Don’t count out Dallas just yet
One of my readers, Jeff Leatherock, sent the following email:
“After an humiliating loss to St. Louis dropped the Super Bowl possible underachievers to one game over .500, the rumblings for the firing of the head coach grew louder. Generally regarded as an excellent defensive coach, and fine person, he was seen as unable to win in the postseason. He was seen as not being as in touch with his team as he needed to be. His teams were thought be prone to folding under the pressure, often described as ‘chokers.’
“The next day, he had an emotional team meeting, and told them that he may not be the choice to take them to the next level, and was uncertain about the future.
“From that point, the 5-4 team didn’t lose again in the regular season, or conference playoffs, earning Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys their first Super Bowl appearance. Super Bowl V, Jan. 17, 1971, which they ultimately lost to the Colts. But the perception of the Cowboys was changed from then on, and they were no longer seen as disappointments.”
Excellent comparison. I love that kind of historical perspective. My readers are sharp, most of them. They don’t just read about sports, they think about sports.
With all that said, I don’t necessarily buy the theory. I think there are major differences between the Cowboys 1970 and the Cowboys 2008.
Namely, the status of the franchise. Yes, Dallas in 1970 was known as the franchise that couldn’t win the big one. But the Cowboys had been to two NFL title games in the previous four years. The current Cowboys are known as a franchise that can’t win the little one — no playoff victories since 1996. And second, Tom Landry in 1970 was much more solidified than is Wade Phillips today.
The Cowboys were a stable franchise in 1970, with Clint Murchison and Tex Schramm. They didn’t go around making rash decisions. Landry coached Dallas 29 seasons and wasn’t fired until Jerry Jones took over the team. Phillips today is on very thin ice. It would surprise no one if he’s fired after Dallas’ next loss or even after Dallas’ next game.
Finally, know that the NFL in general is much more volatile today than it was in 1970. Teams were more consistent from year to year back then, either winning or losing. Dallas was good in 1969 and 1971. Good in 1968 and 1972. Good in 1967 and 1973.
The same can’t be said today. Teams fluctuate much more today. Teams like the Colts and Steelers and Patriots are rare. The Eagles and the Buccaneers and the Packers go up and down much more frequently. These Cowboys, too.
But Leatherock’s thesis basically holds true. Which is this: Don’t write off talented NFL teams until you have to. The Cowboys were the NFL’s best team in September. They stink in October. But who knows what November holds?
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 8: Homecoming in Norman
My weekend was uneventful. Didn’t leave town. Didn’t even go out to dinner Friday night; we hosted a Sunday School class party that was a smashing success. Pristine weather, good company, Trish the Dish’s fabulous salsa and good grilling by my son-in-law, just home (for good) from Iraq this week.
Saturday, I actually parked south of the stadium for the first time in several years. Someone gave me a pass – I almost never have one – so I could park south of Lindsey Street in one of those campus lots.
I was amazed at how little traffic there was. Now admittedly, I was there more than three hours before kickoff, but I drove Porter to Classen to Lindsey to Jenkins. The corner of Lindsey and Jenkins, right there on the southeast corner of the stadium, was less-congested than on a Tuesday afternoon.
Later I did a radio bit on the Sports Animal, and we got word of a major traffic tieup on I-35 (imagine that; I-35 backed up on game day) and Jim Traber started telling everyone to get off and go Sooner Road into east Norman.
Which is solid advice. But there are several ways to get to Norman from OKC. I suggested Sunnylane from the East and Western Avenue from the West. Traber thought I was crazy, but I don’t take it personal. He doesn’t know any better.
When I got to the pressbox, Jeff Latzke from the AP said he always takes Western, and I got an email after the game from another guy who says he always takes Western.
Western is the old football road. It’s a fine way to avoid the traffic. And avoiding traffic is the key to a successful journey.
TEN BIGGEST WINNERS OF THE WEEK
10. Shonn Greene: The Iowa tailback has run for at least 100 yards in all eight Hawkeye games this year but cracked the 200-yard barrier in a 38-16 rout of Wisconsin, rushing for 217 yards and scoring four TDs as the revived Hawkeyes moved to 5-3.
9. Dan Hawkins: The Colorado coach earned the respect of his team and his fan base by benching his quarterback son (Cody) in favor of freshman Tyler Hansen.
8. Florida State: Seminoles once ruled the ACC and might again. A 26-17 victory over North Carolina State put Florida State in a four-way tie for the Atlantic Division lead.
7. State of Texas quarterbacks: Five of the week’s top 10 passing games came from Lone Star quarterbacks. Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell threw for 450 yards, Rice’s Chase Clement for 444, Houston’s Case Keenum for 404, SMU’s Bo Levi Mitchell for 365 and North Texas’ Giovanni Vizza’s for 362. And that doesn’t include a certain Texas Longhorn.
6. Paul Johnson: His first season at Georgia Tech has been odd, topped by a 10-7 victory over Gardner-Webb on Oct. 11. But Johnson has the Yellowjackets at 3-1 in the ACC, the best record in the league, and G-Tech has three conference home games left.
5. Mike Stoops: The Arizona coach’s job status is much stronger after a 42-27 victory over California that lifted the Wildcats to 5-2. Now USC comes to Tucson in a battle of Pac-10 quad-leaders.
4. TCU: The Horned Frogs removed all doubt about their prowess with a 32-7 thumping of Brigham Young that knocked the Cougars out of BCS contention.
3. Terrelle Pryor: The Ohio State freshman would be only the eighth-best quarterback in the Big 12. But he’s a budding star in the Big Ten after leading the Buckeyes to a 45-7 rout of Michigan State and figures to be a major player in the sport for at least the next three years.
2. Al Groh: The Virginia coach seemed on his last leg after a 1-3 start with three blowout losses. But now the Cavaliers have won three straight, including a 16-13 overtime upset of North Carolina, and are in the ACC race.
1. Colt McCoy: The Heisman is his to lose after an amazing performance against Missouri; 29 of 32 passing, for 332 yards and two touchdowns.
BOYD STREET PARADE
I never before had witnessed the OU Homecoming parade. But my son-in-law and daughter were going to the game and wanted to take my granddaughter to the parade. So I tagged along.
My assessment: poor production. The floats and entertainers actually were solid, but the parade was way too spaced out. Half a block apart, sometimes. If this is Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, fine. You can handle sitting there waiting. But let’s get moving on a college homecoming parade.
With that said, the floats were fun and the band was totally cool. Watching the Pride of Oklahoma walk by literally 15 feet from you is like watching a football game from the sidelines. Totally new perspective.
