**Where is Chuck Fairbanks?**

[Lott's Bandana]

Watching the DVR of the game and all the talk and cameras on Osborne and The King, regarding the player's reunion...both were assistants during the GOTC. Devaney is not with us any longer...was Chuck there?

[sooneron]

Watching the DVR of the game and all the talk and cameras on Osborne and The King, regarding the player's reunion...both were assistants during the GOTC. Devaney is not with us any longer...was Chuck there?

I thought it sucked that the announcers were oblivious to the loss of Jack Mildren. At least, I never heard them mention him. I would guess that was a huge reason for the reunion.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Saw a pic of Chuck in the Oklahoman's Saturday edition at the Friday festivities; don't know if he was at the game Saturday though

[aurorasooner]

Devaney is not with us any longer...was Chuck there? Good question. I wonder if he was even invited?

[Soonerfan88]

Fairbanks was there and got respectable applause, although not as much as Barry. I was really disappointed at the presentation, thought it could have been done much better. So the band doesn't have time for anything more than Boomer Sooner, I see them every game.

(For those in the Pride, no offense as I was a band nerd myself & always enjoy the half-time show but we had the 1971 guys there...)

[SbOrOiNaEnR]

Hey, none taken. I was in the Pride, and would gladly have sacrificed a halftime show for the sake of a reunion like that, done properly. The only reason I spent 20 hours a week during the fall doing all that rehearsal and such was Oklahoma football. The people that are in it for the music and the marching actually make the Pride less fun IMO...at least when I was there, which wasn't so long ago.

[Lott's Bandana]

Fairbanks was there and got respectable applause, although not as much as Barry. I was really disappointed at the presentation, thought it could have been done much better. So the band doesn't have time for anything more than Boomer Sooner, I see them every game.

(For those in the Pride, no offense as I was a band nerd myself & always enjoy the half-time show but we had the 1971 guys there...)

Thanks 88. I was a kid when Chuck was coach and I went to Ron Shott's Football Camp at the dorms every summer...all the players and Chuck were "coaches" at that camp...Zabel, Mildren, Owens, etc. Talk about intimidating yet wonderful for a 9 year-old kid.

Chuck was a hell of a coach. Did fairly well in the NFL as well.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

I was also dissapointed in the presentation. I really had hoped they would do a video tribute to Jack Mildren and maybe have the King and Dr. Tom say a few words. Fairbanks was there. I didn't even know that guy was still alive.

[mdklatt]

I thought it sucked that the announcers were oblivious to the loss of Jack Mildren. At least, I never heard them mention him. I would guess that was a huge reason for the reunion.

Before they came out on the field, the announcer listed all the players and coaches who "are no longer with us". Jack Mildren got mentioned then.

[tommieharris91]

I thought it sucked that the announcers were oblivious to the loss of Jack Mildren. At least, I never heard them mention him. I would guess that was a huge reason for the reunion.

The announcers at the game mentioned Mildren.

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

I think they mean the tv announcers.

[SbOrOiNaEnR]

So what's Chuck doing these days, and where is he doing it?

[Sooner_Havok]

The announcers at the game mentioned Mildren.

Said he was being represented by his kids & grand kids.

I miss Jack :(

[NorthernIowaSooner]

doesnt chuck own car dealerships now in the dallas area or something like that?

[Lott's Bandana]

After watching my DVR of the game, I did see Chuck standing next to Barry. He looked good, white hair.

He has dealerships in Dallas, according to Google, and seemingly has had them for many, many years...whether he still is the primary owner any longer, I'm not certain.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

yeah the whole thing kinda was a let down..They should have axed the band at halftime and spent time showing videos and allowing some of the players/coaches some speak time...People cheered so loud for Switzer that when Fairbanks was announced, it sounded like he was almost an afterthought or something....by the time they announced everybody they had to get right off the field for da band to play

[OklaPony]

After watching my DVR of the game, I did see Chuck standing next to Barry. He looked good, white hair.

He has dealerships in Dallas, according to Google, and seemingly has had them for many, many years...whether he still is the primary owner any longer, I'm not certain.
I believe it's Chuck Jr. that actually has the dealerships or at least the one in DeSoto. I bought a used Expedition from them a few years ago and sent Chuck Jr. a copy of one of his old school photos.

[The_Red_Patriot]

Chuck is the reason I became a New England Patriots fan........well.....he's the reason my dad became a fan and passed it down to me. I wasn't alive when he coached there.

Hell of a coach.

[douxpaysan]

Chuck Chuck Yes, he was a good coach but he received more than his fair share of criticism while trying to "feed the monster". Anybody who coaches for any length of time must understand that, especially here. So BV or whoever is the current flavor...bonne chance.

[stoopified]

I am apparently in the minority because I'm not all hopped up about celebrating the loss.I also don't celebrate Nov. 16,1957 or the Boise State debacle.I'm just a sore loser.I am willing to celebrate the 1955 (or was it 1956?) 40-0 drubbing of ND,the 17-14 1972 comeback win over Nebraska or the 1985 OB drubbing of Penn State.I will not ever CELEBRATE the anniversary of any defeat no matter how GREAT a game it was.Maybe that is JUST me and I am fine with it.

