The Sports Bizzo

By Jon…

I keep hearing a lot of talk, mainly from Kirk Herbstreit, about how the Texas Longhorns need to make sure they don’t overlook Colorado with the OU game lurking in the distance. And I think he’s right…for once.

So I’m going to look ahead for them.

I used to work at a restaurant in Dallas that was the headquarters for the OU Alumni Association in Dallas. So every 2nd week of October, we were inundated with the best and worst Oklahoma had to offer. They brought the local ESPN radio affiliate with them to broadcast from the bar, telling every redneck within earshot to come down to Humperdink’s.

The worst part of the whole weekend was Friday. The game had yet to be played, so everyone felt entitled to talk a bunch of trash about how bad OU was gonna beat UT.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with OU fans, there are a couple of chants one should become acquainted with. Actually, just one. It goes “Boomer…..Sooner…..Texas….Sucks…” (No one said they were creative.)

Now imagine hearing that over and over and over again for three days.

It was a private hell for a Longhorns fan.

The first OU weekend I worked was awful. UT got smoked and the Sooner faithful celebrated all weekend. Making matters worse was having to deal with drunk rednecks. Making matters worse still, I was the one who got them drunk.

Okay, so the financial windfall wasn’t so bad. But I hated watching the Longhorns lose and I hated seeing OU fans happy.

The next year, though, that was the National Title Year. Vince Young was in Badass mode and the Longhorns won handily. All the Okies went home early. I didn’t make nearly as much money, but I can tell you now, nothing is sweeter than starting your own “Boomer Sooner” chant when OU’s getting it handed to them, and changing the tune a little to, “Boomer…Losers…OU…Sucks..” (I never said I was creative.)

Granted the financial windfall didn’t quite blow my direction that year, but it was totally worth it.

Now, no longer working at the same establishment, and now living in Austin, I look forward to yet another Texas-OU weekend, especially one where I don’t have to work.

And this year, assuming Texas does beat Colorado, the game should be loaded with meaning and interesting subplots. Here:

-Oklahoma is currently ranked No. 1. Texas is ranked No. 5.

This one alone makes it worth watching. The winner of this game usually goes on to win the Big 12.

-QBs Sam Bradford for Oklahoma and Colt McCoy for Texas are Number 1 and Number 2 in the nation in Passer Efficiency. McCoy has almost scored as many touchdowns (18, 14 passing, 4 rushing) as he’s thrown incompletions (20).

-Provided they maintain the level of play, this could vault one or both of them to the top of the Heisman Candidate List.

I know it’s not an extensive list, but that’s still a lot to play for in one game, without even mentioning the bitter rivalry and general hatred each state has for the other. Plus, it can’t possibly go any worse than the first “Marquee” match up of the year, Ohio State vs. USC.

So here’s to a good game and hoping all those drunk rednecks are headed north before sundown next Saturday.