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Final Notes and Thoughts from an Insane Bedlam 2018

Final nuggets on a wild night in Norman, USA.

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I emptied my 10 Thoughts (and really, it could have been 10,000) here, but it’s time to clean out the notebook before moving on to West Virginia (on to Cincinnati). Here are some notes, thoughts and nuggets from a weekend trip to Norman for one of the best Big 12 games that’s been played all year.

• Kyle B. and I conveniently forgot to get parking passes from OU so we had to park 1.5 miles from the stadium. Kyle tells me there’s something called a Lime, which is apparently a scooter you can pay for with your phone and drop off wherever you end up. We couldn’t find one to get us to the stadium, but that was fine with me. I enjoyed the walk through campus and was impressed by 1. How pretty that place is and 2. How lively the tailgating atmosphere was. It’s almost as good as OSU’s.

• On the opposite end of the spectrum: The press box food stunk. Probably the last thing anybody wants to hear about, but I am not here for your stadium dogs and chemically-enhanced nachos. Watermelon and cookies for me.

• It’s hard to describe how mammoth OU’s stadium is. Third-biggest crowd ever in Norman, and as I looked out over the horizon beyond the scoreboard, it struck me how many little kids have grown up in Oklahoma dreaming about playing on that field and going to that school. Bedlam is great for a lot of reasons, and the annual apex of that sport in this state is one of them. It’s a pretty overwhelming feeling to get to cover it every year.

• This happened.

• I told KB I thought OU would run the opening kickoff back. They didn’t, but they almost scored one play later. It felt like a rout early, didn’t it?

• A thing I pre-wrote that would have been fun to come back to had Corn found Wallace with 63 seconds left ➡️At least we didn’t have to wonder if OSU was going to win. OU led for the final 58:16

• Another thing I wrote ➡️ Maybe if Chuba returns every kick, OSU can cover. I’m glad I don’t have to cover games in real time.

• Three more notes on OU’s stadium: They have a massive Jordan logo on the outside of the Switzer Center. KB almost passed out. The bowled in part is great. Must be nice when little brother goes first and you get to copy ?. OSU’s sidelines get talked about a lot, but OU’s sidelines are really narrow, too.

• This throw is why I’ve been bemoaning No. 14. He’s hit on, what, two of these all year? It’s clear he has the arm and the weapons and the freedom. To bang multiple in the biggest game was awesome.


•  It felt early on like OU didn’t even need to throw.

• Surprise Uni Heisman for me: May-Rod (as my dad calls him, known to the rest of us as Malcolm Rodriguez) looked terrific. I loved the high black socks.

• Baker (of course) comes on the video board in a jean jacket and trucker hat (which is ???) to fire up the crowd before the game. ?

• Kyler throws a Chris Leak-like ball. Gorgeous.

• A thing I was thinking in the press box on Saturday: Why do coaches wear khaki pants? It seems like one of those things that has always been done and what everyone else does as well. But why not black or gray or something different?

• Believe Tanner McCalister will look back on this play as his, “Welcome to college football” moment. Hollywood gonna Hollywood.


• Something I’m not sure is getting enough attention is third down conversions: OSU was 10/16, and OU was 3/10.

• OU does a good job honoring the military (so does OSU, by the way). Was cool to see.

• If I’m an OU fan, I’m super thrilled with Kyler running down the middle of the field holding the ball with one hand like he’s not allowed to tuck it or put two hands on it. Would be a fun experience.

Talent. Always. Rises. The two highest-ranked recruits on OSU’s roster ….

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• A debate we had at halftime: What does Bob Stoops do every day?

• The PA announcer said Spencer Sanders assisted on a tackle at some point during the game. Boone almost jumped out of the press box. The poor PA guy had simply mistaken him for No. 3 Kenneth Edison-McGruder.

• Dis throw and catch.


• Speaking of jumping out of the press box. I haven’t heard from Carson, which is concerning considering Tyron both threw up the X and jumped over an OU defender within about two hours of each other. I do not know if Carson is still with is.

• Tough guy (girl) of the day award: OSU’s baton twirler at halftime. Leotard only in what felt like about 30-degree weather (I’m soft).

• The 811 combined yards in the first 30 minutes are the second most in a FBS half this season. New Mexico and Incarnate Word combined 843 yards (although I’m not sure that counts considering Incarnate Word was involved).

• I thought KEM was terrific it seemed. OSU couldn’t ever fully stop Kyler, but when they did slow him, it seemed like KEM was in the middle of it. He finished with 12 tackles, two sacks and three TFLs.

• When we went down to the field at the end of the game, one of the first people I saw was Eddie Radosevich in a Natty Light beanie. ???

• The uniforms kept taking me back to 2014. I couldn’t see them and not think of 2014 (which I’m sure is a delight to whoever planned the Iowa State uniforms in 2011).

• That Hollywood first down on third-and-12 when he sneaked through two dudes on the sideline was astonishing. It’s easy to remember the plays in the last few drives, but I’ll always look at that one as one of the killers.

• It’s difficult to describe how hard Tyron was swagging on Saturday evening. All the trash talk. All the targets. All the catches. All the athleticism.


• You get all the respect from me for this throw. The biggest stage. The throw of his life. Sam Cassell is proud.


• I legit cannot get over the fact that OSU has rolled Corn right with two games on the line over the last two weeks after Gundy said he should never throw while rolling right ever again at the beginning of the season. How does that happen?!

• I did not realize Tylan was this open. Yikes.

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• That play was called X Flow River Arrow. Turns out the only arrow was one right in the orange hearts of Cowboy fans everywhere who have to live with another year of Bedlam misery.

• Our Crying Jordan plans for an OU loss were off the charts. Not even in this universe. Alas, we’ll have to wait another year. Plus, I’m not sure this one can ever be topped.

• I could have sworn Gundy’s voice sounded a little heavy during the first part of his presser on Saturday evening. Maybe I’m imagining it, but it sounded like he’d gotten emotional in addressing his team.

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