Finally Fitting In

A replica of the same Sooner Schooner that the real Boomer and Sooner pull on gameday. Photo by Taylor Bullard.

Throughout its rich history, the University of Oklahoma has been represented by many mascots, all of whom were loved by Sooner fans.

But although Oklahoma has never been without a mascot, there has never been one character that has fully been able to define and represent the University as the Sooners saw fit.

Late in 2004, a small group of students, realizing that Oklahoma was essentially without a mascot, began a movement to give a mascot to the University of Oklahoma. At the time, the only real mascot belonging to the Sooners was the Sooner Schooner.

"What most OU fans don't understand is that this was not a University decision, it was a student led initiative," Head of Spirit Marketing Lori Kemmet said.

A field of potential OU mascots were quickly put together that included the University Seed Sewer, as well as adaptations of famous Sooner characters such as "Big Red," and "Little Red." A decision was made that the best option would be to create a pair of mascots resembling Boomer and Sooner, the two white ponies made famous by pulling the Sooner Schooner.

At the 2005 Big Red Rally, Boomer and Sooner were introduced as the new costumed mascots that would officially represent the University of Oklahoma as an extension of the Sooner Schooner.

In the past, mascots have come and gone at Oklahoma, and none have really become a staple in Sooner sports like boomer and Sooner have aspired to become.

By 2005 Boomer and Sooner replaced all other mascots the University had previously been using, including a raggedy dog named "Top Dawg" who walked the baselines at Sooner basketball games, as well as "Digger," the OU softball mascot.

Things haven't been easy for the two ponies. The initial fan reaction to Boomer and Sooner was mixed, and the switch from previous mascots to the horses has not been an easy transition for the mascots, or the fans.

"There was a little bit of negative reaction, but only because people felt their characters had been taken away from them," Kemmet said.

As in the case with all great tradition, change is hard for some fans, and Boomer and Sooner were no exception. Sooner fans that were still bitter about their beloved Top Dawg shunned the idea of another mascot, and some fans just flat out didn't like the idea of the new ponies. Some fans even went as far as to call the mascots names, like "Horse Pigs," after the common belief that the original costumed looked more like pigs than horses.

"It was what it was. That was the original costume we were given," Kemmet said.

Some distain for Boomer and Sooner even led to rumors surfacing that the mascots might be cursed due to the fact that since their inception, the Sooners have fallen short of championship tradition.

In the years following the 2005 football season, Oklahoma watched the removal of Quarterback Rhett Bomar, the firing of Kelvin Sampson due to recruiting violations, and more BCS bowl game losses than any fan cares to remember. Though these happenings were surely coincidence, some Oklahoma fans blamed the creation of Boomer and Sooner for the struggles on the field.

"I think Bob Stoops would be appalled by some of their actions," Kemmet said. "There's no place for stuff like that."

"After we lost all those BCS bowls and the whole thing with Kelvin Sampson, I think OU fans were looking for someone to blame," University of Oklahoma Alumni Clay Kennard said. "Those ponies were easy targets, but I don't think anybody actually believed in that stupid curse, they were just looking to vent."

Those with hostility towards the ponies were few and far between for the most part. Although some of the OU faithful were not in support of the new mascots, Kemmet will tell you that for the most part, Sooner Nation has come to embrace Boomer and Sooner as their new mascots, especially this past year.

"I think we're really rounding the corner with the fans," Kemmet said. "It's hard at first to bring something new into a program like [Oklahoma]."

"I don't think the student section is going to go out of their way to tell anybody they appreciate the mascots, but most of us like them just fine," University of Oklahoma Junior Adam Fry said. "It's good to have a mascot that actually fits the theme of the school."

Mascot Head Coach Erik Gransberg said that the success of Boomer and Sooner are due, in large part, to the students behind the mascot costumes.

In addition to being the mascot coach, Gransberg is also the head engineer behind the creation of the Boomer and Sooner costumes. He has redesigned the costumes almost yearly in order to give the characters mobility and visibility on the field, as well as to make them more visually appealing to the Oklahoma fan base.

Another reason for the recent success of Boomer and Sooner could be due to new freedoms that have been bestowed upon the student mascots. Kemmet said the freedom that has likely helped the characters open up to the fans.

"[Castiglione] came in and told them to loosen up and start interacting with the crowd more this year," Kemmet said. "And you can tell they are really starting to have fun with it!"

"It looked to me like this year they let the mascots interact with the crowd a little more, especially at the basketball games," University of Oklahoma Sophomore Hassan Essaili said. "It reminded me a little of top dawg."

Kemmet said inspiration and support for the mascot duo has come from everywhere in the athletic department. Athletic directors and even coaches have become involved after realizing how important the development of these characters could be to the University.

So what's next for the mascot duo? Apparently the offseason has more in store for Boomer and Sooner than the mascots are able to handle. Kemmet said it has become hard to keep up with the high demand for the ponies to appear at anything from promotional events to weddings.

"We're booked solid with wedding appearances for the Summer," Kemmet said. "I've probably had more requests for the mascots in the last six months than I did in the first three years."

