OU-TX: Part 1: The Streak is Over

 One of the best things about the OU-Texas game is the pomp and circumstance that surround it. For Sooner and Longhorn fans, it's not just a game, it's an event, an entire weekend, something that is circled on the calendar like a holiday or a birthday.

Don't get me wrong, the game is important. In fact beating Texas is probably more important to me than it should be ... but what matters to me the most every year on the second Saturday in October, is actually not the game.  It's the people.

Jobs, kids, health, finances – hell, just making it through an average Tuesday takes all you have sometimes. One of the consequences from ‘not enough hours in the day’ is that you unintentionally drift away from some of the people in your life who are important. But Sooner football, and the OU-Texas games in particular, has provided the necessary where and why that brings us together ... even if only for a few hours … even if only for one day.

Sitting on those picnic tables outside the main gate of the Cotton Bowl before the game is where I get to see people like Dave McCabe, Tim Sanders, Blake & Sally Moffatt, Val & Diana Schlueter, Craig & Kathy Cruzen, Jeff Rogers, Trevor Walker, Bob Click and dozens of other fraternity brothers I should do a better job of keeping up with.

It's when I get to spend some time catching up and/or fighting with my friend Natalie, who has put up with me for almost 40 years ... and it’s where I get to share a 7-coupon warm beer in a wax cup with Scott McKnight's dad, Gary.

Like a measurement mark on a basement wall, the OU-TX game is where I get a chance to see the progress my friends kids have made in their pursuit of growing up. It’s were I watched Craigy Sanders become Craig ... Matt McCabe go from diapers to tall enough to dunk on his dad … the Cruzen boys go from grade school sports to college graduates ... and a trio of Lambert boys go from baby talk - to smooth talking the sorority babes.

Calling OU-TX only a game to me, is like saying the Bible is just a book.  Sorry, I'm not buying that.

But this past Saturday morning my alarm didn’t go off at 7:00 AM. I didn’t threaten to leave anybody who wasn’t in the car at 8:00 AM. I didn’t play Stairway to Heaven as loud as possible on the way to the game, nor did I hand some non-English speaking man flapping an orange flag, $40.00 in order to park. 

I didn’t have to worry about what I’d left in the car while walking to the gate, nor did I have to hide my two-flasks of Crown before going through Fair Park ‘security.’  I did however have a few beers before the game … but none of them were warm, served in a wax paper cup, paid for with last year’s left-over coupons, or handed to me by an unwashed, orthodontically challenged State Fair employee.  

Turns out that no routine, regardless of how sacred, is safe in 2020.  Yes, the streak is over … For the first time since 1982, there was no guy named Buddy Putty sitting in the Cotton Bowl at the OU-Texas game.

I still watched the game of course– and did so with some of my best friends, friends I’m lucky and grateful to have. I know they’re my friends, because no one who wasn’t would put up with the way I behave during a game – and I’m pushing it with some of them. 

That said, there was a part of me missing Saturday. Something that made me feel hollow. It made me think of the answer my friend Styx gave me when I asked him what it was like to watch the game on TV. My question was in jest, his answer was anything but, “I’ll be honest, it sucks. It makes you wonder why you’re not there.” Amen.

I guess I always knew there would finally come a day that I wouldn’t be able to be there in person.  Reasons like … my behavior finally resulted in me being banned, or my less than healthy lifestyle had me taking up space in Gods waiting room. Maybe I wouldn’t go if the game got moved to Jerry’s World – or if the powers that be decided to make the game a home and home series – thus killing what is one of the few long-standing traditions left in all of sports. But whatever the reason, I never dreamed my streak of attending OU-TX games would end because some moron ate a raw bat in a Wuhan, China wet market.  

Look, obviously, I'll be okay ... on the list of things wrong with me, this one falls well down the list. This shouldn’t be anything a few thousand dollars in therapy can’t fix.  Besides, judging from history, I probably should've seen this coming ... after all, I'm not the first Bud in Sooner history to have a streak end after 38-straight.

Next Up: Part 2 – Game Day

Just the Opinion of One Mildly Interested Guy

Buddy Putty - The Overweight Armchair Sooner

I'll Admit It. I Was Wrong ...

 

“I was dreamin' when I wrote this, Forgive me if it goes astray. But when I woke up this mornin', Could've sworn it was judgment day”

We took pictures with a camera. We got directions from a map and rented movies from a Blockbuster … please be kind and rewind. 

