Nobody expects North Texas to be a match for the Sooners on Saturday, and neither do I. However, I also don't take them lightly.

Can you believe it's been almost 10 years since Oklahoma almost lost to the Mean Green on Owen Field?

There's no mention of it on YouTube.

Barely a mention of it can be found on Google.

You might not even remember it.

However, I distinctly remember listening to Bob Barry on the radio in the front room of my parents' house in Henryetta, listening to the OU-North Texas game on the radio with Dad, and OU struggling to lead 10 to 9 in the third quarter.

The John Blake years were bad, but they were about to hit a new low until a guy named Patrick Fletcher literally saved the day and a generation of Sooners fans from what would have been the most embarrassing loss in OU history.

We won that game 37-9, and Fletcher was absolutely the toast of Norman for at least a few weeks. By the time Bob Stoops came to town, Fletcher got a chance to hold for placekicks and do various things, but he wasn't a star on the team come 2000.

He was kind of a forgotten guy by most OU fans, although from time to time, he'd pop up and make a memorable play, usually in some sort of trick or gadget formation.

Nevertheless, Fletcher and guys like him were the primary reason we won the national championship in 2000.

It sure as heck wasn't solely based on talent.

Did you see Heupel throw?

Do you know how little Quentin Griffin is?

Did you notice Rocky Calmus' broken arm?

It was heart, total heart -- and guys like Fletcher and J.T. Thatcher and the likes of those around in Blake's final years with the Sooners got rewarded with a title. Not a Big 12 title. A national title.

I know the 2007 edition of the Oklahoma Sooners is talented as all get out at running back, linebacker, DB, safety, on the line -- both of them -- and at placekicker. Outside of quarterback, a position we don't know much about, we're potentially as talented overall as we have ever, ever been.

But do we have heart? Who's the Patrick Fletcher on this team?

You might think I'm crazy, and I know Oklahoma has done very well at the quarterback position in recent years. However, when we see Sam Bradford debut on Saturday night, I'm not looking for a big arm or long runs.

I'm not looking for Jason White or Nate Hybl.

I'm looking to see if Bradford has some Patrick Fletcher in him.

So, you're 20 and under and not really sure what the 80s were all about?

One Name. Three words. Olivia Newton-John. The MILF Original.

Seriously. It makes me cringe to watch this but tingle, all at the same time. Funny.

Two hours away from my 37th birthday. So, what have I learned this year?

Well, I learned for sure that I hate winter but that I can exist in any kind of weather. Oklahoma's 2006-07 winter was worse than Minnesota's 2006-07.

I learned that the best coffee in the world isn't at Starbucks or even at 7-Eleven or McDonald's, like many "taste tests" suggest. It's at the Waffle House and Golden Corral. Either one.

I learned how to shoot videos for YouTube.

I learned a ton more this year about SEO, search engine optimization.

I learned, or I have come to understand as clearly as never before, that I am extremely fortunate to be in the industry I am. Doing what I do (digital journalism) is pretty much akin to working in television in the 1930s.

I learned that I don't have to go far to get the best newspaper in Oklahoma. It's the Norman Transcript.

I learned how to read bigger and better than I ever have before, but I still hunger to be able to consume more information.

I learned how to separate ideology from my hatred of FOX News. It has nothing to do with their conservatism. Hell, on many issues, I am conservative. My disdain with FOX News has everything to do with how they brazenly flaunt their bias, how they twist information and, worst of all, how they completely disrespect the viewer in doing so.

I still say that Shepherd Smith is THE best anchor on any cable news channel, including Anderson Cooper. Smith is a throwback to a different era.

I learned how to exercise this year. I've worked out more in 2006-07 than any year since high school. I've lost about 5 to 7 pounds this year to show for it even though my eating habits are still pretty poor. See, while I understand how to read a label, I can't resist a big slice of carrot cake.

I learned how to manage my time this year. The formula isn't perfect, but with all the work, the initiatives, the projects and fun I have going on at once, I practically need a personal assistant. Last year at this time, I was frustrated by my inability to manage it all.

This year, I'm $^%#$@ Martha Stewart.

I heard the best album I've heard in a decade this past year. It's Amy Winehouse's "Back To Black," not only a shoo-in for my album of the year for 2007, it's likely a multiple Grammy winner next February. Whether she's dead or alive then is the more pertinent question.

I learned to embrace routine without guilt. The older I get, the less spontaneous I become, and that doesn't bother me a bit. When I was younger, I'd hear women say, "I love being with so and so. He's so spontaneous."

My thought was always that Charles Manson was probably pretty spontaneous as well. Besides, one of the benefits of age and wisdom is the ability to plan effectively, to analyze needs and wants and to make the most of both.

But do I really feel any wiser?

No, although I believe it a trait of any fool to think himself wiser than he is. To that end, I'll just recognize that there is much more to learn, and God willing, we can meet right back here next year.

Even among my friends who have no reason to doubt me, the time-tested conflict between journalistic brains and beauty is as polarizing as ever before.

Some of them are sure that as a journalist's looks get better, their ability to write or report or think plummets. And that's why I was pumped to see FOX's new unscripted series, "Anchorwoman."

Little did I know it would die before I could see the first episode.

Having drawn only one-third the viewers FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance" had in the same time slot a week before, the network cut loose this summer series about Lauren Jones, a former beauty queen and WWE Diva trying to find her way as an anchorwoman at KTYX-19 in Tyler, Texas.

I like Tyler, Texas. As far as I'm concerned, East Texas is God's country. However, it was a perfect setting for this show because Tyler does exhibit, let's say, some small-town qualities.

Besides, it's a market small enough to have a station desperate enough to give a stunt like this a try while at the same time being a market big enough to actually be considered a market. For example, my hometown of Henryetta, Okla., is not market No. 1,226,484. It's just not a market.

Without rehashing the entire gist of the series, which gets boring in a review after review, I'll merely summarize the show.

