It's a pretty simple statement, but that doesn't make it any less accurate. Maybe it's so simple in fact that you've forgotten it Bob. In fact, I think it's more than fair say that you have. Your constant arrogance and obvious unwillingness to demand more than the status quo while never failing to remind us of all that you've accomplished after your most recent failures has become incredibly played out. Your attitude reeks of entitlement and it's seeped down throughout your entire program. You have turned this into a finesse program on both sides of the ball. You've become soft and you've made this program soft. And that Bob, well that is unacceptable.
It's also why this program will never win another national championship with you as the head coach unless you make some serious philosophical changes to what you want this team to be on both offense and defense and perhaps more importantly the overall mental fortitude of your players. You've got a major freaking problem on your hands Bob and a big part of it is attitude. Both yours and your players.
The gloves are coming off Bob. Nobody on that campus has the balls to hold you accountable, so it's up to the fans as far as I'm concerned. I don't know how much we can do, if anything, but what I do know is staying quiet about it sure as hell isn't the answer. Will the message get through that visor wearing thick freaking head of yours? I'm not optimistic, but I'm not sure I really even care at the moment. This needs to be said, so I and countless others are gonna say it.
Oklahoma football was around long before Bob Stoops got here and will be around well after he's gone. Yeah, sure, it wasn't in the best shape when he took things over and he deserves the credit for restoring it to it's rightful place amongst the CFB elite. But 'credit' and a free pass are two very, very different things. A national championship in your second year on the job earned you a butt load of credit Bob and deservedly so. Maybe even in the eyes of some, at least at the time of the euphoric high of #7 probably that "free pass" we're talking about. But that was nearly 12 years ago and while I have no doubts you'd disagree, the expiration date on that crystal football has most definitely come due. This isn't an overreaction to last night's embarrassment, it's been building for a couple years now and you know it. Last night was just the final straw and you better know that as well. That freaking egg you laid last night Bob, well that was the last card in your deck of goodwill from 2000 so I hope it was worth it.
The fact that I'd have to stoop so low as to bring Texas into the conversation should tell you just how bad things actually are. Last night, that public prison raping, that was your 5-7 Bob. Consider yourself fortunate (I know I do) that you (and we) didn't have to actually suffer through a 5-7 season, but don't fool yourself into thinking you don't need to make the exact same kind of "time to look in the mirror for a freaking gut check" type of decision Mack Brown did. Make no mistake, you are at a cross road and the decision you have in front of you is a monumental one.
A substantial philosophical change is needed and you Bob are the only one who can make it. That doesn't mean you have to fire all your friends, that's not what this is about. For all you diehard, unflinching, "he can never do anything wrong" Stoops defenders out there (if even you can defend this), understand this isn't a rant calling for the entire staff to be fired. To be honest, they can all come back if you want Bob and given your track record I'm quite sure it is. But the same ol' same old ain't good enough anymore Bob. If that's what you want to do, if you're in that same place your colleague Mack Brown is, where you're asking yourself if you really still have the desire to do this, then it's time for you to go.
Yeah, I said it and I mean it. I don't want you to go Bob. Let me repeat that for the reading impaired. I do not want Bob Stoops to go. But if he refuses to change, which the painfully obvious need to do so even he can't deny any longer, then get the hell out of Norman Bob.
You're not responsible for just your own decisions, you're responsible for this entire football program. And that program has standards. And expectations. And you knew this when you accepted the position, so spare the self righteous indignation you typically offer up. That bleep won't fly here anymore Bob. You and your entire staff have become way too fat and way too happy. You're overpaid, you've become lazy, and apparently you've become so arrogant that you're not even making an effort to try and hide it anymore. It wasn't just Sooner Nation that was thoroughly embarrassed last night Bob. You and your entire staff were out coached so embarrassingly badly last night and if that doesn't piss you off half as bad as it did me, then you are not the man for this job any longer.
This team, under your lead, has regressed this year and by a considerable margin. I doubt I have to tell you that's the opposite of what is supposed to happen. They have no heart, clearly on display last night. They seemingly fold at the slightest bit of adversity. In this fan's opinion, this team has taken on the personality of their head coach and that is one of laziness and entitlement. You and your staff have failed miserably, last night being just another glaring example, to prepare this team to be ready to play. So poorly in fact that one can't help but question if your message has worn as thin with your players as your arrogance has with Sooner Nation? Given the failure that this year has become and last night hammered home in embarrassing fashion, I'd say the answer to that is a resounding yes.
And that's a big freaking problem Bob. That means what you've done in the past, those things that got you all those fancy Big XII trophies you're always so eager to remind us about, aren't working. It means you can't just rely on what has worked in the past, which you have clearly been doing. It means changes are necessary. BIG changes Bob. And if you don't have it in you to make them, then it's time for you to go. I don't want it to happen. I'd be incredibly disappointed if you chose to do nothing. If you left, things might not be any better. You could probably even say there is a good chance they would get worse. But as hard as that would be, it's a risk I'm willing to take Bob because you're complacency has driven me to it.
Forgive the corny metaphor, but you are leading this program down the wrong path and are you're too damn stubborn and/or proud to pull over and ask for directions. It's a path that doesn't lead to #8, that does lead to more games like last night, and probably leads to your unceremonious departure from OU. But you know what Bob? It's not a one way street. You can easily turn things around, you just have to look in the mirror and make some tough choices. You've taken that easy path these last couple years and coasted downhill. Well last night was the end of that downhill stretch and now you're looking up at the mother of steep freaking hills. You can't coast up this one Bob, trust me. Time to sack up and make some tough decisions.
Do you have it in you? Because we won before you got here and we'll win after you're gone. You're attitude seems to suggest you think you're bigger than Oklahoma football. You're not. You've had a great run here and maybe it's over, maybe it's not even close to being over. I'm smart enough to know I'm not the one to determine that. But did last night humble you enough (please god!) to know that you are and that coasting to the finish line ain't an option?
Let's freaking hope so Bob. Let's freaking hope so.