Oklahoma’s FINEST 👏 Kayaking at Riversport, Thunder’s title run + Red River Rivalry | SportsCenter

Oklahoma’s FINEST 👏 Kayaking at Riversport, Thunder’s title run + Red River Rivalry | SportsCenter

[Music] Now, a good time or a bad time to tell you that I’m slightly afraid of heights. Oh well, let’s start our morning with a little adventure. Woo! Sport Center, the 50 states in 50 days. It’s day 16 from Oklahoma. Woo! This is Sports Center. Also afraid of heights. Why my feet are planted firmly on what happened? the ground. I didn’t you continue talking. I wanted to see what happened to Nicole. I already Yeah. Well, we don’t know. I guess we’re gonna find out, but it’s great to see Jay Harris back on our TV screens. Nicole apparently is uh hanging out in Oklahoma. Uh-huh. I guess so. Okay. We going to get back out to Nicole in moments as long as she made it across the river. We’ll see. When the Olympic Games return to United States in 2028, most of them will take place in the host city, which is, of course, Los Angeles. But there are a few events that are taking place outside of Southern California. What is more synonymous with Oklahoma City than softball? First of all, welcome back to the Olympics. But softball will take place not far from where I’m standing right now. There are also a few other events taking place here. In fact, they will happen on these waters, literally right here. Canoe slalom and kayak cross. Now, is this something I’ve never done? No. No, it is not. But Andre is going to give me an idea of what it is like to take on these waters down an actual Olympic channel. Have I ever done it? Am I a little nervous? Yeah. But let’s go for it. It’s day 16 of 50 states in 50 days. Wish me luck. The population of Oklahoma is a little north of 4 million, which is more than half the number of gallons being pushed through this whitewater facility here at Riverwart along the banks of the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City. Now, this facility opened about 20 years ago with dreams of one day being an international or Olympic competition facility. dreams that are a reality now because of the international competitions, but they will be a reality in terms of Olympic competitions in 2028. As we all know, the Olympics are coming to Los Angeles, but there will be a few events that happen on these waters. The canoe slalom and the kayak cross, which we were going to show you later. It’s insane. Wait till you see it. But this facility is more than just a competition facility. It’s part of the community here in Oklahoma City. the very fabric of how this communicate uh stays active. It is open to visitors. It’s open to families and it’s also open to people like me who want to try their hand or in this case their entire bodies at Whitewalker Kaying. [Music] Sorry. I wasn’t ready for that. It’s not at all claustrophobic. [Music] other way around. Yeah. See, that’s how little I know. Start pedling then. Okay. All right. You ready? Are we? All right. There’s two drops now. Okay. All right. All right, keep going. Now, let’s try to pedal hard. [Music] [Music] Battle. All right, keep going. Keep going. [Music] Hi. Hi. [Music] [Music] How was that? That was insane. [Music] Woo. [Music] Okay, so we were in the water for about an hour and I had started Strava on my watch to keep track of my heart rate and like 5 10 minutes later my heart rate was still like over 110 beats per minute because I was so exhausted and exhilarated. It is an absolute workout and um I can proudly say I did not flip. I did not fall out. I did not have to go for a swim. But the one thing that amazed me the most, and I’m I’m not going to lie, I am actually a little sore today from the paddling. No, I was able to handle that. But when you go over the the drops, especially on the competition course, the force of the water that comes up and hits you like square in the chest. I was not prepared for how that was going to feel and how it just knocked me everywhere. It’s almost like a whiplash is a little strong of a a term, but it’s just it was so much harder and more forceful than I was anticipating. Um, I would like to try it again. I feel bad for Andre who was in the back of the boat trying to to steer the entire way cuz I know that he had an absolute amateur on his hands, but it was an incredible experience and I’m a little jealous of the people of Oklahoma City because this facility is truly amazing. It looks quite cool. All right. Kayaking sore or marathon sore if you had to choose. Oh god. Marathon sore. That’s a whole different like whole body experience. My god, I think my soul hurt after those. Uh, real quick, Jay Harris, I love you. I’m so glad you’re back because this is a sign of normaly. Thank