Your best memories around OU football . . .

[OK2LA]

I'm sure that this has probably been a thread on here before, but after reading the "bragging rights" thread, it got me thinking about all of the great games I'd been to and good times I had. Maybe some of you might like sharing a few of them AGAIN?

Probably my best memory is the Orange Bowl in 2000-2001 against fsu. My mom moved to tallahassee, fl a few years before, and I went down there the week before Christmas, and stayed with her the whole time. I read the paper everyday. It seemed that they'd always get these horrible pictures of Stoops in an akward looking face - trying to make him look foolish. There was lots of talk in that town about whippin our arses. I went to the mall before Christmas and wore my OU shirt, and man did I get some stares - I LOVED IT! I borrowed my mom's car the day of the game, and drove from tallahassee to miami. (a little bit bigger of a roadtrip than that Norman2Dallas drive!) I hooked up with some of my buddies, and we had a few cacktails and headed over to the game. I sat "by myself", and was a nervous wreck the whole game. The game ended pretty late, and being the idiot I was, I scheduled my flight back to California the next morning at like 10am . . . OUT OF JACKSONVILLE! (all the okies clogged up the flights out of every southern city in florida!) For those of you not familiar with the state of florida - check out a map. That was a helluva lot of driving I did in one day to watch a football game! I couldn't even hang around and party with everyone - I basically left after the game, and drove the whole night - I was exhausted! I had to pull over in a parking lot, and nap for a couple of hours before I made it to the airport. My mom met me at the airport that morning, and brought me the Tallahassee Democrat paper from that day. I have it framed in my house to this day.

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5169/eatingcrow2ni0.jpg

I was high as a kite for weeks after that. (I was trying to upload it to show you guys, but I can't figure out how to shrink the size of the picture!)
I just thought that I'd never see us win another national championship again - I was so happy that we reclaimed what was rightfully ours!

Looking forward to our next one!

[Blues1]

:D - OUCH...!!!! -- :D -- I can feel your JOY......!!!!
Amen and Amen.....

[Soonerus]

I have so many great memories, it is hard to pick one...sorry for the cop-out...

[4everasooner]

Remember when Bodick got kicked off the team in 06', and PT led us to a NC. Thats my best.

[AlbqSooner]

I was living in the Tampa area in 2000 - 2001 and thoroughly enjoyed taking money from the Semihole boosters.

Two of my favorite memories as a Sooner fan have to be: 1) sitting in Bryant/Denny stadium amid the Bama Season ticket holders watching us win that game, and 2) sitting in the upper deck of the Cotton Bowl (72) amid the whorn fans watching OU turn a 3-0 half-time lead into a 27-0 final score to cover the 21 point spread and complete my 5 team parlay. WOOT

[OK2LA]

sitting in the upper deck of the Cotton Bowl (72) amid the whorn fans watching OU turn a 3-0 half-time lead into a 27-0 final score to cover the 21 point spread and complete my 5 team parlay. WOOT


Hehe. I hear ya - back when I gambled on games, I had a few of those - I had OU + 11 I think it was in that orange bowl, and had the unders as well - I think it was something like 37? 4 on each! Bam!

Then came the Sugar Bowl - that's why I don't gamble anymore . . .

[setem]

I lived with my mom and dad in Arkansas for 5 years while I went to high school. I screwed off my soph year, I did not make very good grades and was not going to class like I should have been. I was deemed ineligible to play football for most of my junior season. We won the 5A state championship that year and even though I played in the 1st 4 games of the year as a back up; I did not get a ring. I practiced with the team and worked my *** of to get back in good graces. I did what was needed and I was able to play my Senior year. Our non conference opponents were three insanely good teams. Jefferson City, MO Webb City, MO and West Memphis, AR. The week before the season started one of the local news papers did a article about how JC was going destroy us and how we had no chance of beating them or Webb City. It also said we would be lucky to even win 2 games.

Jefferson City was the defending 6A state champion in MO. That is who we played 1st and I did not play at all. After we watched film that fallowing Monday, my position coach told me I would be starting against Webb City. They was coming into Bentonville with a 30 game winning streak and back to back to back state championships. ESPN Radio covered the game and it was on TV all over the state. This was the 1st time in 9 games I was getting to play. I did my job the whole game and didn’t make any solo tackles in the 1st half or the 3rd quarter. Webb City ran the option like crazy but there were never any holes for them to hand it off to the FB, so us interior d-linemen did not see much action except for hitting the guards & center to plug things up.

