Sports Ramblings: Draft Day

If you've ever read this blog before, you know how I love sports. But on a 1 to 10 interest level scale, with 1 being golf and 11 being baseball, professional football only ranks about a 5. I do take a particular interest in certain players, and there was a time when being a St. Louis Rams' fan was pretty darn exciting. Like in 1999.

Once we moved to Nashville, I really felt out of the NFL loop, although in the past couple years I've felt moderately more interested in the Titans. But overall, pro football isn't really my thing.

College football, however, I love. Being a Sooner fan is always pretty sweet. My happiest time of the year is those few weeks in the fall where the end of baseball season overlaps with the start of NCAA football. All this to say that my affection for college football makes me slightly more interested in the most ridiculous part of NFL football: the draft.

It's a total circus, this year being blown up into a three day primetime event. But I am interested, at least for the first couple rounds, because some of the most interesting and talented players of the last four years of college football will be on the board. While I'm especially invested in seeing where the Sooners land, I think EVERYONE is at least a little curious as to what will happen to Tim Tebow. I also want to see Texas' Colt McCoy taken in the first round. I think he's probably the most underrated of the many big name quarterbacks in this draft. And who will pick Jimmy Clausen, the little guy from Notre Dame? And what about all those other position players that no one really cares about? C'mon, it's true!

But back to the Sooners... or in reference to the draft I suppose I should say THE Sooner that's on everyone's mind. Will Sam Bradford be the number one pick by the Rams? (This is the advantage of having your NFL team totally suck; they get first dibs next time around.) Having released Mark Bulger last month, they certainly seem primed to pick a quarterback of some kind. As one of many increasingly disinterested Rams fans, I can certainly see the appeal of a big name "franchise" quarterback pick. I don't really know enough about the NFL to know if it is a good decision otherwise. Of course, as a Sam Bradford fan, I'd love it if I could cheer for him AND the Rams at the same time. Especially if they started to actually be, you know, good.

And now, just because he's awesome, a picture of Sam Bradford:


Bonus shout out: to Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh, for having the most fun name in the draft pool by FAR.

This Land is My Land

The other day my coworker asked me, in a serious sort of way, "Do you like Kansas?" I'm not sure exactly what he was hoping I'd say, but in a nutshell, yes. Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas... I love the area most commonly known as the Midwest, running over into the Great Plains, up to the foot of the mountains, dipping a bit into the Southwest. I love the fierce, flat beauty of the parts of the country that everyone else is pretty content to just fly over. I'm sure it's mostly because I've lived and grown up there, and if I'd been raised in the lush Northwest or the genteel Deep South I'd be singing their praises instead. But I wasn't and I'm not - I'm here to show a little love to America's Heartland.


Something extraordinary most people who've never driven through the area don't realize is how breathtakingly big the sky looks when unobstructed by hills and trees. I know Montana is "Big Sky Country" and to be fair I haven't been there. But I've driven through the Flint Hills of Kansas and the open prairie of North Texas and I am telling you, that sky is huge. From horizon to horizon, nothing but blue. And to watch a line of thunderheads advance across that open sky, slowly covering the landscape in shadow and rain... there's really nothing like it in the whole wide world.



Here's some other pictures online I found that made me think of all the natural beauty to be found in middle America.

Kansas Sunflowers

American Bison

The Flint Hills

Snowstorm

Tornado

Two Scoops of Yum

Deep in America's heartland, there lies a magical place, from which comes forth the most wonderful concoction known to mankind. Keep your Pinkberry and your Coldstone; give me Braum's.

Braum's is a icecream and dairy company based out of Oklahoma, and is the only remaining major icecream company in the United States that owns the entire operation, from the dairy cows and the farms they live on to the manufacturing plants, to the retail stores where the icecream is sold. And I might be biased, seeing as how for the first half of my life Braum's produced all the milk I drank and the icecream I ate, but I will swear up and down that it is the best in the world. I'm quite the icecream connoisseur, so I should know.

