Stoops suffering consequences
Published: 1/9/2008 10:49 AM
Last Modified: 1/9/2008 10:49 AM
Lose a BCS bowl to a touchdown underdog with an interim head coach, you're going to hear about it from the local masses, and Bob Stoops has. The message board/talk show crazies have come out, and for the first time, the vitriol hasn't stopped with Stoops' coordinators.
What's interesting is the cheap shots haven't been confined to the Norman-Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Nor have they been confined to the Fiesta Bowl.
Here's how Bill Livingston of the Cleveland Plain Dealer began his gameday column from the Ohio State-LSU national championship: "Bob Stoops, not Jim Tressel, should be in the stocks today, where he can be pelted by the pieces of a reputation recent events have shattered."
The hits just keep on coming. Here's a section of Matt Hayes' column that appeared on The Sporting News' Website Tuesday: "Four months ago, Tigers coach Les Miles was a guy who couldn't win a big game and -- more importantly -- had underachieved with two extremely talented teams. Four months ago, Jim Tressel and Bob Stoops were the best coaches in college football. Now Miles is Vince Lombardi. And Tressel and Stoops are Vince McMahon."
In the immediate aftermath of the West Virginia debacle, columnists everywhere teed off.
Pat Forde of ESPN.com: "(Stoops) was outcoached by a guy who last was the boss during a game 11 years ago at Virginia Military Institute. (Bill Stewart) lost that one to Appalachian State, one of 25 losses in 33 games as head coach there.
That was a different lifetime, though. With different players. Given enough talent, Stew punked Stoops on a national stage.
"Stoops and the BCS have got to stop meeting like this. For most of the year, he does plenty to earn his $3 million-plus annual salary -- but not in January."
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: "In their last three BCS bowl games, the Sooners have given up 48, 43 and 55 points. Didn't Bob Stoops used to be able to coach defense?"
Matt Zemek of CollegeFootballNews.com: "Oklahoma and Stoops are now winless in their last four BCS bowls, and while this proud program has continued to excel over the past several years, these postseason flameouts are increasingly overshadowing the Sooners’ stack of conference crowns."
Finally, courtesy of the Seattle Post Intelligencer: "Last night, Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops onside-kicked his way into the Hall of Shame."
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
