Daily Mullets (December 14)

Why did Bedlam move?

Berry Tramel wonders if a Big 12 title rematch would have been the worst thing in the world this season.

… what would have been so bad about an immediate Bedlam rematch this season? OU won 38-20, but with Mike Gundy going more Robin Leach than Robin Hood. Gundy left his sword at home, the Cowboys weren’t aggressive and the Sooners spurted away after a halftime tie. [NewsOK]

I remember a couple of years ago writing about how a conference championship game was in play for the Big 12. I was doing so under the premise that the Big 12 would add teams and be like it used to be. A reader misunderstood and thought I was absolutely asinine for suggesting a CCG for a league that plays a round robin schedule. I laughed and agreed. Here we are.

Which team has the toughest schedule?

Max Olson says maybe Texas Tech.

We’ll figure that out as we get closer and closer to the season, but you can make a good case for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders already an impressively tough nonconference slate of FCS powerhouse Eastern Washington, Arizona State and a road game at Houston. They take on Oklahoma State the week after the Cougars, get no weeks off during league play, and have to play road games at West Virginia, Oklahoma and Texas. It’s going to be a big year for coach Kliff Kingsbury, and that schedule is certainly no cakewalk. [ESPN]

Bob Stoops doesn’t participate in background checks

This stems from the news that Dede Westbrook was involved in two domestic abuse incidents before going to OU. Bob Stoops does not see the background checks …

According to Sooner Scoop, the background checks the school performs are done by an outside agency and the checks have flagged incidents that have previously caused the school to stop recruiting players. While Stoops clearly isn’t a part of an outside agency, it would be quite surprising if he wasn’t aware of past accusations vs. Westbrook until the Tulsa World’s story. [Yahoo]

I don’t think that a CEO should be involved in low-level hiring decisions, but that is still not a good look for OU as a whole.

Rudolph submits NFL paperwork

Rudolph told us last week that he did submit his request to the NFL for a draft evaluation and he will receive that after the bowl game and in time to review it before the final day to declare for the NFL Draft. But the junior from South Carolina doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave Oklahoma State, and he is resolute coming off the Bedlam loss that the Cowboys will be prepared and will be heading to San Antonio to the Alamo Bowl to collect their 10th win of the season. He is also anxious to have some fun and San Antonio will be a new experience. [Go Pokes — $]

This is not surprising. We talked about how Vincent Taylor is doing the same thing and about how that process results in the player getting a 1st/2nd round grade or “anything else.”

This is great.

More PFB

Five thoughts on Mike Gundy’s coaching flirtations … Podcast episode No. 104 … Here is the 2017 OSU schedule … This was a big get for Joe Bob Clements and the OSU DL … Is OSU out of the Trae Young sweepstakes?

More Stuff I’m Reading

Kevin Durant is the worst … Steve Kerr on the David Axelrod podcast is amazing (via OKC Dave).