To maintain their quality, Braum's only ships its products a certain distance away from the main headquarters in Oklahoma. This distance, sadly, does not encompass St. Louis, and certainly not Nashville. So when I come back within range - as I am now, at my grandparents' house in Wellington, Kansas - I have to take advantage of it!

Today we drove over to the local Braum's where I perused the different flavors behind the clear counter. I have some funny memories of the combinations my sister and I used to try. I mostly stuck to things in the vanilla/chocolate family, but Ashley... well, her bravery for pairing flavors is legendary. One scoop of orange sherbet and one scoop of peppermint? Yeah, she ate that.

The flavor perusing, for me, is really just a formality. When I only get the chance to eat this icecream maybe once a year, I go for the gold. The champion. My number one icecream of all time. Braum's Cookies & Cream. I can't even talk about it, because words fail to do it justice.

So the next time you're in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, or the western parts of Missouri and Arkansas, check to see if there's a Braum's nearby. You won't be disappointed.

Any other midwestern kids out there reading this who know and love Braums? Please share your favorite flavors in the comments!

Liveblogging the BCS Title Game

I'm wearing my red shirt and my OU hat. I've got dinner and snacks. And I'm liveblogging the BCS title game with my beloved Oklahoma Sooners against the formidable Florida Gators. Let's get to it.

7:03 pm - Apparently 75% of the crowd at the Orange Bowl in Miami is Florida fans. Neutral site my tushie.

7:08 pm - Good gravy, Tim Tebow's thigh is the size of a toddler. It could eat a toddler. He's pretty cute though.

7:09 pm - I think the pre-game commentators want to marry the Gators and have their babies. You'd think OU was a bunch of kids who's moms dropped them off for a pick-up game the way they're getting dissed. Show some respect people!

7:10 pm - Boomer Sooner! The boys in crimson are taking the field!

7:14 pm - Coach Stoops always seems to be rockin' the visor. And I LIKE IT.

7:16 pm - Wow, that orange blazer is magnificent. On the Orange Bowl guy.

7:19 pm - Did I read that stat correctly? This is the first game ever between FL & OU? Like ever ever? Wow.

7:25 pm - First OU drive: Me likey the first downs. Me no likey the sacks.

7:39 pm - WE INTERCEPTED IT! WOOP WOOP!

7:41 pm - How the bloody heck is that Unborn movie rated PG13? The trailer alone should be rated R.

7:42 pm - I think I would like the show Bones... I don't have a crime drama on my watch list.... hmm.....

7:48 pm - No more penalties from you please, big dude. You cost us that beautiful catch!

7:57 pm - Okay look. I like Big Tim as much as the next person. Really. But these announcers think he is the next best thing since sliced bread and it is getting on my nerves.

8:01 pm - "And we're scoreless in Miami." There's gotta be a joke in there somewhere.

8:02 pm - Why does the teacher in this Allstate commercial take her monochromatically dressed students to some sort of Great Depression museum? I don't get it.

8:17 pm - You know what goes well with my peach yogurt? OU TOUCHDOWNS! Dee-lish!

8:24 pm - You know what else goes well with my peach yogurt? OU picking off another Tebow pass!

8:28 pm - Ah snot I sure would've liked to score on that one.

8:29 pm - Oh man I like this commercial for Tostitos Scoops. His face is so funny. "Edible food luggage."

8:39 pm - I am really surprised that with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half this game is tied at seven. I think everyone expected some higher scoring.

8:49 pm - Poop! Foiled again! That was like, "How many guys can juggle this ball before it finally gets intercepted."

8:51 pm - And the first half is over. 7-7. Verrrrry interesting...

9:11 pm - We're back! Time for the kick-off chant. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-U!

9:14 pm - Nice D, boys! We'll take that ball back now.

9:19 pm - I will be interested to see what adjustments the teams make for the second half. I hope ours include scoring from the red zone. Ahem.

9:20 pm - Iglesias! Get your hands on that BBP (Beautiful Bradford Pass) next time.

9:27 pm - I... don't really know what happened with that punt/penalty/punt but it appears to have ended with us getting the ball back so... okay?

