🏈 Oklahoma's Bob Stoops rips into SEC scheduling, Alabama's Sugar Bowl 'excuses'

[TerryP]

@riz You've touched on part of what bothers me.

For instance, the reference to the bottom half of the SEC being 0-36 against the top half. That's supposed to be a comment supporting the Big12 playing all nine opponents in their conference. However, when you look at what is being said you see WVU, Kansas, Iowa State, and TCU only won games against each other. When you factor in Texas Tech, you see they only won games against those four. So, the bottom half of the Big12 is in the same boat; 0'fer.

You don't like how (against whom) our out-of-conference games are scheduled. I get that. His comments become muddled again here because they're playing Tennessee and we're playing West Virginia. That street runs two ways but we only hear him reference one.

I do understand where you're coming from that the Sugar Bowl should mean something more than it did. A comparison between the travails OU went through versus Alabama? Again, doesn't fit. They've been to quite a few BCS games over the last ten years—six games, two wins. The thing about those losses they endured, outside of LSU, is they were backing in with two loss seasons before the bowl game. (What does he attribute those teams' and their performances to?) That's a far cry from a few seconds away from playing for your third national title in a row.

What Stoops says does contain some truth. However, what's missing in these reports is everything he's pointing to can be found on his own resume. Therein explains why I find his comments wearisome.

 

[riz]

@TerryP

I know, man. His argument is full of holes when he's jabbing at the league in general. All leagues are top heavy, unless the league as a whole just blows. And when you only have 9 teams, it's pretty easy to play everybody.

He's lost way more "big games" than he's won, but it's a what have you done lately world. What pisses me off, is we get to be his example in that scenario. Oh well, whatcha gone do.

 

[AFF]

Let me step up onto the soap box for a minute...

It seems to me that the media is getting its way by instigating all this Stoops/Saban rivalry stuff. As always, they're like the trouble-maker kid on the playground trying to get a fight started - "you gonna let him get away with saying that about you?".

Everybody knows that Stoops has been back on his heels for several years now trying to bring Oklahoma back to prominence during the recent SEC domination of the game. Since May of last year he's been desperately trying to frame an argument that the "dominant SEC" talk of the past 5 or so years was all propaganda and how the SEC is really overrated. Maybe he really believes that or maybe he's just trying to appease his fan base and supporters. Whatever Stoops' motivation, Saban hadn't taken the bait and instead took the high road and deflected that kind of talk with an "I've got more important things to do.." type of response.

But, in Connecticut on Tuesday Saban finally gave Stoops and the media exactly what they wanted to hear with the "consolation game" comment. Sure, I understand that the comment was consistent with what Saban had been saying since even before the Sugar Bowl was played. He talked back in December about how difficult it would be to keep a team with all that recent success from becoming complacent, etc. And, I'm sure he did feel afterwards that the team wasn't as motivated to play that game as they should have been. Thinking and believing that is one thing. But, when you say it out loud and to the media after the fact, then its easy to make it sound like its just an excuse - which is exactly what Stoops did. Goody for him.

For some reason, in recent years I've been trying to convince myself that I appreciated the Oklahoma football tradition. I suppose it's easy to be magnanimous when you've won 3 out of 4 national championships with no end in sight. And after all, their fans that come to this board seem friendly enough and seem to respect the Tide's tradition, etc. I was actually kind of proud of the fact that Oklahoma came to Bama for help installing their 3-4 defense in an obvious attempt to emulate our success. But, in reality I was never quite comfortable with it all. It's hard to forget Barry Switzer, or the obnoxious "Boz", or all those great Oklahoma teams of the 70's and 80's. I hated them then and I must say its much easier to just hate Stoops and Oklahoma than it is to try to admire or appreciate them.

So, thanks Bob for being such an ass and thanks to the media for stirring the pot and allowing me to remember why, deep inside, I hate Oklahoma. You've made my life much easier. Now Alabama has a new 'hated rival'. Goody for us and the rest of the college football world. I just pray that somehow we meet in the playoffs this year and have the opportunity to show them what a fluke that game really was.

Roll Tide

I am now stepping down off of my soap box....

 

[planomateo]

My opinion.

OU beat a good Alabama team, plain and simple. Saban is making excuses, still not sure why we stopped running the ball - that's on the coaches.

It was a big win for OU and I'd be a little irked if someone was trying to minimize the win/loss.

That being said, F' the land thieves.

 

[AFF]

My opinion.

OU beat a good Alabama team, plain and simple. Saban is making excuses, still not sure why we stopped running the ball - that's on the coaches.

OU did beat a good Alabama team, plain and simple. There's no argument about that.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Saban is one to make excuses. I interpreted his comment as him being the always-on coach that he is who took it as an opportunity to preach/teach to the current team about the repercussions of becoming complacent. His mistake with the 'consolation' comment was that he didn't consider that it would sound as if he was detracting from OU's accomplishment or that he was making excuses. IMO, he was only thinking about how it would play to his current squad. Saban's a football genius but nobody ever accused him of being a PR genius.

As for the game plan - yeah that's on the coaches. Kudos to the OU staff for catching our staff off guard with their game plan. Realistically, its probably the best thing that could have happened for this year's team.

 

[TerryP]

@TerryP

He's lost way more "big games" than he's won, but it's a what have you done lately world. What pisses me off, is we get to be his example in that scenario. Oh well, whatcha gone do.

