Hello.

Your loyal fans are here.

You need to remember that this is Oklahoma and winning is everything. Who cares about the young potential star as they will have five just like that next year . . . and the year after . . .and the year after. OU discards players as quickly as I throw out empty beer cans. Football at that level does not permit comapassion for the individdual as it takes too much energy and distracts from the quest for glory. Glory = $$$$$$$

Do I have to explain EVERYTHING to you guys? (snicker)

The decision to play a freshman is a tough one, and many people see it as too black and white. The pros and cons must be weighed and the best decision FOR THE TEAM must be made. In my opinion, the decision is usually a tough one and only time tells how smart it was.

If Allen Patrick goes down, then what? What if it's in the final game of the year with a trip to the Cotton Bowl at stake? Putting this year's team at a disadvantage is a mistake, especially for the seniors. Stoops must feel that the Sooners needed more depth at RB to finish the season, especiallly after watching Patrick laboring in the 4th quarter. OU has two more highly touted freshmen RB's in Madu and Murray, so they didn't play their final card when bringing Brown out of redshirt.

One of the pros of playing true freshmen is recruiting. Top high schoolers see that Stoops is not afraid to play a freshman if they work hard and can have a positive impact, and don't think that isn't noticed.

My argument is that it may have been a mistake...but maybe it wasn't. If the player agrees to play (and they almost always will) and the coaches feel it is in the best interest of the team, then it's the right decision at the time.

A million examples can be given of players that burned a redshirt, and then wished they had another season. Teddy Lehman comes to mind. But another million examples can be given of true freshmen that helped a team win games down the stretch of a season.

Remember, the season is not over just because OU has lost twice and AD is out. The players sweating week in and week out deserve the best opportunity to win out, and Stoops made what his staff felt was the best decision for the team. That's all they can do.

Our dear picker friend tends to be a bit cynical at times and in the case of Stoops removing Chris Brown's redshirt, I'm afraid he's done it again. With Peterson gone, Oklahoma needs to implement a two-back scheme nearly as badly as it needs an additional running back to juice the action after halftime. Whom do the Sooners have available at the moment? Allen Patrick and Jacob Gutierrez. And is it just me or does Gute appear to not be the same back since his injury? Anyway, Brown is needed now and, with Patrick returning in '07, Stoops' offense will be bolstered by a more experienced Brown, Demarco Murray and Mossis Madu (not to mention the guaranteed incoming crop of HS talent). The real problem we have here is creativity in the offensive schemes - or lack thereof. Wilson, as previously stated, needs to implement a two-back offensive set to keep defenses guessing. As it is, he has a fleet of mere mortals trying to to Adrian Peterson's job in a one-back set.

So, according to the anonymous pundit, Stoops screwed up by playing Brown "prematurely" against Colorado and further postulates that his three carries constitutes the only playing time the young man will realize all season.

Balderdash.

The erstwhile picker should take a look at the games remaining on the schedule; Missouri in Columbia, A&M at Kyle Field, Texas Tech, Baylor (slow-witted perhaps, but dangerous), and Oklahoma State (a team that the Picker himself stated had a dangerous offensivey a mere week or two ago.

Therefore, the Picker should learn something from this exchange: first of all, not everyone who supports a controversial move made by the Fearless Leaders in Norman is automatically a 'homer', just as not everyone who sits back and grumbles about the Sooners peccadillos (especially when everyone knows that this certain someone is a Sooner at heart) is an objective observer of college football.

Ignoring your flippant response for the moment, yes, we will see. Because only time and the benefit of a long retrospective look will tell.

For the same reason you don't wait until after a car accident before buying insurance.