[HateTheWhorns]

I am apparently in the minority because I'm not all hopped up about celebrating the loss.I also don't celebrate Nov. 16,1957 or the Boise State debacle.I'm just a sore loser.I am willing to celebrate the 1955 (or was it 1956?) 40-0 drubbing of ND,the 17-14 1972 comeback win over Nebraska or the 1985 OB drubbing of Penn State.I will not ever CELEBRATE the anniversary of any defeat no matter how GREAT a game it was.Maybe that is JUST me and I am fine with it.

I'm sure you have your reasons for feeling the way you do. However, I have been attending OU games since 1969 and the 1971 OU-NEB game is still the only OU loss that I ever attended where I left feeling like I just witnessed a special moment in history as two Goliath's left everything they had on the field. It's hard to describe, but I left the game that day with a sense of satisfaction, respect for the opponent, and great hope for our future.

[Lott's Bandana]

I am apparently in the minority because I'm not all hopped up about celebrating the loss.I also don't celebrate Nov. 16,1957 or the Boise State debacle.I'm just a sore loser.I am willing to celebrate the 1955 (or was it 1956?) 40-0 drubbing of ND,the 17-14 1972 comeback win over Nebraska or the 1985 OB drubbing of Penn State.I will not ever CELEBRATE the anniversary of any defeat no matter how GREAT a game it was.Maybe that is JUST me and I am fine with it.

I get your point, S'fied....however, I don't think we celebrate the loss as much as the game.

In mine and many other's opinion, that Game of the Century (actually still considered the true GOTC) put OU/NU smack into the national spotlight.

Sure, Bud's teams had national prominence, but no TV exposure.

In 1971, ABC was televising one game a week, Sports Illustrated was a baseball/NFL mag, and Notre Dame was America's Team. For most of the rest of the century, because of that game, OU/NU was a Thanksgiving weekend staple, along with tOSU/Meatchicken and Army/Navy...guaranteed TV game. Recruiting, Big 8 titles...the sucking dry of the Southwest Conference's top H.S. players...a great deal of that came from the playing of that game...one that lived up to it's billing.

Nebbish players frankly admit Johnny Rodgers PR had two clips...and that Mildren could have eased up just a touch on that fateful pass. Sure, we lost...and I was eleven years old and cried. But, the game could have gone either way. Very easily.

Cool thing: the Big 8 ended up with the 1,2,3 teams at the end of the year...don't think that ever happened before, or since.

[HateTheWhorns]

doesnt chuck own car dealerships now in the dallas area or something like that?

While Chuck may have some ownership in the S. Dallas dealership, I believe his son is the primary owner and operator of that dealership. I did not know Chuck well, but I did get to have a unique moment with him. When I was a teenager, Chuck was the head coach at Colorado and Gene Hochevar was an assistant. I spent a week in Boulder with the Hochevar's and one night we went to the movies to see North Dallas Forty. I sat between Chuck and Gene and it was pretty cool to hear their take on just how realistic the movie portrayed professional football in the 1970s. It was an eye opening experience for me as I was very young, naive, and had a tendency to believe the best in people.

[Lott's Bandana]

While Chuck may have some ownership in the S. Dallas dealership, I believe his son is the primary owner and operator of that dealership. I did not know Chuck well, but I did get to have a unique moment with him. When I was a teenager, Chuck was the head coach at Colorado and Gene Hochevar was an assistant. I spent a week in Boulder with the Hochevar's and one night we went to the movies to see North Dallas Forty. I sat between Chuck and Gene and it was pretty cool to hear their take on just how realistic the movie portrayed professional football in the 1970s. It was an eye opening experience for me as I was very young, naive, and had a tendency to believe the best in people.

What did you find in the bottom of their popcorn box? :eek:

[TUSooner]

I'm sure you have your reasons for feeling the way you do. However, I have been attending OU games since 1969 and the 1971 OU-NEB game is still the only OU loss that I ever attended where I left feeling like I just witnessed a special moment in history as two Goliath's left everything they had on the field. It's hard to describe, but I left the game that day with a sense of satisfaction, respect for the opponent, and great hope for our future.

I agree! Sure, the loss hurt, For years I got nauseaus everytime I thought about it. But if that game was merely a loss (like those other POS games stoopified meantioned), I wouldn't still have my ticket stub! But I saved it because I knew I realy had seen the Game of the Century. It was a battle of giants where everybody gave it all they had. Those 2 teams were head and shoulders above the rest of the pack and everybody in the Nation eventually had to admit it, although Bama fans were allowed to delude themselves for a few weeks leading up to their major Orange bowl beat-down by the Nebs. And, of course, OU beat up on Auburn in the Sugar.

[12]

I was also dissapointed in the presentation. I really had hoped they would do a video tribute to Jack Mildren and maybe have the King and Dr. Tom say a few words. Fairbanks was there. I didn't even know that guy was still alive.

That would have been very cool, but the whole game is approached as an "event," meaning most every minute is accounted for before the ball is even kicked. To keep things flowing, they can't allow for many moments that might end up taking longer than expected due to applause, improvisation (which you KNOW The King could not resist), etc.

Still, that would have been very stirring, nostalgic thing to see.

[12]

Oh, and to answer the original question of the thread... TACO BELL!

(extra points for those who get the reference)

[Soonerfan88]

Video clip of an interview with Chuck about the game is available on SoonerSports.com. I would link it but is a CSTV video and they never seem to copy & paste well.

[tulsaoilerfan]

I hate Johnny Rogers.