Emails in on OU-Nebraska series
The new emails are in, and lots of talk about OU-Nebraska and my desire for them to play every year.
Michael: “The crossover rival is an interesting idea. Here are two proposals which take that concept one step further by also realigning the two Big 12 divisions, hopefully providing more balance overall for the conference. Proposal one: trade Mizzou and Colorado for A&M and Tech). Then the crossover games would be Oklahoma-Nebraska, A&M-Texas, Mizzou-Kansas, Baylor-Tech, OSU-Kansas State, Colorado-Iowa State. Proposal two: trade Mizzou and Colorado for OU and OSU). Then you would have Texas-OU, Tech-OSU, Colorado-Nebraska, Mizzou-Kansas, A&M-KSU, Baylor-Iowa State. Personally, I prefer the second proposal. It keeps the Texas schools together in one division and reunites OU-Nebraska, while putting OU and OSU on the other side of the line helps to balance the overall strength of each division. The only downside is the potential for an OU-UT rematch every season in the Big 12 Championship game, which is not necessarily a bad thing (for the networks).”
This is certainly a thinker. The whole concept is this: Does the Big 12 have to be split along geographic lines? I think the answer is probably yes. The ACC is divided haphazardly, with no regard to geography, and it’s a mess, from an outsider’s perspective. But it’s fun to discuss. I don’t like being trapped by conventionalism.
Holland: “I’m at work on a slow day and thinking about realignments in the Big 12. The realignment would be to balance the divisions, while also preserving some traditional rivalry games. Each division would have four Big Eight teams and two SWC teams. So, here goes. Division I: Nebraska, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Baylor. Division II:
Colorado, Iowa State, Missouri, Kansas and Texas A&M. In addition, like the SEC and ACC, each team would play a yearly cross-divisional rivalry game while playing five divisional games and three out-of-division games, so in a given year each conference team would play nine conference games, which would eliminate some of the horrible out-of-conference scheduling. This would balance out the divisions because OU and Texas are separated. If Snyder gets KSU rolling like they once were, which will be a tall task, one could argue Division I is a little tougher, but the same can be said for Division II if Sherman gets A&M going again. For the most part, the divisions would be more balanced than now. The cross-divisional games would be OU-Texas, Kansas-KSU, Nebraska-Missouri, Tech-A&M, OSU-Colorado, ISU-Baylor. This would preserve the following rivalries: OU-Nebraska, Texas-A&M, Kansas-Missouri, OU-Texas, KU-KSU, Tech-A&M, OU-OSU, Nebraska-Missouri, Nebraska-KSU. And this would mean OU-Texas could meet again for the Big 12 title, whereas now that isn’t possible. Think about how much better the championship games would have been in recent years had these two met again.”
I love this. I love it when people start thinking in new and different ways. Now, I think this realignment is mostly silly; no way can you split up the four Texas schools, just so OU and Nebraska can satisfy a mutual admiration society. But it’s thinking outside the box, and we need more of that.
Bob: “I have little interest in playing them every year. I like the way it is now with them. We don’t need it, in my opinion.”
Need it? No. OU-Nebraska isn’t needed. College football and the Sooners can live without it. But this series isn’t about need. It’s about enjoyment. It’s about something special. It’s about something extraordinary.
David: “Love the OU-Nebraska stuff. When the Big 12 killed the regular OU-Nebraska series, I remember talking with a friend who said that it was OK because we still had OU-Texas as a rivalry game. I responded that I felt like a kid being told that Christmas would now come only two years out of four, and that I shouldn’t worry about it because I would still get presents on my birthday every year. You know of the kid who would be won over by that argument? It seems to me that the big drawback to the conference schedule-makers of creating a permanent crossover game is how to set up a systematic way of scheduling the other two crossover games amongst five other inter-division schools. There’s no good way to do it. The thing is, the SEC has already answered that with something you didn’t mention — in the SEC each school was, in fact, set up to have TWO non-rotating opponents from the other division. Each school then had four non-permanent rivals, whom they would each play twice over an 8-year rotation. Problem solved! The great thing about this is that you can use the second ‘permanent’ or non-rotating rivalry to even out the other. OU could have Nebraska as a permanent rival and even things out by having Iowa State as its other non-rotating rival, for example. This would also even out for Iowa State having Baylor as its other ‘permanent’ rival under the scenario you suggested. Over the years, the second non-rotating rival could be changed to maintain balance, if necessary. There can be flexibility. Cheers to your suggestion to have Oklahoma-Nebraska restored to the annual rite that OU-Texas has remained. Cheers to having both Christmas AND a birthday every year!”
