A Soggy adventure with Dad

Well this past weekend I finally felt Sloan was old enough to take her to her first Oklahoma game. For me this was almost a rite of passage as a kid growing up in Oklahoma. Some people might think I am crazy or think this is weird, but there are only a few college football experiences and I feel this is one of them. I have been to a million college football games, but I have always remembered my first time I went to an OU game as a kid. As one friend told me this past week, that is how traditions stay going. (He is from Oklahoma and understands)

So I am very excited, knowing this is my only trip to an OU game this year (due to the fact that I am at every Baylor game and there are very few times I get a free weekend). Not to mention I am taking Sloan to the game to let her know what it is like to see 80,000 people in one stadium. So at the first of the week, everything is shaping up for a good time. We are staying at the farm that weekend, which both of us love to do, and we will be eating Nana’s cooking as well. Plus, Sloan gets to pick watermelons and see Nana and Pawpaw.

Well, closer and closer to us leaving the forecast for weather isn’t getting better. Sloan is pumped because she is going to a game with me, and she might get to wear a poncho. (Plus she gets to see OU’s cheerleaders and the horses that pull the schooner.) Well needless to say we get to Oklahoma and it’s basically a 90% chance of rain the whole time. Of course we still go to the game; rain is not going to scare us off. Not to mention this is an OU football game. I can remember me and my Dad braving the elements of snow and sleet one year to watch OU play Nebraska.

We all get to Norman, and of course my Mom and Sloan need to go shopping for game day t-shirts for everyone. So we put on our ponchos and walk to campus corner to do a little shopping at the Nike store. Our first struggle is now happening; once we get to the store Sloan decides she likes my poncho better than hers. So being a good Dad I trade her ponchos, in the middle of a packed OU Nike Store. While I am looking at t-shirts for myself and Kristen, Sloan decides she does not like my poncho and wants hers back. So we trade again. We find the perfect OU shirt for Sloan (of course in hot pink), and decide on what Mom’s will be and mine and head back to the car to, of course, change into Sloan’s perfect shirt.

We then start our walk to the stadium and one of our stopping points my dad’s alumni meal before the game. So we get our fill of hot dogs, chicken, fruit, and cheesecake. Sloan at this point is doing better (long walks are not her strong point), and she is patiently waiting for the cheerleaders to show up. They finally do, and her and my mom gets a closer look and she is glued to them, watching their every move. At this point I knew she was getting hooked (at first she thought OU was playing Baylor, and didn’t want to go. She is a Baylor fan first of course, and hates when OU wins.)

After this, I can no longer contain her excitement, so we put back on our ponchos and head to Owen Memorial Stadium (I refuse to call it by any other name). Once we walk up the ramp into the rain filled stadium all I could hear and see was Sloan look at me and go “whoa, cool”. At that point I did my job as a responsible parent from Oklahoma and got her hooked. We said bye to Nana and Pawpaw and got to our seats, to my surprise, two rows from the field. Sloan was a trooper, and loved seeing the players that close (so did I), plus it helped that the mascots were close by too. She also got to see the real horses up close on our way to the seats. (If you were wondering, yes I still get choked up when the team runs onto the field.) Sloan with stood the elements, and enjoyed the game. I knew it was a losing cause once she started telling me she was hungry and thirsty close to halftime. Once OU went up 41-0 before halftime and the rain started pouring down, it was time to go.

All in all, it was a fun weekend. I got to spend time with my parents and spend some quality time with Sloan. It gets harder and harder once everything starts up to do that with Sloan. We have two more outings on the calendar and that is to go to our last two Rangers games of the year. I don’t have the heart to tell her the Rangers folded again this year. Maybe Baylor being good in football this year will distract her from that talk. Of course, Mom gets to take her to the Baylor game this weekend with Mimi and Poppy. I hope they have plenty of water, hot dogs, and popcorn for her.

Music for this week:
Well, I am still waiting for music to come out . My boy Q-tip releases his new album this week, and so far I like it. But who can’t like anything from the boys from A Tribe Called Quest. Well Here are the new albums I have for this week, it’s a hip-hop week.

Jay-Z- The Blueprint3
Ok, I am a huge fan of Jay-Z, seeing I have everything he has released. I have to say BP3 is one of his best albums. I have listened to this one off and on everyday since I bought it last Thursday (gotta love iTunes pre-orders). Right now my favorite songs are On to the Next One, and Run this Town.

Q-Tip- Kamaal The Abstract
This is something different for anyone that has listened to A Tribe Called Quest or any of Q-Tip’s solo stuff. It is going to take me a few listens to know if I like this or not. It has a nice jazz feel to a few of the songs. Just got it this week, so haven’t picked any favorite songs just yet.

Mike Posner and the Brain Trust- A Matter of Time
Mike Posner struck an interest with me when he was added to the ACL Festival a few weeks ago. After digging and finally finding his album, I found out he is still a student at Duke University and from what I read, the next big thing. I have to say after a first listen to his album, I really like him. Check out the songs Drug Dealer Girl and Still Not Over You.