Expo Say

Remember how much fun you had at last year's Tulsa Sports Expo? Of course not, it is brand new this year. However, before we delve into the newest spin on the old Golf Expo, allow me to summarize a topic every household discussed last week.

We were all held hostage by the blizzard last Tuesday. The big one, not the little dustings since. This meant hours and hours of local news coverage.

Our weatherpersons beg for attention. They bang their drums and strike fear into the heart of would-be drivers. For once, it was not overkill. We needed the breakdown. The more info the better. I will withhold naming culprits to protect the innocent, but you know who you are.

Sadly, only two of the local four channels delivered the goods. The guess here is most of you know exactly which two local channels I am referring too. One of the channels did they best they could under their limited means.

However, the fourth channel should strongly consider preempting their local news coverage with re-runs of According to Jim.

This is not to say the talent is to blame. But if you give Jimmie Johnson a Dodge Stratus, he is not winning Daytona.

The glaring difference this past week was stark. Flipping between channels felt like flipping between decades.

Snowies

Five trophies need to be given out for last week's stellar performance. We'll call them the first annual Left Field Snowies.

American Electric Power stood tall. I cannot recall hearing any major outages.

Inappropriate but funny-as-hell joke of the week goes to my friend Ebony. "This is not what I meant when I asked for 10 inches." In context, during the snowfall, pretty damn funny. Admit it.

The three four-wheel drives who pulled my Jeep out of the drifted gully. Not one, not two, but three connected vehicles extricated my 4WD from breast-high snow drifts. Props to you and enjoy your Snowie.

To the two men jogging downtown on Thursday. The temps were single digits. One gentleman sported a full-body spandex outfit with gloves and a hat. His companion followed in a pair of spandex biker shorts, long-sleeved t-shirt, gloves and hat. They either need to be inducted into the now insignificant Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame or committed to an insane asylum.

Cheyenne and 6th claimed countless victims after the plows carved out passable lanes. I vote the city raises a plaque on the corner memorializing it as "The Intersection of Doom."

DeTigerized

The past couple of year the Tulsa Golf Expo started losing steam. The first year or two, excitement built around the everything-under-one-roof exposé.

This year the founders decided to fix what was breaking. Instead of focusing all their eggs in the golf basket, they expanded.

"All the regular features of the golf expo will be present as well, from the 100-foot hitting net to seminars from PGA professionals including Champions Tour veteran Ron Streck, noted instructor Tracy Phillips, former PGA Tour player Michael Boyd, now head professional at Indian Springs Country Club, and Golftec owner and instructor Pat McTigue," said event coordinator Ken MacLeod in a release.

Golf fanatics will still be catered too. It is the expansion that should draw broader interest this year.

"There will be much more than golf. The Tulsa Drillers, Tulsa Talons, Tulsa Shock, University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University will all have booths. The fitness, tennis, skiing, wrestling and soccer communities will be represented," MacLeod said.

Billy Sims, Nolan Richardson and long drive champion Jason Eslinger are just a few of the notables that will be on hand.

The three-day event kicks off Friday, Feb. 11 at the Exchange Center at Expo Square, 4145 E. 21st St. Here are a few of the highlights to look forward to:

Friday night Happy Hour is from 5-9pm. Drink specials, live music and long drive competition should make for a fun evening.

Saturday sees a luchador wrestling demonstration from 6-8pm. Also, Tulsa Shock Head Coach Nolan Richardson speaks at noon. I'm crossing my fingers Richardson mixes it up with the wrestlers later.

At 1:30pm the Booker T. Washington drum line performs. Next up is the lovely Tulsa Talons Dance Team at 2pm.

Sunday is more of the same. An appearance by the Tulsa Oilers Ice Girls closes out the festivities at 2pm.

Who will be the lucky visitor to win the Best Buy Guitar Hero Contest good for prizes including Xbox 360 with Kinect and a 50-inch plasma TV. You know what they say, once you go plasma, you never go back.

A $10,000 putting contest, the aforementioned long drive contest, Boomertown Game Zone features a free throw contest as well as a football toss. Oh, and do not forget about the Tulsa Drillers Pitching Contest.

Will the Tulsa Sports Expo catch on or will we let it die off like its limited predecessor?

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit tulsasportsexpo.com.