Hot chick comes in to be one of the station's 5 p.m. anchors. Her colleagues hate her, not just for her "looks" but because she can't write or report or do anything television journalists do. However, she tries really hard and messes up even more, and the whole world's really laughing at her, not with her.

If it doesn't sound like an original premise, you wouldn't be alone in thinking that. However, the newsroom environment was 100 billion percent right-on the money, and the people living their regular lives as news directors, photographers, reporters and anchors, not to mention directors and board ops, etc., were spot-on as to their reactions and behaviors toward her.

Never once did I feel like anybody was acting.

What's more, there was a dry, almost cruel, belly-laugh-inducing humor underscoring this dialogue of "Anchorwoman" that I honestly think will make this cult viewing for newsrooms across the country. The line, "So, will we all jump out of the truck and act all 'newsy,'" will be repeated -- guaranteed -- 10,000 more times this year alone in newsrooms across the country.

The line, "We're always live, baby girl" will, too.

It matters not to me that you, the American public, didn't watch this. FOX has graciously decided to post all other episodes on its Web site. Fact is, history will show that "Anchorwoman" was a bomb beyond all bombs.

But my guess is that this might be the most quoted show in newsrooms across the country over the next five years. I thought it was brilliant, so America can suck it.

I was in a bar in McKinney, Texas, the night the Rangers beat Baltimore 26-7 in Arlington. We were on our way to the Fry Street Fair in Denton, if I'm not completely mistaken, and I saw a crazy seventh inning to beat all.

It was nothing compared to tonight, and I didn't turn on the game until it was 20-3. I witnessed, you witnessed -- anybody who watched witnessed -- what is likely the single greatest offensive show of our lifetime by any one team in Major League Baseball.

On Aug. 22, 2007, Texas beat Baltimore at Camden Yards 30-3.

I don't mean to be terribly sentimental or nostalgic or whatever, but it's one of the beautiful things about baseball. It's a sport whose storylines are written day by day but whose novels are written yearly, and on Wednesday, there was nobody better than my Rangers.

What's super-duper triple amazing is that the Orioles were leading 3-0 after 3. Oh, and Texas won the nightcap of this doubleheader 9-7. Wow.

Enjoy the highlights below ...

It's been a great week so far, clicking on all cylinders. I've worked out three straight days, which isn't a record but it has me back on track to where I was earlier this summer.

In June, I bought a pair of running shoes and decided I'd run a 5K on Sept. 1, with the idea that competition was required to get me motivated. Well, I caught a cold and lost all that momentum after a couple of weeks, during which we also had the great floods of Oklahoma.

Toad's in-laws graciously gave me a treadmill, which they weren't using. It's turned out to be one of the best gifts ever because while I technically prefer running outside so I can get fresh air, so I can run through the beauty that is OU's campus, I hate bugs, hot weather, humidity and people.

So, the treadmill is perfect. It's in a climate-controlled environment away from strangers and creepy-crawlies. I've got it parked in front of my television, something I highly recommend if you should ever get a treadmill. In fact, I would love to build a little stand that would come out of the wall on top of which I could place a remote and a bottle of water.

However, in the scope of the house, it would be terribly tacky.

My theory of exercise at this point has nothing to do with competition with other people, so I'm not interested in the 5K in two weeks. However, I am very interested in competing with myself, challenging myself to the hilt.

No, I'm not taking up rock-climbing or skydiving. However, my thought is that if I burn off 350 calories per day for 10 days, I've lost one pound. That's the math; lose 3,500 calories, and you lose a pound presuming my eating habits don't change.

So, every 10 days, I lose one pound. In 100 days, I lose 10. In 200, 20. In 300, 30 -- and in one year, no matter what, without altering my diet one iota, presuming again that I eat sensibly without extreme binging, I should lose 36.5 pounds.

I don't plan to do that. That's too much.

But 25? I can totally see that.

***

Quick notes. The University of Oklahoma named redshirt freshman Sam Bradford starting QB, which is no surprise. However, true freshman Keith Nichol is coming on strong, particularly with his legs.

Oklahoma won't do this, but I seriously think they should use Nichol like Florida used Tim Tebow last year. If you look at the NFL, coaches are using two players at key skill positions. I'm not saying split quarterback time between Bradford and Nichol.

Bradford's our guy.

But if Nichol is as talented as he seems to be, we're fools -- outright fools -- not to use him now. Bring him in on third downs. Bring him in to spell Bradford in a hurry-up offense. Put him out at receiver a couple times as a decoy.

Teams that excel in the next 10 years at both the college and pro levels will have two capable and usable quarterbacks and running backs. Now, I don't mean that Peyton Manning should ever have to split time with some dope, but I do mean the Jets have so made the right move by adding Brad Smith to their team, using him in a variety of ways. Believe it or not, there's a solid chance Paul Thompson makes the Green Bay Packers as an "athlete."

So, if you're a Sooners fan, get on board with some innovation. The days when "if you had two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks" are over. Having two great, capable quarterbacks, used properly, with innovation and strategy is the ultimate threat as Florida showed last year.

It's a trend that will not go away.

***

I've done a 180 on TNT's "Saving Grace."

After making fun of it the first two weeks, I can honestly, truly say I like this show. The writing over the last few weeks won't win any Pulitzer's or whatever they give TV writers (Emmy's, I think), but it's 100 percent better.

Creator Nancy Miller has toned down the hokeyness.

As an Oklahoman, it's less embarrassing and, now, dare I say semi-gratifying. But for me as a TV viewer, the writing simply had to improve, and it did. Combined with some well-done character development, this is a show to be reckoned with over the next couple of years, one that might eventually be award-winning.

Not yet, but it's clear that most others gave up on this one too early. I don't blame them, but I'm also the patron saint for lost television causes, and I wanted to give it a chance. So, I'm glad it's worked out and that I don't have to cut myself while watching it anymore.

