Completed Event: Baseball versus (3) Georgia on June 15, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 3
Final
Baseball
4
vs (3) Georgia
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
ot_02_wbb_euro_tour
 Women's Basketball European Tour |
 
Playing basketball overseas provided a unique challenge for the OU women's basketball team. While the Sooners used the opportunity to get in extra practices and bond on the court, the foreign squads used the games to warm-up for the upcoming international championship qualifiers they will play in June and July.
Carolyn Winchester writes about all this and more in her journal entry: While the educational and cultural experiences were amazing and definitely key reasons for why this opportunity ever existed in the first place, we all know that the foundation of it all lies with and in basketball. Five of our nights in Europe we had the opportunity to take the floor together wearing our Oklahoma practice uniforms to play a real, not exactly typical, game of basketball. In order to fully explain our overall basketball experience though, I must take you back to mid April. It all started with our 10 days of practice that is permitted to teams prior to a foreign tour. Here it was, the middle of April, and we were finding ourselves in the gym every afternoon with each other working through full out practice, which is quite a change since normally the spring time is only filled with individual workouts and pickup games. We weren't even close to leaving for Europe, yet we had already begun to grow on the basketball court. During the 10 days we had together in the gym, we had the opportunity to work on several particular aspects of our game, including our movement in motion offense, our team defense (more specifically, our help and recovery), and individual defense such as taking charges and denying passing lanes. The improvement in our game as a result of our work during these practices was at the time not nearly as evident as it would become over the course of our five games in Europe. Collectively, we did a much better job of moving both away from and with the ball in motion offense. We focused on cutting (purposefully) and reversing the basketball both in order to put more pressure on the defense. Throughout the five games, I could tell that we were beginning more and more to understand that while cutting and moving the ball around is more difficult and physically demanding, the products that result from our extra efforts were at times (and in the words of Amanda Thompson) just beautiful. Lauren Willis did a great job all five games in motion offense. I can remember several excellent skip passes, lob feeds to the post, and even a couple of times when she cut, completely lost her defender, and found herself surprisingly wide open at the rim for an easy lay up. Our increased attention to getting ourselves in a position to take charges was very obvious during all five games. While a good number of attempts did not result in any sort of call (yes, apparently, home court advantage is the case in Italy and Greece, too), we still seemed to manage successfully taking a charge as many times if not more than we did all of last season. Jenna Plumley in particular was taking charges left and right. In one game, I believe she successfully drew three charges all by herself! We also did a better job, especially during our first couple of games, of getting out in passing lanes and putting more pressure on the offense. While certain players like Danielle Robinson, Nyeshia Stevenson, and Rose Hammond at times just gave some of those Italian guards all sorts of trouble, we still, of course, understand that there is a lot of room for necessary improvement in the future. The Greek Senior National team was excellent at taking advantage of our team defensive help and recovery. As far as testing and improving our team defense, I'm not sure we could have asked for a better situation than to play them three times. Any slip or hesitation on our part and they would most likely capitalize on it and make us pay for our mistake. I think, collectively, we are coming back with a deeper understanding not only of our current state of team defense but of the improvements necessary in order to be where we want and need to be in the future. Overall, I consider the basketball aspect of our entire experience as a major success. Improvements and growth were undeniably obvious in each of us as individual players and in many of the areas which are critical for the future of our team as a whole. As of now, our fate for next year lies in each of our efforts to continue to improve and build upon the foundation we have successfully created for ourselves over the past month. We've gotten off to a great start so far and plan on building it right through the summer and into next season. Thanks for keeping up with us throughout all of our experiences! Boomer Sooner!
