Oklahoma debuts Toby Keith tribute, sings 'Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue' entering 4th quarter
Friday night, Oklahoma debuted its newest tradition. After the third quarter against Temple, the lights went out and the fans sang along to “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” as a tribute to the late Toby Keith.
OU announced the singalong tribute would take place throughout the season, starting with the opener against Temple. “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” was the first song up as the fans at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium turned on their flashlights and performed one of Keith’s biggest hits.
Keith passed away in February after a battle with stomach cancer. A Moore native, he was a staunch supporter of OU athletics and was a staple on the sidelines at football games.
The singalong between the third and fourth quarters is just one of the tributes Oklahoma is paying to Keith. This one will go throughout the season, though, as OU takes on the SEC for the first time.
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“Fans will benefit from improved connectivity with AT&T’s 5G service and enjoy amplified band performances and enhanced in-game graphics with live 3D renderings of game stats,” a press release read. “A new real-time decibel meter will measure crowd impact, encouraging fans to make sure the Sooners can hear and feel their support.
“The Toby Keith Tribute 3rd/4th quarter break will celebrate the Oklahoma icon, giving 85,000 fans the opportunity to sing along with the legendary Sooner superfan.”
Keith wore his Oklahoma fandom on his sleeve as he supported the Sooners up until his death at age 62. Not only did he develop relationships with Bob Stoops, Lincoln Riley and Porter Moser over the years, but he also made sure to celebrate the Oklahoma softball team’s third straight national championship a year ago. That night, when the Sooners returned from Oklahoma City, Keith brought the team on stage and sang his hit “How Do You Like Me Now?!” – while holding a Red Solo Cup, of course.
After Keith’s death, Oklahoma played a basketball game. In his postgame press conference, Moser offered a heartfelt statement about the impact he had on the Sooner Faithful.
“He is everything you want to be about. He’s Sooner Nation,” Moser said. “To all of his friends around the country, in the music industry, in the sports world, friends in all different things, today we raise a glass to Toby Keith.
“I wish there was something different than water in this glass right now, because he is a true legend, a true friend to everybody, and I just want to say our guys played their hearts out for Toby Keith tonight to get this win, and I know he was looking down on us tonight.”