Month: November 2024

For me, this was an early season signature road win for the Thunder. Any lingering questions I had about the Thunder without Chet being a legit NBA title contender were answered.

Was Anthony Davis even really relevant in this game? Anthony Davis took out Austin Reaves trying to set screens more than battling Hartenstein for inside position. A very tough night for Austin. I hope he’s okay. I love that kid.

What I mean by this, is that even without Chet I feel as if the Thunder should move right back up to No. 2 in my NBA Power Poll behind the Boston Celtics.

Isaiah Hartenstein is a seamless fit for the Thunder. Maybe even a better fit than Chet. So for me….there should be no rush to push Chet back on the court until the Thunder doctors feel totally good about his fractured tailbone..

The Thunder are very much in a serious championship ‘window’ even without Chet. And as passionate NBA fans we hope we get to see this season’s playoffs with both Chet and Porzingus at full speed come April.

I’m even going to say the Thunder could conceivably win 60 games in the regular season without Chet.

Shai is currently atop my MVP ladder…and JDub appears to be every bit the second stud Scottie Pippen was for Michael. Shai clearly isn’t Michael…I’m in no way saying that. But JDub could at some point in his career be a player we consider as a generational talent.

I strongly feel as if the Emirates NBA Cup is in some need of its format being reformed though. The notion that both Boston and OKC could not qualify for the quarterfinal round is beyond ludicrous. Are you kidding me? Let’s not overthink this. That’s the game everyone wants to see in the Finals in Vegas.

I’m exhausted from all my hiking and sports binge watching these past two days. Literally spent. So I’m going to take a break from sports for a few hours and see if Micky Haller falls deeply in love with his DA adversary the very steamy Andrea.

Later.

Miguel J

Staff Reports

OU 69 – Louisville 64

Porter Moser’s gritty Sooners stunned the college basketball world with this Bad Boy Mower Championship run. Tournament MVP Jalon Moore carried the Sooners, but in the closing minutes National Freshman of the Year Jeremiah Fears made several clutch plays to keep the Sooners in the lead.

Sam Godwin made the the play of the game when he partially blocked, then possessed a Cardinal in-bounds pass attempt with 5.4 seconds remaining to clinch the championship.

The Sooners now stand at 7-0 and will surely crack the AP Top 25 poll this coming week.

Next up: Georgia Tech at OU inside of the Lloyd Noble Arena in the SEC-ACC Challenge.

I’m already there in F3 seat as far as I’m concerned.

What a week!

Run the damn ball and BEAT LSU, baby!!!

SEC, SEC!!!!

I’m outta here.

Miguel J

I’ll be to the point. I haven’t commented on Oke State’s pathetic football season because for me they are an irrelevant college football program as I write. I only write relevant content on my blog. That’s why I didn’t write much of anything on the Thunder during their three years of draconian tanking.

The fact of the matter is UCO is now the second most relevant college football program in the state behind a surging OU team heading into Baton Rouge.

As far as Michael Gundy being allowed to coach another season in Stillwater….I could care less. I have much more imporatnt things on my mind currently.

But that piss walk after a Colorado pick six touchdown which pushed the Golden Buffs to a 45-0 lead had my interest. I knew I’d seen it in a college game before, but I couldn’t place the game.

So I called my son Chris in Denver and asked him where I’d seen that piss walk previously. Now understand this…Chris is an even more passionate college football fan than me. Which I know is hard to believe.

So I called Denver and Chris answers the phone and he says, “What’s up… are you wasting your time watching the Colorado massacre of O State?”

I answered, “No, not really. I’m just killing some time until the OU-Louisville basketball game.”

He then asks, ” You think they’ll fire Gundy?”

I responded, “Only if Jim Traber covers the buyout. So where did I see this piss walk before…it’s driving me crazy?”

He matter of factly answers, “Egg Bowl…several years ago… it cost Ole Miss the game.”

“Thanks, buddy. Have a great week-end.”

So here it is on my my blog…the Egg Bowl piss walk.

It was beautiful. One for the books. I start my third and toughest round of chemo on December 9th…so this one more than the other previous two cancer journey Thanksgivings was extra special.

