Everybody Wins

An ode to Oprah. Oh Oprah, why must you leave us on the brink? Without you in our lives, who will tell us what to think?

Oh Oprah, you've filled many women with knowledge in their head. Without you in our lives, how many times will I hear, "Well, Oprah said...?"

Oh Oprah, my mother-in-law will miss you so. Without you in our lives, how will we know which books to keep in tow?

Oh Oprah, thanks for giving us Dr. Phil. Without you in our lives, who will be your next shill?

I could go on, but I fear I may have lost enough of you already. Actually, we're talking about the queen of all media. The most powerful woman in mass media today. Let her quotes lead the way this week.

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." In last week's cover story (Check out "The New Ice Age" at urbantulsa.com), I explained how and why this Tulsa Oilers campaign would differ from years past.

The right coach and players continue to impress. To illustrate my point, check out these splits.

The Oilers won their tenth game of the season Nov. 21. Last year, they won their tenth game Jan. 17. They currently lead the Northern Conference of the Central Hockey League with a 10-3 record. They are undefeated at home.

"As you become more clear about who you really are, you'll be better able to decide what is best for you - the first time around."

Not sure what the hell she's talking about, as usual, but two of the top three scorers in the CHL play for the Oilers: Rob Hisey and TJ Caig.

"Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not." Sounds like she ripped someone off here.

Did you know the University of Tulsa's men's soccer team is ranked seventh nationally? Did you realize they hosted St. Louis in a playoff game this past Sunday?

TU won the contest in exciting fashion during the overtime period. The Golden Hurricane hosts Northwestern Sunday, Nov. 29 at 2pm in the third round of the playoffs.

"Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us." When the Arena Football League folded it was only a matter of time before someone formed the replacement league.

The Tulsa Talons helped broker a new league. The Arena football 1 finally launched an official Web site. Visit arenafootballone.com for slowly released details. I would be much more excited if Bon Jovi's Philadelphia squad joined the ranks.

"If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think." I tried to explain this to OU fans in the preseason. All signs pointed to this type of meltdown in Norman.

A Cotton Bowl berth coupled with a solid victory over an SEC opponent should have been the goal. They got greedy. Bradford's draft status and health questions are now up in the air. The Sooners appear headed for a pre-New Year's Day bowl contest. Oh Oprah, how did you let this happen?

"The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work." Why do the Sooners stink this year? They cannot block or tackle. No big secret here.

"What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you." Is this the least anticipated Bedlam game ever? OU enters the game with a record of 6-5. Two of the six victories were against Tulsa and Idaho State.

OSU on the other hand enters with a 9-2 record. They still have an outside shot at a BCS bowl invite (which would be a travesty but it is still in play). If the roles were reversed, OSU would take great pleasure in playing the spoiler roll. OU doesn't seem to care if little brother wins or loses on the heels of this disastrous season.

"If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race." If you read too many Oprahisms, your head hurts.

"Partake of some of life's sweet pleasures. And yes, get comfortable with yourself." The Route 66 Marathon took place this past weekend. Running to stay in shape--got it. Running 26 miles to win a race--what?

The course set up along the Arkansas River is favorable. The rest of the layout reminds me of the old Dig Dug game. Congratulations to all who competed.

"Though I am grateful for the blessings of wealth, it hasn't changed who I am. My feet are still on the ground. I'm just wearing better shoes." Do you think her shoe size changed over the years as her weight fluctuated?

"I finally realized that being grateful to my body was key to giving more love to myself." Uh, let's just move to the next one before I throw up in my mouth.

"I think that when you invite people to your home, you invite them to yourself." The Tulsa 66ers begins play this weekend.

Their NBA counterpart, the Oklahoma Thunder, allocated two players this week: Center Byron Mullens and guard Kyle Weaver.

Weaver is in his second season. He is seeing minimal playing time with the Thunder this year but has impressed each time out. Will the 66ers burst out of the gate strong like our hockey team? Visit HYPERLINK "http://www.tulsa66ers.com"; www.tulsa66ers.com for more information.

Happy Turkey Day.