"I think as the years go by people are going to start forgetting that Boomer and Sooner haven't always been around," Kennard said. "When that happens they're going to be just like every other college mascot."

It's going to take some time for Boomer and Sooner to become as popular as the well known mascots like Aubie [Auburn] or Smokey [Tennessee]. But those mascots did not become famous over night either," Kemmet said.

It seems time is all it is going to take for the fans to allow Boomer and Sooner to fully become the face of OU athletics. Which is a good thing because it looks as though the University has found a permanent answer to its long-standing mascot problem.

Capel never thought Arizona?

Coach  Capel put rumors to rest by resigning with Oklahoma after newspapers reoirted he would leave for Arizona. Photo taken from Oklahoma News 9.

In this day and age of modern media the general public can find information any time, anywhere, from a multitude of different sources. 

The problem with this informations is that it is not always correct, or in some cases, couldn't be further from the truth. In the case of Jeff Capel, one false report from a newspaper in Phoenix proved publishing a story on a hunch can get out of hand in a hurry.

According to the East Valley Tribune, Jeff Capel had already interviewed to become the next head basketball coach at the University of Arizona, and sources said he was the leading candidate. The problem? The interview never happened.

"I talked to Capel last week," Bob Barry Jr. said. "He said that he was sitting on the couch watching ESPN with his wife when they reported he was in Tuscon interviewing to become the next Arizona head coach."

The University of Arizona has moved on and hired Sean Miller as their new head coach. Miller, previously the head coach at Xavier, had just come off his fourth consecutive NCAA tournament with the Musketeers.

OKC sports writers know jobs are thin

Oklahoma City has not felt the pains of the economic crisis quite like the rest of the States, but even in Oklahoma people in journalism are losing jobs for many reasons.

The current economic situation has run it's toll on the news business in Oklahoma, and now even sports journalism is suffering. Jobs are being cut and students are beginning to realize they could be trading their journalism dreams for work in another field. Add this to the fact that newspaper readership is down for Americans under 40 (a major segment of the sports journalism target market), and you have a recipe for disaster.

But, there are some sports journalist in the field who are still looking out for graduates trying to break into the newsroom. And the jobs might not be plentiful, but the advice is.

"Sports Journalism has really taken a hit and it's getting hard for kids to find jobs," Channel 9 Sports Anchor Dean Blevins said. "[Journalism students] should be looking to intern anywhere and everywhere, because I won't even hire someone who doesn't have a significant amount of experience."

When and if the economy levels out the jobs are likely to increase, but newspapers will still be down. And although newspapers will never vanish, Blevins said that most students should stay open to whatever jobs are available for the time being.

UNC clearly the favorite after taking down the Sooners and Wildcats

A picture of the FedEx forum in Memphis where North Carolina knocked off Oklahoma in the NCAA tournament. Photo by Taylor Bullard.

Tyler Hansborough and the North Carolina Tar Heels seem to be the clear favorite to take home the NCAA tournament crown after handily beating the Sooners as well as the Wildcats of Villanova.

Last Sunday the Sooners met the Tar Heels in Memphis, and outside of a brilliant game by likely Naismith winner Black Griffin, the Sooners were outmatched and outplayed.

The Tar Heels continued their dominant run Sunday, taking down the Wildcats (83-69). Villanova had previously been one of the hottest teams in the tournament, but Sunday it seemed like they were never in the game.

"Blake was a tough competitor," UNC's Tyler Hansbrough said of Griffin. "He's one of the best athletes we've faced all year."

North Carolina will tip off against the Spartans of Michigan State tonight at 9:21 P.M. ET to decide who will take home the tournament title. The Tar Heels are heavily favored, but Michigan State beat two #1 seeds to make it to the finals and are practically playing a home game in Detroit. 

Norman North looking good for next year

Norman North football fans won't be let down this year, according to head coach Lance Manning. Photo by Taylor Bullard.

Norman North football lost what most people would consider a very talented graduating class after the 2009 football season. But although many think North will have a down year, those involved in Timberwolves football will tell you they're looking solid.

Last year, seniors like Beau Blankership, Nathan Badger, Bryce Easley, Cody Hughes, and Tyler Tettleton led a Norman North football team that was top-heavy with senior talent. Next year those players will be gone.

The Timberwolves went (9-3) last season and the Norman community is buzzing with whispers that the team's fortunes will change with the upcoming season.

"It's hard to try and replace players like Beau, as a leader as well as a player," Head Coach Lance Manning said.

Norman North will kick their season off against inner-city rival Norman High School next year, a game that will be a measuring stick for the Timberwolves, as well as the Tigers.

Click here to hear what Coach Manning had to say about next year's team.

Coaches Turning a blind eye to steroids?

Steroids have always played a role in high school athletics, especially in states that are as deeply rooted in high schools football tradition as Oklahoma and Texas.

Ever since steroids were first introduced to athletics, high school athletes have been using performance-enhancing substances to rapidly build speed, strength, and overall athletic ability.

