Happy Tuesday, friends and fans!

Shots. Fired.

It wouldn’t be a Red River Shootout/Showdown/Rivalry/whatever without some trash talking, and Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Sam Cosmi apparently isn’t worried about the Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive line. Recently, he specifically referred to Neville Gallimore and Ronnie Perkins. Just check this out:

If you don’t know who this clown Cosmi is (and I won’t blame you if you don’t), he scored on this backwards pass last week against West Virginia.

Look, I’m all for the bulletin board material (the importance of which is usually quite overstated) in heated rivalries such as this one, but he’s really setting himself up for humiliation when there’s already no real basis for his comments.

Going into this weekend, Sam Ehlinger — you know, the guy he and the rest of UT’s O-line is supposed to protect — has been sacked nine times. That’s tied for third-most in the Big 12. The big uglies up front like Cosmi are also tasked with delivering a push in the trenches to lead the running game, but once again, you’ll find the Longhorns near the bottom of the conference ranks with their measly 4.5 yards per rush. That’s good for second-worst in the league. Don’t laugh. It’s not nice.

Hey Sammy, while you might not be worried about Gallimore and Perkins, I bet your coaches are. I’m also guessing that Texas fans wish you hadn’t opened your mouth on this one, but hey, I can’t blame you. Talking is all that the Longhorns have had since you were in fourth grade.

Now to today’s Hot Links! Jalen Hurts faces Red River history that’s unkind to new QBs, Trae Young is a savage baller, Russell Westbrook debuts for the Rockets and more!

OU Links

• Oklahoma’s Alex Grinch is in Norman largely because of what transpired after last year’s Red River game. Mike Stoops was fired, and three months later, the current DC was brought in from Ohio State. Now comes the moment of truth. Just how much of a difference will he make for the Sooners in the biggest regular season game of the year? John Hoover explores that and more storylines.
• Can Jalen Hurts overcome history by besting Same Ehlinger — his more experienced Red River counterpart — in his first crack at this rivalry? In this game, anything can happen.
• George Stoia of the OU Daily wrote about the Cotton Bowl this week. It’s one of the more historic settings in college football that perfectly encapsulates the OU-Texas game, but with the current contract expiring in 2025, will it ever move to a different venue? Sooners AD Joe Castiglione offers his take.
• As more NFL head coaches are sent packing, the coals around Lincoln Riley’s name brighten as he continues to prove he’s one of the sharpest minds in football. Recently, the Washington Redskins let go of Jay Gruden, and naturally, the 36-year old Oklahoma coach made the hiring wish list for the struggling NFL franchise. Unfortunately for Washington execs, he’s not even going to entertain the idea. Sooners Wire’s Brayden Conover has more.

• Baker Mayfield had a rough Monday Night Football outing, and it seemed like there was additional salt in the would when Richard Sherman accused him of snubbing him of a pregame handshake. Sherman, of course, was lying.

• Kyler Murray just nabbed his first win as a professional, and through five games, he’s doing things no other quarterback has ever done in the National Football League. Well done, young man.

• Speaking of Murray, he’s one of 36 Sooners in the NFL who will have his eyes on Saturday’s annual showdown between Oklahoma and Texas. That’s more than the Longhorns will have. Boomer!

• Oklahoma hoops season tips off in just a few weeks. In preparation for that, check out new assistant coach Jim Molinari guide the team through practice. There are a lot of unknowns surrounding this group right now, which only adds to the excitement for its potential.

• Speaking of OU basketball, Trae Young is now entering his second season with the Atlanta Hawks, and in a preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans, he made veteran JJ Redick look flat ridiculous. Got him with the nutmeg!

• Oklahoma’s 2019 non-conference schedule is filled with intriguing matchups, and that trend looks to be continuing in 2020 and 2021 with the announcement of the Pac-12’s Coast-to-Coast Challenge, pitting OU against the Washington Huskies in Las Vegas and Dallas.

Around the Sports World

• Russell Westbrook recently made his preseason debut with James Harden and the Houston Rockets against the Toronto Raptors in Japan. It’s still early, but you can already see the chemistry forming between the former Oklahoma City Thunder point guard and his new teammates.

• New York Knicks forward Marcus Morris was ejected in Monday night’s preseason game against the Washington Wizards after bopping Justin Anderson in the head with the ball. Just before that, he nearly connected with an elbow. Are things already this testy in the Big Apple?

• On Monday night, the New York Yankees completed their ALDS sweep over the Minnesota Twins to advance to the ALCS. This NY team looks to be on a mission to return to the top of the mountain.

• A statue of Zlatan Ibrahimović has ben erected in the soccer superstar’s hometown of Malmö, Sweden. That’s pretty boss.

Stick to Sports!

• The fifth generation of gaming consoles for Sony’s PlayStation now has an official release period. During the holiday season of 2020, the PS5 will be available for purchase. I’m a PlayStation man, myself, and you better believe I’m totally geeking out for this. Once that ‘Elder Scrolls VI’ drops, you won’t hear from me for at least three months. Bet.

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