It's a big year for Joseph. At some point, his group has to become a strength. Talent is no longer an excuse that will fly.
Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (OU just doesn't matter as much any more...)
- Thread starter Ketchum
- Start date
Yes, but the stakes in real time always felt a certain way, whether it mean that later in the year or not.
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The fact remains they weren't the bar before, feeling that way doesn't make it that way. I have little doubt the stakes will feel the same come October if we both come into that game 5-0.
Depends on how the failure of the season unfolds and whether the interior of the defense is largely at fault.
Not of Texas makes the playoffs for the second straight season. You're not seeing the forest through the trees.
These things go in cycles. Florida will be back at some point. No different than OU and UT in stretches. Too many any natural advantages not to be. These things go in cycles. Who's to say Alabama stays at the top over the next five years?
I need to just add a note at the bottom of the scholarship board.
Eventually that won't be enough though. See Mack Brown for a prime example. People were ready to run him out of town way before 05. See Harbaugh recently at Michigan. Coaches get on the chopping block in part due to their own success. Sark makes the playoffs the next 3 years and gets beat the first round every time while losing to OU every year while they get a win or two in the playoffs and his seat will undoubtedly get hotter. Making the playoffs would eventually not be enough.
Probably a poorly worded Buy/Sell. It think this is a ‘high beta’ situation. Although, I’m very optimistic that the defense can be a huge part of the success, it lacks the depth that Sark loves on the offensive side of the ball. How might just one key injury (to Ant Hill, Manny M or Collins) impact a defense that has shown to be unproven on the back end, replacing 1st rounder and Outland winner at DT and thin at key positions?
I could see an injury or two combined with lack of progress in the defensive backfield being a real issue. I don’t expect it. I just think this will be a really interesting year. I think this defense can be fantastic. Can’t wait to see the increased speed on the edge!
I've been to those games. Only nearly been in a fight once. Cotton Bowl 2004.
The fact that we now live in a 12-team playoff world changes the significance of all regular season games.
Apples to oranges. If he were making the playoffs every year, it would have felt different. He was making nothing.
Absolutely, which is why you jump up on the table and go totally mental for a minute or two at the Fair Grounds...and everyone around goes mental with you.
I do think there's a sizeable portion of the fan base that just doesn't really understand the Red River Rivalry thing. I mean really understand it.
The aggies are just too damn goofy to matter that much. They are in no way worthy of that kind of behavior.
You surely weren't saying this between the late 80s and early 90s.
There was nothing to make at the time. You can bet if Sark makes the playoffs 3 more times in the next 5 years with zero playoff wins while going 1-4 against OU with them having some success in the playoffs and they will be calling for his head. He'll be exactly like Mack. "He's good, but is he good enough to win the big one?" The circumstance will be slightly different (there were no playoffs back then) but the lack of the post season production while OU is having playoff success will most certainly put him in the hot seat. Making the playoffs will not be enough long term for Sark. His own success will dictate that just like it did with Mack.
The University of Arkansas, The University of Oklahoma, and Texas A&M will always hate us. We will always get their best shot!
Eventually, each big boy program will have a different set of dynamics that make the success they have frame their dynamics.,
If Sark wins a couple of playoff games this year, the OU game's weight is significantly lower.
I was 14 when we beat them at home and sent them packing to their SEC losing future. It is one of the more wild games I can remember as they came en masse thinking they were going to go out on top and we sent them packing and the anger was highly palpable.
I knew we were in trouble 3 years ago when I turned in the TV and saw that stadium. That is a very hard place for us to play.
I guess I am viewing that as hand in hand . If we lose to OU, we will most likely suffer another 2 losses , and be a borderline team for a playoffs at that point
If we aren’t ready for the OU game this year , it’ll be a problem mentally for most of the fan base. We would not clearly be above OU as a program - if sark has a 1-3 record against them
But I do agree with your premise the playoffs are what matter the most
And I gave a perfectly plausible scenario that would make OU still highly important. Not winning when it matters, losing to your rival, and your rival having wins when it matters will all still be on the table with OU. If everything I stated above happens, Sark will be on the hot seat.
We get it, mathematically speaking every regular season game has less weight, but that doesn't change the fact OU regular season will still hold the most weight of those games. Aggy may take it this year, but this year isn't a normal year as we haven't played them in a generation almost.
Your take on the OU game is spot on. My first 25 or so OU games were during the pre-Big 12 era. In those days, OU week and the game were fun and intense diversions before getting into the heart of conference play, but A&M was always equally big (maybe bigger). For a time, so were UH and even SMU for a few years. OU will always be fun simply because of its neutral site setting, but the outsized significance it has had for the past 25+ years will probably diminish for all the reasons you said.
Ketch, I think the OU game will still have immense importance. Winning that game will be a spring board for the rest of the season. Losing it puts you behind the 8ball.
I somewhat feel this game is going back to what it was before the BCS era...pre-2000.
Historically, OU is/was a big-time program that was always on our schedule.
Winning it puts us squarly in the Top 5 in rankings early in the season (certainly Top 10). We're able to hold that spot, it gives us a favorable position in the Play Offs. (assuming we're undefeated after the game, obviously).
Historically, the winner was in the driver's seat for the conference and big-time Bowl consideration and possible Natty consideration.
The situation is no different than what life was like "back in the day". That is part of the glory of that game: The contest is settled early in the season, as it always has been.
I think it is still the spring board it always has been. Win and we're in the driver's seat. Lose and we're behind the 8-ball.
(This is assuming OU gets things turned around, which I think they will)
edit: Will it have less importance? Possibly, but not by much.
I somewhat feel this game is going back to what it was before the BCS era...pre-2000.
Historically, OU is/was a big-time program that was always on our schedule.
Winning it puts us squarly in the Top 5 in rankings early in the season (certainly Top 10). We're able to hold that spot, it gives us a favorable position in the Play Offs. (assuming we're undefeated after the game, obviously).
Historically, the winner was in the driver's seat for the conference and big-time Bowl consideration and possible Natty consideration.
The situation is no different than what life was like "back in the day". That is part of the glory of that game: The contest is settled early in the season, as it always has been.
I think it is still the spring board it always has been. Win and we're in the driver's seat. Lose and we're behind the 8-ball.
(This is assuming OU gets things turned around, which I think they will)
edit: Will it have less importance? Possibly, but not by much.
That's at the forefront of my saying the rivalry will mean slightly less moving forward.
I'm not saying that OU isn't still highly important.
I'm saying the new world that both schools live in make it less important.
We all swing and miss every now and then....but how good is Don Cheadle in that video?!?
"I somewhat feel this game is going back to what it was before the BCS era...pre-2000."
I agree. That would make it less important.