***

Ventriloquist Terry Fator won "America's Got Talent," which was the right call. Good for him -- and a Dallas guy at that.

***

A study came out today suggesting that one in four people surveyed said they hadn't read a book in the past year. What I want to know is whether they mean "finished" a book in the past year.

Personally, I think it is a testament to my personal pecadilloes, but I have "read" like six books in the past year, finishing two and almost finishing two others and halfway finishing the other two.

No, not proud of it. I want to be able to read and finish a book every couple of weeks, but to be honest, I have poor reading habits and the attention span of a toddler.

Still, I seem to be way ahead of the curve, not that I feel like I am.

My position on illegal immigration has been the same forever. While I would acknowledge that by its very definition it's wrong, it would only rank in the lower half of my Top 10 in terms of priorities for America.

I don't think it's that big of a deal relative to handguns, fatherless families, warmongering, freedoms being usurped via the Patriot Act, universal health care, etc. etc.

Somewhere below that I'd place illegal immigation.

Besides, I've always empathized with those who come here from Mexico, and I've always wondered why the United States doesn't put more pressure on that country to get its act together. To get its economy going. To curb violence in border towns like Nuevo Laredo.

Personally, I have no problem whatsoever with a military action against Mexico if they can't get that Nuevo Laredo crime problem solved once and for all. That crap spills into Texas, and at that point, it's our business.

Besides, while I am sympathetic to the illegal immigrant on many fronts, the fact that they're here illegally period makes it American business. And one such illegal immigrant -- Elvira Arellano -- is back in her mother country after taking refuge in a Chicago church for a year and then deciding to become an activist for illegal immigration.

Frankly, I'm pretty baffled by her chutzpah, her thinking that she could stand up for her rights like an American citizen can when she isn't an American citizen. Truth be told, my sympathies lie with illegal immigrants whose circumstances are so dire they have no choice but to come here illegally.

Just to earn enough to so their parent can get life-preserving cancer medication.

To work for three days to buy enough food in Mexico to last a family a month.

Sorry, the problem in this equation has been and will continue to be Mexico -- their corrupt government and crappy economy. Nevertheless, this woman who played upon the sympathies of many for so long, separated from her son, holed up in a church, dares to step out into public to become an activist?

That truly is a freedom reserved for Americans. I find it a bit arrogant that a woman capable of going about the immigration process properly and who played on our collective sympathies took the riskier, ballsier step of trying to become an activist instead of trying to become a citizen.

I mean, isn't that what she truly wanted? To become a citizen in order to be close to her son? Then why would she dare place herself at risk of being deported like that?

Sorry, but I'm glad they got her. Frankly, for those illegal immigrants with whom I do hold some sympathy, Elvira Arellano has managed to worsen the environment. She's worsened their case in the court of public opinion.

She did more harm than good for her cause.

It was just a few days ago that Toad noted he wouldn't mind dropping a bomb (* not literally) on the entire Big Brother 8 house. That's how much he didn't like this season's cast -- not that he's a big follower of the show.

However, he will at times troll Showtime's Big Brother After Dark for bits of nudity. What are friends for?

Nevertheless, I told him, "Look, you can't judge these people just by looking at them. You have to watch them in their environment for a while."

I've done that, and I've concluded that this year's cast is in fact a big pile of douchebags. Well, almost all of them. Love Jessica, the dancer/student from Kansas, and I'm pulling for Eric, the New Yorker tasked with being America's Player.

The rest of them, especially the uber-trashy Dick and Daniele Donato, just don't appeal to me at all.

***

What does appeal to me though are 1970s crime dramas. I watched Banacek over the weekend, and I'll be able to watch the entire first season on DVD.

Banacek was an insurance investigator who took great pride in his Polish heritage. Played by George Peppard, Banacek lasted only two seasons on NBC as part of a rotating series of weeknight movies. The show was a critical hit, but Peppard pulled out because of a divorce, in which further production would have meant more cash for his ex.

As superficial as it sounds, 1970s television crime dramas take me back to my childhood, particularly the obscure ones: Mannix, Cannon, Ironside, Switch, Barnaby Jones, Kojak, etc.

Most of you in your late 30s and 40s will know those, but anybody younger probably won't. I plan to get as many of these on DVD as I can, and my next purchase will likely be Quinn Martin's The Streets Of San Francisco, starring Karl Malden and Michael Douglas.

***

What else? If you noticed that Mister Independent died a quick death, it's only because I quit using TypePad. It's a blogging platform that fancies itself more sophisticated than Blogger, and in many ways it is. However, for my needs, I just want cheap and easy -- and Blogger is just that.

So, Mister Independent will return at some point soon.

However, what I really want to do first is learn how to generate more Web site traffic. How to maximize ad delivery. Therefore, it might be a few weeks.

Besides, I'm feeling about all the presidential candidates just like I do the Big Brother houseguests.

By the end of the first season of "America's Got Talent," I had seen what I needed to see. The $1 million went to a prepubescent white girl who tried to sing the big "Dreamgirls" number.

Cringe.

Sure, she was better than Bobby Badfingers and Leonid the Weirdo, but I thought this summer hit was surely a short-timer in the scope of American popular culture.

Boy, am I wrong.

The second season has been infinitely better than the first, and with the producers' willingness to tweak the format and the scheduling, this is a show that could rival "American Idol" in years to come.

Here's why: Talent.

The guy I've been rooting for all along, Cas Haley, from Arlington, Texas, brings this soulful style of reggae rhythm and blues that's unique and infectious. He dabbled in some Sublime-type arrangements, and he even showed off his blues chops.

However, Tuesday night, he brought the big guns.

See, I love it on reality television when the contestant holds something back until the end. I've mentioned Kendra from "The Apprentice" many times, a sheepish, shy, underperforming contestant, who just went balls out to win the third season.