you for all you have done and said throughout your journey the last month, six weeks. Um, but you know how much I care about you and I’m just I am I love you. I’m glad you’re back. Plus one. Love you, too. Thank you, Nicole. Appreciate you. Thank you so much. All right, now it’s my turn to talk after that. Thank you very much. Let’s go to Oklahoma. It’s currently the home of the Lario O’Brien Trophy and the NBA champion. Oklahoma City Thunder. Looking at the Thunder’s pack to winning the NBA Finals. Let’s hoop it up. First round against the Grizzlies. Thunder led the series 2 nothing. But game three, they trailed by as many as 29 26 at the half. They storm back in the second half outscoring Memphis 6331 after halftime. The largest halftime deficit overcome to win in NBA playoffs history. They would win game four. They swept the Grizzlies and advanced to the West semis. Arda where they met the Nuggets and Nola Joic. This one went seven, but in that game it was all thunder. They blew out the Nuggets 12593. A 32point victory for OKC. Shay Gilis Alexander led the way with 35. Jaylen Williams had 24 and the Thunder advanced to their first conference final since 2016. Western Conference Finals Minnesota Timberwolves standing in their way. Took five games to take down Anthony Edwards and the T- Wolves. Thunder put together an incredible performance in game five. They closed out the series, advanced to the first NBA final since 2012. Another 30-point dub for the Thunder in a closeout game. SGA finished game five 34 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, claiming the Urban Magic Johnson MVP trophy, setting up an NBA Finals showdown with the Indiana Pacers. That series in the NBA Finals went seven, but it was all Thunder in that game. They got blown out in game six, but the Thunder responded thanks to SGA’s 29.1 assist game. Jaylen Williams chipped in 20 points. The Thunder turned up the heat on defense, forcing 23 Pacer turnovers. They won 10391, first championship in OKC history. SGA won the finals MVP. The Thunder finished with 84 wins. Regular season in playoffs, tied for third most in a season in NBA history behind the 1516 Warriors and 9596 Bulls. Yeah, we’re having a lot of fun. Sports Center’s 50 states in 50 days is in Oklahoma today. And there may be no greater rivalry than OU Texas. Let’s take a look at the Red River rivalries top moments. 2008 battle between top five foes. It was number one ranked Sooners who raced to an early 14-3 lead. That’s when Texas’s Jordan Shipley took the kickoff 96 yds. The other way to the end zone for a score. The longest touch return in the long history of the rivalry. Texas ended up winning 45-35. 8 and 1/2 minutes left in the fourth quarter of the 2018 edition. Texas held a 45 to 24 lead. The Kyler Murray led Sooners boom back and tied the score with just over two minutes to go. But Sam Ellinger engineered one final drive for Texas capped off by true freshman kicker Cameron Dicker draining a 40-yard field goal with 9 seconds left to secure the win for Texas. 2021 game that featured a combined 1,178 yards of total offense. Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks outraced the Longhorns defense to the end zone for a winning touchdown with just seconds left as the Sooners came away with a 55 to 48 victory. You know, our Sam Ao knows this rivalry very well. He joins us now rocking his alma mater’s colors. That jacket looks so nice. I just want you to know, don’t bring it to the studio cuz it might go missing. I just wanted to tell you that right now. Listen, Sam, what is your favorite moment from the Red River rivalry? My favorite moment, Jay, actually happened after one of the games. It was in 2009 when Texas beat Oklahoma. People say it’s Oklahoma, Texas. No, it’s Texas. Oklahoma. Texas beat Oklahoma. And K McCoy was wearing that golden hat. You see Matt Brown, Jeff Madden, you see your boy Sam Macho in the back teasing. That moment was so special because that win and that game led us to an undefeated regular season that led us on to a national championship game. And so for me, it wasn’t just what happened in the game, but the celebration after the game, the team, the camaraderie, and your boy in the back smiling over coach Brown. Look at you. It is Texas Oklahoma. Don’t get it twisted. All right. Get the right order. Okay. Don’t get it twisted. Get the right order, man. Let me get it straight. Set the record straight. [Music]

On SportsCenter, Arda Ocal, Jay Harris, Sam Acho and Nicole Briscoe highlight Oklahoma as part of SportsCenter’s 50 States in 50 Days series.

0:00 Riversport OKC
6:12 Thunder’s path to the championship
8:15 Red River Rivalry
9:25 Sam Acho joins

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