I love football. I've thought about that. On the obvious level, it baffles me. First, it's really a simplistic game, and I'm many things but simple isn't one of them. Yes, I can hear all you football aficionados screaming at me, but what I mean is the basic RULES are pretty easily understood, and HOW the game's objective is accomplished is a no-brainer. (Move the ball down the field by running or throwing it at least 10 yards in four tries until the ball reaches the end area.)
My Dad taught me the game. When I was thirteen, he insisted I join him for some of those early TV games. He infected me with his enthusiasm for both college and pro football. I learned when it was appropriate to talk and to not talk. I picked up the lingo, so I could talk about the game before, during and after the contest. Watching football was one of the few ways I had to spend one on one time with my father. Role models were like straight jackets when I was growing up. Everyone insisted 'girls' could only be interested in certain things and 'boys' in their prescribed set of interests. Girls really didn't even watch sports back in 1963, so my Dad was going against all the rules.
He thought Bud Wilkinson, the Oklahoma University coach hung the world, so becoming a Sooner fan was automatic. His admiration of Wilkinson has a lot to do with college football still being of more interest to me than pro football. The University of Oklahoma football was and still is the state's 'team'. Yes, I'm sure the O-state Cowboy fans will be howling, but truthfully, you all haven't produced. Sit down and shut up until you do. OU football began in 1895, and the program has 850+ wins, 154 All-Americans, 5 Heisman Trophy winners, and 45 conference championships. The 'records' just go on and on. We are really ready for our NEXT national championship. I will admit to a wee bit of prejudice since I'm a grad. Being able to participate as a fan at a big time college football school is quintessential college for me.
So, we Sooners are all atwitter because we are in our rightful place this year. We are one of the four best teams in the nation and are in the nascent college football play-offs. Yes, we fully expect to kick Clemson butt on New Year's Eve. Then, hopefully, we'll get to humiliate the Crimson Tide in the 'big game'. If we have our druthers, that's exactly how it will go.
I do know all the play-off games will be a fun since college football is always zany. Unlike the pro version of the game, you never know what might happen. Now is the time to have fun. Very important not to jinx the team - don't wear any of that Tiger orange this week. Time to complete the 'revenge' games sequence by flaming out that Clemson team who made the mistake of humiliating us in last year's bowl game. Time for our quarterback to make his lack of Heisman invitation embarrassing for that committee. Time for our backs to run and run and run, and time for our defense to have the Clemson quarterback hearing footsteps.
There will be no tears shed, or stuff thrown around in our household whether we win or lose because ultimately, this is only a game. There will be a re-set, and the games will start again next year when it will be thrilling all over again. This year, however, we're in the play-offs! Look for the sea of Crimson in the stadium because Oklahoma fans 'travel' to see their team. There will also be an army of us in front of the TV sets of America wearing their Sooner gear. I, in fact, have a new Oklahoma shirt just for this occasion.
So, as a lifelong Sooner, I have only one thing left to say...
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