Somestimes when you’re on this journey… you have to make sure you never lose sight of those four special things you want to accomplish every day for the rest of your life:

1 Laugh at yourself at least once a day

2 Cry if you need to, but cry about the good things you’ve experienced in life

3 Do something kind and considerate for another person

4 And look for the best in others even if they did vote for Donald Trump.

I had a transcending day. Maybe even a Jonathon Livingston Seagull type of day…if you know what I mean. Flight is an eternal thing.

And it was made even better by an unexpected run by the OU mens’ basketball team beating Arizona to advance to the finals of their holiday tournament in the Bahamas.

Remember the Jake Owen song. What every man needs…a home and a refuge to come home to, a woman to love, a Bible, a good dog (Pauli), and a song to sing on.

And never get above your raising.

Have a meaningful Friday.

Let’s go Sooners. Beat Louisville.

Mike J

Not exactly what NBA fans were hoping for with the Steph-Shai Battle on the Bay deal, but still a very exciting basketball game which went right to the end with Andrew Wiggins missing a shot late which would have sent the game into overtime.

Steph sat with two sore knees. De’Anthony Melton, who started as the second guard last time these two teams met, is done for the season with an ACL injury. Chet obviously didn’t play. JDub played, but left late in the second period with an eye injury and never returned.

Isaiah Hartenstein played and was once again solid. And without Steph on the floor…Shai was easily my as player of the game.

I don’t think this game tells us much except for the fact that if Steph misses alot of regular season games the Warriors will struggle holding on to a top six seeding position in the SEC-like West. The other Warriors played admirably in the second half, but Steph is really the only star this Warrior team has on it as presently structured. No Steph…no go.

I would also say now that we’ve seen more of Hartenstein with the Thunder in my mind I would move the Thunder back up to a top four team in the entire NBA to win the championship. He fits in nicely with these guys. He’s quicker than I thought he was and in no way diminishes the Thunder’s pace up and down the court.

So I guess what Chet would be for the Thunder this season is kind of like what Porzingus is for the Boston Celtics. That being said, if both of these guys are healthy and available one would think we might be in store for a Celtic-Thunder NBA Final.

If you’re not paying attention…the Houston Rockets have been on fire of late and are now in second place in the West.

My basketball focus now shifts to OU for tomorrow as the Sooners held on late yesterday to edge Providence to advance to the semis versus Arizona in a holiday tournament in the Bahamas.

The Sooners are now 5-0 and added some nice players to their roster. If you haven’t seen Jeremiah Fears, Kobe Elvis, Duke Miles, and Bryce Goodine yet…they pretty much give OU a nice quartet of guards to go along with Jalon Moore.

If you’re a hoops junkie…you’re a hoops junkie. Which I certainly am. Plus…with the cold weather I finally binge watched The Lincoln Lawyer–Season 2 and will probably squeeze in Season 3 given this current stretch of cold weather in Oklahoma which I hate.

Have a beautiful Thanksgiving with your families and loved ones.

Mike J

I love this time of year heading into Thanksgiving. It’s when my interest in the NFL starts to get going as we wind down the college football season.

It’s cold this morning in Deer Creek out on the mini-ranch. But as always I do my job feeding the deer and the now twenty-two wild turkeys who have pretty much bonded with us. We have some geese hanging around as well and maybe around eight deer. The other bird species are amazing. I love having pet owls. It’s like a refuge of sorts.

Back when my father was still practicing law and had had a particularly tough day in court….he’d come sit in our backyard which is completely unfenced and natural….and smoke a cigar while marveling at the wildlife and birds.

He’d say…”Michael..this is paradise. I envy you. Why do I waste my time representing these people?”

I’d say, “I dunno, dad. But we all march to the beat of a different drummer. I love reading your cases since I’m not the one having to represent these people. Please don’t stop. This is bettter than a John Grisham novel every week.”

I really miss my dad. I do. He would view Trump just as I do because of the simple reason that under our Rule of Law everyone should be viewed as EQUAL. So f–k that and piss that on down the road with you Trump people. Equal??? Are you kidding?

