Our week of football agony in Oklahoma is just about over as Brent Venables is about to be named the new OU head coach. Other good news is OU will face Oregon in the Alamo Bowl while Oklahoma State will play Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
Both nice destinations for the two state teams. I’ve been to both bowls before and I’l probably go to the Alamo Bowl and hit the best piano bar around there on the River Walk. Plus, there’s the historic Menger Hotel within walking distance of the best piano bar I’ve been to. You haven’t lived as a college football fan until you hit the bar at the Menger Hotel with all that Teddy Roosevel history adorning the walls. We hung out there the year OU with Sam Bradford beat Missouri in the Big 12 Championship Game.
We also went to that 2006-07 Boise State Fiesta Bowl and while OU lost in overtime to Boise that was about as much fun as I’ve ever had at a college football game. Everything about the ending of the game was iconic even though OU lost. The hook and ladder, the Statue of Liberty, then the marriage proposal.
Again it’s not the fact Lincoln took the job. I could care less. In fact…it’s a silver lining for OU. It’s just so weak though because he didn’t thank the two guys (Stoops and Joe C) and give the proper props to his own OU players over the years at OU.
It looks like Roy Manning was indeed terminated at OU as their secondary coach. And it appears seven OU position coaches are still on board to stay with the Sooners.
It will probably work for Lincoln in the end if USC can avoid going on probation again. Lincoln becomes the Trojans’ eighth head coach since Pete Carroll left for the NFL, while Brent Venables becomes the third head coach for the Sooners in the last twenty-three years following Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley.
Kind of ironic it looks like this could be the end of both Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll in Seattle as all this seismic change is taking place in Los Angeles. If Pete Carroll were ten years younger… I’d have been all over Joe C pursuing Pete Carroll. I’m a huge Pete Carroll fan. I’ve always thought he was lit as a coach. Pete C put the worst ass whipping on an OU team I’ve ever observed with the 55-19 win the Orange Bowl national championship game.
Here’s a great trivia question…name the three head football coaches who have won a college national championship and a Super Bowl as a head coach?
Answer: Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, and Pete Carroll.
I think I might honor Pete Carroll on my blog later tonight.
Here’s the Menger Hotel virtual tour. An absolute must if you attend the Alamo Bowl. This will be an advance entry for my Mike’s Travel Blog December entry though I’ll probably do one from Denver over Christmas as well.
One other thing…I just saw OU wide receiver Jadon Haselwood who eneterd the transfer portal just selected Arkansas as his destination. I hate to see him go because my wife was a friend of his family in Georgia, but I’m proud of Jadon for picking Arkansas and embracing a tough challenge in the SEC to improve his game and draft stock. Best wishes to Jadon Haselwood and family. A great family by the way. Good kid.