The Sooners bid farewell to Europe early Tuesday morning as they left Athens for Atlanta, then Oklahoma City. The European Tour was a tremendous experience and a number of thanks must go out to those who helped make it possible. So, a big "thank you" goes out to the Fast Break Club, Basketball Travelers (including Neil Holden and his family), our Italian tour guide Fabio and all of our guides in Greece. The journey back to the United States was an experience in itself. Lauren Willis pens today's journal: Today was a very tiring and drawn out day spent mainly in airports. It's also Chandler Coale's birthday. Happy 12th birthday Chandler! Everything started at about 23:30 (11:30 p.m. in Athens, 3:30 p.m. in Norman) last night when I was woken up. After a long day spent at the beach, Jenny, Courtney, Carolyn, Abi and I had all been up talking. I had soon after called it a night, but about an hour later Ms. Vining, my roommate for the entire trip, woke me up. She had successfully climbed into our room through the balcony that overlooked the Aegean Sea. Apparently, I had fallen asleep and locked her out. I was in such a deep sleep that I didn't answer the phone or hear the knocks on the door. Jenny had decided that jumping from Amanda and Nyeshia's balcony to ours on the third floor was the best option to get inside the room. Needless to say, I woke up well rested, ready to take on the long day ahead of me. The morning began with an authentic Greek breakfast at the Divani Apollon Palace Hotel. After breakfast we paid our incidentals (luckily Jenny and I didn't owe 56 Euro for water and chocolates from the mini-bar like we had in Italy), loaded the bus, and headed to the airport. We left for the airport roughly around 9:30 a.m., departing Athens at 12:35 p.m. (4:35 a.m. in Norman). After our bags were checked Marieka, our manager, and I searched for the closest airport store to look for some aloe vera to soothe our pretty sunburns. Unfortunately we didn't find any, and would just have to suck it up on the plane ride home. After that adventure, we set up my frequent flyer miles account (something that I should have done a long time ago with all the traveling we have done this year!). The flight was a long one, as it is a 12-hour flight to Atlanta. It felt like we were never going to get off. We were scheduled to land in Oklahoma City sometime around 8:30 p.m. The jetlag just might be the end of me! We had heard a rumor that the movie Jumper was going to be shown on the flight. Carolyn and I were especially disappointed when it was not shown because earlier in the year while we were in Waco the night before the Baylor game, the two of us had chosen to see 27 Dresses rather than Jumper. Ironically, it was 27 Dresses, not Jumper, which was shown! We also watched The Bucket List and National Treasure 2, stopping every once in awhile to walk around the plane. Coach TK, Carlee, Carolyn and I did ankle exercises to prevent getting cankles again like Ashley had previously mentioned in her journal on the way to Rome. Finally, arriving in Atlanta, all of the passengers let out a loud round of applause. It felt good to be back in the states, and none of us wasted a second to turn on our cell phones. Coach Coale had reminded us while we were still in Greece that we often resort to technology as means of communication, rather than just talking with one another in person. Not having cell phones and unlimited Internet access these past 10 days really forced us to interact more in person with each other. Our team really bonded on this trip, and I think that it will positively translate onto the court. Our next flight felt like nothing -- it was only three hours! If you include the delay from storms though, it made the flight around five hours. Because of thunderstorms, the Atlanta airport delayed all outgoing flights, leaving us stuck on the tarmac for at least solid hour or so. I don't remember much of the flight from Atlanta to Oklahoma City because I slept through most of it. When we reached our last destination, the Lloyd Noble Center, we unloaded our bags from the bus into our cars. Jenny's car refused to start (this is after the airline had already lost one of her two bags on the way from Atlanta to OKC). Being her best friend and a great teammate, I felt obligated to stay with her while Tim, our strength coach, jumped her car. In a short twenty minutes we were good to go and headed to the Paris household to crash for the night before I drive home tomorrow morning. Looking back on this trip, it went by way too fast. I had such an amazing time! I saw so many beautiful places, experienced two different cultures and enjoyed many laughs along the way. I'm very thankful to have had such a wonderful opportunity to experience Italy and Greece with some of my closest friends. I am confident that the memories from this trip will stay with me for the rest of my life and I know that everyone else shares similar thoughts. Despite all of my great experiences on my trip overseas though, I couldn't be happier to return home. Living in America, we are so blessed to have so many luxuries. This trip really opened my eyes to all the things we often take for granted. I feel like this trip really helped us to get a head start on next season. We are all incredibly eager to get back on the court together already. The 2008-2009 season can't get here fast enough! Boomer Sooner!
Monday served as the final full day in Greece for the OU women's basketball team's European tour. Much of it was spent on the beach, but the group joined one final time for a celebratory dinner beachside as the sun set over the Aegean Sea.
