New Team Goal for 2008

[The Maestro]

I say every down, every play, every moment of every game we give it our all and try to win.

We don't make our goal to win conference titles.

We don't make our goal to be unbeaten at home.

We don't make our goal to beat Texas.

I say we just make our goal to be the best team on each play.

We make a goal to play 14 games and win every one of them.

It doesn't mean the season cannot be a success without that, but we want to play in as many games as we can and play like it is our last play every down.

That way, lapses like Colorado, Iowa State, Texas Tech and in the bowl game don't happen. Other teams will have success, but we can bust our *** anyway and come back stronger.

As well, when we get to a bowl game we don't have to say, "We achieved our goals already! We won the Big 12!" If you make a goal of winning them all you will be conference champions...and then we don't have a bad taste in our mouth from losing the bowl game with a lackluster performance.

14 games...roughly four hours each. Be great for 56 hours a year. Use the other thousands of hours to make mistakes and prepare for those 2 1/3 days of the year where it matters most.

Sincerely,

Matt Foley motivational school graduate

[OUmillenium]

ha! Matt Foley!

[Redgiant2]

I'm not trying to be a smart ***, but if that is not already the teams goal there is a serious focus problem going on with the staff.

[Jimminy Crimson]

That's pretty much been the team goal...

The workout shirts, which some of the players wear under their jerseys on gamedays, have the BCS Championship Game logo on them.

[The Maestro]

Then why did I hear stuff about the team saying the goal was the Big 12 title? That leaves out the bowl game and seems foolish.

[85sooners]

:confused:

[hink4769]

Then why did I hear stuff about the team saying the goal was the Big 12 title? That leaves out the bowl game and seems foolish.
I think the goal during the season should be to win the conference (and non-conference games prior to conference play). Obviously you want to take every game seriously because they each count equal in the standings. The Texas game is (I think) slightly more important because there's a chance we may tie them for first. There's plenty of time to prepare for a bowl game after thats finished. I know I'm going to ruffle some feathers but I've never going to understand the fascination with all the bowl games that don't decide national championships. It just seems like a big ploy by schools, TV, and the bowl people to get people excited and make money off fans when there's really nothing on the line other than maybe preseason ranking and recruiting, and the only time preseason ranking really mattered was the year Auburn got screwed after going undefeated (I'm not saying they should have been there over OU, but they did get screwed by not getting a chance to win a NC) To me, winning the conference is much more important than winning the bowl unless you're in the NC game which pretty much means you've won your conference anyway.
That said, OU's BCS bowl game losing streak is disturbing because they are in position to contend for the NC the next few years with Sam at the helm. I think these problems have been well hashed out in other threads though haha.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

3 goals

Moxie
Swagger
Finish

[insuranceman_22]

Goal #1 - Maintain or slightly improve at home.

Goal #2 - Get a helluva lot more consistant (or get better) on the road!

Goal #3 - Win the "big" BCS game!

Go Sooners

[Mjcpr]

I'm not so sure we need a goal so much as we need a motto. Maybe even a mission statement.

To a lesser extent, a tenet.

[bri]

Every year, the "public" goals are:

1) Win the South.
2) Win the Big 12
3) Win a BCS bowl.

But, as Jimminy pointed out, the "public" goals and the actual goals are a little different.

[Jimminy Crimson]

Just what bri said...

If you don't win the South, you're not playing for the Big XII. If you don't win the Big XII, you (for the most part) aren't playing for the crystal football.

They're all smaller parts of the big goal.

If there is a usual contender from one of the BCS conferences whose goal at the beginning of the year isn't to play for the BCS title, they shouldn't even lace up their shoes.

[SoonerKnight]

we got plenty of months to ponder all this............this is going to be a looooooooong off season.

[arizonasooner]

How about this goal?

Score 50 every time out.

Enough said.

[Zbird]

I say every down, every play, every moment of every game we give it our all and try to win.

We don't make our goal to win conference titles.

We don't make our goal to be unbeaten at home.

We don't make our goal to beat Texas.

I say we just make our goal to be the best team on each play.

We make a goal to play 14 games and win every one of them.

It doesn't mean the season cannot be a success without that, but we want to play in as many games as we can and play like it is our last play every down.

That way, lapses like Colorado, Iowa State, Texas Tech and in the bowl game don't happen. Other teams will have success, but we can bust our *** anyway and come back stronger.

As well, when we get to a bowl game we don't have to say, "We achieved our goals already! We won the Big 12!" If you make a goal of winning them all you will be conference champions...and then we don't have a bad taste in our mouth from losing the bowl game with a lackluster performance.

14 games...roughly four hours each. Be great for 56 hours a year. Use the other thousands of hours to make mistakes and prepare for those 2 1/3 days of the year where it matters most.

Sincerely,

Matt Foley motivational school graduate

How about FINISH!

