AT&T Big Play Luncheon is right on target

Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones (standing at the head table in red) prepares to throw a football to a door prize winner (white shirt) in the crowd.

    The big-time feel of the 2013 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic extended to the annual AT&T Big Play Luncheon at the Hilton Anatole Hotel on Thursday. The ballroom was as packed as ever for the final chance to see the teams before they take the field at Cowboys Stadium on Friday night.
    Brad Sham, the longtime voice of the Dallas Cowboys, served as master of ceremonies, which included presiding over the traditional awarding of the door prizes. Two lucky members of the crowd won smart phones provided by AT&T, except at the Big Play luncheon you have to earn the prizes by making a big play yourself.
   Starting quarterbacks Landry Jones of Oklahoma and Johnny Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, of Texas A&M were called to the head table to throw footballs to the door prizes winners. To win the prizes, the winners had to catch the ball. Drop it and, well, as Sham said, you're at the mercy of the crowd.
   Jones went first and slightly overthrew his target. Then Manziel took a ball in hand and, before anyone could get ready, fired a bullet at his door prize winner. It fell incomplete, but it left the crowd buzzing for a minute or two.
   Texas A&M defensive back Steven Terrell and Oklahoma offensive lineman Gabe Ikard were honored with the Dan S. Petty Scholar-Athlete Award. Ikard had the crowd in stitches when he thanked Texas A&M defensive lineman Spencer Nealy for buying him a drink at another bowl function.
    "That was awesome, man," Ikard said as the crowd broke into laughter.
    Later, as Jones and Manziel approached the lectern, Ikard, who was seated at the head table, pulled out a camera phone and appeared to be angling for a photo. "Oh, you want a photo of Johnny Manziel, Gabe?" Sham said, as the crowd again erupted.
    Fox Sports analyst Charles Davis also got some big laughs during his speech, while OU lineman Austin Woods was recognized for having been a two-time winner of the Cotton Bowl childrens' art contest while growing up in Dallas.

Oklahoma's Austin Woods is the first winner of the annual Cotton Bowl kids' art contest to end up playing in the bowl.

 

   The luncheon ended with highlight videos of each team and speeches from head coaches Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M and Bob Stoops of Oklahoma.
    After the luncheon, both teams held walk-through practices at Cowboys Stadium, their final preparation before the big game kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday.