Commentary: Saturday as Usual

I’ve been disappointed a lot in my life.  I never got that trampoline I wanted when I was a kid.  I was on the junior varsity basketball team in tenth grade, Becca Mann wasn’t my girlfriend in high school.

However, one interest has let me down most over the years.  I remember one of my first University of Oklahoma football games.  I was six and had just moved from back to Oklahoma City from New Orleans.  I watched from the stands as OU lost to Colorado.  I vividly remember praying to God that the Sooners would come through with a win.  Of course Oklahoma lost (thank you God!) and I was a broken hearted first grader; however, my love for college football stuck with me.

We continued to go to Oklahoma football games every fall.  My head started to perk up in sixth grade when Oklahoma trounced Rice in an early regular season game.  My short experienced with college football led me to believe it could only range anywhere from wretched to mediocre on the enjoyment scale.

Football became fun.

Sure enough, Oklahoma continued to win and I watched on with slightly more interest each game.  I traveled with my mom and one of her best friends to watch the Big XII championship game in Kansas City, Mo.  It was here that Bob Stoops and his crimson warriors really got their hooks into me.  In case you don’t remember, we won that game.

A month later I watched on as Josh Heupel helped Oklahoma defeat Florida State in the Orange Bowl.  I saw adults cry tears of joy.  I was damn happy.  Maybe my life would be less trying if they had lost though.  Oklahoma has competed every year for the national championship since 2001, and every year they have let me down.  I remember crying in ninth grade, tenth grade, and even last year (don’t tell anyone).  A despondent defeatist sentiment seems to have permeated the greater Norman area.  Most everyone watches the games or goes to the games, but they almost all seem to agree: “They suck”.

I’ve also heard this one a lot: “I hope we lose early and go to a bowl we can win this year” (I would love to go to the Holiday Bowl, personally).

So why is everyone so sad about the loss to BYU?  Did we not get what we asked for?  I guess no one was serious.  I saw how sad and shocked you all were.  Yeah, I checked everyone’s Facebook status.  Maybe we haven’t won the big game in almost ten years.  I will keep watching, because one day we will.  If we don’t it’s fine though, because at least we were sad together.  Isn’t that what community is all about?

[Image via Flickr]

evan@currentlyok.com