Several birthdays occured during the course of the trip, which were all celebrated as one. One of those celebrating another year was now 19-year-old Danielle Robinson, who writes today's journal entry: So long and farewell to Coach Coale and Mr. Castiglione was actually the next phrase that came out of my mouth today. I actually wasn't expecting to see them this morning as they were leaving a day early. It seems like just yesterday that we were in the practice gym preparing for the trip talking about passports and Oklahoma gear that we needed to bring. Now we were saying goodbye to our head coach and athletics director that were headed to Big 12 meetings in Colorado. Now for the real details. May 19 -- last day before we head home also known as our free day. With as much traveling and touring as we had done, I was expecting everyone to sleep in. I was definitely wrong. As Amanda, Rose, Ny, Jenna and I walked into breakfast this morning surprised to see the Roethlisbergers, Tim, Carlee, Lauren, Jenny, and Carolyn already seated and eating at 9:30 a.m. That's early for a free day, but I guess when the pool and beach are at your fingertips, you can't sleep the day away. Eventually, everyone ended up at the beach including: trainers, players, managers, coaches, parents, the Austin family, the Coale family, and the Roethlisbergers. Let's just say that so much happened at the beach. Amanda, Jenna, and I buried Chandler Coale (twice) and Lauren Willis. The pictures explain it all and how much fun we had. We also had some yoga lessons coming from Mrs. Roethlisberger and a game of paddleball going on in the sand. I'm quite upset that Nyeshia and I lost to Coach Ross and Mrs. Roethlisberger in a game of paddleball. How does that happen? I was embarrassed! Then we went on to play Jenna and Colton Coale (who cheated the first game, but we got them back...no worries). After all of our activities at the beach, everyone headed to the pool. The water was freezing cold and I'm not a fan of the cold at all. I just want to give a HUGE shout out to Amanda Thompson who was the MVP of the swimming pool today. Let's just say she was enjoying herself. As for me, I was struggling to get in and asked Coach Ross for some encouragement so she came towards me (like she was going to push me in) so I just decided to jump in myself...thanks for that Coach Ross. I know you always got my back! As for my MVP of the tanning wars, I'd give the prize to Lauren Willis and Jenny Vining. At one point, Lauren asked me "Am I pretty red?" I answered with "oh yeah" and Lauren says back, "Maybe I should go inside then" (as she continues to lie outside for another hour). So much for my opinion, huh? That about wraps up the outdoor adventures for our group and let's just say the majority of us are what we can call "crispy". After the pool and beach were cleared of every Oklahoma person, the next stop was the lobby! FREE INTERNET! As most people are ready to be home to see their families and actually be able to talk to their families on their own phones, the internet is the closest contact that we have. What a surprise to see Rose Hammond in the lobby on the computer as she left the beach after an hour and headed back to her room to sleep. What a way to spend a birthday! The real truth is, Rosie can't swim! Just kidding! Then it was picture time of course. With our team though, pictures can't just be taken by one camera, but everyone has to pull out their camera to capture the same picture and we won't be satisfied until its just right! One picture turns into 50 it seems like, but we love it! I mean you can't deny that our team has the best smiles in the world! At dinner, we also celebrated the five birthdays that took place over the course of the trip -- mine, our sports information director Jared Thompson's, Rose's, Chandler's and, our favorite tour director, Neil's. We had a rich chocolate mousse cake that was INTENSE! I barely had three bites because it was so rich! The sad thing is our trip has come to an end and now we have to say goodbye to Italy and Greece. This trip has been a wonderful learning opportunity a great experience for everyone. We have all learned a great deal as well as bonded as a team. I mean that's what these trips do, bring teams together even more and I can say that we have definitely grown as a team, individually and as a whole. I'm going to miss Europe as so much happened, but let me just say that I have plenty of pictures to remember this trip by. Thanks to all of the fans who followed us throughout this whole trip. I hope we kept you up to date with our journals and pictures. We have definitely enjoyed this trip and hope you enjoyed it with us! Boomer Sooner! Ciao.
Sunday morning the Sooners packed their bags and checked out of their hotel in downtown Athens en route for Cape Sounion -- and a stop at the Temple of Poseidon -- before playing its final game against the Greece National Team. Chicago native Amanda Thompson describes today's excursion: The bus ride to the tour took forever but we had a great tour guide who kept us entertained for the majority of the drive. Her witty remarks and jokes were drowned in a strong Greek accent that made me laugh and it definitely gave me a reason to believe everything she said about the history of Greece. While riding along the mountain, all I could see was endless blue sea water and islands full of houses stacked to the top. It was beautiful sight to see and is definitely something that can't be explained through a photograph as seeing it with your own eyes. I saw people in the water, boats sailing and rocks holding the border between the land and the sea. I could only imagine one day just being out in the middle of the ocean as if I had an island of my own. I would eventually have to invite people to have a good time; maybe some of the Sooner fans! We finally arrived to our first destination. It was the Temple of Poseidon, very similar to the Parthenon. Just like every other place we went to, there was a mountain to climb. This temple was not that far up, which was a good thing. Our tour guide explained its history and then we had a little time to sightsee on our own. Of course we all took pictures with water in the background and also the temple. It was a little difficult to walk around because the place was surrounded by jagged rocks that seemed to grow from the Earth. By the time I got around to the backside of the temple almost everyone was headed back to the bus. I guess they thought that if you've seen one 4,000-year-old temple, you've seen them all. We still had a couple minutes to stand out on the rocks, so that gave me an opportunity to stare out into the sea. Lauren and Carlee were down below filming the view and taking pictures. When I walked up, I felt like I had the whole world in my hands. The view was unbelievable. I started turning in circles and singing the song, `I've got the whole world in my hands.' Danielle and Jenna were my backup dancers. I guess that was our way of giving life to the temple. Carlee got it on film. That will be pretty funny to see. We left the temple and it was time to check-in at our new hotel. It looked pretty luxurious when the bus pulled up but when I opened the door to my room, I saw how close the beds were again -- another reminder of the differences between European and American lifestyle. After taking a little nap it was time for the pre-game meal. We took a walk because the restaurants were all close, spread out on the beachfront. The food was pretty good but one of the combinations that came out was pasta. I had pasta two days in a row before then, so I wasn't too excited to eat it. I didn't hesitate though because I knew I would need it to prepare me for the game. Game time comes around and I'm just hoping that we all still have that same mentality about winning this last game. Everyone was pretty mad about how the other two games went, so I knew it was time to get to work. We had a pretty good start. Our defense was good and we were making good shots. The entire first half we were neck-and-neck with the Greek team. In the second half, we finally went on a little run that put us up by 10. I was feeling pretty sure about getting a win at this point. As the clock continued to run out, the score became closer and closer. I got a little nervous because we lost our lead but I felt like we would pull it out in some way. Unfortunately, we didn't and the Greek team won by two. I was pretty mad that we lost to then three times in a row, but I guess it was another learning experience. This was the best way to end the season but it's a great reason to work harder in the summer. When we got back it was time for dinner with Mr. C (Joe Castiglione). We all had a nice conversation and lovely dinner -- the pork chop that I ate was perfectly seasoned. This was definitely a good way to end the night. Now it's time to get ready for the last couple days here. Just want to say Happy Birthday to Jared and tell my mom that I love her very much! That's all from me,
Though the days in Europe are winding down for the OU women's basketball team, the fun certainly is not. Saturday the team boarded a cruise ship at the Piraeus Port and set course for three of the Greece's Argo-Saronic Islands. The first stop was Aegina for some sightseeing and shopping before heading to Poros for more of the same. The final destination, Hyrda, added some adventure as the players (and staff members) took turns diving into the Aegean Sea from the nearby cliffs. Soon-to-be sophomore Carlee Roethlisberger shares the details: Today we went on our three island tour. We loaded the bus at 7:15 a.m. and made our way to our cruise ship, the Anna Maru. Before the ship even left dock, everyone was back asleep, covered with blankets and towels borrowed from the hotel. Our first stop was the island of Aegina, the largest of the three islands we would see. We were allowed some time to get off the ship, tour the island and do some shopping. Walking through the streets, we passed restaurants just setting up for the day, some hanging octopus up to dry and bringing fish they had just caught. As we continued walking, there was even a man building his own boat. Aegina is best known for its pistachio, which we taste-tested, and we even got to experience its lovely smelling fish market! Back on the boat, it was time for lunch. The food, which consisted of mixed vegetables, pork and rice, was decent. However, most of our time was spent doing the cupid shuffle to the music provided by the ship's pianist. The rest of the team, not involved in dancing, played a competitive tournament of card games -- speed and spoons. Our next stop was Poros. Our allowed time on this island was only about 45 minutes and, since it took so long for us to get from the top of the boat to land, some just stayed on the boat to tan. Other walked around the island and a few climbed to a hilltop church that seemed to be the unique attraction. The last island was, by far, the most beautiful and the most entertaining. The island of Hydra looked like the scenes of Greece from the movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Most of the houses, hotels and shops that lined the cliffs were white with bright blue windows and doors. As a group we walked around the harbor past huge yachts then small fishing boats. We climbed up a hill and saw some of the locals diving from the cliff into the sea. A few people from the team jumped right in, but after seeing the freezing expressions on their faces, the rest of us were more hesitant. But, two-by-two and three-by-three we all made the jump. Even Nyeshia, shower cap and all. The trip back to land was long and so cold. Most everyone began on the top deck but slowly as the sun began to go down and the wind became stronger, the wet towels were no longer favorable apparel. Those who weren't sleeping headed down below for a friendly game of cards and some Greek dance lessons. Rumor has it that Amanda learned and performance one of the dances. I'm sure she would love to teach anyone interested. Back on the bus, with everyone worn out from all the hiking, swimming, dancing and coping with the wind and sun, we dozed off once again. The rest of the night was left for us to get dinner on our own and finally climb into bed, falling to sleep to the sound of foreign words coming from the TV.
