In Light of

[Jello Biafra]

the Dave Sittler column this morning in the tulsa world,

I would like to officially nominate myself as "on board" the wagon. all you naysayers and critics can hug a fat asssed root.

coach, count me as one of your biggest backers and personal body guard if you need one. happy birfday too.

[OUDoc]

I'm lost, Jello. What did he say?

[Jello Biafra]

sorry...incoming

[SoonerPr8r]

I'm lost, Jello. What did he say?

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20090909_202_B1_NORMAN80999

[Jello Biafra]

Boxer inspires Stoops during tough times


By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Writer
Published: 9/9/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 9/9/2009 9:48 AM


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Go to Dave Sittler's Blog
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NORMAN — Seated at the desk inside his spacious office on the third floor of the Switzer Center late Tuesday morning, Bob Stoops punched a number on his Blackberry's speed dial.

Stoops was going to introduce a visitor via phone to Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, the former world lightweight champion. The two Youngstown, Ohio, natives have been close friends since childhood.

When the voicemail kicked in on Mancini's phone, Stoops left a message for his lifelong pal, who is also a role model and inspiration for Stoops. Boom Boom returned the call in time to catch Oklahoma's football coach before the Sooners' practice.

Stoops, who turns 49 today, often relies on lessons learned from watching the man who held the world boxing title for two years and recorded a 29-5 professional record with 23 knockouts.

It's during the difficult times that Stoops really thinks of Mancini. And this is one of those times, as Stoops attempts to regroup after No. 3 OU's shocking 14-13 loss to No. 20 BYU in last Saturday's season opener.

Coaches never feel more alone than after a loss. Especially one this devastating — Stoops lost his Heisman Trophy quarterback to injury, and thousands of fans who rode his bandwagon into Arlington, Texas, for the contest were leaping off in droves as they departed Cowboys Stadium.

Stoops still has the support of his team, administration and loyal Sooners. But he accepts the blame game that stops at his desk, and uses a boxer's mentality to deal with it.

"Whenever I see Boom Boom, I always put my arm around him and tell him what he did was incredible," Stoops said. "To be a world champion and to have fought like he did for a number of years and to do it by himself is pretty amazing.

"Yes, he had people around him. But it was ultimately on him."

Boxers have trainers and managers, just like head coaches have assistants and players. But it's that harsh reality of a fighter totally on his own in the ring that makes boxing Stoops' favorite sport and helps him deal with life.

He dabbled in it from the fifth grade to his sophomore year in high school. Several of his friends and relatives would hold boxing matches in the basement of one of their homes.

Mancini was already a standout in the amateur ranks, so he only observed. Stoops' few bouts made him an even bigger Mancini fan.

"It's just you in there (ring) and I know it's awfully tough," Stoops said. "I always said to Ray that I admired him so much because there was no one to rely on but himself.

"You have to manage your emotions, your competitiveness and your toughness because there isn't any support. My man Ray was great at managing every situation."

Those lessons of independence and survival stuck with Stoops and served him well as a college player and assistant coach. But never more so than times like now, when the Sooner Nation is depending on him to find a way for OU to fight its way back from a dire situation that seems to get worse by the day.

A week ago, OU was among a handful of teams considered worthy of national championship consideration. But then All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham injured a knee in practice and quarterback Sam Bradford was lost for at least three weeks with a shoulder injury suffered against BYU.

The bad news continued to mount last night, when Stoops announced after practice that Gresham is out for the season. That lethal blow, plus the uncertainty of Bradford's condition, have the Sooners down and plenty of experts ready to count them out of a BCS title shot.

Stoops knows that many people who were in his corner a week ago are the same ones now using phony names on Internet message boards to turn him into their favorite punching bag over OU's loss to the 22-point underdog Cougars.

"That's to be expected, so it isn't surprising," Stoops said of his critics. "In the end, you just have to find a way to continue on."

Many pundits believe it's time for Stoops to lower the boom boom on some of his staff members. The Sooners' offensive line was inept against BYU, while the defense continued its disturbing habit in recent seasons of giving up a critical play or two that results in defeat.

OU insiders said an angry Stoops unloaded on his staff behind closed doors. But even while some assistants threw him under the bus on a clock management issue, Stoops has opted to publicly accept the blame instead of pointing fingers.

"But that's OK," said Stoops of standing alone and taking responsibility. "All you can do is just keep fighting back."

That attitude has repeatedly served him well the past decade at OU. But Stoops may need every lesson and trick he learned from Boom Boom to win this latest fight.

[NOVSooner]

OU insiders said an angry Stoops unloaded on his staff behind closed doors. But even while some assistants threw him under the bus on a clock management issue,


Any truth to this and if so, is the latter a troubling issue about the assistants "throwing him under the bus"?

