Can someone explain why Owen Field...

[noobalicious]

...is never ranked by anyone in the top 10 toughest places to play? We get a passing mention as "oh Stoops has only ever lost 2 games in his tenure at Oklahoma at home" on an ESPN preview, but that's about it. Google search any list of toughest stadiums to play. We aren't on any of them.

However, the top 10 home winning percentages of BCS conference teams in 2000-2008 period:

1. Oklahoma .960
2. Texas .915
3. LSU .875
4. Ohio State .870
5. Michigan .852 (although it doesn't seem very tough anymore)
6. Louisville .851
7. Florida .843
7. Georgia .843
9. USC .837
10. Va Tech .833

No other team has 1, 2, or 3 home losses in that period. The closest is Texas at 4! So why do our fans and stadium never get any credit?

My guess is the ESPN love-fest with the SEC and USC. :rolleyes:

[PalmBeachSooner1]

I've often heard it mentioned as the top 4 toughest places to play. Not sure what you are listening to. Hell, even on the NCAA video game, it's mentioned as among the top 5 toughest places to play.

Yes, they are in love with the SUC. But their is mad respect for our stadium.

[Lott's Bandana]

Heard this discussion on KOKC last night.

Even Bob called out the fans in his presser this week, saying it is a great atmosphere, but not an intimidating "snake pit", and that opposing teams never have to go to hand-signals.

Some of the discussion centered around the advanced age of our fanbase...a fanbase that has fully supported the program for many, many years and just aren't the loudest demographic there is any longer. Part of the discussion is simply we are spoiled and don't have too many opportunities to have to get loud, re: 56-2!

I can tell you, as someone who was anywhere but Norman during the '80s and '90s, when it does get loud on TV, it is much louder than it used to be. The east upper deck and the larger south end zone hold in much more sound than the earlier bowl.

[Harry Beanbag]

Playing Texas at a neutral site definitely helps both of our home winning percentages.

[Fraggle145]

Heard this discussion on KOKC last night.

Even Bob called out the fans in his presser this week, saying it is a great atmosphere, but not an intimidating "snake pit", and that opposing teams never have to go to hand-signals.

Some of the discussion centered around the advanced age of our fanbase...a fanbase that has fully supported the program for many, many years and just aren't the loudest demographic there is any longer. Part of the discussion is simply we are spoiled and don't have too many opportunities to have to get loud, re: 56-2!

I can tell you, as someone who was anywhere but Norman during the '80s and '90s, when it does get loud on TV, it is much louder than it used to be. The east upper deck and the larger south end zone hold in much more sound than the earlier bowl.

I will say its a tough place to play... but as far as noise it doesnt rival any of the SEC stadiums I have been to. And this is noise in the first quarter, not just at the end of a close game.

[Lott's Bandana]

Playing their bowl games at home definitely helps both LSU's and SUC's home winning percentages.

Tweaked.


:P

[MALE918]

Noise is the difference. The team is intimidating but not the enviroment.

[boomersooner28]

But anyway, if you going to the game Saturday night....


GET LOUD!!!

[yermom]

Heard this discussion on KOKC last night.

Even Bob called out the fans in his presser this week, saying it is a great atmosphere, but not an intimidating "snake pit", and that opposing teams never have to go to hand-signals.

Some of the discussion centered around the advanced age of our fanbase...a fanbase that has fully supported the program for many, many years and just aren't the loudest demographic there is any longer. Part of the discussion is simply we are spoiled and don't have too many opportunities to have to get loud, re: 56-2!

I can tell you, as someone who was anywhere but Norman during the '80s and '90s, when it does get loud on TV, it is much louder than it used to be. The east upper deck and the larger south end zone hold in much more sound than the earlier bowl.

i've been to a fair amount of other stadiums, and i think it has to do with the athletic department and how they run the stadium

the ads and games aren't mixed in well, the cheerleaders and band aren't really working well with the music/screen junk going on over the PA and the fans don't really know when to make noise

[Widescreen]

Solution = Be loud all the time. Then there isn't any confusion. ;)

[OUmillenium]

Spoiled sober fans like me = less noise.

Old fans who support the program financially = less noise.

Crazy, drunk, dumaz fans (LSU, OSUx, KSU, etc.) = continuous loud noise.

Just my opinion.

[colleyvillesooner]

I plan on being as loud as possible for this game. I freaking hate Tech.

Please mention this to everyone you know going to the game:

YELL YOUR *** OFF. IT'S OK TO YELL BEFORE THEY BREAK THE HUDDLE TOO

[MojoRisen]

I think there should be a concious effort to get a Crazy Student Section going for the game - other than that - Fans can be as loud as they can get or want to be...

Some form of chant - should be encorporated so everyone can be on Q... I remember in 2000 it seemed pretty loud and everyone had white towels...

[soonerfan28]

Then maybe we should close in the south endzone to make it louder.

[soonermix]

should we help the student section smuggle a keg or 10 into the stadium?

[Half a Hundred]

I still can't figure out why the OU marketing department hasn't jumped all over calling the student section the "Snake Pit". Maybe even add the loud north endzone. Seems to me that a stadium located on Asp Avenue should have the marketing write itself.

