I can't remember being as happy as I was last night.
Going into the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Thursday night between my beloved Oklahoma Sooners and the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide, the perceptions on how this game would end were unanimous. From my Uncle Bill to Kenny, L-Boogie and Bill Ross, Bob and Chris Mitra, Josiah and Allen Kenney, CJ and Boadu and the rest of the Boomer Sooner nation, we thought we were sheep being led to slaughter. These were just a few of the words I received on the precipice of the Sugar Bowl via texts, emails and tweets:
"Hopefully we go out there and put up a good fight."
"Maybe we can make it a good game for a half."
"These sons of bitches better not go out here and embarrass us on national television."
Needless to say, things were dire.
So to see these boys from Norman come into the Super Dome and put the wood on Alabama was about as pleasant of a surprise as any OU fan could ask for. The way Oklahoma played wasn't built on a foundation of flukiness, luck and shenanigans. No, Oklahoma ran the ball, they slanged the pill and they played inspired defense against an Alabama team that wanted to be there, a team full of talent and a team that frankly, many of us were intimidated of. Nick Saban, those goons on the defense, those speed freaks out wide, Katherine Webb. Man, there's a lot to deal with there with the Crimson Tide.
So what did Oklahoma do? Oklahoma stepped to the plate, dug their cleats into the ground, called their shot and walloped the Tide right out the park.
I can't remember being as happy as I was last night.
I noted yesterday that I was pretty sure I would get evicted from my apartment from all of the hooting and hollering I did from watching that Sugar Bowl. Oklahoma had just lost too many big games in the last 10+ years for me to truly believe that the Sooners could get it done versus an elite squad. My fandom was never in doubt, but my ability to be such a believer to the degree that I would ever think we'd win? I couldn't even trick myself to believing that.
Then the Trevor Knight Experience happened. (Who is Blake Bell again? I have no idea.)
Then the Oklahoma wide receivers started playing like they were all going to the NFL.
Then the Sooners defensive line started to look like the 2003 iteration.
Then the Boomer Sooner faithful started talking crazy and out the side of their collective necks.
Then the entire Sooners squad crashed the ESPN College Gameday set.
Somehow, someway, my Oklahoma Sooners defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 45-31 in the 2014 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Boomer Sooner ran wild in New Orleans, I called my Uncle Bill and we screamed about how we couldn't believe what we just saw. Kenny Masenda called me and we bragged and boasted and talked all the country money cash shit our telephone lines could handle. I ordered two 2014 Sugar Bowl championship t-shirts for my Uncle Bill and myself. I rejoiced with my fellow OU brothers and sisters across social media, email and telephone. Man, I hadn't done this in a long time.
So there I was, staying up until 3 in the morning, just looking at old clips of Sooners glory of times past. Looking at the latest recruiting rankings. Reading up and learning more about the Trevor Knight Experience. Wondering if players like Geneo Grissom would return for his senior year. Salivating at the thought of Keith Ford being the next great tailback at the University of Oklahoma. Man, this is fun!
So here's a big thank you, Bob Stoops. A big thank you to the 2013 Oklahoma Sooners football team. A big thank you to the selection committee for putting OU against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. This is what we needed to believe again.
I can't remember being as happy as I was last night. We shocked the world, baby. We shocked the world.
Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”