University of Oklahoma Athletics
Similar Traditions, Different Sports
January 21, 2008 | Athletics
NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma is home to one of the most storied athletics programs in the nation. OU boasts 25 national championships in men's and women's sports, more than 225 team conference titles and more than 700 All-Americans.
The success of Oklahoma's teams contribute to a sense of pride in the community, across the state and for Sooner fans everywhere. The very mention of the word "Sooners" evokes a sense of history, tradition and championships. Nationwide, OU is synonymous with winning.
Oklahoma's comprehensive excellence has been constructed over the years through the combined efforts of an endless list of individuals with a passion for fulfilling the mission of inspiring champions today and preparing leaders for tomorrow.
Like any other successful enterprise, however, honoring this commitment would not be possible without a driving force. It is no secret at OU, as for many of the other most formidable athletics departments in America, that the driving force is football.
Each home Saturday during the fall, Sooner fans have the pleasure of experiencing one of the most spectacular atmospheres in all of sports inside one of college football's most historic cathedrals. The Sooners began playing football before Oklahoma even became a state and have achieved a lasting legacy that is not bound by eras or time.
A similar athletics tradition exists at Kansas, but instead of drawing its reputation from the football program, KU is defined by its rich basketball history.
If the Jayhawks were to script a countdown for their basketball program similar to Oklahoma's "There's Only One" campaign, it would read something like this: 50 conference championships... 36 NCAA Tournament appearances... 12 Final Fours... eight national players of the year... four national titles.
Having never experienced the ultimate in college basketball and with Sooners playing at Allen Fieldhouse last week, a friend of mine and I decided to make the five-hour road trip to Lawrence to see what it was all about. What we left with were the memories of an experience of a lifetime.
Upon entering the arena via KU's Hall of Fame, we were greeted by a mural which read, "A sea of crimson and blue faithful. The thunderous roar of Rock Chalk Jayhawk. Heart-pounding intensity of athletic excellence. Together they create the Kansas experience".
We took in the sights of Kansas' impressive trophy cases and extensive artifact displays, but nothing could have prepared us for what we witnessed when we finally entered the gym.
With the general admission sections in the northwest portion of the arena already packed full of blue-clad fanatics and the band warming up on the south end an hour before tipoff, a simultaneous chill crept up both of our spines. I'm sure our jaws hung halfway to our stomachs as we gazed around in sheer amazement.
Displayed prominently directly above KU's four national championship banners, the words Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of "The Phog" serves as a warning to opposing teams as they step on the floor, which is named James Naismith Court in honor of the man who invented the game of basketball and, in 1898, took the helm as the first basketball coach in Kansas history.
Minutes before game time, when the student section led the crowd in the famous Rock Chalk Chant, I could have sworn we were in a place not of this Earth. It was unlike anything I have ever seen or heard, almost angelic, a 16,300-member choir chanting a deep tone in perfect harmony. 
Listen
Indeed, the first obstacle for visitors to Allen Fieldhouse is overcoming the intimidation factor.
When freshman phenom Blake Griffin won the opening tip, however, the 25-or-so of us Sooner fans tucked away just beneath the rafters in Section 13A saw a glimmer of hope. But before the raucous crowd even had time to catch their breath, KU's Darnell Jackson retrieved the ball in the backcourt and proceeded to drive in for a two-handed dunk. Score: Kansas 2, Oklahoma 0, approximately four seconds into the game.
Minutes later, Blake went down with an injury and so did our hopes of pulling an upset. But even if Blake had been able to go, it wouldn't have mattered. As Coach Capel stated after the game, Kansas is the best team in the country. And it's not even close.
I spent much of the night leaning over my knees just to see under the massive beam which obstructed my view of the court. And when the Jayhawk faithful rose to their fight, my sightline was nonexistent.
While it was a difficult game to watch as a Sooner fan anyway, this only added to the experience of one of the most intimate atmospheres in college basketball. Even my accomplice, a North Carolina grad who has witnessed numerous games at UNC, said none of his experiences at the "Dean Dome" could compare to this.
Just as Sooner fans have come to expect in football, it's easy to understand why the Jayhawks have been so good in basketball for so long.
The success of Oklahoma's teams contribute to a sense of pride in the community, across the state and for Sooner fans everywhere. The very mention of the word "Sooners" evokes a sense of history, tradition and championships. Nationwide, OU is synonymous with winning.
Oklahoma's comprehensive excellence has been constructed over the years through the combined efforts of an endless list of individuals with a passion for fulfilling the mission of inspiring champions today and preparing leaders for tomorrow.
Like any other successful enterprise, however, honoring this commitment would not be possible without a driving force. It is no secret at OU, as for many of the other most formidable athletics departments in America, that the driving force is football.
Each home Saturday during the fall, Sooner fans have the pleasure of experiencing one of the most spectacular atmospheres in all of sports inside one of college football's most historic cathedrals. The Sooners began playing football before Oklahoma even became a state and have achieved a lasting legacy that is not bound by eras or time.
 |
If the Jayhawks were to script a countdown for their basketball program similar to Oklahoma's "There's Only One" campaign, it would read something like this: 50 conference championships... 36 NCAA Tournament appearances... 12 Final Fours... eight national players of the year... four national titles.
Having never experienced the ultimate in college basketball and with Sooners playing at Allen Fieldhouse last week, a friend of mine and I decided to make the five-hour road trip to Lawrence to see what it was all about. What we left with were the memories of an experience of a lifetime.
Upon entering the arena via KU's Hall of Fame, we were greeted by a mural which read, "A sea of crimson and blue faithful. The thunderous roar of Rock Chalk Jayhawk. Heart-pounding intensity of athletic excellence. Together they create the Kansas experience".
 |
With the general admission sections in the northwest portion of the arena already packed full of blue-clad fanatics and the band warming up on the south end an hour before tipoff, a simultaneous chill crept up both of our spines. I'm sure our jaws hung halfway to our stomachs as we gazed around in sheer amazement.
Displayed prominently directly above KU's four national championship banners, the words Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of "The Phog" serves as a warning to opposing teams as they step on the floor, which is named James Naismith Court in honor of the man who invented the game of basketball and, in 1898, took the helm as the first basketball coach in Kansas history.
 |
ListenIndeed, the first obstacle for visitors to Allen Fieldhouse is overcoming the intimidation factor.
When freshman phenom Blake Griffin won the opening tip, however, the 25-or-so of us Sooner fans tucked away just beneath the rafters in Section 13A saw a glimmer of hope. But before the raucous crowd even had time to catch their breath, KU's Darnell Jackson retrieved the ball in the backcourt and proceeded to drive in for a two-handed dunk. Score: Kansas 2, Oklahoma 0, approximately four seconds into the game.
Minutes later, Blake went down with an injury and so did our hopes of pulling an upset. But even if Blake had been able to go, it wouldn't have mattered. As Coach Capel stated after the game, Kansas is the best team in the country. And it's not even close.
 |
While it was a difficult game to watch as a Sooner fan anyway, this only added to the experience of one of the most intimate atmospheres in college basketball. Even my accomplice, a North Carolina grad who has witnessed numerous games at UNC, said none of his experiences at the "Dean Dome" could compare to this.
Just as Sooner fans have come to expect in football, it's easy to understand why the Jayhawks have been so good in basketball for so long.
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