That original SEC model has its drawbacks, too. For instance, if OU played NU and ISU every year, that means it would play Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Kansas State twice every eight years, which is a whole new can of worms.
Larry, our resident Tech fan: “I’m not much for special accommodations for self-anointed quality. There’s quite enough kowtowing going on in college football already. But I do understand the nostalgia surrounding this rivalry. Let’s face it: unlike the SWC, which was represented in the Cotton Bowl by seven of its nine members during the last 20 years of its existence, the Big Eight was less of a conference than it was simply a game played in November to see who went to the Orange Bowl, with a potential national championship on the line. But couldn’t you accomplish your objective by simply swapping the state of Oklahoma for the state of Kansas? It wouldn’t make much geographic sense, but it would preserve both in-state rivalries while at the same time helping to correct the imbalance of power between the north and the south. Why drastically impact every team in the league just so Oklahoma and Nebraska can resume their annual mutual hiney-rubbing society meetings? If OSU, KSU and KU were to object, just throw them out of the conference. That would solve the problem too. Nine remaining members would then all play one another every year. Most every Sooner I talk football with seem to operate under the impression that throwing schools out of conferences is done all the time, and great fun at that. I don’t know about the done-all-the-time part, but they might just be onto something. If vassals put up a squawk, well off with their heads. What’s the point of being aristocratic if you can’t at least threaten from time to time to cut off a vassal’s head if he don’t do right?”
Can’t swap the Oklahoma and Kansas schools. Then OU-Texas and KU-Missouri aren’t annual series.
Paul: “Your article on the NU-OU rivalry was right on. I grew up in Nebraska and have been a Cornhuskers fan my whole life. Right now, I’m an Air Force master sergeant serving at Camp Victory near Baghdad International Airport, so I’ll be watching the game early Sunday morning on the Armed Forces Television Network. I’m old enough to remember (barely) the Game of the Century, Thanksgiving Day in 1971. I was in the NU student section (though I wasn’t a student there) in 1982. Great times! I was also there two years later when the Sooners broke our hearts, 17-7. I get your take on the lovefest and I think that’s really what makes this rivalry unique and special. Both programs are secure enough in their collective manhood to not belittle their opponents. The schools have staged some of the greatest games in college football history. The hitting was fierce, the blood flowed, the games were incredible, but there was always great respect between the players, coaches and fans. We liked each other. Nebraskans rooted for OU in its bowl and other non-conference games and I’m sure OU fans did the same for NU. Certainly, OU-Texas has a great history, but so has OU-NU. As you mentioned, that was a time (the mid ’90s) when Nebraska was very good and Oklahoma wasn’t, so I’m sure a lot of OU fans shared that writer’s opinion. On a related note, it’s kind of sad; with the exception of the 2000 and ‘01 seasons, the two programs haven’t been great at the same time since 1987. But I think (I hope) that’s about to change. That’s why now would be a great time to change scheduling format and adopt the SEC model you proposed. NU-OU should be played every year. I’d even be in favor of dropping the Big 12 championship game (it’s become a farce) and follow the Pac-10’s lead and schedule nine conference games a year for each school.”
I don’t think the Big 12 title game is going anywhere. Too much money. But Paul’s best phrase was this: Great times! Here’s a guy stationed in Iraq, and memories of OU-Nebraska is helping him get through some of the down time. That’s priceless.
Rob: “I’ve been blaming Donnie Duncan for years for allowing the discontinuation of this historic series. I was fortunate enough to attend the 1976 game in Lincoln and recall the respect and courtesy extended to us before and after the game was unlike anything I have experienced except at College Station (much different than the attitude at the annual Red River rivalry) . The crossover solution you offer seems plausible to me. In addition to the points you raised, it also cost each team an annual Thanksgiving Day game and the accompanying national exposure, which is invaluable to recruiting efforts.”
For the record, the Thanksgiving element of OU-Nebraska is a little bit of a wives tale. In the ’70s and ’80s, OU and Nebraska played on Thanksgiving weekend just nine times. But people remember it as a Thanksgiving tradition, primarily because of 1971.