For one thing, the marching of a band is totally underrated. The musicians have to take these tiny little steps, sort of like moving furniture, carrying a sofa or something that blocks your knees and you have to baby-step it. Same with the trombonists. Definitely not easy to do.
Also, I never noticed, but the tuba players don’t wear hats. I wonder if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
But the band is totally cool. I love marching bands and OU has a good one.
REALITY RANKINGS
Our rankings based not on what anyone thinks teams might do, but based on what teams have done:
1. Texas: Halfway through a Big 12 gauntlet.
2. Penn State: Could stake a claim for No. 1 with win at Columbus.
3. Alabama: Beware the holy war at Tennessee.
4. USC: Mike Stoops could help out his brother win an Arizona upset this week.
5. Oklahoma State: Strange enough, Cowboys play well in Austin.
6. Florida: Don’t discount Gators from title race.
7. Ohio State: Buckeyes will climb quick with a win over Penn State.
8. Utah: Utes get TCU and BYU at home.
9. Georgia: Plays at LSU on Saturday night .
10. Oklahoma: Continues a three-game stretch against the Big 12 North.
11. TCU: Turns out, the Frogs are pretty danged good.
12. Texas Tech: We’re about to find out how good are the Red Raiders.
13. Boise State: Fiesta Bowl rematch, anyone?
14. Georgia Tech: So far, the best of a bad lot in the ACC.
15. Vanderbilt: Close loss at Georgia might have been Commodores’ finest moment.
OLD FRIENDS
Like I tell you every week, one of the best things about going to games here, there or anywhere is seeing people you know.
Saturday, I got a special treat. Walking around the parade, down Asp, Rod Maynard hollered at me to say hello. Maynard is a principal in Hobart and the subject of one of my all-time favorite stories.
When I was 14 playing little league baseball, a 13-year-old joined our team in Norman. He was from Laverne, in northwest Oklahoma, but came down to spend the summer with his grandparents.
Turns out he was a heck of a ballplayer. The thing I remember about Rod is that he hit a home run over the fence at Reaves Park and missed home plate while we celebrated. The other squad noticed, appealed and he was out.
But we had a good time, won the city championship and I never played baseball again. Danged curveballs had entered my world.
Anyway, I never saw or heard from Rod Maynard again. Then about six years ago, I was asked to speak at Hobart’s all-sports banquet.
I almost always accept such invitations, and so to Hobart I went. A lovely family hosted me for an hour or so, then took me to the high school. Where I was introduced to the baseball coach. Rod Maynard.
I recognized him immediately but he didn’t recognize me, at least not as the scrawny first baseman from the summer of 1975. So I didn’t say anything.
Until my speech. When I told the story of taking care of little things. Attention to detail. Touching every base. I told the story of a little league teammate who knocked the ball out of the park but didn’t get his shoe on home plate.
Then I delivered the kicker. Well, his players had a high time of that, and Rod made the connection that this writer from Oklahoma City was that goofy kid from Norman, and we all had a good laugh.
It was good to see him again.
TEN BIGGEST LOSERS OF THE WEEK
10. Wake Forest: The Deacons were as good a pick as any for best team in the ACC. Then came a 26-0 loss at Maryland that throws the Atlantic Division into upheaval – a four-way tie for the lead at 2-1, with Wake, Florida State, Boston College and Maryland.
9. Larry Fedora: The Southern Miss coach is implementing his tried-and-true offense the way he did as coordinator at Oklahoma State – immersion. But there are growing pains. Southern dropped to 2-5 with a 45-40 loss to Rice, and Fedora will learn that offensive gurus get no pass for a 45-40 defeat when they are the head coach.
8. Stanford: Jim Harbaugh’s Cardinal had a chance to lead the Pac-10 outright, leading UCLA by four. But the Bruins went 87 yards in the final 2:23, getting a 7-yard TD pass from Kevin Craft with 10 seconds left to win 23-20. Stanford dropped to 3-2 in the Pac-10, leaving USC, Oregon, Arizona and Oregon State in a four-way tie for the league lead.
7. Connecticut: The Huskies had a chance to go 2-0 in the Big East. But a 12-10 loss to Rutgers, which hadn’t beaten a I-A school all season, exposes UConn as a Big East pretender.
6. Ron Prince: The Kansas State coach let down his team in a 14-13 loss at Colorado. The Wildcats trailed 14-6 in the third quarter, then scored a touchdown. Prince ordered an extra point kick instead of a two-point conversion. In a defensive game, which this certainly was, when you get a chance to tie on a conversion, you take it. Always.
5. Virginia Tech: The ACC’s last hope for a marquee team lost 28-23 at Boston College. In four seasons in the conference, Virginia Tech has lost only two road games. Both at Boston College.
4. Tim Hiller: The Western Michigan quarterback threw for 471 yards, the day’s best total, and has numbers to rival Sam Bradford (314 yards a game, 25 touchdowns). But Western lost to Central Michigan 38-28 in a battle of Mid-American teams unbeaten in conference play, and Western slipped to third place in the West Division.
3. Javon Ringer: So much for the Heisman candidacy of the Michigan State tailback, after a 67-yard day against Ohio State.
2. Brigham Young: The Cougars were mid-major pioneers, but since the advent of the BCS, Utah, Boise State and Hawaii have reaped the bounty. And BYU won’t reap it this season, after a 32-7 thumping at TCU.
1. Missouri: Down 35-3 at halftime? Chase Daniel’s Heisman hopes and Mizzou’s status as a national contender all went poof in less than 30 minutes at Texas.
Emails: Venables on reader minds
The weekly emails are in, and the No. 1 subject is OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables. Several readers took issue with my support of Venables.
Mike: “Your opinion, though highly respected, is off target on this one. Good defense in college football is still possible and is, in fact, doing well at many D1 schools, just not at OU. The Sooners’ demise on defense can be precisely dated – the day Mike Stoops accepted the Arizona job. Thirty-five points should beat any team in the country!”
Absolutely. In 1978. Or even 1998. Not in 2008. And while Mike Stoops was a terrific d-coordinator, the notion that his defenses shut down every foe is selective memory. OU beat K-State 41-31 and A&M 35-31 in 2000. Gave up 37 to KSU in 2001. Allowed 30 to A&M and 38 to OSU in 2002 defeats. KSU whacked the Sooners 35-7 in 2003. The game has changed and still is changing. Living in the past is not good for your mental health.