In the 4th quarter with about a 3 mins to go. We were up by 3 and Webb City had the ball. It was 3rd and short on their side of the field. They ran the option, the play was doomed from the start. The center blocked down on the other d-tackle and the guard on my side pulled. the QB hand the ball off the FB and it is just he and I one on one. I blasted his *** for a 2 yard loss. I remember seeing nothing but baby blue and smashing this guy clean. When my vision cleared I was standing over him shaking my finger. Not the classiest thing I know but I jacked! I was running and jumping off the field when over the PA I heard it...Ryan Webb on the tackle for a loss. The stadium went nuts. The speed D came on the field batted, down a pass and we got the ball back. We ran the clock out and won the game. We went on to win 6 more games including an overtime victory over Van Buren, AR.

After the game we were coming off the field and my dad was standing on one side of the gates that keep the people away from the players while they are leaving and entering the locker room. I hopped the fence and gave him a hug. I know that it was not a championship game or anything like that. I started to cry and he told me he has never been prouder. I know how disappointed he was that I had slacked off in school. I think by working as hard as I did and everything we had been through the year before, that moment right there for him was better than any state championship.

The next day we made the trip to Norman bright and early to watch the Sooners bash UCLA. We were still high from the night before and he was telling all of our family and friends about the game. Sometimes people get shy when someone is saying something good about them. I was not like that I took it all in. That day I watching Antonio Perkins return 3 punts for TD's and Tommie Harris get one of the greatest fumble recoveries I have ever seen. While that was happening I was thinking to myself “I know how those guys feel.” One tackle to one person can be like 3 punt returns and an awesome fumble recovery...well maybe not but it was to me. It was an amazing weekend, great football, good times and family. Sorry that this is more my football that it was Sooner football. It is my favorite Sooner memory though.

[westcoast_sooner]

To have been in the stands in Dallas for both 63-14 AND 65-13. :D

Having said that, I was boxing up my sports memorabilia, since my wife and I are remodeling our house, and we have to move out. I ran across the sports page from after the Orange bowl from the 2000 team. THAT brought back a lot of sweet memories.

[jbstrick]

Every Thanksgiving. OU-NU.

[sooneron]

I remember walking onto the field after the smu game in 85- it was postponed til Dec for some reason, and I knew we were going to kick *** in the OB against PSU.

[Soonerus]

Gawd, I remember the SMU game being postponed but I cannot remember why....

[pb4ou]

Mine would have to be the OU-OSU game of 1988. I was probably the only Soonerfan in the section where I was sitting. The game was in Stillwater and late in the game, Barry Sanders scored a TD to give OSU the lead 28-24.

Everyone was jumping up and down, even the concession stand workers. OU was putting together a pretty nice drive toward the end of the game. OU called a time out. On the way back to the huddle from the timeout, Charles Thompson tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. The sound of spontaneous laughter filled the stadium. Thompson composed himself, called the play and took a QB option to the house. OU took the lead 31-28. I was the only one juming up and down in my section.

After that, most of us know what happened. The taunting penalty on OSU's fullback and the OSU's receiver, Brent Parker, dropping the winning TD pass in the endzone. OU wins, again.

After the game, my dad came and picked me up. While stopping at the traffic light on the way home, a nice sports car pulled up next to our car. The driver rolled the down his window and spit on the road then he cursed. I looked over and it was Pat Jones. I laughed and told my dad, "Look, there's Pat Jones." Once the light turned green, Pat peeled off and my dad and I got a chuckle out of that moment.

[Soonerus]

Mine would have to be the OU-OSU game of 1988. I was probably the only Soonerfan in the section where I was sitting. The game was in Stillwater and late in the game, Barry Sanders scored a TD to give OSU the lead 28-24.

Everyone was jumping up and down, even the concession stand workers. OU was putting together a pretty nice drive toward the end of the game. OU called a time out. On the way back to the huddle from the timeout, Charles Thompson tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. The sound of spontaneous laughter filled the stadium. Thompson composed himself, called the play and took a QB option to the house. OU took the lead 31-28. I was the only one juming up and down in my section.

