Happy Monday, friends and fans!

Class of 2021 five-star Oklahoma Sooners QB commit Caleb Williams is gearing up for ‘Sooner Summit’ this week in Norman — a recruits-only get together that he’s personally organized with the help of his family. His goal for this event is to have fun and build a stronger bond with other high-profile prospects on OU’s recruiting radar. In his latest blog entry for SI’s ‘All on the Line’ series, he detailed what he envisions for this week and the future (particularly the fact that his family is looking for a place in Norman), and he asks you, the fans, a very important question — where should he eat?

Caleb, here are a few of my personal favorites around Norman. If you’re in the mood for Mexican cuisine, Tarahumara’s doesn’t miss. I’d also recommend Juan del Fuego if you’re up early and seeking a solid brunch diner spot. Now if you’re feeling a good burger, Tucker’s can’t be beat, and I’d also suggest checking out Bison Witches on Main St.

This isn’t a place to eat per se, but I’d steer clear of a local establishment called Sugers during ‘Rona times. It’s a wonderful and beloved Norman staple, but cleanliness has never seemed like a high priority.

I know the Oklahoma faithful will come through and give him the best suggestions on the local establishments. Classes for the fall semester are set to resume at OU next week, and even though mask mandates and COVID-19 safety protocols are in place throughout the city of Norman, these potential Sooners can still gain valuable experience in what could end up becoming their home away from home over the next four years.

Now onto this week’s Monday edition of Hot Links! Several former Sooners are in action during NFL training camp, P-Mot picks off the GOAT, Chi-Town goes yard on back-to-back-to-back-to-back at bats and more!

OU Links

• Barring any more changes to the current limits on fan attendance, Oklahoma and Texas can expect to seat just over 10,000 Sooners and Longhorns fans each at this season’s Cotton Bowl in Dallas, which in total rounds out to around 25 percent capacity for a stadium that normally holds north of 90,000 fans, that’s obviously a big difference, but it’s much better than not having a Red River game to attend at all.

• On Monday, Dallas Cowboys DT Gerald McCoy reportedly went down with some type of leg injury of unknown severity during practice. This is the first season in Big D for the former Sooners defender.

• Speaking of the Cowboys, rookie WR CeeDee Lamb looks like he absolutely belongs on a pro field, especially while he’s rocking that No. 88. So clean, so crisp.

• Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. are continuing to link up in training camp for the Cleveland Browns. Here’s hoping this year’s coaching staff can finally maximize the talent on that team, especially on offense.

• The Cincinnati Bengals added another former Sooner to their roster with Saturday’s signing of DE Amani Bledsoe. Boomer!

• Former Sooner CB Parnell Motley is in training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and on Monday the rookie reportedly picked off the GOAT in Tom Brady. I imagine that’s a story he’ll happily share with his family and friends for years to come. Way to go, P-Mot!

• Redshirt junior WR Charleston Rambo is one of the most experienced skill position players on offense for Oklahoma. His leadership will be important if this team is to challenge for a sixth straight Big 12 title.

• Junior DB Brendan Radley-Hiles aka ‘Bookie’ has been hard at work along with the rest of Oklahoma’s Speed D, and here’s a quick Alex Grinch-ism he wants to pass along — takeaways equal victory. I’m a firm believer of speaking things into existence. Let’s get it!

Around the Sports World

• On Saturday, Texas Longhorns WR Troy Omeire suffered a torn ACL during a team scrimmage. Prior to the injury, the freshman was generating a lot of preseason buzz for a pass-catching unit that is already attempting to replace the likes of Devin Duvernay and Colin Johnson from 2019’s group.
• In related college football news, Georgia Bulldogs grad transfer QB JT Daniels has reportedly not yet been cleared to practice. Currently, the former USC Trojans signal caller is on the mend after going down with an ACL tear in 2019’s season opener.
• On Saturday, in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Chicago White Sox tied an MLB record with four consecutive home runs. The first was a three-run bomb from Yoan Moncada, followed by three-straight solo shots from Yasmani Grandal, Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez. Talk about contagious hitting. Chicago defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-2.

• Utah Jazz point guard Mike Conley has reportedly left his team in Orlando for the birth of his son. Per protocol rules, the veteran will have to quarantine himself upon return to the NBA bubble, meaning he’s likely to miss the first three games of the Jazz’s playoff series versus the Denver Nuggets.
• The Los Angeles Lakers plan to wear these epic Black Mamba jerseys during the NBA Playoffs should they advance beyond the first round. The coolest part about the look of these threads is that they were co-designed by the late Kobe Bryant himself.

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