Don: “You’re right on about the OU-Nebraska game. As you point out, it always seems to bring something that’s sadly missing in our society today. When my daughter was at OU (too many years ago now), we had seats in the north end zone. After one game and while having dinner, we met some folks who had actually been wearing cornheads not far from us at the game. As I recall, we lost by 13 points, that was in the Gibbs era. Anyway, we visited with them and talked about how visitors were probably treated, especially after their team had won. They related how they always loved to come to Norman because everyone treated them so well, win or lose. They said their worst experience was always Colorado.”
My dad talked about Nebraska fans when I was a little kid, how much he enjoyed doing business with them when the Huskers came to town. This is at least a 40-year love affair.
Jeff: “I couldn’t agree more! Thank you, and I assure you the VAST majority of Nebraska fans concur. I am a die-hard Husker fan, but my second favorite football program is Oklahoma. I was able to get a sideline pass to the NU-OU game in Norman the last year Oklahoma won the national championship! It was a great experience. Oklahoma defeated Nebraska. Still a great time. I was also at a Nebraska-Oklahoma game in Norman when I was a college student and sat at the 45-yard line deep in the middle of OU fans. I was treated very well, and on that day Nebraska won in Norman. There is no rivalry that matches OU-NU. None. I hope this is something you and your fellow Oklahoma sports writers will continue to press and encourage the powers that be to get it done.”
I’ve always thought Nebraska fans loved the series more than Oklahoma fans, though I don’t really know why. Maybe because the Huskers don’t have a natural rival, while OU has Texas and Bedlam.
Some general Sooner football stuff. Shlomo: “Which D is going to show up against Nebraska? I suppose Bill Snyder had something to do with last week’s meltdown, but still there needs to be more consistency. To be fair, Texas and Kansas, back to back, creates the inevitable letdown. But OU has had triple back to backs, more than once during championship years, and the letdown never came. Also, our return game/kickoff coverage needs a tuneup.”
Those triple back to backs didn’t come in the 21st century. I wouldn’t be too down on the defense. They played well most of the game, and like you said, Snyder knows what he’s doing. K-State scored 24 and 31 on OU’s 2000 defense, 37 on OU’s 2001 defense and 35 on OU’s 2003 defense.
Greg: “Saturday in Norman, we saw the coming out of Landry Jones, to the point he is where Bradford was the last week of the 2007 season at home game with OSU. Miller and Tennell finally arrived under pressure to complement Broyles. For once, our defense was pressed, the offense kept being pressured to the max by a good team breathing down our necks and our offense delivered. Yes, I would like to see us play Texas NOW. As for Nebraska, short of the weather being below 40 degrees, they will get smoked, likely in the first quarter 14 or 21 points. Their offense is pure, unadulterated crap. They could hold teams to no more than 19 points a game and be a .500 team. I saw the ISU game on ESPN game plan. If there was a team worse in the red zone than OU, it was Nebraska, and their problems are not fixed by experience. They lack talent. KSU will smoke them.”
Maybe so. But let’s not get too carried away with Landry Jones is Sam Bradford II. Bradford in 2007 was a heck of a rookie quarterback. Jones isn’t there yet.
Terry: “I thought I saw a glimpse of Sooner Magic following the 1st-and-45. Was it just me, or did you see it too? If any current player has some of the magic in him, it would be Ryan Broyles. I hate to think where OU would be without him.”
I think our standards have lowered if we’ve started putting that situation into the realm of Sooner Magic. It was a nice recovery. A remarkable recovery. But Sooner Magic pulled victory from certain defeat. Nebraska 1976, 1980, 1986. OSU 1983. TCU 1998. Texas 1996. This wasn’t that.
Jerry: “It looked like Snyder outcoached our entire coaching staff the second half! How about all those empty seats? People were trying to sell all kind of tickets outside and nobody wanted them. Why can’t the coaches make up their minds on their play calling; we had to call timeout each time this happens.”
Snyder is a pretty good coach. He’s outcoached Stoops before and will do it again. Stoops and most everyone else he comes across. Of course, if he outcoached the Sooners in the first half, you’d have to say they outcoached him in the first half. The market for seats is soft.
