Barry Switzer – watercress words by Dr Aletha

The University of Oklahoma Sooners

updated September 6, 2022

In Oklahoma , September means football season from youth to college (we don’t have a pro team in the state but many of our schools’ alumni play professionally, like Heisman trophy winner Baker Mayfield.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has hampered sports the past couple of years, but this year looks like a return to “normal”.

Almost everyone here either follows college football, or lives with someone who does. In my home both of us avidly support our alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, aka OU.

The OU Sooners football program has won 7 national championships and 7 players have received Heisman trophies. More importantly the team never fails to show their fans exciting, hard fought games. Even when they lose, they do so with plays that keep us guessing what’s going to happen next and wondering how such talented athletes can end up with the losing score. No wonder their motto is “Boomer Sooner”.

Norman, Oklahoma

The OU campus in Norman Oklahoma has a state of the art stadium and houses the Barry Switzer Center. The center was named after OU’s all-time winning-est head football coach, who led his Sooner teams to three national championships, 12 Big Eight Conference championships and eight bowl wins in 13 appearances.( He went on to coach the Dallas Cowboys, winning a Super Bowl championship. )

At the center is the Legends Lobby, a museum of OU football memorabilia. If you visit the center in Norman Oklahoma, here are a few things you will see. (Due to an NCAA regulation, the center is not open on game days.)

a mural of football coaches at the University of Oklahoma — life size mural depicting the past and current coaches of the OU Sooners (my husband modelling for me)

a mural with football team of the University of Oklahoma

1974 national college football championship trophy — 1974 championship trophy

And a visit to Norman would not be complete without eating at Ray’s Smokehouse BBQ owned by former OU player and New York Jet Darrol Ray.

Eat at Ray's and tell them I sent you. — Eat at Ray’s and tell them we sent you.

Darrol Ray talked about school in an interview-

“Stay in your books,” he said. “If you have even a glimmer of a dream of what you want to do later in life, don’t be afraid … if you want to do X, don’t let somebody tell you you should do A, B and C,”
Darrol Ray, retired professional football player

Brent Venables now coaches the Sooner football team, but his predecessors Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops left him quite a legacy to follow.

Bootlegger’s Boy.

Barry Switzer’s autobiography is an interesting read.

What It Means To Be A Sooner

” Taking a decade-by-decade approach to the University of Oklahoma football tradition, this collection brings together over 40 stories from the most outstanding voices of the program.

The spirit of Sooners football is not captured by just one phrase, one season, or one particular game; instead, the student-athletes and coaches who made the magic happen over the decades blend their experiences to capture the true essence of their beloved school.

Sooners fans will relish the intimate stories told by the figures they have come to cherish.” Amazon

If you buy at these links, with our thanks, this blog can earn a small commission for support.

statue of a dancing lady — “The Dance” statue at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OKlahoma

The University of Oklahoma is not just about sports. The school excels in the fine arts and has a first class medical school, among other disciplines. See more of what the campus offers –