How’s it going, friends and fans? The college basketball season is officially over, so if you haven’t already, it’s definitely time to direct your sports attention to the diamond, where the Oklahoma Sooners are doing some big things. Both the baseball and softball squads are off to excellent starts. Skip Johnson and the guys are currently undefeated (6-0) in Big 12 play, while Patty Gasso’s ladies (31-2) are wrecking practically everybody in their wake.
However, while those teams are having superb seasons, football is still the University of Oklahoma’s flagship sport. Spring practice is still ongoing, leading up to the Spring Game two Saturdays from now. This year’s game will be quite a bit different from the ones of years past with the addition of some entertainment for both the fans and the students. Now check this out:
ATTENTION STUDENTS
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) April 3, 2018
Think you can outrun Hollywood? We'll even give you a 10-yard head start. Enter to race @Primetime_jet at the Spring Game April 14th. #BeThere
➡️ https://t.co/7lBIi5mn5r pic.twitter.com/KUc7Vk3fD6
In case you aren’t aware, Marquise Brown is a fast human (see above).
For any traditional student (non-student athlete), you can have a chance to race Hollywood in a 50-yard dash. You will even have a 10-yard head start, so your odds of beating Hollywood go from 0% up to perhaps 5% (depending on who you are). If I’m being completely real with y’all, Hollywood would probably dust me if I had a 30-yard head start. Granted, I’m not the most fleet of foot, but I assure you, you’ll definitely want to race to the Spring Game to see this in person. I know I will!
Now onto today’s edition of Hot Links! Oklahoma’s Jake Irvin was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, A.D. Miller is perhaps beginning to take the next step on the football field, John Chavis throws shade at Oklahoma’s defense and more!
OU Links
- Oklahoma Baseball travels to Tulsa today to take on Oral Roberts. The Golden Eagles have been tricky in the past, especially at home, so it should be another solid test for the Sooners.
GAMEDAY⚾️#Sooners at Oral Roberts tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Tulsa.
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) April 3, 2018
Preview➡️https://t.co/6nUlE8XhhF pic.twitter.com/m8dV3JFLnH
- Congratulations to Oklahoma pitcher Jake Irvin (5-0) for being named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after pitching 8.0 innings against Baylor. Irvin recorded seven strikeouts and allowed only two hits and two runs in the Sooners’ 4-2 win over the Bears.
Jake Irvin named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after career-high eight innings in win over Baylor. pic.twitter.com/V58VOI8C13
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) April 2, 2018
- Oklahoma Softball has a chance to be the first team to win three straight national titles in the last 30 years. Yet even after a 31-2 record, riding a 22 game winning streak, the Sooners are not being considered the overwhelming favorite to win it all. Heck, Oklahoma isn’t even ranked No. 1 in the nation. Is it about time Patty Gasso’s squad started getting more respect?
- Lincoln Riley says the QB competition between Kyler Murray and Austin Kendall has been a tight one thus far, with neither guy creating a ton of separation from the other. All coach speak aside, this QB race is much different than the last time the signal caller spot was up for grabs.
- The Sooners recently held their first scrimmage of the spring and Coach Riley talked about how the defense stepped up and showed out. At this point, I’m all for the defense winning the scrimmages. I already have a ton of faith in the offense, so I think it’ll do the defense some good from a confidence standpoint to win these battles.
- Junior receiver A.D. Miller was forced to redshirt last season after suffering a serious quad injury. Miller has yet to make his mark on the team, but both his coaches and his teammates have raved about his performance this spring.
- Sterling Shepard is coming to the Spring Game, and I’m sure there will be plenty of other former Sooners in the house next Saturday. This should be the biggest one yet, folks, so do everything you can not to miss it.
@OU_Football @OU_CoachGundy #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/TrXjEwhO9D
— Sterling Shepard (@sterl_shep3) April 2, 2018
- Arkansas defensive coordinator John Chavis took a shot at Oklahoma’s defense. Sure, he’s not wrong to say defense is super important, but his examples are way off. Georgia’s defense absolutely did not win the Rose Bowl, and I wouldn’t exactly describe the national championship game as the most defensive contest ever. 26-23? Give me a break.
Arkansas DC John Chavis keeping it real in this interview with @jasonkersey https://t.co/Z3c4WcUxDV pic.twitter.com/usSKTaetJ0
— Max Olson (@max_olson) April 2, 2018
- Don’t forget to check out Austin’s take on the current state of the cornerback position at Oklahoma and what we can expect in the future. The CB depth going into this season is much greater than it was down the stretch last year, and some young guys have a real chance to make their marks this time around.
Around the Sports World
- A college basketball tradition, at the conclusion of the Madness, we have One Shining Moment. There’s actually mixed reviews about this, from the editing to the archaic song choice. Some people cry, others fall asleep. I think it’s okay, but perhaps only just.
One Shining Moment. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/Fn6ev4c1Km
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) April 3, 2018
- Purdue assistant Tony Levine has decided to hang up his coaching hat and begin a new venture: owning his own Chick-fil-A. I mean, if you have a calling, don’t hesitate. The move will allow Levine to stay in Houston so he can be near his family.
- An inside the park home run is one of those somewhat rare things you hear about but have only seen once or twice, even for long-time baseball spectators. Cleveland’s Edwin Encarnacion just did that.
THAT JUST HAPPENED! WOW!
— CS Nation (@_CSNation_) April 3, 2018
EDWIN ENCARNACION HITS AN INSIDE THE PARK HOME RUN!!
The Indians lead 1-0 in the 2nd!#RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/UJdvSGyrIy
- How many people does it take to unveil a championship banner? Well apparently the Houston Astros miscalculated the first time, because a pole and a leaf blower had to be brought in to finish the job.
No one said unveiling a banner was easy, just ask the Houston Astros pic.twitter.com/ZUgKAFfto1
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) April 2, 2018
- This 19-month old needs to learn how to sign autographs ASAP because he’s about to be a big deal in a couple decades or so. If his putting game is just as smooth, look out.
Stick to Sports!
- If you’re a fan of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, or even if you just like all things spooky, you’re in for a real treat. A Stranger Things-themed Halloween Horror Nights is coming to Universal Studios in Hollywood, Orlando and Singapore this fall. Whoever thought of this idea definitely struck gold. It’s all about staying relevant, and people are going to love this.
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