Bob's only mistake...

[Crimsontothecore]

was winning it all in his second year.
Now we have message boards full of morons who want everybody from the cheerleaders to the water boy fired after winning back-to-back conference titles. How sad that memories are so short and people can't remember that a mere ten years ago this program was in the toilet. I remember thinking that my son would never get to see the kind of OU program that I grew up with. Bob Stoops has worked a damn miracle with what he's accomplished at OU and anyone disgruntled is a pure IDIOT!

[Dio]

I don't want Stoops fired, but is losing 4 out of 5 bowl games the kind of OU program we grew up with?

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

No...the OU I grew up with, got the University embarrassed via Sports Illustrated....let's see, couldn't beat Miami...was on probation constantly...had dorms that were only slightly safer than Tikrit in Iraq...let's see, an alcoholic who almost killed our players by denying our players water, ran his mouth off on national television only to get the team embarrassed...a coach that told us every year, that next year was going to be our year...yeah..how I miss those days!

[TXBOOMER]

I miss the old days of 2000, 2001. Hungry and disciplined teams. If you guys don't have a problem with getting out schemed and out disciplined don't dis on the people that do. I hate seeing players on the sideline laughing when we are getting embarrassed once again. I hate seeing our team play a nickel defense against a spread option team. I hate seeing good plays repeatedly getting called back for stupid penalties. The team clearly was not ready to play a football game last night.

I don't want anybody fired. I do want a new defensive scheme. Base nickel don't work against speed. I don't know how long it is gonna take to figure that out.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Do you ever have a bad day at work...now do you work in front of millions of people that are a live audience....

[cccasooner2]

Missing out on a major award.

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/3a/fullj.8fdbede4f29bc714e0a1000fc1d24fae/8fdbede4f29bc714e0a1000fc1d24fae-getty-78222632mw088_tostitos_fies.jpg

[Pigface1]

I miss the old days of 2000, 2001. Hungry and disciplined teams. If you guys don't have a problem with getting out schemed and out disciplined don't dis on the people that do. I hate seeing players on the sideline laughing when we are getting embarrassed once again. I hate seeing our team play a nickel defense against a spread option team. I hate seeing good plays repeatedly getting called back for stupid penalties. The team clearly was not ready to play a football game last night.

Exactly. They weren't ready. . again. OU is the only team to lose to an interim coach this bowl season out of what, 8 of them?

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

How many of those games were BCS caliber football teams out of those 8?

[TXBOOMER]

WVU lost to South Florida and Pitt. They were lucky to beat Louisville and Cincy. This was not a great football team that hiked up their skirt and took a major crap on us last night. Good - Yes

[PhiDeltBeers]

It just seems we can't ever finish strong. We always look good all year, and come bowl time, it's as if we've never played the game. I don't get it.

[Pigface1]

How many of those games were BCS caliber football teams out of those 8?

Are you going to sit there and honestly say OU looked ready to play? lol

I grew up watching in the 70s and 80s and remember the 90s, I'm not some bandwagon fan. Everyone from here to Guam is asking, "What's wrong w/ Oklahoma?"

But if anyone here even whispers that there's something wrong w/ their bowl prep, people act like someone kicked their dog.

Anyone saying Stoops, etc, needs to go is an idiot. But something is missing.

[TUSooner]

You are overreacting to the overreaction.
I have not actually seen any poster calling for Stoops to be replaced. That would be pretty dumb in light oif the overall success of the program, which only a few dolts would ignore. And the water boys and cheerleaders seem to be immune from criticism altogether.
Most people, like me, are just very frustrated that our great seasons now habitually end with a dreadful and embarrassing show-up on national tv. The Sooners are not chumps, but we play chumps on TV every January.
Is this OK? Acceptable? Above criticism?

Before the game, Bob basically said, "Win or lose, everybody pretty much forgets the bowl game in about a month." I don't like that approach. In this day of 24/7 sports on TV, Radio and Internet, people don't so easily forget going 0-fer a string of BCS Bowls. Are we a team that now boasts about BCS "appearances"? I hope not!