Stan wrote, “Say it ain’t so. I’m not talking about losses. I’m talking about embarrassment. USC, K-State, West Virginia. And the mother load of all time, Boise State. Venables should have been fired 10 seconds after that game. To say that ‘times are a changin” is a flat-out copout, and so was your article.”
I don’t really want to start an argument, but did anyone watch those bowl games? Yes, OU’s defense wasn’t very good. And neither was OU’s offense. Yet Venables is the scapegoat. I don’t get it.
Buddy: “Two years ago I e-mailed you on the subject of Mr. Venables’ capabilities. As a Sooner fan since 1947, I was convinced that Mr. Venables was the worst defensive coordinator during that period of time. Considering your article today, I assume that you have received similar e-mails. In support of my position, let’s review the following facts. Mike Stoops’ record: four bowl games, three wins, average points 11.5. Mr. Venables: five bowl games, one win, average points, 36.2. Something is wrong when assistant coaches are rewarded with head coaching positions and your defensive Coordinator cannot even get a formal interview, especially so when the vacancy is at his alma mater. In 1995, I read an article written by a young sportswriter (Berry Tramel) the day after the Murrah Building bombing. This was one of the most impressive articles that I have ever read by any journalist. I cut it out and shared it with friends in other states. I predicted at the time that this young writer would in time take his place among the greats, Grantland Rice, Jim Murray, Dave Egan, etc. However, this young writer came to the proverbial fork in the road, as all journalist will, and sadly chose the well-traveled road, the one that reads ‘do not create waves,’ ‘go along with the hierarchy,’ etc.”
The Big 12 has played three weeks worth of conference games. Here are some of the scores: 49-17, 35-33, 58-28, 38-14, 56-28, 52-17, 45-35, 30-14, 44-30, 37-31, 38-10, 28-23, 43-25, 35-7, 34-6, 45-31, 14-13, 56-31. Almost all of those scores in the teens come from Iowa State, Baylor and Colorado. Coordinating defense in the Big 12 is like pitching in baseball in the 1930s. If you don’t take into account the way the game has changed, you really sound like a fool.
Robbin: “Here’s the thing. The Oklahoma media, you included, seem to walk in fear of Stoops, perhaps worried that you will get frozen out of interviews. He has the greatest job in the country because he makes a multimillion-dollar salary in Norman, Oklahoma, and has to answer to absolutely no one in the media, unless the Dallas Morning News slips in and does an expose. A case in point is Brent Venables and the fact that he is still coaching the OU defense. Had there been a credible media presence in Oklahoma, he would have been exposed long ago for the fraud that he is. Going all the way back to 55-19 (Mike Stoops had moved on figuratively and literally). Venables’ defense generally has not shown up in any big bowl game, Big 12 championship game (the title game in which Chase Daniel imploded doesn’t count) or against Texas three of the past four years. When OU scores 35 points against Texas, it should never lose. Stoops obviously has lost faith in Venables and the defense (as evidenced by the fake punt on Saturday), but his blind loyalty prevents him from making a move. That means it falls to the media to point out what everyone else knows — that Venables is a liability who needs to be jettisoned, now. If Stoops cannot, or will not do it, he is part of the problem, and that needs to be written about, as well. So, what’s stopping you?”
Common sense. Unlike idiots, I don’t throw out the good defensive games. I take them all into consideration. Venables’ defense hasn’t produce against Texas? A 12-0 shutout in ’84? A 28-21 victory in ’07? A 28-16 loss in ’06 when OU’s offense didn’t do much except commit turnovers? Here’s a promise. From now on, anytime I hear anyone say OU has intelligent football fans, I’m calling bogus. This anti-Venables crusade is the work of idiots.
Thomas: “OU needs the line coaches at TCU. Our coaches suck!”
You know, I really don’t understand why some people are even fans. What enjoyment do they get out of the deal? If you can’t be satisfied being an Oklahoma football fan, how can they ever be happy?
Brad: “It seems like we used to use 16 to 18 players on defense throughout the game. Even Tommie Harris split time in many games. The depth seems to be an issue as much as anything, and I realize it is difficult to substitute with the no-huddle being the in thing to do. Regardless, for Texas to score on five consecutive drives in the second half is not championship stuff.”
I think you’re on to something here. I think OU’s problem is not alignment or schemes or coaching. I think it’s a lack of ballplayers, when you’ve got to keep moving safeties to linebacker.
Isaiah wrote: “I know fans are upset after the loss to Texas, as am I, but what percent chance would you say there is that Bob Stoops would replace Brent Venables as defensive coordinator? Slim and none? Do you think that even if Bob wanted to change coordinators he wouldn’t because of his loyalty to his friend? He’s one of the only coaches who is left from the original staff and it seems a little odd that he’s not been offered a head coaching position. Could Bob Stoop’s loyalty to his staff and friends be something that would override any decision to make a change even if he wanted to or thought it would be best for the program?”
You know, it’s a great question. So great, I asked Stoops himself, and you saw his response. Which is he would do it in a minute. He also said no way did he think it was necessary. As for Venables’ offers, he’s still young, 37. Which means he was 36 when the jobs came open last year. That’s extremely young for a head coach. Venables had no chance at the K-State job when Bill Snyder resigned because he had left the KSU staff and then rejected an offer to return as the head coach-in-waiting. Venables’ time will come.
Ed isn’t after Venables’ head: “What you call the lunatic fringe is a pet peeve of mine. I’ve heard fans boo Bud Wilkinson and dis Bear Bryant. The fans always know more than the coach. In fact, I sat across the aisle from such an OU person in the Cotton Bowl last week, and the screaming and mutterings of such folks always amaze me.”
See, that’s the thing. The boo birds came after Wilkinson, and Fairbanks, and Switzer, and assistants of each. When you’re 12-22 (John Blake’s record), OK, let’s talk. But when you’ve won five Big 12 titles in eight years, you come across as a fool.
Bill: “Tram, I like your writing style and your insight into college football. OU’s spoiled fans who hunger for another national title need to get a grip. Beginning with the crushing losses to OSU early in Bob’s tenure, along with the Big 12 championship drubbing by K-State, OU has lost some very big games. LSU in the BCS championship game knocked the Sooners’ pride in the dirt. Then USC scored 55 on them in another BCS debacle. After that Stoops lost some games to Texas along with four BCS bowl games in a row. The bottom line doesn’t look good for the once proud Sooners. Stoops won in his second year with many good players recruited by Blake, along with some of his own key recruits, including Heupel by Leach. Bob had Mangino directing the offense and Bob’s brother coaching the defense. There were some great players on that team and there were no injuries. It was the right time and the right place for that championship. Sooner fans need to realize that it’s over. It’s not happening again. They might be the third best team in Oklahoma.”
