Bradford and Sooners seek Seattle sweep

Good morning Yogi. Déjà vu all over again. Harken back to 2003 when the alleged "greatest team," led by the "greatest offense" in pigskin history was at its zenith, it committed two unpardonable sins: One, it believed what it was hearing. Two, the offensive squadron became bulletproof-a no-no in sports, politics and all endeavors.

This '08 Sooner offense must get over hump number one Saturday in Seattle where they must turn around recent history (during an NCAA record streak of 20 straight home wins the Sooners have gone 12-9 away from Norman in that same time span!).While UW is better than its 0-2 record appears on the surface, it still has a new DC and appears vulnerable on that side of the ball.

They shan't listen to local radio call-in back-slappers and others who are in the tank for any team in crimson. Or even ESPN's Mel Kiper. ESPN's NFL draft guru reportedly said that that in 30 years he's not seen an offense flexible and explosive as these Sam Bradford Sooners.

Indeed this bunch has a chance to be special. Perhaps as much or more than Jack Mildren's 1971 record-setting wishboners....than the Joe Washington/Billy Sims offenses of the Switzer glory days throughout the 70's.....the Keith Jackson offenses of the mid-80's....QB Coach Josh Heupel's title team of 2000....and yes, as special or better than that Jason White group in '03.

But there is a long way to go before reaching those comparisons. 12 more games to be exact. Not 11, but twelve, a number that was missed by most at the end of the Stoops press luncheon when the coach let it slip as he answered another question about the long season. 14 is the total if you play in the conference title game, something Stoops obviously expects-something that is clearly his standard-and that of his fans.  

Time for Slingin' Sammy step to the plate. To go deep. Then there'd be only 11 more games according the math of the coach to reach season's end.

A win would complete the Seattle Sweep. First, the Sonics, then OSU hammers WSU, and now Bradford and Company expect to do the same. A three-peat. The perfect trifecta.

FYI, if you are up for a chuckle you might want to check out a Wednesday column in the Seattle Times. It's typical of the fellow so many of us got a hoot out of during the failed attempt to keep the Sonics in Seattle. Just proof a wagon full of ink could not overcome the ineptness and apathy Seattle's city leaders and voters consistently showed; as they blindly believed their NBA team would never leave a TV market size 14 for a TV market size 45.

Predictably, columnist Steve Kelly takes the opportunity with OU's trip to the Great Northwest to get in another joust at Clay Bennett and the rest of us rednecks in this God-forsaken place on the plains.

The silver-haired-and-tongued Kelly took a stab at Bennett and the Boz, and added: When it comes to Washington sports, Oklahoma has been more about larceny than Largent (Hall of Famer Steve from Tulsa). It took Washington State basketball more than a decade to recover from losing coach Kelvin Sampson to Oklahoma. And this city is, and will be, smarting from the loss of the Sonics to Bennett and his billionaire boys for a long time to come.....Oklahoma City is as giddy over the NBA as a kid with his first crush. Meanwhile, Seattle's just been crushed......

While Bennett may have had reason to sue over slander, Kelly's bosses have reason to give him a raise. Love it or hate it, people read.

But Sonic supporters should point their darts at former owner Howard Shultz and city leaders who consistently proved it was more important to them to support coffee sales than Sonic sales. Thunder and Lightening couldn't awaken that bunch from its slumber.

I was thinking about taking a Thunder cap in hopes of exchanging it for a......well, I guess it would have to be a Storm cap now. And even though I kinda like women's basketball, trading my NBA hat for their WNBA hat is not an even trade. Even I'm smart enough to figure that one out.

I was also thinking of taking some tickets as a gift. But it looks like there won't be any available, something that didn't seem to be much of a problem in Seattle.

Finally, nines are en vogue. Stoops turns 49, Bill O'Reilly turns 59 and Arnold Palmer registers 79 on the golf clicker. However we must add that on this day in 1972, Mr. Iba and his American Olympic basketball team was robbed-forefathers of Pac-10 football officials?-in the 1972 games in Munich. Refs rob Doug Collins and mates as the Ruskies won 51-50 leading the US to leave their silver medals in Germany. They are still there today.

PREDICTIONS:

OU 41-31 over Washington

OSU 73-6 over Missouri State

USC 42-17 over Ohio State

Thunder shuts out Seattle