I wish that I could take 3 hours of his terribly-paused drivel and condense it into a normal 30 minute articulation that wouldn't drive me to hurt myself. I am sure he is a nice fella...but seriously...it is DOG-GONE sports "talk"
I could have a quicker conversation with my 7 yr old nephew describing the finer points of "The Incredibles"
Has everybody heard that one of the ESPY nominations for best game was, natch, OU-Boise. The ESPYs are pretty much a bunch of goobers playing Hollywood. But the OU-Boise game will win that prize as close to unanimously as you can get! And Stoops wonders why fans can't forget about Boise and focus on OU's most important game last year, K-State upsetting Mack the Butter Knife.
Couple of notes: Dean and Al of the Sports Chipmunks seem to think that OU's recruiting is great, that OU's team this year should be great, that next year's team should be great, and that the team after that should be at least as great, perhaps greater; thought you'd want to know.
And try as we might, we simply can't stand The Closer on Turner. The fake southern accent is a pain. Plus the woman looks like a catfish.
Speaking of mornings, if any of you really care about improving yourselves, turn immediately to Robin & Company on CNN Headline News. She is mind-boggling on every level that counts and makes people like Katie Couric look like the pretender she is. Take one listen and look at this Robin Meade's show that runs from five to nine, central. It's impossible to take just one.<.>
Take note...the number of returning starters means nothing if those returning can't hit the beach while their feet are wet, can't cover a WR if they sprouted wings, etc. North Texas could return 22 starters and it still won't win them all. Remember kids, college football is as competitive as ever, and the line between winning and losing when two near equals match up is a fine one. Good and bad breaks will come, officials will make mistakes (see Oregon), etc. True...no team will win it all playing a patty cake schedule, but neither will a team without some good luck along the way. I am not saying that good teams must rely on luck and breaks...but we must all agree that several teams have the ability to win it all at the beginning of every year.
As for OU and the rankings, it sells mags and newspapers. Unfortunately, the polls are a big part of who plays who at the end, so the preseason rankings mean something. OU may indeed be overrated...but others likely are as well. As a college football fan, I would like to know that my team has a chance every year to bring home the crystal. Sooner fans remember when this was the case for decades...wasn't the case during the dark decade of the 90's...and is now the case again. As fans, that all we can ask for.
As for scheduling, OSU fans need to speak up. I am a Sooner ticket holder, and I drive 3.5 hours to watch a game. I will not make that drive to see OU play Utah St. I will make a weekend of OU-Miami. Should OU play 4 toughies? No. The Big 12 takes care of that. But OU should play one or two toughies and a couple a decent foes. OSU took a good step in playing Georgia. They've played several big opponents off and on in the past decade. To sell tickets and stay on TV...which draws recruits as heavily as a new facility...they must continue to play big opponents.
Finally, Stoops certainly has lost his big game edge as of late. It was unreasonable, though, to assume OU could keep up that pace. Stoops is a top coach and his staff like to work for him. His teams have a great combined record and the number of post New Year Bowl game trips are impressive. Hopefully, his staff will continue to keep the Sooners in NC hunts and adjust in the face of future inevitable big games.
Let's all remember that he and all "superhero" coaches are human beings...they have weaknesses as well as strengths. Stoops' biggest challenge has always been his media relations. That's not a big story. A bigger story, to me, is his defense's recent inability to win big games. Bad call or not, Oregon shouldn't have reached the endzone late. Boise St. shouldn't have made 4th and 18.
Am I worried about the lack of consistency from the Sooner db's? Uh, yeah. I am more concerned about the play of the DL and LB's. You know, when Stoops brought his zone blitzes into the Big 12, noone had an answer for it. While it is still quite effective, opposing coaches are learning ways to make plays against it. This is the chess game within the football game. Stoops and Co, need to adjust...not throw out the schemes...but tweak them. Players must make plays as well...
I thought Bob Griese said it best during color commentary of an OU game late in the NC season. "Give me a team that blocks, tackles, and makes the plays they are supposed to make"...or something to this effect. OU hasn't done this in the spotlight lately...
What's up with everybody saying the punchless Ohio State center has to go first in the draft tomorrow? I'd take Durant first in a second.
And: sounds like only the people in OKC think OKC will have a team next year.
