LincolnWR19
9/7/2009, 02:37 PM
But I'd like to speak my peace. Admittedly, I'm what some would call a "blind optimist" so if you're not in the mood to try and be cheered up, don't read. Or do, I don't really care. I also don't really care if you disagree, either. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. So go ahead and call me names, but here's how I feel:
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My fellow Sooners, tough times lie ahead. It's no secret that as a team we've put ourselves behind the 8 ball. Injuries are starting to mount, including the loss of arguably our two most valuable offensive players. We are breaking in a number of new players across the board, and while doing so we're also trying to navigate one of the toughest schedules in the nation. If you don't look at this scenario and see potential disaster, you're either not being honest with yourself, or you're completely clueless.
Potential disaster, certainly. However, at no point Saturday did I see a definite and sure sign that this team was going to lose 2, 3, 4, or even 5 more games. Do we have some serious work to do? The answer is a deep and resounding "Yes." At lesser programs, more losses and a rebuilding season would most certainly be the inescapable truth, but not at the University of Oklahoma. Our tradition and our history is filled with Sooner teams rising to meet the challenge; Sooners who, when the troubles mounted, pulled together, dug in, and did what was necessary to finish the job. The coaches know this. The players know this. WE know this. And make no mistake about it, as fans WE are a part of this. Our support for these players is crucial. Not support that says "It's okay if you lose, there's too much going against us anyways." That's enabling this team to underachieve. We must support this team by coming together and saying "Times are tough, we understand. But we know you're going to dig down and find the champions inside, and every step of the way we'll be right behind you...no matter what."
A lot of programs can win 8 or 9 games a season, but at OU that doesn't make the grade. Everybody involved in the program top to bottom understands this, and accepts this as part of being a Sooner. So as we stand here at the edge of the cliff, there's two ways we can go about this season from here on out. We can fold up the tent, accept that this may not be our year, and halfheartedly enjoy what wins come our way. Or we can tighten the screws, roll the sleeves up, and fight tooth and nail for every inch we need to make absolutely certain that at the end of the day, we can say "That was our best. There aren't any more rounds left in the chamber." This is why our players have come to the University of Oklahoma. Because anywhere they go, there are going to be obstacles and adversity, but at the University of Oklahoma such adversity WILL be met with a Herculean show of solidarity, from the players and coaches, to the fans that faithfully fill Memorial Stadium every home Saturday, no matter the weather, no matter the opponent. THIS is why I can't help but believe that this team's finest hour has just begun.
Let's be honest, our performance against BYU was not anywhere close to a level where a team of this caliber could or should be performing. Not to take anything away from BYU and Bronco Mendenhal who is a total class act, but 9 times out of 10 we win that game. The face of our program is injured, the playcalling/game management was sketchy at times, and the players made far too many mental mistakes such as penalties and dropped passes. No one player is at fault, and no one is above responsibility, including us fans. But I think everybody would agree this is as bad as we could have possibly been. And yet, we were still in a position to win the game. Let's not over look the fact that BYU is probably a very good team. Just based on the pregame rankings, OU #3 and BYU #20, if you include those teams and liquidate the college landscape of ~119 teams down to 12 (to roughly about 10%), OU would be #1 and BYU would be somewhere between #2 or #3. People, that's a very tough team to be facing first rattle out of the box. It's not an excuse, just an observation that may lend some perspective to our situation.
With the coaching and drive that these players have, does anybody really think we will look this unprepared for the rest of the season? It can only get better. Much, much better. Every team under Stoops has made remarkable improvement as the season progressed. And the mistakes that were made Saturday were different than shortcomings in '05 and even '06. Incomplete passes were dropped instead of skipped or overthrown. This can be fixed much more easily than having a qb who may not be as accurate as is necessary. The run game was there, but false starts and mindless holding penalties negated the effectiveness (and coincedentally put us behind the chains). I'll take this opportuniy to commend Landry on a superb performance, given the circumstances. Thrown into the fire and consistently placed in awful situations, I didn't see anything that tells me if he is the man the rest of the way we're screwed. How many of us at 18 or 19 could come in off the bench for the Sooners in such a situation and perform any better? He's going to be a champion, and I certainly hope he doesn't place this loss squarely on his shoulders.