We still had home phones, we checked for a dial tone, and we left each other messages on a separate machine … and those long distance calls we made, well back then those were far from free.

 "The sky was all purple, there were people running everywhere. Tryin’ to run from the destruction, you know I didn’t even care."

For $5.00 you could see Spacey in American Beauty, Keanu in The Matrix or Brad Pitt in the Fight Club. On TV people tuned into Friends, the teenage drama of Beverly Hills 90210, and listen to Regis constantly asking us if we wanted to be a millionaire.

We listened to music on the radio (a device you could turn on to hear music you didn’t get to choose), a Walkman, or a CD player … playing CD’s we stole from Columbia House, not the internet.

"Lemme tell ya something, If you didn't come to party, Don't bother knockin' on my door. I got a lion in my pocket And baby he's ready to roar"

The Euro had just been established.  The twin towers were still standing, and the country’s biggest concern was Y2K.

I was 34 yrs. old, had been married to Plaintiff #1 for 6-months, and was standing in Section 4, Row 56 …

Say say … Two-thousand-zero-zero party over … Oops out of time. So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999 – Prince – Lyrics from 1999

Bob Stoops was in his first year as head coach of the Sooners. Lincoln Riley was 17-yrs. old and the starting QB for the Muleshoe Mules … and Spencer Rattler was still 6-days away from being born.

The year, as you may have gathered from the late great artist sometimes known as Prince – was 1999 … and it was the last time the Oklahoma Sooners lost back-to-back regular season games … that is until last Saturday night.

 Oklahoma 30  Iowa State 37

 “This defense sucks like nothing has ever sucked in the history of sucking” – Bevis & Butthead. 

I’ll admit it, I was wrong. Shocking, I know, but it happens. In fact, as crazy as this may sound, I’m wrong all the time, about a lot of things, and I have references that will back this claim should you need them. But as it pertains to the Sooners, after 3-games and two losses, all I can say is, what a fool am I.

I drank the cool-aide. I was a homer. I was a fool because I truly felt that the defense would be improved in year two under Alex Grinch. Look, I wasn’t being naïve in thinking that losing middle linebacker and leading tackler Kenneth Murry, top defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, and top cover-corner Parnell Motley wouldn’t hurt … I was being a crimson-colored glasses moron.

In my defense – pun intended - I thought that top recruit Josh Ellison from the junior college ranks would help plug the hole left by Gallimore’s departure.  In fairness, he’s been ok, but I guess I just didn’t expect this d-line to suffer more leaks than a game-day urinal. I'll admit it. I was wrong.

At linebacker, the Sooners had some guys returning who seemed on the verge of being quality players … White, Bonitto, Asamoah &  Ugweoghbu Ugewoebu - f*** it ... David U. But, I had no idea that they were such horrible tacklers or that they would get run over like they were standing between Kirsti Alley and an all-you-can-eat buffet, giving up enough yards after contact to make you want to YAC (YAC ...see what I did there :). I also thought Starbucks was a horrible idea ... coffee all day, no f-in' way. I'll admit it. I was wrong. 

As for the defensive backfield, surely they couldn’t be any worse than they’ve been the last couple years, right? In 2018, this defense was #130^th in the nation against the pass. The only reason they weren't #131, was because there wasn't one. In 2019, although you wouldn’t know it from watching the LSU game, there was some marked improvement by the Sooners defense against the pass, at least enough to give you hope for more improvement in 2020.  But then again, in 7^th grade I was absolutely certain that the line in the Queen song We Will Rock You was, “Kicking your cat all over the place…” I'll admit it. I was wrong.

Last year, the Sooners defense came up with only 11-turnovers ... or what I refer to as ‘A Sooners Dozen.’ Hell, a defense featuring Stevie Wonder, Ronnie Milsap, Ray Charles, & Helen Keller, could come up with more than 11. But then again, Stevie did write the Songs to the Key of Life … so of course they would. But 11? No way it would be that low again. Right?

The Sooners got their first turnover of the year Saturday night (no, the INT against Missouri State does not count damn it), which puts the Sooner defense on pace to get FOUR turnovers this season. FOUR! Four is the number of Beatles, suits of cards, cardinal directions, and deadly horseman there are – it shouldn’t be the number of turnovers your defense comes up with all season. But then again, I didn't think we'd drop out of the top 20 like we were a .com stock either. I'll admit it. I was wrong.

