The University of Oklahoma is about to approve allowing the sale of alcohol at its sporting events.

No big deal, right?

Actually, it is a big deal. The University of Tulsa and Oklahoma State University already sell alcohol at NCAA sporting events. OU doesn’t, but it does allow alcohol consumption in their luxury boxes.

Alcohol sales at OU will probably begin next year at football games. That means that 86,000-plus fans will have an opportunity to buy a couple of beers while they watch the Sooners.

The problems with alcohol are not as widespread at OSU and TU like they would be at OU games because OU has been selling out the stadium every year since 1999 (the year former Coach Bob Stoops arrived). And it is true that people have been sneaking in flasks filled with alcohol into OU games forever. The university has intensified efforts to stop fans from brining in alcohol and the university has had a crackdown on drinking on campus and at sororities and fraternities.

Beer has been sold at sporting events for decades. It is a staple at hockey games, football games, basketball games and baseball games. But that is mostly on the professional level.

College sports – particularly football – tend to be more emotional. More alcohol could mean more fistfights. A few years ago, a drunk Alabama fan threatened a Sooner fan in the Sugar Bowl in a video that went viral.

Temperance is a lost concept.

The Bible doesn’t teach prohibition but it does say that being drunk is a sin.

Now Oklahoma is making it easier to get drunk.