First Bedlam

Even though I've lived in Oklahoma for 18 years now, I'm still more of an NFL guy, when it comes to football, than a college guy. But it has come to grow on me. I watch quite a bit college ball these days. Yet I remain largely unmotivated to attend college games live. And it's not like I'm averse to sports venues. I've been to 24 pro baseball venues and multiple pro football, hockey, and basketball venues, so I'm veteran as far as that goes.

Today, however, my hand was forced by the last minute illness of my brother, who then could not use his season ticket. It's difficult to convey the magnitude of this moment. My brother has been attending University of Oklahoma home games for almost his entire life. He doesn't miss them in general. And a bedlam game against Oklahoma State? No way he misses those. Yet there I was at 6:30 in the morning learning that I had been "called up" to fill his spot with just a few hours to head to the stadium.

While I was generally displeased by many of those same things that have kept me away from these events in the past (ridiculous traffic and parking, shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, impossible concession lines, etc), the actual game experience was quite excellent. Of course, it helps that OU won. By a 27-0 shutout nonetheless. And that it wasn't cold considering it was a late November day. I believe it was 71 degrees when I left the game. So I must say, if it had to happen, the conditions were probably the best possible, for which I am thankful.

Here's a halftime picture from the game.