Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and NotesLatimer signs with Redskins: Washington Redskins agreed to terms with former Oklahoma linebacker Zach Latimer, who made 180 tackles for the Sooners. Redkins rookie camp begins Friday. Signing bonus undisclosed.
Packers pickup Larry Birdine: The former Oklahoma Sooner and Lawton Ike Eagle [Larry Birdine] signed a free agent contract with the Packers after not getting picked in last weekend's NFL draft. That's according to Birdine. The Packers have not officially commented on it yet. (KSWO) Signing bonus undisclosed.Labels: Former Sooner, Larry Birdine, NFL
posted by Gilbert Sam, Jr. @ 2:25 AM |
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and NotesStoops a candidate for NFL Falcons job? ESPN's NFL Insider Chris Mortensen, reported on Sunday NFL Countdown that Oklahoma's Bob Stoops is among the three candidates the Falcons owner, Arthur Blank is looking to replace current head coach Jim Mora. Remember in 2003, Stoops was also rumored for the job. We'll see... Closing the roof: The retractable roof at the University of Phoenix Stadium will be put to use Monday. The roof will be open for parachutists to descend through the opening shortly before kickoff, then close for the game. "We're doing it for fan comfort," said Shawn Schoeffler, Fiesta Bowl media relations liaison. "The game will kick off at 6:50 (7:50 central) and probably won't be over until after 10."(NewsOK.com)OU's Ah You Continues Fiesta Bowl Family Tradition: C.J. Ah You is carrying along a family tradition he didn’t even know about. The Oklahoma defensive end will be the third member of his family to play in the Fiesta Bowl. His uncle, Junior, won defensive MVP in the inaugural Fiesta Bowl in 1971 playing for Arizona State. His father, Charles, was a backup running back for BYU in the 1974 Fiesta Bowl. (East Valley Tribune)Birdine keeping it closed too: The last time Oklahoma defensive end Larry Birdine spoke out before a BCS game, he gave USC several bulletin boards worth of material. Two years later, he revisited reporters in the University of Phoenix Stadium stands as part of Fiesta Bowl media day Saturday. "I don't want another Orange Bowl incident happening," Birdine said. "Let's just say it wasn't pretty." (Tulsa World)Stoops: Same schedule, Different days: OU has tried to keep its practice routine like it would for a normal game during Fiesta Bowl preparations. OU coach Bob Stoops said doing that can cause some confusion. Saturday, he wasn't even sure what day of the week it was. "I look at it as Thursday," he said. "You kind of go through your game week, getting prepared for the game, what you emphasize in practice. Today for us is like a Thursday practice. It's kind of how you mentally go into it." (Norman Transcript)Switzer and Johnson reunite: Former Sooners coach Barry Switzer will be one of Fox's Fiesta Bowl analysts during the game and will sit on a sideline studio platform next to Jimmy Johnson for pregame, halftime and postgame analysis. Switzer, who was an assistant coach at Arkansas when Johnson played there, and Johnson are old rivals, including Johnson's days at Oklahoma State (he lost every game to Switzer's Sooners) and Miami (he was 3-0 against OU). But their rivalry heated up even more when Switzer replaced Johnson as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. "I've seen him every once in a while through the years," Switzer said. "We've had a couple conversations." (Tulsa World)Something they like to have: Oklahoma players took a liking to the Fiesta Bowl trophy, taking turns shooting photos of teammates posing beside it. Some might consider the trophy gaudy, with diamonds and gold and even a stained-glass window effect on a dome that serves as the base to a football topper. Not the Sooners. "We gotta have it," said offensive lineman George "Duke" Robinson. (NewsOK.com) Labels: Ah You, Barry Switzer, Bob Stoops, Fiesta Bowl, Larry Birdine, NFL, Oklahoma Sooners
posted by Gilbert Sam, Jr. @ 10:35 AM |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and NotesBirdine Quite: Fans have heard the last of outspoken senior defensive end Larry Birdine. Media who requested to interview him after practice Tuesday were told he was no longer allowed to speak to the press because of his comments last week pertaining to the Sooners;' 2005 loss at Texas Tech, about which Birdine said, "we got screwed." (Tulsa World)Wilson on Mossis Madu redshirt: Offensive Cordinator Kevin Wilson on pulling Madu's redshirt... "We were talking about him as far back as the Middle Tennessee game," OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Tuesday. "'Should we get him in?' The main reason we held on some of those guys is the games got so short, we just didn't think we needed the substitution as much. We just said, 'Hey, let's hold it.' " (NewsOK.com)AP Voter Error: Jim Kleinpeter, a writer at the New Orleans Times Picayune, admitted Tuesday he sent in his ballot Sunday morning thinking the Sooners had lost to Texas Tech on Saturday night. He had OU ranked 15th last week but dropped the Sooners to 24th this week despite their 34-24 win over Texas Tech. OU is 16th in the poll this week, five points behind Auburn, which Kleinpeter voted at No. 8 because he thought the Tigers had beaten Georgia when they lost 37-15. "I was in the press box after the LSU game that night and I remember . . . asking somebody, Did Oklahoma get beat? and somebody said 'Yes.' When I woke up the next morning, I rushed through my stuff and when I looked in the paper, I didn't see the score. It was still in my head that they lost. "It was an honest mistake. I'm going to correct it next week." (Tulsa World)Thompson frustrated with slow climb in Polls: While upsets ruled the college landscape a week ago, the Sooners rose just one spot in both the AP and coaches polls. "That is frustrating," OU quarterback Paul Thompson said. "It's unfortunate that there are some teams ahead of us that I don't think should be. "Hopefully, in the end, if we take care of what we need to take care of, people will recognize that and put where we need to be." (NewsOK.com)
