sitzpinkler
10/6/2006, 12:24 PM
Somebody sent this to me at work. I thought it was a good read.
During my 2001 season at City College of San Francisco, I played in front of an average crowd of about 350 fans. The fan-sprinkled bleachers made as much noise as they could muster, often times losing their voices before my coaches lost theirs. Noise was such an exhausted resource that I could sometimes single out my father's voice before the snap; he'd be pounding his fists together urging me to bring the pain.
Fast forward to my 2002 season at Dallas' Cotton Bowl, chosen home of the Sooners that season - there were more than 350 fans.
The place was swarming with crimson and cream, burnt-orange and white, beer, choice words, high-fives, and middle fingers. Noise was a seemingly limitless resource, and there was no way I would ever hear my father's voice let alone pick him out of a standing army of fans. It was in the most electrifying atmosphere in college football and a part for some of the best times of my life.
As a result of the amazing times I've had playing in the Red River Shootout, I find it only fitting that I give back to you guys some the memories that you helped make so special.
Preparation Week
We weren't necessarily more focused; we always carried a pretty strong sense of focus. But we were definitely more excited. I believe during that week, the teams intensity came it's closest to matching that of the coaches.
The coaches and the players were on the same page that whole week and grew closer as we were typically determined the underdog by the media. For some reason the national media sided with Texas so much we'd wonder if Phil Simms was writing everyone's script.
Texas' arrogance and disproportionate media coverage simply fueled our fire, making us all the more intent on getting the most out of practice.
Preparation for Texas starts with spring ball, continues through summer ball, and is squeezed in any bye-week available. The reason why so much time is spent on preparation for Texas is because Texas is no regular game. It's a momentum game. The victor of that game usually goes on to a championship season. By the time the week of the game comes around there aren't too many surprises. Just hungry, anxious, and slightly ticked off Sooners ready to barbecue some BEVO!
The Night Before
The word "meeting" doesn't begin to describe the sheer volume of video tape watched and assignment checks that goes on the night before the game. The whole team, players, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, as well as the fans go above and beyond the normal game routine.
Once we're freed from meetings we receive the blessing, and curse, of free time. Sure the players are happy that their sore eyes no longer have to stare at the projectors screen, but, well... now what? Nerves are what. Although every player has their own unique pregame rituals, all are subjected to the excitement and anticipation of OU-Texas.
During my years at Oklahoma I included my housemates Chris Chester and Chris Bush in most of my pregame rituals. We would watch movies, play video games, punch each other. In other words, do practically anything to mellow our impatient minds.
Once we had "lights-out" we would return to our rooms and try our best to pretend to sleep soundly. The next morning you could feel the electricity in the air. I would wake up to the sound of TV sets broadcasting earlier games that day, bass pounding out of boom boxes, the sound of hair clippers tightening hairlines for the big game, and of course the occasion blood curdling war cry from some random teammate that just can't keep it under wraps anymore.
Chapel usually calms us down, but not on OU/Texas weekend. Our team Chaplin would "just by coincidence" schedule a guest speaker who had the tendency to speak fire, righteous fire, but none the less it would pour gasoline on our already well lit flames.
Walk-through's were quiet and done very precisely. There was no room for jokes or disorder by that time.
Bus Ride to the Cotton Bowl
The movie Gladiator comes to mind when I think of the drive to the stadium.
Once the team entered the area of the Cotton Bowl we saw a few fans here and there leaving their cars to make their way to the stadium. By the time we got close to the locker room the bus had to reduce its speed to a slow creep to avoid hitting anyone. Like in the film when the gladiators were approaching the Coliseum, the streets were jammed-packed with fans hungry for football and bragging rights.
Fans would slap the side of the bus and cheer us all the way to the locker room. Although I had my game face on during that time it was hard not to crack a smile back at the awe-inspiring crowd. Sitting there on the bus looking out the window made me feel on top of the world and honored to be fortunate enough to experience such a sight.
Pregame
My largest concern was running the risk of exhausting myself by being too excited. Folks who attended games during the seasons I played may have noticed my tendency to become intoxicated under the influence of excitement before and during games.
