So it begins...

[8timechamps]

To a person, the crew of the ESPN Bowl special pretty much scoffed at OU winning the Sugar Bowl. Of course, the Cotton Bowl debacle was brought up, and Reese Davis (who is typically pretty damn good) made sure to spin Stoops' comments about the SEC offenses/defenses earlier in the year.

I fully expect a month of this kind of stuff. Doubters, naysayers, etc. I'm going to love every second of it!

[Scott D]

(obligatory) Rece Davis is a Bama grad (/obligatory)

[bluedogok]

It helps when you don't watch any of their stuff. The only time that I watch ESPN anymore (other than a live event) is the Sunday morning NFL show.

[Wishboned]

It's OU against the world.


I like those odds.

[King Barry's Back]

Don't be so defensive. The Cotton Bowl debacle really did happen, and there are going to be a pretty good number of total OU homers (like me) nervous about playing Bama. I kind of wish that Bob had kept his mouth shut about the SEC, because those remarks shouldn't be the focus, but let's face it -- OU is a big underdog in this bowl.

Let's go down and play hard and see if we can shock the world. Auburn did it. Why not us?

[8timechamps]

Don't be so defensive. The Cotton Bowl debacle really did happen, and there are going to be a pretty good number of total OU homers (like me) nervous about playing Bama. I kind of wish that Bob had kept his mouth shut about the SEC, because those remarks shouldn't be the focus, but let's face it -- OU is a big underdog in this bowl.

Let's go down and play hard and see if we can shock the world. Auburn did it. Why not us?

Huh? Defensive? What, exactly, did I say that made you think I was being defensive?

As for the SEC/Stoops comments, I'm thinking you have no idea what was said (given your "kept his mouth shut" comment). Maybe you should go back and listen to the actual comment, then tell me what you think.

[8timechamps]

It helps when you don't watch any of their stuff. The only time that I watch ESPN anymore (other than a live event) is the Sunday morning NFL show.

I know, I know.

I'm a college football junkie, so I was drawn in...

But seriously, I am going to enjoy all of the "experts" deciding the game before it's played.

[Snrinhouston]

Don't be so defensive. The Cotton Bowl debacle really did happen, and there are going to be a pretty good number of total OU homers (like me) nervous about playing Bama. I kind of wish that Bob had kept his mouth shut about the SEC, because those remarks shouldn't be the focus, but let's face it -- OU is a big underdog in this bowl.

Let's go down and play hard and see if we can shock the world. Auburn did it. Why not us?

Because we don't have the talent right now to compete with Bama. Barry always said it was about having great players. Secondly, I think the chances of Saban's team coming out flat like it did against Utah is 0%.

[SanDiegoSoonerGal]

Heard it all before, prior to the 2005 Holiday Bowl. I much prefer it when we're given no chance than when we're expected to roll over the other team. We seem to be complacent if it seems we have nothing to prove. For example, this year's RRS.

[picasso]

Don't be so defensive. The Cotton Bowl debacle really did happen, and there are going to be a pretty good number of total OU homers (like me) nervous about playing Bama. I kind of wish that Bob had kept his mouth shut about the SEC, because those remarks shouldn't be the focus, but let's face it -- OU is a big underdog in this bowl.

Let's go down and play hard and see if we can shock the world. Auburn did it. Why not us?

Bob made a good point with those remarks. Too many people were overly reactionary and missed his logic.

[SanDiegoSoonerGal]

Because we don't have the talent right now to compete with Bama. Barry always said it was about having great players. Secondly, I think the chances of Saban's team coming out flat like it did against Utah is 0%.

Bless your heart. We didn't have the talent in 2000 to compete for the national championship, either. But we won it.

I love Barry, but even he shat the bed a few times with great players.

[8timechamps]

Bob made a good point with those remarks. Too many people were overly reactionary and missed his logic.

Honestly, I think "most" people didn't hear the actual comment...they heard the media reaction.

It was a compliment to the SEC QB's, yet somehow got twisted into an insult.

[Harris County Sooner]

Let's go down and play hard and see if we can shock the world. Auburn did it. Why not us?
Because they are not going to go to sleep after trying a futile field goal. OU will need some Sooner Magic to beat Alabama.

[BoulderSooner79]

(obligatory) Rece Davis is a Bama grad (/obligatory)

I enjoy watching Davis; think he is one of the best on ESPN. He's just doing his job with the Stoops/SEC comment thing to try to drum up interest in the contest. They want a wider audience than just OU and Bama fans who are already a lock to watch.

[soonercastor]

It sucks listening to all the bull****, but try to remove your homer glasses and think what have we done to prove these people otherwise? Nothing.
Yesterday was a HUGE win for us, but to the rest of the nation it's just like who is OK State anyway? Now if we beat Bama.....whole different story
This is a HUGE opportunity for the program and Stoops needs to seize it and not let us get embarrassed yet again on the big stage.
All the talk IMO is justified, or at least there isn't a reason to get mad at it until after the game

[Snrinhouston]

It sucks listening to all the bull****, but try to remove your homer glasses and think what have we done to prove these people otherwise? Nothing.
Yesterday was a HUGE win for us, but to the rest of the nation it's just like who is OK State anyway? Now if we beat Bama.....whole different story
This is a HUGE opportunity for the program and Stoops needs to seize it and not let us get embarrassed yet again on the big stage.
All the talk IMO is justified, or at least there isn't a reason to get mad at it until after the game

100% correct.

