HORNING: Not a network, but it could be fun

September 13, 2012

HORNING: Not a network, but it could be fun

CLAY HORNING CNHI News Services The Claremore Daily Progress Thu Sep 13, 2012, 11:23 AM CDT

NORMAN — Joe Castiglione calls it “the best of all possible worlds.” Oklahoma’s athletic director may be right. Even if we know what it isn’t.

It isn’t a network.

The programming that is Sooner Sports TV began Sept. 1, before OU kicked off against UTEP.

It’s what we’ve all been waiting for — if only because we’ve been hearing about it’s coming for such a long time — even if it’s not exactly what we thought we were waiting for.

Sooner Sports TV will be branded Oklahoma athletic content, separate from all the other OU stuff that will be a part of the recently announced Big 12 television agreement, and “getting at least 1,000 hours of programming on a multi-platform network was really exciting for us,” Castiglione said.

However, the multi-platform network does not belong to OU. It belongs to Fox.

Castiglione said it’s “at least 10 times” the programming OU has previously offered, and that’s clearly exciting.

On the other hand, there is no 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week destination channel, where finding the latest Sooners news, via a crawl across the bottom of the screen or an OU version of “SportsCenter,” is as easy as turning on the television.

Maybe the best way to put it is, Texas has the Longhorn Network which is absolutely a burnt orange version of ESPN, right down to the graphics. And Oklahoma now has this: a ton of programming on a “multi-platform network,” which in addition to being Castiglione’s phrase of the day, really means any conceivable Fox Sports outlet and mostly means Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Southwest and Fox College Sports.

It may take a 40-something like me to regret there being no “channel.” Because the idea of a dedicated space on the “dial” may be just too antiquated. Nonetheless, you know what I’m going to do when I get home tonight?

Turn on the TV.

I know where ESPN can be found. Ditto for USA and TNT, the news channels and the networks. I know where my Fox Sports selections are. I’m just never sure if it’s going to be the Rangers, Cardinals, Astros or Royals when I get there.

Perhaps OU will seek to make it very clear where and when everything can be found rather than simply thinking, with 10 times the programming, folks are bound to run into it.

Also interesting, John Heidtke, senior vice president of Fox Sports Southwest, who was on a teleconference with Castiglione Wednesday, seemed to like one thing the Sooners have to offer more than everything else.

“The other thing OU brings to the table is they’ve got a tremendous amount of archival footage going back into the ’30s and ’40s and the Bud Wilkinson days,” Heidtke said. “I think … the OU fans are going to enjoy this when we bring that to life.”

They will, no doubt.

But Santiago Restrepo has built a pretty good and very fun to watch volleyball program that could use some airtime. And Sunny Golloway’s diamond Sooners tend to be pretty good. And the atmosphere for wrestling inside McCasland Fieldhouse can be pretty electric and should really come through on television, no matter which version of Fox Sports picks it up.

Not to mention a track and field program that has leapt many hurdles under Martin Smith, or Patty Gasso’s OU softball team, which is probably the perfect TV team, because it’s really good and already fills all its seats.

By the way, are club teams eligible?

The Sooners’ open a new hockey season Sept. 21 at Blazers Ice Center.

Just saying.

Football built it.

That much is clear.

And who’s going to put OU on the air “10 times” more without the heavyweight champ leading the way? But, from here, the best thing about Tuesday’s announcements are the possibilities of seeing a whole bunch of stuff we’ve not seen much of before.

Tennis, anyone?

It would be nice.

Assuming we can find it.

Text Only

Sports Columnists

COLUMN: Are these spring hopes eternal for OU's Metoyer?
The annual Red-White spring game is a skirmish without context and there’s really no way around it.

In an age of closed practices, holding out your stars, putting blue jerseys on your quarterbacks and throttling back the playbook because an opponent might pick something up watching it, just how much can anybody hope to glean?

April 14, 2013
COLUMN: Devalued titles only make it easier for Jenks, Union
The revolution arrived quietly, long before Thursday.

Thursday was only the day it became clear, when OSSAA Class 6A member schools voted for the lesser of two evils, a plan to separate Class 6A high school football in the state into two different 16-team and two-district divisions, a Class 7A in everything but name, rather than an even nuttier idea to not separate into two divisions, yet somehow determine two state champions via two different playoff brackets.

April 12, 2013
COLUMN: OU wants to build tradition of its own
They say tradition never goes on vacation, so maybe the Oklahoma women can’t count on being overlooked today.

Tennessee is the Yankees, Steelers and Manchester United of women’s college basketball, only better.

March 31, 2013
COLUMN: Can Griner save the WNBA?
The hours spent pouring over the brackets were probably a waste because no one knows just how good Gonzaga is, or whether Kansas really does have its act together.
That's the beauty of the NCAA men's tournament, where this year there are more questions than ever about which schools are pretenders and which are contenders. Even the wise guys in Vegas don't really seem to know, with seven teams - including Kansas and Gonzaga all listed at 12-1 or better to win the national title.
There's no such debate on the women's side. Brittney Griner and her Baylor teammates are pretty much locks to be cutting down the nets in New Orleans on a second straight national title.

March 21, 2013
HORNING: Whitney Hand not done leaving her mark at OU
Favorite Sooner of all time? Well, from my youth there’s Elvis Peacock, John McCullough, Kelly Snider and, just to make everybody from a different sport, let’s say Jim Begwin.

December 14, 2012
COLUMN: Arkansas coaching search gets weird
On some levels I can relate to John L. Smith’s plight.

Much like Smith, my employer recently made a personnel decision that directly impacted my workload. Like Smith, I went from merely setting a kick return unit, to calling plays, barking orders, and attempting to figure out what’s going on inside Paul Petrino’s head.

November 30, 2012
HORNING: Considering Landry Jones
Only a few days ago I wrote about Landry Jones’ opportunity to define himself once and for all over his last four games as a Sooner.

That even though championships appeared out of reach, should he play victorious football and leave the Sooner Nation happy, he’ll be rewarded by fine memories.

November 22, 2012
Against Sooners, Irish have what it takes, again
The magic was back.Now it’s gone.That’s the Irish for you. That’s Notre Dame and Oklahoma. That’s history, fulfilled.

If I’m Joe Castiglione, I try lining up another home and home series with Notre Dame before the Sooners even visit South Bend next season. If I’m the Sooner athletic director, I try scheduling this game wherever possible, as often as possible.

October 28, 2012
The 10 best reasons to hate Notre Dame
Notre Dame is a wonderful school, a fantastic institution and a slice of American history that simply can’t be denied. Just ask Regis Philbin.

October 25, 2012
COLUMN: Could this be a new Red October dawn?
Landry Jones must have said it three times in about 5 minutes. He might have said it a dozen times in all.

“If we play like we’re capable of playing …”

October 14, 2012
More Sports Columnists Headlines

UPDATED: ME releases names of tornado victims

Sports Columnists

Search Results

HORNING: Not a network, but it could be fun

Over the past two weeks the price of a gallon of gas has jumped more than 20 cents. As of Wednesday, it cost 3.64. What do you attribute the sudden rise in cost?

Site Map

Contact Us