Okla-homey
7/11/2007, 08:20 AM
:les: he shat upon the Big XII and his former employer, Pickens State.
While I agree the SEC is probably the most loaded conference these days, making that kinda statement is not the sort of thing you expect to hear from a head coach in the summertime...unless he is Les.
Note: I apologize if this was discussed yesterday, but I was out of pocket down in Lawton most of the day
I know, take it to the football board...
This from a LM apologist in this morning's Tulsa World:
Former OSU coach Les Miles took a swipe at the Big 12, among others, during a speech in New Orleans recently.
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
7/11/2007
IF HE WERE STILL with us, former sportscaster Ronald "Dutch" Reagan would probably look at Les Miles, shake his head and use his signature call on LSU's football coach: "There you go again."
Reagan, who covered the Chicago Cubs for WHO radio in Des Moines, Iowa early in his multifaceted career, often used the head-shake move and those words when he debated Jimmy Carter in 1980. He'd dropped the nickname by then, but the catch phrase helped Reagan become the 40th President of the United States.
Twenty-seven years later, Reagan's words still work for Miles' detractors. Football fans in this state, especially University of Oklahoma supporters, know Miles has a knack for going off on a tangent with comments that rankle the opposition.
The former Oklahoma State coach was at it again a couple of weeks ago. But instead of taking subtle shots at the Sooners and OU coach Bob Stoops, Miles took on several schools during a speech in New Orleans.
Miles' point was the overall strength of the Southeastern Conference. And while most of Miles' barbs were aimed at the Pac-10 Conference, he also zeroed in on the league where he worked seven seasons as both an assistant and head coach at OSU.
"The Big 12 is a conference that might have two really pretty good teams, maybe four," said Miles, who was 2-2 against OU and Stoops the four seasons he directed the Cowboys. "I think the Pac-10 may have one or two really good ones. The ACC certainly, arguably, has some quality teams.
"I don't think there's any conference out there that has as many quality teams as ours (SEC). Year in and year out there are some arguments to be made for which teams, which conference is the best. I can only tell you that there are a number of differences in this conference, and the differences are routine on every Saturday."
Naturally, Miles' comments ignited a firestorm of rebuttals. The football folks on the Left Coast were particularly ticked off when Miles belittled Pac-10 schools UCLA, California, Stanford and Washington (sarcastically calling them "juggernauts") while proclaiming Southern Cal has an easier path to the 2008 national championship game than SEC teams.
Just like he often was at OSU, Miles is right. The SEC figures to be this season's toughest conference, and Pac-10 teams don't have to contend with a conference championship game like the SEC and several leagues.
But instead of getting angry at Miles, his critics should figure out a way to get even. USC just might get the opportunity if the Trojans face LSU in the national title game as many of the preseason polls project.
As for the Big 12, it should worry about its own house instead of fretting over words spoken by a coach who has the refreshing attitude of not being afraid to speak his mind. And to do it on the record.
Some so-called experts are so down on the Big 12 that they ranked the conference no higher than fifth among the 12 Division I-A leagues. The skepticism is justified after the Big 12 went 3-5 last season in bowl games, including OU's image-damaging Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State in the league's only BCS bowl appearance.
OU, Texas, Nebraska and Texas A&M are the only Big 12 schools ranked in the Top 25 of a consensus of the preseason magazine polls. Texas (No. 5) and OU (No. 10) are the only Top 10 teams, which supports Miles' contention that the Big 12 has two good teams, and no more than four.
The beauty in this discussion is that the Big 12 will have ample opportunity this season to shut up people like Miles. While some conference schools continue to schedule too many creampuff opponents, there are enough excellent nonconference games for the Big 12 to rebuild its reputation by winning.
Nebraska can give the league a huge boost if the Cornhuskers upset USC on Sept. 15 when the Trojans visit Lincoln. USC is an overwhelming preseason favorite to win the national championship. The Huskers also play at Wake Forest, last season's surprise ACC champion.
An OSU win at Georgia on Sept. 1 would provide the Big 12 some early-season momentum. Some other nonconference "name" teams on Big 12 schedules include Arizona State, Florida State, Auburn, Miami (Fla.), Texas Christian and Iowa.
But if some league teams start off like Colorado did in 2006, when the Buffs lost 19-10 at home to Montana State in the season opener, the critics will undoubtedly look at the Big 12, shake their heads and say, "there it goes again."