Yes, OU football has fallen far. You have to go all the way down to No. 4 in the BCS to find Oklahoma, and it’s already the third week of October. Yes, OU has lost a bunch of big games over the years. The only programs that haven’t are the programs that haven’t played any big games.
Craig: “Colt McCoy is going to wind up winning the Heisman, and the Horns seem headed for Miami. Who in the North is going to beat them? Do you think Missouri will be chomping at the bit for a rematch like they were for OU last year? I doubt it.”
Actually, Texas has two tough road games left. At Tech and at Kansas. KU sort of impressed me Saturday. I think the Jayhawks could give both UT and Tech trouble in Lawrence.
Bill asked, “What are the chances Sam Bradford goes pro after this season?”
I would think getting better by the Saturday.
OK, let’s move on to the NBA. Jim wrote about the Hornets: “Up in our section (206), there were several people who yelled ‘Hornets
Ball!’ when the announcer asked. We had a lot of fun with it. But I miss Chris Paul. And Hugo. And the Honeybees. And the announcer.
And Rob Nice. I told my mother in-law that this team would grow on us. She said, ‘it better.’”
Oh, I think it will. But the Thunder sure would be better off trying to mimic the Hornets as much as possible rather than being as different as they can.
Edward disagrees: “Imagine this. You’re dating a girl whose boyfriend was temporarily unavailable for a while. When he returns, your girl is gone, she leaves you and goes back to him. Sure, you’re heartbroken, it hurts, you loved her, she was so beautiful. Now, you meet another girl and this one you marry because you know even though she’s a little rough around the edges, when she matures, she will be everything, if not more, than the one you gave your heart to. Can you imagine how your new wife feels whenever you compare her to the old girl who left you?”
Good analogy. Except for one thing. This isn’t classic romance. This is high business. The Hornets were a rousing success. Why should the Boomers be messing with success?
Stan was upset with my theory that no one wants to see Ohio State in the title game: “I understand they lost several championship games. OU also lost several championship games, yet your writers print only positive things about them. Please understand not all people living in Oklahoma are Sooner fans as you and your fellow writers seem to think by the articles in your paper. Win or lose, I am a Buckeye fan and will always be one. In the future, I would wish you would stay with the facts and keep your opinions to yourself.”
We have slain forests writing about OU’s bowl problems. The nature would be aghast at an OU-Ohio State game title game. Personally, I think it would be the best thing for the Sooners, because it’s the only sure way I see for the Sooners to end their bowl slump.
Harris at linebacker should pay off
Safeties move to linebacker all the time. But not middle linebacker. Middle linebacker is the position of brute and brawn. He-men play middle linebacker. Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke and Ray Lewis.
But there Saturday was Nic Harris, a lean strong safety, playing middle linebacker for OU against Kansas. And apparently playing it well. The Sooner defense wasn’t dominant, but it had five straight stops in the second half that allowed OU to take command of the game and win 45-31.
The move of Harris to MLB proves a couple of things:
1. Harris is a tough, smart, dedicated football player. Not every player is willing to make such a move, especially into the cauldron of middle linebacker. Make that move, and a player risks physical assault, if not embarrassment.
2. OU’s lack of depth at linebacker is alarming. Linebacker generally is an easy position to fill. It’s not like defensive tackle or cornerback. Yet the Sooners obviously didn’t have depth beyond their original three starters, or at least the coaching staff didn’t trust the backups.
Last week, everyone questioned why OU didn’t have Austin Box ready to fill in at middle linebacker, insteading of backing up at weakside, behind Travis Lewis. Now we know. The coaches obviously are not ready to put Box in the middle.
The loss of Ryan Reynolds to a knee injury against Texas crippled the Sooner defense. Will the move of Harris solve that for the entire season? Perhaps.
Harris figures to be effective as long as he can stand in against physically-dominant teams, but who in the Big 12 plays that kind of football. The teams on OU’s schedule capable of playing smashmouth largely are behind the Sooners — TCU and Texas.
Texas Tech and OSU are spread offense teams that create gaps and space to move the ball. Nic Harris can survive, and probably thrive, playing linebacker against those offenses.
In effect, OU is playing a dime defense — six defensive backs. Strongside linebacker Keenan Clayton already had been converted from safety. Now Harris joins him. Lewis is the only true linebacker starting for the Sooners.
Analyzing the odds on national champ & Heisman
I received one of those odds-services this week that listed all kinds of things related to college football. These are mostly trash, but some of the info I found interesting. This is from Bodog Sportsbook.
Odds to win the national championship:
Alabama 3-1: These odds are way too low. Look at this way. Any team that reaches the BCS title game is 1-1, virtually. And for Bama to do that would mean victory in the SEC title game, another 1-1 proposition. So Alabama is even odds to win out in the regular season? I don’t think so.
USC 3-1: The Trojans are in great shape to win out. Unless they’re not as good as we thought, which is perfectly possible.
Penn State 7-2: A little low. More like 5-1 I’d say. The Nittanys have to go to Ohio State, where they will be underdogs.
Texas 6-1: A little short, again. The road is rough for the ‘Horns, hosting OSU and Missouri and going to Lubbock and Lawrence, plus a Big 12 title game in Kansas City.
Florida 6-1: About right, I’d say.
Texas Tech 10-1: Tech with a better chance than OU? Yes. The Red Raiders almost surely will lose in Norman — when do the Sooners lose at home? — but Tech gets OSU and Texas in Lubbock.
Oklahoma 12-1: OU’s biggest problem is not the one loss. It’s that the loss is to a team that’s ranked higher and is in the same division.
Georgia 20-1: Seems a little long. Georgia has a tough schedule, but that could catapult the Bulldogs.
Ohio State 20-1: Voters will do everything they can to keep the Buckeyes from the top two spots.
Oklahoma State 25-1: This is a sign of disrespect. Yes, all those road games, and a Bedlam home game, will make it difficult. But 25-1 seems long.
Missouri 25-1: If Mizzou wins today in Austin, this number gets cut by more than half.
Odds to win the Heisman Trophy:
Sam Bradford 5-2: Yep, that’s right. Sudden Sam still leads the pack. And if the OU running game doesn’t pick up, look for Bradford’s numbers to go even higher.
Colt McCoy 5-2: If McCoy wins today, and doesn’t stink, he becomes the easy leader.