9:28 pm - And we're punting again. That was brief.

9:29 pm - Hey, good one FedEx! Dick Butkiss as motivational speaker = funny times.

9:30 pm - CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT THIS "G" COMMERCIAL IS ABOUT?

9:35 pm - This FL drive is the Tim Tebow Show. Kid is a tank!

9:38 pm - ENOUGH WITH THE UNBORN TRAILERS. DO YOU WANT ME TO HAVE NIGHTMARES? Oh, you do? That's your whole point? Well mission accomplished then.

9:39 pm - We now resume the Tim Tebow Drive. C'mon, OU Defense! No, no, not with a facemask...

9:46 pm - I'm not rooting for Florida but I love Tim's "I guarantee" speech from earlier this season. Great guy.

9:49 pm - We NEED 3rd down conversions.

9:50 pm - BOO Blocked kick! Booooo.

9:55 pm - Big sack on Big Tim to end the drive. Fourth quarter here we come. 14-7 Florida. Still can't believe this low score.

10:00 pm - Can we just talk about how silly it is that it takes 3 hours to play 45 minutes of football?

10:03 pm - Lil Chris Brown is getting it done tonight. Now let's finish and score, please!

10:06 pm - Too early for the rally cap? I'm putting mine on just in case.

10:06 pm Part II - The power of the rally cap! TD! Tied ball game, babies!

10:08 pm - Trailer for Gran Torino = Clint Eastwood making "I'm gonna shoot you" finger-gun gestures at biracial kids. Looks like a heartwarmer.

10:14 pm - Aw, that sucks. Whistle fake out is not fair.

10:17 pm - Umm, bacon cheddar gordita crunch? Nasty, T-Bell. Nasty. Also, who would be eating one of those in the middle of their b-ball pick-up game?

10:22 pm - Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Interception.

10:31 pm - Please don't give up boys! Stick it, D, stick it!

10:40 pm - Sniff sniff. 24-14 Florida.

10:44 pm - Over/under fifteen solid minutes of this broadcast the announcers spent gabbing about Tebow? I'm going for over. And, in case it needs repeating, I like Tebow.

10:47 pm - Sigh. Well, we had another good run this year, didn't we Sooner fans? Not many people have had the privilege of watching their team go out for the National Championship four times in the past nine years. And I'm calling it right now: the 2009-10 season, we beat Texas, win the Big XII again, and get back to the big game. Rah Oklahoma! Boomer Sooner!

Can I Get One More Boomer Sooner!?!

This weekend an extra-adorable-looking Sam Bradford became the second sophomore ever to win the Heisman Trophy award. I figure he earned it, what with breaking about a jillion individual and team records this season. The wunderkind QB of the Oklahoma Sooners was nominated alongside Big XII rival (and good buddy) Colt McCoy of Texas, as well as the 2007 Heisman winner, all-around good guy Tim Tebow of Florida. Who was wearing a very shiny and dapper looking blue three-piece suit, I might add.

Bradford, Tebow, & McCoy... don't worry, that cast is on his non-throwing hand and expected to come off before the title game....

Anyway, it was a treat to see him win! I read this really cool article about how many of the Native American kids in Oklahoma look up to Bradford as a role model - and no community could use such an example more.

On a lighter note, won't it be exciting to watch Bradford and Tebow face off in the big game? Of course I want my Sooners to win, but I know whatever happens, we'll be in for some great football. In conclusion, this will be my last Oklahoma Sooner football related post of 2008. Hopefully the next time you hear from me on this subject it will be a victorious-sounding entry on January 8th right after we win the National Championship game!

Thanksgiving Weekend Recap

My Thanksgiving weekend was a little non-traditional. Since Ben's ability to take vacation time is somewhat limited, we decided to take advantage of a sure-thing-four-day-weekend and get out of town. Just the two of us. It was our first trip like that since our honeymoon three and a half years ago! So while we forfeited our typical trip home to St. Louis to see family, we tried to incorporate some of the Thanksgiving standards like food and football...