The Sooners and the University WANT us to devote our hearts and emotions to them, and we do. It's not wrong for us to resent disappointment when we wear our crimson on our sleeves. Yes, defeat come with the territory for any team, but we don't have to accept it glady, especially when it comes like it has for us in recent years.

[Dio]

No...the OU I grew up with, got the University embarrassed via Sports Illustrated....let's see, couldn't beat Miami...was on probation constantly...had dorms that were only slightly safer than Tikrit in Iraq...let's see, an alcoholic who almost killed our players by denying our players water, ran his mouth off on national television only to get the team embarrassed...a coach that told us every year, that next year was going to be our year...yeah..how I miss those days!

You said "embarrassed" twice- that game last night didn't embarrass you any? And all of that means exactly jack when discussing the situation at hand- Stoops' inability to prepare the team for Bowl games 5 years running.

[MextheBulldog]

What's that old saying....Fool me once....

How about four times now?

Geez i do love some Coach Stoops but that was a bad performance all around. Coach Stoops likes to say that each year is independent from the previous, so if that's the case - there is only one constant here - the coaching staff.

[LittleWingSooner]

I'm sorry this is Oklahoma. We should expect to win BCS games and NCs. That's what Oklahoma is all about. It's not about just winning Conference championships. Yes you need bounces to come your way to win national championships but you don't need bounces to go your way to win BCS games every year. 0-4 in the last 4 BCS games and 2-4 overall in BCS games. I know Switzer and Wilkinson did better than that in major bowl games.

[Pigface1]

What's that old saying....Fool me once....

How about four times now?

Geez i do love some Coach Stoops but that was a bad performance all around. Coach Stoops likes to say that each year is independent from the previous, so if that's the case - there is only one constant here - the coaching staff.

He's always said he's not much for "ra ra." but man, maybe he oughta just get hammered before the bowl game, head into the locker room, and threaten to kill everyone if they don't go out there and pound the other team. Just something, anything, to get those guys fired up b/c apparently they can't/won't do it on their own.

At the minimum just make up some bulletin board material.

[rubyspirit]

Bob Stoops chokes on the big stage. Period. His BCS record proves it.

You can't get pass it. I LOVE the Big 12 Championships we've won. I'm proud of them. BUT this lost and the other BCS bowls losses are the reason ESPN craps on us. We can't perform nationally, just among our neighbors.

We MUST put up during the big moments or shut up.

[LittleWingSooner]

Barry Switzer in the OB(the only really major bowl game he played in) 6-3 he did play in the Fiesta Bowl twice but this was when the Fiesta wasn't the major bowl it is today. But even if you include that game it's 7-4.

Bud Wilkinson in those major bowl games 6-2 and he wasn't allowed to play in it every year or he may have been better than that.

Bob Stoops is 2-4 so far. Yes he has one national title but 2-4 isn't a good record.

[Desert Sapper]

WVU lost to South Florida and Pitt. They were lucky to beat Louisville and Cincy. This was not a great football team that hiked up their skirt and took a major crap on us last night. Good - Yes

They are a team that would have been playing for a national title if they didn't get out-played and out-coached by a pathetic Pitt team. At one point, people were saying they were the best team in the country...then they got beat by USF in Tampa. Louisville always plays them tight (and Louisville is not without significant talent on both sides of the ball). Cincy was a 10-3 team that won their bowl game. Other than the four teams you mention, they BURIED everybody they played. This was a very fast, very aggressive, and very fired up team last night.

Slaton going down didn't even slow them down, because Noel Devine is like a little DeMarco Murray (who we missed).