Chase Daniel 3-1: A big game today is a must.
Knowshon Moreno 7-1: No chance. No chance at all.
Javon Ringer 9-1: I wrote about Ringer today in The Oklahoman. A big game against Ohio State puts Ringer in the mix.
Tim Tebow 10-1: Don’t count out Tebow. He’s plenty good.
Graham Harrell 12-1: No chance. Vote will split with Michael Crabtree.
Michael Crabtree 15-1: No chance. See above.
Max Hall 15-1: Bye-bye with the loss to TCU.
Daryll Clark 15-1: Penn State quarterback has no chance.
Evan Royster 15-1: Derrick Williams is Penn State’s best player.
Mark Sanchez 20-1: The country is a little tired of SC quarterbacks.
John Parker Wilson 30-1: Bama never has had a Heisman winner. No great reason to start now.
Percy Harvin 30-1: No chance.
Matthew Stafford 30-1: You know what? Don’t cout him out. Georgia is going to be playing a big game every week. Get on a roll, and Stafford is back in it.
Donald Brown 45-1: Sorry, this isn’t basketball.
Charles Scott 45-1: I don’t see it.
Jeremy Maclin 50-1: Good enough to dazzle, but no chance.
Matt Grothe 50-1: South Florida quarterback isn’t one of the nation’s 25 best quarterbacks.
Todd Reesing 50-1: Needs a huge game today at Owen Field to make any move.
Zac Robinson 50-1: If Robinson could get on TV more than once a month, it would help.
Good night for the Sooners
Thursday night was a good night for OU football. The Florida State-North Carolina State game didn’t mean anything, but down in Fort Worth, TCU’s 32-7 rout of Brigham Young rippled north of the Red River.
BYU was knocked from BCS contention, which frankly doesn’t affect the Big 12 much. The Big 12 figures to get two teams in the BCS no matter what; 10 spots are available and six go to conference champions. That leaves four at-large, and the Big 12 almost surely will get one.
But TCU’s victory could help the Sooners if they climb back into the national title race. TCU’s victory will help in the computer rankings; the Horned Frogs’ only loss was at Norman. OU’s non-conference schedule rating is soaring. Chattanooga will be a drag all season, and Washington remains winless. But TCU now is 7-1 and Cincinnati is 5-1.
If the Sooners get into some kind of BCS tug-o’-war with, say, an 11-1 USC or an 11-1 Penn State, the prowess of TCU would come in handy.
Ranking the best football books
In recent weeks, I’ve ranked the best baseball books and the best OU football books. Today, I’ll rank the best football books I’ve read.
5. Junction Boys, by Jim Dent. A look at the 1954 Texas A&M Aggies, Bear Bryant’s first team at College Station, which he took to a legendary camp at Junction, Texas. Very good book, although some of the historical inaccuracies presented by Dent in his OU book, The Undefeated, makes me a little leery of what exactly was true in this one.
4. Friday Night Lights, by Buzz Bissinger. A legendary book about the 1988 Odessa Permian Panthers. Bissinger brings big-time high school football to life, both the glory and the despair. This book was so good, it ignited a culture. The Oklahoman still calls its weekly prime feature on prep football “Friday Night Lights.” And of course, there’s the TV show, which I’ve never seen but some solid people enjoy very much.
3. The Real All Americans, by Sally Jenkins. The story of Carlisle football, which includes, but is not limited to, the legendary Jim Thorpe. The Indian boarding school in Pennsylvania soared to the top of college football in the first decade of the 1900s, and it did so with the sons of American Indians who fought against encroaching white settlement on the Plains. Lovers of history and football will enjoy this book. Lovers of both will love it. This book accomplishes something rare. It gives you new heroes you never knew about.
2. The GM: The Inside Story of a Dream Job and the Nightmares That Go With It, by Tom Callahan: A fabulous look at the 2006 New York Giants, through the eyes of outgoing general manager Ernie Accorsi. Few books have offered this kind of glimpse at the inner workings of a football operation. Accorsi, a huge fan of Eli Manning, lays the groundwork for why he believes the Giants would be big winners under Eli. The book came out last autumn; by February, Eli had led the Giants to the Super Bowl championship. This book will give you a new hero you knew all about: Eli. You will become a fan of the Giant quarterback, of Callahan and, most of all, of Ernie Accorsi.
1. Instant Replay, by Jerry Kramer. As good a choice as any for the best sports book ever written. Kramer, a Green Bay Packers guard, kept a diary of the 1967 season, which turns out was Vince Lombardi’s final year in Green Bay and the final championship in the Packer dynasty. I first read this book 35 years ago, and the Packer players, even the non-famous, remain vivid all these years later. Kramer’s subsequent Distant Replay, an update on what happened to the old Packers, was great, too. Read this book, and you will learn about the concept of “team.”
An OU-Texas rematch
Lots of possibilities exist in this wild Big 12 football season. Here’s a doozy. An Oklahoma-Texas rematch in the Big Bowl.
It’s a longshot. But it could happen. Here’s how.
1. OU wins out. An absolute must.
2. Texas wins the Big 12, preferably with a 13-0 record. If the Longhorns stumble somewhere, at Lubbock or at home to Missouri or OSU, and go ahead and win the conference at 12-1, I guess it’s still possible, but 13-0 would make it more simple.
3. Help from others, starting with the SEC:
a. A two-loss team must win the SEC, which is not crazy thinking. It happened last year, and with Alabama the only remaining unbeaten, it could easily happen. Alabama and LSU in the West, Georgia and Florida in the East are the heavy division favorites. All but Bama already have one defeat. But a one-loss SEC champion would and should trump OU, and any other team, for a Big Bowl berth.
b. Penn State must lose. The Nittany Lions could lose next week at Ohio State, or could stumble somewhere else.
c. It would help if USC loses again. Might not have to happen, but voters might prefer an 11-1 SC, champion of the Pac-10, over a 11-1 Oklahoma that didn’t even win its own division. In 2006, voters in the final poll decided they didn’t want a Michigan-Ohio State rematch and jumped Florida over Michigan.
There’s a lot of football left. We’re only halfway through the regular season. The Sooners are in great position poll-wise, ranked fourth. But they are in shaky position conference-wise, needing help to win the South. An OU-Texas rematch is possible but unlikely.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 7: OU-Texas tales
OU-Texas is about much more than just the football game. It’s business meetings and family reunions and mini-vacations and university functions.
