The British Sooners meet again; Tom Wort, Sam Deakin catch up in Dallas

Sam Deakin, the "British Sooner," met OU linebacker Tom Wort, who is also from England, on a trip to Norman last season. Deakin will return to the states for OU's games against Texas and Notre Dame this season. PHOTO PROVIDED

NORMAN — The two British Sooners — junior linebacker Tom Wort and rabid Oklahoma fan Sam Deakin — met again last weekend in Dallas.

Wort — originally from Crawley, England — moved to the United States with his family as a 14-year old. In New Braunfels, Texas, he became a high school standout on the gridiron, earning a football scholarship at Oklahoma.

Deakin fell in love with Oklahoma football about eight years ago. He was vacationing in Florida, watched the Sooners’ beat Texas and was hooked.

The two Englishmen met last year, when Deakin visited Norman for the first time. Back home, he runs a website dedicated to Wort.

Deakin returned to Oklahoma this month, and went down to the Cotton Bowl to see his first Red River Rivalry game in person. He’ll be in the house for Oklahoma’s highly anticipated showdown with Notre Dame on Oct. 27, too.

But while in Dallas, Deakin had a chance to visit with Wort again.

“I saw him at the hotel in Dallas,” Wort said. “He was wearing an Arsenal soccer jersey, so that’s how I recognized him.

“He’s a real good guy. He really enjoys Sooner football, so when he gets to come over he always enjoys it.”