DIFFERENT ‘CAT – BUT
RESULTS THE SAME
▪ OU takes opening kickoff and drives the length of the field
to take a 7-0 lead. ▪ Defense bends but doesn’t break – stops opponents high
powered offense inside red-zone – holding them to field goals. ▪ Then a personal foul
penalty stops one Sooner scoring drive ▪ Close game at halftime.
▪ OU special teams are horrible. Kicker gets the yips and
opponent makes big play on special teams that changes the game. ▪ Opponent is converting 3rd
downs at ridiculous rate ▪ Opponent making plays, Sooners making mistakes. ▪ Sooners get behind, then
panic – stray from game plan – OU Fails to execute trick play ▪ Sooners get outcoached -
Sooners lose.
Sound
Familiar? Well, it should. The two paragraph's above could've been used to describe the season opener against Houston, or the game the Sooners played 246 days
ago against Clemson that ended their season. Either way - not a formula for success.
OFF-SEASON BLABBER &
BULLSHIT
“Head coach Bob Stoops said Director of Sports Enhancement Jerry
Schmidt indicated this has been the best summer in Schmidt's 18 years on staff
in terms of players buying in to the off-season program and really investing
themselves from both physical and mental standpoints.”
-
F*** off-season and
everything you hear about it, because it’s all rhetoric. First
of all, let me say a word about Jerry Schmidt’s title. Director of Sports Enhancement? Seriously? You’re a strength coach, which in most people’s
world – is one step above middle school P.E. teacher. Get over yourself. Just because you scream at young adults when
it’s hot outside – doesn’t make you director of anything. Hell, I’m overweight and drink too much – but that
doesn’t make me - Director of Multiple
Vices & Bad Habit Development.
Sorry, for the rant...I'm back now
Anyway…in my opinion,
the three biggest bullshit statements ever uttered by humans are as follows: (1)
When a woman tells you she “doesn’t care or nothing is wrong,” (2) when a man
replies “no” in response to a woman’s question about her outfit – and how it portrays
the size of her ass - and – (3) when a coach states “this was the best
off-season we’ve had since we’ve been here.”
Example 1:
“…best
summer…in terms of players buying in
to the offseason program and really investing themselves from both physical and
mental standpoints.”
Wow – really? Because with 1:02 still left to go in the
first half, 8 of the 11 Sooner defensive players on the field had hands on hips
and their heads tilted back gasping for air like Kirstie Alley leaving a Krispy
Cream store. Hell, I scaled the stairs
of section 105 - five different times in the first half (three times for beer, once for a cup of ice for my Crown and one
unplanned jaunt when the usher asked me to “meet him in the concourse area to
discuss my language”) – but you didn’t see me gasping – and I haven’t
worked out since “Angel is a Centerfold” by the J. Giles Band topped the charts.
Example 2: “Junior, WR - Jordan Smallwood (6’2, 220)
“Jordan probably had the best off-season of anyone on the team” said
Coach Riley. “He’s made big strides – I’m excited about the impact he’ll have
as part of the Wide Receiver rotation.”
Well, evidently not too excited
Coach Riley – Because the star of the off-season played the same number of
offensive snaps as I did – zero.
SCATTERSHOOTING….
-
I
told anyone and everyone who would listen that I was worried about this game.
Never been more disappointed to be right in my life. Last season ended before dark on New Year’s
Eve. This one might’ve ended before
Labor Day.
-
There
were more Houston fans there than I thought there would be…that being said,
these ears suspect that some of the Cougar fan clatter was the result of
electronics.
-
Down
by only 2 – the Sooners – both players and coaches – played as if down double
digits. Mayfield tried to hit home-runs
– instead of taking what the defense was giving – and OC Riley abandoned the
running game way to soon.
-
Once
again, personal foul penalties were an issue.
The hands to the head call against Ogbonnia
Okoronkwo
(I had to cut and paste so my spell check wouldn't have a break
down) when the Sooners had just stopped Houston on third down was a killer.
I would’ve dog-cussed him, except for the fact that I can’t say his name…but
it was just as well, since Stoops was cussing him enough that anything I had to
add would’ve fallen into the ‘piling on’ category – even by my standards. As for Obo’s first game replacing Eric Striker
- two plays (the penalty and a busted
coverage that resulted in Houston TD) marred what otherwise would’ve been a
stellar game for the Houston native (9 tackles, a sack, forced fumble – one Stoops
dog cussing).
-
Look,
it would be hypocritical for me to call out people for getting drunk at a
football game…but the guy standing next to me was so shit faced by halftime
that I had to issue an ultimatum. He
could either choose to (A) stop drinking – (B) stop spilling it on me (C) both
or (D) I would choose for him. What is
the world coming to when I’m forced to be the “voice of reason?” What next,
Charlie Sheen wins Humanitarian of the Year?”
-
The
game will forever be remembered for the 109 yard - kick-6. But what is forgotten – is the holding
penalty on the play before that moved the kick back. The Sooners followed that
miscue up with only 10 guys taking the field to line up for the long field goal
attempt – which forced the Sooners to use a time-out. Since Houston showed
their hand (they had a guy racing out to
the back of the end-zone when the Sooners called for the time-out) you’d
think the OU coaches might mention the possibility of a return should the kick
come up short. Look, with the guys the
Sooners had on the field – Brandon Wilson could’ve run that for a touchdown –
then turned around – and run it back the other way for 100 yards – and we still
wouldn’t have tackled him – but I would’ve like to have seen the Sooner try to
start tackling him before he had already run 35 yards.
-
Despite
wearing a large amount of it – courtesy of the guy next to me - it was a real
treat to have beer at a college football game– but the food at NRG was below
par. The peanuts were stale and the hot
dogs were cold…which lead to me deciding to pass on the BBQ or Nachos. Besides –
I tend to lose my appetite when OU gets down by double digits.
-
That’s
all for this week – you saw the game and I’ve been negative enough – Sooners
lost to a very good football team – but as last year showed us, they still have
a lot to play for – but they have a lot of work to do before Ohio State comes
to town.
JUST
THE OPINION OF ONE “MILDLY INTERESTED” GUY
BUDDY
PUTTY – THE OVERWEIGHT ARMCHAIR SOONER
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