Why am I up in my office writing blog posts while my beloved Sooners are fighting for the Big 12 title? I’m a chicken. That’s the only answer I can come up with. I’ve been rooting for my Oklahoma Sooners all my life. I come by it through the blood. It was my Granny’s favorite team and my Daddy’s favorite team. I can only imagine how he’s taking it right now. I’m sure if I was in his T.V. room I’d hear him yelling.
Not only are the Sooners fighting for the Big 12 title, they’re playing the Texas Longhorns. I don’t believe there has ever been a bigger rivalry and the Longhorns beat them early in the year at what is called the Red River Showdown. It doesn’t matter that the Sooners are rated #5 and the Longhorns are way down the list. When it comes to these two teams, statistics really don’t matter.
My uncle used to say that if you’re going to a football game in Texas playing Oklahoma, you’d better take extra gas with you. Gas stations in Texas often won’t serve people with Oklahoma plates!
I often have this much anxiety while watching my Sooners play but today I’m sick for the twelfth day in a row so I’m a bigger chicken than usual.
Home Is in the Blood
So why does a California girl root for an Oklahoma team? Again I’ll say it must be in the blood. My kids are also Sooner fans and my son-in-law is another convert. He proudly wears his Sooner cap down here in the Sacramento Valley. I love it that it’s something we can share and pass along to the grandkids.
It reminds me of my daughter when she was a teenager. She loved to watch Gone with the Wind but would always turn it off when Rhett and Scarlett were happily married. She couldn’t bear to see them break up and hear Rhett say, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
I’ve learned that many people are passionate about their teams. Like my Granny when I’m not rooting for the Sooners, I’m rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs. Daddy is kind of a rebel. Can you believe his favorite team is from Texas — the Cowboys!
Sports Bring Families Together
Well, Daddy just called. I knew it was halftime because he’d never call while the Sooners were actually playing. The Sooners are ahead right now. Praise the Lord! But there’s a lot of football still to be played and they are playing in Texas! Daddy said, “It’s a nail-biter.” I prefer to hide out till the score is final and I know whether to cry or celebrate.
While all of my kids do root for the Sooners, their professional team hails from San Francisco (or wherever their stadium is now). They are all 49er fans. It’s okay with me as long as the Chiefs are doing better and right now the Niners’ are not faring so well and my Chiefs are hot.
Sports are a great way to share good times with family. What team do you root for because your mama or daddy was a fan? Do your children share that passion?
Stay well during this cold and rainy season!
Photo Credit: Oklahoma Sooners vs Iowa State Cyclone Oct 2007, SD Dirk, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0).