And all four AGT contestants on Tuesday did the same, including Haley, who pulled out "Sir Duke" as his last chance to win votes for the million.

However, as much as I liked that, a funny thing happened on the way to titledom on what is the most popular summer show in America. A ventriloquist stole the show, the season and possible the series.

I think ventriloquists have always been wrongfully categorized in a group with, let's say, mimes. While it's traditionally a discipline that requires a great amount of talent, there are so many practitioners who just plain suck at it.

However, Dallas' Terry Fator takes his puppets or dolls or whatever they're called and sings songs, impersonating the artists, at a level beyond possibly anything I've ever seen from a modern ventriloquist. This stuff really takes me back to the 1970s variety type of show format, perhaps where you'd see Flip Wilson and then Rich Little and then, well, Terry Fator.

Like Haley, he pulled out the big guns, putting some big ol' black glasses on his turtle and fantastically performed Roy Orbison's classic, "Crying."

Hey, I won't be disappointed if Cas Haley wins.

But there is no doubt in my mind that Terry Fator deserves the million. Unlike Bianca Ryan, we will hear from this guy for a generation. You can count on it.

And you can bet I'll tune in to the entire series next year. Enjoy the video ...

I'm a slacker. Not. It's been a few days since I've blogged in depth on ryanwelton.com but only because of the success of another blog: big-brother-blog.com.

Today alone, we've eclipsed 52,000 page views for a blog solely devoted to the CBS show Big Brother. C'mon, Allison Grodner, you need to fly our butts out to L.A. for the Big Brother finale so we can interview the houseguests exclusively for the blog.

The blog is owned by a fellow in Minnesota who I befriended online long enough to get free live-feed access. However, after a few posts and some marketing work, we realized we had something unique and, well, popular.

The CBS show is more popular than ever, and interactivity and blogs and YouTube postings and the affordability and addictability of the live feeds are all part of it. Toad said this weekend that he'd just as soon see a bomb dropped on the entire house, but I'm able to separate that type of blanket sentiment from the game itself.

Big Brother is designed to bring out the worst in people. The lying. The scheming. The passive-aggressive behavior. The yelling, shouting, crying, spitting, shitting, nastiness. But it's all for a purpose, the houseguests would say: To win $500,000 by being the last person standing.

For those of us on the outside, it's an addiction. No, I don't sit here with the live feeds on 24/7. But I do turn it on three or four times per night to check in, and if the club is hoppin', this baller is likely to stay for a drink or two.

I know of at least two people at work addicted to the game. By the way, those of us who are aficionadoes of the show do not call it a "show," we call it a "game," and when we talk about Big Brother, we're "talking game."

On the blog, I don't spell out my favorites. Personally, I like Jessica Hughbanks and Eric Stein. And, no, I don't like evel Dick, even though I understand what he tries to do. It's just that I do not feel obligated to respect a misogynist in the name of strategy or game play.

Nevertheless, the game is fun, and if a person can walk away from Big Brother as both the game's winner and a "good person" in the eyes of the viewing public, then it's a stunning accomplishment. Perhaps the only true bit of arrogance I hold is my unwavering belief that I can read a person's true character better than 99.9 percent of the rest of the world.

My hunch as to who's a good guy and a bad guy is pretty much right on. I don't pretend to be a good guy or a bad guy, but if I say you're a bad guy, you should be nervous and, perhaps, just take my word for it that you might in fact be a bad guy.

So, before I split, here are a few thoughts I've had over the course of the past couple of days:

***

1. We all applauded the Rutgers women's basketball team for standing up to Don Imus, even though that whole thing was overblown. Now, one of the players is suing the former morning radio show host?

Give us a break. I hope a judge laughs at the suit as he chides the player for issuing it, and I hope the judge makes the Rutgers player pay for any fees incurred by Imus. This is a frivolous suit at the highest level.

***

2. At some point, given all the recalls, we seriously have to consider whether we want to do business with China. Sure, I know we pretty much have to maintain some trade with the largest population on the planet. However, we have to exert some pressure on China relative to standards and cleanliness.

***

3. Speaking of all-things China, I had dinner at Asian Buffet in Norman on Monday night. Gotta say, I found a gem of a diner. They had everything from the Chinese food basics to sushi to dessert. It was a true "super happy buffet time," and for $6.21, it is perhaps the best value in Norman. Seriously.

Plus, it was super greasy and salty. Can you say, "hangover food?"

There were a couple fond memories that came to mind upon Merv Griffin's passing on Sunday: his talk-show theme song and Seinfeld.

This clip from the Seinfeld episode in which Kramer reconstructed the set of The Merv Griffin Show is one of the highlights of the entire NBC series. Here it is for your enjoyment and afternoon distraction ...

If you've followed Big Brother 8 so far, you know that Jen is, well, one of a kind. She's part aloof, part goofy and perhaps brilliant, Jen has made it clear she isn't there for the cash.

Her personality was well represented in this video, a clip taken when Jameka gave up the next five HoHs after last week's PoV. Jameka was pissed at herself, so she hits her knees -- and as Jameka prays somberly, Jen calls the fashion police.

This makes me laugh every time.

"Can we get some white belts in here? This is horrible!"

If you've been following my analysis of the Big Brother 8 house on big-brother-blog.com, then you might have gathered I'm a fan of America's Player, Eric Stein.

The 27-year-old talent management executive from New York has played the BB8 game with a significant handicap -- having to do what America tells him to do via inane questions posed to the BB8 viewing community by CBS.

Whose shirt do you want Eric to vandalize, America?

Who do you want America's Player, Eric, to vote out?

Eric has played the best he could to this point, but the rest of the house believes him to be an utter scumbag now -- not knowing that he was merely carrying out orders. They don't know he's the twist, and what's wild is that much of the BB8 community won't cut him a lick of slack for it.