Lots to play for, but Sooners focusing on Baylor: Norman Transcript
Schedule does Sooners a favor: Norman TranscriptSooners' hopes of winning the South have been revived: The Oklahoman
Sooners staying balanced: The Oklahoman
OU coaches, players and fans reminded of sport's harsh reality: Tulsa World
Florida once again has hand in Sooners' fate: Tulsa World
Baylor defense takes wrong turn: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
OU not backfiring with backups: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
Tim Griffin: Thompson the anchor that's kept Sooners afloat: San Antonio ExpressLabels: Kevin Wilson, Larry Birdine, Mossis Madu, Oklahoma Sooners, Paul Thompson, Rankings
posted by Gilbert Sam, Jr. @ 9:54 AM |
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Oklahoma Sooner Football Articles and NotesStoops provides some "Coffee Talk" on playoff system: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops provided water-cooler chatter Tuesday, saying the idea of a playoff system is growing on him. The coach said he isn't lobbying to junk the Bowl Championship Series for a straight playoff, but he understands where it could be beneficial. "You see, more and more, some of the valid reasons why maybe it would be good," he said. "I'm not saying I'm for it. I'm on the fence right now." The Sooners (7-2, 4-1 Big 12) face an uphill battle to reach a fifth BCS bowl in seven years. They're ranked 17th in the BCS standings and would need a lot of help to receive an at-large berth. Oklahoma, which started the season ranked No. 10, fell as far as No. 23 after its loss to Texas. Its only other loss was a controversial one at Oregon. Pac-10 officials ruled after the game that a late onside kick should have been awarded to the Sooners, who would have been able to run out the clock and win. Stoops doesn't believe pollsters have ignored that loss. "In the end, everything is slotted by wins and losses. End of story," he said. "I knew when it happened that that's how it was going to be. In the end, you are not given any credit for playing a tough schedule or winning in a tight game." (Star-Telegram) More Brown this week? Bob Stoops on Chris Brown: "He's getting more and more (work) in practice, closer and closer. We anticipate playing him this week and in the coming weeks," Stoops said. "You manage the games as they come. You don't have a set number (of carries) that they're going to get. I'm not second-guessing the way we played him one bit." Brown may be the only choice this week. Allen Patrick sprained his ankle at A&M, and may not be 100 percent for Texas Tech. (Tulsa World)Patrick Injury update, held out of Practice: Oklahoma running back Allen Patrick suffered a sprained ankle last Saturday against Texas A&M and was held out of practice Monday and Tuesday. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson expects him to play Saturday against Texas Tech. However, he's concerned Patrick won’t be at full speed. "My concern is how efficient will he be Saturday," he said. "I think you play well when you practice well. It will be interesting to see how much we can get him as the week goes on." Patrick has rushed for 440 yards over the last three games while starter Adrian Peterson waits for a broken collarbone to heal. (Norman Transcript)Nothing new on Peterson: Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson was asked to provide an Adrian Peterson update Tuesday. "I hear what you guys hear when they ask him on the replay of the TV (broadcast)," Wilson said. "He acts like he feels good. He was running down the field when (Patrick) had his knees up (on his nullified 78-yard touchdown at A&M), sprinting down the sideline. "He says he's doing some things for range of motion and strengthening. But I don't have an idea if it looks like for sure he's going to be back, or if it looks like for sure he's not going to be. We'll see where he is in the weeks to come." (Tulsa World)Pendleton in SI on newsstands now: OU defensive tackle Carl Pendleton and his 10-year-old adopted brother, Kierstan, will be featured in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated. Carl Pendleton recently received an $18,000 scholarship grant from the National Football Foundation, which will allow him to continue with school and care for Kierstan, who lives with him in Norman, while Carl's parents are going through a divorce. The magazine is available at newsstands today. (NewsOK.com)Birdine on Texas Tech win last year: Some Oklahoma players chose not to discuss what happened in last year's 23-21 loss at Texas Tech. Not Larry Birdine. "I was watching from the house, and I had front-row seats," said Birdine, a senior defensive end who was injured last season. "We got screwed. Everybody knew we got screwed. So many e-mails that we got showed clearly that it was short. "But I'm not the one to cry over spilled milk." (Dallas Morning News)Stoops' A&M call Coaches Call of the Week by ESPN's Pat Forde: Oklahoma's Bob Stoops (38) going for fourth-and-inches at his own 29 with 90 seconds to play, up one on Texas A&M. It worked, of course, and the Sooners are 7-2. (ESPN.com)
Sooners hyped for Red Raider visit: SoonerSports.com
OU defense focused on Texas Tech: SoonerSports.com OU still irked: The Oklahoman
Stoops warming up to playoff system?: The Oklahoman
Sooners still want to pass: Norman Transcript
Stoops needs to get off the fence: Norman Transcript
Sooners ramp up rushing yardage without Peterson: Tulsa World
Incidents pad Stoops' playoff philosophy: Tulsa World
Patrick expected to play: Tulsa World
Birdine has a theory: Tulsa World
Patrick keeps Sooners' rushing attack moving along: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Around the Big 12: USA Today
Labels: Adrian Peterson, Allen Patrick, Bob Stoops, Chris Brown, ESPN, Injuries, Injury, Larry Birdine, Playoff System, Sports Illustrated
posted by Gilbert Sam, Jr. @ 9:55 AM |
MySpace Graphics: Show your Oklahoma pride, add Oklahoma Sooners Graphics to your MySpace profile!
Add Oklahoma Sooners Blog: on Facebook or Twitter
|