As a result of the magnitude of the game I had to be extra careful with watching my heart rate. Extra adrenaline added to an already exhilarating situation could yield some crumpling results; think I'm joking, ask Dan Cody. A couple of seasons ago he collapsed due to similar reasons.
During warm-ups everything was leveled up. During our linebacker warm-ups we would move faster, react quicker and gladly hit each other harder. We welcomed the smacking, because the harder we hit each other the more we woke each other up to the intensity of the game to come.
I don't remember much of the return trip back to the locker room due to the fact that the game was so close to happening. I would go through so many mental checks and visualizations of myself that I barely paid attention to the locker room.
That is, until prayer. Our team prayer was the last private event we would have amongst each other before kick-off. It was a special and quiet moment where we all stepped off our clouds to take a knee and humble ourselves before God.
After thanking God for being blessed to play in such a game, we strapped up our helmets and it was on!
Gametime
As I stood in the tunnel waiting to get the okay to take the field I felt as if every part of my body was alive and responsive to the stimulation of the crowd. All of the months of preparation were about to meet their opportunity.
Running on to the Cotton Bowl field can make a healthy heart skip a beat. As we took the field our fans erupted in a powerful roar so loud I couldn't hear myself yelling back at them.
Half of the stadium was orange and the other half was good-looking.
Never in any level of football that I played have I seen such a division of fans. Then came the chants of "Boomer Sooner" and "Texas Sucks" said with such power and clarity it was almost as if titans were yelling back and forth to one and another.
Once both teams made it to their respective sidelines the taunting began. We would look across the 50 yard field into eyes looking right back at us. I would look for jersey numbers to size up my competition and hopefully spark some trash talking. I wanted Texas to know who was going to be cat and who was going to be mouse.
The Experience
Although I didn't get the chance to play in the blow out my second year, I'm sure if I did I would still be more satisfied by the 35-24 victory.
It's always fun to demolish a team and firmly establish dominance. However, the come from behind victories have always been my favorite. By the first quarter the Texas fans were giving high-fives and doing some serious gloating. By the beginning of the second quarter they were drunk with confidence. By the end of the second quarter they were worried. By the third quarter Mack Brown started to get that familiar deflated look on his face and by forth quarter the stands started to lose most of it's burnt orange complexion.
Victory was so sweet.
Memories
My favorite memory was the feeling of invincibility. Although there is no such thing as a football player being physically invincible, the mind is a much different ballgame.
During my first OU/Texas game, as a result of excellent preparation and being simply sick and tired of hearing the Texas hype mill, we unleashed a whoopin' on Texas that I'll never forget. Even though Texas had the lead early in the game, there was no doubt in my mind that our defense was going to abuse Simms and his long-horned friends.
Our defense was all but too excited to let our pads do the talking for us. We were faster and smarter and ultimately played a better game than Texas that day.
Some of the standout moments of that game were Antwone Savage's 60-plus yard kickoff return, Andre Woolfolk's amazing "pick-pocket" interception, and the defense all day long.
As for my favorite personal play, there was a play during that game when I hit Cedric Benson so hard my own helmet came of. Although I got hit in the head after my cap popped off, I felt nothing; that TFL (tackle for loss) was just what the doctor ordered. However after the game I nursed a very tender knot on the backside of my head.
If there could be any question as to how much that game meant to me, next seasons Red River Shootout would clear the air of all doubt.
As a result of an unfortunate injury I was sidelined for my senior OU/Texas game. It was such a tough game to miss that I still get a little choked up just writing about it.
As my team prepared to take the field that they would soon demolish Texas on, I stood on the sideline and fought back the tears on the brim of my eyelids. There was nothing more that I wanted in life more than to play on that field that day. To add insult to injury Texas' Roy Williams came up to me to shake my hand and be all buddy-buddy. Every bone in my body wanted to tackle him right where he stood.
Consequently, it was the same handshake that he tried to give to Brandon Everage that ignited the pre-game squabble that received so much media attention.
I think Roy got the message: save the etiquette for a different game.
Now don't get me wrong, sportsmanship is an essential component to all sports.
