National Media on OU v. Stinkin

[Blue]

The Athletic article - https://theathletic.com/4942238/2023/10 ... ign=601983

This article from the Athletic is behind a paywall so I copied it below. I have to admit, I am not prepared to be indifferent toward Stinkin. His behavior was so unethical, I will always root against him. It's nice to see others recognize what a SOB he is. FYI The Athletic is owned by the New York Times.

Oklahoma has reached the revenge stage with Lincoln Riley — now it’s time for indifference
AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 07: The Oklahoma Sooners pose for a group photo after the win over the Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl on October 07, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
By Ari Wasserman

Every Saturday night, Ari Wasserman and David Ubben react to the weekend’s slate of games on “Until Saturday.” On Mondays, they revisit the biggest takeaway from Saturday night’s instant reaction. This week: Ari offers some advice for Oklahoma fans — it’s time to move on from Lincoln Riley.

When Lincoln Riley packed up his stuff in the middle of the night and bolted to sunny Los Angeles two years ago, the entire country stood with Oklahoma fans. Riley became a villain for leaving an already great job for what some would have considered a lateral move. Yes, he got an infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean, but is that what should be driving a college football coach trying to win a national title?

Then Riley dipped back into Norman and stole quarterback Caleb Williams — who now is the best player in the nation — and pillaged the program he deserted. It felt like dirty business. Oklahoma helped build Riley and took care of the coach as his profile grew. This was the repayment?

Oklahoma fans were reasonably devastated. The Sooners had a good thing going, with consistent College Football Playoff berths and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks. Oklahoma was the model of consistency, and its offense was appointment television. Then poof — the architect of all of that excitement — went Hollywood.

Then came the five stages of grief:

1. Denial and isolation: Oklahoma fans started convincing themselves shortly after Riley’s departure that the program was better off without him. They said he didn’t care about defense and would never win a national championship, a sentiment that still exists. They forgot he went 55-10 during his time at Oklahoma and could convince every quarterback in the country to consider coming to Norman.

2. Anger: A ton of anger was directed toward anyone who didn’t hold Oklahoma football in the highest possible regard after Riley left.

3. Bargaining: When things were not going well last year, Sooners fans could tell themselves that rebuilding is difficult but at least Oklahoma doesn’t have a glass ceiling over its program anymore in terms of what it can accomplish long-term. USC could never win because USC can’t play defense.

4. Depression: Nobody took the 6-7 season well last year. Oklahoma doesn’t go 6-7, regardless of the circumstances.

5. Acceptance: This season.

The stages of grief were tough to watch. They are over. Oklahoma is on to a whole new stage: Revenge.

The best type of revenge? Living well. But simply living well isn’t enough. Indifference — pure, natural, authentic indifference — is how you turn the knife.

It’s time to let Lincoln Riley go. He isn’t worth your time. He isn’t worth your breath. He isn’t worth your thoughts.

Oklahoma’s program turned a huge page Saturday with its thrilling, last-minute 34-30 win over Texas. Brent Venables’ program improved to 6-0 — matching its win total from a year ago already — and avenged the embarrassing loss to the Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry from a year ago. But it gets even better. Oklahoma’s defense forced three turnovers and stopped Texas on four consecutive plays from the 1-yard line late in the third quarter. It was big-boy football won with help from both sides of the line of scrimmage. It was a high-level game between two giants, and Oklahoma reasserted itself as one of the premier programs in this sport while stepping on the neck of its rival.

Oklahoma has to be considered a legit national championship contender this year. Granted, there are a lot of them in this wacky season in which about 10 teams could claim a shot at it. But undefeated Oklahoma, which might be a double-digit favorite in every regular-season game remaining this year, has an inside track to the Big 12 Championship Game and yet another spot in the CFP.

Without Riley.

The program is bigger than him. And the Sooners have a coach who offers real, legit hope as the program transitions into the SEC. The wins are coming in Year 2, sure, but Oklahoma is also recruiting at a higher level than at any time in the modern era. And it isn’t just flashy offensive skill position players. Venables, a defensive-minded head coach who helped build Clemson into a national power as its defensive coordinator, is getting studs on the D-line and across the back end as the program transitions into a deeper, more talented league.

go-deeper
GO DEEPER

The Brent Venables way and his vision for the future of Oklahoma football

The Sooners managed to sign the No. 5 recruiting class in the 247Sports Composite in the 2023 cycle despite struggling through that 6-7 season in the coach’s first year. Oklahoma’s class ranks No. 7 in the 2024 cycle and has five top-100 players in it, including five-star defensive lineman David Stone, an Oklahoma native who plays at IMG (Fla.) Academy. Venables, who flipped Oklahoma’s roster after Year 1, has a plan for building this program. And his plan is working.