20-years ago, I was in the stands in South Bend, Indiana when the Sooners lost to Notre Dame … and again a week later in the Cotton Bowl when the Sooners lost their second consecutive game, this time to Texas. If our defense plays like it has so far this season, the Sooners streak will be extended to 3-in a row…

I thought the Sooners defense would be improved this season. I thought OU would win the Big 12 for the 6^th consecutive year, and that we'd be undefeated when we made the annual trek to Dallas. With that kind of thinking, it’s a minor miracle that I don’t believe the world to be flat, the internet a fad, and that my actions over the last 54-years wouldn’t be an issue if I were to run for public office. I'll admit it. I was wrong.

But, I guess there is hope for the Sooner Nation ... I think that after playing Texas this weekend, the Sooners will find themselves at 1-3. Which has me hoping .... #Pleaseletmebewrongagain. 

Just the Opinion Of One Mildly Interested Guy

Buddy Putty - The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Kicked by the 'Cats … Again

 #3 Oklahoma 35 Kansas St 38

Well, that sucked.

Scattershooting…Whatever happened to the Sooners 39-game home winning streak?

Only in 2020 … Corona Virus Count: Game 2: 8 Players / Season Count: 24 Players

Not Exclusive to 2020 … Well, we finally found something the Corona-virus pandemic couldn't have an affect on in 2020 … the Oklahoma Sooners defense. Saturday, as is the norm, the defense gave up 400 total yards, 336 of which came through the air. But they tried to make up for it by creating zero turnovers.  But in defense of the defense … it's hard to intercept a pass when your not close enough to the receiver to be in the television camera when he catches it. The good news: at least there wasn't an end-zone celebratory photo pose this week.

Expect the Unexpected … The Sooners season took an unexpected detour with Saturday’s home loss to double-digit underdog Kansas State.  But should it really have been all that unexpected? After all, Saturday’s loss to K-State marked the 6^th straight year the Sooners have lost a game they were heavily favored to win.

So You’re Saying There’s a Chance … Going into Saturday, teams that were (1) ranked in the top-5 (2) playing at home (3) against an unranked, double-digit underdog opponent and (4) were leading by double digits entering the 4^th quarter were 571-0.  Make that 571-1.  Yes, There’s Only 1 Oklahoma.

Over/Under 35 …You would think that 35-points would’ve been enough to have won the game on Saturday, but it wasn’t. The truth is, 35-points hasn’t been good enough to win, or at least win enough to call yourself an elite program, for a while now.  Since 2015, the Sooners are 58-10 (not counting 2020), which is an average of 11+ wins and 2 losses a year.  If the Sooners lost every game they allowed their opponent to score 35 points, their record drops to 43-25 (Avg. 8.5 wins/5 losses). While it would still be better than Texas overall record (35-29), it is far from elite.

Back When I Was Growing Up … From 1965-1995 (31-seasons) an Oklahoma Sooners opponent score 35-points: 18-times. From 2014-2019 (6-seasons) it has happened 29 times. Yes, the game has changed, but wow.

You Just Can’t Make This Shit Up … Wildcat kicker, Blake Lynch, who use to work as a janitor in the K-State athletic department to pay for school prior to receiving a scholarship in 2018, had never made a 50-yard field goal prior to Saturday and missed two of his 3 tries against Arkansas St. in the Wildcats season opener. So, naturally, the 5’ 5” 140 lbs. retired custodian hit it flush. It was a Fantastic kick that looked like a Comet coming off his foot, wiping clean what was once a 21-point lead.  If only he’d grown up in area code 409! Sorry, just trying a little custodian humor to put a shine on your day. But in all seriousness, congrats to that young man for not only making the kick, but for his perseverance to earn a scholarship. Well done.

Isn’t That a Kick in the … Lynch making his first 50 yard+ field goal, brings up the question of … when was the last time a field goal kicker missed a field-goal against the Sooners (in a game that matters)? 