I’m not a hunter. To me hunting is for slow white guys who were never able to play football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tournament racquetball, or ski the blacks. If you gave the deer a rifle with a scope…then maybe I’d take hunting seriously beyond the fact it gives the Joe Bob Bubbas of the world a chance to think they’re real men living on the edge.

Yeah, whatever. I know.

Green Bay has always been my team. Always. My love for the Packers as a kid was cemented by the Ice Bowl and strengthed by Jerry Kramer’s three awesome books describing the inner Camelot workings of the dynasty. These three books were Instant Replay, Winning is the Only Thing, and My Farewell to Football.

If you really want to understand the evolution of the NFL, the merger, and how the Super Bowl became the greatest sporting event in America then I’d reccomend all three books. And if you want to learn why its called the Lombardi Trophy–then at the least read Instant Replay.

What a great football week-end it was for me from a football standpoint. OU routed Alabama and then on Sunday the Packers destroyed the 49’ers. The Packers are having a very nice 8-3 year so far. The only problem with that though is Minnesota and Detroit are both having incredible seasons. But I still think if the Packers get in as a wild card they’re a dangerous team.

Jordan Love is on his way to becoming the next Bret Farve or Aaron Rodgers…and the team did a great job in replacing the departed Aaron Jones with Josh Jacobs.

It was absolutely seamless in the manner in which the Packers unloaded Aaron Rodgers to the Jets and put their faith in Jordan Love at just the right juncture. Perfect. Let someone else babysit, Aaron. It’s very sad for me to watch a great player like Aaron end his career as he has in New York.

Green Bay needs better edge rushers though. You gotta have great edge rushers to win a Super Bowl in my view. Look at what OU did with their edge rushers on Milroe. That should be the Packers priority this next off season. So I’m at this point thinking KC, Buffalo, Detroit and Philly as my top four bets to win the Super Bowl. Until someone shows me they can beat Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce when it matters…it’s still the Chiefs from my view. Show me.

Anyway…I can’t wait till tomorrow night when the Thunder travel west to play the Warriors in the Steph and Shai On the Bay national showcase game heading into Thanksgiving.

Have a serene Tuesday.

Mike J

I definitely want this on my blog before the thought process moves to the LSU game.

This kid has fought through more than any first year OU quarterback since maybe Paul Thompson in 2005 when he lost the QB job to Rhett Bomar after a horrible outing versus TCU. Of course…Paul Thompson came back the next year and regained the starting QB job after Bob Stoops booted Bomar from the team.

I’m assuming Brendan Thompson will not be available for LSU…so in essence depending on Dion Burks’ availability—-that means OU’s top six receivers heading into Baton Rouge may not be available.

And yet this kid keeps plugging away. I’ve never seen an OU team decimated at a position like they have this season at the wide receiver position.

My advice for Joe Jon Finley is to turn Jackson loose on the run game just as Lincoln Riley did with Jalen Hurts. Turn him loose in a smart way and get Xavier Robinson a minimum of twenty touches as well. The quarterback flush in my view is a quarterback run play btw. Jackson was awesome on his quarterback flush opportunities versus Alabama.

I am absolutely certain Jackson’s parents are incredibly proud of their son’s resolve and mental tenacity. Bravo.

I’m giving Xavier Robinson a helmet sticker as well. That’s bullshit on my part for not giving X a helmet sticker on Sunday morning. This true freshman from Carl Albert has been amazing. His furure burns bright.

No more thoughts on Alabama.

Beat LSU and finish strong.

Mike J

Recently…one of my O State friends shared his thought with me that Brent Venables was Gary Gibbs II.

I did not reply because at this point I do not count O State football fans relevant or even remotely knowledgeable about the current world of college football. Anotherwords…I let it go because it would have been like arguing 2+2=4 with the fake Trump Christians.

I just let it go….and whispered to myself, “You stupid, clueless motherfucker. Stay close to your wheelhouse with that fathead Robert Allen and Pistols Firing and don’t ever veer from that path.”

Those of us who blog at a high content level know when to let that type of nonsensical horsehit go. Those type of thoughts and comments rightly belong on Jim Traber’s show on the Sports Animal.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Shane Beamer as well, and in my book Coach Beamer should be in the discussion for National Coach of the Year.