These guys had been hearing about how much they suck, how great OU is, and how they never deserved to be ranked #2 in the country all week. They had to deal with the visions of Pitt beating them in their house. They had to deal with their coach stabbing them in the back. So, when they stepped on the field in Glendale, they had something huge to prove. We were basking in all the glory of beating the #1 team in the country (that PWN3D Arkansas in the Cotton, BTW), and weren't really thinking about that other team that had every bit of the talent and depth that we do, and runs the spread better than anybody in the country. And we got our asses handed to us in a Tostitos chip bowl.

On the other hand, we were good enough to win this game, and ****ed it away. We get the two point conversion, Hartley falls on the ball on the onside, whatever in that little exchange, and we might just win the game.

But this was a great team, they proved it, and we fell flat on our face in yet another BCS bowl. Yippee.

[LittleWingSooner]

West Virginia is probably the worst team we've played in a BCS Bowl under Stoops and maybe the worst team we've played in a Bowl under Stoops.

[r5TPsooner]

was winning it all in his second year.
Now we have message boards full of morons who want everybody from the cheerleaders to the water boy fired after winning back-to-back conference titles. How sad that memories are so short and people can't remember that a mere ten years ago this program was in the toilet. I remember thinking that my son would never get to see the kind of OU program that I grew up with. Bob Stoops has worked a damn miracle with what he's accomplished at OU and anyone disgruntled is a pure IDIOT!


I guess but the on side kick right after we scored a TD and had momentum was a HUGE mistake in my eyes. The game went very south from that point on.

[Desert Sapper]

West Virginia is probably the worst team we've played in a BCS Bowl under Stoops and maybe the worst team we've played in a Bowl under Stoops.


Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Ahem, oh, I'm sorry. I was just laughing at you.

[BoulderSooner79]

West Virginia is probably the worst team we've played in a BCS Bowl under Stoops and maybe the worst team we've played in a Bowl under Stoops.

Me thinks you'll get some disagreement on that one. WVU is much better than Boise (Fiesta), Arkansas (Cotton) and WSU (Rose).

[4bigoufans]

The 2 things I have noticed from the 00 team to now is the talent level and the lack of displine. I believe we were less talented but way more displined in 00. Maybe the players think that there are going to be able to play out of postion and still win like in high school. That is not the case when you are playing at this level. Everyone has team speed, if you are out of postion or overplaying the run you will get burned. Just my opinion. Maybe go for 2 star talent and coach them up rather than 4 star talent that dont play with more displine.

[76soonergrad]

We certainly made West Virginia look brilliant last night.

Did you hear how their OC wanted to stay for the game even though his is going to Michigan with RR? They had a plan. And executed it.

[SoonerLB]

They had an offensive coordinator that was capable of both finding and taking advantage of the weak spots, we didn't have that luxury. We ran that same vanilla, predictable offense that we have for too long now. They know what we are going to do by our sets basically, there are never any surprises with Wilson, just the same old plays run from the same basic sets. Maybe it could have worked, but it would have required an offensive line that could do something besides hold!
And as mentioned above, their players were fired up and ready to play, whereas ours were somewhat in that sleepwalk mode they were in at Colorado and TT. Seems like when someone needs to step up, there are no volunteers. Where's the desire, where's the fire? I don't know the answers, but I do want Bob Stoops to be the one to find them!
Oh, and Bob, after that, there are defensive issues to tackle also! Tackle being the key word!

[LittleWingSooner]

Me thinks you'll get some disagreement on that one. WVU is much better than Boise (Fiesta), Arkansas (Cotton) and WSU (Rose).

They aren't ranked higher than any of those teams. They are the lowest ranked BCS team we've played so far. FSU was 2, WSU was ranked 5th or 6th, LSU, and USC were 2nd and 1st, Boise was ranked 7th I think.

[BoulderSooner79]

They aren't ranked higher than any of those teams. They are the lowest ranked BCS team we've played so far. FSU was 2, WSU was ranked 5th or 6th, LSU, and USC were 2nd and 1st, Boise was ranked 7th I think.

