Oklahoma University Football Program "Stoops" To A New Low

I think Skip Bayless got it right on his ESPN commentary yesterday when he stated that the loss to Texas Tech on Saturday was the worst loss in the history of the OU football program.  How do you lose to a team that you are favored to beat by thirty or so points and on your home field where you have a record of 75-2 during the tenure of your current head coach.  I remember the old saying coined by the fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the 1940s and 1950s.  Wait 'til next year!   I, for one, am tired of waiting.

Haven't we been through this scenario time and again under Bob Stoops' reign at the helm of the, arguably, best football program in NCAA, Division I.  True, he has a 135-32 (.808) record since he took over in 1999 but how many times have we had our hopes raised before the season starts that maybe this is the year of our eighth national championship?  Rated number one in preseason, all of those returning starters, no Big 12 championship game, relatively favorable schedule in a conference without Nebraska and Colorado, surely this would be the year.  By the way, Switzer and Wilkinson both had higher winning percentages during their tenure at OU.

No, reality has set it again.  During Stoops' regime, our disappointments have come at different times during the year, sometimes at the beginning, sometimes during the middle, sometimes at the end, and, oh yes, three times in the BCS Championship game for all the marbles.  But you say, we won the 2000 National Championship 13-2 over FSU.  But do you forget, those weren't players recruited by Stoops who is undoubtedly one of the best recruiters in the nation.

Let's look at the facts:  6-6 record in bowl games, 3-5 in BCS bowl games, and 1-3 in National Championship games.  It is evident that the powers that be at OU are content with 80% winning percentage but not this longtime fan.  My first OU game was in 1955 as a Boy Scout usher.  I cried the day, November 16, 1957, when Notre Dame defeated OU 7-0 to end the 47-game winning streak.  I have endured the lean years under Gary Gibbs, John Blake, etc and then came this unknown, Bob Stoops.  Great pedigree, football history better than most, brother included - we were set for greatness.  The malaise was past.  7-5 first year - OK, then 13-0 and National Champs.  We were back!

Then over the years, the "Can't Win the Big One' label began to rear its ugly head.  Let's review the last 12 years and then make up your mind.

• 1999 - 7-5, first year, not too bad.
• 2000 - 13-0, National Champs, could it get any better.
• 2001 - 11-2, lost to OSU in Norman, give me a break.  Who is Les Miles?
• 2002 - 12-2, lost to Texas Aggies and OSU - again?
• 2003 - 12-2, lost to KSU in Big 12 Championship but still in BCS Championship game. LSU who?
• 2004 - 12-1, 5 turnovers in 55-19 romp by USC in BCS Championship game.
• 2005 - 8-4, Rhett Bomar ring a bell?
• 2006 - 11-2, Can you say BOISE STATE?
• 2007 - 11-3, Lost to Colorado, Texas Tech (sounds familiar) and WVa in Fiesta Bowl
• 2008 - 12-2, Lost to Texas but still in BCS Championship game.  Tim Tebow, anyone?
• 2009 - 8-5, Sam Bradford hurt twice, 'nuf said.
• 2010 - 12-2, lost to Missouri and Texas Aggies but beat that powerhouse of football - UConn.
• 2011 - 6-1 so far, bet the farm that they will lose again before the season ends.

As Skip Bayless said yesterday, Bob Stoops is the worst coach in the NCAA when it comes to motivating his team to play.  I would add that he does not understand adjustments to the game plan and predictability, especially on offense.  The second quarter of the Tech game on Saturday was the worst offensive play-calling that I can ever remember and that is when the game was lost.  You could almost see it coming in the lackluster performances against Missouri and Kansas.

Well, there you have it.  Skip Bayless said that Stoops should be fired.  I don't necessarily agree with that but some changes need to be made.  Perhaps get rid of Venables and bring back Mike Stoops.  I hear he is looking for a job.  As Bob Stoops said after the game, "We were out-coached and out-played".  Who shares the burden of the blame for the loss?  The buck stops with the head coach.  Are we getting the best bang for our buck ($4M per year at least), I think not.

The crimson-and-cream bleeders will always say that we are so much better than most programs and defend the poor coaching decisions to the end but I say we should expect more and when our championship dreams are spoiled year after year after year, changes should be made.  I'm not smart enough to know exactly what but we have to figure out why the second quarter performance was the worst that I have ever seen.  Perhaps our motto should be "Three and Out, OU no doubt!

In baseball, good pitching usually stops good hitting.  In football, good defense usually stops good offense.  LSU is a great example of this.  Skip said he would trade Bob Stoops to LSU for Les Miles.  I would not but Miles' teams are usually not out coached as badly as OUOU could end up 7-5 or 8-4.  Who would be satisfied with that?  I have no problems when OU loses to an opponent that is better than they are but this was not the case in Norman last Saturday.