So who cares what Riley is doing at USC?

The main course for Oklahoma fans was watching their team beat a rival. It was especially delicious this year because Texas, which has already beaten Alabama, was supposed to be a different version of itself. This wasn’t an Oklahoma win like so many before it in the Red River Rivalry. This was an Oklahoma win over a good Texas team, one that still has plans of meeting the Sooners in the Big 12 Championship Game and maybe making the CFP for the first time.

The dessert might have been tuning in to “Pac-12 After Dark.” Sitting on the rivalry win, Oklahoma fans probably loved watching Riley squirm on television. Arizona gave the Trojans all they could handle in a triple-overtime loss that came down to two-point conversions. Maybe Arizona would have won had Jedd Fisch opted to go for two at the end of the first overtime period. But a lot of the things that kept Arizona in that game were reoccurring themes with Riley’s USC team last year and some of Riley’s Oklahoma teams.

They don’t play defense. USC is sure to lose at least one game this year playing that brand of football, especially with a tough Pac-12 schedule in the back half of the season.

That might make Oklahoma fans warm and fuzzy inside.

Here’s a challenge: Try not to care. Try not to talk about it. When USC loses this year, you might have the urge to get on Twitter — er, X — and howl at the moon about how Riley will never win a national championship because he can’t assemble a defense. It’s a popular talking point right now, and you might even be right. But don’t go into the swamp.

Talk about Oklahoma. Talk about how good you have it. Talk about how the Sooners are consistently good no matter who is running the program. Talk about how you have a real chance to win a national title if Venables continues to assemble talented rosters that are good on offense and defense. Sip champagne while living the good life. Things are great in Norman now.

Remember, truly, unadulterated indifference.

Oklahoma is bigger than Riley. It might turn out to be better than it was under his leadership one day, too.

You have all you ever wanted in front of you. Close the door on the person who did you wrong and never looked back. That’s how you really win.

[captnop]

I would argue it's already better MUCH better. We STILL have a top 5-10 offense as well as a top 5-10 defense to go with it.

[EMan]

I still don't think the national media truly understands the reason for the anger at Stink. It wasn't so much that he left (that was some of it) but mostly it was the WAY he left. It's quite obvious to anyone that's paying attention he was planning his escape to SC early that season. And it showed with how the team performed that year. There's simply no way he made his decision AFTER the OSU game. Not a chance in hell. So he lied to everyone on his way out the door, and raided the cookie jar on top of it by taking several handpicked players. That's what steams OU fans. Leaving is a kick in the teeth to start with, but when you lie on your way out and put a knife in the back as well, then no, people are not going to forgive and forget so easily. The hope for him to fail epically is something that's probably always going to be there. And there's no better revenge than to see him fail as OU succeeds. And I have no problem admitting those are my feelings on the situation. And I'm not apologizing for them either. I hope Stink loses big and never sniffs a CFP appearance. And if you give me a chance, I'll tell you what I really think.

[RussC]

When BV was hired as OU HC, our fan base told the world “we got our guy and we’ll be better off without Riley”:

National media response: “You are delusional”.

Now OU demonstrates we are in fact better off without Riley.

National media response: “Just let the Riley hate go”.

Sorry National media, don’t tell us how to think or what to say.

[AllSooner]

Two comments:
1. From the Athletic article

"When USC loses this year, you might have the urge to get on Twitter — er, X — and howl at the moon about how Riley will never win a national championship because he can’t assemble a defense."

We don't have to do that......the Condom media is already doing that after the Arizona debacle.

2. It would be satisfying as hell if OU gets to the CFP before the Condoms. This year, a cherry on top would be the brass trophy for Gabriel.

[OUGUS]

I dislike LR as much as the next OU fan but I think we need to stop obsessing with him. It makes our fan base look silly. Just my opinion

[Bixby_Sooner]

I dislike LR as much as the next OU fan but I think we need to stop obsessing with him. It makes our fan base look silly. Just my opinion

One problem with this is that when he gives "interviews" and drags his version of truth out in the open, the national media tends to blame for his leaving, and opens old wounds all over again. This last thing about his house being targeted after his announcement was blatantly false and only served to stoke the fires yet again. If he let it go, MOST fans would let it go.