The eighth day of the OU women's basketball team's European tour proved to be its busiest. With a tour of ancient Athens on the slate, stops at the Parthenon, Mars Hill, Temple of Zeus and original Olympic Stadium highlighted the day. The Sooners also matched up against the Greek National Team for the second of three games the pair will play. Since the day was filled with athletics, who better than the team's most talented athlete, Nyeshia Stevenson, write about the day? This morning, we went on a tour to see the Acropolis, which literally translates to High City. This site includes the Proplaeya, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon and the Erechtheon. It is always exciting to see sites from B.C. time; it's amazing how the buildings, or what is left of them, are still remaining. While we were touring the Texas A&M choir was there too and our athletics director, Joe Castiglione, convinced them to sing their alma mater. I had never really heard a school choir sing until then and they were very well harmonized. After touring the Acropolis, we stopped for a few minutes at the Olympic Stadium -- the original site from when the modern Olympics were started in 1896. It's cool to watch the Olympics on television, but to actually stand on the same ground as the first Olympians was very cool. I knew this trip was going to be a good learning experience, but I didn't know I would be taking in so much. It's never interesting sitting in history class; however, visually seeing history makes you want to hear more. After taking pictures at Olympic Stadium, we went downtown and shopped. I didn't really see anything I wanted but Lauren did get an Ed Hardy hat without me (tear). After walking around the shopping area for a while, we went back to the hotel to get rested for that night's game against the Greek National Team. We lost, but they have another thing coming on Sunday! We were supposed to have dinner on our own after the game but I never left the hotel because I was sick. I don't know from what but I couldn't eat anything. I finally got to talk to my mom today because she FINALLY ANSWERED THE PHONE!!! That really made my night because I miss my family so much and being overseas makes me miss then even move because of the distance. Overall, the day was pretty fun...upsetting that we didn't win but that's about all. Can't wait to go on our cruise tomorrow!
The Sooners first full day in Athens turned out to be an adventure -- moreso than what was advertised. Due to a workers' strike and demonstration in downtown, much of the city's transportation shut down in the afternoon. The team's original plans to tour ancient Athens and the Acropolis were put on hold for one day, the strike led to the opportunity for the team to explore the scenic locale by foot. Red Rock, Okla., native Jenna Plumley tells the tale of how the Sooners hoofed it, just like the ancient Greeks: After breakfast, we took the bus to the center of downtown Athens. Everything is in walking distance - the flea market, department stores, and restaurants. On this day, we were supposed to take a tour of ancient Athens, but because of a workers' strike, we were unable to. From what I could find out, the strike was about complaints about the insurance. In some way, it affects all of Greece and strikes like this frequently happen throughout the year for different reasons. The purpose was to shut down segments of the transportation system. The buses did not run and the airport was closed for five hours but the taxis still ran, mostly because they are privately owned. More importantly, the workers of the museums were on the verge of striking for better wages. In the end, everything revolves around money, which is understandable because of the prices over here. Gas is about 1.30 Euro per liter, which translates to 7.60 per gallon in U.S. dollars. Italy was worse, about $9 a gallon. Anyway, as we continued, we were dropped downtown and split into groups. Most of us went to a huge department store called Attica where they have everything. The reason we went there is because we heard it was supposed to be cheaper than other places in town, but when we looked at the prices it cost at least 40 Euro or more just for a T-shirt! Wow! But then everything here is more expensive than back home. Just for fun, we still looked around and wished we could buy! As they day went on, we walked around and looked at all the small vendor shops. Some people bought little trinkets, but I mostly just window shopped. We headed back to the hotel to get eat our pregame meal and then headed to the rooms to get ready for our first game against the Greek National Team. I had bought a prepaid calling card at a little shop in the city and tried to call back to my mommy, who I hadn't talked to in five days. When I couldn't get the payphone to work I asked the concierge who gave me a lesson in international dialing. For any of you who go overseas, the U.S. code is 001. I felt silly not knowing that but finally hearing my mom's voice was great. It brought me to tears because I had not missed someone so much. We left the hotel and took a 30 minutes bus ride to the gym we were going to play at. Well, not all the way. We had to stop and walk the last few minutes because the streets were too narrow to take a bus through. Other than some of the rules, there aren't many differences. The ball is a little different and the rims seem stiffer and thicker than those back home. The understanding was that the team we were about to play was "for real." Most of these girls were trying out to make the team when it plays its European championships qualifier in a few weeks. We started well after tip-off. The Greek team was more physical and we didn't seem to get many calls. As many charges as we have been taking, not once did a whistle blow. But, they do seem to know what traveling is because they love to call that every time we pass the ball. I guess no matter where you are, there is always a home-court advantage. Oh well, I guess this experience of playing in Europe is unbelievable and a memory I won't forget. The Greeks gave us a good game, but I am a sore loser and hate to say it but we did lose this game. No worries, we have another shot tomorrow and it's payback time! Even though we lost, this was one of my favorite days of this entire trip. I got to talk to my mommy and that made my day. To all my family and friends: mommy, daddy, Albee, Chrisser, Katie, Crhistian, RJ, Wanzee, Raelyn, Riane, Rilo and KC22 -- I love and miss y'all so much. To my teammates' parents and family -- we are all having fun and miss you and love you. To our fans, thanks for keeping up with us and I hope our daily journals make you feel like you are here with us and feel a part of our trip. We definitely wish you were here to yell some sense into these referees! Thanks for all your support!
