Where I Come From: My All-Time Favorite Oklahoma Football Players
by ccmachine on Jul 8, 2010 12:31 AM CDT
in EA Sports NCAA FB 11
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This is the toughest subject of all in my opinion. There have been so many great football players that have gone through Oklahoma's locker room that to narrow it down to just one seems harsh and impossible. Of course if I take the time to mention every single player that I had somewhat of a, "man crush" on then this would be the post that never ends. So, how about this? I'll give you my top five favorite Sooners, throw in a few honorable mentions and then you guys fill in the blanks. Sound fair?
#5 Renaldo Works - Works was never a super star but he did have his shining moment at OU in leading the Sooners to a come from behind win over Alabama in 2002 with a few spectacular runs. He shared time and mostly played as a backup but on that hot September day he was the show. One of the all-time memorable performances by a Sooner football player in my book.
#4 Brian Bosworth - Yes, he was flamboyant. Yes, he was arrogant. Yes, he was a punk. Yes, as an 11-year old boy I wanted to be just like him.
#3 Jason White - Home town kid does good. Forget Rudy! Someone needs to come up with a movie about Jason White's story. From two major knee injuries that could have and possibly should have ended his career to a Heisman Trophy. I can't remember a better example of perseverance in my lifetime.
#2 Keith Jackson - We could make an entire post out of just trying to pick an all-time Keith Jackson play. Early nominees would be the 88-yard reverse against Nebraska and the 71-yard touchdown reception against Penn State in the Orange Bowl from the 1985 season, or 1986 the one handed catch against Nebraska with 18 seconds remaining in the game to set up the game winning field goal. This is a guy who transcended the tight end position.
#1 Super Man - How can it be anyone else? I've never enjoyed watching a defensive player more than I did this guy. He's responsible for giving us, "The Play" of the Bob Stoops era. Ladies and Gentlemen, the real Roy Williams.
Honorable Mention
Mark Clayton
Quentin Griffin
Tommie Harris
Josh Heupel
Jamelle Holieway
Adrian Peterson
Spencer Tillman
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My Top Five
5) Sam Bradford: Ok this is new and will get lots of votes, but he’s the best passer I’ve every seen at OU and may ever see.
4) Josh Heupel: the face of 2000 likable, out of JC
3) Keith Jackson: OU worked to get him the ball so he could do “Magic”
2) LeRoy Selmon: Amazing Lineman in an amazing defense
1) Little Joe Washington: Flashy, Fast, Silver Shoes, should have won the Heisman
From 1975 OU @ Missouri, down by 7 in the 4th quarter
I have to say this was hard. No Billy Sims? No Adrian Peterson? No Q? No Jamelle? No Rocky Callimus? No Teddy Lehman? No Roy Williams? No Tony Casillias?
And two of my all time favorite Sooners weren’t players they were “personalities” Barry Switzer and radio announcer John Brooks still to me the voice of the Sooners even though Bob Barry Sr, has done far more years and was OU broadcaster before and after Brooks.
Colorado Rockies correspondent at My Team Rivals (www.mtrmedia.com/rockies) and my own site Rockies Reporter (www.rockiesreporter.wordpress.com) and one of the top Rockies writers at the Bleacher Report.
Ditto John Brooks
I recently found an old recording of the 1982 OU-Texas radio broadcast. Marcus Dupree’s fake reverse and Weldon Ledbetter’s long td followed by “Jiminy Christmas!!!!!” Gotta love it.
Anybody else really looking forward
To the 30 for 30 doc on Marcus Dupree? I know I am.
"We call him The Hammer." - Bob Stoops on Ronnell Lewis
Me too
I had to do a little research on him, but it seems like an interesting short film
by KratosWasASooner on Jul 8, 2010 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Tough
I cant seem to put them in any order. Jamell Hollieway, Adrian Peterson, Roy Williams, Josh Heupel, and Sam Bradford.
I'm just going to stick to my lifetime to make it easier
5) Sam Bradford
4) Adrian Peterson
3) Rocky Calmus
2) Nic Harris
1) Teddy Lehman
Paul Thompson is a honorable mention because of the way he steped up in 2006. Jeff Ferguson is a honorable mention because he went to my high school for a year and because of his brilliant safety in the Orange Bowl. Since I was born in the 90’s I’d also throw in DeMond Parker.
Tough post
I think this should be broken down by position (QB, RB, WR, DL, LB, DB, OL) But as it is here’s mine. I know I fudged a bit, but too many to narrow it down.
5) Billy Sims
4) Leroy Selmon
3) Joe Washington/ Adrian Peterson
2) Roy Williams/ Q
1) Bradford/ White
5) Frank Romero – wanted to be just like him playing 0-line and knew his brother John. Extremely nice guy
4) Rocky Calmus – first jersey I ever bought with my own money was a red #20, still bust it out for important games
3) JT Thatcher – TD snatcher
2) Roy Williams – Superman
1) Josh Heupel – My all time fav hands down. A left handed genius.
