Hello, friends and fans. I know you’re probably just as frustrated as I am about the results of some of these basketball games, but no worries, I’ve got some links that should help get your mind right before the next game on the hardwood.

And with National Signing Day coming tomorrow, OU’s digital media folks have once again put together a masterpiece. If you’re a recruit thinking about signing on with the Sooners, pretty everything you need to know about why Oklahoma is the place to be is in this video. Not only do Sooners contend year in and year out, the Sooner family is second to none. You have to watch this one, folks. It’s some great work.

Now for today’s edition of Hot Links, where you can find out what to expect from this year’s pro day, how Lane Johnson is turning promises into beer, why Nick Foles has a better Madden rating than Tom Brady and more!

OU Links

• Congratulations to the six Oklahoma Sooners who have been invited to the NFL combine! Jordan Thomas had a particularly rough year, but I’m glad that he’ll still have a chance to make an impression in front of the scouts, GMs and coaches before OU’s Pro Day. Having said that, I really wish Steven Parker would’ve been invited. The NFL Scouting Combine will take place from Tuesday, Feb. 27-Monday, March 5, and OU’s annual Pro Day will be held March 14.

NFL.com

• Despite the team’s recent struggles, there’s no denying Trae Young is without a doubt one of the best players to play college basketball in recent memory. He deserves to win just about every award he’s qualified for. Congratulations, Trae! Boomer!

• So the Sooners are clearly struggling on the basketball court. Unfortunately, the rest of the schedule spells more challenges ahead. That’s just the nature of the Big 12.
• S&C coach Bennie Wylie is a fan of the kicks! Now I need me a pair. I bet they have extras.

• The defensive line is always a critical unit for a team because it largely determines the strength of a defense. Who does Oklahoma need to replace up front, and who could step in and make an impact in 2018?
• What can Sooner fans expect from this year’s pro day? The number of NFL scouts and team representatives in attendance figures to be high.
• Lane Johnson is becoming as much of a Philly Legend as Rocky Balboa himself. Okay, maybe not that legendary, but he’s basically been knighted by the Lords of Bud Light (and is no longer on the hook for all that beer he promised). Great stuff, Lane!

Around the Sports World

• For all of you gamers out there, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has a 99 overall rating on Madden. That’s actually insane, but I’ll roll with it for now.

• The last time Chip Kelly was coaching in college football, the up-tempo spread offenses were not as rampant as they are now. Still, there is plenty Kelly can do at UCLA that’ll keep his Bruins ahead of the curve.
• New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski’s house was broken into. Multiple safes and possibly some guns were stolen in the process. Authorities are still investigating the matter.
• 1,200 security officials have been removed from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea as a precaution following a massive Norovirus outbreak. Korean military members have been called in to assist in place of the security officials.
• How could they do this to one of the greatest of all time? And on a milestone night, at that. I mean seriously, how does this happen as often as it does in sports? Does anybody proofread anymore? I’m not a Mavs fans by any stretch, but Dirk is cool and this makes me cranky.

Stick to Sports!

• It always amazes me how a person can transcend his or her own generation, even long after they are gone. Bob Marley was one of those people, and to this day he remains a relevant figure in the world of music and activism. It’s been nearly 37 years since he passed. He would have been 73 today.

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