While I agree the SEC is probably the most loaded conference these days, making that kinda statement is not the sort of thing you expect to hear from a head coach in the summertime...unless he is Les.
Note: I apologize if this was discussed yesterday, but I was out of pocket down in Lawton most of the day
I know, take it to the football board...
This from a LM apologist in this morning's Tulsa World:
Former OSU coach Les Miles took a swipe at the Big 12, among others, during a speech in New Orleans recently.
By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Columnist
7/11/2007
IF HE WERE STILL with us, former sportscaster Ronald "Dutch" Reagan would probably look at Les Miles, shake his head and use his signature call on LSU's football coach: "There you go again."
Reagan, who covered the Chicago Cubs for WHO radio in Des Moines, Iowa early in his multifaceted career, often used the head-shake move and those words when he debated Jimmy Carter in 1980. He'd dropped the nickname by then, but the catch phrase helped Reagan become the 40th President of the United States.
Twenty-seven years later, Reagan's words still work for Miles' detractors. Football fans in this state, especially University of Oklahoma supporters, know Miles has a knack for going off on a tangent with comments that rankle the opposition.
The former Oklahoma State coach was at it again a couple of weeks ago. But instead of taking subtle shots at the Sooners and OU coach Bob Stoops, Miles took on several schools during a speech in New Orleans.
Miles' point was the overall strength of the Southeastern Conference. And while most of Miles' barbs were aimed at the Pac-10 Conference, he also zeroed in on the league where he worked seven seasons as both an assistant and head coach at OSU.
"The Big 12 is a conference that might have two really pretty good teams, maybe four," said Miles, who was 2-2 against OU and Stoops the four seasons he directed the Cowboys. "I think the Pac-10 may have one or two really good ones. The ACC certainly, arguably, has some quality teams.
"I don't think there's any conference out there that has as many quality teams as ours (SEC). Year in and year out there are some arguments to be made for which teams, which conference is the best. I can only tell you that there are a number of differences in this conference, and the differences are routine on every Saturday."
Naturally, Miles' comments ignited a firestorm of rebuttals. The football folks on the Left Coast were particularly ticked off when Miles belittled Pac-10 schools UCLA, California, Stanford and Washington (sarcastically calling them "juggernauts") while proclaiming Southern Cal has an easier path to the 2008 national championship game than SEC teams.
Just like he often was at OSU, Miles is right. The SEC figures to be this season's toughest conference, and Pac-10 teams don't have to contend with a conference championship game like the SEC and several leagues.
But instead of getting angry at Miles, his critics should figure out a way to get even. USC just might get the opportunity if the Trojans face LSU in the national title game as many of the preseason polls project.
As for the Big 12, it should worry about its own house instead of fretting over words spoken by a coach who has the refreshing attitude of not being afraid to speak his mind. And to do it on the record.
Some so-called experts are so down on the Big 12 that they ranked the conference no higher than fifth among the 12 Division I-A leagues. The skepticism is justified after the Big 12 went 3-5 last season in bowl games, including OU's image-damaging Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State in the league's only BCS bowl appearance.
OU, Texas, Nebraska and Texas A&M are the only Big 12 schools ranked in the Top 25 of a consensus of the preseason magazine polls. Texas (No. 5) and OU (No. 10) are the only Top 10 teams, which supports Miles' contention that the Big 12 has two good teams, and no more than four.
The beauty in this discussion is that the Big 12 will have ample opportunity this season to shut up people like Miles. While some conference schools continue to schedule too many creampuff opponents, there are enough excellent nonconference games for the Big 12 to rebuild its reputation by winning.
Nebraska can give the league a huge boost if the Cornhuskers upset USC on Sept. 15 when the Trojans visit Lincoln. USC is an overwhelming preseason favorite to win the national championship. The Huskers also play at Wake Forest, last season's surprise ACC champion.
An OSU win at Georgia on Sept. 1 would provide the Big 12 some early-season momentum. Some other nonconference "name" teams on Big 12 schedules include Arizona State, Florida State, Auburn, Miami (Fla.), Texas Christian and Iowa.
But if some league teams start off like Colorado did in 2006, when the Buffs lost 19-10 at home to Montana State in the season opener, the critics will undoubtedly look at the Big 12, shake their heads and say, "there it goes again."