[OU Guy]

I dislike LR as much as the next OU fan but I think we need to stop obsessing with him. It makes our fan base look silly. Just my opinion

4 of his next 5 games are vs ranked teams (it might be 5 of 6).

You think I’m going to skip making fun of him then lol. No way Jose, I’m going to have fun with it.

When he was on staff I was all LR - but when he tried to burn this storied program down on his way out the door all bets are off.

I’ll make fun of him the rest of my life probably. I still haven’t gotten over the PAC refs ripping us off in 05, no way I’m letting LiaR off the hook anytime soon.

[captnop]

I dislike LR as much as the next OU fan but I think we need to stop obsessing with him. It makes our fan base look silly. Just my opinion

The problem is HE won't drop it... He brought up all the BS about people breaking into his house in Norman... which never happened. EVERYTIME he's in one of his self created crisis's , this was right after he got the reporter suspended.. he goes after OU AGAIN!!! It's like he keeps trying to look for sympathy where there is none or use to divert attention from the fact he's a worthless human and a bad HC. If he would STFU about anything Oklahoma related, it would go along way. Right now he's JUST making himself look worse. I'm sure somehow, USC's bad defense will end up being the fault of OU fans ... he's a loser, but if we wants to make himself a constant public pinata, sure I'll take a few swings!!!

[Fly]

I,m spot on with everything E- Man said above. As far as obsession with me, maybe I will get over that when we finish this season ahead
of him. What it is,OU made Riley, Riley did not make OU. That is the way the media makes it sound. Take the broadcast Saturday night. They were talking about Caleb, & said Caleb came to OU because of Riley & how he developed such great QB,s as Baker &
Kyler Murray.Give me a physical break. Those guy,s where already great when they came hear, as was Caleb. Muleshoe needed Caleb
Not the other way around. It was the same with the rest of the QB,s that came to OU. Do you think he could have got those players
at Texas Tec if he had stayed there? Sorry for the rant, I understand your thoughts believe me. With me it the sports media as the
main stream media on other topics that set me off. Enough from me on this.

Fly

[OU Guy]

Anyone ever heard of the shell game

LiaR knows whats coming and his bringing up OU/Norman (lies) lis a way to keep people distracted, or at least attempt to. But their fans and press are on to him. He had a dustup a few weeks ago by banning a presser guy. And that market is press driven out there. And a week ago he unbanned that person, likely was told by school it was jot a fight to fight.

But the chickens are coming home to roost. His attempts to distract are not working well rather just adding more fuel to fire.

Within the next 6 weeks he will be in a bad spot team wise. Once they are out of title picture (2 losses for sure but 1 loss might keep them out as bad as they are minus Caleb). Then the press will swarm! I am here for it! My guess is Caleb then shuts it down early to prep for NFL. He will lokely fake another injury. So LiaR will have soke ugly last games if without CW for a few games.

[BigIslandSooner]

the article tells us to forget LR then spends half the article talking about him. The Black Crowes have a song called Bad Luck Blues Eyes
and one of the lyrics is "I don't trust no one who don't take their own advice."

[Fly]

Man I,m sorry I let the above set me off so much. I had to come back and edit it. I put down Quinten Griffin, meaning Kyler Murray.
I changed that that how up set I got. Not at the poster but it got me to thinking what the broadcaster said. I did not even plan
on watching that game, I was about to go to bed. I was checking scores from the day as to the pickem contest. When I saw how close
It was I could not turn it off. When that announcer said what he said I almost threw something at my tv. Greezzzzzz

Fly .

[waddy's ghost]

Well said RussC

[walt]

I sure won't ever be critical of any OU fan who refuses to let go of Riley, as so many people have let their feelings off the guy. I've seen many posts suggesting that Lincoln Riley isn't a great Head Coach but a very good offensive coordinator, and I believe that is the best way to think of Riley. Riley's hiring of Grench was a good hire, I was one of them but got off of Grinch quickly. His defense just didn't look good on the turf during the games. The combination of Riley and Grinch is not a good combination.

I have a sentence that follows my every post ... I will take it down as I think we OU fans need to let it go. We just need to let us all know that Riley's ways of leaving OU were about as unethical as we know. Some real coaches made bad decisions, and Riley made some real unethical decisions. But it is time for me to let it go.