It’s about memories, as much as anything. I spent four days in Dallas; my wife helped put on a Wednesday night dinner with OU’s College of Engineering, and we attended the OU Club of Fort Worth’s annual luncheon, where Steve Davis was the featured speaker.
The dinner, for OU engineering alums in the Dallas area, is held at Nana’s, on the 27th floor of the Anatole Hotel. The food is fine but the conversation is better. I always meet someone interesting, and this night, it was Jack Sleeper, a retired oil man who grew up in Wagoner and has been a Sooner fan for more than 60 years.
Sleeper told me a great story. He was in the Navy in 1949, stationed in, I think, Rhode Island, and went over to Boston for the OU-Boston College game.
The Sooners rolled 46-0 – the ’49 Sooners were a juggernaut – and Sleeper had friends on the team, so they invited him back to the team hotel.
Turns out a couple of OU fans, a little inebriated, had made off with one of the goal posts from Braves Field. The guys told Sleeper they carried the goal posts to the train station, where they were informed they could not take the big wooden planks onto the train.
“Fine,” they told the conductor. “After you pull out, we’ll drop the posts on the track for the next train to deal with.”
The conductor let them on. They took the goal posts to the team hotel and tried to enter, but either because of size or security, that effort failed. So they trudged the wood up the fire escape and somehow wangled the posts into a room, where they were a ceremonial trophy for the partying Sooners.
If you ask me, college football has lost a little romanticism the last 60 years.
TEN BIGGEST WINNERS OF THE WEEK
10. Alex Loukas: The third-team Stanford quarterback was highly-touted and finally lived up to the billing, coming off the bench to lead a late rally that gave the Cardinal a 24-23 win over Arizona and a 3-1 Pac-10 record.
9. Western Michigan: The Broncos trailed Buffalo 28-14 with less than five minutes left in the game. But Tim Hiller threw two late touchdown passes, the latter with five seconds left, to force overtime. After an interception, Hiller threw another TD pass to give Western a 34-28 victory and raised its record to 6-1. The Broncos are the biggest threat to Ball State’s unbeaten season.
8. Michael Smith: The Arkansas tailback played behind Darren McFadden and Felix Jones the past two years but is shining now. Smith rushed for 176 yards in the Razorbacks’ 25-22 upset at Auburn, giving him 599 yards in five games this season.
7. Tim Brewster: Humiliated by a 1-11 debut season at Minnesota, Brewster has the Gophers riding high. A 27-20 upset at Illinois made Minnesota 6-1.
6. Hal Mumme: Defrocked at Kentucky, Mumme is working wonders at New Mexico State. The Aggies, 8-29 under Mumme before this season, are 3-2 after a 48-45 win at Nevada. The Aggies could contend for their first bowl trip since 1960.
5. Penn State: Comparing scores is fool’s gold, but still. A week after Wisconsin lost 20-17 at home to Ohio State, the Badgers hosted Penn State and got squashed 48-7.
4. Tim Tebow: Don’t write off Tebow from a Heisman repeat just yet. Tebow’s numbers against LSU weren’t Big 12 caliber, but he was amazingly efficient – 14 of 21 passing for 210 yards and two touchdowns, plus a rushing TD – in a 51-21 rout.
3. North Carolina: Don’t laugh, but after a 29-24 victory over Notre Dame, the 5-1 Tar Heels could go 11-1. Their remaining six games – at Virginia, Boston College, Georgia Tech, at Maryland, North Carolina State, at Duke.
2. Mack Brown: No more talk of an “Oklahoma problem,” as the Texas coach used to call it. Brown is 3-1 in his last four games against Bob Stoops and has the Longhorns ranked No. 1 after a 45-35 upset of the Sooners.
1. Mike Gundy: The rant moves to the back of the Gundy entry on Wikipedia. His Cowboys’ 6-0 start, punctuated with a stunning 28-23 upset at Missouri, is the big story. Halfway through the season, Gundy ranks with Alabama’s Nick Saban as the leading candidates for national coach of the year.
THE REV. STEVE DAVIS
When I was a kid, 12, 13, 14, Steve Davis was the quarterback, and there were several things that stay with you when you think about Steve Davis.
1. He was a Baptist preacher. 2. He liked Willie Nelson. 3. He never lost, except that one time. 4. He went 47 yards on a quarterback sneak against Nebraska.
Anyway, at the Petroleum Club on the 39th floor of a Fort Worth high-rise, Davis reminisced about the old days, reminding people of the voice that so captured Sooner fans more than 30 years ago.
Davis told of growing up in Sallisaw, working at his family’s supermarket, Rigby Foods, and bagging groceries on Saturday afternoons, and sneaking away across the alley to Farmer’s Furniture, where he could catch OU-Texas games on one of the television sets for sale, risking the wrath of his grandfather.
“The OU-Texas game brings out the best in all of us,” Davis said. “It’s part of the defining dreams of our life.”
He told a story I’m sure he’s told many times but I never had heard before, so I thought I would share it.
Davis harbored a dream of quarterbacking the Sooners, and in eighth grade, 1966, Davis cut out a photo of Bobby Warmack, OU’s quarterback from 1966-68. On the back, Davis wrote a simple word: “When?” He stuck the photo under the liner of his underwear drawer.
Davis didn’t even quarterback Sallisaw as a junior. He played halfback. But in 1970, the Black Diamonds began running the option, and Davis quarterbacked.
Davis says he got the last scholarship from OU in 1971, available only because Okmulgee’s Clyde Crutchmer decided to go to Colorado. Says that the Sooners brought in eight freshmen quarterbacks that year, and that he was listed No. 8 on the depth chart. No. 7 was Ada’s Larry McBroom, who had suffered a broken shoulder in the All-State game.
In ’71, freshmen were ineligible for the varsity, so Davis went home the weekend of OU-Texas to Sallisaw, where he watched the game with his grandfather.
But Davis worked his way up, and though he redshirted in 1972, he was the third-team quarterback and made the trip to Dallas. In pregame warmup, OU was running pass routes, and Davis said he threw a rocket into the seats and hit a woman in the stands, knocking her one way and her hat the other. Offensive coordinator Barry Switzer ran up to his yearling and said with that Switzer passion, “Steve Davis! You’re going to have to play a whole lot better than that if you’re going to play in this game.”
You know the rest. Kerry Jackson, who in 1972 had established himself as the quarterback of the future, was ruled ineligible by the NCAA, and the Sooners turned to Davis.
OU opened the ’73 season at Baylor, and the team hotel was in Temple, Texas. Davis received a package at the hotel desk the morning of the game. It was from his mother. He opened the package and found that old photo of Warmack. Under “When?” was written “Tonight.”