The OU women's basketball team entered part two of its European tour as it left Rome, Italy, early Wednesday morning for Athens, Greece. After an hour-and-a-half flight and 40 minute bus ride to the hotel, the team walked its way to the top of the Lykavittos Hill. While waiting for tables inside the restaurant on the summit the party used the break for a photo-op, taking numerous pictures against the alluring cityscape. Courtney Paris takes us on her journey to the summit: What I didn't know is that dinner was going to be an early start to pre-season conditioning. Coach Coale must have known. She showed up to our "dressy-casual" dinner wearing her Dri-Fit pants and cross-trainers. Guys like Jenna Plumley, on the other hand, showed up looking nice as usual with cute outfits and three-inch heels and were not prepared for our journey "upward." Literally, we walked up. Up steep streets until steep streets became steeper stairs that led to a steep road that led to more steep stairs. Our tour guide, Neil, who was leading the pack, finally stopped. I'm thinking, "Yes, we're there." But that was far from the truth. He gave us the option to walk another block on the street and take a cable car to the top of the hill. Uh, yeah! Oh, 12 Euros. Um, no thanks! Besides, what were a few more stairs? We had already made it this far, we could see the top. Well, a few more stairs ended up being another half mile or so up increasingly steeper stairs, zigzagging back and forth across the hill so much that the first half of the walk seemed like a warmup. It never stopped, the further you got the further you had to go until finally you were there. And it was worth it. Just like with most things in life, our seemingly impossible task became more and more rewarding. As we climbed the hill, the view of Greece became more majestic. We saw all the landmarks and beauty of Greece in one panoramic view from heights we would not have imagine before we were bold enough to make the venture. My high school coach always used to tell me that those at the top of the mountain didn't just land there. Well, I guess we could have just taken a cable car. But then what would I have had to write about? Boomer Sooner!
Day four of the University of Oklahoma's women's basketball European tour served as a "free day" for the staff and players to explore the city on their own. With several famous sites within walking distance, the opportunity was not missed. The extra time allowed for trekking the roads and alleyways, of course, meant that a steady rain was in the forecast. Tuesday night, the team played its second game, this time against the Promezia All-Stars. Abi Olajuwon writes about her day in Rome: When I woke up, our team decided to go walk and see the Fountain de Trevi, or Trevi Fountain for us English speakers. It was beautiful and after all of us finished taking the same picture on different cameras, we decided to split up and go shopping. My partner was Lauren Willis and we shopped and meandered around Rome until we did not have a clue how to get back to the hotel. I tried to speak my Spatalian (Spanish-Italian) to have someone point us in the correct direction, but we keep running back into the Trevi Fountain. To make matters worse, we were walking in the pouring rain (without an umbrella, I might add because I'd rather spend five Euro on pizza than an umbrella that I needed.) Even though we were completely lost in Rom e trying to find our way back to the hotel, that didn't stop us from shopping in every store. After a while, we ran into D-Rob and Ny, who were also lost. After 20 minutes of all four of us walking around and still nowhere near our hotel, I decided to call a taxi. Honestly, after buying a pair of Birkenstock sandals to keep from slipping and falling on the wet streets, the cab fare was the best purchase that I had made all day. That afternoon we left for our game. I napped all the way and when we arrived at the gym, Courtney realized she had played in the same gym with USA Basketball. I recognized some of the players from the last game and I didn't foul out until the fourth quarter this time! (Maybe it was because I didn't play in the third quarter. Ha, ha!) We had our picture taken with the other team after we won, headed back on a long bus ride home and celebrated the win with a nice cup of gelato! Two wins down, three more to go. Get ready Greece, the Sooners are coming!