Brace Yourself Kid … Did you notice that, unlike the first game, Rattler was wearing a knee brace on Saturday? From the way our offensive line played on Saturday, he may want to consider bubble-wrap and a body guard against Iowa St.  Speaking of the offensive line …

Holy Holding Penalty, Batman … Coming into the season, everything you read or heard indicated that the strength of this football team would be the offensive line. Well, if that’s the case, then this football team is in big time trouble. Bottom line, the Sooners offensive line was flat out horrible on Saturday.  We interrupt this rant for a word from this writer:

Annual Disclaimer: Over the years of writing this blog, I’ve become more and more conscious in regard to trying hard to not call out individual players.  They’re kids. Mere student athletes doing the best they can and doing it at a level that I can only dream about. They also didn’t ask for some 54-year old guy whose name rhymes to live vicariously through them. But sadly I do. 

So, as my grandfather use to say, “Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick,” are you f-ing telling me that there isn’t anyone on this team wearing a number over 49 that isn’t better than Swenson, Robinson, and Hayes?  I’d be one thing if we we’re trying to open a law firm but we’re not; we’re trying to open holes and protect our QB for f***-sake.

Granted, she has a good swim move, but Swenson couldn’t block my mom. Hell, even when Robinson holds, which is practically every f-ing play, his man still get to the QB. Hayes, well, he’s just glad that Robinson & Hayes are in the game because that means he won’t be the worst lineman on the field, maybe.  No wonder Rattler came out wearing a knee brace after playing ½ of a college football game.

What happened to ‘this offensive line group is deep and talented and there will be real competition for playing time?’ Please tell me that the deep and talented assessment didn’t come from watching them go against our defensive line in practice every day. Just because Pee Wee Herman can whip up on Richard Simmons on a daily basis doesn't make him a bad-ass. Okay, I’m through now.

Play Calling & Defense … I'm sorry, I can't address the play calling, the defensive ineptitude and the offensive line play in one blog entry without going over my quota limit in regards to negativity and length. But it would be safe to assume that I wasn't a fan of all three.

The Rattler Report.  Yes, as the mass media pointed out ad nauseum, Rattler did indeed throw 3-interceptions. I saw them all. But let’s pull back the curtain on those 3-picks. The first interception was a tipped ball, which is more an unfortunate break than an indictment of his play. As a great philosopher once said, "Shit happens."

Admittedly, the second interception was one that Rattler would probably like to have back. The ball was under-thrown and into tight coverage and made worse by the fact that he had Stogner and Stoops breaking open underneath. Spencer isn’t the first young QB to eschew the safe stuff underneath in favor of going deep, nor will he be the last.  Look, I’m not trying to be a mother-hen homer here, as obviously I’d prefer that our QB, whether he is young, old or Eric Moore, to not turn the ball over; but despite the two picks – he’d played well enough to have the Sooners up by 21-points with a quarter and a half to go in the football game. And oh by-the-way … the other 27 passes he’d thrown?  He’d completed 26 of them for 4 touchdowns. I have limited math skills, but I'm thinking that's pretty damn good.

But every Sooner hater and talking head in the country will point to the third interception as the reason the Sooners lost the game.  But before I address that ridiculous notion – let me preface by saying this: Ever since Y.A. Tittle was a pup, the QB has always received the majority of the credit or the lion share of the blame – earned or otherwise. It comes with the job, especially when your a 5-Star recruit who was last seen on his own reality TV show. Proof?  Just last week, Rattler was the talk of college football. His performance, which was relegated to one-half of football against Un-Huh State, resulted in him appearing on Heisman watch lists. This week … those same people are using terms like ‘poor-vision, rattled and over-rated.’  

Bottom line, yes, it would’ve been nice if he had orchestrated a game winning drive on that last possession. If he had, the 2-previous interceptions’ become merely a footnote... like if you woke up next to Scarlett Johansson, the fact she had bad breath would probably be lost in the story you told your buddies.  But he didn’t …

Frankly, his throw to Drake Stoops over the middle that resulted in the game-ending interception, was both late and off target.  Hello third INT, good-bye #3 ranking.  An interception or turnover at the end of the game will always be magnified, but regardless, the loss was far from his fault.

Spencer Rattler, playing in his first real college football game, completed 30 of 41 passes for 381 yards and 4-touchdowns. Even with the picks, Rattler played well enough for the Sooner to win on Saturday. He just didn’t play well enough to overcome the multitude of reasons that the Sooners didn’t.

But I do have one question for you Spencer … Dude, what the fuck is up with that hair do?