The pressure to win in these so called "football states" has become so great over the years that even high school coaches have been thought to have blood on their hands. Speculation has led to full scale investigations, as many in the football community are now concerned that coaches are partially responsible for neglecting the steroid problem.

"The pressure absolutely pushes kids to steroids. Parents and coaches push kids to get bigger, faster, and stronger," Donald M. Hooton, founder of the Taylor Hooten foundation said.

In May of 2005, Scott Wayne Moody of Broken Arrow Oklahoma was arrested for selling steroids. Moody, a coach as Tulsa's Webster High School was arrested in a sting operation after police suspected Moody of selling drugs, specifically to high school students. According to documents obtained from the Oklahoma Supreme Court Network, Moody had been selling steroids to Tulsa area athletes and body builders for long enough for police to become very aware of his actions.

"I had no idea how bad it was in Tulsa until my daughter told me," Barry Trammel of NewsOK said. "And I'm a sports writer,"

Moody is part of the minority, having been caught, or even accused of supplying high school athletes with steroids. But many coaches have been accused of applying indirect pressure to athletes by simply encouraging their players to become bigger and stronger.

"Sports are king in this area, especially high school football. Teams play in 20 million dollar stadiums, and coaches can earn in excess of 100 thousand dollars per year if they are successful. The pressure is on everyone involved to win," Hooton said.

Hooton, who believes that his son, Taylor Hooton, committed suicide in July of 2003 due to steroid related causes, said that one of Taylor's baseball coaches encouraged him to get bigger.

"Most [parents and coaches] are unaware how many of the child's peer group is using, and don't realize they are unknowingly pushing their kid or player to use drugs," Hooton said.

The Majority of high school coaches are also not trained to recognize a steroid user or to know what to do with a problem if they find it.

"I'm not trained to be able to tell if a kid is on steroids or not, and I don't think a lot of coaches would be able to tell you either," Norman North Head Football Coach Lance Manning said.

Some high school coaches are less concerned about their athletes having a problem with steroids, and instead are more concerned about other extra curricular activities their players might be involved in.

In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Plano West Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Mike Hughes stated that he had no knowledge of any Plano West athlete using steroids, and he was much more concerned with high school athletes using recreational drugs and alcohol.

Another factor in the fight against high school steroids is the inability of high schools to perform and afford steroid tests. In fact, the cost of testing is the biggest reason that most Oklahoma high schools do not regularly test their athletes.

When asked about why Norman high schools do not have a system for testing high school athletes for performance enhancing drugs, Manning simply said, "Money."

According to an article from the Tulsa World, certain high schools in Oklahoma actually have methods of testing, but are actually afraid to test students because of the likelihood of a lawsuit.

In February of 2005, 9 football players from Colleyville-Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas openly admitted to using banned steroids after one boy's mother found steroids hidden in a closet, according to an article from the Associated Press.

Chris Cunningham, Heritage head football coach, denied that his players had ever used steroids. One month later, Cunningham acknowledged a problem with steroids on his football team.

"Nobody's afraid of getting tested because they know the school can't afford it right now," a Colleyville athlete told reporters.

With no easy way to fight the high school steroid problem it is difficult for high schools to investigate and put a stop to athletes that choose to use banned substances. And with advances in technology, students are finding it easier than ever to get their hands on performance enhancing drugs. 

"Go to the Yahoo search engine and put in three search words: buy, steroids, online. That's how easy it is to buy steroids on the internet," Hooton said.

Parents, players and fans are forced to leave the problem up to the coaches and high school administrators to be watchdogs over their respective programs.

"I think there's coaches out there that think it equates to wins. I just try to let these kids know that [coaches] don't need that and players don't need it either. I think that's not why most [coaches] are in this," Manning said. "There's no place for that here."

"The problem is not going away," Dallas Morning News sportswriter Gary Jacobson said.

Although stories often emerge about rings of steroid users in prominent high school football towns, coaches are never found doing wrong, and the majority of the athletes who choose to use steroids never get caught.

Click play to hear Gary Jacobson talk about Dallas coaches addressing steroid issues.

Bradford and Horton nominated for Sullivan Award

University of Oklahoma athletes Sam Bradford and Johathan Horton have been nominated for the 2008 Sullivan Award, given to the nations top amateur athlete.

Jonathan Horton was for the Sullivan Award after competing with the U.S. men's team in the Olympics and taking home the bronze medal. Horton stepped up big for the national team in a year year that it seemed the American's had little chance without veterans Paul and Morgan Hamm.

Bradford was brilliant for the Sooners in the '08-'09 football season. Bradford set NCAA sophomore quarterback records for yards and touchdowns and became only the second sophomore in the history of college football to take home the Heisman.

"That's amazing," said Sophomore communications major Andrew Travis. "I knew [Bradford] had already received a bunch of awards but I'm glad people are paying attention to Jonathan Horton."

Fans can go to the Sullivan Award homepage http://aausullivan.org/ to vote for their favorite amateur athlete.