What bothers me is the underlying anti-Semitism in a lot of the comments about this guy. Just a couple of days ago, TMZ.com and big-brother-blog.com reported about Amber's rant, in which she noted that her mother always told them that you could spot a Jew by his last name and his nose, adding that she thought New York Jews were selfish and greedy.

Honestly, that type of blatant language doesn't bug me a bit. It outs the perpetrator as a bigot immediately. What bugs me is to read people say things like, "I don't like Eric. He's got weasely little eyes, a big nose and he's soooo deceitful."

I've read The Merchant of Venice. I know what they're saying, and I really, truly feel like this kid has gotten a bad deal on Big Brother 8. Rumor has it that he might actually work for CBS or be a hired actor, hired to lay down his BB existence in the name of a "twist".

I hope so because from all accounts, participating in this game was really important to the guy. He's a better man than I am because, frankly, the last three days for him have been utter hell. He didn't deserve it, and I think it shuts the door on what I think was terrible idea from CBS, a gimmick I hope they completely put to bed.

But for those of you who want to take the opportunity to make veiled comments about the guy's ethnicity, any reasonable person can see from a mile away that it's nothing but cheap anti-Semitism.

***

We're a week away from the finale on America's Got Talent, and I now have two favorites. They're both from Dallas, too!

I've bragged on Arlington's Cas Haley for weeks, and this week he didn't disappoint, breaking out a reggae version of The Commodores' "Easy." However, while he might be my favorite contestant this season, he might not actually be the most talented.

Ventriloquist Terry Fator hearkens back to the days of the variety show. Rich Little. Edgar Bergen. The 1970s. The Dallas resident sings and banters with a puppet, impersonating celebrities and singers along the way.

His act is funny, charming, and he is seriously talented. Born in the wrong era, Fator might not end up winning the show or becoming a big deal nationally. However, if ever there was an ultra-successful Vegas act to be had, it's this guy.

Those two, I think, are shoo-ins for the finale next week. Only four get to go.

Beatboxing pianist Butterscotch, I think, joins them next week for one last shot at $1 million. And somehow, I think the annoying karate act, Side Swipe, makes into the mix. They used a bunch of kids last week in their act, and Piers Morgan ripped them for it, all but assuring that sympathetic people would vote for them.

It worked with that quick-change couple last year. Why not again?

Nevertheless, I think your winner comes from Haley, Fator or Butterscotch. Oddsmakers might favor the teen girl right now, but I say watch out for Fator. He can win this thing.

23 days until kickoff.

In my second of a three-part blog series on Keith Jackson's greatness at OU, we look at the national title game against Penn State.

Heck, the 1986 Orange Bowl (for the '85 title) was just a couple games after OU's 27-7 demolition of Nebraska, featuring Jackson's famous 88-yard run from scrimmage. If I'm not totally mistaken, we beat OSU 13-0 in the "Ice Bowl" a week after that game and then Southern Methodist, 35-13, the week after that.

I remember THAT game because it was the night Mike Gundy and his Midwest City Bombers beat my Muskogee Roughers 40-36 at Lewis Field. Debbie Downer.

Anyway, our Sooners weren't supposed to be playing for a title. Heck, we had a freshman quarterback (sound familiar?), and we were actually No. 3. But Tennessee did Oklahoma a great favor and beat the snot out of Miami, who was No. 2 at the time.

Not sure when OU got wind of Tennessee's win. Not sure when Oklahoma knew it was playing for a national title. But somehow, I suspect they found out just a moment before this play. Down 3-0, we decided to go against our better angels and GO DEEP, something the Sooners of the 1980s never, ever did.

Jamelle Holieway to Keith Jackson. I remember this like it was yesterday. Enjoy.

Just 24 days left until kickoff.

Over the years, it's been assumed that Leroy Selmon is the greatest Oklahoma Sooners football player ever. However, I think a very good argument could be made for TE Keith Jackson, who was named the greatest player at his position in all of college football for the entire 20th Century.

Think about it. Keith Jackson was and is the greatest college football TE to ever live.

Over the next three nights, I'll give you the three plays I think defined his college career. This first play gets me so fired up I literally can't watch it at work because the adrenaline will start flowing, and it's just not a good idea. It was an 88-yard run from scrimmage against Nebraska at home in 1985.

We jumped out to a 27-0 lead on Tom Osborne's bunch, but the Cornhuskers scored a late TD to make the final 27-7.

What's crazy is that there have been at least five or six plays as good as this one over the past few years. Renaldo Works' stadium-shaking run against Alabama. Torrance Marshall's interception return against A&M. Roy Williams' dive against Texas, possibly the greatest single OU play of my lifetime.

However, I've never seen a better run from a tight end -- college or pro -- ever, ever, ever. Keith Jackson, lest we forget, was a bad ass with a capital 'A'.

This is my latest post on big-brother-blog.com, a site exclusively devoted to all things BB8 and a blog on which I've been privileged to contribute thoughts and game analysis -- daily -- all season long.

Not only has the Big Brother house become a house divided this week, but so has the BB8 television and live-feed watching universe.

Most of you have expressed your disdain with Eric and Dustin for their manipulation and deception. There was an uproar today when Eric told Jessica a deep, dark secret from Amber about some abortions she had and some pregnancies she had lied about to her boyfriend.

However, I didn't see any outrage a few days ago when Amber referred to New York Jews as greedy money-grubbers. Seems to me one of the British players from a season ago was ditched by Big Brother for using the "N" word, and my friends, Amber's sentiment ain't far behind. Is telling a secret to another houseguest actually less socially acceptable than the blatantly anti-Semitic stereotype?

I'd argue that one is within the context of the game, and the other is just bigoted.

Bottom line: This ain't a pretty game, and none of our houseguests are angels. So, let's get to business. Who's going home?

Unless something riveting happens on Wednesday, Kail is evicted at least 4-3, possibly 5-2. However, what are the pros of keeping each houseguest from the other players' perspectives?

