The University of Oklahoma has banned current members of the RUF/NEKS spirit group from official university events, according to a statement released today by OU spokesman Blake Rambo. A university investigation found members of the RUF/NEKS this semester had abused alcohol and hazed pledges in various ways, including "sleep deprivation, physical exhaustion, demeaning actions and the potential for physical harm."
A few thoughts:
"¢ A guy named Blake Rambo is the spokesman for the University of Oklahoma!?! How cool is that!
"¢ Is the university surprised by this? These are the same guys that ride a schooner around campus and shoot rifles each time the Sooners score a touchdown. Of course they haze their pledges! If you need any more evidence, just check out their (now defunct) homepage (thank you cache) and read some bios of current and former members.
After you have some fun there, check out our 10 potential RUF/NEKS replacements for the rest of the football season after the jump:
1. The Flaming Lips
Imagine how awesome it would be if every time OU scored a touchdown, Wayne Coyne and his bandmates shot a blast of confetti in the stands. Also, the Owen Field sidelines would look pretty cool if they were filled with a bunch of people dancing around in Martian, Easter Bunny and Santa Claus costumes
2. OKC Hornets Honeybees:
Ahhhh...We're going to miss the Hornets, but we're going to really miss the Honeybees. Honeybee Taylor specifically. If they replaced the RUF/NEKS, the mad dash to the north goal post would be very entertaining.
3. Custer County Sheriffs Department:
This would be a good idea because:
a: I bet these guys already have guns b: It would be interesting to see if the RUF/NEKS Queen has to give a "Custer County Salute" before the game.
4. Top Dawg:
I'll admit it. Top Dawg got a bit old after a while, especially when he kept spinning his head around. But if Top Dawg replaced the NEKS, he would probably shoot the Horse Pigs with his rifle. That would solve a problem.
5. The Cast of Saving Grace:
Some of the cast of Saving Grace came to town recently because they want Oklahoma City to become a character in the show. They also wanted money. Maybe they should just relocate to Norman and be RUF/NEKS instead.
6. The S.W.A.R.M:
I really don't know what happened to these guys, but they used to call the Sports Animal all the time during the John Blake years. If they still exist, they would be good RUF/NEKS, albeit old.
7. James Hale and Bob Barry Jr.
Sure, they'd be annoying. But at least we know they would be rooting for OU, and in the process, achieving their life long dream.
8. Clark Mathews
This is fun because it would be interesting to watch Clark try to escape from the stadium.
9. Brad McRae, Rhett Bomar, & Gordon Reise
Whenever OU scores, all the fans get to shoot guns at them.
10. The OU Alumni Band
Nothing is more boring than the OU alumni band. At least if they replace the RUF/NEKS, we won't have to worry about any hazing.
Update: It looks like OU has a made a decision already. This is dumb, they should have used one of our ideas. From NewsOK:
While individuals were banned from university activities, the RUF/NEKS as a group were not. Pledges and former pledges will be allowed to be part of the spirit group for the remainder of this football season, and the group will be reorganized under the athletic department's direction beginning with the spring semester.
The Sooner Schooner will be driven by RUF/NEK alumni and members of the Bartlett Foundation, which owns and maintains the schooner, for the rest of this football season. Rambo said pledges and former pledges wanting to fire RUF/NEK shotguns on the sidelines during football games will receive certified training from university police.
