Play Like a Champion Today

Play Like a Champion Today is a saying that both the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football programs have used over the years. Its origin before being used before the late 1940s is unknown.^[1]

Origin

The exact origin of the term Play Like a Champion Today is unknown. Its first reported use was in the late 1940s under coach Bud Wilkinson, then the head coach of University of Oklahoma football team. Bud's son Jay Wilkinson states that the first sign was put up early in his father's OU coaching tenure, but he doesn't believe that his father invented the phrase and isn't sure where it came from.^[1]

University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma has used a sign with the phrase since the late 1940s, under coach Bud Wilkinson.^[1] Traditional during home games at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Oklahoma players and coaches touch the "Play Like a Champion Today" sign posted above the locker room doors as they head into the tunnel that leads to the field before every home game.^[1] For away games a travel version is posted by equipment staff for the players to touch as they depart the locker room for the field.^{[citation needed]}

As the team enters the field, the Sooners run under a crimson banner that displays 'Play Like a Champion' that is flanked by flags representing each of Oklahoma's seven national championships.

University of Notre Dame

The term has been used by Notre Dame since at least 1986 when Lou Holtz came across a photo in a Notre Dame book with the sign “Play Like A Champion Today.” After asking around and coming up with no one remembering the sign and what had happened to it, he had a new sign painted and placed in a stairwell between the home team locker room and the tunnel to the field of Notre Dame Stadium.^[1] This original sign was painted by Laurie Wenger in the fall of 1986.^[2] It is a tradition by players to touch it on their way out of the locker room.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Tramel, Berry (October 22, 2012). "Oklahoma Football: Why the Sooners' 'Play Like a Champion' motto may be the original". The Oklahoman. Retrieved January 05, 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
^ Gray, Amanda (2013-01-02). "Local Sign-painter Owns 'Play Like a Champion Today' Copyright". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2013-01-04.

External links

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[original-1] Tramel, Berry (October 22, 2012). "Oklahoma Football: Why the Sooners' 'Play Like a Champion' motto may be the original". The Oklahoman. Retrieved January 05, 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

[2] Gray, Amanda (2013-01-02). "Local Sign-painter Owns 'Play Like a Champion Today' Copyright". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2013-01-04.

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National championship seasons in bold

v t e Oklahoma Sooners football
Venues	Boyd Field (1905–1923) Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (1923–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Missouri Nebraska Oklahoma State: Bedlam Series Texas: Red River Rivalry
Culture & lore	T formation Wishbone formation 1971 Nebraska game 2008 Big 12 South 3-way tie controversy 2016 Texas Tech game Oklahoma drill Sooner Schooner RUF/NEKS Black 41 Flash Reverse Pass Boomer and Sooner "Boomer Sooner" Marching band The Kick Play Like a Champion Today
People	Head coaches Starting quarterbacks All-Americans NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold