Myth Busters: College Football Style

September 20th, 2006

by Justin Waganer
Senior Sports Writer

As the proverbial horse has been methodically beaten to death I will step up to the plate one last time and dispel a few myths that have floated in the atmosphere since Saturday’s Debacle in Eugene. These myths are not so much related to the calls made during the game, but in the opinions and statements in the fallout. Pack it up and pack it in, let us begin!

“Oklahoma fans, coaches, and administration are simply whining and pouting about Saturday’s games. It’s not like they are the first one’s to be the victims of a horrible call, they should take their medicine like men and go to bed.”

This theory has worked out perfectly for activists for centuries in our world, don’t stand up for yourself and simply take your medicine … your time will come. Who made this chivalric code in sports that says it is unmanly to say a call cost you a game? The same person who said a real athlete doesn’t celebrate after a score? Or that you don’t bunt in the middle of a no-hitter? Need I remind everyone reading that America itself was built on the fathers of our country laying down and taking it from the British. (That sarcasm was thick enough to sense, right?)

“Oklahoma had multiple opportunities to win that game on Saturday, the defense was the problem, not the officiating!”

For the most part this theory is right, except for the fact that it doesn’t apply in this instance at all! Yes, Oklahoma’s defense could have done more Saturday, but you know what they did do? Enough to win the game! The ball was recovered … even after Oregon committed a foul on the play … by Oklahoma which meant they should have been able to down the ball and leave with a victory. Oregon could have done more also, but in effect they were … forgive me … dead ducks. OU did do enough to win, it was taken from them.

“Oklahoma President David Boren was ridiculous in asking for the game to be stricken from the record, that can’t happen.”

Again, part of this is right, the game can’t be overturned or it would lead to one heck of a slippery slope, but there is absolutely no harm in bringing it up. David Boren is a very intelligent politician, he knew what he was doing. He knew they wouldn’t overturn the game’s final decision, but he did back his school and his fans, which means a lot to the group as a whole. All the other demands were justified … and as for Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg’s response … we knew this guy was a weak stick to begin with.

“Bob Stoops shouldn’t have commented at all on the situation, he should be above this and set an example for his team.”

Stoops has set an example for his team, that they will not be pushed around or slighted. You constantly coach your players to stand up for themselves and their teammates, but you aren’t supposed to do it when you are wronged? Please, who is making this rule?

“David Boren should spend more time on improving the other areas of Oklahoma University academically and leave football to the Athletics Department.”

This comment by one specific ESPN writer (no names, but his initials are Pat Forde) is comical because how much he obviously doesn’t know about Boren. Ask any number of Sooner Football and Basketball fans how many times they sit through presentations to other parts of the university Boren has improved during a timeout and gauge the response. It has been both boring and exhausting to sit through the presentations at times, but rest assured Mr. Forde, the University IS in good hands. This wouldn’t surprise Sooner fans who are addressed as the “Sooner Nation” by East Coast writers anyway, that moniker alone shows how much you follow the program.

“The replay official didn’t have the right angles to make the proper call after the onsides kick so he wasn’t completely incompetent.”

First of all, he does have the same angles as the network, we all know that to be true. However, let’s say for a second that he didn’t, does anybody remember replay overturning the Malcolm Kelly touchdown catch and run in the third quarter? Kelly tip-toed down the sideline and was called out at around the 47 (thought they didn’t know which 47 at first) and the play was called back. Those cameras seemed to work fine at that point … must have been a power surge, right?

“There is no conspiracy here; it is simply incompetence on the part of the replay official.”

On the surface I do agree, I believe this was gross incompetence as well, but why do we all assume that officials are squeaky clean without question? With the corruption engulfing all other areas of sports why are these guys rendered clean? Bonds takes steroids, Bomar takes money, but these guys may as well be giving a sermon on Sunday mornings? If you think that an official has never taken money to swing a game or never will again … who is really the crazy one?

Surely I have missed something with all of these myths, but this is all that I could think of at the moment. Drop in your myth busters as you choose, I’m sure they will be worth it. As for those that say that this can’t be stricken from the record, let me remind you of some words of genius from the tongue of Mr. Albert Einstein, “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Entry Filed under: Oklahoma Sports