Sooner Report: Best Buy Shopping Spree

Bowl Shopping Spree

Christmas may have occurred two days ago on the calendar, but Friday morning may have well been Dec. 25 again for Sooner players as the team traveled to Best Buy for a shopping spree that is a gift to the players from the Russell Athletic Bowl. Each player received a $447 gift card upon arrival and was free to select whatever he wanted.

Some of the players had a game plan heading in and darted for a specific item, while others wanted to take their time and walk around the store for a while before making any decisions.

“I came in with no plan,” fullback Dimitri Flowers said. “I had absolutely no clue what to get. It's all been spur of the moment. I was like, 'I have $450 to use and I have no clue what to spend it on.”

Flowers decided to buy some stuff for himself but also made some purchases for others.

“I bought some Christmas stuff for others since I didn't get to spend Christmas at home,” he explained. “I'll just tell them that I already had the presents but little do they know that I bought them when I was down here.”

One Sooner in a situation unlike the rest of his teammates was offensive tackle Tyrus Thompson, who had his wife and two kids with him during the shopping spree. Thompson had the whole family in mind while doing his shopping.

“I just wanted to get some stuff for my wife and for my kids,” he said. “I wanted to let them be happy and then help myself out, too. I got my wife some Beats [headphones] and we are going to get a protective cover for our Ipad so my son can play with it and not tear it up.

“It's really cool [for the Russell Athletic Bowl] to do this. It really lets me buy things freely for myself and what I best feel fits my situation.”

The popular items that many Sooners purchased were gaming consoles, particularly the XBOX One and Playstation 4.

Ty Darlington

Ty Darlington's Dream Comes True

Growing up, all OU center Ty Darlington wanted to do was have the opportunity to play in the Citrus Bowl. The Apopka, Fla., native grew up less than an hour away from the famous stadium and had watched many games played there at both the high school and collegiate level.

Darlington never got the opportunity to step foot on the Citrus Bowl field as a player during his high school years as his Apopka High School team fell short of reaching the championship game each year. But now on Monday, Dec. 29, after many years of hard work and countless hours of practice, that dream will come true.

“It is kind of ironic but all I ever wanted to do was play in the Citrus Bowl growing up; play in the Citrus Bowl for a [Florida high school] state championship,” Darlington said. “I never got that chance and then [Apopka] went three years in a row when I left. Now here I am back fulfilling a lifelong dream.”

The Sooners are hoping the recent success at the Citrus Bowl of another Darlington will rub off on the team, as Rick Darlington, Ty's dad, is the head coach of the Apopka High School squad that captured its second Florida 8A State Championship in the past three seasons earlier this in the same stadium.

knight citrus bowl

Sooners Practice at Citrus Bowl

Oklahoma got its first taste of the Citrus Bowl this afternoon, as the team held it's afternoon practice of the venue. The Sooners enjoyed getting to finally see the stadium where they will take the field just two days from now.

Up Next

With the Russell Athletic Bowl matchup with Clemson two days away, the Sooners will have a walkthrough tomorrow at the Citrus Bowl. The other team event on docket for Sunday is the Russell Athletic Bowl Kickoff Luncheon.