How’s it going, friends and fans? Looks like the Oklahoma Sooners added yet another national championship to the trophy case after the men’s gymnastics team brought home its fourth straight national title! Congratulations to all those guys for this incredible run.
And while hoops season ended several weeks ago, there is some developing news on the basketball front. Wichita State guard Austin Reaves is seeking to transfer, and Oklahoma made his short list. Reaves averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last season, and was known for his 42.5% accuracy beyond the arc. Wherever Reaves ends up transferring, he’ll have to sit out a year but will still have two years of eligibility remaining starting in the fall of 2019.
Wichita State transfer Austin Reaves told ESPN he will visit Oklahoma Monday and Northern Iowa later this week. One of best transfers out there.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) April 22, 2018
The addition of a player like Reaves wouldn’t bolster the depth in the immediate future, but would be a tremendous piece for Lon Kruger’s squad in the long run. Keep in mind that Christian James, Rashard Odomes and Jamuni McNeace along with grad transfers Aaron Calixte and Miles Reynolds will all be seniors in 2018-19.
Now check out what’s in store for this Monday edition of Hot Links! The Browns have reportedly honed in on Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen, Joe Namath called Mayfield “outrageous” (in a good way), OU’s Vernon Turner has some serious ups and more!
OU Links
- According to Dan Patrick, the Cleveland Browns are only deciding between Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen for QB. With the No. 1 overall pick, they could conceivably draft any player they wanted, but if the source is accurate, they are not interested in Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen. Going No. 1 overall would be a great honor for Mayfield, but I think the majority of us would prefer to see him end up somewhere other than Cleveland. Having said that, I would still predict the Browns to take Josh Allen. Also, you know how these things go. It’s best to take every draft report with a grain of salt.
Dan Patrick on @dpshow citing a source who told him #Browns are choosing between Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen for No. 1 pick echoing what @DustinFox37 has said. Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold off the board.
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) April 23, 2018
- Speaking of Baker, New York Jets legend Joe Namath has seen all of the top QBs on film, but the one who stands out the most has been Mayfield. Namath referred to what he sees when he watches Baker as “outrageous.” Mayfield could very well end up with the Jets if the Browns don't select him first.
- In a roundtable discussion, the sports writers at Dallas News made predictions on which non-QB players could be the best in the Big 12 this season, and Rodney Anderson’s name came up more times than anybody else. A couple other Sooners were also mentioned. This offense is going to be scary good with all the weapons at Coach Riley’s disposal.
- Diehards’ John Shinn talks about how Oklahoma can have a top 25 defense this season, and whether or not he believes it will actually happen. In some instances, the schedule will favor certain defensive statistics, but the defense still needs improve a lot on its own.
- Oklahoma Track and Field’s Vernon Turner is only a freshman, but he’s setting records left and right. Check out the springs on this cat!
Outdoor or Indoor? It doesn't matter @OU_Track's Vernon Turner is a beast in the HJ.
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) April 23, 2018
The Freshman cleared 7-5.25 (2.27 meters) to take the MEET RECORD, SCHOOL OUTDOOR RECORD, MOSIER INDOOR FACILITY RECORD & @ncaaTF LEAD! pic.twitter.com/1Xxw1OPi5k
- The Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team fell just short of claiming another national title, and already, the team is using the upset as motivation for coming back even stronger next season.
Around the Sports World
- When it comes to NFL Draft discussions, there are five distinct groups of people. Now you may be asking yourself, “How do I know which group I fall under? And which group does my buddy or morons like Colin Cowherd belong to?” Well you don’t have to wonder, because here is a comprehensive glossary of the terms each group uses when talking about the NFL Draft.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are getting the most out of their mascot by putting an actual parrot to work on Day 3 of the draft. The parrot will be instructed to deliver the name of the draft selection, but I believe it won’t be a verbal delivery, rather it will be written on a note. That’s not as fun as a parrot speaking, but still a little fun.
NFL announces that a parrot — yes, a parrot — will deliver Bucs’ third-day draft picks to an announcer on the pirate ship at Raymond James Stadium.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 23, 2018
- Beyond the fact that he’s an NBA player, OKC Thunder center Steven Adams is quite the regular dude who likes playing Fortnite and hanging out with his mates. His game on the court has evolved drastically year after year, and it is sometimes forgotten, but he was actually part of the James Harden trade via an unprotected draft pick.
- Speaking of Harden, he fell into the crowd during the Rockets’ last game against the Timberwolves, and a snapshot of the happening has gone viral because people are turning it into Renaissance style art. Honestly, I’m here for this and want more of it.
- A new college football game is being released in 2020 by IMackulate Vision Gaming called Gridiron Champions. It’s not EA Sports’ NCAA series, but it could be the next best thing since EA no longer produces college football videogames.
- Former TCU wide receiver Kolby Listenbee had a promising career in football ahead of him, but says he was forced to play through an injury in college that ultimately kept him from ever playing the game again. This story will be featured on HBO’s Real Sports tomorrow night.
- Apparently in London, dinosaurs haven’t gone extinct. Instead, they’ve just adapted and are now running marathons and getting engaged to humans. Might be the strangest thing I’ve seen all morning, but congrats to the lovely couple.
It's not everyday you get engaged to a dinosaur...
— BBC Get Inspired (@bbcgetinspired) April 22, 2018
Congratulations! Just look at that rock #LondonMarathon #GetInspired pic.twitter.com/0D0sco5E60
Stick to Sports!
- Today is World Book Day, and it’s fitting because many bookstores that were once in danger of closing down and going out of business altogether are making a wild comeback. The allure of physical books is appealing to more and more people who want to unplug from their devices and get back to a more traditional method of entertainment.
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