By THE PICKER Sports Columnist on Jul 15, 2013, at 5:50 PM Updated on 7/15 at 6:02 PM
THE PICKER
We were flipping through some games over the weekend and stopped on what we thought was the Purdue game.
But we thought ...
After the fluke win over the Giants, a game in which the visitor gave up six turnovers and still appeared to be the better ...
Will you look at this:
Tulsa at Bowling Green.
Virginia Tech versus Alabama.
LSU versus TCU.
Georgia at Clemson.
North ...
Time was, nothing could touch college football in this state in terms of popularity.
Now what's the hottest, pro hoops or the in-state college gridiron teams?
The Oklahoma City Thunder is arguably the second best team in the NBA. Everything depends on Westbrook's knee. Pro hoop knees are different than football knees. Terrible knee injuries involve sharp changes of direction, not always contact. Look at Rose of Chicago, didn't play this year after a bad knee. Look at OKC's Perkins, has never been the same after a bum knee. Same for lots of basketball players. There's no guarantee Westbrook comes back as good as he left.
Is Durant with his show biz agent a threat to head to the east coast if the Thunder's window of opportunity is cracked?
The Thunder has become so popular that the cheesy summer league is being covered, the summer league being as important as a senior golf tournament. The summer league is where guys who can't make the D league go.
The OU football team is the 18th or so best in the country. OSU should around 15th. TU will be competitive. Stoops has grown testy. The Big 12 has faded.
As to the games themselves, one football loss can mean the end of a championship rush. Two losses and you're headed for a basement bowl. A dozen or 20 basketball losses mean nothing.
The Thunder has become severe competition for college football. But only if it keeps winning.
So winning is everything.
Who is more apt to keep winning, our college football teams or the Thunder?
College football is still bigger here. But just barely.
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