You know the rest. His passes found Tinker Owens’ hands instead of some lady’s hat. His pitchouts went to Joe Washington. Davis’ record was 32-1-1 record, 3-0 vs. Texas, two-time national champion quarterback.
Said Davis, “A lot of things happen, but that’s how dreams come true.”
REALITY RANKINGS
Our rankings based not on what anyone thinks teams might do, but based on what teams have done. Listed are remaining road games:
1. Alabama: Still goes to Tennessee & LSU.
2. Texas: Road games left at Texas Tech, Baylor and Kansas.
3. Penn State: Only two road games left, Ohio State and Iowa.
4. Florida: Road games left vs. Georgia at Jacksonville, Vanderbilt and Florida State.
5. Southern Cal: Four road games left – Washington State, Arizona, Stanford and UCLA.
6. Oklahoma State: Still goes to Austin, Lubbock and Boulder.
7. Utah: Goes only to New Mexico and San Diego State; gets BYU at home.
8. Ohio State: Interesting tests at Michigan State, Northwestern and Illinois.
9. North Carolina: Watch out for the Tar Heels – only Virginia, Maryland and Duke remain on the road.
10. Georgia: Killer stretch coming up – Vanderbilt, at LSU, Florida, at Kentucky, at Auburn, Georgia Tech.
11. Michigan State: Rolling Spartans still play at Michigan and Penn State.
12. Oklahoma: Easy tests at Kansas State and Texas A&M before Bedlam in Stillwater.
13. Virginia Tech: Road games remaining Boston College, Florida State and Miami.
14. Vanderbilt: Goes to Georgia, Kentucky and Wake Forest?
15. Wake Forest: Plays at Maryland, Miami and North Carolina State.
EGYPTIAN ADVENTURE
I had heard about Campisi’s for years but never eaten there until Thursday night. Located just east of SMU, Campisi’s is a 60-year Dallas institution.
It’s called an Egyptian restaurant, but that’s just because we once called anything exotic “Egyptian.” Campisi’s is an Italian place, and not one of those high-brow joints. Known for its pizza, I instead had an Italian combo platter, which was very good.
But we had a unique experience. The waiter lost our credit cards. He brought the check, we gave him cards and then we sat for awhile. And awhile. And awhile.
We noticed he seemed to be wandering around, a little bewildered, and finally, just as I suspected, he came over and asked, “You did give me your credit card, right?”
He returned to his quest and eventually found them – in one of those tubs used to collect dirty dishes. He displayed them to us proudly and cashed us out. Darndest thing I ever saw.
TEN BIGGEST LOSERS OF THE WEEK
10. Memphis: The Tigers don’t get many chances to beat Louisville anymore, since the Cardinals left Conference USA for the Big East. But the series resumed this year after a four-year hiatus, and Memphis was the better team. But Louisville scored on a 95-yard kickoff return, a 60-yard return of a blocked field goal and a 21-yard fumble return to win 35-28.
9. Bo Pelini: The Nebraska coach had his team in position for a major upset, at Texas Tech. But Pelini decided to play for overtime after a Nebraska touchdown with 29 seconds left, and Tech won 37-31 in OT. When an inferior team has a chance to win by making three yards against a suspect defense, take it.
8. East Carolina: The Pirates seemed a Cinderella team after upsets of Virginia Tech and West Virginia. But now the Pirates are 3-3 after a 35-20 loss to Virginia, and now a bowl game isn’t even certain for East Carolina.
7. Kentucky: UK was unbeaten when it played Alabama to the limit in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 4. But after a 24-17 home loss to South Carolina, the Wildcats remain, with Tennessee, the SEC’s only winless teams in conference.
6. Tommy Tuberville: Firing a coordinator in mid-season, as the Auburn coach did with offensive chief Tony Franklin last week, is a sign of desperation. And it’s even worse when the beheading doesn’t help. Auburn lost at home to hapless Arkansas 25-22.
5. Arizona State: The Sun Devils have regressed in Year 2 of Dennis Erickson. A 28-0 loss to Southern Cal handed ASU a four-game losing streak in which it has scored just 44 points total.
4. Passing yards: Time was, a high passing total was the kiss of defeat. That returned Saturday, Of the 10 most prolific passers, eight lost: Illinois’ Juice Williams (462 yards), Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson (419), Missouri’s Chase Daniel (390), OU’s Sam Bradford (387), Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen (383), North Texas’ Glovanni Vizza (361), Memphis’ Arkelon Hall (350) and Nebraska’s Joe Ganz (349).
3. Michigan’s pride: The Wolverines had been 24-0 all-time against Mid-American Conference teams. That all changed when Toledo pulled a 13-10 shocker at the Big House and dropped the woeful Wolverines to 2-4.
2. Chris Nickson: The Vanderbilt quarterback completed just three of 10 passes in a 17-14 loss to Mississippi State, a stunning verdict that knocked the Commodores from the unbeaten ranks and cost Nickson his job, with Tulsa Union’s Mackenzi Adams taking over.
1. Tommy Bowden: A lackluster 12-7 loss to Wake Forest dropped Clemson to 3-3 and cost Bowden his job. In his 10th season, Bowden was fired this week after a nondescript 72-45 record.
HARMON COUNTY PRIDE
I took my wife shopping Thursday in Highland Park, and we had a little lunch at Wild About Harry’s, a hole-in-the-wall hot dog and custard place on Knox Street.
I didn’t know the place was a shrine to Harmon County. On the wall was several pages of Harmon County history, and above the door were license plates of a variety of western Oklahoma high schools: Hollis, Clinton, Alva, Frederick, Altus.
The place is run by 65-year-old Harry Coley, who grew up in Hollis – and has called it a Mayberry-type place, though I think he’s talking about the way it was in the ’50s, not the way it is now in the population-starved southwest corner of Oklahoma.
Anyway, the hot dogs were good, and we were going to go back for its famous custard but didn’t get around to it. I’ll most definitely go back.
Emails on OU-Texas: Hey fans, don’t jump
OU-Texas dominates the mail bag this week. Some liked what I wrote; others didn’t.
Craig wrote me last week, saying he was worried because OU couldn’t run the ball. Then he wrote back: “Unfortunately, I was right. All the talk was about Texas’ defensive coordinator, but it was Venables’ defense that got OU burned. Reynolds or no Reynolds, there can be no excuse for giving up nearly half a hundred in the last two big games we have played. Texas and West Virginia.”