Kail I'll be honest. I like Kail. She might be about the most genuine person in the house. That she hasn't connected with the other houseguests is a direct result of her terrible decision to align with three strangers on Day 1.

However, Dick and Zach and Jen should work with Jameka to get a fourth vote in favor of the Oregon mother with the promise that Kail won't nominate them or Daniele the next week, which is quite possibly a double-eviction week.

Oh, wait. Kail can't even compete for the HoH for five weeks. Yikes, that's a deal-killer. However, Kail can still compete for PoVs, and she's a solid competitor. She's good with physical challenges, particularly.

Oh yeah, and Jameka has already promised her vote to Eric.

I'll be honest. I can't quite figure out how Kail's retention benefits the other contestants now that she can't be HoH until like the Final 5. However, if you know, post a comment.

Eric I like Eric, too. He's nerdy, and I have zero doubt that outside the confines of this game, he's a stellar individual, as opposed to a certain 44-year-old bar manager. Just a hunch. Nevertheless, Eric's true game colors have come out this week, and you guys pummeled him deservedly.

He's desperate. He's lied. He's spread secrets. It's so obvious, too.

However, Dustin, Jameka and Jessica need Eric to be able to compete with Dick and Daniele and any possible friendships they might make. So, their effort to save Eric and their success, should they be successful, will likely be rewarded by a week of lapdogdom from the 27-year-old New Yorker.

Finally, I would submit to you that the Nerd Herd needs Eric more than Dick and Daniele need Kail. While there's always the chance of a vote or two shifting on something insignificant like a mean word said during a croquet game or a fart in the shower, there is a recognition on the part of Dustin, Jessica, Amber and Jameka that they had better wage war with Dick and Daniele now while the wagin' is good or be slain in their path.

They need Eric to do that. They need the vote, and Eric clearly gets under Dick's skin.

For your enjoyment, a little live-feed game discussion Tuesday night between Dustin and Jessica.

He doesn't quite have Adrian Peterson's breakaway speed, but he's quicker than A.D. He can cut like Reggie, and he's likely (almost certainly) the next huge OU star.

Let the Demarco Murray era begin for the Sooners.

We're only 25 days away from kickoff -- Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. against North Texas. And Allen Patrick is still a vital piece of this Oklahoma football team, but it's not out of the question that the Sooners will have the best 1-2 running back punch in school history in Murray and Patrick.

The talent here is crazy good. Difference between Murray and Patrick and Peterson and Patrick, as a combo, is that the former will definitely be a pair. Murray can catch the ball out of the backfield, and I expect Patrick to be the bang-em back. And what's scary is that most NFL experts say Patrick could be a higher draft pick than Arkansas' Darren McFadden.

So, to get you fired up, I've picked out three of my favorite Demarco Murray YouTube videos. This first clip is from rivals.com, and it features Demarco's high school highlights:

This one comes from the OU spring game, in which Murray served notice that we could all quit shedding tears over Adrian. The Sooners don't rebuild; we reload.

And possibly my favorite -- this should be worked in to the Oklahoma pre-game video presentation:

While I didn't grow up listening to or admiring or wanting a thing to do with The Smiths, I did enjoy a lot of 80's British music, particularly from groups like The Pet Shop Boys and The Style Council, that whole urban, R&B British vibe.

Earlier this year and undiscovered by me until now, the sexually ambiguous vibe of the acoustically mournful Smiths met that British R&B flava of DJ Mark Ronson to the tune of the 1980s classic, "Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before."

You know who Mark Ronson is, and you just don't realize it. His sister -- DJ Samantha Ronson -- is the butch chick always hanging out with Lindsay Lohan. Mark and Samantha are the stepchildren of Mick Jones, from the 1980s band Foreigner. And in this video below, he's merely the DJ, the brooding, dark-haired guy.

This singer is Australian Daniel Merriweather. I'm not sure I'm sold on this guy as anything more than a regional superstar, and this was a giant hit in the U.K. but not here in the states. Still, it seems as if Merriweather has the chops to be a global star. I just don't know that he has that Robbie Williams edge.

Watch the video, and let me know what you think.

I personally think this is one of the better pop tracks of the entire year.

It's probably too late, but according to TMZ.com, the pilot who flew banners above the Big Brother house last week -- all but giving away Eric's position -- has been ordered to stop.

According to the article, the pilot was actually on the ins with the BB producers, but his position is merely that he was paid to do a job. Nevertheless, I'm glad Big Brother realizes just how damaging this is to this year's game. Look, you can hate Dick, love Dick, whatever. You can hate Eric, love Eric, whatever.

But half the fun in having a twist is protecting the integrity of the twist insomuch that it should never be given away. Furthermore, the beauty of the Big Brother house is that these folks are basically trapped away from civilization. If somebody can fly a banner above the house giving away parts of the game, then why shouldn't the rest of us try to make communications somehow.

Honestly, an element that gets America involved at a more functional level could be interesting in future seasons, supposing there are future seasons. What we know is this: Big Brother is pissed about the banners, but Eric (America's Player) is likely done because of it. And while Dick's rantings have been a source of enjoyment for many, Big Brother hopefully has something else up its sleeve for this season.

My suggestion: Big Brother should give Eric a one-week reprieve from eviction, spilling the beans to the rest of the house about the twist. Everybody will have a good laugh, and then Eric can compete on his own. Some of the houseguests won't care, strategically, but it's probably the right thing to do.

Second suggestion: Force evel Dick to be America's Player upon eviction. I almost like this one better.

Do YOU have any suggestions? Post 'em!

Even if we're more than four months away from the start of American Idol 7, the unofficials Idol season starts today. Judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul are in Dallas (technically Irving) to hear the first batch of 2008 wannabes.

Anybody with photos or reports from the area can e-mail them to me, and I'll compile them. Until then or until I hear more, we can assume that most of the singers are pitchy, some are just awright dawg and a couple are the best things since sliced bread.

