Rivals is changing hands.
- Thread starter 22LR
- Start date
That's not good for anybody, except Yahoo. which is horrible for all of us.
Yeah CFB is a degraded product anyway. Sorry, Negative Nancy as it may sound, I am about done with it.
I’ll watch the womens softball
We all like excellence in our Sooners. There is no higher level of excellence than we find in Patty Gasso's teams. It was baseball, but I was fortunate enough to meet a great teacher of fundamentals of the sport, 50 years ago. I loved learning from him. The things he taught me, especially about defense, are what she's about. You can see it even see the teaching when you watch the exercises in a pregame.
That's why I became an OU softball fan. The first post season I remember was watching the three-game series in Seattle in the Supers. Keilana Rickets was a freshman. On the road in the playoffs, we won game one, but got shut out in game 2 and 3, a large product of a road strike zone. In those days, it was a big factor. The next season, 2011, we went to Arizona for the Supers with their legendary coach Mike Candrea, and won two straight for the first trip to the WCWS in a while, but didn't last. But in 2013, we swept Tennessee to win it. Since then, I've been passionate. Whenever we're on TV, I rearrange my schedule for that.
My favorite OU team was not the four straight women, though I love them. My favorite were 2016 and 17 when Kaleigh Clifton, Shay Knighten and Sydney Romero were freshman and sophs, Paige Parker was the overused pitcher a year older and then Paige Lowary joined in' 17. The excellence and smartness about how they played the game was as good as it gets.
I believe that the excellence of OU softball has caused the sport's national popularity to explode. And it's because of Patty Gasso. And no matter how disgusted I get at the parasite that is the essense of college athletic, and Texas having a $50 million budget for Longhorn football players, I'll love OU softball as long a Patty is here. I just hope that the new job of national coach doesn't mess with that.
That's why I became an OU softball fan. The first post season I remember was watching the three-game series in Seattle in the Supers. Keilana Rickets was a freshman. On the road in the playoffs, we won game one, but got shut out in game 2 and 3, a large product of a road strike zone. In those days, it was a big factor. The next season, 2011, we went to Arizona for the Supers with their legendary coach Mike Candrea, and won two straight for the first trip to the WCWS in a while, but didn't last. But in 2013, we swept Tennessee to win it. Since then, I've been passionate. Whenever we're on TV, I rearrange my schedule for that.
My favorite OU team was not the four straight women, though I love them. My favorite were 2016 and 17 when Kaleigh Clifton, Shay Knighten and Sydney Romero were freshman and sophs, Paige Parker was the overused pitcher a year older and then Paige Lowary joined in' 17. The excellence and smartness about how they played the game was as good as it gets.
I believe that the excellence of OU softball has caused the sport's national popularity to explode. And it's because of Patty Gasso. And no matter how disgusted I get at the parasite that is the essense of college athletic, and Texas having a $50 million budget for Longhorn football players, I'll love OU softball as long a Patty is here. I just hope that the new job of national coach doesn't mess with that.
Good post. I doubt PG being the USA coach will affect her as OUs coach. She is by far the most grounded coach in the sport of softball and I believe she will be at OU for another 5 years or maybe more.
You mentioned that 2016 team, i came across a co-worker who has a grandaughter that is taking hitting lessons from Katie Self who was very much an instumential part of that 16 team. He said she is a great hitting instructer and has helped his granddaughter in so many ways here in Arkansas.
If and when PG hangs it up I am pretty sure the program will be in great hands with her son.
Last edited by a moderator:
Plaino,
That 2017 NC one vs UF, 17 inning affair is the greatest softball game I have ever witnessed. I think it broke UF that night and that UF team was a great team. ESPN had already crowned them champs before the tourament even started.
BTW, Tx 50M budget for FB in 2025 is not good for the future of the Semi-Pro CFB league. Lets all hope it doesnt bring them that coveted FB NC.
That 2017 NC one vs UF, 17 inning affair is the greatest softball game I have ever witnessed. I think it broke UF that night and that UF team was a great team. ESPN had already crowned them champs before the tourament even started.
BTW, Tx 50M budget for FB in 2025 is not good for the future of the Semi-Pro CFB league. Lets all hope it doesnt bring them that coveted FB NC.