Ride 'em Cowboys!

This weekend brings us to the great state of Oklahoma! Home to Garth Brooks, tornadoes, The Cowboy Hall of Fame, the worlds’ first parking meter and birthplace of the shopping cart.

As if that distinguished list of accolades weren’t enough to impress you, there is also a little Big 12 school up in Stillwater called Oklahoma State (not to be confused with that other directional school in Norman), where they happen to play an electrifying brand of gun slinging football.

They also happen to have a rather electrifying coach who is no stranger to the art of the press conference rant, and could be considered an aspiring heir to the venerable Bobby Knight throne.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMmbUmKN0E

This weekend pits another matchup of two national powerhouses as the 4-1 Oklahoma State Cowboys (#16) shoot it out against the 4-1 Missouri Tigers (UR).

Campus should be buzzing around OSU this weekend given that it’s homecoming, and the ‘Pokes lay claim to one of the largest homecoming reunions in the country. Why anyone would be so eager to make an annual pilgrimage to Stillwater, Oklahoma is debatable, but judging by the throngs of orange clad Cowboy faithful this is a passionate college sports town.

The Cowboys don’t square off against Missouri until 8:15pm, which gives us ample time this week to enjoy the robust tailgating atmosphere on campus and perhaps squeeze in a cocktail or two before kickoff. Many of these plans come courtesy of our friend Laura, a diehard alum, who has promised she will dive headfirst into “Orange Pond” if the ‘Pokes can pull out a victory.

Game tickets, for those of you less inclined to haggle, are still available through the OSU box office.

http://www.okstate.com/tickets/okst-tickets.html

877-255-4678

In addition to the campus tailgating revelry, which I can tell you first hand is quite robust; there are a handful of other drop-ins worthy of merit for this weeks foray into the wide plains of the Sooner State.

Eskimo Joe’s - is a Stillwater institution, and claims to have the #2 most collected t-shirt in the world (behind Hard Rock Cafe’). It’s also been ranked the #3 college sports bar in the US and given their infamous “thirsty Thursday” promotion of five bucks for all you can drink beer, I don’t think we will have any problems cutting loose in this joint on Saturday.

http://www.eskimojoes.com/

And for the first time during the CFB, I am torn between roadside cuisine choices, both of which are found in Shawnee, Oklahoma. On one side we have a place with the words “Pig Stand” in the name, and on the other is “Hamburger King”. My head might explode with anticipation.

Van’s Pig Stand

http://www.pigstands.com/

Hamburger King

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/46/1149293/restaurant/Oklahoma-City/Hamburger-King-Shawnee

Well I’d say that’s a pretty full agenda, and I personally am looking forward to my return trip to Stillwater to see what other adventures we can stumble upon this time.

Saddle up and come with!