As a TU fan, I hold out a little hope that TU has that chance to be in a BCS bowl. David Johnson may not be proven on the field of play but ask any TU receiver or skill player and they say Johnson has as much talent and presence as Paul Smith (I know, heresy). But, realist that I am, while the offense is going to put up gawdy numbers yardage and points wise this year regardless of who is chucking the ball downfield, there is a serious need for some defensive improvement and the question of how that is going to happen after losing three starting linebackers who were arguably your best defensive players. If the defense improves even a little, watch out. Everyone worries about UCF and Houston who lost bigger and more important players on offense than TU did...Kyle Israel, Kevin Smith, Donnie Avery...all players that TU struggled to cover and tackle in games against their respective teams in the past are all gone. TU did show a penchant to destroy and confuse the two QB's taking over at Houston, and UCF will be very unproven and young on the offensive side of the ball. Have faith and the game that should decide if TU has a crack at a BCS game will be the Nov. 1 game at Ar-Kansas, which TU should realistically have a chance if they are able to combat the hype and excitement of playing in Fayeteville. We'll see they have a chance but must maintain focus...and play even some defense.

Does anyone in their right minds believe TU can go to the WalMart suburb of Fayetteville and escape with a win? Where do you think TU will get a defense to accomplish this? I know that Wooo Pigtrino Sooie doesn't have the team that could compete with last year's Hogs, but they still have enough to beat their neighbors to the west. By the way, why does everyone think Graham can just plug in a new QB and have him as effective as it will take to replace Paul Smith in this offense? Johnson will be good, but he's not Paul
Smith.

JDG: Are Suns, Jazz, Heat, Trailblazers or Knicks SOUNDS?

Thunder is a SOUND.

It is also already the goofy nickname for many minor league teams.

Nothing quite says Oklahoma City like a Greek god does it.

Get me two dozen t-shirts with dark clouds on them.

Please.

WNBA? What's that? Isn't it the league that uses a ball the size of a grapefruit?

I'd sooner watch Roller Derby.

Concerning TU, let's not forget how terrific Paul Smith was.

Concerning quarterbacks, pretty amazing isn't it, that the Big 12 has the best group ever; and not a single one is apt to make it in the NFL!

What does that say?

Point was, reserve judgment until we see the logo. Obviously their are a lot of really cool ideas for what they could do during the game as a result of the name. I.e, playing thunderstruck by AC/DC, thunder rolls by Garth and etc.

WTF with the name Chaw? Pull your head out of you a** and quit being snide and ignorant. What a great image to send the world than the nickname of the chaw. This is the states team;) Why would we want to be defined by that name? We could call it the head up our A** or second movers as and ode to TULSA.

WNBA is the crumb OKC will be giving Tulsa.....

Shocker, another Tulsan predicting failure for OKC's team. We all know if it was coming to Tulsa you wouldn't call it the Chaw and it would be a huge success;)

Please Tulsa rescue us poor little OKC people from the imminent doom this team is facing;)

We all know without your support we have no hope of surviving;)

You blow.

Picker,
No need to. Plenty of museums, opera, and ballet in OKC. Except we don't have the a**holes who are uneducated about their sister city.

State government located in OKC has nothing to do with this team coming or how successful the team is or will be. It is the people and their willingness to support the city and its events. Look at the track record of events held in OKC (world seires, regionals, and etc.), it speaks for itself.

Has more to do with the owner and the companies located in OKC like Chesapeke and Devon.

Tulsa is like the 50 year old prize fighter trying to remind everyone they are as good as they used to be. Meanwhile, the young up comer just beat their ass.

How many people out of state seek out Tulsa to visit compared to OKC? Save you the time, its two to one in OKC's favor.

See you in 5 years when we are drawing close to 1 million conventionees each year and are a tier two convention city.....

Note: I didn't say you were jealous, but somehow your words and tone indict you.

Concerning the name of the OKC NBA Team: All you guys from OKC take a moment to pause to spit and you will realize World Picker is a second rate hack in a third rate market. Nothing he says about the OKC team, name, or city is worth the plug in a Boone State coed's jaw.
But, (and there is always a 'but' it seems), a good roller derby is better than an NBA game any day. Think about a Raquel Welch type in spandex.
So if you want a shot at WP, you will need to head up the 'pike and go to a skating rink.

World Picker, I would be willing to bet you do not have the cojones to go to an OKC Thunder BB game next season wearing a T-shirt identifying yourself as the World Picker and bearing the name "chaw" on it.
Let me know if you do--I can sell tickets to that game.

Big 12 QB's stars in college but can't cut it in the pros...what does that say?

I guess it says the same thing as a journalist who is successful at the college level but goes on to writing an anonymous blog for a failing newspaper in a very small market in northeast Oklahoma.
At least the QB's use their real names.

JDG and the NIT Picket crack me up.

Get a life you two, and maybe a decent job.

TAB,
You are ignorant. Name the places you have been in Bricktown. Downtown has way more than Bricktown. Automobile Alley and Midtown, not to mention the world class Skirvin and Colcorde Hotels.

Meanwhile, I will be enjoing the roof top bar at Nona's and hanging out with the several thousands that frequent downtown OKC every night!

Odds are you have never left your home in collinsville and are just blowing smoke.

TAB,
I actually have been to all to all lower 48 states on business and of course the Skirvin and Colcorde are not Vegas, but they are world class.

To your point, Bricktown does have thousands each night which is far greater than the few hundred that frequent DT Tulsa on a good night. The point is, it is cool to be somewhere that has life and has people living downtown and out and about EVERYNIGHT of the week.

Check out redprime steakhouse and lounge or the red pin. Point is, they have a lot of diverse and cool places. I would take Nona's over anything in Tulsa.

Arnies is a dive college bar and nothing screams class and culture like Caz's 12 point buck hanging on the wall with braws hanging from it. Please! Now Caz's chow house is nice.

Check with Mr. Nelson as to why McNellies moved to MidTown in OKC. Obviously, you have never been to it, because it just opened two weeks ago. Dumb A**.

Bottom line, you base your opinion off of your own insecurities.

Insecurities? OKC blows. This is the Tulsa World site -- I'm not the one spewing hate and making up facts on the other city's site. You must be mildly depressed. Get help at the same place Nit Picker is visiting.

Nelson opened up in downtown first.

There are a few hundred folks in downtown on a bad night. This weekend, downtown will be full for D-fest, as it will be more often in the future with the arena and stadium opening up. It's a growing area and there's no reason to knock it. Cain's brings at least 1,000 down a couple of nights a week -- you clearly don't know what you're talking about.

THe food needs some work, but it will come with time. Part of the problem is that all the good places to eat in Tulsa are just so much better than what you'd fine in OKC. You guys are desperate for something like Utica Square. When you're bragging about the food in Bricktown, you have problems.

Most hotels in the lower 48 aren't world class. If they aren't "Vegas," they aren't World class.

Beyond that, I'll just LOL at you and drink a beer in your honor this weekend for you having to live in a craphole like OKC and brag about it on the TW site.