Has Callahan and Pederson kill the NU v OU rivalry?
Did the Big 12 Conference?
Did it die when Switzer retired? or T.O.
Did the Big 12 Conference?
Did it die when Switzer retired? or T.O.
Here's what some OU fans have said:It was always hard to rub in a victory over Nebraska to their fans. Like I've always said, they will cheer for their team and support their team as loudly and proudly as anyone. I remember though walking out of Owen Field after the 2000 game. There were quite a few Husker fans there. They were nothing but classy and complimentary even though their team had just been dominated. No excuses, no nasty words exchanged. That has been the rule in my life experiences with Husker fans.
My memories of the 70's and 80's OU vs. Nebraska rivalry are some of my best moments as a sports fan. The OU-Texas rivalry is more of just a pure dislike both on and off the field for each other. The OU-Nebraska rivalry was hard fought, passionate and for the most part clean. I think Nebraska and Oklahoma share a lot of things in common and there was a mutual respect between the two both in relation to football and life. With Texas it was always as if we were trying to prove we weren't inferior, like showing up the rich kid or something. It's not so much that way anymore in my mind but it used to be. The creation of the Big 12 destroyed the rivalry with Nebraska but it did make the OU-Texas game that much more important. Basically you can say the winner of that game wins the South, it's that simple.
I hope that for the good of college football and the Big 12 that Nebraska can come back nationally. Unfortunately I don't see it happening under Schnellahan. I think Turner Gill will return at some point and be their head coach.
I just feel that this rivalry has lost lots of the "love". I don't like them any more and hope we kick their tails by 70! I can sense this is the feeling amoungst many Sooners now. Switzer and Osborne are gone and the Sooner fans have gained the Stoops mentality. Kill them at all stakes! There have been some bad incidents and I just don't care about the old love affair.
Callahan is the one who doesn't get it about the Oklahoma/Nebraska rivalry and relationship. That's sad.
However, Nebraska is still represented by the finest fans in all of college football. For their sakes, I will always support Nebraska and its players. Having experienced the quality of Cornhuskers and Nebraskans in general, I reckon it says something about Sooners in general that so much of the feeling and respect is mutual.
In this unfortunate era of trash talking and hatred in sports, I think we'd be pretty stupid, no, really stupid, to throw away the last fine rivalry left.