Yeah and Hawaii was ranked 12th this year and OU 4th (sniff). Are you saying you think BCS ranking accurately represent how good teams are ? Please pass me what ever that is you are smoking. I think you will at least agree this years
WVU team is better than that lousy Arkansas team we played in the Cotton and that over ranked Oregon squad in the Holiday. (You said worst of all bowl opponents)

WSU only lost 2 games this year and they both happened when Pat White was hurt early in the game. They dominated in many of their wins when they were clicking.

[Desert Sapper]

Ole Miss wasn't this good, FSU had a more predictable offense, Arkansas wasn't this good, Wazzu definitely wasn't this good, LSU didn't have this much offensive power, Oregon wasn't nearly this good, and Boise wasn't even close to being this talented (even if they were a LOT more disciplined and played well as a team). That leaves one team that we've played in a bowl game since Stoops has been here that was 'better' than this WVU team, and we all know who that was.

So we have ourselves the GOWWDNS2.

[LittleWingSooner]

WVU looked better than they were. OU wasn't prepared to play that game last night.

[cb4ou]

Honestly WVU looked loose and we looked tight.

They were having fun and we looked scared.

Need to rethink bowl preparation.

People seem to find our weakness and we cannot find theirs

[OUstud]

West Virginia is probably the worst team we've played in a BCS Bowl under Stoops and maybe the worst team we've played in a Bowl under Stoops.

You really had me agreeing with you there for awhile. Then you revert back to the same idiotic remarks you make on the basketball board all the time. Name two players from that Ole Miss team in 1999. Deuce McAllister and...? Name three from Washington State. Gesser, Trufant, and...?

WVU isn't a worldbeater, but they're really good. To suggest that Ole Miss and Washington State are better is dumb.

[madillsoonerfan5353]

I don't want Stoops fired, but is losing 4 out of 5 bowl games the kind of OU program we grew up with?

That's all im saying!!! Stoops saved the SOONERS, but this sucks!!!!

[Egeo]

we are too spoiled

there are probably 110-115 teams that would trade their coaching staff for ours

[LittleWingSooner]

You really had me agreeing with you there for awhile. Then you revert back to the same idiotic remarks you make on the basketball board all the time. Name two players from that Ole Miss team in 1999. Deuce McAllister and...? Name three from Washington State. Gesser, Trufant, and...?

WVU isn't a worldbeater, but they're really good. To suggest that Ole Miss and Washington State are better is dumb.

Washington State was a top 6 team that year. They had 3 NFL WRs, a good LB(can't remember his name), a great DT(Rian Long I think) They won the Pac 10. Beat a good USC team and lost to Ohio State early in the year. They had a baffling loss to Washington but that's a state rivalry. I think they were at least as good as WVU on offense and had a better defense.

We just prepared well for that game and destroyed them. This year we weren't well prepared and looked slow because of that. WVU is a good team but they are at least worst than all the other BCS teams OU has played since 2000. They are ranked the lowest of any of those teams. They may be worse than any other bowl team we've played also. I came away less impressed with WVU and more disgusted by how OU played.

If we played like we did last night against Hawaii we lose to them also. Fact is we aren't prepared well for bowl games the last few years. That needs to change.

[TripleOption14]

we are too spoiled

there are probably 110-115 teams that would trade their coaching staff for ours

I think your missing the point. True, those other 110 would love to trade places with us. But we're talking BIG BOY college football. If LSU, USC, Ohio St, Florida, Tech etc etc. Come out and handle things like there supposed to why can't OU? It's not a matter of being spoiled. This staff hangs their hat on this programs "expectations and tradition." ok then if thats the case then the fan base is going to hold the staff to their word. The staff built up the "monster" and kept it as a pet and fed it all kind of goodies early on. Now that the monster needs to be fed and all of a sudden the "expectations" are too much. Well no, the staff started it by feeding it tradition, expectations, and big talk. Now they can't feed it??? All the other BIG BOY teams can feed their monster.

