Obama provides Capel something bigger than basketball
Published: 1/19/2009 9:20 PM
Last Modified: 1/19/2009 9:20 PM
The most important thing Jeff Capel does Tuesday will have absolutely nothing to do with basketball, never mind the fact he coaches the 17-1, fifth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. This is a thousand times bigger than OU's game against Nebraska Wednesday. This is a thousand times bigger than anything OU does the rest of the year, March and/or April included. This is a thousand times bigger than anything OU will ever do, at least as long as Capel is coach
Let him tell you what the inauguration of President Barack Obama means to him.
"It's going to be a very, very incredible day for a lot of people. And for our country," Capel said before practice Monday afternoon. "I'll be watching, and I'll be filled with a lot of passion and a lot of pride and a lot of excitement. And a lot of hope.
"We're in an interesting place in our country right now, and I think it's very important for all of us to come together, no matter what you are, to come together for America. Tomorrow's an important day for that. To watch history taking place is going to be pretty cool."
It's a point Capel got across to his players on Election Night last Nov. 4.
"I texted them that night just to watch history," he said. "It's up to these guys what they believe. I'm not trying to influence them, or trying to influence their beliefs. They're grown men. But just on that night…
"Every day you get a chance to witness history. And that was a night where we all had a chance to watch something pretty special, pretty unique. Very rarely can you say you were a part of something that's never happened before. I texted them that night just to watch.
"What this does for Americans, everyone, is (give them) hope. There's no excuse anymore. You can be what you want to be if you work and put time in and you make the right choices in life.
"Barack Obama is a perfect example of that."
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
