a lot of bad attitudes or massive egos. Most of the guys I talked with were not only well-spoken and thoughtful but also funny and sincere. That’s a pretty decent combo.
I had much the same feeling Monday that I had a couple years back when the Hornets first hit town. They seemed like nice guys then, and as it turned out, there were very few knuckleheads in the bunch.
Let’s hope we’re as lucky with the Thunder.
First impressions lead me to believe that we just might be.
QB change with a local flair
Our beloved website, NewsOK.com, had a headline that caught my eye Wednesday afternoon.
“Can Frerotte save Adrian Peterson’s season?” it read.
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Apparently, the Minnesota Vikings have decided that Tarvaris Jackson isn’t the answer at quarterback. Of course, they were the only ones who hadn’t come to that conclusion, but finally, they decided to replace him with Gus Frerotte.
That makes this story bigger than big for our fair state. Frerotte is a former Tulsa star, and he’ll be handing off lots to Adrian Peterson, the former Oklahoma standout who is now the Vikings tailback.
The truth is, though, neither Frerotte nor Peterson is the local who is cheering this decision most. Kevin Williams is the one doing cartwheels from one end of the Twin Cities to the other. The former Oklahoma State defensive tackle anchors the Minnesota defense, and no one has seen the bad end of the Tarvaris Jackson experiment more than Williams.
The Vikings have a defense, after all, built to win a bunch of games. They went out and got defensive end Jared Allen in the off-season, and that strengthened an already stout defense. But after two games, the Vikings are winless despite two solid defensive performances.
Minnesota held Green Bay to only 24 points in the season opener but still lost.
Then, last weekend, the Vikings kept the Colts in shackles. Peyton Manning and Co. managed only 18 points, but Minnesota still lost.
Sure, those close calls are tough on everyone, but for a defense that is producing, the frustration rises to a whole other level.
So when Minnesota decided to change quarterbacks, the first person I thought of wasn’t Adrian Peterson or even the guy who will now be taking the snaps, Gus Frerotte. No, Kevin Williams came to mind first. He deserves better than he’s been receiving.
With apologies to my friends who write headlines for our website, the quarterback change in Minnesota wasn’t about saving Adrian Peterson’s season. It was more about saving Kevin Williams’ season — and maybe his sanity.
What will the Thunder wear?
Thousands have claimed their seats for the inaugural season of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Just what are they going to see from those seats? And I’m not talking about what kind of team this will be. Improved? Good? Bad? Those sorts of discussions can wait for another day. For now, I’m wondering what the team will look like, and that comes down to the jerseys.
What will the Thunder wear?
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The design of the jerseys has yet to be revealed. We’re told that when the team reports for preseason camp in a few weeks, the jerseys will be unveiled, and really, this will be another big moment in the branding of this team.
Getting a name was the biggest moment. That’s how most people will identify this team — by its name — but next in line is the jersey.
There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth about the Thunder logo. Many lamented that it wasn’t good enough, wasn’t cool enough, but really, what the team wears is much more important than the logo it has. Sure, that logo will be used, but the jerseys will be seen so much more.
Think about it. When the Hornets were here, you saw their logo from time to time, but it wasn’t constantly front and center. Their uniforms, on the other hand, were seen all the time. At games. On TV highlights. In news photos.
I have a much clearer picture in my mind’s eye of their home whites with Hornets across the chest than I do of their logo.
And so, the Thunder jersey will be important. Here’s hoping it’s a strong, classic look. Simple color scheme. Clean design.
These jerseys, after all, aren’t going to be seen only by the thousands who’ve bought ticket at the Ford Center. They’re going to be seen by the world.
Go roshambo go!
It’s summer, my friends.
Time for a little fun.
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I’ve never been to Vegas. It’s not that I dislike it. I’ve just never made the trip.
Now, I’m tempted.
Next weekend is the third annual USARPS League Championship Tournament.
You know, the USA Rock Paper Scissors League.
And yes, we are talking about the kids’ game where you pound your fist on your palm three times, then make either rock, paper or scissors.
I kid you not, my cyberspace friends. I don’t know what’s funnier — that there’s a Rock Paper Scissors League or that the league has a championship tournament in Vegas.
Here is a bit from the league about the upcoming tournament: “More than 300 RPS athletes representing all corners of America will descent on Las Vegas … in the hopes of roshamboing their way to the $50,000 grand prize.”
You heard right — $50,000 goes to the winner.
But wait, there’s more.
The winner will also be flown to Beijing later this summer to represent the U.S. Apparently, the U.S. winner will square off against folks from Ireland, Canada, Hong Kong and Guam in the International Rock Paper Scissors Federation Championship.
The best part of this whole story is that competitors are known to wear crazy costumes in hopes of psyching out their competition. Some have dressed as warriors. Others have dressed as cavemen.
