"Soon(ers) is now"...Good article

[SoonerAcesUp]

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/11002563

[OUMallen]

You're more likely to find construction blocking Lindsey Street this week than a block party. One of Oklahoma's (http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/teams/page/OK) main campus arteries has already seen its share of revelry as traffic passes south of Oklahoma's Memorial Stadium.
http://images.sportsline.com/u/photos/football/college/img11002562.jpg 'Big Game Bob' Stoops' school has now been No. 1 more than any other program. (US Presswire) No. 1 rankings are part of the spoils of domination. Celebrations wait for national championships.
Incredibly, it's been almost five years since Oklahoma was ranked No. 1. The program that reached the top of the AP poll for a record 96th time on Sunday hasn't been there lately. Since losing its last No. 1 ranking following the 2003 Big 12 title game loss to Kansas State, Oklahoma has suffered some of the most epic and painful losses in its recent history.
"I don't know if that gives us any special advantage," coach Bob Stoops said of his program's latest No. 1. "Each year is different. You've got to go earn it each time. Just because you've done it before, sometimes that's a long time ago. Sometimes all that matters is what you're able to do now."
If any program knows the fleeting nature of a top ranking, OU is it. Here is a brief history of Oklahoma since it was last No. 1:
• 2003: Despite the K-State loss, Oklahoma stayed in the top two of the BCS and played for the national championship. With Heisman-winning quarterback Jason White playing with a sprained hand and broken foot, LSU's rabid defense pounced and beat OU 21-14 in New Orleans.
The No. 1 team in both AP and the coaches' polls going into the bowls, USC, claimed the AP title after beating Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
• 2004: The Sooners were one of three undefeated teams at the top. In another BCS mess, Auburn was the odd team out as OU played for the national championship for the second consecutive season. The 55-19 loss to USC was the worst in BCS title game history.
• 2005: The season opened with a home loss to TCU. The Sooners went on to post the second-worst record (8-4) of the Stoops era.
• 2006: The Outrage in Oregon sent Stoops, president David Boren and the state of Oklahoma into a tizzy after incompetent Pac-10 officials handed Oregon a 34-33 win. Four months later, non-BCS upstart Boise State won what turned out to be the best bowl game ever. Boise ran three memorable trick plays in the Fiesta Bowl defeating the Sooners 43-42 in overtime.
It should be pointed out that Boise State went into the game ranked higher in the BCS standings (eighth) than Oklahoma (10th).
Oklahoma in the AP poll
under Bob Stoops Weeks at No. 1: 25 Weeks in the top five: 86 Weeks in the top 10: 99 Total weeks in the poll: 129 Longest streak in the poll: 88 Current streak in the poll: 39 Weeks OU was unranked: 27
• 2007: A year ago this week, Colorado rebounded from a 24-7 third quarter deficit to win 27-24 in Boulder. OU came back to win its fifth Big 12 title, but lost its fourth consecutive BCS bowl, 48-28 to West Virginia in the Fiesta.
"I don't think it surprises me that it's been five years," CBS analyst Spencer Tillman said. "What you do last, people tend to remember most. Boise State and West Virginia, to do what they did in the postseason people wonder whether the moniker of 'Big Game Bob' still applies."
Well, does it?
"We'll see," said Tillman, also a former Oklahoma running back. "That's a great question. I still think he's an elite coach."
The age of parity has caused every elite coach to suffer. That doesn't separate Oklahoma from a lot of other top programs. Fans are quick to forget national championships (see Phil Fulmer at Tennessee and Lloyd Carr at Michigan). Stoops won his title eight years ago and has led his team to two other championship berths. There have been six South Division titles and those five Big 12 championships.
Stoops actually ended the school's second-longest streak without a No. 1 ranking (1987-2000). The only longer drought ended in 1954, 18 years after the AP poll started. Since 1999, Stoops' teams have finished lower than No. 11 in AP only once. That hardly indicates his magic is waning.
It does make Sooners everywhere know better than to whoop it up in September. Given the current national landscape, the ranking is more of a curse than an honor. Oklahoma's ascension to No. 1 marks the eighth switch at the top since the beginning of 2007. OU is the sixth different No. 1 team in AP since the beginning of 2007. In the previous five years there were six No. 1s total.
Oklahoma's top ranking marks its 357th week in AP's top five, another record. In the BCS it leads in weeks in the top five (38) and at No. 1 (18).
There are subtle hints that Stoops is ramping up for another championship run. The coach no doubt revels in his team winning the Big 12 last season when it wasn't favored. However, in the last three seasons OU is a modest 7-5 in true road games.
"Our shirts this summer said, 'Built Road Tough,'" defensive tackle Gerald McCoy told reporters after winning at Washington. "Our whole mindset was, 'Be dominant wherever we go.'"
There are some not-so-subtle signs, too. On Saturday, TCU was the first team to hold Oklahoma under 52 points. OU still won 35-10. Sam Bradford is developing into the best quarterback of the Stoops era, one that includes two Heisman finalists at the position.
Stoops has rid himself of one rival for the moment. USC's loss to Oregon State not only allowed OU to rise but keeps Pete Carroll and the Trojans out of the national title discussion until further notice. Right behind the Sooners, though, is AP No. 2 Alabama. It was Tide coach Nick Saban, formerly of LSU, who started that four-game OU BCS slide in the 2004 Sugar Bowl.
"They've got a lot of weapons," Tillman said of Oklahoma. "I don't think they're through rolling out their weapons. The challenge has shifted like it should have shifted for Pete Carroll. How well can you run with a full cup of success? You've got to get them up emotionally."
That shouldn't be a problem with OU possibly facing five teams that are currently ranked -- Oklahoma State, Kansas, Texas Tech, Texas and Missouri (in the Big 12 title game).
Big Game Bob has plenty of them left.
"If you ask Bob, it's all about the challenge," Tillman said. "Any context that can thrust you into a challenge, I would assume he'd say, 'I love it.'"

[arenateam]

good article. btw, I like stoop's belt.

[sooner518]

http://images.sportsline.com/images/collegefootball/doddmug.jpg = http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n52/cocorowe/bikerfox.jpg

???????

[stoopified]

That article is right on the button.

[KingBarry]

Good article. Thanks for sharing.

Ever think about how hard our schedule is?

We have 8 games remaining, 5 of them are against ranked teams. If we win enough, we get to play another game against a ranked team. If we win that, we go to a BCS bowl and play another ranked team.

We've already played a ranked team.

There really are no weeks off.

[OKC-SLC]

I thought it was good and fair.

Dodd seems to like the sooners, I recall.