Late night links: Bedlam bits and Professor A.D.
Catching up with some OU links from around the country.
* More from the Griffin brothers on OU’s Bedlam win.
* Malcolm Kelly is so good, this mock draft has him going twice.
* Another take on the Bedlam game. Too rough?
* This blogger’s take on Bedlam? OSU’s coaches have lost it.
* Adrian Peterson says he’s good to go for the Pro Bowl.
* While he was in Arizona for the Super Bowl, Adrian Peterson taught kids about money.
* The OU basketball team has convinced someone they can go far.
Gymnastics: Legendre honored again
For the second time in three weeks, Oklahoma’s Steven Legendre has been named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.
Gymnastics: OU gymnast shares Big 12 best honor
Following her all-around title that propelled OU to its highest score of the 2008 season, gymnast Kiara Redmond-Sturms was named co-Big 12 Gymnast of the Week by the league Tuesday, sharing the honor with Nebraska’s Emily Parsons.
Women’s hoops: OU vs. Kansas game notes
OKLAHOMA VS. KANSAS
No. 11/10 Oklahoma (13-4, 3-2 Big 12) hosts Kansas in the final matchup of its five-game January home stand Wednesday.
The game will be televised on the Sooner Sports Network (KAUT-TV in Oklahoma City) with Bob Carpenter on play-by-play and Debbie Antonelli providing color analysis.
Women’s hoops: Paris up for Naismith
Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris remains one of 31 candidates in women’s basketball vying for the 2008 Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Tuesday.
This is the third season Paris has been a Naismith semifinalist. The 2007 National Player of the Year was one of four finalists for the award as both a freshman and sophomore.
Link: Cool photos from Bedlam
Some cool photos here from last night’s Bedlam game from a guy named John “Kato” Akingbola. Some really striking stuff.
Softball: OU ranked No. 5
The final preseason softball poll was released Tuesday as the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Poll has Oklahoma ranked No. 5 in the nation. Last week, the Sooners were also tabbed No. 5 in the USA Today/NFCA Preseason Poll.
Oklahoma is one of five Big 12 schools in the poll and one of three in the top-10 with Texas A&M coming in at No. 3 and Baylor receiving a No. 9 ranking. Missouri (No. 21) and Texas (No. 24) round out the top 25 for the Big 12 Conference.
Track: Triple jumper earns Big 12 honor
Oklahoma’s Shardae Boutte was named the Co-Big 12 Men’s Track and Field Athlete of the Week by the conference office on Tuesday.
Boutte shares the honor with James Galvan of Iowa State after claiming the triple jump title in last weekend’s Arkansas Invitational. Boutte’s jump of 52 feet and 11.5 inches (16.14 meters) earned him an automatic qualification in the 2008 NCAA Indoor National Championships. The senior’s mark is the nation’s second-longest jump and is 10 inches longer than the second-best jump in the Big 12 this season, held by fellow Sooner Tydree Lewis.
Jones to decide live on Signing Day
By Blake Jackson
Hold on to your hats, Sooner fans.
Oklahoma’s top recruiting target will wait until Signing Day on Feb. 6 to announce his college decision. And he’ll do it live on ESPNU.
Five-star wideout Julio Jones’ commitment and signing will be part of the ESPN daughter network’s seven-hour coverage of National Signing Day, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. next Wednesday. America’s top quarterback Terrelle Pryor and tailback Darrell Scott are also expected to announce their college choices during the event.
Jones, from Foley, Ala., visited Norman over the weekend with teammate Robert Lester — a four-star safety. He recently narrowed his college choices to OU, Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Texas Tech.
It seems the Sooners and Crimson Tide are in the lead to land Jones’ services. But with a kid like this — who rarely if ever speaks with the media — it’s hard to pin down what to expect. We’ll keep you posted.
Football: Want to watch Bedlam? Buy an OSU season ticket
By Mike Baldwin
Staff Writer
STILLWATER — A ticket for Bedlam football this season will cost $419.
Technically speaking.
And you thought a $100 face value ticket to watch Oklahoma State host Oklahoma two years ago was expensive.
OSU officials announced season ticket prices on Tuesday. The interesting twist is they will not sell individual tickets for the OU game.
Fans wanting to watch the Cowboys and Sooners play Nov. 29 at Boone Pickens Stadium must purchase a $419 season ticket or one of OSU’s other season ticket options.
OSU athletic director Mike Holder said the decision was based on Iowa State implementing an identical plan last season for its rival game against Iowa. Iowa State’s season ticket sales increased 30 percent, jumping from 30,000 to 36,000.
“Our decision to eliminate single game tickets for Bedlam is based upon our desire to grow our season ticket sales,” Holder said in a press statement. “Our ability to compete for championships, in all sports, is dependent upon our fans’ commitment to buying season tickets in football and basketball on an annual basis.
“Frankly, this decision is all about the long-term success of OSU athletics. Based on solid results at Iowa State, we believe this decision can produce a positive result at OSU.”
Sometime this fall single game tickets will be sold for OSU’s other six home games. Single game tickets will cost $60 for non-conference opponents (Houston, Missouri State and Tory), $85 for non-OU conference games (Texas A&M, Baylor and Iowa State).
The irony is the Bedlam game is all but assured of being OSU’s lowest attendance of the season. Two years ago, OSU sold three-game packages for $160 that included tickets for Missouri State, Baylor and OU. This year there will be no packages.
The unique marketing strategy should give OSU a legitimate shot at selling 40,000 or more season tickets for the first time. The irony is more fans probably will attend the Missouri State game than when the Sooners are in town.
OSU’s record for season tickets is 38,674 set in 2004, which included a record 11,500 student tickets. OSU sold 9,000 student tickets last year.
As expected, OSU did not raise season ticket or donor prices for the first time in three years. The $419 season ticket is higher than last year ($359) but the Cowboys have seven home games instead of six.
“The addition of 16,000 new seats in the west end zone, we believe the decision to hold prices for 2008 is the right one,” Holder said. “The new seats give us opportunities to expand our fan base though new promotions and generate new revenue to support the entire athletic program.”
With the return of the renovated west end zone, OSU gains 16,000 additional seats. Boone Pickens Stadium capacity increases to 60,000, the sixth largest venue in the Big 12.
More Family Fun Zone tickets will be available. For a price of $980 a family can purchase four season tickets (two adult, two youth), $245 a person.
Other season ticket prices include: a Discount Zone and O-Club options ($294) and new graduate rate of $245 for anyone within five years of their graduation date. Faculty and staff season tickets will be $336.
“We strive for balance between affordability, value and revenue considerations when it comes to setting ticket and donor seating prices,” said Craig Clemons, associate athletic director for external affairs and development.
To attract more students, All Sports Ticket prices are expected to be reduced but AST prices won’t be announced until a later date. Last year an AST cost $150 which gets students into every OSU sporting event other than men’s basketball.