After that, most of us know what happened. The taunting penalty on OSU's fullback and the OSU's receiver, Brent Parker, dropping the winning TD pass in the endzone. OU wins, again.

After the game, my dad came and picked me up. While stopping at the traffic light on the way home, a nice sports car pulled up next to our car. The driver rolled the down his window and spit on the road then he cursed. I looked over and it was Pat Jones. I laughed and told my dad, "Look, there's Pat Jones." Once the light turned green, Pat peeled off and my dad and I got a chuckle out of that moment.

I was there too, a great game...the Parker game to OSU fans...

[King Crimson]

I remember walking onto the field after the smu game in 85- it was postponed til Dec for some reason, and I knew we were going to kick *** in the OB against PSU.

i was at that game.

overall, going to all the home games with my Dad from about 75-85...was just the shizz and my fave Sooner memory. we walked to the games and Norman on gameday was really something special. he had a panasonic pocket radio and hearing the Mike Treps/John Brooks pregame as we walked through the neighborhoods of Norman to Owen Field--the weird buzz of the banner dragging airplane overhead. getting a couple sammies at Amspachers, and the cattle troughs full of beer. walking up the ramps into the stadium with the smell of cheap stogies.

good times.

[LoyalFan]

Mine was my first OU game. 1956, v. Whorns.
My dad (a Mizzou grad) drove us to Dallas where we checked into the Adolphus, then went out to enjoy the madness on Commerce St.
Next day, I sat alone in a sea of "adult" Whorns (Mom and Dad had seats elsewhere) on the 40 yd line and suffered peltings of pop and popcorn as I shrieked my joy at every Sooner score (Final: 45-zip), until, that is, a tall fellow, forty-ish, in western-style suit and big Stetson stood and addressed the evildoers..."Now ya'll better leave this boy alone, because the next one, man or woman, who messes with him is gonna have to deal with me."...That's when I noticed his OU class ring.
It was wonderful, thanks to Saint Bud, Tommy McD, Clendon Thomas, Jerry Tubbs, etc.
At age 13 I became a SoonerFan for life.

LoyalFan

[GDC]

Listening on the radio, freezing in the dark, in my dad's old car as the first reports of OU's championship in '74 came over the wire.

[CU Sooner]

Most recently would be the last FSU Orange Bowl. When Q scored the TD I was jumping and hollering so much I got light headed, fell and almost passed out. One of the greatest feelings I've ever experienced.

[King Crimson]

Listening on the radio, freezing in the dark, in my dad's old car as the first reports of OU's championship in '74 came over the wire.

driving down Imhoff in Norman in teh back seat of my dad's Jeep Wagoneer with him and a buddy of his....when the 78 OB rematch with Nebraska was announced....and we all looked at each other and smiled "Hell YEAH!".

[Duke o Brewery]

1. Jan. 2001 - Standing in silence as a freshmen member of the Pride of Oklahoma in ProPlayer Stadium with tears trickling down my face as the scoreboard flashed "OKLAHOMA SOONERS - NATIONAL CHAMPIONS" over and over.

2. Oct. 2001 - Dallas - Roy Williams leaping over the texas OL on their own goal line late in the fourth to knock the ball out of Chris Simms' hand and into the arms of Teddy Lehman for the game winning touchdown. I've never heard Sooner fans cheer so loudly and happily before or since. My voice didn't come back for days.

3. 2000 #3OU vs. #1Nebraska - Heupel leads the boys in crimson back from a 14-0 deficit to stun the powerful Huskers and reclaim the number one spot in the nation for the first time in over a decade. The fans stormed the field. It was total pandemonium in Memorial Stadium. Although the South endzone goalpost was defended successfully by use of pepper spray, the exultant fans were able to pull down the North goalpost. Their insane, though intriguing, plan to throw that goalpost out of the stadium was halted by the PA announcer's command that they "Please not throw the goalpost out of the stadium."

4. 1997 - A poor OU squad held a small lead over the ranked Syracuse Orangemen under Donovan McNabb. 'Cuse went for a fieldgoal to win it as time expired in the fourth. The crowd noise could be heard for miles. The kick was blocked, I think by one of the Ivy brothers, and a victory starved Sooner Nation stormed Owen Field...Including myself.

