In Case You Missed It....

"It’s a euphoria you can’t buy and you can’t manufacture and you can take this win (with you) for the rest of your life.” ~Glenn Spencer (our defensive coordinator)


....  Pokes Win, Pokes Win!!

Last Saturday Cousin Swiss Mister and I were sworn, mortal enemies when his beloved Bears took on my Pokes on the football field.  (Sadly since he lives in Switzerland and I was busy studying for the bar, we didn't get to attend in person, but here are some flashback shots at prior events each dressed in our respective favorite colors!)

 

I am happy to report that the good guys came out on top (in dominating style) and the final score was 49-17.

 

 So now we have a week off to eat some turkey and get ready for the Bedlam battle against OU.  A win gets us the Big 12 Championship and a BCS bowl game.  The last time that was on the line at Bedlam ended up being one of the three most exciting sporting events of my life.  Here's to that happening again!

 

 

Seven Quick Takes

My friend Super Mom links up for Seven Quick Takes every week, so I figured it was time for me to join in the fun!

(1)  I could not be more excited about this weekend.....I have 9 of my favorite ladies headed to town today to celebrate my birthday (yes...I'm still celebrating two weeks later...don't judge)!  We've got lots of fun planned, but the big event is watching my OSU Cowboys beat up on the Texas Longhorns tomorrow in Austin!  CANNOT WAIT.

OSU v. Texas game circa 2009...this ending best be better than that one!

(2)  Last Thursday, these arrived on my desk.  My favorite flowers.  And a precious card.  That boyfriend of mine......I think I'll keep him around.

(3)  I am in love with Compass by Lady Antebellum right now.  If you haven't heard it, listen right this minute.

(4)  I'll be spending Thanksgiving Day with year with The Boy from Texas and his family.  Now, being a good country girl, I knew I had to cook something to take.  But, well, you all remember about how I almost burn my house down and what not when I try to be domestic.  However, Super Mom came to my rescue with this pumpkin crunch recipe that I will be whipping up for the event.  Wish me (and all of those who consume said cake) luck!

(5)  Let's talk about how much I hate Fantasy Football right now.  I drafted good teams.  I am literally projected to win almost every week.  My records in the two leagues I'm in?  5-5 and 3-7.  How does this happen, you ask?  I have had at least 5 guys out with season-ending injuries, Aaron Rodgers' collar bone is making me lose sleep, and don't even get me started on what a colossal flop my first round pick Trent Richardson was.  Oh, and for those of you who recall a little bet about who will be moving to be with whom based on Fantasy Football....The Boy from Texas has now officially beat me twice.  By like 50 points each time.  Yea.

(6)  One of my favorite bloggers, The Single Woman, recently wrote a book.  She also wrote a blog explaining why she decided to take on the book writing task.  If you're single....or were single....or know someone who is single....read this blog.  She understands both the downside and the upside to being single long after everyone else in the world seems to have a husband.

(7)  I'm excited about the Virtual Turkey Trot that Almost Gypsy Soul and I are hosting!  To read more about that, click here.  Basically you just have to run or walk a 5K over the week or so around Thanksgiving--whether an official race or just you jogging down a dirt road, which is my plan--and let us know.  You can email us photos or can do your own blog about it.  Here's the best part.....if we get participants from 10 states, we are making donations to the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots!!  So help some girls out here!

Bear for a Night

“And a special thanks for not burning up the whole ship. Including yourself, you daft bum-rag.” 
~ Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan

Cousin Swiss Mister is a Baylor Bear fan through and through.  I'm not sure that I've ever seen anyone be quite so proud of his alma mater.  So I wasn't all that surprised when he announced that he was going to fly 5,000 miles from Switzerland to attend the Baylor v. OU game last Thursday.  I was lucky enough to get an invite to this shindig.  Well, you know that I love all things college football AND Cousin Swiss Mister, so you best believe I was there!

We kicked things off with a little tailgating with some of Cousin Swiss Mister's friends.  This included a live 80's cover band and free bbq for everyone.  Hard to beat that!