Thursday we left Nashville and headed east towards Asheville... you wouldn't believe the confusion that caused people when we told them about our trip, since those two words obviously sound a lot alike! We occupied ourselves during the drive by listening to all the songs on my iPod in alphabetical order. When we got bored with that (around letter D) we switched to listening to episodes of Arrested Development, which was quite entertaining.

We arrived after a twisting and turning drive through the mountains to our destination: the Inn on Mill Creek, a bed & breakfast in Black Mountain, NC. We would highly recommend it if you are interested in staying in that area! It was really secluded... so much so that instead of a street address we had to put the longitude/latitude coordinates into our GPS to get there! Dave & Brigette, the innkeepers, were really great and so helpful. Plus Dave's breakfasts were delicious!

That night we had a proper Thanksgiving dinner at another local B&B that has a restaurant. There was turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, pumpkin pie - the works. We definitely didn't miss out in the food department!

Over the next couple days we had fun exploring Black Mountain and Asheville. While in the area we visited the famous Biltmore Estate, the largest private home ever constructed in the United States. It was built in the late 1890s by heir to the Vanderbilt fortunes. It was interesting and beautiful, although crowded and a little touristy.
We had more fun taking silly pictures outside on the beautiful terrace as the sun was setting...
We had a fun day in Asheville after we finished at the Biltmore. We googled "best burger in Asheville" and were directed by our GPS way across town to a hole-in-the-wall joint called Burgermeister. No, really. We were a little skeptical as we wove through some sketchy looking parts of town, but we ended up in a neighborhood called West Asheville, full of funky shops and cool finds. And Burgermeister delivered. If you know me, you know I am not a big red meat girl. No real reason - I'm not offended by the eating of cows, but I just prefer chicken. But when you go to a place called Burgermeister and it is advertised as the best burger in town... well, you know what they say. When in Rome...

I swear to you after eating this delicious burger I could feel my body respond, thanking me profusely for the intake of iron. I felt stronger... I now had the strength of a grown human and a bit of cow. (Ahem, Dwight Schrute reference.)

After we rolled out of there and stopped at some of the shops, it was cold and icky and rainy and we decided to go see a movie. Ben oh-so-graciously accompanied me to see Twilight. I loved it even more the third (yes, third, don't judge me!) time around and to my surprise and delight Ben said he liked it too! Most of that can probably be contributed to the fact that he likes ME and is a good husband, but still. I'll take what I can get, and if he says he liked it then I'll believe him!

Saturday night we holed up in our room and watched the OU-OSU game. It was a nail-biter at times but my Sooners were victorious, winning 61-41. With their win, the three-way tie for the Big XII South was in place, and I had to wait until Sunday afternoon when the BCS standings were released to find out that OU was officially headed to the conference championship game to face Mizzou! I know a lot of people were disappointed in the way things turned out and believed that Texas earned the shot at the title by beating OU on neutral ground in the Red River game. Of course I disagree and would argue that OU's margin of victory in defeating ranked opponents is enough merit. But either way it is decided now and I am ecstatic that we will get our chance to win the Big XII and go to the National Championship game! Boomer Sooner!

As if all that wasn't enough excitement, we ended our Thanksgiving weekend by rushing back to Nashville through awful rain and traffic to get to the Ryman Auditorium in time to catch the Jason Mraz concert.

It was a fun show - very high energy and lots of crowd interaction. I was especially impressed with Lisa Hannigan, who was his opening act. She is an Irish musician probably best known for her vocals on many Damien Rice songs. She has a beautiful voice and played lots of interesting instruments in cool arrangements. But once again my concert experience was slightly marred by an annoying drunken person. This time it was a hippie dippy lush seated next to Ben... well, seated isn't the right term, considering she spent the entire concert dancing awkwardly and flailing around spilling beer on people. She also was trying to hang all over and sort-of flirt with Ben, for which I served her up a few dirty looks laced with the clear message of "Keep your damn drunken hands off my man." Ugh. Ben handled it nicely; he has lots of experience with that sort of person from his many stints at Bonarroo!