So what do we make of the situation in which we find ourselves? Generally, there's two good rules of thumb in college football. 1) If you're going to lose, lose early, and 2) Defense wins championships. I feel like we've got those covered. Escaping with a win may have patched the boat up for now, but a loss is just what these players and we fans need to slap us in the face and realize that just because we're Oklahoma nothing will be given to us. Take nothing for granted. It's time to get the hands dirty and take care of business. Not to prove a point to the media, not because you need style points, but because this is what competition, what being a Sooner, is all about. It's us against the world. It's about answering the bell with everything you've got. When your opponent is standing right in your face, breathing down your neck and they're not backing up, it means you don't back up one inch either. It means you reach down with everything you've got and push the hell back. This is the way champions, SOONERS, want it. Do or die.
It's not going to be easy...at all. The margin for error has become nonexistent. If we do not focus we will fall flat on our face. And we're not going to come out and drop the 70 spot on Idaho State and cruise through the rest of the schedule. In fact, there will be multiple times in multiple games where the circumstances mandate "Execute, or lose." Champions execute. We're still in complete control of our own destiny as far as reaching a BCS bowl and winning the Big 12. Win out, and we're in. And if we do that, I gotta feel like there's a decent chance we could fight our way back in to the BCS title game, particularly with our strength of schedule. Since 2000, 4 times has the national champion had a loss. Heck, 2 of our national championship seasons we've had a loss. I'm certainly not ready to throw in the towel just yet; there's still a lot of football to be played. 1985, Aikman breaks his leg and we're forced to rely on an unproven freshman to carry us. We all know how that season turned out.
The Schooner has ground to a screeching halt. Anybody who wants off, now's your time. The road ahead is going to be rough, but that's the price we pay for being the greatest team in college football, categorically and without exception. The "experts" will take their jabs, we're going to be everyone's super bowl, and it's gonna take some of the hardest supporting we as fans have had to do in a while. But I can guarantee to those who stay this will be the journey of champions. Of SOONERS. So I don't know what all the black suits are about, but if you ask me this ain't no funeral, ain't nothin' been decided just yet! We've still got as much talent as anybody left on our schedule, and one hell of a coach! As far as I'm concerned we're the 3 time defending Big 12 champions and until someone comes and rips the trophy from our cold, lifeless fingers, the name on that trophy is still gonna read "OKLAHOMA SOONERS" at the end of the season! You want it? Come and take it from us! Let's jack the noise up to 11 and get this party started! You remember that unproven freshman in 1985? Jamelle Holieway! And now is as fitting a time as ever to repeat the words he said when he first took command of the Sooner huddle that fateful day in 1985..."LET'S ROLL!"
--------------------------
My fellow Sooners, tough times lie ahead. It's no secret that as a team we've put ourselves behind the 8 ball. Injuries are starting to mount, including the loss of arguably our two most valuable offensive players. We are breaking in a number of new players across the board, and while doing so we're also trying to navigate one of the toughest schedules in the nation. If you don't look at this scenario and see potential disaster, you're either not being honest with yourself, or you're completely clueless.
Potential disaster, certainly. However, at no point Saturday did I see a definite and sure sign that this team was going to lose 2, 3, 4, or even 5 more games. Do we have some serious work to do? The answer is a deep and resounding "Yes." At lesser programs, more losses and a rebuilding season would most certainly be the inescapable truth, but not at the University of Oklahoma. Our tradition and our history is filled with Sooner teams rising to meet the challenge; Sooners who, when the troubles mounted, pulled together, dug in, and did what was necessary to finish the job. The coaches know this. The players know this. WE know this. And make no mistake about it, as fans WE are a part of this. Our support for these players is crucial. Not support that says "It's okay if you lose, there's too much going against us anyways." That's enabling this team to underachieve. We must support this team by coming together and saying "Times are tough, we understand. But we know you're going to dig down and find the champions inside, and every step of the way we'll be right behind you...no matter what."
A lot of programs can win 8 or 9 games a season, but at OU that doesn't make the grade. Everybody involved in the program top to bottom understands this, and accepts this as part of being a Sooner. So as we stand here at the edge of the cliff, there's two ways we can go about this season from here on out. We can fold up the tent, accept that this may not be our year, and halfheartedly enjoy what wins come our way. Or we can tighten the screws, roll the sleeves up, and fight tooth and nail for every inch we need to make absolutely certain that at the end of the day, we can say "That was our best. There aren't any more rounds left in the chamber." This is why our players have come to the University of Oklahoma. Because anywhere they go, there are going to be obstacles and adversity, but at the University of Oklahoma such adversity WILL be met with a Herculean show of solidarity, from the players and coaches, to the fans that faithfully fill Memorial Stadium every home Saturday, no matter the weather, no matter the opponent. THIS is why I can't help but believe that this team's finest hour has just begun.