Through It All

This is a test of my first experience with Windows Movie Maker.  Hopefully, there will be more videos on future blogs.  It appears to be user-friendly although my learning curve is deepening!

Are Good Works Necessary to Get to Heaven?

Since my blog title is Grace Alone, I'm sure you probably know what my answer to that question is:  A resounding NO NO NO NO NO NO or as Paul would say "God forbid" or "May it never be".  In the Greek, the phrase used by Paul is Θεός φυλάξοι Mee genoito which means may it never come into being; the strongest negative that can be used is used.  Consider Eph 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

In these verses, we see that we are saved not by good works but by grace through faith.  We also see that the Christian is created in Christ Jesus for good works.  Another passage that reinforces this is Gal 2:15-16 We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.


There are many, many other verses in the New Testament that emphasize "Sole Gratia", Grace Alone.  However, the sinfulness of man has brought forth entire denominations that teach that we get to heaven based on our good works.  Most cannot define the quantity nor quality of the good works required, although some have tried to typify and rate certain deeds.  I spoke recently with a friend who believed that he would one day stand before God and try to convince him that his good works were sufficient to allow his entrance into heaven for eternity.  He is a member of a denomination whose members are some of the most moral people on the planet but he will never have the assurance of his salvation and his eternal hope of heaven is based on what he does, not what God has already done.

In my mind, one of the main problems with believing in salvation by works (other than the fact that it denies the teachings of the Bible) is that one who believes this always measures his works against the works of someone else.  If works can truly save, one must measure their works against the works of Christ and they must be equal or greater than his for them to qualify for eternal life.  Since his was a sin-free life, they are disqualified at birth because of their sinful nature.

OK, let's agree that works will not get you to heaven.  The next logical question is:  Why do good works if they are ineffectual for eternal life?  The scripture also speaks directly to this.  In fact, this verse was on one of those glittering cardboard wall hangings that was on the living room wall of the house where I grew up.  Matt 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.


My belief system is that not only will a Christian do good works, a Christian must do good works.  Do not put me into the legalism camp just yet.  Hear me out.  I also believe that we cannot help but do good works.  Once we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, good works will be the natural, or should I say super-natural, actions of our being.  We will not perfectly go good works and we will not necessarily constantly do good works but we will do good works.  As we move along the sanctification continuum, our good works will be more consistent and more God-dependent.  They will become such an integral part of our being that we will examine our motives less and less.  Our good works will become second nature.  The old sin nature will still be present in our lives but it will be relegated to a lower position as God chips away at our being removing the dross and replacing it with Christ-likeness.


We will act more quickly as God brings opportunities for service before us.  We will actually occasionally do good works that only we and the recipients are aware of.  In other words, we will not be seeking recognition but only the glory of God.  Again, this is a progression and is at times, a painfully slow progression.  We will quench the Holy Spirit and use all kinds of excuses for our inaction but these times will become more infrequent.  As we increase our knowledge of God and our world-view becomes more Biblical, our fear of what will others think will diminish and we will be more concerned with our obedience to God than the approval of man.


What if we do no good works but just slide through the "Christian life" always taking and never giving.  Do the scriptures say anything about this type of life style?  Listen and read.  James 2:14-17 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.


If what James is saying is true (and I believe in the inerrancy of the Bible), good works will be evident in the life of those who have been born again.  A life with no good works should be a warning sign and cause instant self-examination as mentioned in these verses.

2 Peter 1:1-11
1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.  Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Perhaps, God's word has stirred you to action but you are hesitant and questioning about what "good works" look like.  There are myriads of examples and here are just a few. 

1. If appropriate, make a hospital visit even if the person is not a close friend.  Ask what needs are outstanding, say a quick prayer, and let the person and/or friend/relatives know of your availability.
2. Pick up the phone and call someone that you aware of that has a need even if you don't know all of the details.  Again, our availability is most important.
3. If you hear of a financial need, pray about it.  If you decide to give, try cash.  Sure, you can't deduct that on your 1040.  But, why are you giving?  Is it to meet a need or get a write-off?
4. Pray for someone often and let them know that you are praying.  This can mean so much and can be so powerful as God's providence is evidenced.
5. Take some one shopping, to the mall, the grocery, or out to lunch.  In other words, be available and be in contact.  Life is short.  Redeem the time.

One of my favorite quotes is "When you care enough for someone, you will make the time."

May our Heavenly Father bless as we live imperfect lives in preparation for a perfect eternal life with our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.