Oklahoma football: More on PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY

Sam Muzny was a freshman walkon on the 1972 OU football. Muzny emailed me about my column in the Wednesday Oklahoman concerning the PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY sign that Bud Wilkinson mounted above the door in the OU locker room. You can read that column here.

Anyway, Muzny now lives in Prague and volunteered some information about the origins of the PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY sign.

“I was a freshman walkon in 1972 at Oklahoma. I was a Termite on the Termite Squad. I was interested in the PLAY LIKE A CHAMPION TODAY sign. One time when I was injured and could not practice, on the sidelines of practice that day I asked Morris Tenenbaum, the gate keeper, about the sign, because I knew that he was there when Bud was there.

Oklahoma's 'Play Like a Champion Today' sign on display in the Switzer Center. Photo courtesy OU Athletics Communications

“Morris said that the sign was put up by Bud when he became head coach. Morris told me, that the one to talk to was Jack Baer, the equipment manager. I asked Baer about it. Baer told me that Bud put the sign up Day 1 before the 1947 season. Jim Tatum had been head coach and was a (jerk).

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next