I'm back & Sooner Joke of the Week

Hi Everyone,

Sorry, I haven't been posting much lately I was on a recruitment trip for my job. I was in Niagara Falls (I'll post some pics later) and up in northern New York (north of Albany by the Canada border...another great story soon) and then visited a couple of places in the Syracuse area. I was in some pretty rural places and didn't have internet or cell service. I'll try and post some stuff about the trip tomorrow or Sunday.

But, right now here's the Sooner Joke of the Week*:

Unprecedented Child Custody Ruling
AP Wire
Ames, Iowa.

A seven year old boy was at the center of a courtroom drama today when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him.

The boy had a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with the child custody laws and regulations requiring that family unity be maintained if at all possible.

The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and refused to live with her.

The judge then suggested the young boy's grandparents as possible guardians, but the boy claimed they beat him also.

After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was a common occurance in the boy's family, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should receive custody of him.

After two recesses to check references and confer with child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Iowa State Cyclones, whom the judge found to be incapable of beating anyone.

Thanks Be to God and Boomer Sooner!
Feast of St. Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf and Companions

*Please note that I am in no way meaning to make light of physical or emotional domestic violence...which I totally abhor. This is simply a footbal joke.

It's all about balance...

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for 6 days.

Eventually, Michael, the archangel found him resting on the 7th day. He inquired of God, "Where have you been?"

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downward through the clouds. "I've put LIFE on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."

"Balance?", inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth. "For example, Northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while Southern Europe is gong to be poor, the Middle East over there will be a hot spot."

"Over there, I've placed a continent of white people and over there is a continent of black people"

God continued, pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot and arid, while this one will be very cold and covered with ice."

The archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a beautiful land in the center of a large mass. "What is that one?"

"Ah" , said God.

"That is Oklahoma, the most glorious place on Earth. There's beautiful lakes, rivers, and streams, and prairie. The people from Oklahoma are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous, and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hard-working and high achieving and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace."

"I'm also going to give them a super human football team which will be admired and feared by all who come across them."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there will always be balance."

God replied wisely, "Wait until you see the land of loud-mouth morons I'm putting next to them."

"I will call it TEXAS"

#5 and Quote of the week...

My beloved Oklahoma Sooners moved up to #5 in the AP Poll this week after kicking the snot out of North Texas 79-10!

Rumor has it that Coach Stoops instructed the running backs to just fall down if they broke past the offensive line in the fourth quarter. TOO FRIGGIN' AWESOME!

Sam Bradford looked really good this past weekend. We'll be able to tell more this weekend though when Miami comes into Norman. This should be a real test for the Sooners and we'll be able to see just how good the Sooners could be.

Quote of the week:

"You know you're not in high school anymore when you see the Sooner Schooner rollin' in!"

Reese Davis referring to rookie North Texas head coach Todd Dodge who took over the Mean Grean straight from coaching high school.

QB Sam Bradford against UNT

Thanks Be to God and BOOMER SOONER!

There's only 1 Oklahoma!

Saturday marks the start of the Oklahoma football season as the #8 Oklahoma Sooners take on the Mean Green of the University of North Texas at 7pm eastern on Fox Sports.

Now, the Mean Green may not be much of a test for OU, but there's still a lot to learn about this year's Sooner team. Most importantly, it will be interesting how the new starting quarterback, Sam Bradford, will do.

I CAN NOT wait for 7pm Saturday night! It's a little weird living in New York state and being in an area where college football just doesn't seem to be important in the general culture as it was in the South where I grew up. I mention football to someone and all I normally get is a blank stare...WTF?

Anyway, in honor of Saturday's kick off here's some history and great videos for your (and my) enjoyment!

The #1 Program of the modern era:

Oklahoma is the winningest program in what is widely considered the modern era of college football. OU has the most victories and best winning percentage of any team since the end of World War II.

The Sooners have earned seven AP National Championships in that span and are recognized by the NCAA for 16 titles (source). OU has spent more weeks ranked in the top five (342) of the poll than any other team and is tied with Notre Dame for most weeks ranked No. 1 (95). The AP poll began in 1936.

Victories, 1946-2006:

1. Oklahoma: 524

2. Alabama: 492

Winning Percentage, 1946-2006:

1. Oklahoma: .761 (524-160-13)

2. Ohio State: .743 (484-160-20)

Weeks Ranked Top 5 in AP Poll:

1. Oklahoma: 341

2. Nebraska: 294

Weeks Ranked #1 in AP Poll:

1 tie. Oklahoma & Notre Dame: 95

3. Ohio State: 88

2000

1985 - 1975 - 1974

1956 - 1055 - 1950

And finally, two great highlight videos (first is a general highlight, the second video is a highlight video from the 2000 National Championship season and gives me goosebumps every time I watch it!

Thanks Be to God and BOOMER SOONER!

Being an Alum is so cool!

It took me a bloody long time to finish college at the University of Oklahoma (link). I didn't even start college until I was 25, and then it took me another eight years to finally finish at 33 years old! Now I know there are plenty of other college students out there who are/were older than I was when I graduated, but it is still sooo bloody cool that I'm an alum.

I received my email Oklahoma Alumni Association (link) update today and it made my day to just think about the fact that I'm now an alum. I feel so blessed to have been able to not only attend such an absolutely fabulous educational institution, but also to be a graduate.

I worked so hard, for so long, and with so much adversity (again, not discounting others experiences) to have made the dream of a college degree a reality that sometimes it seems really surreal.

I learned so much while at OU and I had such a good time doing it, and above all I made the absolute best friends a guy could ask for!

Being an alum and reflecting on that just makes me really, really happy!

Thanks Be to God and Boomer Sooner!

Feast of St. Gregory of Nyssa

Congrats Boise State!

OMG! This was one of the best football games I've ever witnessed!

I'm not even all that upset about my beloved Oklahoma Sooners losing the game.

Boise State EARNED this win!

Congratulations Broncos!

Boise State University Broncos

2006 WAC Champions

2007 Fiesta Bowl Champions

13-0

As soon as I can find the final 2 point conversion play on Youtube I'll post it...it was amazing! A well-earned victory!

Again, Congratulations Broncos!

Let''s go bowling!

We're just over 24 hours away from the kick off of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, a BCS bowl, pitting perennial powerhouse University of Oklahoma Sooners (school site, athletics site) against the upstart Boise State Broncos (school site, athletics site).

Oklahoma is the #1 college football program of the modern era (proof here) and Boise State has been a rapidly rising program over the past few years (story here).

This game should be bloody awesome!

Catch the 2007 Fiesta Bowl

at

8pm (EST) on Fox!

Oh, and lest we forget...H.H. Pope Benedict XVI is a Sooner fan (story here)!

Thanks Be to God and Boomer Sooner!

7th Day of Christmastide,

and Feast of Pope St. Sylvester I

Requiescat in Pace...

Requiescat in Pace

President Gerald R. Ford, Jr.

1913-2006

President Ford during

a spring 1976 campaign trip to Oklahoma City (hat tip):

"It's good to be in the great state of Oklahoma,

the home of Will Rogers

who never met a man he didn't like,

and the Oklahoma Sooners

who never met a team they couldn't beat."

~~~

Catholic Prayer for the dead:

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May the souls of the faithful departed

through the mercy of God rest in peace.

Amen +++

Thanks Be to God!
Day 3 of Christmastide