Just the Opinion of One Mildly Interested Guy

Buddy Putty - The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Game 1 Review: OU 48 Missouri St. 0

 OKLAHOMA 48  MISSOURI ST. 0

Scattershooting, while wondering whatever happened to former college and pro football head coach, Bobby Petrino … Oh, seriously?

Outside the Lines from Week 1:

Covid Count: 16-Players Out / Season Count: 16

Compared to some of the other college and pro games I’ve been watching, the stands at Memorial Stadium during the Missouri St. game looked like Woodstock. But if some of the 22,000 + in attendance looked a little stiff to you, well, there’s a reason for that. With seating restrictions being enforced, the OU Athletic Department offered fans the chance to sorta attend.  Yes, for $50.00 you could have a cardboard likeness of yourself placed in an open seat. I immediately signed up … but since the cardboard likeness of one of my checks for $50.00 that I sent in was returned to me, I don’t think The Faux OAS made the game.

Evidently, Missouri State fans were offered the same opportunity by their university … except their cardboard likenesses got to start on defense for the Bears.

 Speaking of the Bears …

Southwest Missouri State

Let’s not sugar-coat it.  Regardless of what they call their school (formerly known as Southwest Missouri St.) the Bears are, well, not good. Members of the Missouri Valley Conference in the FCS, the loss Saturday night dropped the Bears all-time record to 470-520-79.  After finishing 1-10 a year ago, the program found itself in such a desperate state that they thought it a good idea to hire Bobby Petrino to be their head coach. Clearly, they didn’t ask for references.

On the bright side, the Bears will not lose 10-games again the year, regardless of who their coach is, that I can promise. That’s because they only have 4-games on their 2020 schedule.

Being a bad team is one thing but there is no excuse for not being original.  The name of the Missouri State mascot: Boomer.  The name of their band: The Pride. Hopefully, they left town before changing their colors to crimson and cream.

 The Game:

Even with several starters missing, the Sooners looked very sharp in all three phases of the game in the first half.  While it’s true that you can’t read too much into Saturday night’s performance due to the inferior opponent, you can’t totally discount it either. After all, the Sooners have opened the season against door mats before … but that didn’t keep them from tracking mud into the house. (See UTEP in 2013).

The Rattler Era Begins

The much anticipated Spencer Rattler era kicked off a week ago Saturday night around 6:00 PM.  By 7:30 the red-shirt freshman was done for the night, having gone 14 of 17 for 290 yards and 4 touchdowns. Under his direction, the offense scored 41 points on 35 snaps, 31 of which came in the first quarter. There was a lot to like about Rattler’s debut (he set 4 OU and/or Big 12 records for a freshman QB while only playing a single half), but what stood out the most to me was the way he distributed the football. His 14 completions were to 8-different receivers, which tells me he isn’t locking in on one receiver. As I’ve stated before, this kid, if he stays healthy, will be every bit as good as the two Heisman winning QB’s and the running back that played QB for the Sooners before him.

Cooler than Cool

I’ll admit, watching walk-on red-shirt freshman Finn Corwin catch a 16-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth-quarter Saturday night made me a little emotional. Finn was a star wide-receiver at Highland Park High School who helped lead the Scots to 3-straight Texas 5A State Championships. While that’s cool, that alone wouldn’t cause me to go all Ole Yeller.  But the fact that Finn’s dad, Mike Corwin, is a fraternity brother of mine ... well … sports tears.  Congrats, Mike.  I know how proud I was for both you and Finn on Saturday night … I can’t imagine how cool that must have been for you as a father.

 Not So Cool

The end-zone celebration by the entire OU defense following Delarrin Turner-Yell’s interception in the 3^rd quarter against Missouri St. was ridiculous and completely embarrassing IMO. If they were that excited about an INT up 41 against Missouri St., what the hell would they have done if he’d also scored – thrown a parade and given DTY a key to the city? Hell, you don’t see me dancing around behind the bar, posing in front of the other patrons, and showing up the bartender just because I finish my crown on the rocks. Hey OU Defense … act like you’ve done it before … oh, wait … shit, never mind.

Absolutely Loaded

The Sooners are absolutely loaded at the H-Back position, which is a fullback/tight end hybrid. While Austin Stogner is the starter, Jeremiah Hall, Brayden Willis & freshman Mickey Henderson could just as easily be.  Look for several big plays to be made by members of this group all year long.

