The players become familiar as freshmen, both on television and live. By the time they are seniors, we no longer need numbers or faces to pick out players. We know Joe Adkins and Eduardo Najera and Desmond Mason and Victor Avila from a hundred characteristics. And now you know why Senior Night is special. Why it's so emotional.
Fans feel a connection.
These are not gladiators. These are people we know. People we are going to miss. Football players, not so much. OU fans wish DeMond Parker was still around because he was one heck of a halfback.