The conclusion of the Big XII Baseball Championship leaves us looking back on the season. But, we also take a look forward at what awaits Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament. Softball has been on a roll as well. Unity has emanated from this team and they are hitting on all cylinders and will be look to bring home a national championship.

Lastly we took a look at a way too early Top 5 ranking of the football teams. A lot will change between now and then as senior continue to trickle on to campus. Where does each team stand after the Spring?

It would seem that the pre-season rankings were right as of late. The Oklahoma Sooners began their season ranked #14 in the nation. Coach Sunny Golloway has believed they had the talent all season long but hit a rough patch and he very well could be right. Yet, there was more than just a single rough patch as the season trudged along. We can all be thankful that these rough patches came during the regular season and things seem to be smoothing over heading into the post-season. But, was this team ever as bad as we once suspected?

Continue reading this post »

The Big XII tournament wraps up amongst others. While some were hopeful that the Sooners would "walk their way into hosting a regional," it never really seemed likely. Just before the Sunday games were played, the host sites were released. The Big XII was able to land two hosts in Texas A&M and Baylor. By virtue of these schools being selected as host sites, they are also awarded a spot in the 64-team field.

The 16 regional sites, with host institutions and records (through May 26) are as follows:

Baton Rouge, La. — LSU (43-16)

Chapel Hill, N.C. — North Carolina (44-14)

Charlottesville, Va. — Virginia (38-17)

College Station, Texas — Texas A&M (42-16)

Columbia, S.C. — South Carolina (40-17)

Coral Gables, Fla. — *Miami (Fla.) (36-20)

Eugene, Ore. — *Oregon (42-16)

Gainesville, Fla. – Florida (42-18)

Gary, Ind. — Purdue (44-12)

Houston, Texas — Rice (40-17)

Los Angeles, Calif. — *UCLA (41-14)

Palo Alto, Calif. — *Stanford (37-16)

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina State (39-17)

Tallahassee, Fla. — Florida State (43-15)

Tucson, Ariz. — *Arizona (37-17)

Waco, Texas — Baylor (44-14)

It is no secret that fan support was severely lacking in the 2011-2012 season of what has become Oklahoma Sooner Basketball. While the team performed well early on, the fan base never reciprocated by attending games. Ploys have been thrown out there as an attempt to bring in students. Free food always does the trick with college kids but is unable to hold the crowd once the food disappears. There is some good news heading into the 2012-2013 season that could make this Sooner team proud to put on the jersey and represent a university with much thanks going to none other than Kruger himself.

Continue reading this post »

There seems to be an unrest about Landry Jones within the Oklahoma Sooners' fan base. One minute, fans seems to love him and the next, they are ready to crucify him and start Blake Bell. While each view has made their case, would they choose to label Jones as the most valuable player in the Big XII heading into the 2012 season? There are a few big names to choose from and Jones could fall down the list before the season starts, but I've got him at the top of the list right now.

Continue reading this post »

With the suspensions of Trey Franks, Kameel Jackson and Jaz Reynolds the Sooner receiving corps is depleted. Oklahoma will be looking at a crop of freshmen and a couple of JUCO transfers to get through this fall but is that an impossible task?

Once again, in case we haven't harped on it enough, we are forced to revisit an incident which has occurred in the past yet still has future implications. In December, the Sooners saw what some would the beginning of a movement of attrition. The coaching staff, specifically Bob Stoops, has decided that after the disappointing 2011 season, it was time to crack down. Now, just five months later we, being Oklahoma, have found ourselves in a bit of a pinch. But, what message is the coaching staff sending?

Continue reading this post »

There has been much ado about the upcoming season for the Oklahoma Sooners. From conference realignment to the Sooners coming in at #5 in most post-spring rankings. But, all of that has been blown out of the water. With the recent suspensions, the receiving core was looking pretty grim. Landry Jones returning as a fifth year senior bodes well but it means nothing if he has no targets to throw to. With all the nonsense going on, many turned to the incoming class and what they bring to the forefront. Will their success or lack there of determine the course of the 2012 season? As I began to look at the incoming class there were a few things I noticed. Here they are in quick fire form.