[Egeo]

florida just lost to michigan
and i dont know what "tech" you're talking about

how many bowl games did tom osborne lose?

i think i can choose whether im a monster or not, nomatter who fed me.
you're right though, OU fans do seem to be monsters right now but it's embarrasing and giving us a bad reputation.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Probably Virginia Tech since they are the greatest program in the country. I am sure some idiot on a Florida Message board is calling for Urban Meyers head (ironically enough, they would want Stoops if they did)

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

You said "embarrassed" twice- that game last night didn't embarrass you any? And all of that means exactly jack when discussing the situation at hand- Stoops' inability to prepare the team for Bowl games 5 years running.

Would you rather be embarrassed that your child
A) Lost a game and didn't play their best
B) Was selling tons out of cocaine out of their dorm room

My thing is that I was disappointed in our performance but I also know that they are just young and that they didn't play their best. I bet you Bob Stoops slept the worse of anybody on this board. He knows he messed up. You have to realize that Bob is still very early on in his education in college football. You also have to realize that comparing him to Bud and Barry is highly unfair. They coached in an era where Parity meant the Top 5 teams could compete with each other and every one else fought for table scraps. Also Bob Stoops can't pay players anywhere near as well as Switzer paid his players.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Do you ever have a bad day at work...now do you work in front of millions of people that are a live audience....

OU has had 4 of those days in a row in the month of January; that should be totally unacceptable to the coaching staff, players, and the fans

[Crimsontothecore]

OU has had 4 of those days in a row in the month of January; that should be totally unacceptable to the coaching staff, players, and the fans
I keep hearing the old "4 in a row" cry. Does anyone remember we won the Holiday bowl in '05? By my math we've lost 2 in a row.

[SanDiegoSoonerGal]

And the water boys and cheerleaders seem to be immune from criticism altogether.


The horsepigs, on the other hand....

[SanDiegoSoonerGal]

I keep hearing the old "4 in a row" cry. Does anyone remember we won the Holiday bowl in '05? By my math we've lost 2 in a row.

1. I think their point is 4 BCS bowls in a row. Which the Holiday was not.

2. Besides, that Holiday Bowl never happened, remember? Even though I clearly remember being there. At least I thought I was.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Right and right!

Wanna get married? I love smart women! lol

[TripleOption14]

florida just lost to michigan
and i dont know what "tech" you're talking about

how many bowl games did tom osborne lose?

i think i can choose whether im a monster or not, nomatter who fed me.
you're right though, OU fans do seem to be monsters right now but it's embarrasing and giving us a bad reputation.

Florida won the title last year (feeding their monster) and Virginia Tech ALWAYS plays great inspired ball.

The "monster" references i am using is a metaphor for the OU program itself. Fans, tradition, relavance, coaches, presidents, boosters, facilities, players etc. etc. all help to build the "monster" And all big name teams have their own monster. The program has to keep feeding this monster otherwise the monster gets restless. Im not saying fire Bob Stoops (he's one of the primary caretakers for the monster) but he needs to get back to as someone else said the chip on the shoulder Bob Stoops.

However, i will say that the problem with the monster is that it always needs more! And this is where we are today. How much longer is the monster gonna be statisfied w/ winning conf. and then being a NO SHOW and getting no hardware in bcs games? Time is growing short.

[guzziguy]

I trust in Coach Stoops' ability to get things turned around. However, now that the term "spongebob-bowl-flop" (coined I believe by the ESPN online site) is in play he should see that there is a great deal of unrest and discomfort with the status quo. Improvements must be made. Immediately.

Getting rolled by lesser teams whether in-season or out is unacceptable. The opportunities for education and a stage to make your case for Sunday play made available by being an OU player are tangibles that demand respect. I for one would appreciate that respect being shown by showing up on game day.

Where would we be today if we'd played the season with the effort shown in Missouri 2.0? Why should we expect less?

[redblood]

bad pregame pep talk?