[DBrown]

EGAD......we're part of a sequel....."RETURN OF THE T-BAGGERS"!

[olevetonahill]

Bless your heart. We didn't have the talent in 2000 to compete for the national championship, either. But we won it.

I love Barry, but even he shat the bed a few times with great players.

Gal the dude is an idiot who thinks hes a fan yet always seems to be rooting for the opponent , Saying crap like we dont stand a chance ETC.
screw him.( Not figuratively LOL)



Honestly, I think "most" people didn't hear the actual comment...they heard the media reaction.

It was a compliment to the SEC QB's, yet somehow got twisted into an insult.

What Bob said was very innocuous, Yet the Sports Media Ran it in the ground and distorted it Much like the News folks tend to do. OVER SENSATIONALIZE.

[SoonerInFortSmith]

What Bob said was very innocuous, Yet the Sports Media Ran it in the ground and distorted it Much like the News folks tend to do. OVER SENSATIONALIZE.

Vet if you keep posting stuff like this you're gonna ruin your image. :D

[olevetonahill]

Vet if you keep posting stuff like this you're gonna ruin your image. :D

Dayum, I musta Been Sober, Ill get durnk tonight and fix that shat.

[JiminyChristmas]

I don't mind the disrespect prior to the game, some of it is fair and unfortunately earned to a degree on our part.

I just don't want to hear after the game, if we do win, "well Bama is accustomed to playing for titles so they really didn't come into this one fired up for the game."

Utah earned basically zero respect because that was the spin put on their game. Hopefully would be different in our case, but you never know.

[rock on sooner]

I know, I know.

I'm a college football junkie, so I was drawn in...

But seriously, I am going to enjoy all of the "experts" deciding the game before it's played.

I'll remind everyone that ALL of those "experts" picked the Pokes to beat us..all of 'em!
Full disclosure here, all those "experts" picked us to beat UT. Now, I'm reminded of the
military's definition of "expert"...ex = x represents the unknown and "xpert" = spurt, which
is just a drip under pressure.:cheerful:

[GeorgiaTider]

I think the chances of Saban's team coming out flat like it did against Utah is 0%.

Don't discount this possibility. OU is a good team, but knowing we could have been playing in the NCG is a let down.

[badger]

At least we're in the main college football conversations again. After dropping to Texas and Baylor, we weren't really mentioned on Gameday other than that opening crappy song

[Widescreen]

Honestly, I think "most" people didn't hear the actual comment...they heard the media reaction.

It was a compliment to the SEC QB's, yet somehow got twisted into an insult.
Interesting. I actually took it as mocking the perception that SEC defenses are great. He did comment on the improved caliber of the SEC QB's but I still interpreted it as basically saying that it's interesting how defenses all of a sudden look average with better offenses.

And by the way, he wasn't wrong. The SEC has not traditionally had innovative offenses or NFL quality QB's. That's finally changing and, surprise, the defenses are struggling.

[KantoSooner]

I'll remind everyone that ALL of those "experts" picked the Pokes to beat us..all of 'em!
Full disclosure here, all those "experts" picked us to beat UT. Now, I'm reminded of the
military's definition of "expert"...ex = x represents the unknown and "xpert" = spurt, which
is just a drip under pressure.:cheerful:

In devotiing a few minutes to the broadcast last evening, it occured to me that ESPN's babblers were 'Augers', that is to say, they are Boring Tools.

[Position Limit]

i want this team to hear nothing but doubt and derision from media and fans all month. i want it discussed constantly leading up to the game. i want espn to pimp this bama team up for sky high ratings. i want zero respect givin until kickoff. then we come out swinging. it's been a long time since we shocked the world. the crash would be epic. i aint scared.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

It's OU against the world.


I like those odds.some folks disagree with that...not I:sorrow:

[Soonerjeepman]

agreed with one poster...I'd rather go in as an underdog than favorite...seems to bite OU in the a$$.

Hopefully the month will give our "hurt" guys to heal that can come back. I'm excited and give it a "He11 ya"

BOOMER SOONER!

[thecrimsoncrusader]

It sucks listening to all the bull****, but try to remove your homer glasses and think what have we done to prove these people otherwise? Nothing.
Yesterday was a HUGE win for us, but to the rest of the nation it's just like who is OK State anyway? Now if we beat Bama.....whole different story
This is a HUGE opportunity for the program and Stoops needs to seize it and not let us get embarrassed yet again on the big stage.
All the talk IMO is justified, or at least there isn't a reason to get mad at it until after the game


Who is OK State anyway? A team that has a better defense than their 2011 squad who beat a Stanford team led by Andrew Luck in a BCS bowl and who's lone loss of the season was to #7 Oregon. Oklahoma beat a very good team on the road the other day and it doesn't matter what their name is.