Rumor Has It …

… That almost every player on the Sooners 2-deep depth chart has already had Covid. It sounds strange to say, but from a football perspective at least, that is good thing.  I’m not a doctor, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but it is my understanding that chances of contracting the virus a second time is rare – which would seemingly allow us to go back to worrying more about players missing games due to injuries and suspensions vs. global pandemics. 

… that the situation at Kansas St. is much like what the Sooners faced prior to their opener against Missouri State.  From what I’ve heard it sounds like contact tracing is wreaking havoc in the area of offensive and defensive lineman for the Wildcats. As of Tuesday, those in the know say that K-State still has enough players to play, but a lot hinges on the results of Wednesday testing. As of Tuesday – chances of OU and K-State playing this Saturday, 50/50.  

A sign of the times …

Who knew we’d ever see a day that it was okay to enter a bank and ask for money with a mask on?

Just the Opinion of One Mildly Interested Guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

 Buddy Putty

POST PEACH BOWL - END OF SEASON THERAPY

·        (Therapist) Well, well, look whose here.  It’s Buddy Putty, in for his annual ‘there is more to life than OU football’ reality check. What’s wrong Bud, … life in the pits after that Peach Bowl?

·        (The OAS) Haha.  Good to see you haven’t changed. How are you, Doc?

·        (Therapist) I’m great … and one of the reasons that I’m great is due to the fact that my world doesn’t solely revolve around a stupid game played by 18-22 year-old kids in matching outfits.  You should try it.

·        (The OAS) Yeah, Yeah.  I’ll put it on the list.  

·        (Therapist) Sure you will.  Well, before we get started, would you like some coffee or a turnover?  They’re peach – and they’re to die for.

·        (The OAS) Peach.  Turnover.  To die for.  Seriously?

·        (Therapist) Oh, that’s right… You’re a Sooner. I forgot – you'll gag on a peach – and the only thing you know about turnovers – is that they Hurts. 

·        (The OAS) (Sigh) Are you through yet?

·        (Therapist) Oh, don’t be so ‘defensive.’ Wow, when was the last time that was said to a Sooner (laughing) – why aren’t you laughing, this is funny stuff.

·        (The OAS) The whole turnover and defense thing isn’t funny anymore.  All year long I heard our defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch, say over and over again: “Our sole purpose on the field is to get the ball back to the offense somehow, someway. Yet we only forced 11-turnovers all year – which tied the all-time low set last year.

·        (Therapist) Only 11?  Is that what they call a Sooners Dozen?  Okay, that was a cheap shot … but seriously, please tell me you have a little more depth about you than to let something as irrelevant as a lack of turnovers effect your life.

·        (The OAS) Speaking of depth – How can a program as prominent as OU, have so little depth on defense? When Kenneth Murray left the game against LSU – his replacement was a walk-on who came into the game having made only 8-more tackles on the year than I had.  We lost one safety before the game to injury and another during the game to stupidity – and as a result – we had two guys straight out of the witness protection program on the field going up against a Heisman QB. The only chance of seeing those two even close to an LSU receiver would be if you ran the game film in reverse.

·        (Therapist)  You know, this whole conversation is so ridiculous.  I always have such high expectations for you when you come in here – only to continually be disappointed. Sometimes I think it would be easier if you didn’t have so much potential.

·        (The OAS) I know, right?  So much potential - but yet it's been 19 seasons since we've won a title. That is 5-seasons longer than the 14 years between Barry Switzer’s last title and the 2000 title in Bob Stoops’ second season. But during this current 19-season drought, OU has won at least 10-games 16 times, won a dozen Big 12 Crowns and has an overall record of 206-49 (.808 winning %). Hell, four Sooners have even won the Heisman. 

·        (Therapist) Is there a point here soon … or do you just enjoy making my ears bleed with this useless rhetoric?

·        (The OAS) My point is that there are 130 FBS teams, almost all of which enter every season knowing that there is basically a 0% chance of them winning the national title.  At OU, our expectations are to win national championships. Even though that hasn’t happened in nearly two decades, we’ve been painfully close. We lost BCS Title games in 2003, ’04 and ’08, and reached the College Football Playoff in 2015, ’17, ’18 and ’19. It’s a …

·        (Therapist) First of all … stop with the ‘we’ and ‘us’ and ‘our’ because you’re not on the team, so stop insulting the player who actually are.  Secondly, so the school you attended is the Buffalo Bills of college football – so what?  At least you’re not a Longhorn fan.