Anyway, aside from that it was a fun show and a great end to a rather nice holiday weekend!

Boomer Sooner, Baby!

Last night the Sooners officially put the smack down on previously unbeaten Texas Tech, beating them 65-21. And that is the score of a football game, not basketball. OU scored 35 points in the second quarter alone.

Coach Stoops (who is now 60-2 at Norman with a 24 home-game winning streak) and the boys were in rare form, with their defense amped up to match their typical high-strung offense. The 85,000 strong crowd in the stadium was deafeningly helpful in its enthusiasm as Bradford and company ran and threw the ball all over the Red Raiders.

This picture is kind of what the whole game was like...

OU scoring touchdowns with Tech players laying around helplessly on the field.

The most interesting part is that this sets up a three-way tie for the Big XII South between OU, Tech, and Texas. Each team has the identical conference record with one loss apiece - OU fell to Texas, Texas fell to Tech, and Tech lost to OU. With one more week to go, if all three win next weekend, the league will be forced to rely on BCS standings to break the tie and determine which of the three will head to the Big XII Championship game against Mizzou. And of course, chances are good the winner of that game will be headed to Miami for the National Championship game.



In a nutshell, what a fabulous time to be a Sooner fan. Here's looking forward to an important road game next week against in-state rivals (and still ranked) Oklahoma State!

Nooooooooooooo

You know what is just depressing? That horrible sinking feeling of despair you get watching the clock slowly run out when your team is down. The long-awaited Red River Shootout game went to Texas today, with a final score of 45-35 against my beloved Oklahoma Sooners.

Sigh.

But I will say this - it was an incredible game to watch. There were amazing plays, good calls, bad calls, incredible quarterbacks and passes, and one ridiculous (but effective) injury fake by the OU punter. So no one likes to see their team defeated, but at least it was entertaining. Okay, I could've done without the last quarter.

Boomer Sooner

One reason I love fall is because of college football. One reason I love the second Saturday in October is because it marks my favorite game, the Red River Shootout between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners. The game, going on for over a century, takes place on "neutral" ground at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, and coincides with the Texas State Fair. The stadium is awash in color - as neatly as if you'd colored it in with crayons, one half is deep red, the other burnt orange.

This year the excitement is even greater as both teams are unbeaten and battling for control of the Big XII South - and maybe even a spot in the National Championship game. OU is currently ranked 1st, while Texas (the second of six ranked Big XII teams) is ranked 5th. Somebody's got to go down first...

In case it wasn't obvious from the title of this post, I'm going to be cheering on the Sooners this weekend. Becoming a Sooner fan was something that came to me from two places. The first was that I was born and lived for the first decade of my life in Edmond, Oklahoma - definitely Sooner country. The second is that my dad went to OU for college and I can always remember watching the Red River game with him. My parents taught me the Boomer Sooner song... the words to which at first struck me as utterly ridiculous, but it grew on me! I was able to go to my first ever OU game (first ever college football game actually) in Kansas City in 2005, when Kansas and OU played at Arrowhead.

Being a Sooner fan means a few things. You were born with or quickly developed a hatred of Texas, and know to display the hook 'em horns upside down to show your dismay. You have only disgust for Notre Dame - still harboring a passed-down-through-generations grudge that they were the school that ended OU's five year winning streak in 1957. You have a healthy arrogance about being the winningest, most decorated program in the Big XII - and by extension you are confident that the Big XII is the best conference in all of college football. Yes, even better than those SEC show-offs. Way better than those pesky Pac-10 teams. You know that the school colors aren't red & white - they're crimson & cream. You love Saturdays in the fall and you never have to worry about the season ending early, because your team knows its way to a BCS bowl game just fine, thanks very much. And this year, you know Heisman favorite QB Sam Bradford could takes us all the way to the championship at the Orange Bowl.

P.S. He's only a sophomore.

So with all that said, here's hollering Boomer Sooner for my team this Saturday - let's kick some Texas tail, boys!