Bob Stoops Says OU Wasn't Lucky

[GatewaySnayke]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... enDocument

On Tuesday, head coach Bob Stoops also took issue with the inference that OU had been lucky to escape.

"I guess it's convenient to look at your miscues and not look at the other (team's) miscues," said Stoops, noting that OU had two costly turnovers as well. "You can spin it however you want it."

With a little more edge, Stoops reminded reporters that the score was 41-24 before MU scored with 12 seconds left.

"We're kicking off with (2:39) left in the game, (and) we're up three possessions ... I'll take that every game," he said, adding, "If that's 'giving it to us,' we'll take that every time."

Not that Stoops is seeking bulletin board material.

"We don't put that stuff up and act like we need to be mad," he said.

At least not like they needed to for Missouri five years ago

The whole article is about how OU feels they aren't getting respect. Bob Stoops needs to come off it. The Tigers feel that they didn't play as well as they could've. I don't think I've heard anyone say that OU got lucky. Of course, two of Missouri's interceptions were weird (the one Maclin threw - dumb play and the one that was tipped). OU was lucky that Pig Brown dropped an interception.

[BenNX74205]

I haven't heard anyone - Tigers or otherwise - say anything close to "Oklahoma was lucky to beat Mizzou." I've heard a lot of "we [Mizzou] had mistakes at the end," "we fought them hard for most of the game," etc.... But I've never seen anyone say Oklahoma was lucky to win.

I do think Stoops is being a bit disingenuous here, though:

"We're kicking off with (2:39) left in the game, (and) we're up three possessions ... I'll take that every game," he said, adding, "If that's 'giving it to us,' we'll take that every time."

If you go back and actually look at what happened in the fourth quarter, it started out 24-23 Missouri. Oklahoma scored with 12 minutes to go in the game and failed the 2-point conversion, so they took the lead 29-24. On Mizzou's 2nd play of the next drive is the crossed signals fumble that Oklahoma recovers and returns for a touchdown, fail the 2-point coversion, and are then up 35-24. Both teams then trade punts. Mizzou's first play of their next drive is the tipped ball that goes right to the OU defender for an interception deep in Missouri territory, which Oklahoma turns into another 6 points with 2:30 to go.

Throughout the game, Mizzou scored 14 points off OU's turnovers, and OU scored 22 points off turnovers. But at 29-24 in the fourth quarter, it's definitely a game between both teams. After the fluke fumble (which OU in no way caused), it's 35-24. OU didn't score again until after they intercepted the deflected pass from Daniel deep in Mizzou territory, which made it 41-24.

I can't say for certain that Mizzou would have held the Sooners at 29 if they don't turn the ball over, but it's pretty much impossible to argue that Mizzou didn't gift-wrap six points immediately after relinquishing the lead on that botched handoff. That was a very weird play, and I give OU credit for coming up with the ball and taking it for 6. But it's also something I don't expect the Tigers to repeat at this point in the season.

I also don't see how Stoops can say they aren't getting enough respect. They lost to Colorado and Texas Tech, so they shouldn't be at the top of the polls. They're also favored against Missouri. How you can think being favored against the number one team in the country is disrespect is beyond me.

And yeah, OU did get lucky Pig dropped that interception (in the endzone too I believe).

[Radio_Bugtussle]

Looks to me like this guy has stooped* to manufacturing his own bulletin board material.


*Pun intended.

[Socnorb11]

If OU got "lucky" against Missouri, then Missouri got "lucky" against Illinois. I don't think either is the case.

[ThatGuy]

I'm probably more nervous about this game than I was about the Kansas game (which is likely how everybody else feels, too). I think Missouri has all the right players and a ton of momentum, but I just hope they can play up to their potential. This is such an important game for their football program.

[cardinalkarp]

I'm probably more nervous about this game than I was about the Kansas game (which is likely how everybody else feels, too). I think Missouri has all the right players and a ton of momentum, but I just hope they can play up to their potential. This is such an important game for their football program.

Yeah, I'm definitely more worried about this game. For some reason I just didn't view Kansas as that great of a team and was pretty positive that they would beat them. I think Oklahoma is a better team than KU.

[lukethedrifter]

This silliness always seems so trite to me but apparently it works to motivate otherwise why, oh, why would we hear over and over again about how this person was dissed by being drafter 11th overall or that team wasn't respected because they aren't on ESPN every night.

[Popeye_Card]

This silliness always seems so trite to me but apparently it works to motivate otherwise why, oh, why would we hear over and over again about how this person was dissed by being drafter 11th overall or that team wasn't respected because they aren't on ESPN every night.

It reached it's peak when Dustin Pedroia rambled on about how the Red Sox were disrespected and doubted on their way to the World Series title.

I thought all the hoopla over the Cards being disrespected in '06 was dumb too. Who really cares?

--P--

[lukethedrifter]

The Onion surely has done something on this. Someone, post it now.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I dunno, I think Gary Pinkel would take being up on Stoops' team in Norman with one quarter to play every single time too. All the turnover talk is pretty meaningless, it can be credited to both teams. However, the touchdown that was literally handed to OU was the fumbled handoff, which went straight to the Mizzou coaches screwing up their signal to Daniel. Even if Mizzou gets just a FG on that possession(they had TD's on the previous 2 possessions), then that drive at the end of the game is for the tie. In Norman.

Going forward, I'd think Bob would be more concerned with how terrible his team has been away from his home stadium than the opponent not bowing at the OU altar. They left Norman 5 times this year. They killed Tulsa and beat Texas, which is fine. They barely held on against Iowa State, scoring only 17 points and needing a late pick to secure the win. They collapsed and lost at Boulder, and Texas Tech straight up reamed them.