Since the decade recently passed us by (and the basketball team is in ruins) I thought it might be a good idea for some nostalgia and best of the decades lists...

In the following order are my 10 favorite OU games of the decade

1) 2001 Orange Bowl

Obviously. Plus it happened on my birthday.

2) 2000 Nebraska

Reestablished OU as National Powerhouse.

3) 2000 Texas A&M

With apologies to Roy Williams, the Torrance Marshall interception is greatest OU play of my lifetime. Also critical game on march toward the 2000 Championship.

4) 2008 Texas Tech 

Emphatic win that humiliated Texas Tech, pushed OU into the national championship game against Florida, as well as popularized the term "three-way tiebreaker."

5) 2000 Texas

Always nice to put up 60+ on Texas.

6) 2003 Texas

Always nice to put up 60+ on Texas.

7) 2003 Rose Bowl

Last BCS Bowl win of the decade. 

8) 2001 Texas

Made Chris Simms an Oklahoma legend.

9) 2003 Oklahoma State

Put Oklahoma State back in their rightful place after embarrassing losses in 01 and 02.

10) 2004 Texas

Vince Young's last loss as a starter at the college level. Also always nice to shut out Texas.

Just for the sake of argument let's assume that Missouri leaves and the Big 12 picks up TCU. If you'd rather assume Arkansas go ahead. At least to me, this would have two significant implications regarding our friends in Stillwater;

1) Poke State would be in the north, competing with a shadow of the Nebraska program (for at least a few years). I'm not saying OSU would completely dominate the north but compared to their current situation (getting humiliated by OU and Texas year in and year out), if I was an Oklahoma State fan I would go to bed each and every night praying that Missouri makes the jump to the Big 10.

2) Of course that would mean the death of the yearly Bedlam series. While I'm sure there would be a flood of tears coming from Stillwater, would this upset anyone? I mean I guess they're a rival but honestly I'd much rather go out of my way to play Nebraska every year than OSU...

Link to Pictures: http://friendsoftheprogram.net/2009/11/10/nike-pro-combat-the-complete-collection-with-slogans/#more-7925

Official Nike Website: http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/usnikefootball/en_US/rivalries09

After doing a little research it appears we are going to wear this new prototype Nike uniform against Texas Tech. Several other teams are also doing this like Texas, Ohio State, Va Tech, Florida, LSU, Miami, Missouri and TCU. Does anyone know more about this?

And to anyone who watched the spinoff of Transformers: Beast Wars, look at the nickname for the Mizzou uniforms.

On Friday, the NCAA informed Balogun and his lawyer that it has determined it will not recertify Balogun's eligibility, which means the University of Oklahoma senior's college football career could be over.

Which means Balogun, who turns 26 on Sept. 28, has a few options to consider:

• He can re-file his Cleveland County District Court civil suit seeking a permanent injunction against the NCAA's decertification. If that's granted, he could continue practicing with the Sooners and could stay in school on athletic scholarship. In all likelihood, however, Balogun would not play in games because the NCAA would appeal the district court's <!-- 300x250 Advertisement --> <!--flv has invalid value--><!--MME--> decision, and a reversal in appeals court or in the Oklahoma Supreme Court could mean NCAA punishment for OU, including forfeiture or vacating of victories in which Balogun played.



• If Balogun remains with the team, he might find an opportunity next spring to be at least seen by an NFL team. That probably wouldn't get him drafted, but if the 6-foot-1, 250-pound Balogun stays close to the game and impresses the right people with good workouts and interviews, he could conceivably get a free agent invitation.



• If Balogun asks for and wins a permanent injunction and the NCAA appeals, the process could be a long one. In that case, Balogun might be able to treat 2009 like a redshirt year.

Here's the full link.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20090922_92_B4_MikeBa627439

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20090815_92_B1_NORMAN903508

Oklahoma senior linebacker Mike Balogun, the Sooners' starter in last year's national championship game, has been academically decertified by the NCAA and his future with the OU football team is uncertain. 

Balogun, who has been battling this preseason for the starting middle linebacker job with senior Ryan Reynolds, will be allowed to practice until Wednesday. He might be sidelined after that time while OU waits for the NCAA to issue a ruling on Balogun's status. 

"Our (compliance) people found some new information," OU coach Bob Stoops said after Friday's morning practice, "so they're trying to sort through that." 
According to published reports, Balogun graduated from high school in 2002 at the age of 18 and, at 19, went out for the Maryland Marauders, an NAFL franchise, in the spring of 2003. The NAFL schedule runs from mid May through late September. 

After that, though, there are conflicting reports about Balogun's age and his participation. 

A Maryland newspaper reported last year that Balogun joined the Prince George Jets, a winter semipro team, in the fall of 2005, leaving unclear whether Balogun played a season with the Marauders and then sat out a year, or played two seasons. 

Balogun didn't earn money while playing semipro ball. Instead, coaches and players in the NAFL pay up to $2,000 per season to participate. 

From Tulsa World

NORMAN, Okla. -- No. 4 Oklahoma proved worthy of its preseason hype by setting records en route to a 132-36 exhibition victory over Division II Western State College of Colorado Thursday night.

Seven Sooners reached double figures as Oklahoma dismantled Western State in front of 6,097 fans at the Lloyd Noble Center. Junior forward Nyeshia Stevenson came off the bench to score a collegiate-best and game-leading 20 points as OU set program records for points scored and margin of victory.

Courtney Paris recorded her customary double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, but team co-captain Thompson had the most complete night, totaling 18 points on 8-for-11 field-goal shooting, seven rebounds, six steals, four assists and zero turnovers.

The final exhibition game is at the Lloyd Noble Center, Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. against Oklahoma Christian.

Link: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/recaps/110608aaa.html

Soonersports.com is offering free webcasts of the exhibition games for both men's and women's basketaball. The OU Athletics Department is offering free webcasts for all four men's and women's basketball exhibition games to open the season. A complete webcast schedule is http://www.soonersports.com/ot/webcasts.html

NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma has named Leeanne Crain as the first head coach of its new rowing program. Crain has spent the last four seasons as head coach at the University of Central Florida, following a 10-year stint as coach at the University of San Diego.

Crain's appointment was announced Wednesday by OU Vice President for Sports Programs and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione. Oklahoma's varsity women's rowing program will begin competing in the spring of 2009.

"Today's announcement underlines the importance of rowing as a new varsity sport at OU," said University President David L. Boren. "Coach Crain has established herself as one of the best rowing coaches in the nation. As the new team is being put together, we will also soon begin construction on the new Aubrey McClendon OU Boathouse along the race course of the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City."

The new coach appreciates her selection as the inaugural coach, especially in the Oklahoma City market."

"I am thrilled to be given this tremendous opportunity as the first head coach of the women's rowing program at the University of Oklahoma," Crain said. "There is so much excitement in the rowing community over the revitalization of Oklahoma City's Bricktown and the rowing venue that is being planned along the riverfront. I am grateful to Joe Castiglione for his trust in my abilities to build a national championship rowing program at OU. I am anxious to get underway."
From Soonersports.com