Continue reading this post »

Heading into this Mid-Week game, Oklahoma had a shot to solidify themselves as an NCAA Tournament team. Coming off a series sweet against the #2 Baylor Bears, the Sooners had proven once again that they can compete with the best in the nation. The game against TCU was stacking up to be a great one as both teams found themselves in the top 25. However, OU would drop the game 1-0 after a great outing by Dillon Overton, the player I put under fire for under performing late in the season. I guess the message was received and responded to...

Continue reading this post »

Location: L. Dale Mitchell Park

Television: Cox Ch. 3/703 HD and Fox College Sports

Radio: KREF 1400 AM

The Oklahoma Sooners knew coming into the 2012 season, they would have a revamped look. With a ton of stars looking toward the MLB Draft, fans began speculating what would need to be done to venture into the College World Series once again. The first thought was that pitching would carry this ball-club as OU looked to have a new ace on the bump with the departure of Michael Rocha and the emergence of Dillon Overton as a freshman. However, a majority of the season has past and fans quickly found out the bullpen was about as deep as a kiddie pool. Now the aforementioned ace has been on a slide.

Continue reading this post »

Each and every year a new class comes in hoping to leave a lasting impression not only upon the program but all upon the conference. This year is no different as there are a few game changers that many will have their eye on. However, college football is a progression. Fans may not have gotten a glimpse at a future star because of the depth chart. The 2012 season will mark a make or break year for some. Here are some players across the conference to keep your eye on.

There will be no Sooners on this list as we, as Sooner fans, are already a bit familiar with the new names on the roster.

Continue reading this post »

In recent years, non-conference foes have begun to take on the likes of other powerhouses early on in the season or even in the middle of the schedule. This trend can be directly related to the want to win voters over early while boosting a program's strength of schedule. Bigger wins have a significant pull in who finds themselves ranked and who doesn't when the final bell chimes. This season, the Oklahoma Sooners will play host to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, America's team in terms of college football. However, Notre Dame took a step back in the spring while Oklahoma had a few breakout spring performances. Could this game be setting up for a flop much like "The Game of the Century" between SEC heavy weights the Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers?

Continue reading this post »

The NFL Draft has come to and end landing three Oklahoma Sooners (Ryan Broyles, Ronnell Lewis, & Travis Lewis) on the Detroit Lions Draft Board along with a free agent signing (Sam Proctor). Sean Yuille joins us from SBN's Pride of Detroit to discuss the Sooner State's connection to Detroit and the impact these players may have.

On top of that, the world of recruiting has picked up for OU. We dive into the recruiting scene and look at a few of the transfers and commitments.

Lastly, Bedlam baseball was on the table. With the series loss, has Oklahoma sealed its fate? Will there be an NCAA Regional bid still up for grabs as the Sooners close out the season?

There is always going to be talk of who will be in the running to win conference championships. Time and time again, predictions are released, then updated and released again. This doesn't only extend to the conference titles though. It also bleeds into the national scene. Just look at all the preseason rankings that come way too far in advance. However, there is something to be considered with these, a hint of truth found hidden within the rankings. This season, the newcomer West Virginia Mountaineers, not the Oklahoma Sooners, are projected to be the favorites to win the Big XII.

Continue reading this post »

Perennial powerhouses dominate the national scene of high school football. As talent scouts scour the nation for the nation's top high school talents, many schools are overlooked because of their size. However, every now and then small town schools produce elite talent. These are the diamonds in the rough, the once every blue moon types that some are willing to pull the trigger on while others might be a bit more reluctant. Many of the reasons for being hesitate to ink a kid might fall under the level of competition or the ability to make the jump to 11-man football. However, these players are lurking out there. All it takes is an eye to spot them and the Oklahoma Sooners have struck gold in doing so.

Continue reading this post »

With the majority of the major sports already having come to a close and others rapidly approaching the end, it was time to do a bit of reflecting. To sum up the entirety of the athletic department for the 2011-2012 season, I would venture to say that it was dominated by over-hype. This of course led to a let down just a few steps down the road. However, there is one thing to draw from this past season...things are setting up pretty well for 2012-2013 (barring any form of ESPN giving the Oklahoma Sooners big heads by coming in and doing a pre-season feature). Yet, one stands out just a bit.

Continue reading this post »

At the center of our discussion on this past Sunday's Podcast is the continuation of Big XII Spring Football. This past weekend, we had the opportunity to sit down with the new comers to the conference and chat for a bit.

First on the list was Ezra Hood from SBN's Frog's O' War to discuss all things TCU. Of course the Horned Frogs come into the Big XII boasting one of the better defenses over the past 5 years. But not only are they expected to have a solid defense, the offense can get it going as well. This is a young team with an upside but how well will they fare in the best offensive conference in the nation?

Next up on the docket are the West Virginia Mountaineers with John Woolard of West Virginia Illustrated. This is a very interesting story line due to the distance teams will have to travel to get to Morgantown, WV. Geno Smith brings one of the nations top passing attacks. They have the keys to winning the Big XII but will it happen in their first season?

Last but not least was the NFL Draft. We talk surprises as well as disappointments concerning Sooners in the 2012 Draft while Detroit picked themselves up a handful from Oklahoma. If you are looking for an NFL team to root for, the Detroit Lions will have many familiar names on the roster.

Monday's game was slotted as a make-up for the canceled game in Lawrence against the Kansas Jayhawks. However, it was not against Division I talent as the Sooners took on another local team in the Mid-America Evangels. While this game was a chance to see a few names we are not accustomed to seeing, it was quite the battle through five innings of play. I was lucky enough to attend in person and actually got to participate in the "In Game Trivia!"

Continue reading this post »

The 2012 draft has officially come to a close. A quick look back will tell you all you need to know about the Oklahoma Sooners...the coaching staff is preparing players to play on the next level. In total, the Sooners filled seven draft spots through various rounds while also landing another in the NFL on a free agent signing, and that was in a "down" year for NFL prospects coming out of the university. However, one thing remains true, Oklahoma was unable to thrust someone into the first round. Could Landry Jones be the next first rounder?

Continue reading this post »

For several years now, college football fans have begged and pleaded for a playoff system of some sort. Of course, it all started with a national title contender losing a conference championship game and still being allowed to play in the BCS Title Match. It was followed up with a team not competing for a conference title on Championship Weekend yet still winning a BCS National Title. Controversy has run rampant in college football however, the BCS Contract will not be placed on the chopping block until the 2014 season and is looking like it is heading toward a "plus one" format. Will this benefit the current set up of the Big XII Conference?

Continue reading this post »

Pardon the technical difficulties of this episode but when you bring in two of your biggest rivals, what more could you expect than difficulties right?

Let's get things kicked off by talking OU recruiting particularly at the QB position with Brayden Scott.

In this episode we had the chance to bring a few guests on to discuss the upcoming season for their respective schools from an insiders outlook. First on the chopping block was Oklahoma St. Cowboys blogger Kyle Porter from Pistols Firing. We fired a couple of questions at him to test his knowledge as well as give us a chance to be in the know of what to expect with the departure of star duo Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon.

Next up was Wescott Eberts from SBN's mother ship and Burnt Orange Nation to discuss all things Texas Longhorns. How does the shake down look after Spring practices in Austin are up for discussion.

Last on Football is the upcoming draft. The Sooner will not have much to look forward to this year in terms of high profile picks but we break down who will go first.

Finally we move on to Oklahoma Sooner Baseball and the current streak they had going (key word being "had" there). How crucial are the upcoming series and what are the chances of Oklahoma getting beat or continuing their streak. I throw some marbles of confidence out there as I know you have all come to love.

While there is still a ton of talent that has yet to hit campus, fans have gotten a good look at a few newcomers. Some stand out more than others and no one is exactly sure how each players' career will eventually play out. The Oklahoma Sooners have set up to be one of the best football schools in the nation year in and year out. With such a reputation, you can bet there are going to be some very talented players pouring in. Who has set themselves apart this spring and has earned the title of a "Star in the Making"?

Continue reading this post »

Each and every year, stand out players make the jump from the high school level to the college football scene. The diversity creates a unique environment as schools try as they may to position themselves to win championships. With championships come national recognition as well as the dream of establishing a dynasty that kids will flock to. On the flip side of that, others are looking to resurrect a once prominent program and reaffirm their place on the throne.

However, an outside factor and game changer comes at the hands of the non-conference schedule. These days, high profile programs are playing early and often. The upcoming 2012 season is no different. Here are three games that will have national title implications riding on them as well as pride over another conference.

Continue reading this post »

Spring Football is clearly in the rearview mirror. Most will extend it to last as long as possible while the summer months hit and there is nothing coming out of Norman in terms of football. However, the NFL Draft is just around the corner and will offer some schools a sense of pride.

We sit down to offer our opinion and recap of the Spring Game. There is much to talk about with new talent on campus as well as a few position changes. A couple coaches are bringing something new to field and have the fans buzzing. However, the biggest story was true Freshman, Trey Metoyer as he stole the show.

Lon Kruger has a few new/late signees for the 2012 class but how do they affect the team.

Last but not least, the baseball team has a chance to make up a few strides as they take on a string of non-conference foes.

With the Annual Red/White Game firmly in the rearview mirror, the Oklahoma Sooners left many questions unanswered after a vanilla offense and defense took the field. Some of the questions still lurking out there are: Who will be Oklahoma's top receiver? Where will Aaron Colvin play, cornerback? Who will be the anchor and heart/soul of this defense? What does the running game look like with the upcoming return of surprise stand-out, Dominique Whaley? Will a 4-2-5 defense be what fans see all season long? And the list goes on. However, after looking at stat after stat from the Spring Game, there was one thing that stood out...

Continue reading this post »

Sunny Golloway was the Team USA Coach in 2002. With the pitcher selection up to him, Golloway was charged with the challenge of filling ten spots in the bullpen. That same year, Justin Verlander was a freshman at Old Dominion. One thing that set Verldaner apart was the fact the he possessed a 100+ mph fastball. However, there was no solid secondary pitch...at least that was what Golloway thought. Due to this "flaw" Verlander was left out of the selection.

While Verlander would be left out his freshman year, he would make the cut the following season and landed himself as a first round pick as a junior. Now, Sunny is looking back and has found himself in a very similar position with another pitcher, this time on his Sooner Ball Club.

Continue reading this post »

The Oklahoma Basketball program is still looking to add to itself in terms of depth. Depth was and still is a major concern with this team under the direction of Head Coach Lon Kruger. Now, the Sooners could find a hidden gem of sorts in the news of a local kid and former Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year wanting to be closer to home. The basketball program currently has a vacant scholarship spot for the 2012 class. Could this be an answered prayer for Kruger and Co.?

Continue reading this post »

The topic has been up for much debate in the past season. Not only has Trey Millard shown that he is a devastating lead blocker, but he has shown that he has some wheels. For lack of a better analogy, when Millard has the ball in his hands, it is almost like standing in front of a train waiting for it to hit you. While you may slow it down for a split second there is nothing more you can do. Millard is one of those players that the opposition can only hope to contain.

I am certain that I have not said anything that Sooner fans would disagree with. But, why are the coaches not of this same mentality?

Continue reading this post »