***

A good idea from some enterprising entrepreneur in Jacksonville, Fla. --

It's a Michael Vick chew toy, your chance to let your dog take out some anger on this vile piece of garbage.

Unfortunately, I suspect some of the heat and anger that surfaced when this story initially broke has subsided. I don't sense the outrage, the anger that we saw initially, and that's a disappointment. However, it looks like the case against the ATL quarterback is getting stronger by the day.

***

From the heart of South Texas, the search for missing polka band leader Bobby Jones is about to resume. The Colorado River is expected to get close to 16 feet come Tuesday, and officials said they would feel comfortable with resuming their search when the river gets down to about 12 feet.

Authorities have found his car, and they'll be pulling it out to determine whether he was in it. Honestly, I know everybody assumes Jones is in the Chevy Lumina buried at the bottom of the river, which was only a short distance from a restaurant where he had just eaten.

However, it's not unheard of for people, particularly those undergoing a mid-life crisis, to stage a disappearance. Bury the car, but make it easy enough to find and then get out of town. Move to Mexico. Whatever.

And that's what everybody is hoping for at this point.

There is big, big trouble tonight for America's Player.

Thanks to planes flying banners (speculation), evel Dick figures out that Eric was the second vote against the LNC each of the last two weeks. Of course, Eric was merely following the orders given to him by America.

In one video posted below, the Dick at Night show is back, and Dick rants about realizing Eric's disloyalty to the group. He talks with Jessica, who states (hopefully feigning) her state of furiosity with her supposed friend.

Then in another video posted below, Dick blows up at Eric -- and for the first time all season, somebody stands up to the evel Dickmeister.

Eric says, "Don't ever yell at me again!"

"I'll yell at you as much as I f***** want," Dick said.

"And you'll be marching your way out the f****** door," Eric responded.

"OK, you gonna do it?" Dick asked.

Wow, I sure hope Big Brother has a grand consolation prize for the 27-year-old New Yorker who, by all accounts, seems like a terrific guy because, yo, they have screwed him something fierce if those banners gave away his situation.

My understanding is that banners flew in reading something about Eric being a liar. Not sure, but Big Brother has instructed houseguests not to look up at them. My question is this: Where are the banners to counter this? Perhaps a banner can fly by giving away Eric's America's Player secret to give him a second chance here.

I gotta tell you. This has me a tad upset, well, as far as one can get upset at a reality show. It's not like it's life or death, but Dick's control of the house emotions and his grip on the discourse among its houseguests is downright tyrannic. Dick is quickly becoming my Big Brother nemesis.

No surprise, but Daniele nominated Jen and Kail. It was so obvious who she'd pick that, according to a conversation between Daniele and Dustin at about 11:10 BBT Friday night, everybody in the house laughed as the nominations were being doled out.

According to that same conversation, Daniele said that if Jen or Kail were removed from the block that she would likely nominate Zach. However, we all know how that went last week. Then Daniele noted her intention to help evict a woman from the house, given that men have gone the past three weeks.

Things are not bright for Eric right now, particularly because he is in Dick's crosshairs. My secret, double-secret hope is that he can lure Dick into doing something extremely stupid, resulting in his dismissal by Big Brother.

What Eric has not done is run to Kail or Jen or anybody outside the LNC to begin negotiations. In fact, his discussion with Dick was still quite logical from his perspective. And it's not that I ever thought America's Player would survive a competition like this, but I -- and I think many of you -- have gotten to the point where Dick's tyranny and meanspiritedness have gone past competition into something more unsettling.

PoV is set for Saturday, and Jameka is again playing. I bet she doesn't play so hard this time, and I am really hoping that none of the nominees comes off, if only to save Eric to do battle for a week or two more. Hey, if he's the one guy who will stand up to Dick, then I hope he's in the house long enough to make Dick even more insane than he already is.

Last night during the HoH competition, Dick said that America cheered from coast-to-coast when he poured tea on Jen's head.

I think he's got that wrong. Yet I think America and the Big Brother public will cheer collectively when this turd gets what's coming to him. In the meantime, let's hire a skywriter to blow the entire whistle on this America's Player "twist" to get it all out into the open.

Kidding. But, watch the videos and let me know what you think. Does this make you as crazy as it makes me? Dr. Will was a suave gameplayer, a manipulater who made you feel great as he turned the knife into your back. While Dick was perfectly cast for this house and this show, he's not somebody I -- as a fan -- can root for under any circumstance any longer.

He might be keepin' it real, but in this case even an evel Dick is still just a dick.

Oklahoma was ranked No. 8 in the first USA Today coaches poll of the season, released Friday. The Sooners are right behind West Virginia and Wisconsin, four spots behind No. 4 Texas, while USC and LSU sit atop the list at No. 1 and 2, respectively.

The reaction so far is one of surprise for the Sooners, who without a starting quarterback looked to be rebuilding this year. But not so fast, I say.

First and foremost -- this quarterback competition is over. A friend of a friend, who works as an academic advisor or tutor, not really at an official level, to many of these athletes, is said to have worked infinitely more with Sam Bradford the past few weeks than with Joey Halzle or Keith Nichol, so much so that she is convinced and certain that he IS and WILL BE Oklahoma's starter come Sept. 1.

And I say -- hooray for that. Bradford is a mobile signal-caller with a bit of Josh Heupel in him, not afraid to dink and dunk and play ugly for wins. I wasn't a big fan of his at PC North, but what I saw of him this spring indicates that we should be quite optimistic this fall.

But we lost Adrian Peterson?

Do not worry about that in the slightest. Oklahoma has probably the most exciting tailback combo in the country in Allen Patrick, who I think could win the Heisman on his own, and DeMarco Murray, who many say is as good as Reggie Bush was as a freshman.