Now, on to the Thunder. Kelly: “I enjoy reading your articles about the Thunder, but can you please resist the urge to call them the Boomers and leave that nickname to the little league players? I am a huge Thunder fan and love watching the guys play, but the Boomer name is just getting annoying, not only to me, but to other readers as well.”
I sort of like it. When you go and give yourself a singular nickname, you’re inviting an occasional alternative. Just like Yankees and Bombers, Pirates and Bucs, etc.
Herb: “From what you can see, is Kevin Durant in a shooting slump or do you see something in his shot, shot selection or set up that is causing his problems? Thus far, just an average Kevin Durant shooting night has this team at 4-0 right now.
Against the Lakers, I didn’t think shooting was Durant’s problem. I think it was more drive and emotion. He seemed sort of despondent at times on the court. Like he wasn’t part of the offense. That’s a lot more alarming than just missing shots, like he did against Portland.
Sandi: “Ward, you were a little hard on the Beaver. Berry, you were a little hard on our Thunder. I was so pumped at the end of the third quarter, I didn’t care if we lost by 15 points. We are one of the youngest teams in the league and they put on an awesome performance against the Lakers. Our team played like a pro team . I believe we are going to the playoffs. We got game!”
Settle down, June. The Thunder played an interesting game against the Lakers, but they’re not going to the playoffs. That Laker game was the kind of game the Thunder has to start winning to make the playoffs, not just play tough.
Mildred: “Kevin Durant was seen on TV Saturday night supporting Texas. He needs to realize his fan base is Oklahoma. Texas could care less about his basketball career. He probably went out after the game, stayed up all night and played like it last night. We need him to play to
his talent.”
You know what? I think we all ought to get off Durant’s back on this Longhorn thing. He loves his school. Who doesn’t admire that? If Adrian Peterson was with the Dallas Cowboys, would we expect him to tone down his Sooner loyalties? That’s nonsense.
Justin: “Any chance Durant partied a bit hard Saturday with the Longhorn contingent?”
I doubt it. NBA players by nature are night owls. I don’t think the late night at Stillwater caused Durant to go 3-for-21.
Michael: “As fan of Kyle Weaver, why is he not getting any playing time? Is he hurt? As a fan here in Rockford, Ill., it seems he has more upside than Kevin Ollie.”
I think the Thunder has risen above Weaver’s talents. Weaver is no point guard, so it’s a Sefalosha/James Harden issue. Weaver is clearly No. 3 on that list.
Bill wrote about Dez Bryant’s appeal denied: “I agree with Dez’s high school coach that he was made an example of. Having taught in the Texas public schools for many years, I can recognize the spoiled jock so easily. All of his life, people fawned over him, I’m sure, and he got the big head. Meeting with Sanders and lying about it reflects an incredible ego. But it’s good to see the other guys get a chance to catch the ball. Once again a high school kid has used a college as a platform to a pro career. It looks like OSU is snakebit. I like it when they sign the blue chippers, but they seldom pan out. Screw Dez. Let’s just forget about him. It’s the worst possible punishment for a prima donna. They’ll finish with 8 or nine wins and a decent bowl win.”
I don’t like that. I don’t like that “screw Dez.” Dez was punished severely and has made some bad decisions, both before and after. He has no business going to Tampa and leaving school. Dez needs the structure Stillwater could provide, at least until January. I think he’s playing with fire these next two months. But screw Dez? I don’t think so.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
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Comments
oklahoma sucks this year. dont get me wrong im a true ou fan but come they lost to nebrask. jones isnt no sam bradford but he is going have to start playing better then he is or oklahoma will have a upset for the rest of the season.
if we still had sam bradford i think oklahoma would be 9-0 or at least be 8-1 this has to be the worse oklahoma has been in a very long time. now they will be knocked out of the top 25 and their hopes of the big 12 are gone.
David proposes two cross-divisional rivals on the grounds that there’s no way with only one cross-divisional to split the five other cross-divisional teams evenly into the two remaining slots each year.
But he is mistaken. You can work it out over a 20-year cycle, and each team would play its cross-divisional non-rival teams eight times over that cycle. That’s a decrease from the ten times it would currently play the cross-divisional teams.
In your game article you said that 4 losses tied the most under Stoops. That is incorrect!!! In 1999 we were 7-5.