The first game of a season is always an education, typically, in reality.

By the end of this football season, there remains a good chance Oklahoma’s defense will live up to the hype, Paul Thompson’s touchdown passes will outnumber his interceptions and the Sooner secondary will pick off a pass or two.

But for all that talent, and even experience, a defense still has to play well, not simply hard, Thompson’s long on years but not necessarily experience and that secondary is real young.

Sure, the Sooners’ 24-17 victory over Alabama-Birmingham was nothing to write home about, but perhaps it was nothing to panic over either.

A year ago, Bob Stoops was comparatively panicked after a loss to TCU and a narrow victory over Tulsa. Saturday night, after the Blazers fell only a little short, he was hardly so.

It was as if the things Thompson did well answered the coach’s question marks in the affirmative, two interceptions or no interceptions. As for the defense, it was like he’d seen enough in the preseason to know it will eventually come together, first-game jitters aside.

He should know better than anybody. He was watching over practice with nary a fan or a media member in the way.

The rest of us will know soon enough where these Sooners really stand.

Washington should be a test and Oregon should be a final exam and the Ducks may not be in the Longhorns’ league, who the Sooners have the good luck or misfortune of meeting in their very first conference game.

All of that aside, the most interesting thing about the game may have been Joe Jon Finley.

Between Paul Thompson, Chuck Long, Kevin Wilson and Finley himself, I have no idea why, from one season to the next, the Sooners appear to have discovered the tight end all over again, but where would OU have been without him against UAB?

Perhaps in a place where panic was a real option.

And another thing …

• All hail Andre Agassi.

He’s not the best American tennis player since they quit wearing long pants. That would be Pete Sampras. And he’s not second. That would be John McEnroe. And he’s not third. That would be Jimmy Connors. He might well be fourth, however, with fifth being a distant, (who?) Arthur Ashe.

But he won eight slams. And he played forever. And he was so good for so long.

Think of him as tennis’ Nolan Ryan. A power player to the end, always capable of being the very best on any given night.

And he’s definitely the most accomplished person in any field ever to marry somebody more accomplished in the same field. Indeed, even pondering Agassi gives way to an entirely new appreciation for Steffi Graf.

• I’ll be honest. I didn’t get up early enough or stay up late enough to watch any of the Americans’ efforts at the world basketball championships. But a couple of things on that, anyway. Bronze is actually a step in the right direction. And if only confirmed by the players’ quotes and the storylines coming out of the team, it’s clear Jerry Colangelo’s USA Basketball is an improvement over what came before.

Before, the only story was who was playing. Finally, everybody understands just showing up, no matter who shows up, is not near enough to win.

• The NHL preseason is less than two weeks away, which means the NBA preseason can’t be far off, which means the NBA season can’t be too far off. I have no idea if one team, two teams or no teams will be wanting Oklahoma City after the coming season, but I know the circus is coming back to town and that can’t be a bad thing.

• You want to know how long Agassi was in the game?

Not only do I remember watching him play when I was in high school. I remember him being on the same Davis Cup team that played a Mexico team with Raul Ramirez.

Now that’s a long time.

Clay Horning366-3526cfhorning@normantranscript.com