[dog-knee]

Sure seems like I remember driving from Miami, OK to Miami, FL to watch the Sooners play in the 1978 Orange Bowl. Nobody gave Arkansas a chance in hell -- Lou Holtz had just suspended his two best running backs, and Arkansas wasn't that strong to begin with. EVERYBODY was predicting a double-digit victory by OU, and another MNC. Yet, we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, let Roland Sales (remember him from his stellar college and pro career? Me neither) run rampant over our defense, had our offense fall down a lot when they weren't being called for holding, and got beat 31-6. So, explain to me again why we're so upset about this tragic loss in the Fiesta Bowl that doesn't mean ANYTHING in the national championship picture for this year or next?

[Soonerus]

Stoops is a great coach...

[meoveryouxinfinity]

Do you ever have a bad day at work...now do you work in front of millions of people that are a live audience....
no, i don't get paid millions either.

[proudsoonergal]

....is not insisting we play Virginia Tech in the BCS bowls. They have the same 0 for last 4 BCS record that we do....so I guess Frank Beamer chokes on the big stage too.

;) :D ;)

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

no, i don't get paid millions either.

Well as for the players...I wonder what they are going to do with their million dollars

As for Bob Stoops, What did OU get paid just for playing in the Fiesta Bowl...what did they get paid (in extra revenue) for going to the Big XII championship...I believe he just paid his salary off and that doesn't take into account our full stadiums, all of the uniform and other stuff sale that has increased exponentially since he first got here....I am pretty sure he pays for his salary about 10 fold.

[LesNessman]

Sure seems like I remember driving from Miami, OK to Miami, FL to watch the Sooners play in the 1978 Orange Bowl. Nobody gave Arkansas a chance in hell -- Lou Holtz had just suspended his two best running backs, and Arkansas wasn't that strong to begin with. EVERYBODY was predicting a double-digit victory by OU, and another MNC. Yet, we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, let Roland Sales (remember him from his stellar college and pro career? Me neither) run rampant over our defense, had our offense fall down a lot when they weren't being called for holding, and got beat 31-6. So, explain to me again why we're so upset about this tragic loss in the Fiesta Bowl that doesn't mean ANYTHING in the national championship picture for this year or next?

great points.

[fossil]

Puhleez, for all of you who want to clear the bench, take a deep breath, chill a bit, try to remember that you have one of the best damned head coaches in the country, and consider who you would be willing to replace him with.


I'm waiting..........huh? Can't think of anyone, right? Who out there is better than Bob Stoops. You want Mac Brown? You want Pete Carol (or however the heck you spell his last name). There are no 'better' head coaches out there. You want John Blake back?

So, all of you young hot heads out there who can't exist without instant gratification, suck it up, man up, forget this year, get behind this staff and team, and start getting ready to win the Big 12 champeenship next year and return to a major BCS bowl where OU will WIN!!!!

I had to walk into a rehearsal the night after the game and face two huge Long Whorn fans who both said, "Damn, your team sucks!" I was forced to reply, "Jeez, must really suck for you because we whipped your but, plus you lost to the Aggies who had trouble scoring in practice!".

So, quit whining, appreciate what you have, hope for a better post season next year. It ain't the END OF THE WORLD!!!

[zeke]

Puhleez, for all of you who want to clear the bench, take a deep breath, chill a bit, try to remember that you have one of the best damned head coaches in the country, and consider who you would be willing to replace him with.


I'm waiting..........huh? Can't think of anyone, right? Who out there is better than Bob Stoops. You want Mac Brown? You want Pete Carol (or however the heck you spell his last name). There are no 'better' head coaches out there. You want John Blake back?

So, all of you young hot heads out there who can't exist without instant gratification, suck it up, man up, forget this year, get behind this staff and team, and start getting ready to win the Big 12 champeenship next year and return to a major BCS bowl where OU will WIN!!!!