[goingoneight]

1. Don't get anyone injured, ineligible or suspended.

2. Swagger

3. Trickeration

4. Block

5. Tackle

6. Run

7. Catch

8. Discipline

9. Own

10. Finish

[hink4769]

1. Don't get anyone injured, ineligible or suspended.

2. Swagger

3. Trickeration

4. Block

5. Tackle

6. Run

7. Catch

8. Discipline

9. Own

10. Finish
11. Cut down on dumb penalties
12. Don't fumble the football so much (didn't do it in bowl game but was a big problem through most of season)
I guess these could go under discipline but I felt they were a big enough problem that they should be addressed separatley

[FirstandGoal]

Don't lose the first game of '09

[mikeelikee]

I only have one goal to suggest for next year's team: Beat the team that lines up across from you, whenever and wherever that happens to be.

[MamaMia]

The goal should to play each and every game to the best of their ability, win or lose.

[ruf/nekdad]

How about
1. Don't steal
2. Go to class

[TUSooner]

The team needs to give up lots of points every game because that will finally get Venables fired, which is ALL THAT MATTERS!

As I suspected....

[soonermix]

OU 2008 Goals:

1) DOMINATE
2) see #1

the end

[effay]

Our new goal needs to be to win every single game.

None of this win the Big XII and NC garbage that has led to us getting dominated in the Fiesta Bowl. Win every game and we get all the trophies too.

[JLEW1818]

Dont regroup , RELOAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[the_edge]

It's really quite simple.

1. Steal underpants
2. ?
3. Win BCS National Championship

[pott_2]

It's really quite simple.

1. Steal underpants
2. ?
3. Win BCS National Championship

:D

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Beat the everlovin' holy snot outa all those SOBsumbiches who dare represent any team other than the SOONERS!

[william_brasky]

we need some Sooner Magic (http://youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0)

[LittleWingSooner]

Our goal every year should be to win national titles.

[effay]

Our goal every year should be to win national titles.

If I'm not mistaken, Stoops' main declared goals each year are to win the Big XII and the NC already. So clearly the goal of winning the NC is not doing it for our team and coaches. I don't know if the coaches aren't pushing the goals hard enough or in the right way or whatever, but I do know that something is wrong with our team's motivation and I agree that our problems are goal/motivation related more than schemes or Xs & Os or anything else. When I watch games like we played against BSU, Colorado & WVU, it's clear that coaches and players are not motivated to win (I except AD & AP from this because they always seemed/seem to want to win badly).

[bri]

If I'm not mistaken, Stoops' main declared goals each year are to win the Big XII and the NC already. So clearly the goal of winning the NC is not doing it for our team and coaches. I don't know if the coaches aren't pushing the goals hard enough or in the right way or whatever, but I do know that something is wrong with our team's motivation and I agree that our problems are goal/motivation related more than schemes or Xs & Os or anything else. When I watch games like we played against BSU, Colorado & WVU, it's clear that coaches and players are not motivated to win (I except AD & AP from this because they always seemed/seem to want to win badly).

Maybe, and I'm going out on a limb here, so bear with me, just maybe there are other good teams in the world.

[Dio]

Maybe, and I'm going out on a limb here, so bear with me, just maybe there are other good teams in the world.

That's just crazy talk!

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Maybe, and I'm going out on a limb here, so bear with me, just maybe there are other good teams in the world.


sorry...no logical posts allowed after bowl loss

[effay]

Maybe, and I'm going out on a limb here, so bear with me, just maybe there are other good teams in the world.

Let's take our recent losses to BSU, Colorado & WVU for example.

Since you don't think that the reason we lost to these teams is rooted in goals/motivation as I do, which is perfectly fine with me, I'm wondering what your explanation is.

Do you think that WVU, BSU & Colorado just had more talented players?
Do you think that WVU, BSU & Colorado were better coached?

[SoonerObsession]

I think we as fans need a goal. (myself included)

1. Support your favorite team and show pride in them no matter what happens.
2. Represent yourself with class and sportsmanship to other fans.
3. Realize that pinning your self-worth on the ability of your team to win every game is stupid.
4. Enjoy wins and shrug off the losses.
5. Remember its a game and that other things are far more important.

[effay]

I think we as fans need a goal. (myself included)

1. Support your favorite team and show pride in them no matter what happens.
2. Represent yourself with class and sportsmanship to other fans.
3. Realize that pinning your self-worth on the ability of your team to win every game is stupid.
4. Enjoy wins and shrug off the losses.
5. Remember its a game and that other things are far more important.

I'm not really sure which one of these you are applying to me but, in any case, I've never understood why there are some people that are so offended when any fan criticizes their team. If the criticism is well reasoned, then what's the big deal? If it's irrational criticism, then point it out.

I don't post criticism to hear myself talk; I post to see what other people think about my opinion. If someone thinks my opinion is stupid then fine; I hope they point it out. And if I think their opinion or criticism of my opinion is stupid then I'm going to point that out as well, hopefully with good reason.

It seems though like there are a lot of people who just troll around message boards telling critics they are overreacting...not showing pride...not supporting the team...etc (you've seen it before)...without any evidence or counterpoint of their own. Why is it that these people feel the need to constantly respond with dismissive posts that are useless because they have no argument?