[HarrisTubbsFan]

1996 when James Allen got his redemption in beating Texas.

Pick a DeMond Parker run

Calmus forcing the fumble against Weinke

But the best memory is Roy Williams leap against Texas and Chrissy Simms.

[Legendarybud]

The memory of the 1957 Notre Dame game that ended the 47 game streak. Some events leave permanent scars! I remember how badly I wanted the streak to make it to 50. I guess because that would have been golden. I always liked Bud's comment to his players after that game, "The only ones who never lose are the ones who never play."

[poke4christ]

Forgive me, but the 2002 (38-28) game in Stillwater was an amazing experience as an OSU student. To do something so unexpected against the quality of the OU team that year was amazing.

Since I'm on an OU board though, I'll also mention this. I was in High School back in 2000 and I hadn't yet decided where I was going to school. My friend was an OU fan and I went over to his house and watched the Championship with him. That was an amazing year. Seeing OU move up the rankings and then win the championship. I still remember excitement we had.

Now I'm die hard OSU, but back then I hadn't made my allegiance yet, so I rooted my heart out for the sooners.

Zach

[TheGodfather889]

I would definetely say the 2000 season capped off by the win over Florida State. I grew up during the "dark ages" and I was really sick of seeing the team struggle. The only thing that got me excited to watch the Blake era was Demond Parker. The 2000 season was and still is so special to me. I'll never forget those days. I'm an emotional guy and being a sophomore in high school at the time when OU beat Florida State I did shed some tears. I am very happy to have my National Championship but at the same time I'm greedy and I want to win another very badly.

[aurorasooner]

hanging half-a-hundred by halftime, and heading to the pub, then comming back in to owen field and yelling for the 3rd and 4th teamers to do well. ---pruitt's cut in mid-air vs the whorns in the early 70s. --- when we played the corn in lincoln, quail hunting early thanksgiving morning, and then everybody comming back to watch the game.---- the friday drive to dallas with your girlfriend and another couple for the OU-texas game, then having monday off to recuperate from the "animal house" weekend debaucheries. ----a humble QB like steve davis just happy to be the OU starting QB. ---joe washington, best RB I ever saw. ------witnessing the 2 aggie KO returners line up to receive our KO, behind our KO team and have to run the length of the field. a "classic aggie"----remembering listening to mike trepps radio call the OU/usc "PUs vs semi's game" and not being able to tell WTF was going on. that radio broadcast makes todays BBsr OU game broadcasting look hall-of-fame. ---early 70s new orleans for the sugar bowls and the auburn girls drawling "waaaar eagle", among other things---

[tulsaoilerfan]

Uwe's kick in 77 vs Ohio St is my fave; we were getting ready to go to Cushing to play a Pee Wee football game, and i jumped straight up into the air when he made it; great memory!

[TheUnnamedSooner]

'04 Dio and I went to the baylor game then to San Antonio for a Metallica show. That was great!

[OK2LA]

hanging half-a-hundred by halftime, and heading to the pub, then comming back in to owen field and yelling for the 3rd and 4th teamers to do well. ---pruitt's cut in mid-air vs the whorns in the early 70s. --- when we played the corn in lincoln, quail hunting early thanksgiving morning, and then everybody comming back to watch the game.---- the friday drive to dallas with your girlfriend and another couple for the OU-texas game, then having monday off to recuperate from the "animal house" weekend debaucheries. ----a humble QB like steve davis just happy to be the OU starting QB. ---joe washington, best RB I ever saw. ------witnessing the 2 aggie KO returners line up to receive our KO, behind our KO team and have to run the length of the field. a "classic aggie"----remembering listening to mike trepps radio call the OU/usc "PUs vs semi's game" and not being able to tell WTF was going on. that radio broadcast makes todays BBsr OU game broadcasting look hall-of-fame. ---early 70s new orleans for the sugar bowls and the auburn girls drawling "waaaar eagle", among other things---

So many to choose from . . . I feel the same way - O'connell's at halftime - My one and only Commerce street showing - those drives to Dalli . . . and the drive back - The many "Victory Parties" we had for the first home game - even in the Gibbs era.

I've just really enjoyed all of the stories - keep 'em comin'.

