Product Description

In What It Means to Be a Sooner, many of Oklahoma's greatest players and coaches recall with enthusiasm, honesty, and emotion the years they spent at the University of Oklahoma, a time in which they contributed to one of college football's most glorious traditions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #584337 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 372 pages

From the Publisher
"What does it mean to be a Sooner? "When I look at that Switzer Center on OU's campus, I realize it represents thousands of other people. We all did it here in Norman. We all accomplished the success that we all enjoyed. It wasn't just me. They put my name up there on that building, because somebody's name had to be on it, but it represents everybody. "I think we have some of the greatest fans in the world. Now I sit up there and watch the games and I am one of them. They support Oklahoma, win, lose, or draw. "Sooners are proud people. "Like the song says, `I am Sooner born and Sooner bred, and when I die, I'll be Sooner dead.'" —from the Foreword by Barry Switzer

From the Inside Flap
Some have affectionately called it "the Monster." Bud Wilkinson created it in the late forties, and it instantly threw fear into the college football world, continuing to stake its claim to the nation's greatest college football program throughout the fifties. Then Barry Switzer fed it in the seventies and eighties as it grew into a dominating legend that relied on talent, speed, preparation, hard work, and a little "Sooner Magic" when needed. And today, Bob Stoops nurtures it as a perennial national championship contender. The University of Oklahoma football program has always been loved by folks in the Sooner state—and for good reason. It has produced seven national championships, 39 conference championships, 141 All-Americans, the NCAA's record winning streak, and a standard of excellence matched by very few college football programs. What It Means to Be a Sooner delivers many of the greatest and most compelling players and coaches in University of Oklahoma history, remembering with reverence that special time in their lives when they wore the crimson and cream. From Steve Owens to Billy Sims to Jason White, many Sooners included in this book arrived in Norman, Oklahoma, struggling with self-doubt and feeling apprehensive about their futures. Most wondered if they would ever succeed on the football field or in the classroom. They figured they were either too slow, too small, or too timid to ever make a mark on Oklahoma's tradition-rich football program. Many considered leaving OU to return to the comfort of their parents' homes, whether they were from Ada, Enid, Midwest City, Muskogee, or Miami, Oklahoma. Most failed at first but refused to quit and ultimately achieved individual and—more importantly—team success. These pages bring readers the ingenuity of Jack Mitchell and the burly toughness of Buddy Burris; the sweat and sacrifice of the men behind the legendary 47-game winning streak, men such as Bill Krisher, Bob Harrison, and Jerry Thompson; the unwavering drive through adversity of Prentice Gautt, considered by many to be OU's own Jackie Robinson; the intensity of Steve Zabel; the endurance of Steve Owens; the grittiness of Jack Mildren; the elusiveness of Joe Washington; the creativity of Brian Bosworth; and the intelligence of Josh Heupel. This book also provides fresh insights into the three men most responsible for continuing the tradition of success at Oklahoma: coaches Bob Stoops, Barry Switzer, and the legendary Bud Wilkinson. What It Means to Be a Sooner is unlike any book ever written about Oklahoma football. It reveals the feeling that comes with wearing the Sooners uniform on a Saturday afternoon and the pride associated with becoming an enduring part of the OU legacy. Two words summarize the players' and coaches' feelings toward Oklahoma's cherished football tradition: Boomer Sooner!

About the Author
Jeff Snook is a freelance writer who has covered college football for more than 20 years. A native of Ashland, Ohio, he graduated from The Ohio State University School of Journalism in 1982. He resides in West Palm Beach, Florida. This is his sixth book.