I believe what he is referring to is the nostalgia many feel about the glory era of USC football, think of Notre Dame on a lesser level. The West Coast school, private university with a long history in college football. As I said before, as a kid, I remember Curt Gowdy doing the UCLA/USC game from the Rose Bowl with Cal Tech pranking stunts
WB: Thoughts on SMU over 'Bama?
- Thread starter cawacko
- Start date
cawacko
Well-known member
While I don't disagree with you here's where there is a certain amount of difference. Many of the people on the 'SC board are alums. There's a certain bond there that a board like JPP doesn't offer. Now that doesn't stop people from arguing or fighting but there's at least a modicum level of respect based on the commonality (USC degree).
And the board owner does hold meet ups at bars the night before road games (I've gone to them) and occasional gameday tailgates at the Coliseum. So unlike this board, people do have an opportunity to interact in real life.
All that said, you're still not wrong though about people talking trash because they are hiding behind an anonymous screen name.
cawacko
Well-known member
Sure, we're a blue blood of the sport so we will always get more attention than say (pick a team) West Virginia. That said, look at our performance over the past 7 years. Not a lot to write home about and thus we've gotten no where near the national attention we have at times in the past.
Yep. Some might disagree with Oklahoma being a "blue-blood" but that's the way we look at ourselves. I get ticked off when people start talking like OU can't ever compete in the SEC. I mean, they have more than held their own with those teams for years. I think what we're finding out in Oklahoma is that the Switzers and Stoops type of coaches don't happen with every hire and sometimes a good/great OC needs to stay an OC until he leaves on his own for greener pastures. We'll see how Venables plays out. I figure he has about 2 seasons left to show more consistency in the program. He has vastly improved the defense but the hit our offense has taken because of a lack of recruiting enough competent offensive linemen was very telling this past season. Hoping we don't go the way of Nebraska.
cawacko
Well-known member
There should be zero doubt that Oklahoma is a blue blood of the sport. Anyone who questions that is either trolling or showing their ignorance of college football history.
That is a separate discussion from whether going to the SEC was a good move or not. My other question is this. DFW is a hotbed for college football recruiting and OU has mined it well for a long time. How much, if any, will SMU's resurgence hurt OU in that regard?
It does beg the question. For whatever reason we have a lot of Texas in Norman. I don't know why. Since we've been going to Norman more often to see the offspring I've taken note of all the Texas tags that are on cars on campus. It's crazy. At OU games there are more Texas tags than Oklahoma tags...no matter who we're playing.
I have a bit of a theory of the Texas/OU connection, especially since my son is job searching as he enters the last semester of his Senior year. Well over half of the jobs my son has applied for are in the DFW area. Lots of people get degrees from OU and locate to the Dallas area because that's where a lot of the professional types of jobs are. I do hope the ability to recruit from there stays in tact as our in state talent does not compare.
I think you missed the “lesser level” comment
USC’s “blue blood” football reputation is there like UCLA’s is for basketball, they dominated during a time period, however, there also ain’t a whole lot of competing teams coming out of the far west. The PAC12 has had some good teams but as a whole, the league wasn’t as vying as other regional competition. In the 1920’s/1930’s Fordham and Colgate Universities were college football’s standard, Army in the 1950’s, Syracuse in the 1960’s/1970’s, but I don’t know if I’d label them today college football blue bloods
And I keep telling you why USC has faded some, money, the school hasn’t kept apace with the select few State schools who have been all in, by and especially off the books. With NIL and transfer rules, that might change, time will tell, but as a leading private institution concerned about it’s reputation as much as gridiron glory, I ain’t seeing it
anonymoose
Classical Liberal
Sounds similar to LSU grads going to Houston. And LSU's had a lot of success recruiting from that area. Although w/ NIL and (especially) the way players transfer as much as they change their underwear not sure how much that will matter any more.
cawacko
Well-known member
Dallas is the fifth largest city (or MSA) in the country I believe and on pace to become the third in the next decade or so. So makes sense it would have appeal to your son assuming he doesn't want to go the coast (S.F. or NYC).
Also makes sense that many OU grads would gravitate there as well.