[Sooner24]

I remember walking onto the field after the smu game in 85- it was postponed til Dec for some reason, and I knew we were going to kick *** in the OB against PSU.




Gawd, I remember the SMU game being postponed but I cannot remember why....



Gee if you guys would just read my thread you would know these things. ;)


http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71966


1985


1985 was a strange season in several ways. The home opener was supposed to be September 14 against SMU but ABC asks if we would change the game to December 1 for television. SMU and OU both agreed to move the game. Now a Sept 14th home opener is late anyway but to top it off we had an open week between SMU and our second game of the season at Minnesota. This meant our first game of the year wasn’t until September 28th and our first home game that year was the October 19th home opener against Miami. Can you imagine the reaction if in 2006 our first home game was still two months away?

The next thing that was strange about 1985 was the fact that we were the AP preseason number one team, finished the season ranked number one, but we never played a game the entire season ranked number one. By the time we had played our first game that year several teams had already played three and some four games. We fell out of the number one spot without ever playing a game and fell all the way to tenth after losing to Miami. The only other time we were ranked number one again that season, was after Tennessee beat Miami in the Sugar Bowl and we dispatched Penn State in the Orange Bowl. I have tried to find someone else that may have accomplished this feat but have not been able to do so.

The last thing that made this such a strange year was the fact that Troy got his leg broke in the Miami game and we had to count on a true freshman in Jamelle Holieway to lead us the rest of the year. Funny thing was after the Miami game was over I wasn’t worried about the rest of the season just by the way Holieway handled the offense. He looked like a junior or senior calling the plays.

Now to my favorite game.

This year like 1984 was an easy game to pick and it would be the Nebraska game. Nebraska came into the game ranked number two and if we were going to entertain any thoughts of winning the National Title we had to beat the Cornhuskers. Our defense played lights out and shutout the Bugeatters offense. If not for them stripping the ball and running it all the way back in the closing seconds of the game we would have shut them out. Of course the big play of the day was Keith Jackson taking an end around pitch and going 70 something yards for a touchdown. OU moved the ball up and down the field and Nebraska was never in this game from the start. This was the second most dominating game I have ever seen OU play against Nebraska with the 1973 shutout being the most.

[nBoSTP]

My favorite sooner memory was when Spencer Tillman dove into the endzone from the 5 yard line against Nebraska in 1983.

[budbarrybob]

Easily it was the OU/Nebraska game 2000. The atmosphere walking into the stadium 20 mins early and it was already at capacity. Pom-pons shaking/band playing. The noise level of that game hasn't been surpassed since. it was INCREDIBLE Hook 'em

[opksooner]

Homecoming, '53, Colorado. Early in "the streak". Sluggish performance on a damp, dreary, October day. Very late in the game CU ties it up at 20 - 20 with less than a minute left in the game. CU kicks off. Sooners move the ball to near midfield. Time running out..............everyone expecting a pass........Gene Calame.......play action fake........hands off to Merrill Green...... there's a giant hole up the gut........all the way.....51 yards.....TD OKLAHOMA!!!

SOONERS WIN, 27 -20, AS TIME RUNS OUT!

[OK2LA]

Homecoming, '53, Colorado. Early in "the streak". Sluggish performance on a damp, dreary, October day. Very late in the game CU ties it up at 20 - 20 with less than a minute left in the game. CU kicks off. Sooners move the ball to near midfield. Time running out..............everyone expecting a pass........Eddie Crowder.......play action fake........hands off to Merrill Green...... there's a giant hole up the gut........all the way.....51 yards.....TD OKLAHOMA!!!

SOONERS WIN, 27 -20, AS TIME RUNS OUT!

Wow! I love those kinds of stories! I wonder how many other "close calls" there were in that streak. I heard about the ND game- (I think I heard that both games were pretty close)

Thanks for sharing a great story - these are things that you don't see when you look at the scoreboard/box score.

[jackietreehorn]

setem... jesus man i can't believe you wrote all that.

my favorite was the nebraska game in 2000. nuff said.

another great one was in 2004, AD does a spin move on our 30, nothing but daylight in front of him. i was sitting in the osu student section, as soon as he spun i turned around to face an entire section of hunter's safety orange and signalled touchdown ( i was sh*tfaced and sitting on like the 10th row) and said "how bout that sh*t? if i could have gathered all the coins that were thrown at me immediately after i might not have to work. most enjoyable beating i've ever taken.

