Sooner04
9/24/2009, 12:37 PM
And as you fly through this time warp you're approached by a shadowy figure in a fedora. You can't see his face, but you can hear his voice. You're relieved when he tells you that you won't be stuck in this time warp forever. Actually, you won't be stuck for long at all. You'll actually only be stuck in there for a very few minutes.
The man in the fedora tells you that you've slipped through this crack for one reason and one reason. You're going to alter the course of history, OU FOOTBALL history, that is. You've got the power to change the outcome of only one play in the long, glorious past of OU football.......but which one do you choose?
Do you quantum leap a spare defensive end to stop Dick Lynch on the toss play against Notre Dame in 1957?
Do you place Mike Vachon's foot more square on the ball on any of the four field goals he missed against Texas in 1967?
Do you change the arc of the ball so Mildren doesn't overthrow Harrison late in the Game of the Century in 1971?
Do you quantum leap Tony DiRienzo to Los Angeles to kick field goals against USC in 1973?
Do you pull Billy's knee down at the tree before he fumbles in Lincoln in 1978?
Do you install winshield wipers on the frames of the side judge against Texas in 1984?
Do you let Jamelle slip against O-State in 1987 instead of letting him plant and shredding his knee?
Do you do the same for Mike Gaddis against Texas in 1989?
Do you help Roy jump a little higher against O-State in 2001 and knock away that pass to T.D. Bryant?
Do you deflect the pass at the Sugar Bowl in 2003 instead of letting Jason White throw it for a Pick-6?
There are so, so many to choose from, but you've only got one choice. I wrote an essay on this very topic a few years ago and here is what I came up with: I never let Aikman's ankle break.
So Jerome Brown never comes through that hole, and Aikman finishes the game. AND THEN he leads us to a victory over Miami on that overcast October day in Norman. Then what? Well, I think the offense we see that afternoon continues to flourish, but not enough to win a national championship in '85.
If you'll remember, the offense looks pathetic against Minnesota and Texas, only mustering 13 and 14 points in those two games. Against Miami and their roster of all-world freaks, we start moving the ball up and down the field. Why? Switzer and the staff start utilizing Aikman's passing abilities and the Hurricanes started looking like the Golden Hurricane on defense. I believe that trend continues throughout the season and is successful enough to carry us to the Orange Bowl, but not to the title. Winning the Ice Bowl would've been rough with Aikman and beating Penn State, who shut us down all night, would've been even tougher.
I do think Aikman leads us to glory in either '86 or '87, more than likely the latter. The '86 Hurricanes were unbelievable and I don't think a backfield of God, Christ and the Holy Ghost could've beaten that team in the Orange Bowl. Testaverde's five interceptions in the Fiesta Bowl was as much a point-shaving Exhibit "A" as the Duke/UNLV '91 National Semifinal, in my honest opinion.
But in '87, it would've all come together. Our schedule was a breeze. Texas sucked. UNT and Tulsa weren't exactly top-notch OOC opponents. We saw what Nebraska was made of when they lined up against our defense and pissed themselves. Holieway doesn't play against OSU, therefore he doesn't shred his knee, therefore Thompson never experiences the media blitz following his win over Nebraska in the Game of the Century II. The '87 Miami team we met in the Orange Bowl was nothing like the team from the year before. Steve Walsh was no Testaverde. They scored 20 on us, and I'm here to believe that Aikman could've done better than that.
So, if he doesn't break his ankle, what happens?
Well, I think Switzer is here until at least 1995. The Dallas job isn't even an issue because his aspirations are not to follow a two-time Super Bowl winner, at least not straight from the OU sideline. Sure, the whole Jerry Parks deal happens, but I still think Switzer fights through it. You want to know why? Because Aikman didn't get hurt, and the shift to a more open style of offense means the coaching staff has no use for a 5'7'' option quarterback from Lawton, Oklahoma.
http://i.cnn.net/si/si_online/covers/images/1989/0227_large.jpg
We've got no use for recruiting Thompson in '85 with Aikman running the show. We've got Jamelle Holieway, Eric Mitchel and Glenn Sullivan all right there. Thompson goes to some JUCO for two years and goes far away from here. He might sell some coke somewhere, but he darn sure isn't on the cover of SI delivering the death blow to the Switzer regime.
With Switzer still in the ranks and the Aikman Attack rolling up and down the field, I doubt we recruit Steve Collins, which means no team mutiny under Gibbs. We play Gundy as a freshman and don't miss a beat. That kid Gaddis turns into a stud, the Texas/Colorado curse never materializes. Nebraska football remains crouched in a fetal position. The Iowa State QB draw never happens because Switzer would've killed Gibbs for ditching the 5-2 and neglecting to put a spy on that damn gimpy QB.
AND, with a talent zenith from '90-93, I'm here to say Switzer had a legitimate shot at another national title before he retires somewhere around '95.
