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View Full Version : HAS ANYONE READ "THE UNDEFEATED"?


1991SOONER
6/6/2006, 10:44 PM
I picked up this book at B&N yesterday and on chapter 4 now. Its pretty good so far...

This book has some really good insight into why OU football has come to power and why Oklahomans are sometimes viewed in a negative light. It all goes back to the dust bowl days...

A question to anyone who has read it: What part of the book did you like best and why?
Jello Biafra
6/6/2006, 10:49 PM
I liked the part(s) about how coach had to think up ways to motivate the team as the streak went on.

they go into pretty good detail as to why oklahomans hate ND in general even though most don't know why.....
westcoast_sooner
6/6/2006, 11:43 PM
I read it a few months ago. What I enjoyed about it was the Sooners rise to become one of the great college football powers of all time. Good read, not great, but learning more about Sooner football history, Bud and the guys who played for him was very interesting.
TheUnnamedSooner
6/7/2006, 10:34 AM
I'm about 3/4 of the way through it. It's great to learn of what went on back in Bud's day!
southern sooner
6/7/2006, 11:35 AM
Bet you have an even greater respect for Vessels and Prentice...
oumartin
6/7/2006, 11:40 AM
read it a couple years back then bought some for christmas gifts.
boomersooner28
6/7/2006, 02:01 PM
My favorite part by far is the part during the streak when we played TCU. I won't give it away, but it is a jaw dropper.
OUGreg723
6/7/2006, 02:19 PM
It is an amazing book!
oumartin
6/7/2006, 02:53 PM
oh you mean when TCU! ;)

well, consider it a wash after last seasons debacle.
SoonerStormchaser
6/7/2006, 04:05 PM
Bastard Whorn Frogs!
boomersooner82
6/7/2006, 04:50 PM
Great book, best I've read about OU football at least. I think we need an Undefeated movie. And not just one of those crappy ESPN or Disney movies, either. My favorite part: when the state leaders sat around and decided that they would establish respect for the state through football... best idea ever
SoonerStormchaser
6/7/2006, 04:53 PM
Someone call Jerry Bruckheimer!
swardboy
6/7/2006, 05:46 PM
Something that intrigued me was the Sunday afternoon pick up games in Muskogee was it? Anyway, the Burris boys home....and the black athletes that took part. I can't imagine that was happening ANYWHERE else in the country back then. Pretty progressive really.....
KaiserSooner
6/7/2006, 06:34 PM
I think Dent got the year wrong on that TCU game, but I'm not sure about that.

I'm not sure I have a favorite part of it, other than the book shedding some light onto that period of OU football. Also, I think the book paints perhaps the most human image of Bud Wilkinson that's out there....it doesn't tow the mythical line of him being lilly white and superhuman.
Octavian
6/7/2006, 07:42 PM
Jimmy Harris and the Nebraska cheerleader
Socrefbek
6/7/2006, 08:45 PM
I really enjoyed the book. I kept thinking through out the book what might have been if they had reliable FG kickers back in those days. Several of those games were much closer than they needed to be and the 7-0 loss to ND would never have happened. OU dominated that contest.

I really enjoyed reading about Bud Wilkinson and his coaching style and the fact he was such an intelligent and innovative coach.
Jay C. Upchurch
6/8/2006, 02:18 AM
Dent got a lot of facts wrong in his book, including things he purposely altered to make it seem more dramatic in parts. A number of OU players from that era were unhappy with the book.

Harold Keith's book, 47 Straight, on the same subject is a much better read. More accurate and more detailed.
Red October
6/8/2006, 09:48 AM
Dent got a lot of facts wrong in his book, including things he purposely altered to make it seem more dramatic in parts. A number of OU players from that era were unhappy with the book.

Harold Keith's book, 47 Straight, on the same subject is a much better read. More accurate and more detailed.

I agree 100%
Jeopardude
6/8/2006, 09:49 AM
I've read it. It's neat-- it's got CAPITAL letters and lowercase letters. That's one thing it's got over your subject heading :rolleyes:
Octavian
6/8/2006, 10:54 AM
Dent got a lot of facts wrong in his book, including things he purposely altered to make it seem more dramatic in parts. A number of OU players from that era were unhappy with the book.

Harold Keith's book, 47 Straight, on the same subject is a much better read. More accurate and more detailed.

Keith's book is a nice glossy view that seems to better fit a Disney afternoon special than reality.

The players that were upset didn't like that many of Bud's private personality traits (womanizing, drinking) were revealed.

I'm not sure which is correct but whenever I see one piece of work aobut shiny happy people and one w/ human beings, I tend to lean toward the latter.

I'm can understand why guys in their 70s would refute Dent's account and point you in the direction of Keith's book. I might do the same thing.
CrimsonChampion
6/8/2006, 01:57 PM
[QUOTE=1991SOONER]I picked up this book at B&N yesterday and on chapter 4 now. Its pretty good so far...

This book has some really good insight into why OU football has come to power and why Oklahomans are sometimes viewed in a negative light. It all goes back to the dust bowl days...

A question to anyone who has read it: What part of the book did you like best and why? [/QUOTE

I'm still early in this book also, but so far my favorite part is when one of the regents or whatever says, "There's only one thing that can save this state and it's FOOTBALL FOOTBALL FOOTBALL!"

Sooooooo basically if it wasn't for SOONER football, we'd prolly be texass and our great land would be used for drilling oil. Poor longhorns still haven't figured out how to bring home the big one on a consistant basis.
Old Sooner
6/8/2006, 02:10 PM
BoomerSooner82 we do have an Undefeated movie. Clint Eastwood played a gun fighter who had become a pig farmer after he married. He had to kill Little Bill at the end. (I love that part)
Legendarybud
6/8/2006, 08:02 PM
My feelings about the book served as my introduction into the Wilkinson family and some of Bud's players. It is interesting how one circumstance can lead to so many others. I will leave it to them to discuss their feelings about the book.

For those who are interested, there is an interesting history about the author, Jim Dent, who was just recently released from prison. He was arrested for DUI's and evading arrest.
goingoneight
6/8/2006, 08:24 PM
Don't know that one, but I'll be after it next stop in B&N... I'm partial to Bootlegger's Boy, however... so it seems like I'll be into it...