Oklahoma hackles

I knew that Randy Black's reference to "lowly Oklahoma" would raise some hackles. a situation which is unWAIS: From Stockton, California Les Robinson writes: "Well, I too am Sooner born, Sooner bred and will be Sooner dead. Rah, Oklahoma, Rah, Oklahoma!  Well, not quite:  I guess I'll be California dead".  RH: "Sooner: Any person who occupies homestead land, as in the western United States; a native of Oklahoma". All those state nicknames seem crazy to me. I'd sooner be called an Oklahoman, or an Oklahuman. I guess the nickname "sooner" is an abbreviation for "I'd sooner be in California".  When I came to California in 1937. the Oakies were pouring in. I was introduced to the police chief of Los Angeles. On the wall of his office was  poster proclaiming
"California, here we come"
Chief  Davis, keep 'em on the run.
He took me to the shooting range where his men were practicing. I told him that in England the police were unarmed. He muttered something like "sissies!" I wonder if he ever met Steinbeck?