Friday, October 06, 2006

Countering the Hype

In order to provide a bit of sanity and balance to the lopsided coverage of this weekend's OU/Texas football game, I make this prediction: Texas will win by at least 7 points. That's not much of a limb, I know, since the bookies have them favored by 5.

If you could be objective for just a moment and try to imagine you have just been transported to Oklahoma from another state. You turn on the TV, or the radio, or pick up the local paper. The hype is overwhelming and all pro OU. You would no doubt think that everyone was crazy. I'm sure it's the same for Texas down in Austin. Sports in general, and football in particular is the "religion" of our culture. Get a life!

I have not seen the "sooner magic" since the KING of Oklahoma, Barry Switzer, left. I still have a tremendous respect for him. He was soooo enthusiastic on the sideline, in the pre and post game interviews, everywhere. He got the best players and then he got the best out of them. They seemed to always find a way to win. Stoops is a good coach, but not a great coach.

Texas by 7+

2 comments:

bamlock said...

Texas by 17

Anonymous said...

The press didn't think much of Mack Brown for 5 years either. UT had 7 starters from the National Championship team playing Saturday. Oklahoma is young and there is no Tommy Harris or Teddy Lehman, Jason White or Mark Clayton to make the engine hum. The media outside of Oklahoma looks at the Oregon fiasco and even a few questionable calls in Dallas and is concluding that OU is "snakebit" and "hard luck". No one is making excuses, but everyone seems to understand that "breaks" mean victories and the Sooners can't catch any. Next season will be won in the living rooms of Texas before national signing day in February. Whichever team gets the cream will leave the rest to the other.