Honestly, this might be a strategy that other sports should think about adopting. What if Kobe Bryant showed up with warrior paint all over his face? Or if Tiger Woods wore only a loin cloth the next time he played? If it works for Rock Paper Scissors players, it would surely work for them.
And according to the World Rock Paper Scissors Society, there are actually strategies and techniques. They even have terms for them. One is blocking. That means you hold back a throw of paper until the last possible moment duping your opponent into believing you’re throwing a rock.
Ha! And you thought Rock Paper Scissors was just some kids game!
The USARPS League Championship hits Vegas next weekend.
Eat your heart out, Wayne Newton.
Bring back the shorts!
College softball has suffered a huge loss.
Plus, a video commentary first — fun sound effects. You won’t want to miss it.
Watch my latest video commentary or read below, though you’ll have to watch the video to get the sound effects:
After a baker’s dozen games at the Women’s College World Series, a disturbing trend has emerged.
Shorts are dead in softball!
Used to be, just about every softball team that came to Oklahoma City to play for a national championship did so wearing shorts. They would wear shorts that fell just above the knee with stirrup socks that stretched all the way to the knee. It was a fun look, a different look, a look that set softball apart from baseball.
Teams that wore pants were oddities.
Now, short-wearing teams are the odd ducks.
You had to be paying close attention this week during the Women’s College World Series to find a team even wearing shorts. Through four days, only Louisiana-Lafayette sported shorts and the Rajun Cajuns only did so once. They went with pants in their other two games.
I don’t know why, but I found myself lamenting the loss of shorts in softball. Just maybe it felt a little bit like softball was trying to look more like baseball.
Boy, would that be a bad idea.
Softball is a fun, vibrant sport that is growing by leaps and bounds. People love the energy and the enthusiasm. They love the way the game is played. Heck, spend a few minutes listening to John Kruk on the ESPN broadcasts, and he’ll sound like Shakespeare waxing poetic about how softball is played the baseball should be.
Softball needs to keep its unique identity, and how the players look is a part of that.
But you can say this much for the gals, at least they wear their pants the right way. See, I’m a big advocate of the old-school, pants-to-the-knees, stirrup-socks-from-there look. It’s crisp. It’s sharp.
And it’s completely dead in baseball.
These days, the last thing a baseball uniform is, is uniform. You’ll see guys with pants to their knees, pant that go all the way to their shoe tops, baggy pants, tight pants. And they’ll all be on the same team.
The guys need to take a fashion tip from the gals. Then again, when is that not true?
Softball knows how pants should be worn, but that doesn’t mean they should always wear them.
Bring back the shorts, softball. It was distinctive. It was fun. It was one more reason to love this sport.
See Danica drive; see Danica duel?
Danica Patrick has yet to win the Indianapolis 500.
But on Sunday, she grabbed the headlines.
Check out my latest video commentary or read below:
Admit it: you wanted to see Danica Patrick make it all the way to Ryan Briscoe’s pit.
If you were watching the Indianapolis 500 over the Memorial Day weekend, you know what I’m talking about. Heck, even if you weren’t watching, you’ve no doubt seen the footage.
Patrick’s run at Indy ended unceremoniously when she was trying to exit the pits. She was nearly clear of the chaos after a pitstop when Briscoe pulled out of his pit stall and clipped her back wheel. The wheel bent at an odd angle. The car went into the wall. And Danica’s day was done.
Briscoe’s car was in bad shape, too, so a few minutes later, both cars and their drivers were back in their pit stalls. When it became clear to Patrick that she was finished, she got out of her car. Rather than climb behind the wall and head to the garages, she started walking down pit row. It was a purposeful walk, and everyone knew where she was going.
Eventually, a security guard intercepted Danica. This was a man who looked about twice as tall as her.
I’ve got to admit — as I watched the two walking together, I really wanted Danica to break into a run. Sure, the guy could’ve stopped her, but he would’ve needed to catch her first.
But Danica didn’t run, and the security guard eventually diverted her from her mission.
Who among us didn’t want to see her get to Briscoe’s pit?
No one! Everyone wanted to see what would’ve happened if the 100-pound Patrick would’ve gotten to Briscoe. Would she have yelled? Thrown her helmet? Thrown a punch? Maybe she knows kickboxing.
It’s probably for the best that she didn’t reach Briscoe, but man, oh man, was I pulling for it. I couldn’t tell you much about Scott Dixon’s winning strategy, but I remember every detail of Dueling Danica’s walk down pit row.
Wasn’t there a room of IndyCar officials somewhere yelling for that security guard to let her go?
The IndyCar Series comes to our neck of the woods in a few weeks, by the way. Texas Motor Speedway will provide the backdrop on June 7. Track president Eddie Gossage is enough of a wheeler-dealer, he might just propose a Danica-Briscoe cage fight before the race. I can tell him this much — he’d have at least one excited viewer.