I like looking at things critically and I never make rude, obnoxious or malicious attacks on any coach or player, I have been a Sooner since the day I was born (I have pictures if you don't believe me), I went to every single game this season (which includes driving to every away game) while attending OU and I stayed to the last second of each one of them, and I consider it a personal failure if I still have my voice after a game, so I don't suffer from pride issues, I'm not a fair-weather fan and I do everything I can to support the team. So my question is: if I or anyone else wants to be critical in a civil manner, who cares?

[stoops the eternal pimp]

grey spek....havent had one of those in a while

[SoonerObsession]

I'm not really sure which one of these you are applying to me but, in any case, I've never understood why there are some people that are so offended when any fan criticizes their team. If the criticism is well reasoned, then what's the big deal? If it's irrational criticism, then point it out.

I don't post criticism to hear myself talk; I post to see what other people think about my opinion. If someone thinks my opinion is stupid then fine; I hope they point it out. And if I think their opinion or criticism of my opinion is stupid then I'm going to point that out as well, hopefully with good reason.

It seems though like there are a lot of people who just troll around message boards telling critics they are overreacting...not showing pride...not supporting the team...etc (you've seen it before)...without any evidence or counterpoint of their own. Why is it that these people feel the need to constantly respond with dismissive posts that are useless because they have no argument?

I like looking at things critically and I never make rude, obnoxious or malicious attacks on any coach or player, I have been a Sooner since the day I was born (I have pictures if you don't believe me), I went to every single game this season (which includes driving to every away game) while attending OU and I stayed to the last second of each one of them, and I consider it a personal failure if I still have my voice after a game, so I don't suffer from pride issues, I'm not a fair-weather fan and I do everything I can to support the team. So my question is: if I or anyone else wants to be critical in a civil manner, who cares?

I never named any names besides myself. I'm sure there are others on this board that know they could use a little self-examination as well. Maybe I should have started my own thread so you don't feel I'm pointing you out.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Easy..He's hit me with the deadly grey spek twice

[The Maestro]

4. Enjoy wins and shrug off the losses.
5. Remember its a game and that other things are far more important.

While other things are more important, your point #4 sounds like the attitude I adopted during the Blake era. Hell, I learned to just watch OU games like I watched an episode of M*A*S*H.

Stoops expectations and salary are way too high to just shrug off losses to lesser opponents like Colorado. If he is cool making Blake money, then I will be cool shrugging off losses. If he wants to be paid like the premiere coach in college football, then shrugs will not work. Wins will do or at least beating bad teams and competing against the good one's...not losing at Colorado and giving up 48 to ANYONE!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

While other things are more important, your point #4 sounds like the attitude I adopted during the Blake era. Hell, I learned to just watch OU games like I watched an episode of M*A*S*H.

Stoops expectations and salary are way too high to just shrug off losses to lesser opponents like Colorado. If he is cool making Blake money, then I will be cool shrugging off losses. If he wants to be paid like the premiere coach in college football, then shrugs will not work. Wins will do or at least beating bad teams and competing against the good one's...not losing at Colorado and giving up 48 to ANYONE!I gotta believe he knows most fans feel this way. He's just reluctant to roll heads, it seems. Perhaps he should remove the names from the back of jerseys, again, and have the first-teamers practice a lot harder for the bowl games.
The attitude I had in the Blake era was to go fishing most saturdays.

[The Maestro]

To me, if you are going to be the coach that wants bonuses for conference titles, bowl appearances and national titles, you also need to be the coach that takes a cut or doesn't get a cost of living increase if you lay an egg in said bowl games.

[FlatheadSooner]

we got plenty of months to ponder all this............this is going to be a looooooooong off season.


I remember after TGOWWDNSO saying the exact same thing..........and last year's Fiesta as well.
:(

[effay]

I never named any names besides myself. I'm sure there are others on this board that know they could use a little self-examination as well. Maybe I should have started my own thread so you don't feel I'm pointing you out.

Sorry, not trying to be rude, just trying to get another -1000 reputation points so I can set the record. Donate to the cause?

[Crucifax Autumn]

Nah...I'll leave ya alone for now!

[bri]

Easy..He's hit me with the deadly grey spek twice

Deadly grey spek tickles! :D

[effay]

Deadly grey spek tickles! :D

You know, it's funny, I happen to be colorblind, in the literal sense, so it came as some surprise when I realized that every one else wasn't red.

There is this interesting thing about being colorblind though - whenever the brain can't figure out what color it is seeing, it is possible for the person to essentially tell their brain what color they would like to see instead of using the brain's best guess.

I happen to like the old all red color scheme for some reason. That's just me though.

[Desert Sapper]

OU 2008 Goals:

1) DOMINATE
2) see #1

the end

NEXT YEAR WE DOMINATE! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXvYEY7Qcyo&feature=related)

[stoops the eternal pimp]

NEXT YEAR WE DOMINATE! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXvYEY7Qcyo&feature=related)


What he said

[Desert Sapper]

I couldn't find the video from the beginning of the Program, but soonermix's post reminded me of that LB screaming about Dominating in the beginning of the movie. The video I linked is still OK. Damn, I love that movie.