Let's be honest, our performance against BYU was not anywhere close to a level where a team of this caliber could or should be performing. Not to take anything away from BYU and Bronco Mendenhal who is a total class act, but 9 times out of 10 we win that game. The face of our program is injured, the playcalling/game management was sketchy at times, and the players made far too many mental mistakes such as penalties and dropped passes. No one player is at fault, and no one is above responsibility, including us fans. But I think everybody would agree this is as bad as we could have possibly been. And yet, we were still in a position to win the game. Let's not over look the fact that BYU is probably a very good team. Just based on the pregame rankings, OU #3 and BYU #20, if you include those teams and liquidate the college landscape of ~119 teams down to 12 (to roughly about 10%), OU would be #1 and BYU would be somewhere between #2 or #3. People, that's a very tough team to be facing first rattle out of the box. It's not an excuse, just an observation that may lend some perspective to our situation.
With the coaching and drive that these players have, does anybody really think we will look this unprepared for the rest of the season? It can only get better. Much, much better. Every team under Stoops has made remarkable improvement as the season progressed. And the mistakes that were made Saturday were different than shortcomings in '05 and even '06. Incomplete passes were dropped instead of skipped or overthrown. This can be fixed much more easily than having a qb who may not be as accurate as is necessary. The run game was there, but false starts and mindless holding penalties negated the effectiveness (and coincedentally put us behind the chains). I'll take this opportuniy to commend Landry on a superb performance, given the circumstances. Thrown into the fire and consistently placed in awful situations, I didn't see anything that tells me if he is the man the rest of the way we're screwed. How many of us at 18 or 19 could come in off the bench for the Sooners in such a situation and perform any better? He's going to be a champion, and I certainly hope he doesn't place this loss squarely on his shoulders.
So what do we make of the situation in which we find ourselves? Generally, there's two good rules of thumb in college football. 1) If you're going to lose, lose early, and 2) Defense wins championships. I feel like we've got those covered. Escaping with a win may have patched the boat up for now, but a loss is just what these players and we fans need to slap us in the face and realize that just because we're Oklahoma nothing will be given to us. Take nothing for granted. It's time to get the hands dirty and take care of business. Not to prove a point to the media, not because you need style points, but because this is what competition, what being a Sooner, is all about. It's us against the world. It's about answering the bell with everything you've got. When your opponent is standing right in your face, breathing down your neck and they're not backing up, it means you don't back up one inch either. It means you reach down with everything you've got and push the hell back. This is the way champions, SOONERS, want it. Do or die.
It's not going to be easy...at all. The margin for error has become nonexistent. If we do not focus we will fall flat on our face. And we're not going to come out and drop the 70 spot on Idaho State and cruise through the rest of the schedule. In fact, there will be multiple times in multiple games where the circumstances mandate "Execute, or lose." Champions execute. We're still in complete control of our own destiny as far as reaching a BCS bowl and winning the Big 12. Win out, and we're in. And if we do that, I gotta feel like there's a decent chance we could fight our way back in to the BCS title game, particularly with our strength of schedule. Since 2000, 4 times has the national champion had a loss. Heck, 2 of our national championship seasons we've had a loss. I'm certainly not ready to throw in the towel just yet; there's still a lot of football to be played. 1985, Aikman breaks his leg and we're forced to rely on an unproven freshman to carry us. We all know how that season turned out.
The Schooner has ground to a screeching halt. Anybody who wants off, now's your time. The road ahead is going to be rough, but that's the price we pay for being the greatest team in college football, categorically and without exception. The "experts" will take their jabs, we're going to be everyone's super bowl, and it's gonna take some of the hardest supporting we as fans have had to do in a while. But I can guarantee to those who stay this will be the journey of champions. Of SOONERS. So I don't know what all the black suits are about, but if you ask me this ain't no funeral, ain't nothin' been decided just yet! We've still got as much talent as anybody left on our schedule, and one hell of a coach! As far as I'm concerned we're the 3 time defending Big 12 champions and until someone comes and rips the trophy from our cold, lifeless fingers, the name on that trophy is still gonna read "OKLAHOMA SOONERS" at the end of the season! You want it? Come and take it from us! Let's jack the noise up to 11 and get this party started! You remember that unproven freshman in 1985? Jamelle Holieway! And now is as fitting a time as ever to repeat the words he said when he first took command of the Sooner huddle that fateful day in 1985..."LET'S ROLL!"