Clueless Callahan
Dan Patrick's "web paper" takes another stab at Big 12 football today, with a Longhorn fan seeming to find common cause with Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, who cursed the Sooner fans as he trotted off the field Saturday because he apparently thought they were being mean.
Of course, Patrick's crew doesn't mention that the Oklahoma crowd was more riled up than usual because a Nebraska player (allegedly) headbutted a Sooner yell leader with his helmet before the game, sending the guy to the hospital.
Nor does Patrick's crew mention the high emotions related to former Sooner coach John Blake's return to Norman.
Instead, there's this conclusion regarding Callahan's cursing of Sooner fans:
I'm sure said fans responded by giving the "Horns down" handsign. It's apprently [sic] all they know how to do north of the Red River.
Nope, the fans don't really give a crap about Texas at this point, but they sure were fired up for the Nebraska game because of John Blake, and even moreso after that headbutt. If anything, it's the Longhorns who are obsessed with Oklahoma, not the other way around.
The Red River shootout is just one game, albeit a very important game, that the Sooners need to win each year to accomplish their goals (of course, they have beaten Texas five years in a row). The goals are to win conference championships and to compete for national championships. Both of those goals have eluded Mack Brown for his entire career, and the national championship hunt has eluded Texas for several decades now -- so I guess I can understand the confusion.
Just to elaborate a little further. See, once upon a time, there was the Big Eight conference. And Oklahoma and Nebraska regularly competed for the Big Eight title, with their game (usually at the end of the season) frequently deciding it. The Big Eight used to have a tie to the Orange Bowl, and every year fans would (stupidly) pelt the field with oranges at the end, just like they did (stupidly) in this game (the BCS title game is the Orange Bowl this year). No, Bill Callahan, they weren't throwing them at you, you clueless fool (although throwing them was stupid). Frequently, either Nebraska or Oklahoma would be in the National Championship hunt at Orange Bowl time. And even though the two teams have had their down periods (Nebraska under Callahan right now, Oklahoma under John Blake and Schnelly), there's still a rivalry there that goes way back, and a respect.
Anyway, Callahan seems as clueless as ever. Here's hoping the Huskers get their wish of playing Oklahoma again for the Big 12 championship.
(11-16-2004 Update) The yell leader who was (allegedly) assaulted by the Nebraska player will be pressing charges.
(11-16-2004 Update 2) Here's Bob Stoops on Clueless Callahan's notion that crowd control was inadequate:
As of press time, OU officials had not responded to Callahan’s comments. Coach Bob Stoops said he’d never heard complaints from opponents about the game management at Owen Field.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that,” said Stoops of the charge about the Owen Field atmosphere. “But I’m sure (Callahan) has his reasons. I’m not one to dispute it. I’m sure that the atmosphere toward us is different, being that it’s home. I’m not contesting it.
“But I hadn’t heard that before.”
Joe Castiglione runs a great operation, and everyone who knows anything about college sports knows it (except, apparently, Clueless Callahan). I recall some positive comments on CoogFans about the experience of UH fans in Norman that I'd like to link, but it seems as if they've scrolled away now. Maybe Callahan should worry more about getting his own house in order (especially players who assault yell leaders), and less about Castiglione's house.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/15/04 22:42 | Big 12 Football | Technorati
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Comments
You college boys and your alma mater allegiances, always stirring up trouble.
Posted by Scott Chaffin @ 23:09 on 11/15/04
Heh heh.... technically, OU's not my alma mater, just an allegiance. But Big 12 football's an allegiance as well.
Besides, what else am I gonna stir up trouble about? The Cowboys? The Texans? Vomitous! :)
Posted by Kevin @ 06:26 on 11/16/04
I can't believe anyone would call Okies "Hillbillies."
http://www.okienoodling.com...
Posted by Ethan @ 10:14 on 11/17/04
Ethan: I'm disppointed. I expected you of all people to come back at me with something like, "You mean Oklahoma's yell leader HAD teeth to knock out? Who would have guessed?"
:)
The noodlers are scary. Just plain scary.
Posted by Kevin @ 10:20 on 11/17/04
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