Oklahoma shutting Sooner Schooner down for remainder of season

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Following this past weekend’s on-field mishap, one of the most iconic mascots in all of college football will be taking a medical redshirt for the remainder of the year.



During the second quarter of what would become a decisive Oklahoma win over West Virginia, the beloved Sooner Schooner, as is custom, came onto the field to celebrate an OU touchdown, this one a two-yard run by Jalen Hurts. Unfortunately, the two-horsepower wagon showed once again that its turn radius at top speed is nearly nil as it toppled over around the 15-yard line, sending the drivers crashing to the turf and the horses running untethered from human restraints toward the tunnel.

As scary as it looked, the university subsequently released a statement in which it was confirmed that neither the humans nor the horses involved were seriously injured.

However, in a statement from senior associate athletic director Kenny Mossman Tuesday night, the university announced that Sooner Schooner won’t run for the remainder of the season. The damaged Schooner is being rebuilt and could be on display for at least one of the remaining home games, while a new one is being built that will likely be ready for spring practice next year.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/oklahoma-shutting-sooner-schooner-down-for-remainder-of-season/ar-AAJe1Da?li=BBnb7Kz

I remember the 1985 Orange Bowl when Oklahoma played my Washington Huskies. Oklahoma got called for illegal procedure for running that thing out on the field.

[dem4decades]

1. Is there any reason it has to turn at such a sharp radius and high speed?

[Bradshaw3]

2. It rained all night before the game

The players were having trouble with footing too. They have always run it out there that fast. I don't remember in 50 plus years of watching OU football that anything like that happened before.

[fishwax]

4. I was at a game in '93 against Colorado the last time it happened

That was back when Owen Field had notoriously bad artificial turf. They actually had to come out with duct tape and tape the field up for the remainder of the game ... after that they decided to put the grass field back in. I think that's the only other time it happened.

Greetings, fellow Sooner fan!

[Bradshaw3]

5. Wow, I had forgotten that

Ah, the Gary Gibbs years. We didn't think back then things could get worse but they did. Thanks for the info.

Boomer Sooner!

[fishwax]

6. lol -- yeah, there was a lot worth forgetting in the 90s

'93 was my first year as a fan (I was a freshman from out of state) and that year actually went pretty well. Then, after a great first half against Syracuse to start the next season, things went downhill and Gibbs was fired and Schnelenberger was hired and things went further downhill and Schnelly was fired and John Blake was hired and hoo boy did things get bad.

Made it all the sweeter when Stoops came in and turned that all around, though.

[yonder]

3. Slightly off-topic but the best college game

I've seen was when your coach Chris Peterson coached BSU past Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. It was an unforgettable finish to a great game. We were sure sorry to lose him to Washington.

I don't remember the wagon, just the game.