Sooners
While watching the OU Sooners special teams flatten the UCLA Bruins the other day, I remembered a conversation I had in the office recently.
A coworker was unfamiliar with the origins of the term "Sooner," so I explained that it was what folks who cheated in the Land Rush of 1889 were called. Generally, this cheating took the form of going into Indian Territory "sooner" than the official start time of April 22nd at noon to stake a claim.
This astute coworker paused to consider the tale. After a moment he observed, "So the mascot of the University of Oklahoma is a crook and a thief?"
That about sums it up, folks - especially during Barry Switzer's tenure. Go Big Red!
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No, no, no.... It's just about finding your plot sooner than others in the race... It's not about starting the race sooner than others... Sheesh...
Don't you remember Mrs. Leonard's Oklahoma history class in 9th grade?
:-)
I wasn't in Mrs. Leonard's Oklahoma History class! I was across the hall in Mrs Ogle's Worm Class...
OK... I stand corrected...
This is from http://www.travelok.com/infocenter/faq.asp#290
FAQ - What is a Sooner?
Oklahoma's nickname is the Sooner State. During the late 1800s, land runs were held in what is now Oklahoma. The movie, Far and Away, with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman was about one of these land runs. The name "sooner" was used for those landrunners who snuck past the territory markers prior to the actual shotgun start in search of the best land areas. Many of the northern and central communities in Oklahoma were established in a matter of hours. Norman is one of these communities, which is also the home of the University of Oklahoma, whose mascot is a sooner.
*sigh*
I will try not to gloat too much.
It was nice, skipping out on Oklahoma History. Both chapters!
Now, what was this worm class all about?
Bradley, GO BIG RED is for the University of Nebraska. I know this because I married into a family of Huskers. By saying GO BIG RED when you are trying to cheer on Oklahoma, you are committing an unthinkable college football faux paus. You must either not be from Oklahoma, or you are a latent Nebraska fan! Readers.....?
I will stand by my statements, having witnessed the OU band play the "Go Big Red" cheer at Owens Field in Norman.
Anybody want to back me up on this one?
That's about as bad as saying the Hydro Bobcats song is really for the Alva Goldbugs... Same tune, different words...
We even had a Go Big Red in Weatherford...
I'm just saying that OU fans also call their team Big Red, that's all.
Both OU and Nebraska have been using some shade of red since the 1890's, back when the Nebraska mascot was the Bugeaters. (No joke!) Technically, the Sooners are "crimson" and the Huskers are "scarlet," both of which are also known as "red."
As for "Hydro Bobcats," doesn't everybody know that's really "On Wisconsin?" I would guess that at least 10% of US high schools use that as a fight song.
(Personally, I'm partial to good old Weatherford High School's "Victors," which is the University of Michigan's fight song.)
Oh, and "worm class" = "GATE," aka "screwing around with TRS-80 Model III computers"
Aaarrgghh! Now I remember...
No wonder I had such an attitude... It's all coming back to me now...