Happy Monday, friends and fans!

While the upcoming college football season is still a work in progress due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Oklahoma Sooners announced the sale of a limited portion of 2020 season tickets starting this Wednesday, June 17 at 10 a.m. CT.

In this announcement are the details for three separate plans for anybody seeking to purchase season tickets. If you’re on the fence about buying, keep in mind that OU is putting in place a series of refund options should attendance and/or the football season itself be affected in any way.

Per OU Athletics, the refund options for ticket buyers are as follows:

1. You can choose to reallocate donation and ticket payment as tax-deductible gifts for OU Athletics’ emergent needs.
2. Transfer any eligible donations and ticket payments to the 2021 season/Sooner Club membership year.
3. Request a refund as an exception to our refund policy.

Of course this announcement doesn’t guarantee the return of Oklahoma Football this fall, nor the admittance of fans in the stadiums. However, it’s an assuring sign that OU’s Athletic Department is performing its due diligence to best prepare itself and Sooner fans for all possible scenarios over the next few months.

Now on to this week’s Monday edition of Hot Links! Meech is going to law school, Skip Johnson highlights the silver lining, Lamar Jackson takes a tumble and more!

OU Links

• Over the weekend, Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield made it known that he intends to kneel during the National Anthem this fall with his teammates. In the statement, Mayfield made sure to emphasize the agreement between Colin Kaepernick and former Green Beret Nate Boyer.

• Writers for Athlon Sports previewed the 2020 Big 12 season and made their picks for individual awards as well as the conference standings. As you might expect, Oklahoma is a heavy favorite by several measures.
• Former Oklahoma fullback Dimitri Flowers recently announced his acceptance into OU’s law school. The Norman Transcript’s Tyler Palmateer caught up with this dynamic Sooner to find out more about his goals and intentions for studying law.
• After enjoying the most successful MLB Draft in program history, OU Baseball head coach Skip Johnson has a message for his players who weren’t as fortunate to be selected in this year’s shortened version of the draft. The Norman Transcript’s Tyler Palmateer has more.
• In 2019, Cincinnati Bengals RB Rodney Anderson went down with an ACL injury during the NFL preseason. Now entering his second season as a pro, he’s feeling great about his health and the future of his team.

Around the Sports World

• In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a bit of a situation developing in Stillwater, as running back Chuba Hubbard is threatening to potentially sit out after Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy was photographed in an OAN shirt. Although Gundy certainly has the right to express his beliefs, this is AT BEST an example of a football coach failing to read the room. At worst, it’s the final straw for many players within OSU football program who are frustrated with a pattern of behavior from their head coach. Student-athletes are beginning to realize the amount power they wield, and you can probably expect the landscape of (and dynamics within) collegiate athletics to evolve over time as a result.

• A number of Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans players have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, including three-time Pro Bowl RB Ezekiel Elliott.

• The date for the Baylor Bears’ season opener versus the Ole Miss Rebels has been pushed back a day, from Saturday, Sept. 5 to Sunday, Sept. 6. Labor Day Weekend looks even more fun to me now.

• Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson was recently seen tumbling over a jet ski while playing with friends on a beach. Reportedly, the former NFL MVP was able to walk away from the fall unharmed.
• The Ohio State Buckeyes are returning to campus for workouts this week, but before doing so all of OSU’s student-athletes must sign an acknowledgement of risk waiver in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. I expect more universities will follow a similar model.
• Former four-star QB Michael Johnson Jr. has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal after redshirting for the Penn State Nittany Lions in 2019. The talented signal-caller is originally from Eugene, Oregon aka home of the Ducks.

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