Happy 100 Days until the start of Sooner Football, folks! In just over three months, the most wonderful time of the year will be back. I know I can hardly wait to see what Lincoln Riley and crew accomplish this time around. Look out, world, the Oklahoma Sooners are coming.

FYI, our countdown thing will begin later this afternoon, and we’re throwing it waaaaaaay back for today’s edition.

Most fans are probably just as eager to see Kyler Murray in action as anything else. Right now, Murray is still playing baseball for Skip Johnson and the Sooners, and earlier this morning Murray was forced to exit the game after appearing to tweak something in his lower body.

More details are sure to come following the game in Oklahoma City, but we here at Crimson & Cream Machine will keep you posted. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t look too serious.

Now onto the Hot Links! Paige Parker is a player of the year finalist, Baker Mayfield had some highs and some lows in his first practice run with the Browns, Alabama and USC schedule another opening weekend showdown and more!

OU Links

• Paige Parker has been named one of four finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year! Florida’s Kelly Barnhill, the 2017 winner, is also a finalist. If Parker wins the award, she’ll become Oklahoma’s second winner ever (Keilani Ricketts won twice in ‘12 and ‘13). The winner will be announced on May 29th, just prior to the start of the WCWS.

• Caleigh Clifton knows what it’s like to play for and win championships. Now her older sister, Chloe, is competing for the NAIA Softball Championship with her teammates from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Let’s go, Chloe!
• Baker Mayfield took to the practice field with his Cleveland Browns teammates for the first time in the opening week of OTAs. Mayfield reportedly threw three interceptions, but two of them were the result of receivers deflecting passes off their hands.

• Make sure to check out RJ Young’s draft take on Trae Young using Drake references. It’s funny, it’s clever, and if you watch the VMAs NBA, there’s nothing more to say. (That last part is a Drake lyric, for those who may be unfamiliar).
• So what are the chances any of the freshmen defensive linemen make the starting lineup this season? John Shinn tackles that idea in his daily mailbag.
• 2019 four-star wide receiver commit Trejan Bridges has been invited to The Opening Finals in Frisco, Texas. The event takes place from June 30th-July 3rd. Congratulations, Trejan! Way to represent for your Sooners!

Around the Sports World

• The Alabama Crimson Tide and the USC Trojans have scheduled another season opening match-up in Arlington to start the 2020 season. The two blue-bloods opened the 2016 season against each other, and ‘Bama rolled over the Trojans 52-6.
• Chicago White Sox catcher Wellington Castillo has been suspended 80 games for use of performance-enhancing drugs. This is Castillo’s first offense.
• So how long has it been since the Washington Capitals last made the Stanley Cup Finals? Well, it was 1998, so you already know it was a strange time. Justin and Britney were an item, and Nokia phones were actually not embarrassing. Check out these other hilarious/depressing things that were going on the last time the Caps made it this far.
• North Haven and Amity, a couple high school baseball teams in Connecticut, had a score to settle following a series of rain delays that kept them from starting a pivotal quarterfinal game. How did they do it? Rock, paper, scissors. And yes, it was epic.
• Isn’t every day puppy day? Okay, not technically, but for the struggling New York Mets, it ought to be. How can you have a bad day with these little guys and gals around?

Stick to Sports!

• The United Kingdom’s largest freshwater body, Loch Ness, harbors the origin of the famous urban legend, the Loch Ness monster. Hard evidence has yet to come to light, but a group of international scientists are now studying the microorganisms in the body of water and are collecting DNA to determine if the Loch Ness monster, also known by the name ‘Nessie,’ actually exists or did exist in the age of humanity.

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