Hope For Sooner Fan & A Few More College FB Observations

Yes, there is hope after arrogance--and that means trading it for a "chip".

After all the chest-puffing talk of not only belting BYU--but easily covering the 22-point spread--the Sooner nation seems to be on the verge of a suicide watch after watching in horror the 14-13 season opening stunning loss to the Cougars. Well, Sooner fan, take a powder--it's not that bad, and you don't have to go back that far in the storied OU football history for some proof. In fact, just go back to the last time OU won the national title.

Yes, the 2000 season. Why? Simple. Going into the that season--Bob Stoops's 2nd at OU--the pollsters picked OU generally between 15th & 20th. Mind you, this was after a decent '99 season that ended with a close loss at the Independence Bowl to Ole Miss on a last second field goal, and that was okay considering the lean years of the John Blake era. And I was there to cover the last two years of the Blake era, as well as the first four of the Stoops era--and that includes the 2000 national title season--so my observations are not from various stuff I read or heard from other people. No, I was there, at the mid-week press conferences, at some of the practices, on the field at the games (both home & away), and the post-game pressers as well. And, after putting in my time as a working media back then, and thinking back on that time right now--barely 15-hours after OU bowed to BYU--I can see a pattern of Stoops's teams that should give Sooner fans a reason for hope to salvage this season. And that has to do with a "chip".

And that chip back in 2000 was firmly on the Josh Heupel-led men in crimson and cream. Do you remember all the talk of that season's "murderer's row" of an October schedule? Texas, Nebraska at home, and K-State on the road--all in successive weeks? OU wasn't favored in any of them. But not only did the Sooners win, they won big. And at K-State, Heupel was throwing with half an arm due to a wrist injury. OU was still earning back the respect it had lost during the 90s, and it seemed to drive both the coaching staff and the players. As we all saw, the Sooners put the clamps on highly favored Florida State and Heisman winner Chris Wienke 13-2 to take the title--firmly placing OU back on the national stage, and in the elite suite at that.

And truth be told, that chip fell off at that point, and a bit of arrogance has taken its place ever since. Just look at it: the loss to OSU in 2001 at home that would have put them back in the Big 12 title game. The BCS title game losses to LSU, USC and Florida. And sorry, I can't leave out the BCS embarrassments against Boise State and West Virginia. And thebn, last night's punch to the gut courtesy of BYU--Sam Bradford's injury not withstanding.

Now, to be fair, I can't leave out OU winning all thoseBig 12 championships, and Stoops's 82% winning percentage during his tenure. No denying he's an elite coach--even though one can't call him "Big Game Bob" right now. But his teams just don't seem to rise to the occasion when they're either heavily favored or evenly matched (when OU's in the top 5).

Well, Sooner fan, here's your hope right now: you're back in the "earning the respect back" stage. Surely, OU will fall out of the top 10. Surely, with a couple of cream puffs then a trip to Miami and the Big 12 opener at home against upstart Baylor, they'll be a serious underdog to what'll probably be an unbeaten and 2nd-ranked Texas team on October 17 in Dallas. But almost as surely--Stoops will run his troops unmercifully for all those penalties against BYU, all while playing the "earn your respect" card that was so effective back in 2000. Plus, by Red River Rivalry time come October 17, Sam Bradford should be back, and fellow injured super star tight end Jermaine Gresham should also be mended enough to play. The arrogance is gone and chip has returned, and sorry Sooner fan--under Stoops, that's been the formula to your biggest success.

And like it or not, you're going to have to deal with it.

OTHER OPENING WEEK OBSERVATIONS AROUND THE BIG 12:
>Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska won big at home, just as they should have. Missouri won big like hardly like anybody expected 37-9 over Illinois on a neutral field.

>Oklahoma State's vaunted offense didn't look great as hyped, but you have to give props to Bill Clay's new defensive scheme--holding the Bulldogs to 257 total yards and one TD on the day. But, to be fair, it was at home, so I'll become a believer if and when the Pokes shut somebody down on the road.

>Another 400+ yard passing gamor Texas Tech--with Taylor Potts rolling up the yardage instead of Graham Harrell. Only the names change in Lubbock.

>I'm not ready to say that the A&M "Wrecking Crew" is back, but the Aggies did hold New Mexico to 21-yards rushing and 231-total yards in its 41-6 victory. They do that against an Oklahoma or a Texas--or even a Baylor? Then I'll give it more creedence.

>K-State's 21-17 win over UMass at home is not going to remind the Wildcat faithful of those Bill Snyder glory days of the past.