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Columns - page 36

Timing of Stoops’ departure shows true character

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I remember the day my car radio announced that Barry Switzer had resigned. The Sooner football program had been marred by shootings and rapes and investigations, but the resignation of The King was still a surprise. The news brought the anxiety that the storied program might fall on hard times in the win-loss column.

That was 1989. And the program suffered.

On Wednesday, the radio announced that Bob Stoops was retiring. The news was stunning. Work in offices downtown came to a stop. Local television interrupted programming. But, that’s where the similarities with Switzer’s departure ends.

In fact, Bob Stoops is the reason the Sooner program was resurrected from oblivion in 1999. He leaves with the program in great shape.

Stoops brings his 18-year OU coaching tenure to a close as the winningest coach in program history – 190 wins to 48 losses. Only nine home losses. An 11-7 record against Texas. He has more bowl wins than any active college football coach. He has 10 conference championships, 2 Heisman winners, 19 consensus All-Americans and one national championship.

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The Mixon video in a throw away world

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After viewing the Joe Mixon video I find myself joining the chorus of those who believe he should never have played a down of Oklahoma football afterward; and question the decision made by OU officials to suspend him for only a year.

But, unlike some of those who have expressed the same opinions on social media, I don’t feel good about taking that position at all.

Here is why (and I’m sure many reading this aren’t going to like it):

There is evidence the victim of this assault and battery provoked or instigated the incident by making racist remarks toward Mixon. She also slapped him first. Pointing that out, which is important to put the incident in context, doesn’t mean I condone his awful response, which was disproportionate and illegal violence, and doesn’t mean I’m blaming the victim. (I’ll rankle some feathers more and disagree with many of my women friends who want to bundle this up into the problem of domestic violence. It wasn’t. Neither knew each other.)

Instead, this was an 18-year-old black male who had never even practiced with the Oklahoma football team or attended a class when he over-reacted violently to taunting by a white girl who decided to announce her perceived superiority over Mixon by using the N word toward him. I don’t know if that had ever happened to him growing up in liberal Bay Area California. It was certainly a sad introduction to the racist and redneck mentality of a large part of Oklahoma.

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Dave: One extra stop or one turnover puts keys to Bedlam in hands of the defenses

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Oklahoma bolted out to a 41-7 lead in the early stages of the third quarter against West Virginia in Morgantown a few weeks ago. You would think a 34 point second half lead would be pretty safe.

Well, we just can’t have nice things. Enter the Sooner defense in all its sieve-like glory. Tavon Austin II in the form of Justin Crawford rushed for 334 yards and an eye popping 13.8 yards per carry and all of a sudden West Virginia was within two possessions with over ten minutes left in the game.

The offense came in to save the day with two more touchdowns to win going away. Not much to say about the defense that has not already been said. Just have to outscore opponents.

Easier said than done with a really good pokie team coming to town Saturday morning with a Big 12 Title at stake.

Where the hell did Vegas get OU by 14 points?!?

Now I would think this line goes down as the game approaches because I can see money coming in on the pukes at that number. This game will be decided by s

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