I had to walk into a rehearsal the night after the game and face two huge Long Whorn fans who both said, "Damn, your team sucks!" I was forced to reply, "Jeez, must really suck for you because we whipped your but, plus you lost to the Aggies who had trouble scoring in practice!".

So, quit whining, appreciate what you have, hope for a better post season next year. It ain't the END OF THE WORLD!!!

Exactly

I guess we could wave a bunch of $$$ out there and get Nick Saben, Lester Miles, the dude at piggyville or maybe Callahan could come in and we could run the spread off.

There will be changes made but firing people is not the answer.

[Kels]

I'm not seeing anyone calling for Bob's job either. I also don't see how this loss has anything to do with cocaine or 12 men on the field penalties.

Perception is fast becoming reality in our society. We have the perception of being choke artists in the BCS nationally. 2-4 in the BCS (0-4 in since 2003) and 4-5 overall in bowl games with Bob isn't satisfactory for this program. That should cause the boosters (that's us) to ask questions. Bob isn't above review.

Let's talk about it, dissect it, offer opinions. Will Bob or Joe take our ideas and run with them? Of course not. Is it abnormal to have the discussion? Not in the least.

The default reply, "Just be thankful and shut up!" isn't going to work this time. There is going to be a lot of examination of the program now, and you know it. Bob is a man, he's over 40. I've met him, and I have no doubt that he can handle whatever this message board throws at him.

On sports radio yesterday, a comment was made about what will happen if we drop another BCS game, two more in a row? At what point will there be enough pressure on the program to evaluate and make some changes? Not talking about a head coaching change, no one is advocating that, but schemes, preparation, assistants, attitude?

I think some of you are just a little too sanctimonious. The red herring that Bob should be fired, or we are somehow going to transport back to the 90s if we ask hard questions of the program is loopy. We've got 9 months until our next game, and we've got a lot to talk about.

Billy's response was always, "Get better." It is germane to discuss how the program should do that.

[princetonsooner]

Bob won in his 2nd year because we were well coached and had a bunch of over achieving players, how many on the two deep got to even a sniff of the NFL. Make fun of his girth but MANGIENO was one hell of an O' LINE COACH! If we want more success in the BCS we are going to have to coach batter and find players who prove themselves instead of bellieve the hype!!

[sooneredaco]

yeah it sucks to lose, but we were missing 3 studs on defense, Kelly was hurt and Murray didn"t play. That is a lot of talent missing.

[LittleWingSooner]

Even if those guys played we still get our butts beat. The team didn't play with emotion and didn't seem to really care. 3 or 4 players doesn't change that.

[opksooner]

Tom Osborn lost 7, seven, bowl games in a row.

[Kels]

Growing up a Sooner fan, I was under the impression that Barry was better than Tom, and Oklahoma was better than Nebraska. When did that change? Is Dr. Tom our standard now?

[opksooner]

Kels,

Tom Osborn lost 7, seven, bowl games in a row before winning three National Championships in four years, '94, '95, and 97.

That was my point. Sorry I didn't complete the thought.

[LittleWingSooner]

Tom Osborn lost 7, seven, bowl games in a row.

We aren't Nebraska.

[opksooner]

You're missing the point. Perhaps it was too subtle.

Stoops is being criticized for losing 4 bowl games in a row. Some damn fools are even calling for his head. TO overcame an even more disastrous bowl record to notch those three NCs.

The sky is not falling. Stoops is still "da man", and our best days lay ahead.

K?

[sanantoniosooner]

Stoops is being criticized for losing 4 bowl games in a row.
Bob has never lost 4 bowl games in a row. In fact, he's only lost 2 in a row at any particular stretch.

He HAS lost the last 4 BCS Bowl games and it should be a concern, but anyone who talks about replacing him is a 'tard of the highest order.

[St. Louis Sooner]

Stoops has lost the bubble when it comes to major bowl preparation. How does Bob - given that OU has achieved 'legendary' status - get his team to prepare/play at a higher level during/after an entire month off?

