Big 12 Orientation: Oklahoma's famous alumni

Let's face it- there will probably be a lot of crimson in the house when TCU and Oklahoma face off as Big 12 rivals starting next year. That's just always going to be the case when you have a big, flagship state school three hours up the road that also happens to have a ridiculous bandwagon following. We won't focus on the Corbys of the world right now, but here are the familiar faces that actually attended OU:

Ed Harris- Nominated for an Oscar three times for his roles in Apollo 13, The Truman Show and Pollock, but my favorite role of his was his first big one- playing John Glenn in The Right Stuff.  He attended OU briefly in the late 60s after transferring from Columbia, but eventually dropped out to pursue his acting career.

Olivia Munn-  I still don't really understand why this girl is famous.  After majoring in journalism at OU, she's had a hodge-podge TV career that has included a stint as a sideline reporter for Fox Sports, hosting Attack of the Show on G4 and a couple of failed sitcoms.  I did, however, find THIS pretty interesting. 

Fred Haise-  Maybe it was the OU connection that inspired Ed Harris to take a part in the Apollo 13 movie?  Fellow Sooner (and 1959 OU grad) Fred Haise was one of the astronauts in the real-life Apollo 13 mission, and later flew space shuttle missions as well.  Bill Paxton played him in the movie.

James Garner- This Norman-native actor is best known for his roles in the original Maverick TV series, The Rockford Files and The Great Escape.  But don't forget that he also did some voice work in The Land Before Time 10.  Didn't know they made ten of those movies?  They actually made 13!

Dari Nowkhah- This '98 OU broadcast journalism graduate is somewhat of a utility guy at ESPN, and is one of the few people on that network that I don't despise. 

I'm sure they have other famous alums, but I'm distracted watching the TCU-Ole Miss game.  Sorry.

Daily Discussion Question: BRAAAAAAAAINS!!!

Here's Your Future.

I haven't paid that much attention to the news lately.  It's not that I don't WANT to, but certain circumstances have made sitting down and checking in on the happenings of the world a little difficult, and what free time I have had to venture outside of my bubble has been disappointing, mostly because it has revolved around watching our dear football team implode a bit.  However, two recent stories have caught my eye.  One was the curious case of SMU's amateur crane operator, a situation that grabbed my attention initially as a potential source for SMU Hate, but also because at the time the man was thought to be a sniper and his location was VERY near to my home.  The other hit close to home too, but in a much, much different way.  Of course I'm talking about the strange tale of the Florida homeless man caught gnawing the face off of another Florida homeless man, supposedly after getting high on bath salts, which is apparently a thing now.  

I may be alone in this segment, but I totally dig zombie movies.  Zombieland, while not a genuine zombie flick, is one of the better movies I've seen in a few years, 28 Days Later remains a constant favorite and will always grab at least 30 minutes of my time when I see it on HBO and Evil Dead 2... well, let's just say if you haven't immersed yourself in the greatness of that cinematic triumph, I don't want to know you.  Perhaps the most damning evidence of my zombie interest is the fact that I've stuck with The Walking Dead through their non-adventures on the farm, which is sort of akin to sticking with TCU Football through the early-90s out of love, although I have a feeling my zombies won't give me quite the same payoff.  You get the point - I like me some undead flesheaters.  However, my interest in zombies comes with a pretty huge caveat - I like them because they arent' real.  Sure, a lot of folks have joked about the Florida man being a zombie - he apparently would not stop when police approached him and had to be shot multiple times because the first few did not put him down and he just kept going for the man's face - but this is Florida we're talking about!  America's Wang!  One of the premier meth capitals in the country! For all the grief we give to Louisiana and Arkansas for being backwards, for my money Florida tops them all, so it makes perfect sense for something like this to happen there.  

But then I received an email that, while made in jest, certainly raised some curious possibilities.  I'll post it here:

Haz Mat Incidents? Face Eating?  Spitting Blood?  How does every zombie movie begin?  Scientists in a private lab crafting a weaponized virus to be used by the government in chemical warfare is accidentally released into the air, typically by accident, and quickly ravages the populace.  Is it possible that Florida scientists' accidentally spilled their hard work and that the Sunshine State is ground zero for a zombie apocalypse?  Could this chain of events have some sort of karmic connection to the gradual destruction of the 2012 TCU Horned Frogs defense?  We're a few months early for the Mayans prediction, but could this be the start of the beginning of the end?  All I know is, when the government starts mailing out cyanide tablets, I'm not taking my chances.  

Frogs talk Regionals

Coach Schlossnagle, junior catcher Josh Elander and freshman pitcher Preston Morrison talk to the media about this weekend's action in College Station.

Big 12 Orientation: Oklahoma's other sports

If anyone from Oklahoma ever makes fun of you for being proud of TCU's multiple national title-winning rifle team, you can always point out that OU's big non-marquee sport is men's gymnastics- where they've taken home national titles in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2008.  I use the term "sport" loosely, because when you're performing stunts for judges instead of actually competing directly against your opponents, it's not a sport.  That's not to say that I don't admire the strength and athleticism required- and certainly I couldn't do any of the stuff they do- but the only collegiate athletic competition that could possibly rank higher on the "I don't give a shit" meter would be men's figure skating.

The title of biggest non-marquee sport on campus used to belong to the wrestling team, who won national titles in 1936, 1951, 1952, 1957, 1960, 1963 and 1974.  It's one of the few sports, however, in which they take a back seat to Oklahoma State- so likely there isn't a whole lot of chirping about wrestling from Sooner fans.

Morning Dump

Same as it ever was when I am asked to fill in for lyle and spitpurple on Dumpin' Duties, this will be half-assed.  This is probably passable today since all we really care about is the Frogs game against Ole Miss.  I'm also being distracted by the Ticket replaying the drunk lady from the Rose Bowl ceremony on the 8:40 bit.

TCU Baseball Secret:  It's the Gatorade. - WFAA

NCAA Baseball Regional Gives TCU a Fresh Start. - Startlegram.

TCU Opens Regional Play Friday. - Go Frogs.

Pre-Tourney Quotes.


SI Article on Andrew Cashner.