Oklahoma has an All-America caliber tight end in Brody Eldridge, and the Sooners' defense returns Reggie Smith, Nic Harris and Marcus Walker, who to me are the most exciting defensive backs we've had in six or seven years.

I'm telling you, preaching it from the mountaintops -- there's a reason these coaches have ranked OU in the Top 10. It's not a reputation thing alone. And while I don't want to overhype this team, as young as it is, I think this is a special, special group. Seriously.

It's been five years since the Interstate 40 bridge disaster in Webbers Falls, Okla., that killed 14 people. It was a bridge over which I had traveled several times, in the heart of some of the most beautiful country God ever created. Just a gorgeous area.

Wednesday's bridge collapse in Minneapolis happened during rush-hour, downtown, on I-35W in an area that connected downtown with the University of Minnesota campus. Not sure how many people in all this will claim, but reports as of 9:30 p.m. are six dead, at least 37 hurt. Given the location, the timing, everything, it will be a miracle if this is the final tally -- yet it's already an unimaginable tragedy.

However, it's a wake-up call for every city in America. Civil and structural engineers will be working overtime to figure this one out, and Homeland Security has another headache -- not that this was an act of terrorism, but this incident makes it clear how vulnerable certain roadways can be, particularly those weakened either by construction or by age.

What it means for me is work. The company I work for, Internet Broadcasting, is based in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and we're providing unmatchable coverage. If you're in Oklahoma, check out koco.com for live coverage, updates and a special section.

It's not like we didn't know. Whoopi Goldberg was named the new co-host, and in fact moderator, of ABC's The View. I still say it wasn't a sexy choice, but Whoopi is very likeable, and she's not nearly as polarizing as Rosie.

Sherri Shepherd is expected to take the other open slot on the show. I really don't like this choice, but my colleagues who watch the show regularly say it's a great move, even better than the selection of Goldberg. We'll see.

My picks would have been either Roseanne or Kathy Griffin.

Shepherd is expected to fill the vacancy left by Star Jones, who recently confirmed that she had gastric bypass surgery to help her shed all that weight. Nevermind that she now looks like a cancer patient she's so skinny. However, it's not like we didn't know she had the procedure. Next thing, you'll tell me her husband is gay. Shock!

First night of finals on America's Got Talent, and Dallas' Cas Haley impressed again. The hit NBC summer show has a bit different format for the finale this season in that they'll only eliminate two from the roster this week instead of picking a winner.

Presumably, they'll work their way down to a winner in three or four weeks. It was a smart move for Simon Cowell and the show's producers to make this a bit more suspensful, week by week. However, what's not in suspense is who should win.

Cas Haley. God bless. Check out the video of he and his band, Woodbelly, at Club Dada in Dallas. What they need is an organ, and damn if I wouldn't have been willing to play it for 'em. And, sorry, but if you're a white boy and can kill on Stevie's "Livin' For The City," you kill, period. Enjoy.

***

Finally got around to watching the second episode of TNT's Saving Grace, set in Oklahoma City, featuring Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko -- a hard drinking, sexing, cussing cop who is trailed by a chaw-spitting angel named Earl, who exists to give Grace her last chance at spiritual reconciliation.

The second episode was harder to watch than the first on many accounts, but it was an improvement. First, I kinda liked the kitsch of the first episode with all the awkward Oklahoma references. Second, if I wanted to watch a regular cop show, I'd revisit the classics from the 1970s, like Baretta.

Speaking of the Robert Blake vehicle, Grace now features a black man who works as an "informant" for the OKC policewoman. In exchange, she buys him booze and shoes -- how original. Couldn't they have at least dressed him like a pimp?

There were still some odd Oklahoma references, such as the ugly bumper sticker that read "God is a Sooners fan," with an OU foam finger pointing to the heavens. Also, Grace asks her partner, the guy she sleeps with, whether we (Sooners) have a chance at the national championship and then references its dependence on a quarterback from Sapulpa.

Sapulpa?

Now, I believe the Chieftans supplied us with Carl Pendleton a few years back, but the writers could have at least name-dropped Jenks, Union, Booker T, Midwest City, Muskogee, PC North (Sam Bradford), Norman, Edmond or Enid.

Finally, I propose a drinking game in honor of the TNT hit -- and by all accounts, this show is actually a cable hit. However, if I'm going to watch it, I'm going to need to drink, so here goes.

1 drink everytime:

Somebody says "shit"

Grace brings angelic evidence to her co-worker, played by Laura San Giacomo

An OU flag, sticker, cap, whatever appears

Somebody references a tornado, and make it two if it's an F5

Grace is overcome by the glory of Earl's wings


2 drinks everytime:

Grace is seen in bed after a night of frolicking with a co-worker

Grace shows off her naked body to her elderly neighbor

Going to church, mass, temple or mosque is mentioned

Earl recites all the locales he's visited that day


3 drinks anytime:

Oklahoma State is mentioned

An OKC news outlet is shown

The prisoner who shares Grace's angelic visions recites how many months, days and hours he has until he gets executed

Grace's boss, Percy Yukon, appears, which at this point will have to be a miracle because the writers killed him off after two episodes.


And finally, chug it down if:

Barry Switzer gets mentioned

Gary England gets a nod

Somebody says something halfway intelligent

Heck, the second episode started off on a weird note, with Hunter and her co-worker fornicator hunting deer. Nevermind that actual deer hunting requires days if not weeks of setup and preparation -- not that I like it at all, but I have lived around hunters my entire life. It's work. You don't just go out on a whim and start shooting guns at roaming animals.

Like I said, it improved in some ways this week. The dialogue regarding and treatment of spiritual, Christian people was particularly impressive given the stereotypical impersonations we typically see on TV. That a regular Joe can be at a bar one night and discussing God the next, to me, is real life.

However, unfortunately, if Grace represents real life, then we're all idiots. Fortunately for me as a viewer though, it's almost so quirky and rough and awkward that I can't wait to see what I'll make fun of next.