[jkjsooner]

As for the SEC/Stoops comments, I'm thinking you have no idea what was said (given your "kept his mouth shut" comment). Maybe you should go back and listen to the actual comment, then tell me what you think.

I think we all know what was said. Even the media knows exactly what Stoops meant but of course they have an interest in turning everything they can into a controversy. Stoops need to understand this and I think that is what King Barry was referring to.


I just hope the criticism about this game isn't directed towards OU. We were picked to play in the game and we'll show up and play just like everyone else would do.

I don't have faith that the media will keep it in perspective. Just like in 2004, instead of concentrating on the fact that Auburn was left out, the media quickly turned on OU and made us to be the villian.

[okiewaker]

The national media will spend the next 3 weeks hugging all over Bama while giving OU not much of a chance in this game. I'm good with this. Keep on keeping on I say.

[BoulderSooner79]

I think we all know what was said. Even the media knows exactly what Stoops meant but of course they have an interest in turning everything they can into a controversy. Stoops need to understand this and I think that is what King Barry was referring to.


I just hope the criticism about this game isn't directed towards OU. We were picked to play in the game and we'll show up and play just like everyone else would do.

I don't have faith that the media will keep it in perspective. Just like in 2004, instead of concentrating on the fact that Auburn was left out, the media quickly turned on OU and made us to be the villian.

Why does it matter what the media does? I don't get it.

[Sooner in Tampa]

I think we all know what was said. Even the media knows exactly what Stoops meant but of course they have an interest in turning everything they can into a controversy. Stoops need to understand this and I think that is what King Barry was referring to.


I just hope the criticism about this game isn't directed towards OU. We were picked to play in the game and we'll show up and play just like everyone else would do.

I don't have faith that the media will keep it in perspective. Just like in 2004, instead of concentrating on the fact that Auburn was left out, the media quickly turned on OU and made us to be the villian.

OH, it has started already...SI's own Stewart Mandel



• Alabama vs. Oklahoma, Jan. 2: In 2010, the last time 'Bama fell short of the BCS title game, it took out its frustrations in a 49-7 Capital One Bowl rout of 11-1 Michigan State. That was also a year in which Auburn played for the national championship. Congrats on the BCS bid, Oklahoma, but this could get ugly.

[8timechamps]

I think we all know what was said. Even the media knows exactly what Stoops meant but of course they have an interest in turning everything they can into a controversy. Stoops need to understand this and I think that is what King Barry was referring to.


I just hope the criticism about this game isn't directed towards OU. We were picked to play in the game and we'll show up and play just like everyone else would do.

I don't have faith that the media will keep it in perspective. Just like in 2004, instead of concentrating on the fact that Auburn was left out, the media quickly turned on OU and made us to be the villian.

I don't agree that we "all" know what was said. Because I keep hearing/seeing a lot of Sooner fans saying Stoops should have "kept his mouth shut", etc. First, the comment was made on his own radio show. Second, he was answering a questions (not like he called a press conference to make a comment). Third, and most importantly, if anything, it was a swipe at the media for preaching how great the SEC defenses were last year.

If you (or anyone) thinks, after 15 years, that Stoops doesn't fully "understand" what he's saying when the microphones are on, then you're fooling yourself.

The bottom line, is that Stoops was pointing out the hypocricy with the media. Last year, the Big XII had some great QBs, but all we heard from the media was how poor the Big XII played defense. This year, the SEC had the same issue, yet the media didn't mention anything about the SEC having poor defenses. I still don't understand how anyone could take what he said as an insult to the SEC. Unless you're (not you specifically) just looking for a reason to be insulted.

[BoulderSooner79]

• Alabama vs. Oklahoma, Jan. 2: In 2010, the last time 'Bama fell short of the BCS title game, it took out its frustrations in a 49-7 Capital One Bowl rout of 11-1 Michigan State. That was also a year in which Auburn played for the national championship. Congrats on the BCS bid, Oklahoma, but this could get ugly.

What a bunch of hyperbole. Ugly? They didn't even hang a half a hundred on MSU. Phffft.

[Scott D]

I enjoy watching Davis; think he is one of the best on ESPN. He's just doing his job with the Stoops/SEC comment thing to try to drum up interest in the contest. They want a wider audience than just OU and Bama fans who are already a lock to watch.

psst....I was being sarcastic and mocking ESPN conspiracy guy ;)

[BlownGP]

Thats the only + side to playing bama. For some reason when OU is favored in a game they usually fail miserably...Being the under dawg always seems to play in OU's favor...

[soonercastor]

Who is OK State anyway? A team that has a better defense than their 2011 squad who beat a Stanford team led by Andrew Luck in a BCS bowl and who's lone loss of the season was to #7 Oregon. Oklahoma beat a very good team on the road the other day and it doesn't matter what their name is.

I don't disagree with that at all, but unfortunately it does matter what the name is. That's the reality of it.