Oklahoma City Marriott (and not the Waterford), Oklahoma City, OK 2:01 a.m.
Nine hours and counting until the first pitch crosses the plate between the Bears and
the ‘Cats and as I sit here typing in the late Oklahoma night I’m glad - to say
the very least - that I slept so well at the Sheraton, for two reasons.
First off, because the traveling dreams that I mentioned in my last entry did in fact,
come true. I have a room reserved at the WATERFORD for the next five nights, the Marriott
two miles down the road. Thank you, thank you. Please, hold your applause.
Luckily, the crew has saved me for the evening and I’m currently shacking up in
room #1422 at the Oklahoma City Marriott.
More importantly, despite the fact that the game doesn’t start until 11 a.m.,
there is much to accomplish before then. Tailgating and Tecate drinking are set to begin
in-house at 8:30 a.m. Followed by cheer practice, led by yours truly, at 10:15 a.m. If you
don’t hear the Cal contingent loud and clear on TV today, feel free to take back
anything good you’ve ever said about me, for I will have failed as a Cal Mic Man.
Hell, anything good you’ve ever thought too.
Anyway, I digress, back to the rest of my day. We left off pre-happy hour, while I was
hanging out with K-Thor and Kaleo in Mike’s room. A few hours of doing nothing led us
down to Russell’s – the in-hotel sports bar – around 6 p.m. Cheese fries,
chips and artichoke dip, and chicken tenders made for an exquisite three-course dinner,
and at 6:45 p.m. it was time to head over to the Amateur Softball Association complex to
cheer on UCLA – talk about hard – because here in Oklahoma, it’s the Pac-10
vs. the world.
While at the field I did everything I could to distract myself from having to clap for
the Bruins, and found funnel cakes and left fielder Lindsay James to be the perfect
diversionary pair. K-Thor, meanwhile, didn’t have to find something to sidetrack
herself from the game. The autograph eager softball youths in attendance took care of that
for her.
After UCLA disposed of Tennessee 3-1 in the first game of the evening, I got my first
peak at the NCAA Softball Player of the Year, Texas pitcher Cat Osterman - who the Bears
will now face tomorrow night if and when they defeat Arizona in the first game of the day.
At 6’2" she’s quite the physical sight. She even looked tall from my seat
in the outfield bleachers. But as Michigan, the #1 team in the nation proved after
knocking in three runs and knocking Osterman out of the game, she’s definitely
hittable.
A few other tidbits from the complex before I hit the sack. The hairdo of choice for a
number of young female fans at the tournament is one you’re unlikely to miss –
much the same as you’d be doubtful to avoid it’s natural disaster namesake
– the tornado. Not only have I been unable to figure out how the girls are making
their hair stand up, but I’m more confused as to why exactly, they would want to do
such a thing. I suppose they would say the same thing about the Calfornia faux hawks
craze, but fashioning a hairstyle after a twister? I really need to get to the salon more
often.
Oh, and Kelly Anderson is starting tomorrow against ‘Zona. I can taste the Tecate
already. Until next time, thanks for reading. GO BEARS! |