Week One of the 2020 college football season is officially in the books, and it's safe to say we've already learned a few things about the Oklahoma Sooners.
1) Spencer Rattler looks the part. Sure, the competition was inferior, but the ball zipped off his arm like a laser-guided missile. Barring injury, or a job at Big Red Sports and Imports, it looks like OU has another Heisman caliber QB on its roster.
2) Dumb OU Students Don't Care About Coronavirus. Just as OSU students taught us why we shouldn't open college campuses, OU students reminded us why we probably shouldn't be treated to the joy and privilege of college football. Just check out this video of an off-campus pre-game party taken by Norman Transcript reporter Reese Gorman:
That video has been viewed nearly 500,000 times and has caused quite a stir in the local Coronamania echo chamber. Those who support common-sense social distancing practices and public safety measures praised Reese for letting everyone know that dumb OU students were behaving exactly like we thought dumb OU students would behave before the game, while those in the online Covidiot brigade shamed and criticized Reese for letting everyone know that dumb OU students were behaving exactly like we thought dumb OU students would behave before the game.
Once the Beckies and Brospehs learned Reese was filming their Coronavorus Kickoff Bash, he was asked to leave:
Let's be honest – Reese was playing the role of Captain Buzzkillington. If I was one of the drunk, carefree and irresponsible frat dudes lost in that sea of white tank tops and high-wasted denim, I also would have told him to get the fuck out and let us party!
But alas, I'm in my early 40s, have a kid and spent the entire pre-game going through the time-consuming, 15-step process of paying $54.99 to watch the game on pay-per-view from my Apple TV. I'll just have to live life vicariously through the drunk frat dude making hand-signals.
The people at the party weren't the only ones who were mean to Reese. He was on the receiving end of some heavy online shaming for simply doing his job and sharing the video. For example, check out what Barstool OkState had to say:
Yeah, that's right. Reese is a loser... says the stoolie who runs the Oklahoma State Barstool Twitter account. Keep up the great work, Reese!
The off-campus party wasn't the only place where social distancing and mask-wearing felt non-existent. Check out this shot of the OU student section during the game:
I know most OU fans claim they are die-hards, but that doesn't mean you actually have to go out, catch a novel coronavirus, and then try to prove it.
Also, aren't OU fans supposed to wear masks inside the stadium? That was a requirement, right?
The answer is "Yes:"
“If we’re able to have fans and have a game, there’s going to be a masking requirement," said OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione. "To come into the stadium and to stay in the stadium, you have to be wearing a mask through the entire experience. That’s just the way it’s going to be.”
So, if that's the way it was "going to be," then why wasn't it the way it was going to be? This was Joe's response:
If OU plays another home game this year – and with nearly a couple dozen players sidelined on Saturday due to COVID-19-related reasons, that feels like a big "if" – it will be interesting to see if they actually enforce a mask mandate, or basically ignore it and let evolution take its course. Knowing our state and dumb OU students like we do, I think we know the answer to that one.