·        (The OAS) Okay, both good points, but damn … aren’t therapists supposed to listen and not interrupt? You talk more than a book-on-tape narrator.

·        (Therapist) Aren’t 54-yr. old men supposed to be above breaking lamps and cussing like you have Tourette Syndrome during a football game.

·        (The OAS) Anyway … where was I.

·        (Therapist) Yata, yata, we suck at winning the big game, yata, yata, we’re everybody’s playoff bitch, yata, yata …

·        (The OAS) Oh ya … Well, it’s a tough balance.  Knowing we weren't that good, some of my friends would’ve actually preferred that we didn’t make the playoffs this year.

·        (Therapist) That’s hard to believe.

·        (The OAS) That they didn’t want us to make the playoffs? I know, right?

·        (Therapist) No, I was talking about the part where you said you had friends. 

·        (The OAS) And another thing I'll say is that I’m very glad that Jalen Hurts is gone. He was the most over-rated thing since soap-on-a-rope.  Not only did he continually miss seeing wide open receivers and turn our running backs into spectators -  but he also gave up balls at a rate that would make Bruce Jenner envious. I think he might have been the worst QB to ever get invited to the Heisman ceremony – don’t you think?

·        (Therapist) What do I think? Since seldom do people care about criticism that comes from someone they wouldn’t consult advice from - I think that Jalen Hurts could give a shit about what you think.  It's amazing to me that someone like you, who’s never played a snap of college football, and whose 40-yard dash could be timed with a sun-dial – is criticizing a young man who won a national championship, went 38-4 as a starter and finished second in the Heisman voting.  

·        (The OAS) Wow.  When you put it like that, it doesn’t make me sound very good. Are you sure it's not about the titles?

·        (Therapist) Yes, I'm sure.  Maybe you should concentrate on the impact your having on things in your life – and less about the mark other are making in their lives.

·        (The OAS) Maybe so - but this seems a lot easier.

·        (Therapist) Yes, I can see why you'd think that - figuring yourself out would require an intellect that seems to elude you.  Well, time is up - thank God.  Since I was kind of hard on you today – instead of $150.00 - Just write me a check for $63.28.

·        (The OAS) 63-28. Really? You couldn’t just let it go could you?

·        (Therapist) No, I guess not. But honestly, Buddy – think about what I said.  When you come in next year hopefully you’ll have grown some as a person.

·        (The OAS) Sure, sure … but speaking of next year ... I think things are going to be different. Have you heard about our 5-Star QB, Spencer Rattler?

Only 242 more days until kickoff.

Just the Opinion of One Mildly Interested Guy -

The Overweight Armchair Sooner 

- Buddy Putty

AN ABSOLUTE BUCKIN' ASS KICKIN' - Part 1

BUCKIN' ASS KICKIN' – PART 1

#5 OKLAHOMA 31 #2 OHIO STATE 16

“National Title Contender vs. College Football Playoff Pretender.”

The endless number of promos that ESPN ran on their networks last week, hyped last Saturday night’s game as an early season match-up of top ranked teams … two of college football’s blue-bloods slugging it out in prime-time from the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio.  Aka …  The Rematch

“THE Ohio State University vs. Overrated U

The endless number of college football experts who spoke on ESPN last week, hyped last Saturday night’s game as an early season match-up of top ranked teams … two of college football’s blue-bloods, slugging it out in prime-time from the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio.  Aka …  The Mismatch

“The Powerful & Deep Big 10 vs. The Soft & Weak Big 12”

Lee Corso was far from being the only expert to pick Ohio State, but labeling Oklahoma as
a playoff pretender proved to be a little 'nuts - even for him

Having played a year ago in Norman, the OU-OSU game was indeed a rematch … and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone outside of Austin or Ann Arbor who would argue against the fact that Oklahoma and Ohio State are two of the more storied programs in college football.  Hell, not even the late Johnny Cochran could convince 12 people to find reasonable doubt in the evidence provided that both teams were highly ranked and that the game was played in Columbus, Ohio. ‘If the ‘Shoe doesn’t fit, you must acquit,’ ain’t gonna work, sorry Johnnie.  The fact is … The only thing that anyone could argue about, was whether or not the game was gonna be a mismatch.  But no one did. 