 The best part of the night was when Cousin Swiss Mister, an admitted pyro, decided that the "redneck fire pit" needed another log.  (The fire pit was a metal bucket with charcoal and 1/2 a fire long in it to keep everyone warm.  Cousin Swiss Mister threw the half a fire log from across the tailgate to the bucket.  It was kind of like slow motion....you could see the disaster fixing to happen, but couldn't stop it.  Of course, the bucket tips over and catches the grass on fire.  Right next to a truck tire.  Cousin Swiss Mister tried to stomp it out with his tennis shoes.  We had no water (would beer have helped or make it worse?!?).  At one point he drugs his foot across it instead of stomping, which sent sparks everywhere.  Finally a nice guy in steel toed boots came over and helped stomp things out and someone else brought over some water to pour on the grass.  You literally never know what kind of disaster is coming next with this kid.

Then we headed to the stadium for the game.  Baylor did a black out and I have to admit I was impressed that just about every single Baylor fan complied and was decked out in black, myself included.

The game started out slow and kind of strange---I thought Cousin Swiss Mister might have a heart attack.  But in the end, his Bears pulled out the big W against Oklahoma and remained undefeated.  He was one happy camper. 

So that was my being a Bear for a night.  His Bears are on a collision course with my Pokes in two weeks....winner will have a huge shot at a Big 12 title.....so my green and gold days are limited!

Throwback Thursday #63: Homecoming in Stillwater

"Stillwater has a population of thousands, but is home to millions." 

Hallelujah, kids, it's Homecoming in Stillwater!  SO excited to be headed northbound 35 to meet up with 50,000 orange-clad faithful to celebrate our love for Oklahoma State.  In honor of this big event (which will also be The Boy from Texas' first time to attend the festivities!), I wanted to share a few photos of homecomings past.

I swear I don't know how he was ever that little!

Famous NY, NY kickline

 

 

Happy Homecoming and Go Pokes!! 

Remember the Alamo (Dome)

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.”   ~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

This past weekend The Boy from Texas and I headed to San Antonio to watch my OSU Cowboys play UTSA at the Alamo Dome! 

Y'all.  Watching a game in the Alamo Dome may well have ruined me for college football.  It was hot, muggy and humid outside.  But in the Dome?  A perfect 70 degrees.  I almost wished I had brought a sweater.  It was awesome!

We spent the first half of the game with Fellow Cowboy in Aggieland and her friends and met up with BFF and Mrs. BFF for the second half.

Kickoff

Three of my favorite people.

UTSA's mascot is a roadrunner.  Lots of people had these shirts that say
"Respect the Pecker."  Hilarious.

The Pokes looked good and won big.  Still have a few lingering concerns about our defense, but we'll see how that shakes out down the line. 

So if you're keeping track, we have an OSU win, an air conditioned stadium, and a day spent with three of my favorite people in the world.  I'm a lucky girl.

After the game we headed to the River Walk.  I had never been, so I wanted to go in order to get myself a Bucket List checkmark.  We also got to deal with BFF in rare form--skipping down the street, almost shoving his wife into the river whilst totally scaring fellow River Walk walkers.  I think he was enjoying letting off a little steam after being so serious last week while he finished out his PhD!  That's right, kids.  BFF is officially a doctor.

After the walk, we grabbed steaks for lunch and enjoyed the cool air.  Then The Boy from Texas and I went to visit one of his best friends and spent a relaxing night chilling in his yard.  Then we made the 3 hour drive home.  Which probably would have sucked, except for the fact that it meant we got to hang out together for 3 hours, and we could stop for roasted pecans at Buckees!

The End.

My Response

"Every you'll find us, loyal and true, to our alma mater, OSU."  ~Oklahoma State University Alma Mater

I really did not want to comment on the Sports Illustrated article that has put my Oklahoma State Cowboy football program in the national news.  Because there is a lot that I don't know.  I don't know why SI came after us.  I don't why the article's "sources" are all players who were either kicked off the team, failed out of school, or quit.  I don't know why the author, Thayer Evans, has some vendetta against OSU.  I don't know why Sports Illustrated does not feel the way that other sports writers feel about this quack of a "journalist" (and I use that term lightly).

I also don't know if any of the allegations are true.  I wasn't in the locker room or on the field.  But it sure seems like a lot of the guys that were there have something to say (and it's not what you'll read in Sports Illustrated).  I did have class with some athletes--I sat next to John Lucas in speech and can tell you he was there every day and gave every speech that the rest of us gave.  A lineman was in my ag econ class, and he, too, showed up to class every day.  If those guys are a representation of the program, I'd say that the truth will not look much like the magazine article.

Another thing I don't know is why the article includes mentions of Cowboys who are unable to defend themselves like Vernon Grant and Darrant Williams.  Vernon was neighbors with College Roomie at I at OSU.  He was a good person. A son.  A friend.  He was killed in a car accident back in 2005.  How dare someone drag his name through the mud now based on what seems to be a ridiculous, unsupported vendetta.  Shame on you, Sports Illustrated.  Shame on you.  Let him rest in peace.

Here is what I do know.  I know that the three years I spent at Oklahoma State University were life changing.  That while I was there, I created friendships that will last forever.  I know that we are a school that pulls together and takes care of our own, whether it be a plane crash, an illness, or a magazine article.  And that I got an education that allowed me to succeed in law school and in my career.  I know that there is nothing like being part of a sea of orange singing the alma mater on game day.  Except for maybe rushing the field after beating OU for the Big 12 Championship or seeing the winning field goal at the Fiesta Bowl.  I know that 60,000 people coming back to campus every year for homecoming speaks volumes.  I know that no matter where I am, if I am wearing my orange, someone will come up to me and say, "Go Pokes" because they understand.  I know that I saw Mike Gundy include Coach Budke's widow in accepting the Fiesta Bowl trophy with tears in his eyes--and that's a pretty good picture what we mean when we talk about the OSU family.  And that the people who have graduated from my university and those who live in Stillwater are some of the best anywhere.  I know that I am proud to have my diploma hung on my office wall and to wear orange on Fridays and to call myself an alum of Oklahoma State University.

That's what I know.  That's what important.  And that's why I'll ever be loyal and true. 

#Iridewiththecowboys

When You Have Daughters, Teach Them About Football

"I always made it a point, right after our evening meal, to go down to the Grotto and thank the Good Lord and our marvelous Mary down there for me going to Notre Dame." -Johnny Lujack

When you have daughters, teach them about football.

Remember back in the olden days when I was pretty sure that my football knowledge was ruining my love life?  Well, all was redeemed recently when that knowledge came in handy and got me a discount on my  new truck.  Here's how it went down.

So I found a truck I liked and was busy negotiating with the salesman.  At some point, he brought in the sales manager.  He was like the closer--you know, "this truck won't last for long" and "you won't find a deal like this somewhere else" and "so can we sign the papers today" type closer.  I noticed that said closer was wearing a Notre Dame ring.  Of course, being the Notre Dame fan that I am, I asked if he went there and when he confirmed that he was an alum, I told him I was a huge football fan.  I then asked if I could get a Notre Dame discount.  He said I could have one, but only if I impressed him with my football knowledge.

Honey, please.  This was in the bag.  I'd been waiting for my whole life to be on this stage.

 The Four Horsemen.  Rudy.  Joe Montana.  Knute Rockne.  The Grotto.  Win one for the Gipper.  Lou Holtz.  Jeff Samardjiza.  Ara Parseghian.  Then let's add in my ability to discuss the two games that I've been to in great detail.  The 2010 unranked Notre Dame win over then-#5 ranked Utah in the rain.  The "Play Like a Champion" sign.  The real gold in the helmets--same as the real gold that covers the Our Lady on top of the Main Building dome.  Then last year's overtime win over Stanford including a four-down goal line stand by the Manti T'eo defense and Tommy Reese coming in to win the game after Everett Golson went out with a concussion.

I know my Irish football, kids.  Said closer was thoroughly impressed.  I got my discount.  And left feeling pretty proud of my football habit.  When you have daughters, teach them about football.

Oh, you wanna see the truck?