This summer WNBA athletes and coaches were introduced to a new “away game” destination city with the relocation of the former Detroit Shock to Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was charmed by the city despite the fact that my time there was short and focused on the task of getting a win.

Before launching into the wonderfully scripted details of my time there, however, I have to take a step back; first, let me get into the mode of "Confessions of a Contemporary Column" columnist. When the Tulsa Shock away game was next up on the Liberty schedule, lots of dust, tumbleweeds, and cowboy boots came to mind. Of course, I realized that these images were obsolete and stereotypical but as for the city of Tulsa, all I could draw was a blank.

Immediately grabbing our attention as we exited the highway and entered downtown Tulsa was the BOK Center. Lit up and looking as if it were a futuristic space machine ready for take-off – I thought to myself, “That’s where we’re gonna play tomorrow night?” The hotel, just a few blocks away from the Jazz Hall-of-Fame, was fully-booked and teeming with people the entire weekend.

The first highlight of my trip was meeting a wonderful gentleman on the plane. Raised about an hour north of Tulsa in Bartlesville, he shared the ins and outs – family-oriented and hard work – that characterized real Oklahomans. He also gave me a heads up on Elmer’s BBQ, describing it as the hands-down, real-deal, best-tasting BBQ in Tulsa. I had a hankering for some beef brisket and pulled-pork ever since that conversation and made plans to have it delivered for dinner after the game. In spite of all my planning, I ended up going to dinner with a friend instead. Nikki Blue was the lucky recipient of my foregone meal, and needed only one word to describe her stroke of culinary good fortune, “Sinful!”

Although I missed out on that great meal, I partook in another. When I mentioned the idea of BBQ to my friend, he laughed and said Oklahoma’s a lot more cosmopolitan than you think. He was right. We headed to In The Raw on Peoria Street, a sushi joint in the Brookside area, and dined on an array of sashimi and spicy rolls.  Everything was good! Adorning the street were all types of unique restaurants from vino cafes to Tex-Mex, along with art deco shops and design studios. Lots of foot traffic strolled about and good energy radiated from the street.

No longer a blank, now what comes to mind when I think of Tulsa is a hi-def visual, with a side of sweet and tangy barbecue sauce.

I know a lot of you fans enjoy watching us play on the road and checking out other arenas. If you’re ever out west and want to catch a game, plan a trip to Tulsa--you’ll be shocked to have a good time.

-NP

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