Soonerus
5/7/2008, 12:16 AM
Could it get any better than beating Union?
By Clay Horning
The Norman Transcript
Of course, I’ll play it down the middle.
If North lays an egg, the T-Wolves will receive no sympathy in the morning paper. Losing is no sin, but not bringing it is and back in their fifth state semifinal in five seasons, still waiting to win for the first time since 2003, North is charged with bringing its best.
Should I work from the press box, there will be no cheering. Should I walk the sideline, no Tiger Woods’ fist pumps. But somewhere deep inside, I’ll bleed green.
For a night.
It is, after all, Union on the other side of the pitch. And even while the Redskins may consist of good kids from caring families, they’re still part of the Oklahoma high school axis of evil.
Sorry.
Nothing personal, but I hope Union loses.
That doesn’t make today different than every other day — except those rare days Union plays Jenks and I root for Union — but nothing would make me happier than watching Union fall.
I can’t be alone.
Everybody in this town should be there to see the Redskins lose. The Crosstown Clash should be a love-in, if only for a day, Tiger fans breaking bread with their North rivals, students from both schools lining up on the front row of the bleachers to come up with those creative jeers they typically reserve only for each other.
The T-Wolves themselves don’t see it this way.
Even though it was Union that ended their season last year. Even though it was Jenks the year before that. Even though it was Broken Arrow the year before that. For North, the Redskins, more than anything, are only one thing: in the way.
“I don’t think that any of the other years have anything to do with this year,” North coach Don Rother said.
It’s the right approach, of course. North is a different team. Read all about it in that other story I’ve got my name on this morning.
But for everybody else tonight couldn’t set up any better
Broken Arrow.
Jenks.
Union.
The Timberwolves have had their fill of the axis of evil. The Tigers, Trojans and Redskins will be building satellite campuses before truly breaking up. They’ll be like the California system, with UCLA, UCSB, UC-San Luis Obispo and UC-Davis. But, alas, they will continue to field one varsity team.
Opportunity?
Ha.
What’s opportunity against a gold ball?
Nothing wrong with that most of the time. Nothing wrong with never letting the scrubs off the bench until the game’s out of reach. Nothing wrong with suiting up only to win once you’re in the prep game. It’s the OSSAA, not the YMCA.
You bet it’s about winning.
But not like the axis of evil has chosen to win, thumbing its nose at the rest of the state, engaging in a not-so-little personal facilities race and then, when their teams win it all, believing it was all about superior coaching and effort and chemistry, never stopping to realize it was all about stacking the deck with single-district high schools that dwarf the rest of the state.
Next year, Southmoore opens. The third Norman high school can’t be far off. This much we know. It will open before the second one’s built at Jenks, Broken Arrow or, tonight’s villain, Union.
The T-Wolves will be playing for themselves. Not for everybody else. But that doesn’t mean everybody else can’t take delight in Goliath falling.
It’s not to be missed.
As a footnote Norman North beat Tulsa Union tonight 1-0 in double overtime.....justice....and Edmond Memorial beat Jenks 2-0 to set a West side State Championship game...
By Clay Horning
The Norman Transcript
Of course, I’ll play it down the middle.
If North lays an egg, the T-Wolves will receive no sympathy in the morning paper. Losing is no sin, but not bringing it is and back in their fifth state semifinal in five seasons, still waiting to win for the first time since 2003, North is charged with bringing its best.
Should I work from the press box, there will be no cheering. Should I walk the sideline, no Tiger Woods’ fist pumps. But somewhere deep inside, I’ll bleed green.
For a night.
It is, after all, Union on the other side of the pitch. And even while the Redskins may consist of good kids from caring families, they’re still part of the Oklahoma high school axis of evil.
Sorry.
Nothing personal, but I hope Union loses.
That doesn’t make today different than every other day — except those rare days Union plays Jenks and I root for Union — but nothing would make me happier than watching Union fall.
I can’t be alone.
Everybody in this town should be there to see the Redskins lose. The Crosstown Clash should be a love-in, if only for a day, Tiger fans breaking bread with their North rivals, students from both schools lining up on the front row of the bleachers to come up with those creative jeers they typically reserve only for each other.
The T-Wolves themselves don’t see it this way.
Even though it was Union that ended their season last year. Even though it was Jenks the year before that. Even though it was Broken Arrow the year before that. For North, the Redskins, more than anything, are only one thing: in the way.
“I don’t think that any of the other years have anything to do with this year,” North coach Don Rother said.
It’s the right approach, of course. North is a different team. Read all about it in that other story I’ve got my name on this morning.
But for everybody else tonight couldn’t set up any better
Broken Arrow.
Jenks.
Union.
The Timberwolves have had their fill of the axis of evil. The Tigers, Trojans and Redskins will be building satellite campuses before truly breaking up. They’ll be like the California system, with UCLA, UCSB, UC-San Luis Obispo and UC-Davis. But, alas, they will continue to field one varsity team.
Opportunity?
Ha.
What’s opportunity against a gold ball?
Nothing wrong with that most of the time. Nothing wrong with never letting the scrubs off the bench until the game’s out of reach. Nothing wrong with suiting up only to win once you’re in the prep game. It’s the OSSAA, not the YMCA.
You bet it’s about winning.
But not like the axis of evil has chosen to win, thumbing its nose at the rest of the state, engaging in a not-so-little personal facilities race and then, when their teams win it all, believing it was all about superior coaching and effort and chemistry, never stopping to realize it was all about stacking the deck with single-district high schools that dwarf the rest of the state.
Next year, Southmoore opens. The third Norman high school can’t be far off. This much we know. It will open before the second one’s built at Jenks, Broken Arrow or, tonight’s villain, Union.
The T-Wolves will be playing for themselves. Not for everybody else. But that doesn’t mean everybody else can’t take delight in Goliath falling.
It’s not to be missed.
As a footnote Norman North beat Tulsa Union tonight 1-0 in double overtime.....justice....and Edmond Memorial beat Jenks 2-0 to set a West side State Championship game...