Like most of the home crowd in San Jose last night, I was drinking the Stanford Kool-Aid. A championship for the Cardinal seemed predestined.
Legendary former Stanford coach Sadao Hamada flew from Japan for the soon-to-be historic competition. Stanford alumni National Champion David Durante flew in to cheer on his team.
Despite a shaky start on PBars, Stanford looked good. OU was having problems, too.
In fact, when the scoreboard flashed the Team results at the end of the competition, I was still convinced Stanford had won. Assuming that the last of Stanford’s vault scores had not been tabulated. (Live scoring online and in the arena were both very confusing throughout the meet.)
It wasn’t until I was this scene erupted in front of my eyes, that I finally understood …
The Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team claimed the 2008 NCAA Championship with a 363.200-362.750 victory over event host and top-seeded Stanford Friday night. Once again the title came down to the final event as OU finished strong on rings …
It was an ending that couldn’t have been scripted any better. Facing a deficit of almost two points with its final two competitors left to go on rings, the Sooners looked to senior co-captains Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons and Jonathan Horton to make one final charge at the title. …
Needing a score of at least 15.700 to win the title, Horton came through with a career-high score of 16.100, sticking his dismount and securing his third NCAA team championship as a Sooner.
“That was the first rings routine I think I’ve ever done where at the end I wasn’t tired at all because I had so much adrenaline going,” Horton said. “It was just so much fun to be up there in that handstand before my dismount just thinking, `I’m going to stick this. I’m going to give our team a shot.’ I know Taqiy was thinking the same thing. We all had to do our jobs. Everybody was clutch tonight and came through when we needed them.” …
I should have known not to underestimate Oklahoma. They’ve now won 5 of the last 7 Team titles under coach Mark Williams.
Dave commented on this blog that OU earlier this season scored 364.60 vs Minnesota. The highest score in the NCAA in 2008.
The competition was close:
FX: Oklahoma 62.60 vs 61.85 Stanford
PH: Oklahoma 56.20 vs 57.35 Stanford
R: Oklahoma 61.70 vs 62.05 Stanford
V: Oklahoma 64.15 vs 63.75 Stanford
PB: Oklahoma 59.65 vs 58.55 Stanford
HB: Oklahoma 58.90 vs 59.20 Stanford
I feel very badly for Stanford. They did so much right this season. Only to end in disappointment.
I spoke to Stanford’s David Sender leaving the arena. All he could say was, “I’m tired.”
Dave and the other finalists need to recharge the batteries quickly. Apparatus FINALS are tonight.
Inside Gymnastics has more analysis – SOONERS SHAKE-UP STANFORD
Gymnastics Coaching.com 