Among the numerous charttopping songs by famed pop group Kool and the Gang is “Celebration.” There indeed was one June 24 in Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the 2025 National Basketball Association Finals on June 22 at Paycom Center, beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7, had a celebration parade through downtown OKC.
For about a 48-hour period, the sports world focused on the capital city of “The Sooner State,” and not because of anything the Oklahoma Sooners or the Oklahoma State Cowboys did — no disrespect meant by saying that.
Well done, OKC and the Thunder!
Speaking of the Thunder
If you noticed, it didn’t take even a week to pass after the celebration parade before the Oklahoma City Thunder started making sure its key players were going to hang around.
Jaylin Williams signed a three-year, $24-million extension with the Thunder over the weekend.
Because of the youth of the Thunder and seemingly having key players around for a while, could this be the start of a dynasty?
Only time will tell.
Local Athletes Enjoying ‘Dead Week’
This week is “Dead Week,” where no kind of high school athletics are going on, as made a mandate by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association.
No athlete or coach can be at athletic facilities, such as football fieldhouses and gyms. There will not be any Summer Pride for any athlete at any of our eight local high school.
The second session of Summer Pride for athletes will begin Monday.
Here’s hoping you athletes and coaches enjoy your week off, and maybe get a vacation in!
R.I.P., ‘Cobra’
It was a sad day in the Major League Baseball world with Saturday’s passing of soon-to-be Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Dave Parker at age 74 as he succumbed to Parkinson’s Disease.
Parker, nicknamed “The Cobra,” passed just 30 days before he was going to be enshrined in Cooperstown, which is so tragic.
Mostly playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he had a cannon of a throwing arm from right field — with two historic assists coming in the 1979 All-Star Game at the Kingdome in Seattle. First, Parker threw out former Boston Red Sox legend Jim Rice at third base as he tried to stretch a double into a triple as Parker’s throw to third was handled by longtime Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Ron Cey took the throw and tagged out Rice.
However, the second big-time assist in the 1979 All-Star Game was when Parker threw out California Angels player Brian Downing trying to score from second base, only to get tagged out by then Montreal Expos catcher and Hall of Famer Gary Carter at home plate. It helped Parker get voted as the 1979 All-Star Game’s Most Valuable Player.
It’s the second kind of such a tragedy to hit “The Steel City” of Pittsburgh.
If you recall, Pro Football Hall of Famer Franco Harris passed away suddenly on Dec. 21, 2022, just two days before the golden anniversary of “The Immaculate Reception,” which happened in the 1972 AFC divisional playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium between the host Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders. With less than a minute left in regulation and the Raiders leading 7-6, Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw was trying to connect on a pass with running back John “Frenchy” Fuqua. Right as the pass was arriving to Fuqua, Oakland defensive back Jack Tatum collided with Fuqua, which led to the football careening backward. While most players on the field stopped, Harris caught the careening ball just off the turf and rambled 60 yards for the touchdown to give the Steelers the 13-7 victory, their first playoff victory in franchise’s history — which at that time was at four decades.
If there is any solace, I’m glad Parker at least knew he was going to be in the Class of 2025 at the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s always better to have felt slighted over a number of years, then pass and then get the word you are among the lucky enshrines.
R.I.P., “Cobra”
Congratulations to Padraig Congratulations to Padraig Harrington, who won his second U.S. Senior Open this past weekend at Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Harrington had to fight off a challenge from Stewart Cink, who came up a shot behind to finish in second place.
I’m Back in the Saddle Again
Now that I’m through with my essential twoweek vacation, I’m as the legendary “Singing Cowboy” Gene Autry sang — “I’m back in the saddle again.”
Although my 98-year-old mom will be still with me until Independence Day, I am back at the office on a regular basis.
I’m now having to get myself geared up for the fall sports that will begin in August — high school football, fastpitch softball and cross country, as well as Carl Albert State College cross country — which is slated to feature former Murrow Lady Bulldogs twins Kennady and Katelyn Moore, the latter coming off an injury which made her red-shirt her freshman season last fall.
For me, summer break is all but over.
••• Seeley is the sports editor of the Vian Tenkiller News. He can be reached by calling (918) 7754433, Ext. 139 or by emailing him at davids@ cookson.news.
Vian residents, from left, Gavin Herod, Ryker Covey and Jan Herod, wait for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s celebration parade on June 24 in OKC to celebrate the team winning the 2025 National Basketball Association Finals. The Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games to win the 2025 NBA Finals, the first for the franchise since it left Seattle prior to the 2008-09 season.