That month off puts his coaching approach and preparation out of whack. Maybe there's a hunger factor that he loses ... or some kind of 'outta sight outta mind' thing that hangs over the team .... I dunno. Whatever the reason(s), USC exploited it, WVU just did it too. Even BSU took advantage of it.

He had the good assistant coaches during our FSU win (Leach, Mangino, bro' Mike), and he even had Mangino when we won at the Rose Bowl ... if I remember correctly. Maybe it's a coaching problem? Maybe Bob took it for granted during these winning years, and now that he doesn't have the good assistants, he doesn't know what to do? Not sure ...

If he could tweak his pre-BCS bowl approach then he could elevate his team's mental and physical performance when it matters. Given that he is proud and somewhat stubborn, I believe it's going to be difficult for him to accomplish much less come to grips with. So until it happens, I've learned to hide my head in the sand during the month of December IF: 1) We're the favorite, AND 2) The other team isn't giving OU any emotional 'angle' to motivate them. Bob does well when the other team gives him something to motivate his players.

Finally, being a wholly-devoted fan of the Sooners since 1972 (and my Mom and Dad were diehards since WWII), I just want our team to fight whatever it is that causes these implosions. I don't mind losing close games ... because it shows we're still on the field fighting. But these a**-whoopings coming out of nowhere have me greatly disturbed. I mean, these things happened when he was with Florida's Spurrier teams, and we've had to deal with plenty of them since he's been OU's head coach.

One example of a coach changing his approach: Mark Richt, Georgia Bulldogs, 2007.

[Kels]

Kels,

Tom Osborn lost 7, seven, bowl games in a row before winning three National Championships in four years, '94, '95, and 97.

That was my point. Sorry I didn't complete the thought.

opk,

I knew what you were implying, I was twisting your tail a little bit. Of course Stoops is our coach, I don't want to trade him. However, he needs to lead the way in the critical evaluation and possible change in our scheme, preparation, attitude, and role of the assistants. Just saying that things will be better next year isn't satisfactory. Trust me, if he drops 3 more BCS bowl games and goes 0-7 (which isn't as bad as Tom dropping 7 bowls games in a row) I don't think he will be here, or at the least, there will be a significant change with our assistants. Oklahoma does not have the patience of a Nebraska. We're think we are better than them.

Those NU teams were phenomenal. Maybe they would've won anyway, but their timing coincided with our worst stretch in the 90s. Tom really benefitted from the effects of our probation and turmoil within the program. Who knows?

BTW, my best friend lives in opk.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I like all these people praising Carroll, Richt, and these other jerk offs...you know what they all have in common...they didn't play for a National Championship this year...and guess what, that is ALL Oklahoma settles for. I still don't respect Kelly Gregg because he didn't win a championship, I mean for God sake we are OU, do we really want to settle for mediocre Top 10 teams. I mean any team can be a top 10 team...but not OU, as soon as we lost to Colorado, we should have forfeited the season and prepared for next year. Big 12 Championships are bull****...AT OU we expect more. Now didn't that sound retarded ;)

[sanantoniosooner]

Now didn't that sound retarded ;)
Are you kidding?

The n00bs will worship you with posts like that.;)

[Desert Sapper]

I like all these people praising Carroll, Richt, and these other jerk offs...you know what they all have in common...they didn't play for a National Championship this year...and guess what, that is ALL Oklahoma settles for. I still don't respect Kelly Gregg because he didn't win a championship, I mean for God sake we are OU, do we really want to settle for mediocre Top 10 teams. I mean any team can be a top 10 team...but not OU, as soon as we lost to Colorado, we should have forfeited the season and prepared for next year. Big 12 Championships are bull****...AT OU we expect more. Now didn't that sound retarded ;)

WOOT!

There's only ONE...

Oh, wait...****. :D

[Kels]

Ray Reins syndrome . . .