November 28, 2005
Ironies abound as OU purchases Snyder Tribute Ad
Athletic officials at the University of Oklahoma recently purchased an advertisement in the Manhattan (Kan.) Mercury newspaper paying tribute to the career of retiring Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder.
The ad, placed last week by Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, carried the headline, “HATS OFF,” and read, “Wildcat fans, today we blend our chorus of Boomer Sooner with your Wildcat Victory as we rise in unison to salute your players, your great coach, Bill Snyder, and his family, for all you have accomplished together.”
Of course, OU must credit much of its football success in recent years to a coaching staff well-stocked with former Snyder-era K-State assistants. Head coach Bob Stoops, offensive coordinator Chuck Long, and defensive coordinator Brent Venables all have strong connections to Snyder and the Wildcats. So do a number of former OU assistants, including Arizona head coach Mike Stoops and Kansas head coach Mark Mangino, who played pivotal roles in OU's return to national prominence after serving hitches under Snyder.
Over the years, many K-State supporters bristled and grumbled at the fact that Bob Stoops seemingly annually raided Snyder's coaching staff for top talent. Some have blamed the recent decline of the Wildcats in the standings on the fact that so many solid assistant coaches have taken the well-beaten career path from Manhattan to Norman, diluting the quality of Snyder's aides.
As irony would have it, Kansas State may be poised to return the favor and conduct of raid of its own on the Sooners. Brent Venables has been listed as a top target to replace Snyder at the Wildcats' helm, and Long has also garnered mention. Other candidates exist (Snyder protege Jim Leavitt is rumored to be the frontrunner), but don't be surprised if K-State turns the tables on its gracious buddies from Soonerland.
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Gene Larew said:
posted on November 29, 2005 8:47 AM — 24.253.211.201 — link — abuse?Evidently, you just can't see that gesture as a compliment to the man who pulled off the greatest turnaround in college football history.
And really, the OU / KSU coaching connection is actually an OU / Iowa - Hayden Fry connection. Mangino and Venables are the only pure KSU people at OU. Venables is a Kansas native who played at KSU, it would only be natural for him to want to return home. If you'd done your research thoroughly you'd find that Long's only KSU connection is that he played for Snyder at Iowa.
But that wouldn't help paint the picture your attempting to draw.
I could further discredit what you've written, but it would only demean the compliment to Bill Snyder, so I'll let it rest.