The University of Oklahoma women's basketball team toured Vatican City Monday on day three of its 10-day European tour. The Sooners toured the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's square beforing departing for Rome suburb Zagarolo for its game against Lila Palestrina. Today, Rose Hammond describes her visit to the Vatican: After a good night's sleep, we woke up bright and early for breakfast this morning. I have to admit, it was a different experience knowing 8 a.m. was 1 a.m. back home. Being on a 24-hour clock is difficult to adapt to but a good learning experience was in store this day. After visiting the Colosseum the day before, I was ready to learn and see more about the history of Rome. We took a bus to visit to the Vatican City and I was super excited to explore the museum. When we arrived, there were at least 2,000 people already in line. Our tour guide, Fabio, told us about the museum on the way over and we learned that it was the biggest in the world and that the Vatican is a state of its own, independent of Italy. We learned much about its history during the tour as well. There were countless painting and sculptures -- it was beauty like I have never seen. I think I took at least 200 pictures, knowing there was no way to capture everything. We toured the museum for about two hours and it didn't even feel like we were close to seeing everything. My favorite pieces were Michelangelo's paintings of Adam and Eve and Jesus. Growing up, I learned who Michelangelo was but didn't understand his importance until now. His artwork is amazing and you could definitely see how much better he got through time. I think everyone was just in awe after visiting the museum; it was certainly an inspiring experience. At lunch, I experienced my first on-the-street purchase while walking back to the bus. Ashley talked me into buying a silk hair scarf. My first thought was no because I wasn't planning on spending any Euros on anything but food (plus the scarf was 10 Euro and as cheap as I am I was sure I didn't want to buy it). But Ashley talked the lady into going down on the price so I finally gave in. I paid three Euro. The lady followed by halfway to the bus, trying to get me to buy another. I blame Ashley for that, but I'm glad I bought the scarf. That evening we played our first game of this tour. It was kind of funny getting used to the international rules -- 24-second shot clock, eight-second backcourt and different free throw rules -- but the game was exciting and we played well. The referees called traveling on us at least eight times and we couldn't argue because they didn't understand English. They called some fouls really tight too -- Abi fouled out early in the third quarter. After the game we went to McDonald's. I've never been more excited in my life to eat there. I love my American food so McDonald's was good at the time. I could have eaten four cheeseburgers if I would have had 50 Euros. Overall, it was a very fun day. I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. Later,
The University of Oklahoma women's basketball team literally hit the ground running on day one of its European summer tour. Minutes after touching down at Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Rome, the Sooners were on a bus en route to the heart of the city -- The Colosseum. The team toured the site and the surrounding area, including The Forum, before checking in at its hotel Sunday afternoon. Monday, the Sooners will tour the Vatican and then play European club league team Acquario Palestrina that night in Rome. Today, which actually started yesterday, was probably the longest day of my life. This my have to do with it starting a 4 a.m. Saturday in America and wrapping at 11 p.m. Sunday in Rome. Besides the sleep deprivation and cankles (from the long flight), this trip has already been one of the best experiences of my life. We landed in Rome at about 9 a.m. local time, boarded a bus and immediately went sightseeing. While I haven't had the pleasure of traveling the world every summer like my little sister Courtney, this is the most beautiful place I have ever been. The Travel Channel did not do this place justice. Our first stop was the Colosseum. It was absolutely amazing. It was massive and had a tremendous amount of detail. We learned about how and when it was built, how it helped the people of its original era get along with their dictator who used his own wealth to fund its construction. I have to admit that ever after seeing and hearing about what took place here, I was still unable to comprehend its magnitude. But, according to Carolyn Winchester, watching Gladiator will help me put the entire structure into perspective. (On a side note, amazingly I spotted a Sherri Coale look-alike. She was using the same phone Coach has, had curly blonde hair with the same length and style, had a similar outfit minus the stilettos...a little more casual, and was about the same height. It was almost as funny as it was frightening. For those of you who don't believe me, I have video footage.) After our tour of the Colosseum, we walked down the street to the Forum. Although its structure was not nearly as impressive, it was still very interesting in its own right. We learned the