At stake: the Sooners' BCS skid
Published: 12/28/2008 10:32 AM
Last Modified: 12/28/2008 10:32 AM
Among you is a "Roger from Tulsa" who made quite a point in a letter to Rivals.com senior college football writer Olin Buchanan last April:
"In the past several years, it appears (Oklahoma) is completely tuning out the coaches, and we are forced to watch a team with a hangover-like personality during game time."
The specific topic was the Sooners' four-game BCS losing streak, and at the time there were many like Roger who couldn't stomach it.
Buchanan, to his credit, didn't try to psychoanalyze the problem in his response, writing instead, "Perhaps OU merely has faced opponents that were better on a given night. At least that's the way I see it, and most reasonable OU fans probably see it that way, too."
So here we are again, 10 days before another Sooner BCS appearance. The biggest, actually, since this is the first time OU is in what's referred to as the BCS National Championship Game (they were still using bowls for this game in Stoops' past three trips).
I haven't sensed Roger-like trepidation from the Sooner faithful yet. I think they like what they're hearing from the players, who promise to be more of a united front than in the past two Fiesta Bowls, as sure as they promise to play with a boulder-sized chip on their shoulder after being made a field goal underdog.
If, however, OU slips up once more, you'll have to brace for the reaction. Accusing the Sooners of having a "hangover-like personality" could be among the gentler assaults. And it won't be as easy to accept a Florida-was-better explanation, even if it will be just as warranted.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