I guess it wouldn’t be a good time to bring up that in the big game before those two, Venables’ defense held Missouri to 17 points.Jo: “Keep writing articles this week that hit on the fans’ feelings about what we witnessed Saturday. When you are at Stoops’ press conference Tuesday, throw some high hard ones, make him back away from the podium, make the hair stand up on the back of his neck and his face turn red. If fans could ask all the questions instead of the press, we’d be throwin’ some heat.”
I actually think the questions would be a lot softer, but your point is well made. Stoops has some questions to answer.Danny: “Remember you called him Big Lame Bob? I think when you make $3.5 million, you just expect to win. Do you really think when Bob and Mike first got here, they would just have accepted those out of bounds calls for roughing the quarterback? Even the announcers said this isn’t flag football. What about the interception in the end zone? Who was asleep in the booth on that one? We were out coached and outplayed. Get a speaker and drive around campus tomorrow announcing tryouts for kickoff players. Stoops, give back some of the money you are paid, because you don’t deserve it.”
Here’s the problem. Mack makes about $3M himself.Tom: “I read your take on the Heisman hopes of Sam Bradford, and while you admitted that he ‘played superb,’ you are ready to vote for Colt McCoy because his team won. That is not fair. His team did not win because he was better than Sam. So you think the Heisman should be a team award and not to the individual? So you are saying that no matter how Sam Bradford plays, if OU is not atop the rankings, he should not be recognized? It should go to the quarterback of the No. 1 team?”
I live in the world that is. Not in the world I wish existed. In this world, the quarterback of the best teams are the Heisman front-runners. Which explains why Bradford was a Heisman front-runner in the first place.Joe: “I agree UT was better than OU, but it never ceases to infuriate me that most of the atrocious officiating goes against the Sooners. Also you wrote that Robinson’s disallowed end zone interception looked like a good call as the ball came loose when he hit the ground. In all the TV replays, it appeared he had control of the ball when he hit the turf – both announcers said there was no doubt. If the ground can’t cause a fumble, how can it be a good call? I think the upstairs booth (probably pro-Longhorns) either did not watch the same replay or were too biased.”
I have no idea why this is so complicated. The ground can’t cause a fumble but it can cause an incompletion. Man, it must be awful to live in a conspiracy world.Kerry: “People have been calling OU’s offense vanilla. Today it changed flavors. Rocky road. On the fake punt, I didn’t think they should have tried it, but if Gresham (he needs to get nastier) blocks anyone at all, it probably works. Punting on 4th-and-2, ballgame over. We hadn’t been stopped Texas in awhile. I didn’t think we would after punting.”
Great point about Gresham. He was just standing around, and Knall ran right past him.Gary: “Why does OU get all this hype when they haven’t been able to run all year? Murray is a wide receiver playing running back. Calhoun should be the running back. This offensive line can pass block but doesn’t open up holes for the run. They will now be ranked where they belong. I will take USC against Texas, Oklahoma or Missouri. OU is a nice team and fun to watch on offense and I guess we should be thankful for what we have, but then it’s probably time to move forward and bring in an NFL defensive head.
I knew we would get back to Venables. But you know what? I wonder if OU will think about Jermie Calhoun? Stoops has brought a freshman out of redshirt before. Quentin Griffin was his name.Chad: “I know you get a lot of reactionary emails, so I don’t want to come off as a raving kook. But for me, USC, Boise State, Texas, Texas Tech, a couple times now, and WVU outweigh significantly the times Venables’ D has come up big in big games. Thinking back to last year’s Big 12 title game and the game in Norman, maybe it is not such a great thing to stop MU. Pinkel and Daniel seem to shrink when the pressure is on. Does this loss (to OSU) do anything to your opinion of MU, and in turn, your opinion of Venables?”
No. Good try. Missouri’s offense has been fabulous for two years straight. Daniel didn’t have a good game against OSU, but that doesn’t change how tough it is stop Mizzou. If you’re going to hold Venables to this standard, there aren’t too many d-coordinators worthy of their jobs.Lonnie: “Will OU recover and beat Kansas? Playing at home should be worth a touchdown. Where did OU’s running game go? Stoops gave up too soon on the running game. Sam and receivers did their job. Defense did not show up for the second half. If OU sucks it up, they can still play in the GAME. Who should be No. 1? Alabama?”
Yes. I would vote Bama ahead of Texas at this point. I still like OU over KU.Kent: “What is the deal with the fake punt? OU is ahead and fakes a punt. Panic. Pitiful defense performance. Murray obviously is not performing well, and the line with all the seniors is not blocking very well either.”
I actually didn’t mind the fake punt. When your offense is carrying you, I say try to avoid sending out the defense.Bob: “You know, someone really should tell that bunch of Aggies down at Norman that stupid penalties such as roughing the passer and late hits out of bounds can cost them the game. And to think that we taxpayers are paying Stoops over three million bucks per year to coach this dysfunctional team. Quite frankly, I think there is no team, only 11 independently operating units on the field.”
I didn’t know we were paying Stoops’ salary. I am outraged.Terry: “Who stopped the hurry-up calls for that more conservative play calling? Kevin Wilson? Don’t we know by now we can’t run Murray up the middle? The guy is hurt and 10 pounds heavier. Hey, OU coaches, it just doesn’t work anymore. Stop it! Was Howard Schnellenberger called back to coach special teams? All year we can’t punt, can’t defend kickoffs. Today the Longhorns came home to roost. Holey crap!. I see a 3-loss season coming. I’m gettin’ too old for this stress! Thank God, The Oklahoman is smaller these days. The Headlines won’t hurt as bad tomorrow.”
Thanks, Terry. You made me laugh out loud.Irish Tom: “Same old story. Outcoached. Outplayed. Outbid for the refs. They should forfeit the rest of the season, fire the coaches and start over. They lost a lot of recruits today.”
Tom, don’t jump.Bob: “Regardless of how well OK State played against Mizzou, both those teams are second-tier Big 12 football schools. If Nebraska and Texas A&M were up to historical standards, there would be four top quality teams in the Big 12, but they aren’t, and that leaves OU & Texas as clearly superior programs. Mizzou had a scheduling anomaly last year that made them look much better than they were, and the leftover hype from last year was carried over into this year by sports journalists.”
I don’t see it. If everyone was up to historical standards, the top five would be Notre Dame, Army, Minnesota, Yale and Navy. Things change. Oregon goes up, Mississippi goes down. No reason why Missouri and OSU can’t climb the ladder. And please, no more talk about Texas A&M’s historic status.
