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Sporting News Tabs Stoops as Big 12's Best Coach

Tom Dienhart, of Sporting News fame, ranked the Big 12 coaches in his SportingBlog   post on April 3rd and has Bob Stoops at the top. Here at the Machine we feel that Dienhart made not only the right choice, because we are biased, but also the logical choice by putting Stoops at the top of the list. Here's what he had to say about Oklahoma's football coach.

1. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma. Last season was his best coaching job yet -- and he didn't win a national championship. Stoops has done a masterful job of restoring the luster to one of American's greatest programs. Building good staffs has been key, as Stoops has spawned head coaches Mike Leach, Mark Mangino, Mike Stoops and Chuck Long. Kevin Sumlin and Brent Venables are next.

Stoops has more conference championships than any coach in the history of the Big 12 Conference. He has more BCS bowl games under his belt than any other coach in the conference and he is one of only two coaches in the conference to have a BCS national championship trophy.

Obviously the Texas fans are going to disagree with the ranking because they think that Mack Brown (former Sooner) is a better choice but let me help you see reality through your Burnt Orange glasses. First of all re-read the above paragraph and then answer the following question. Who owns the better head-to-head record between Stoops and Brown?

Now that the truth is out in the open for everyone to read would Texas fans be willing to swap coaches? Absolutely not and for the same reason Oklahoma State fans wouldn't do it. They have such a strong hate for Bob Stoops that they wouldn't want him to touch anything orange. On the other hand Oklahoma fans wouldn't trade coaches with Texas just for the simple reason that we would be giving away the better coach.

Texas fans are satisfied with Mack Brown and like the direction he is taking the program. That's fine but that doesn't make him the better coach. He's at least three more conference championships away from earning that title.