Tulsa World: OU-Texas game not a big deal?

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OU-Texas game not a big deal?

OU head coach Bob Stoops speaks with the media Tuesday during the Big 12 Media Days in Irving, Texas. Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman

By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
Published: 7/29/2009 2:25 AM
Last Modified: 7/29/2009 11:44 AM

Go to Dave Sittler's Blog

Related stories: Big 12 Media Days: Oklahoma Sooners.

IRVING, Texas — So, Bob Stoops, could the 2009 Red River Shootout be bigger than ever?

"How?" Oklahoma's coach asked Tuesday at Big 12 Media Days. "You explain to me how it could be."

Stoops was kidding, right? Not only will the OU-Texas game Oct. 17 in Dallas be larger than any in recent memory, it might be the biggest in a tradition-rich rivalry that started in 1900.

Perhaps Stoops was merely yanking Texas coach Mack Brown's chain. After all, Brown has often enjoyed chiding the Sooners for placing more emphasis on the series than the Longhorns.

Like Brown, Stoops' latest stance is that the best rivalry in college football is just one game on OU's road to what it hopes will be an eighth national championship.

To which I say: Poppycock, hooey, nonsense, piffle and bull feathers.

With sincere respect to every player and coach who's had the good fortune to participate in a Shootout, I submit that the 104th meeting will be the most-anticipated game in a series that has run continuously since 1929.

The size of the importance on the game's outcome depends on how both teams fare leading up to their annual showdown at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

If all goes according to the consensus preseason predictions, the Sooners and Longhorns will enter the contest 5-0 and could be ranked as high as No. 1, and no lower than No. 4 in the polls.

And if that scenario plays out, the Red River will be overflowing its banks on both sides with the bitter emotions that have building up over the past seven-plus months and show no signs of receding.

Stoops wants an explanation on how this particular game could get any bigger?

Well, my boss won't give me the space to write all the reasons OU's coach is kidding himself if he doesn't think the rancor involved in this game will top the infamous 1976 meeting, a meeting where it took the president of the United States to separate two head coaches who were not on speaking terms.

Brown hasn't accused Stoops of spying, like UT coach Darrell Royal did with OU coach Barry Switzer before the 1976 contest, which featured President Gerald Ford handling the pregame coin flip.

But Longhorns everywhere have made a much more serious accusation against the Sooners — stealing. OU stole the spot in the Big 12 title game that UT felt it had earned.

Peeved Longhorns used everything from asterisks to airplanes to make their angry point that UT should have played for the 2008 BCS national championship instead of the Sooners.

After all, sniffed and scolded the Tea-sippers, Texas did win the 103rd meeting last October, 45-35.

"If they (OU critics) throw up the Texas score to me," Stoops said, "I'll throw up the (Texas) Tech score to them."

Ah, yes, the Red Raiders' 39-33 win over the Orange Bloods did create quite the messy jam atop the Big 12's South Division standings. All three teams finished tied with 7-1 records, with OU representing the division in the Big 12 title game thanks to a controversial tiebreaker rule.

Texas fans understandably flipped their 10-gallon lids over that decision. The folks in Burnt Orange are still burning up with anger and ill-will over what they perceive as the hose job their team received from the Big 12.

Some fans hired planes to fly over OU games late last season, carrying banners with the 45-35 score. After the season, UT officials briefly put up an asterisk in the team's locker room, hinting it won the Big 12 title instead of OU. And the coaches received the bonuses that they were promised in their contracts for a conference championship.

Brown demanded an immediate investigation into the tiebreaker rule, which uses the BCS standings when all else fails. He vowed to take those findings to Colorado when the coaches held their annual meetings last spring.

In the end, Brown stayed home because his wife had a health issue. And his 11 fellow coaches decided to do nothing. When no better tiebreaker rule was found, they decided to stick with the one that had caused a national uproar.

Stoops did acknowledge yesterday that the Red River Shootout does have a different feel to it than the other 11 regular-season games on OU's schedule.

"I'd be lying if I said it didn't," he said. "But if you win that game and lose a whole bunch of other ones, there isn't anybody in Norman, Okla., who is patting you on the back."

Stoops contends that it's only the fans who will look at this OU-Texas game any differently. Listening to OU All-American defensive tackle Gerald McCoy talk, Stoops has obviously pounded that message home to his players.

"It's going to be pretty rough this year because of the controversy from last year," McCoy said. "Not as far as the player's standpoint. But for the fans? It's going to be outrageous.

"As far as I look at it, it's just another game. If you don't win the OU-Texas game, it's not the end of the world."

That loud thud you just heard was thousands of OU fans who either fainted or just punched a hole in the nearest wall. By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist

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	Report Comment 2curious, Tulsa, OK 74104 (7/29/2009 6:57:29 AM) Dave - Your point is that the game is more important this year TO YOU. Coach's point is that this game is ALWAYS the most important game on our schedule...therefore, it can't get any more important. Get it?
	Report Comment working mom, Collinsville (7/29/2009 7:15:53 AM) As fan's win or lose we love OU football. I think his point is that we can't put so much pressure on his team to win this one it is undue and they walk on the field with that feeling. THINK WE NEED TSHIRTS showing our support. IT'S JUST ONE GAME IN OUR SEASON OF VICTORY
	Report Comment tulsandn, out in the woods (7/29/2009 8:25:46 AM) When I was 7 years old & discovered football, it was because of the adults going crazy over that OU-Texas game....Been the biggest game of the every year ever since, except when Tulsa was\is on OU's schedule.... I have to be careful showing that I'm a Tulsa fan but yet I still cheer for OU because these OKIE St. people get really upset about it....
	Report Comment Steff M, Claremore (7/29/2009 8:46:35 AM) They beat us last year and we still got to the title game so it's definitely not the end of the world. This year could end up with the same situation as last year if they were to beat us again, with OSU in Tech's place, which would make Bedlam a far bigger game than the RRS. Did Dave expect Bob to do anything other than play it close to the vest? He must've thought he was talking to Lucky Les.
	Report Comment lovethemsooners, Fayetteville (7/29/2009 9:10:16 AM) Texas learned nothing. They lost out last year because of their pathetic non-conference schedule. They did nothing to help themselves this year either if the perfect storm brews again. Heck, even OSU would get the nod over Texas in that department. Cry me an orange river.
	Report Comment Jt4OU, mohnton (7/29/2009 9:26:44 AM) personally I think OU will beat Texas this year by a touchdown,because of the defense this years team has.. this is going to be a great year for football in Oklahoma with 3 outstanding teams, OU,OSU,Tu, if OSU can get a defense this year they are going to surprise a lot of people..
	Report Comment Willard_Roker, (7/29/2009 9:42:57 AM) "104th meeting will be the most-anticipated game in a series that has run continuously since 1929." Only until next season when the 105th meeting will be.
	Report Comment Jock, (7/29/2009 9:52:32 AM) I think "Big Game Bob" is down-playing the OU/TEXAS game because he expects to get beat! The way I see the Big-12 outcome is TU beating OU, OSU beating TU & OU beating OSU. Look for a 3-way tie at 11-1 again. With OU having the third toughest schedule nationally, they will get the nod from the BCS poll after they beat Nebraska to become 12-1 over-all.
	Report Comment tulsandn, out in the woods (7/29/2009 10:01:42 AM) Willard_Roker - your exactly right & that statement will ring true next year & every year after....
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (7/29/2009 10:07:07 AM) Bring the season on. I can't wait!!!!! BOOMER SOONER!
	Report Comment CowboyBobDog, Creek Cty (7/29/2009 10:38:17 AM) I'm with you Arby, kick the darn thing off. (Bobdog will say Boomer Sooner for 11 games, But the last game he will yell Ridem Cowboys.
	Report Comment T!ger,, Tulsa (7/29/2009 10:43:23 AM) Jt4OU, I think they're going to beat Texas by ATLEAST a touchdown + a field goal. OU will definetly beat OSU this year too. They're out for blood this year guys! They are going to kill just to win! Now get ready to see some real boomer sooner football baby! BOOMER SOOONER!
	Report Comment SoonerStorm, Tulsa (7/29/2009 10:50:32 AM) It will certainly be among the biggest but I'm not sure it will clearly sit at the top. That game's been big for a long, long time. But ask me again the morning of 10/17.
	Report Comment pat, Kiefer (7/29/2009 11:05:00 AM) Jock I don't see TU beating OU....nor do I see UT beating OU either! Since they do play both teams this season!
	Report Comment LostboyfromKS, Tulsa (7/29/2009 11:16:33 AM) Go Hawks!! Jayhawks Rule! Choklahoma! Longhorns own the sooners. Boomer Losers, Boomer Losers.....
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (7/29/2009 11:17:40 AM) Indeed you are LOSTboy!!!! BOOMER SOONER!!!!!
	Report Comment shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (7/29/2009 12:25:57 PM) Ditto A3 Boomer Sooner!!!
	Report Comment OUStudent3, Norman (7/29/2009 12:45:23 PM) Really Lostboy? That is all you had to offer? Can't wait to put a beat down on your "hawks"
	Report Comment M_Sizzle, Tulsa (7/29/2009 1:27:44 PM) OU vs. TX is always an electric game. Lostboy is just that, LOST.
	Report Comment T!ger,, Tulsa (7/29/2009 1:40:24 PM) Wow you really are LOSTboy. You really think the downhorns, and the hawks are going to be Oklahoma? How much you wanna bet? OU vs TX game will be a big interesting one but OU will win it. Sam Bradford has talked bout how he back to Norman not just because he loves it there, but to also attempt to win a National Championship. Sooners are going all the way this year. BOOMER SOONER!!!!
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (7/29/2009 1:42:24 PM) Excellent post T!ger!!!!!! BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	Report Comment T!ger,, Tulsa (7/29/2009 4:46:30 PM) Thank you Arby! :) BOOMER SOONER!!!
	Report Comment OWho?, (7/29/2009 5:01:56 PM) I hear these posts before every UT/OU game and then again with OU's bowl games. I don't like either team but I know that I'm sick of OU fans running their mouth about how good OU is until they have to play a team with substance - and then they blame the loss on something other than they're just not as good as they think they are. Shall I remind you guys of Boise State and then WV...your egos went into both of those games thinking OU couldn't lose...what happened - they lost! Same with Texas last year. Your coach cried a 'crimson river' and got the chance to play for the Big 12,and I bet had Tech or UT wonthe Big 12 South, OU wouldhave blew a gasket...now tell me again which Big 12 teams actually did win their bowl games?
	Report Comment Sooner Alum 04, (7/29/2009 7:22:49 PM) All i can say is screw the economy and let's get it going! I don't know about everyone else but I'm definitely ready for football. BOOMER SOONER!!
	Report Comment Steff M, Claremore (7/30/2009 12:59:17 PM) OWho, crying didn't get us into the champ. game, the tie-breaker rule did. You know, the one the coaches recently voted to keep in place. The only crying I remember last year was from the shorthorns. Also, I don't think there were many OU fans who thought we COULDN'T lose. SHOULDN'T maybe. If you've payed much attention to college football you understand nothing's a given against a quality opponent. Talk to Bama and Florida and Tech and OSWho fans about that.

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