[Jello Biafra]

Any truth to this and if so, is the latter a troubling issue about the assistants "throwing him under the bus"?

i'd say so. i have have been a head coach for a while now. of course, nothing higher than little league but there are certain things that you HAVE to expect out of your assistants. as the OC, he IS the man and it is his job to manage the offense. from A to Z from making sure the line coaches, rec. coaches, TE coaches etc. all have the gameplan in hand and making sure the assignments are well known but HE is ultimately in charge of this. the head coach is there to handle the day to day operations and OVERRIDE decisions that he thinks may be detrimental to the outcome of the game, the program or whatever.

if a timeout needs to be called, your OC better be the one calling it. if he doesn't, coach needs to call it but, for the most part, he should be allowing his ACs to make this call.

under no circumstances whould his assistants be throwing him under a bus. that should be a quick trip to the unemployment line.

i have heard the king use a phrase that still rings true. a head coach is only as good as his assistants.

[OU_PhD]

I am on board the wagon too. Oh wait, I was never off. I have been neg-spek'd to hell with my homerisms this weekend.

This team will do great things before they are finished.

[Jack T.]

OU insiders said an angry Stoops unloaded on his staff behind closed doors.

Best line in the article.

[Sooner04]

Playing the part of Duk Koo Kim is, hopefully, Jerry Schmidt.

[budbarrybob]

Ok, its nice to hear that he ripped his staff. I would too if they "threw me under the bus."
I was and still am a BS fan. But this article doesn't inspire me in the least. Because he likes Boom Boom means nothing to me.

[Yankeeracers]

i'd say so. i have have been a head coach for a while now. of course, nothing higher than little league but there are certain things that you HAVE to expect out of your assistants. as the OC, he IS the man and it is his job to manage the offense. from A to Z from making sure the line coaches, rec. coaches, TE coaches etc. all have the gameplan in hand and making sure the assignments are well known but HE is ultimately in charge of this. the head coach is there to handle the day to day operations and OVERRIDE decisions that he thinks may be detrimental to the outcome of the game, the program or whatever.

if a timeout needs to be called, your OC better be the one calling it. if he doesn't, coach needs to call it but, for the most part, he should be allowing his ACs to make this call.

under no circumstances whould his assistants be throwing him under a bus. that should be a quick trip to the unemployment line.

i have heard the king use a phrase that still rings true. a head coach is only as good as his assistants.

haaaaahaaaaahaaaaaaa

[TXBOOMER]

Playing the part of Duk Koo Kim is, hopefully, Jerry Schmidt.

No you didn't....

[delhalew]

An *** chewing is a start, but I hope Bob is prepared to go further if he does not see improvement.

[A-M]

I am on board the wagon too. Oh wait, I was never off. I have been neg-spek'd to hell with my homerisms this weekend.

This team will do great things before they are finished.

As you, I have also been receving the red neg and I think it is funny. I have been on the wagon longer then a lot of these reg neg givers have been alive Just because I don't think that our O or D played a good game doesn't mean that I am no longer on the wagon.

[Desert Sapper]

Whomever the bus throwing assistants are need to go. I haven't been a coach, but I have been a commander. The leader needs to take responsibility for everything that does or does not happen with the team...but that doesn't give any leeway for insubordination. Loyalty is a two way street. If Bob is stepping up to the plate and accepting responsibility for the loss and all the failures associated with that loss, his assistants need to man up behind closed doors (and in public in some cases) and accept responsibility for their failures. If they are trying to shift blame, they aren't team players. If they aren't part of the solution, they are part of the problem. They need to go.

Not saying Bob is infallible, but his team needs to be moving in the same direction. And they need to recognize that when they point the finger of blame, they have three fingers pointed back at them.

[Lott's Bandana]

Don't know a thing about Sittler. Don't care.

However, there is an undercurrent of aggy theme in this article, beginning with "bandwagon jumping'' and message board references.

Discussion of mistakes which contributed to a loss is not making your coach a "punching bag", but the journalistic allegory had to be made, didn't it Dave?

Probably thought of that while taking a ****.

[soonervegas]

Stoops has two issues on his hands:

Mangino > Wilson

Mike > Venables

That issue needs to be fixed one way or the other. It is fixable without cutting assistants, but settling for the staus quo (and not expecting more) will not get him back to 2000 levels easily. With the being said, I still think he wins another at OU....

[OklahomaTuba]

I think we're just spoiled. This **** happens to every team. Get over it and move on, we'll be just fine in a few weeks.

[NormanPride]

Amen, Tuba.

[fwsooner22]

It's so easy to be an expert from this keyboard but I have learned to refrain from it. Now, I read the board for entertainment and just smile.

Experience is a wonderful thing.