If only Aikman's ankle hadn't caught the turf...........
Sorry that was so long. Thank you for your time.
The man in the fedora tells you that you've slipped through this crack for one reason and one reason. You're going to alter the course of history, OU FOOTBALL history, that is. You've got the power to change the outcome of only one play in the long, glorious past of OU football.......but which one do you choose?
Do you quantum leap a spare defensive end to stop Dick Lynch on the toss play against Notre Dame in 1957?
Do you place Mike Vachon's foot more square on the ball on any of the four field goals he missed against Texas in 1967?
Do you change the arc of the ball so Mildren doesn't overthrow Harrison late in the Game of the Century in 1971?
Do you quantum leap Tony DiRienzo to Los Angeles to kick field goals against USC in 1973?
Do you pull Billy's knee down at the tree before he fumbles in Lincoln in 1978?
Do you install winshield wipers on the frames of the side judge against Texas in 1984?
Do you let Jamelle slip against O-State in 1987 instead of letting him plant and shredding his knee?
Do you do the same for Mike Gaddis against Texas in 1989?
Do you help Roy jump a little higher against O-State in 2001 and knock away that pass to T.D. Bryant?
Do you deflect the pass at the Sugar Bowl in 2003 instead of letting Jason White throw it for a Pick-6?
There are so, so many to choose from, but you've only got one choice. I wrote an essay on this very topic a few years ago and here is what I came up with: I never let Aikman's ankle break.
So Jerome Brown never comes through that hole, and Aikman finishes the game. AND THEN he leads us to a victory over Miami on that overcast October day in Norman. Then what? Well, I think the offense we see that afternoon continues to flourish, but not enough to win a national championship in '85.
If you'll remember, the offense looks pathetic against Minnesota and Texas, only mustering 13 and 14 points in those two games. Against Miami and their roster of all-world freaks, we start moving the ball up and down the field. Why? Switzer and the staff start utilizing Aikman's passing abilities and the Hurricanes started looking like the Golden Hurricane on defense. I believe that trend continues throughout the season and is successful enough to carry us to the Orange Bowl, but not to the title. Winning the Ice Bowl would've been rough with Aikman and beating Penn State, who shut us down all night, would've been even tougher.
I do think Aikman leads us to glory in either '86 or '87, more than likely the latter. The '86 Hurricanes were unbelievable and I don't think a backfield of God, Christ and the Holy Ghost could've beaten that team in the Orange Bowl. Testaverde's five interceptions in the Fiesta Bowl was as much a point-shaving Exhibit "A" as the Duke/UNLV '91 National Semifinal, in my honest opinion.
But in '87, it would've all come together. Our schedule was a breeze. Texas sucked. UNT and Tulsa weren't exactly top-notch OOC opponents. We saw what Nebraska was made of when they lined up against our defense and pissed themselves. Holieway doesn't play against OSU, therefore he doesn't shred his knee, therefore Thompson never experiences the media blitz following his win over Nebraska in the Game of the Century II. The '87 Miami team we met in the Orange Bowl was nothing like the team from the year before. Steve Walsh was no Testaverde. They scored 20 on us, and I'm here to believe that Aikman could've done better than that.
So, if he doesn't break his ankle, what happens?
Well, I think Switzer is here until at least 1995. The Dallas job isn't even an issue because his aspirations are not to follow a two-time Super Bowl winner, at least not straight from the OU sideline. Sure, the whole Jerry Parks deal happens, but I still think Switzer fights through it. You want to know why? Because Aikman didn't get hurt, and the shift to a more open style of offense means the coaching staff has no use for a 5'7'' option quarterback from Lawton, Oklahoma.
http://i.cnn.net/si/si_online/covers/images/1989/0227_large.jpg
We've got no use for recruiting Thompson in '85 with Aikman running the show. We've got Jamelle Holieway, Eric Mitchel and Glenn Sullivan all right there. Thompson goes to some JUCO for two years and goes far away from here. He might sell some coke somewhere, but he darn sure isn't on the cover of SI delivering the death blow to the Switzer regime.
With Switzer still in the ranks and the Aikman Attack rolling up and down the field, I doubt we recruit Steve Collins, which means no team mutiny under Gibbs. We play Gundy as a freshman and don't miss a beat. That kid Gaddis turns into a stud, the Texas/Colorado curse never materializes. Nebraska football remains crouched in a fetal position. The Iowa State QB draw never happens because Switzer would've killed Gibbs for ditching the 5-2 and neglecting to put a spy on that damn gimpy QB.
AND, with a talent zenith from '90-93, I'm here to say Switzer had a legitimate shot at another national title before he retires somewhere around '95.
If only Aikman's ankle hadn't caught the turf...........
Sorry that was so long. Thank you for your time.