Honorable mention would really be anybody that has put on the crimson and cream and sacrificed their body so I could watch great football. Except for Bomar. F*** Bomar.
Gonna go by Era I guess
70’s – i was born late in decade… But:
Von schamann & Zac Henderson
80’s – the boz & holieway
90’s Gibbs – mike Gaddis
90’s schnelly – James Allen
Blake : lord, all of ’em! Prolly have to go w/Patrick Fletcher cuz of that north Texas game.
99: stoops jarrail Jackson
2000 : calmus & superman….
Hon mention : sims, heupel, white, Trent smith, AD, Sam.
by OU JJ on Jul 8, 2010 12:16 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
As far as pure football ability goes..
AD is the epitome of a RB. He had the perfect RB body along with titanic talent. Sam Bradford has a perfect brain for a QB, and Jermaine Gresham was the most dangerous tight end to put on a jersey in college football. Anyway, my vote goes to Lee Roy Selmon. An absolute monster on the D-Line, hall of famer, and academically astounding as well.
by KratosWasASooner on Jul 8, 2010 2:13 PM CDT reply actions
Gotta give props to Billy Sims
That guy loves his Sooners. Even when he was with the Lions, he supposedly helped recruit Marcus Dupree.
by KratosWasASooner on Jul 8, 2010 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions
I have to agree with the consensus
This is not easy. I also will not slight anyone by “ranking” mine, rather just list them out.
TRRW – Much like CC, if I had to rank my favorite player he’d probably be at the top of the list. Never seen a kid dominate from that position like he did and The Superman, well that doesn’t really need much explanation.
Gerald McCoy – I just thought he personified everything we could want a Sooner athlete to be and I’ll always love him for it. He supported everything, and I mean everything, OU and I’ve got a ton of respect for that with as much demand on their time the football players are subjected to.
Q – That tough little s.o.b. has got to be an everyone’s top whatever just for that 5 TD performance against texass!
The Boz – nuf said
Paul Thompson – to echo what Dutch said above. Couldn’t have more respect for the epitome of a team guy and his performance in 2006.
Much like you all I’m sure, I could go on and on. AD, Heupel, Calmus, Lehman, White, Sam, Strait, Clayton, Harris, aw hell they’re all my favorites!!!
"We call him The Hammer." - Bob Stoops on Ronnell Lewis
I'm going with the decades I've watched
70’s – Billy Sims – might be the best offensive talent we’ve ever had.
Hon. Mention – Lee Roy Selmon, Thomas Lott, Uwe, Joe Washington, Elvis Peacock
80’s – Jamelle Holieway – Brought the bone back to its rightful place.
Hon. Mention – Spencer Tillman, Scott Case, Boz, Kevin Murphy, Danny Bradley
90’s – James Allen – Always reminded me of Sims style-wise.
Hon. Mention – All the guys who didn’t quit and played hard from 94-98
00’s – Josh Heupel – The one piece of the puzzle that brought OU back to glory.
Hon. Mention – Q, Roy Williams, Rocky Calmus, AD, Sam Bradford, Jason White
I'm so glad
someone mentioned James Allen. He was so under-rated in Sooner history.
Colorado Rockies correspondent at My Team Rivals (www.mtrmedia.com/rockies) and my own site Rockies Reporter (www.rockiesreporter.wordpress.com) and one of the top Rockies writers at the Bleacher Report.
Oh, I forgot to mention
Ed “Wahoo” McDaniel as well. Well before my time, but reading some of the stories about that guy are highly entertaining.
"We call him The Hammer." - Bob Stoops on Ronnell Lewis
Dudes... where is Tommy McDonald?
Tommy McDonald should have won the Heisman in 1956 (he took more first place votes than anyone else, and his own teammate, Terry Tubbs, likely took votes away from him). McDonald NEVER lost a game! He was 31-0 as a Sooner.
McDonald wound up on the cover of SI three times. Has any Sooner been on the cover of SI more than that? Billy Sims perhaps?.
McDonald is also in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Five favorite Sooners in my lifetime:
1. Billy Sims (hands down and the original ‘Superman’ for his leaps at the goal line)
2. Little Joe Washington (my oldest brother’s favorite Sooner); always referred to as “Little Joe”. What he did to beat Missouri in 1975 is absolutely amazing.
3. LeRoy Selmon (based on talk from brothers, Grandma, and Dad over the years)
4. Keith Jackson (he personified Sooner Magic)
5. Marcus Dupree (Adrian Peterson before AD): a flash in the pan but absolutely a terror
Honorable mention: Jimbo Elrod and Basil Banks (just because I love their names). Also, Uwe von Schamman, who best represented Sooner cockiness, spirit, or whatever you want to call it by baiting Ohio State fans during timeouts in their infamous 1977 classic.
+1 on your list
I would like to add the Hoss, The Stud, Mr. Heisman … Steve Owens. While it was a different style of football in those years the Man did carry the Sooners and he did win a Heisman Trophy. He is one of my all-time favorites because of his actions on the field and just as importantly his exemplary off-field actions.
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