Go Sooners!

This may look like a sports post, but I promise there is a bird connection.

My employer, the University of Oklahoma is known to be football-crazed and their other sports teams regularly fly under the radar, so I am doing my part to give credit where it is due.

I recently noticed that the OU Men's and Women's basketball teams are off to great seasons.

(ESPN.com)

The Women's team, led by Courtney Paris (above) and her twin sister Ashely, is ranked #2 in the country and last night defeated #3 Baylor in Waco, Texas. The victory was especially sweet because former President "W" was in the crowd.

(ESPN.com)

The Men's team is 20-1 and ranked #4. Their forward Blake Griffin (shooting) is the projected #1 draft pick this summer. They have already beaten rivals Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State. If they hold of Kansas next month, they should get a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

(Oklahomabirds.net)

In addition to sports teams, Oklahoma also has a great State Bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher. They are spectacular summer nesters that hang around until October when they accumulate in large staging flocks and depart for their wintering grounds. Six years ago, I saw my first scissor-tail from the parking lot of the Lloyd Noble Center, where the basketball teams play. There's your bird connection!