[Wishboned]

One of my favorite was the 85 game against Nebraska. I was stationed in Korea and I was the only Sooner fan in my entire platoon. There were two guys from Nebraska and I felt really outnumbered. Until the end of the day. I got so plastered and kept wandering up and down the halls of the barracks singing Boomer Sooner that someone finally locked me in my room.

Then during the Orange Bowl against Penn State I was still in Korea and they showed it on tape delay. One of the guys said he had talked to his cousin stateside earlier and was told Penn State had won. I said that I'd watch the game anyway and cheer for my Sooners win or lose.

Well we all know how it really ended up and once again they had to lock me in my room.

Good times, good times.

[BoogercountySooner]

1968 or so I was a wee lad playin paper cup football with my friends behind the bleachers in the South Endzone while OU was playin Nebraska. We came back up by the field and watched Steve Owens run over a couple of Huskers per carry, We saw the Cornhusker Mascot and we started chanting Cornholer Cornholer over and over. The Expression on his big head never changed.:)

[GDC]

Some of my fondest memories are from back when the whorns and whornlovers didn't dominate this board.

[fadada1]

4. 1997 - A poor OU squad held a small lead over the ranked Syracuse Orangemen under Donovan McNabb. 'Cuse went for a fieldgoal to win it as time expired in the fourth. The crowd noise could be heard for miles. The kick was blocked, I think by one of the Ivy brothers, and a victory starved Sooner Nation stormed Owen Field...Including myself.
how far we've come. while an exciting game, no doubt, rushing the field against syracuse is NOT what OKLAHOMA football is all about.

[Sooner Among The Pack]

For me, live and in person:

#3 Perkins returning 3 punts for TDs against UCLA in 2003. I remember screaming "Bring it back Antonio" before the first punt, and I never would have imagined he would do it thrice :)

#2 65-13. Two moments stand out: VY's fumble at the 2, when the game was still close early, and the deflection that Jonathan Jackson walked in for the TD. What a magical Saturday that was :)

#1 Renaldo Works' 47 yd shovel pass setting up Kejuan's go ahead TD to complete the comeback against 'Bama in 2002. I tell people that was the single most amazing moment in sports I've ever witnessed. Seeing that clip today still gives me chillbumps.

[goingoneight]

5. "The Play..." I saw Chrissy go down and heard an uproar that must have been heard on the other side of the world. All the while I'm looking at Chrissy laying on his back adjusting his helmet, saying to myself... "what happened?" Where's the ball? Of course two seconds later, I saw Mr. Referee signal the TD and Lehman dancing in the corner of the endzone and I looked up at the screen and watched the replay. Sure enough, "Chris Simms back to pass... TOUCHDOWN LEHMAN!!! TOUCHDOWN OKLAHOMA!!!"

4. OU/OSU 2003: You have no idea how great it felt. I had the worst display of classlessness in the Stool in 2002, with a cocky Lester Miles making matters worse when my cousin wanted his autograph (what a dick). I cherish Bradleys sloppy TD pass to Clayton perhaps more than any "play" in Sooner history. Did I mention I saw Lester hunching over as he was talking to the media during the famous "Let "R Rip?" I thought at first he was gonna swing at the camera man, then I found out he pretty much knew what was coming...

3. Jason White wins the Heisman Trophy. "I didn't want this, I just wanted to get back out there and play with my friends..." Humble, and honored, I choose to black out the 2003 drop-off. No one deserved it more than he in 2003. I believe Billy Sims shouted out "BOOMER!" in the auditorium... That was great, too.

2. 65-13. The trip to the bid D rocked. The night in the west end rocked. The fair rocked. The crowd rocked... for three quarters at least. :D I've never seen an offense (USC "dynasty" included) look so pumped and potent. GO-HOME-TEX-***, GO-HOME-TEX-***!!!" Heh, almost as good as "FIVE-IN-A-ROW, FIVE-IN-A-ROW!!!"

1. OU/FSU week 2000/2001. The team, the dream, the underdog, the criticism, the shocking upset. One of the greatest stories ever told... period.