But I think Joe C and Joe H got it right. It’s just taken some time with Caleb Williams’ exit and a complete overhaul of Lincoln Riley’s Big 12 level mindset of nonphysical football.

The transition from the tier five level of what Big 12 football is without OU and Texas would have been tough even without Riley’s exodus to SoCal where he will eventually be fired. It takes some time and this first year wasn’t helped by the fact the Sooners are playing perhaps the nation’s toughest schedule.

So its a process, a journey.

Just like like fighting back from Stage 4, Catastrophic Level 5 bone cancer.

You have to believe in your faith of God, in yourself, and those in your inner circle. Plus…you have to work your ass off.

BTW…if Lincoln is at some point interested in coming back to Norman as the offensive coordinator or the QB coach that’s not something I would automatically dismiss.

Have a great Monday.

I need a workout song to get me revved up on a cold, cloudy Monday in Oklahoma.

Mike J

Per USA Today …OU has played the third toughest schedule in FBS this season. Coming into yesterday…seven of OU’s foes were ranked in the Top 25 with unranked LSU waiting in Baton Rouge next week-end.

I’ve been watching OU football since the last days of Gomer Jones. By far, this is the most challenging football schedule in OU history. Not even close.

Coach Venables has never made nor offered any excuses for some of the team’s self destructive offensive issues this season with turnovers. If you know football at all, you know any time you commit three turnovers in a game against a quality foe it’s tough to win.

As OU fans we all knew this was going to be tough in the SEC…very tough in fact. But here’s the thing…in life if you want to get better—you put yourselves up against the best and see how you can become better.

OU led at haltime on the road against Ole Miss, but just wasn’t good enough in the second half. OU should have won the game at Missouri, but self-destructed in the final two minutes.

For this group to pull themselves off the mat and beat Alabama as they did last night is a memory which will be etched in all ‘real’ OU football fans forever.

So…next week–if OU wants to win the game they need to win the turnover battle and put the heat on the LSU quarterback who has himself struggled at times with his own turnover problems. Jackson, Xavier Robinson, and maybe Devontae Barnes if healthy… will again need to rush for over 200-225 yards. And if anyone is still standing in the wide receiver’s room by game time…they’ll need to catch some passes and give the Sooners some semblance of an air game.

Taylor Tatum…I love your big play potential, but this is a level of ball where fumbles are lethal. Hold on to the damn football.

I love Coach Venables’ story. If I had a son playing college football, I’d be proud to have him playing for Brent Venables.

Mike J

That’s more like the OU football standard. You win the physicality battle on both lines of scrimmage, win the turnover battle, be solid in the kicking game… and run the damn football.

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

That is the script to winning games in the SEC.

I’m so proud of Brent Venables, Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman and the other OU players who made their last appearance in Norman.

It’s a huge in that it keeps OU’s nation leading bowl appearance streak intact. But more importantly it changes the narrative moving forward for the program. It changes the take for high school recruits and transfer portal players who now know OU is just really several pieces away from being relevant again.

My three helmet stickers go to Jackson Arnold, Ethan Downs, and Trace Ford.

Trace Ford and Etahn Downs were awesone all night long. They hit and hurried Jalen Milroe for sixty minutes. Almost knocked him out of the game with a TKO in the fourth period. It was like watching the old OU football team treat Spencer Sanders like their bitch in the last Bedlam game played in Norman.

There’s still some things to clean up like Taylor Tatum’s early fumble on the Alabama twenty yardline. The missed chip shot field goal by Zach Schmidt, and the dropped pass on an otherwise beautiful trick play which should have scored another touchdown.

Jackson Arnold, dude…that’s the version of yourself you need to replicate to be the OU starting quarterback. I’m proud of you. You ignored the outside chatter and believed in yourself, your coach, and your teammates. And that’s life, buddy. That’s how you win life or at the least get through it with your dignity intact. I’m incredibly proud of you. You were like a mini-version of Jalen Hurts with your tough running game.

No time to savor the win though. Next week in Baton Rouge to close out the regular season.

Great job, guys.

I’m so proud of you.

Mike J