history of its existence and how the entire area was once under mud before it was excavated. Next, we grabbed lunch and boarded the bus for the hotel. The rooms are a small as a four-door sedan and the beds are a short as a skateboard -- perfect for Jenna Plumley. Nonetheless, the rooms are comfortable and I took the best nap ever. For dinner we went to a very nice Italian restaurant that had the best service I've ever experienced. We were continuously served a variety of appetizers and entrees that were as authentic as they were delicious. My favorite was the Italian sausage meatballs. Yum! After dinner, we walked down the block to get some gelato (ice cream) and take a quick look at the Spanish Steps. The steps were filled with young Italian men and women enjoying the nice evening of music and mingling. Unfortunately for them, Nyeshia was quickly able to "show up" the local talent with her singing and dancing. Overall, I had a wonderful day and am looking forward to the rest of my time in Europe. Hopefully, the swollen ankles will disappear before tomorrow's game. Once again, a special Mother's Day wish for all of our moms who couldn't make the trip. Thank you for your countless hours of driving, coaching and continuous love and support. It will forever be appreciated. Every day should be Mother's Day! Ciao,
The University of Oklahoma women's basketball team touched down at Leonardo Da Vinci International early Sunday morning, taking its first steps inside Italy on its summer European tour. The team left Oklahoma early Saturday morning for a connecting flight to Atlanta, then a nine-hour flight overseas to Rome. The Sooners will spend Sunday touring ancient Rome and the Colosseum. Monday, Oklahoma will visit the Vatican before playing a game against European league club team Acquario Palestrina in Rome. So we get to the airport and are going through the checkpoint where they check your passports and the next panic overcomes Danielle when she can't find her passport. Thankfully, we found it packed away in her suitcase. Now we are just sitting and walking around, waiting to depart for Atlanta then Rome. Well, the plane ride from OKC to Atlanta was pretty quick. Everybody slept the whole time. When we got to Atlanta, we had six-and-a-half hours until our flight to Rome departed. WOW! What in the tarnation were we going to do in an airport for six-and-a-half hours? Have no fear. We managed just fine. We found our gate and pretty much just set up camp. Jenna and Ny made pallets on the floor and went backt o sleep . Lauren and Abi got their Cosmos, People and Vouge magazines and started yappin' those up. While, of course, Rose and AT went to get food first thing. Now me, Ash, Court, Carolyn, (birthday girl) Danielle and Carleee just kind of sat around and talked it up. Shot some film for Ashley's documentary of the trip and played stupid games like who could do the most push-ups in 60 seconds. The time actually went by pretty fast. We all go some money exchanged into Euros and everyone got their fill of food because we wouldn't have much on the plane. Some ate Italian, some ate Chinese, but I had to get one more American cheeseburger in me before we left. We are on the plane now to Rome. My nerves are almost back to normal from the takeoff...but, hey, I am getting pretty good at this flying thing. Who knows, maybe I will become a pilot? Just kidding. Too much math involved. We have been on the plane for about three hours and a lot of us our asleep again. They just served dinner and am I glad I had my cheeseburger. Yuck! They said it was chicken, but that was unlike any chicken I had before. Of course, we're just sitting around -- there is not that much to do on a plane. Me, Ash, Abi, Lauren, Court and Carolyn are all sitting nearby each other. We have some very unique and interesting conversations. With six hours left in our flight to Rome, our athletic trainer, Carolyn Loon, is trying to teach us some Italian words. I think I may be in trouble in the communication department during this trip. Just had a little excitement on the plane. There was a lady who was sitting four rows ahead of me -- right in front of Coach Coale and her husband, Dane -- who passed out. Have no worries, the greatest trainer in the world came to the rescue. They found a doctor on the plane, but Loon was the first responder. The good news is the lady is going to be OK. Whew! That made me nervous and I almost needed some assistance myself. After all of the excitement, everyone calmed down and the in-flight movie, The Golden Compass, played. I don't believe anyone got far into it because we all fell back asleep until we were awakened with a continental breakfast -- a hot bagel, banana and orange juice. It tasted pretty good but that may be because I am starving. With just a few minutes left, we are definitely ready to get off this plane. The captain has put the seat belt sign back on, so we must be getting close. Thank goodness. Well, that's my time and someone else will write about our first day in Rome. I would like to tell my mom HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY and I LOVE YOU! And, Happy Mother's Day to all the others reading this, too. Hope you all have a wonderful day. C-ya later. Love, |