Look, in light of the 45-24 ass kicking the Sooners received from the Buckeyes in Norman last season … it wouldn’t have been a surprise to hear that the majority of college football experts felt Ohio State would prevail again this year, especially with the Sooners having a new head coach (see previous blog entry of coaching match-up) and the game being played in Columbus. But it wasn’t just a majority of the experts, it was every expert. Hell, you’d have had a better chance of turning on your TV to find Meryl Streep extolling the greatness of President Trump, then you would’ve hearing one of ESPN’s college football experts predicting a Sooner victory.  The fact is … The only thing anyone could argue about, was whether or not the game was gonna be a mismatch.  But no one did.  Turns out they were right....it was a mismatch.

Oklahoma 31 Ohio State 16 – and it really wasn’t that close.

Next Up = Part 2 - OAS Observations & Opinions

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy -

Boomer Sooner 

The Overweight Armchair Sooner 

Buddy Putty 

MULESHOE GOES TO THE HORSESHOE

An interesting game within the game this coming Saturday night, will be the match-up of coaches.  

ON THE OHIO STATE SIDELINE - 53-year old head coach - URBAN MEYER. 

Urban, an Ohio native, is considered by Buckeye fans to be the second coming of Woody Hayes, only better looking and a lot less likely to punch an opposing player.  

Dublin, Ohio, the city in which Meyer resides, recognized Meyer leading of the Buckeyes to the 2014 National Championship, by renaming a street in his honor.  

In 2016, Dos Equis wanted to make Meyer the feature in their ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ ad campaign, but Meyer declined, citing a lack of interest and a need to spend more time with his family.  Okay, I may have made that one up.

 Meyer’s trophy case has more hardware then isle 6 thru 9 at Home Depot – Multiple Conference Coach of the Year Awards, 2x National Coach of the Year.  The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated thought he was so good that they both named him the College Coach of the Decade…yes, decade.

But most impressive, is the fact that Meyer has been a winner everywhere he’s been.  As a head coach, Meyer resurrected a miserable Bowling Green program.  He led Utah to their first undefeated season in 74-years. In his six seasons at Florida, he guided the Gators to two National Championships, and since taking over at Ohio State in 2012, Meyer has guided the Buckeyes to a record of 62-7, and a National Title in 2014.

ON THE OTHER SIDELINE – 34-year old head coach – LINCOLN RILEY. 

Born in 1983, Lincoln is the youngest head-coach in the FBS…which means he isn’t old enough to remember Woody Harrelson being on Cheers, much less Woody Hayes being on the sideline in Columbus. 

Second coming? Maybe, but for now, more like second choice. Look, that’s not a slap at Lincoln, in fact, personally, I’m thrilled to have him and think he’ll do well. I’m even on the record as saying that a young fearless Lincoln might have its advantages over the veteran Stoops.  But when your programs all-time winningest coach, who has accumulated more conference championships than he has home losses, suddenly retires … it’s a tough thing to spin as being positive.  Bob Stoops had a few flaws, but at 57, he was far from being past his prime or simply holding on too long like Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno or Lee Corso.  Like I said, I’m thrilled to have Lincoln, but I also wasn’t ready to lose Stoops yet … or at least that particular Stoops.

Town where Lincoln grew up: Muleshoe, Texas, population of 5,124.  Stadium where Lincoln will coach his first road game: Ohio Stadium, known as The Horseshoe, population 109,000

Despite leading the Muleshoe Mules to the Class 3A State Semi-final game in 2000, Muleshoe has yet to rename a city street in Lincolns honor. Could have something to do with the fact there is only one – and it’s called Main St. 

Dos Equis spokesperson? I think Lincoln would settle for not being confused with Texas Tech's coach Bro'.  Besides - Lincoln doesn’t always drink beer, but when he does, he is asked for his I.D.

Trophies? Well, in 2015, Lincoln won the Broyles Award, an annual award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football.  The trophy looks like something that might’ve fallen off one of Meyer’s College Coach of the Decade trophies when the movers were getting it out of the truck.  

Saturday night will be the second time Lincoln has ever been the head coach of anything, and the first time he’s ever done it outside Cleveland County, Oklahoma.  But hey, he has never lost yet – and not even the great Urban Meyer can say that. 

Just the Opinion of One Mildly Interested Guy -

Boomer Sooner

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty