Out of Left Field: Why I’m Excited to Cover Oklahoma for Sooners on SI

Carson Field is the newest reporter for Sooners on SI. The Texas native explains why he is excited to join the staff and cover Oklahoma sports.

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NORMAN — I’ve been told that the people of Norman bleed Crimson. I’m excited to see why.

Today, Thursday, is my first day as a reporter for Sooners on SI, where I’ll produce articles, videos, photos and more for the site. 

It’s going to be a blast.

The Sooners have one of the nation’s most storied athletic departments. Whether it’s the seven-time national champion football team or the four-straight-natty softball team, OU has an athletic history that very few other programs could scratch the surface of.

Plus, it’s an exciting time for OU, now playing its first year in the Southeastern Conference.

Oklahoma, here I come!

Blessed to announce that I'm joining the staff at @SoonersOnSI. Covering an SEC school has long been a dream of mine, and I can't wait to get started in Norman.

Let's ride! pic.twitter.com/ZznuOYFO9R

— Carson Field (@CarsonDField) November 14, 2024

The classic SEC saying goes, “it just means more.”

Is it cliché? Sure. But there’s also truth to it.

The SEC has produced 14 football national championships since 2000 (not including Oklahoma and Texas’ titles in 2000 and 2005, respectively). The league has also combined for 23 championships in baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and softball in the 21st century.

It means the competition is stiffer for the Sooners. But it also means that they’re competing against the best of the best, week in and week out, which is more positive than negative for the athletic department.

This is a heck of an opportunity and one that I couldn't turn down. But this move is one that excites me on a personal level, too.

In more than four years as a full-time sports guy, I’ve worked at newspapers in Wyoming, Texas and Colorado. All of those stops produced lifelong friendships while I followed my professional passion — and I don’t think that will be any different in Norman.

I’ve never lived in Oklahoma, but I have plenty of friends who attended OU, Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts. 

Those three schools may not be too fond of each other, but I’ve heard the same thing from the graduates of each of those schools: the people of Oklahoma are what set it apart.

I don’t know if it’s technically Southern hospitality — I hear there’s much deliberation about which region Oklahoma belongs in — but even in 24 hours of buying snacks at gas stations, picking up food and meeting my new colleagues, I can tell that friendliness is a shared value here.

To anyone reading this, please introduce yourself!

I’ll be at countless Sooner games in all sports, working courtside, in the press box or on the sideline. And when I’m not working, there’s a fairly good chance I’m either on the golf course or casting a few lines at a nearby pond or lake. Don't be afraid to say hi!

I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I’m excited. I look forward to seeing all of you out there.