However, OU-Texas is a whole different ballgame.
During my 2001 season at City College of San Francisco, I played in front of an average crowd of about 350 fans. The fan-sprinkled bleachers made as much noise as they could muster, often times losing their voices before my coaches lost theirs. Noise was such an exhausted resource that I could sometimes single out my father's voice before the snap; he'd be pounding his fists together urging me to bring the pain.
Fast forward to my 2002 season at Dallas' Cotton Bowl, chosen home of the Sooners that season - there were more than 350 fans.
The place was swarming with crimson and cream, burnt-orange and white, beer, choice words, high-fives, and middle fingers. Noise was a seemingly limitless resource, and there was no way I would ever hear my father's voice let alone pick him out of a standing army of fans. It was in the most electrifying atmosphere in college football and a part for some of the best times of my life.
As a result of the amazing times I've had playing in the Red River Shootout, I find it only fitting that I give back to you guys some the memories that you helped make so special.
Preparation Week
We weren't necessarily more focused; we always carried a pretty strong sense of focus. But we were definitely more excited. I believe during that week, the teams intensity came it's closest to matching that of the coaches.
The coaches and the players were on the same page that whole week and grew closer as we were typically determined the underdog by the media. For some reason the national media sided with Texas so much we'd wonder if Phil Simms was writing everyone's script.
Texas' arrogance and disproportionate media coverage simply fueled our fire, making us all the more intent on getting the most out of practice.
Preparation for Texas starts with spring ball, continues through summer ball, and is squeezed in any bye-week available. The reason why so much time is spent on preparation for Texas is because Texas is no regular game. It's a momentum game. The victor of that game usually goes on to a championship season. By the time the week of the game comes around there aren't too many surprises. Just hungry, anxious, and slightly ticked off Sooners ready to barbecue some BEVO!
The Night Before
The word "meeting" doesn't begin to describe the sheer volume of video tape watched and assignment checks that goes on the night before the game. The whole team, players, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, as well as the fans go above and beyond the normal game routine.
Once we're freed from meetings we receive the blessing, and curse, of free time. Sure the players are happy that their sore eyes no longer have to stare at the projectors screen, but, well... now what? Nerves are what. Although every player has their own unique pregame rituals, all are subjected to the excitement and anticipation of OU-Texas.
During my years at Oklahoma I included my housemates Chris Chester and Chris Bush in most of my pregame rituals. We would watch movies, play video games, punch each other. In other words, do practically anything to mellow our impatient minds.
Once we had "lights-out" we would return to our rooms and try our best to pretend to sleep soundly. The next morning you could feel the electricity in the air. I would wake up to the sound of TV sets broadcasting earlier games that day, bass pounding out of boom boxes, the sound of hair clippers tightening hairlines for the big game, and of course the occasion blood curdling war cry from some random teammate that just can't keep it under wraps anymore.
Chapel usually calms us down, but not on OU/Texas weekend. Our team Chaplin would "just by coincidence" schedule a guest speaker who had the tendency to speak fire, righteous fire, but none the less it would pour gasoline on our already well lit flames.
Walk-through's were quiet and done very precisely. There was no room for jokes or disorder by that time.
Bus Ride to the Cotton Bowl
The movie Gladiator comes to mind when I think of the drive to the stadium.
Once the team entered the area of the Cotton Bowl we saw a few fans here and there leaving their cars to make their way to the stadium. By the time we got close to the locker room the bus had to reduce its speed to a slow creep to avoid hitting anyone. Like in the film when the gladiators were approaching the Coliseum, the streets were jammed-packed with fans hungry for football and bragging rights.
Fans would slap the side of the bus and cheer us all the way to the locker room. Although I had my game face on during that time it was hard not to crack a smile back at the awe-inspiring crowd. Sitting there on the bus looking out the window made me feel on top of the world and honored to be fortunate enough to experience such a sight.
Pregame
My largest concern was running the risk of exhausting myself by being too excited. Folks who attended games during the seasons I played may have noticed my tendency to become intoxicated under the influence of excitement before and during games.
As a result of the magnitude of the game I had to be extra careful with watching my heart rate. Extra adrenaline added to an already exhilarating situation could yield some crumpling results; think I'm joking, ask Dan Cody. A couple of seasons ago he collapsed due to similar reasons.
During warm-ups everything was leveled up. During our linebacker warm-ups we would move faster, react quicker and gladly hit each other harder. We welcomed the smacking, because the harder we hit each other the more we woke each other up to the intensity of the game to come.
I don't remember much of the return trip back to the locker room due to the fact that the game was so close to happening. I would go through so many mental checks and visualizations of myself that I barely paid attention to the locker room.
That is, until prayer. Our team prayer was the last private event we would have amongst each other before kick-off. It was a special and quiet moment where we all stepped off our clouds to take a knee and humble ourselves before God.
After thanking God for being blessed to play in such a game, we strapped up our helmets and it was on!
Gametime
As I stood in the tunnel waiting to get the okay to take the field I felt as if every part of my body was alive and responsive to the stimulation of the crowd. All of the months of preparation were about to meet their opportunity.
Running on to the Cotton Bowl field can make a healthy heart skip a beat. As we took the field our fans erupted in a powerful roar so loud I couldn't hear myself yelling back at them.
Half of the stadium was orange and the other half was good-looking.
Never in any level of football that I played have I seen such a division of fans. Then came the chants of "Boomer Sooner" and "Texas Sucks" said with such power and clarity it was almost as if titans were yelling back and forth to one and another.
Once both teams made it to their respective sidelines the taunting began. We would look across the 50 yard field into eyes looking right back at us. I would look for jersey numbers to size up my competition and hopefully spark some trash talking. I wanted Texas to know who was going to be cat and who was going to be mouse.
The Experience
Although I didn't get the chance to play in the blow out my second year, I'm sure if I did I would still be more satisfied by the 35-24 victory.
It's always fun to demolish a team and firmly establish dominance. However, the come from behind victories have always been my favorite. By the first quarter the Texas fans were giving high-fives and doing some serious gloating. By the beginning of the second quarter they were drunk with confidence. By the end of the second quarter they were worried. By the third quarter Mack Brown started to get that familiar deflated look on his face and by forth quarter the stands started to lose most of it's burnt orange complexion.
Victory was so sweet.
Memories
My favorite memory was the feeling of invincibility. Although there is no such thing as a football player being physically invincible, the mind is a much different ballgame.
During my first OU/Texas game, as a result of excellent preparation and being simply sick and tired of hearing the Texas hype mill, we unleashed a whoopin' on Texas that I'll never forget. Even though Texas had the lead early in the game, there was no doubt in my mind that our defense was going to abuse Simms and his long-horned friends.
Our defense was all but too excited to let our pads do the talking for us. We were faster and smarter and ultimately played a better game than Texas that day.
Some of the standout moments of that game were Antwone Savage's 60-plus yard kickoff return, Andre Woolfolk's amazing "pick-pocket" interception, and the defense all day long.
As for my favorite personal play, there was a play during that game when I hit Cedric Benson so hard my own helmet came of. Although I got hit in the head after my cap popped off, I felt nothing; that TFL (tackle for loss) was just what the doctor ordered. However after the game I nursed a very tender knot on the backside of my head.
If there could be any question as to how much that game meant to me, next seasons Red River Shootout would clear the air of all doubt.
As a result of an unfortunate injury I was sidelined for my senior OU/Texas game. It was such a tough game to miss that I still get a little choked up just writing about it.
As my team prepared to take the field that they would soon demolish Texas on, I stood on the sideline and fought back the tears on the brim of my eyelids. There was nothing more that I wanted in life more than to play on that field that day. To add insult to injury Texas' Roy Williams came up to me to shake my hand and be all buddy-buddy. Every bone in my body wanted to tackle him right where he stood.
Consequently, it was the same handshake that he tried to give to Brandon Everage that ignited the pre-game squabble that received so much media attention.
I think Roy got the message: save the etiquette for a different game.
Now don't get me wrong, sportsmanship is an essential component to all sports.
However, OU-Texas is a whole different ballgame.