Posted on 05/10/2006 2:24:01 PM PDT by CharlieOK1
Taking flight
Burleson native Kelly Clarkson is taking off again, this time with the Blue Angels. American Idol's first sweetheart will fly with the Navy's flight demonstration team today at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth. She'll join Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops and CBS Channel 11's Babe Laufenberg in a preview performance of this weekend's air show.
(Excerpt) Read more at origin.dfw.com ...
*Boomer Sooner Ping!*
What in the name of Evel Knievel is going on these days with the Big 12's football coaches?
In case you missed it, Colorado's Dan Hawkins went skydiving this spring even though he's deathly afraid of heights. Now comes word that Oklahoma's Bob Stoops is going to hitch a flight with the Blue Angels on Wednesday in Fort Worth.
What's next? Will Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon on Pat Jones' Harley-Davidson motorcycle?
Hey, nobody is questioning the courage of these macho, macho men. It takes a lot of guts to coach a team in one of college football's toughest conferences.
So why would Stoops want to strap himself into the backseat of a U.S. Navy F/A 18 Hornet fighter/attack aircraft and go 700 mph?
"Why not?" replied Stoops when asked if he had temporarily lost his mind when he agreed to the Navy's invitation to be one of three VIPs who will fly with the daredevil Blue Angel pilots.
Why not? Well consider what Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly wrote when he regained his senses after a Blue Angels' trip.
"If you get this opportunity," wrote Reilly, "let me urge you, with the greatest sincerity . . . move to Guam. Change your name. Fake your own death.
Whatever you do, do not go."
Here's the deal, coach: The Top Guns at the controls of these jets are not the modern-day version of Chuck Yeager, the World War II ace who became the first human to travel faster than the speed of sound.
The Blue Angels' hot shots certainly don't waste much time going from Point A to Point B. But along the way, they do a variety of stunts that include barrel rolls, loops, dives and flying upside down. In other words, Bob, be sure to take along a barf bag.
"Hopefully it doesn't come to that," Stoops said of losing his lunch. "But it might. Heck, I may even be knocked out for part of it. But I know for a decent part of it I'll be awake and enjoying it."
Stoops knows all about knocking himself out. As a four-year starter at Iowa, Stoops played defensive back with such disregard for his body that he was a concussion waiting to happen.
But cold-cocking yourself while tackling an Ohio State tailback can't compare to reaching 7.5 times the force of gravity as the pilot does those fancy maneuvers.
Wednesday's VIP flights are to promote this weekend's Texas Thunder 2006 Air Show in Fort Worth. The Blue Angels perform at various events to enhance the Navy's recruiting efforts.
It's probably too late for Stoops to back out. The other celebrity flyers are Kelly Clarkson and Babe Laufenberg. Clarkson was the first winner of the American Idol television show, and Laufenberg played for the Dallas Cowboys and several other teams before becoming a sportscaster in Dallas.
How would it look if Stoops decided to keep his cold feet on the ground while a female singer and a journeyman NFL quarterback had the intestinal fortitude to soar toward the heavens with 32,000 pounds of thrust strapped to their backsides?
Stoops said there is no way he'll back out at the last minute.
"I've always wanted to do this," he said. "I've been asked before, but for different reasons haven't been able to go."
What about the risk factor? Stoops has a wife, three children and thousands of OU fans who want him to stick around for the next 40 years or so.
"So getting in with the best pilots in the world in the best machines in the world," said Stoops, "as opposed to flying different places commercially, is a bigger risk?"
Uh, good point.
A Navy spokesman said Lt. Kevin Davis will be in the cockpit of the jet carrying Stoops. A native of Pittsfield, Mass., Davis became a Blue Angel in September 2005, after several combat missions and becoming a highly decorated fighter pilot.
Still, Stoops has approached this mission like he does a game with Texas.
Seeking some inside information, he telephoned Tim Fyda, a Youngstown, Ohio, high school buddy who was an Air Force fighter pilot.
"Tim said that he knows I've had a lot of great experiences (in sports)," Stoops said. "But he said this will be one of the more special experiences I will ever have."
Given Stoops' coaching reputation as a riverboat gambler, we probably shouldn't be surprised that he's eager to take this daring ride.
"Hey, it can't be any worse than calling a fake punt with your punter inside your own 10-yard line at Alabama," said Stoops of the gutsy and successful call he made when OU defeated the Crimson Tide 20-13 in Tuscaloosa in 2003.
"I think it's going to be an incredible, amazing experience. A heckuva rush."
OK, fine. But it's not too late to move to Guam.
I don't know who those other guys are, but gee whiz, isn't it great that Babe Laufenberg is going on the ride of his life!
you live in Oklahoma and don't know who Coach Stoops is?
C'mon Charlie, can'tcha tell that I'm joshing you?
What's a Kelly Clarkson?
I figured you were, but had to make sure! :)
one of the funniest articles from one of the funniest sports columnists ever!
It's just not fair....
Oklahoma has a football team?
I hope Coach Stoops hangs on.
There's been a rash of Blue Angel rides amongst the news readers around Atlanta. One lady news reader took the ride with the camera unblinkingly on her face. I think they cut some footage of stomach upsets duing the ride, but she made it fine and was back to reading the news the next night.
Neal Boortz took the ride last year. Belinda Skelton, his producer who along with Royal Marshall adds a lot of levity to Neal's show, was invited but she chickened out due to pregnancy or some such excuse.
Thanks much!
Boomer Sooner!
Viewing this will give you an idea of what it feels like to fly with the Blue Angels. A staffer with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Steve Beatty, is filmed as he rides with Lt. Kevin Davis in a F/A-18. Beatty only passes out three times. It's quite humorous to watch and listen to the conversation between Beatty and Davis.
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The link below is to the Sports Illustrated article, by Rick Reilly, that is mentioned in post #1.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1342383/posts
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/life_of_reilly/news/1999/09/14/life_of_reilly/
Good for him! The only way to beat fear is to face it and overcome it. When I was new to skiing I was afraid to go fast. To beat the fear I entered open ski races (NASTAR), took a few crashes in a controlled environment where I could only hurt myself and not others, got better at it and beat the fear. Even earned a couple of (age group) medals! < /brag >
If he really wanted to take a risk, he'd go for a ride with Eddie Sutton or Pat Smith at the wheel.
BOOMER SOONER!!!
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