I can tell you how I choose to look at this (in my usual, long-winded way.)

You remember this sign?



A lot got ticked off about it being put up but on the other hand it was a sign that said, "beating Alabama still means something."

Now, look at what it means to OU fans and their staff. They join a group of four teams, outside of the SEC, who can say "they beat Bama." They are the only team that's done so since we notched that BCS win in 2009. It's exclusive company.

Let 'em hang their hat on the win. I know damn well we would have if we'd have won that game in 2003 when we fielded a 4-9 team. We'd be relishing it today. There's an OU losing to a team that's in the bottom half of SEC (2-6 season.)

 

[riz]

Oh yeah, I remember that sign. I was at the game. You had to remind me, didn't you. Roll Dubose, Roll Fran.

 

[TerryP]

Oh yeah, I remember that sign. I was at the game. You had to remind me, didn't you. Roll Dubose, Roll Fran.

I could argue it's the biggest win over Alabama the state of Louisiana has enjoyed since Saban has been here. LSU has won their share, but in the end what did it mean?

 

[bamafan4ever]

..... it was a sign that said, "beating Alabama still means something."

It always means something to beat Alabama, whether the Tide is down or not. During the Tubberville streak against Alabama, they proclaimed their streak on T-shirts but knew full and well Alabama wasn't at full strength. It certainly means something to beat Alabama when they are in the midst of one of the greatest runs in college football. It's like I told a friend the other day, you don't win multiple ESPY's by beating Tennessee.

I don't like Oklahoma and I don't like Bobby Stoops. He is only envious of Saban f0r what he has at Alabama and what he doesn't at Oklahoma. Bobby was choking long before Saban roamed the sidelines in Title Town and Saban has already accomplished more in 7 seasons. To Saban and Alabama (whether it should be or not), the OU game was a consolation prize. That's what happens when expectations for your team and yourself are not met.

 

[BamaFan334]

I'm sorry, but what conference has bottom dwellers that are considered contenders? None, because they're bottom dwellers. PAC-12 has Colorado, Utah, Washington State, Oregon State, Arizona. Big XII has Kansas, Texas Tech, TCU, West Virginia, Iowa State etc. Big Ten has Illinois, Purdue, Minnesota, now Rutgers and Maryland. The ACC has the likes of Wake Forest, NC State, Virginia, and most years North Carolina and Duke. So I don't think any conference has any room to talk about us playing bottom dwellers, because we all do it. Do I think ours are tougher wins than other conferences, sure I do, but don't act like your team only plays Top 30 opponents.

I hated losing to Oklahoma. I knew going in it was a game many considered a consolation game we wouldn't be up for. In my eyes, you fight your ass of every attempt you get. Nothing is ever worthless or a gimme in college football, because look at the publicity it has caused our school. He's right, they spanked us. But hey, no one is perfect and everyone loses at one time or another. We just gotta drop that bullshit and focus on this year and bury their sorry asses if we get another shot. In the meantime, Stoops is making an ass of himself because he's full of it and. Doesn't realize most statistics disprove his attempted logic.

 

[planomateo]

The reason Stoops is talking about Sumlin is all about recruiting. He's "gigging" the Aggies.

 

[TerryP]

@BamaFan334 The only thing I can add to what you've just said is one opposite viewpoint—"He's right, they spanked us."

It's hardly a spanking when you're down by seven with less than two minutes to go in the ball game. Or, if a 14 margin is partly due to a fumble deep in your own territory.

 

['65 Cobra]

The only thing I will say about this is that, while OU beat us outright, I saw the segment in which Saban made the "consolation prize" comment and I think this is being blown way out of proportion. Whatever, so many people have it out for Saban and Alabama these days. They will latch onto anything. It might not be a bad things for us to have a bit of an "us against the world" attitude.

 

[ElephantStomp]

OU beat an Alabama team that could give a flip about being in that game and anybody with eyes and half a brain could see that. I'm not taking anything away from OU's win they beat us fair and square, but let's not pump the win up to more than what it really is/was a motivated OU beating an Alabama team that's expectations are not just to play a upper tier bowl game, but to play for NCs and like I said everybody knows the team didn't give a flip about being there.

Stoops can say whatever he wants about the SEC and Alabama for that matter, but let's compare records between the two coaches in the last five years...Alabama is 60-7 and Oklahoma is 51-15 and we could look at bowl records if you want

 

[TerryP]

I found this interesting. Interesting not only one who retweeted it in the first place, but also who was included in the retweet; Scarbinsky of all people. It's from Chuck Dunlap of the SEC office.



Suttles follows this with another RT, but with a comment added...



"Smart of them to do?" Hrrmmm.

 

[planomateo]

 

[AFF]

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

OU's November Schedule...

Sat, Nov 1- @ Iowa State
Sat, Nov 8- vs Baylor
Sat, Nov 15- @ Texas Tech
Sat, Nov 22- vs Kansas
Sat, Nov 29- BYE

Not exactly Murderers' Row...

 

[TerryP]

.....

Jump back a bit to the video that went viral of the lady at the Sugar Bowl jumping over a row towards one of the OU fans in the stands. I know you remember that.

I've always wondered what was said that set her off. I'm not implying that makes her actions justified, but I can't help but suspect it would provide context.

Some may think I'm looking for an excuse for her actions. That's not the case. When I see things like the following tweet I believe it's a valid question.