Last Wednesday was my one-year anniversary of becoming The Vian Tenkiller News sports editor.
I’m glad I survived, but I’ve also enjoyed my time and meeting all of you.
It’s been my sincere hope you all have liked how the sports coverage has been. I have done some things differently than my predecessors did, and I hope you all liked the “newness” of it all.
I look forward to another year of covering high school athletics, and keeping people abreast on how former local athletes are doing at their respective colleges.
Now, I’m going to take a couple of mini vacations next month to recharge my batteries.
••• Well, we won’t have a Triple Crown winner for 2024 as each of the first two “jewels” of the Triple Crown — the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness — were each won by a different horse, Mystik Dan and Seize the Grey, respectively.
There has not been a Triple Crown winner since Justify in 2018, and last year was one of those rare occasions in which each race was won by a different horse. Mage won the Kentucky Derby, National Treasure won the Preakness and Arcangelo won the Belmont Stakes. Will we have a similar result this year — each “jewel” of the Triple Crown being won by a different horse? Or, will either Mystik Dan or Seize the Grey capture the 2024 Belmont Stakes, slated for June 8 at Saratoga Race Course?
We’ll just have to wait and see.
••• What a season it was for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team went 57-25 and was the best team in the Western Conference, and got to the conference semifinals before being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks on May 18.
I’m sure most of you saw what happened when the Thunder returned home as they were warmly greeted by their fans at the airport.
If anyone had any doubt that OKC can support a major professional team, I think we know what the answer to that question is — a resounding yes!!!
I keep hoping to see either a Major League Baseball and/or a National Football League and/or a National Hockey League expansion team, or two or all three, get awarded to OKC. I think the city, and even the state, will support it just like they have for the Thunder.
We’ll see what the 2024-25 season for the Thunder has in store when it begins in the mid to late fall.
••• This is just a reminder to you coaches about letting me know if any of your senior athletes will be signing letters of intent in the near future.
I would prefer to have two-day notice, but oneday notice is sufficient to let me know where and when the signing will take place because if I’m notified, I will be there to catch the moment.
My contact information is at the end of this column.
••• Seeley is the sports editor of The Vian Tenkiller News. He can be reached by telephone at (918) 775-4433, Ext. 139 or by e-mail at davids@ cookson.news.