Hell, that would dovetail nicely with an ad campaign to keep the students around all game. "The dangerous thing about a snake pit is that they're always there, waiting for the next strike, the next unassuming victim to get taken out"

[KingBarry]

Two factors undermine the "Gaylord Family OMU" as a snake pit:

1. Everybody and their mother's dog beat us AT HOME in the 90s, except for Baylor.

2. OU's crowd is not intimidating. Our team is great, our fans are more like CEOs.

We've won so much for so long, we just show up and expect/demand to win.

I've thought about this all my life and it hasn't really changed any.

[Dio]

should we help the north end zone smuggle a keg or 10 into the stadium?

fixed, and absolutely!

[birddog]

fixed, and absolutely!

i hope you have something really special lined up for 4,000.

take your time, get a study group together if need be, but don't let us down!

:D

[SoonerShark]

Heard this discussion on KOKC last night.

Even Bob called out the fans in his presser this week, saying it is a great atmosphere, but not an intimidating "snake pit", and that opposing teams never have to go to hand-signals.


Exactly.

[SoonerShark]

I know the problem. Of course, we are on Asp Avenue, but our intimidating scream comes out as "Sssssssssssssss!"

[TopDawg]

I think most people will call Owen Field one of the toughest places to play. Our home winning percentage certainly speaks to that.

But when you talk about home field advantage, I don't know that ours offers a whole lot. And those are two totally different things.

Toughest places to play usually has a lot more to do with the team than the fans, although the fans certainly play a part.

Home field advantage mostly has to do with the fans (and stadium construction, marketing, etc.). It speaks to the difference made by playing in front of your own fans instead of someone else's.

We can get loud when we need to, but we don't need to very often. We only have about one close home game per year, but we can definitely have an impact on those when we need to. That's why I think Owen Field is definitely a tough place to play but maybe not perceived to be as much of a home field advantage as you find elsewhere. You don't often see OU winning home games they have no business winning, because we have business winning them all. But other places have a home field advantage that helps them win games they have no business winning.

[StormySooner-IN]

I've been to 2 games...TCU and Utah State...and I agree with the above that it's not a 'snake pit'. It wasn't nearly as loud as the RCA Dome (50,000) and not quite as the new Colts stadium either.

Course, the people here aren't as 'old', and even the old people are a lot louder. Course, the fact that the dome was...well a dome...kind of made a big difference. I think the fact OU has been around and 'expected/demaned to win' forever makes a difference.

JMO

But it's still the greatest place ever to me. ;)

[Boomer38Sooner]

I know a guy who is a die hard OU and Florida fan and he told me that the Swamp is a lot louder because of the way the stadium is built. He said that if OU bowled in their stadium it would probably be a lot louder.

[MojoRisen]

My brother played at Owen ,Florida and Kyle Field. Florida is the toughest because the fans are literally right on top of you and the stadium goes straight up.. Plus it is real hot on the turf at least in the mid/late 80s.

We need some of our old fans to do like LSU - they had a 80+ year old woman moon the Va Tech Team and the actually shake the bus while they are trying to get off. That is intimidation.

[Boomer38Sooner]

BAHAHA!!!!! An 80 year old woman mooned them!??!?!?!? Thats great hahaha

[PalmBeachSooner1]

Spoiled sober fans like me = less noise.

Old fans who support the program financially = less noise.

Crazy, drunk, dumaz fans (LSU, OSUx, KSU, etc.) = continuous loud noise.

Just my opinion.

Exactly. It also doesn't help not having more night games where fans can tailgate for hours before vs 11 AM kickoffs.

[Jacie]

How about let em smuggle a few of those beers in . . .

[illinisooner]

How about let em smuggle a few of those beers in . . .

Seriously, the student section would be going insane the whole game! As for me, I'll be doing my drinking before the game and cheering as loud as I possibly can. I think the students will rise to the challenge for this one though, because most of the non football fans (ones who just show up because everyone else does) are selling their tickets to make a quick 70 bucks and the real fans will be in the student section. Hopefully the rest of the stadium follows suit and the place is rockin when we destroy the Red Raiders.

[oupride]

I have also heard it mentioned as one of the toughest places to play, however I plan to help make it one the LOUDEST Saturday night! Boomer!

[Leroy Lizard]

I distinctly remember Beano Cook saying back in the 1980s that Norman was not a particularly difficult place to play and that OU got beat at home all the time.

[Harry Beanbag]

I distinctly remember Beano Cook saying back in the 1980s that Norman was not a particularly difficult place to play and that OU got beat at home all the time.


I don't know when he said it, but OU was 96-14-1 at home during the 70's and 80's. That's pretty damn good.

[Leroy Lizard]

That's an 87% winning percentage. Switzer was nearly 84% for his entire career. So Beano in one sense was right: OU was no tougher to beat at home than on the road. But they were pretty tough to beat no matter where you played them.

However, some of the home stadiums that are considered snake pits do not necessarily feature teams that have huge home winning percentages. It is a matter of perception.

[douxpaysan]

You don't often see OU winning home games they have no business winning, because we have business winning them all.
That's both arrogant and accurate.

[Widescreen]

Those "awesome" crowds at LSU and UF hasn't kept their teams from losing at home this year.

[JLEW1818]

haha ture that

Florida lost to an unranked team at home and still ranked 4th, I'll never get over that.

[Widescreen]

I suspect the order of home success is this:

1) Quality of the home team
2) Being in home environs
3) Not having to travel (and all the crap associated with it)
4) The crowd