[delhalew]

Screw that. You know what I am expert at? Knowing what I think about a topic. Therefore, my mouth do runneth.

[OUDoc]

I still support Stoops.
Hell, I supported John Blake, so you know I'm not on any bandwagon.
The band had no wagons back then.

[TXBOOMER]

I still support Stoops.
Hell, I supported John Blake, so you know I'm not on any bandwagon.
The band had no wagons back then.

I gave him 96 (i think that was his first year) but after it started again the next year I wanted him gone! What a dude. I hate even thinking about his time hear (misery).

[PhiDeltBeers]

Doesn't take even a "keyboard expert" to call a timeout on 4th down and goal at the 4 inch line. That being said...no wagon here..just pointing out mistakes. I believe it's ok (as a fan) to be frustrated with that so called football game the other night.

[GottaHavePride]

(looking around...)

Man, I'm glad all those bozos jumped off the wagon. Now I can stretch out in this seat.

[delhalew]

I've been in the same seat since 1975.:D

[Crucifax Autumn]

I need 3 seats. One for extra beer and 2 for my fat ***.

[StoopTroup]

Screw that. You what I am expert at? Knowing what I think about a topic. Therefore, my mouth do runneth.

Grammer? ;) :D

[madillsoonerfan5353]

Stoops has two issues on his hands:
Leach > Wilson

Mike > Venables

That issue needs to be fixed one way or the other. It is fixable without cutting assistants, but settling for the staus quo (and not expecting more) will not get him back to 2000 levels easily. With the being said, I still think he wins another at OU....

Fixed!

[StoopTroup]

Doesn't take even a "keyboard expert" to call a timeout on 4th down and goal at the 4 inch line. That being said...no wagon here..just pointing out mistakes. I believe it's ok (as a fan) to be frustrated with that so called football game the other night.

Frustrated yes. Bagging on players and Coaches? End of the World ''FIRE BOB STOOPS!'' or "FIRE KEVIN WILSON" or "FIRE BRENT VENABLES" stuff for three days.

I try to avoid meltdown type of statements. I think others should to. Jumping into every thread on the board to throw down on the O-line and never offer any thoughts about strategy or point out any good plays...well...your gonna see some folks respond to you. Just continuing to throw negative general comments is worse than a threadjack. Heck...a good threadjack can offer up some levity sometimes. A flamebaiting comment just pisses people off and sends things into a death spiral when our Team has a game like they did. You'd think some folks would learn something from that. Saturday wasn't our first tough rodeo.

It's a Message Board. Some of leave messages.

This wasn't meant towards you personally...your post just inspired the thoughts.

[StoopTroup]

Stoops has two issues on his hands:

Mangino > Wilson

Mike > Venables

That issue needs to be fixed one way or the other. It is fixable without cutting assistants, but settling for the staus quo (and not expecting more) will not get him back to 2000 levels easily. With the being said, I still think he wins another at OU....

It would be nice to know that every time you hire an OC...he's going to be a Head Coach at a Division IA School and be on every School in America's Short List.

If that's going to be a requirement for a decent OC at Oklahoma...expect to have a few down years when they come in with a new system. We're on track to lose an OC way to often IMO.

[landrun]

Stoops has two issues on his hands:

Mangino > Wilson

Mike > Venables

That issue needs to be fixed one way or the other. It is fixable without cutting assistants, but settling for the staus quo (and not expecting more) will not get him back to 2000 levels easily. With the being said, I still think he wins another at OU....

I can accept the Mike > Venables, but I'm not sure about the Maingino > Wilson.

Mangino's offenses were petty bad while he was here. In all fairness, he may have had less talent to work with. I've re-watched some games with Nate at qb and he's in the running for the least talented qb that has been here since Stoops arrived. He took a beating so maybe it was because he had no oline. But Mangios offenses were really, really bad at times.

Having said that, Wilson had one of the best offenses in NCAA history last year. That has got to account for something. What? I don't know.

[Curly Bill]

Stoops has two issues on his hands:

Mangino > Wilson

Mike > Venables

That issue needs to be fixed one way or the other. It is fixable without cutting assistants, but settling for the staus quo (and not expecting more) will not get him back to 2000 levels easily. With the being said, I still think he wins another at OU....

Honestly, I don't think it is fixable without getting rid of the two coordinators. The two guys we now have are what they are, and what they are is not Mangino or Mike level.

[mightysooner]

Maybe our coach should stop unloading on his assistants and go get good assistants if he needs to, like that other smarmy coach down in Austin does who seems to have taken "that team" to a higher level than ours. Bob's assistants aren't sought after by other schools. There's a reason for that, Bob.

[Curly Bill]

I think Bob got tired of losing assistants -- Leach, Mangino, Mike, and others...

...so he got some guys he knew nobody else would want. ;) :D