Oklahoma football: Farewell to a Sooner hero

Steve Davis died Sunday. A plane crash in South Bend, Ind. Another Sooner football hero gone.

One of the pleasures of my career has been getting to know people that I once admired from afar.

Like Don Haskins. The Bear is an American original, a basketball legend, but before he died a few years ago, I got to know him. I went out to El Paso 12-13 years ago, did a story on him and he took to calling me every once in awhile, just to talk about OSU basketball. Hadn’t played in Stillwater in more than half a century but still felt a connection to his school.

And like Steve Davis. I got to know Steve in the last few years. We were together at functions, or I would call him for some OU story of some kind, and he would occasionally call or email me just to talk Sooner football.

I’m going to write for the Tuesday Oklahoman how Davis in many ways was a quintessential Oklahoman. But for now, I thought I would share a few memories with you.

If you want some great reads, here is Jenni Carlson’s column from 2007, with Steve talking about how he changed his life.

And my column from 2009, when all five OU national title quarterbacks convened for a book signing in Norman, which you can read here.

And here is Jason Kersey’s collected wisdom with Steve Davis from 2012.