Thanksgiving Saturday, 1949, Oklahoma A&M football coach Jim Lookabaugh said good-bye to the job he held for 12 years, still the longest tenure in Cowboy history.
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Near the end of the Bedlam game, the public-address announcer reminded fans that Lookabaugh had resigned and this was his exit.
A crowd of 47,937 gave him a standing ovation.
But that crowd was in Norman. That game was at Owen Field. That ovation came from Sooners.
Times have changed. Les Miles won a national championship Monday night, and it's safe to say few on either side of Bedlam cheered LSU's victory in the Big Bowl.
Miles is the most hated man in Oklahoma sports.
The crimson crowd despises Miles because as Oklahoma State's coach he twice beat the Sooners and wouldn't cower to the Oklahoma football monster when the cameras flipped on.
The orange throng is anti-Miles, despite his resurrection of winning ways in Stillwater, because he absconded for the LSU job before the smoke had cleared on the 2004 Alamo Bowl.
OU fans paint Miles as an emotional buffoon. OSU fans call him disloyal.
Both depictions were proven wrong in this bowl season.
Miles is a heck of a football coach. Anyone could see that back in the ‘90s when he was Bob Simmons' offensive coordinator, and Miles kept his Dallas Cowboys job despite the coaching change from Chan Gailey to Dave Campo.
It's a dicey idea that Miles, in his third LSU season, won this national championship courtesy of Nick Saban's recruiting. Argue that, and what do you do with Urban Meyer (national title in Year No. 2), Jim Tressel (Year 2), Bob Stoops (Year 2), Pete Carroll (Year 3) and Larry Coker (Year 1)?
Miles can coach some offense and got out of the way for Bo Pelini to direct the LSU defense, and the Tigers had a special season: 12-2, with both losses in double overtime.
The theory that Miles loses close games doesn't wash, either. LSU won four SEC games by a touchdown or less.
Hate him if you wish, Sooner fans, for his high hat and his foaming proclamations and his 2001 Bedlam upset that knocked the Sooners off National Championship Boulevard. But forget that can't-coach nonsense. Miles is a big-time coach.
As for loyalty, well, Miles is ahead of the curve on that one, too. Yes, he bolted OSU.
Just like Jimmy Johnson in 1984, for a juggernaut at Miami U.; and Dave Smith in 1973, for scandal-ridden SMU; and Ears Whitworth in 1955, for Alabama, where he lasted three years and was replaced by Bear Bryant; and Pappy Waldorf in 1934, for Kansas State and its only league championship between 1913 and 2003; and Pinky Griffith in 1917, for New Mexico State; and even Paul Davis in 1915, for North Dakota State.
Successful coaches leave OSU. They've been doing it for a century. State wants to change that, which is one reason it hired Mike Gundy, and maybe it will change.
But it's silly to rip Miles for following the trail of Johnson, who after OSU won a national title and two Super Bowls, or even Waldorf, who post-Stillwater went 123-79-12 in 23 years at K-State, Northwestern and California.
Miles did not quit on his team; he coached the Cowboys through the Alamo Bowl, and yes, maybe he waltzed with LSU on the San Antonio Riverwalk, but you really think that's why Ohio State rolled 33-7?
Miles should be heralded in Stillwater. He left the Cowboys with three straight winning seasons; a freshman quarterback (Donovan Woods) who won road games at UCLA, Colorado and Missouri; and another quarterback, Bobby Reid, who was the most sensational recruit in school history, just in case.
Miles wanted to chase a national championship. That's why he left OSU. I know all the hacks around the program told Cowboy fans Miles wouldn't leave for anywhere but maybe Michigan, but that's why you don't listen to fools.
Yes, you can win a national title at OSU, but you better take the top off your bottle and hope it storms. Much, much easier to win at LSU.
Heck, that national-title hunger is why Miles stayed at LSU and didn't go to Michigan, his dream job. If you ever heard Miles talk about Michigan and Bo Schembechler, you know how much he revered the place.
But Michigan came open at the wrong time, with LSU on the brink of a title.
If Miles could have figured out a way to take the Michigan job and keep LSU humming into the Big Bowl, he would have done so. But he chose the national title hunt. Just as he did three years ago.
OSU fans shouldn't be angry at Miles. They should be glad he passed their way.
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I have this argument with my OU friends almost daily. As you can see from the replies it is pure OU fan fiction that OSU fans or anyone other than OU fans hate Les Miles for any reason. It is only OU fans that hate him, and they will all, like a couple here, tell you it is because he is some sort of Jerk or bad person, but if that were true people other than OU fans would dislike him, and they do not. He beat OU twice and it mattered. He had the nerve to talk back to the chinless God of Norman, Bob Stoops. He questioned the premise of OU's greatness, thus he is hated by OU fans, and OU fans only.
Mary in OKC, thanks for the essays, you need a friend. Steve in OKC, you can order the keys to the gas pumps online, keep your conspiracy theories on the grassy knoll.
I think its silly to believe OU or OSU fans hate less miles for the reasons you give. As an OU fan I hate him for 1 reason, he is a huge jerk. I agree he is a great coach, some jerks are. OU fans don't hate coaches that beat us, but he is a jerk. Most of his stupid braggadocio comments came before, during or after OSU lost to OU, not the victories. His profanity laced speeches to the LSU student body has caused many LSU fans to hate his as well. Besides, its wonderful to have something in common with my OSU friends, non respect for the person less miles.
What I am seeing posted here is what I hear from the OSU fans I know. We don't hate Les Miles! You can't blame anyone for taking a better job especially with the pressure from Pickens. Jimmy Johnson did the same with Miami but he didn't beat OU while at Stillwater. He's not hated?? That tells you where the hate is coming from.
Berry, from all these replies to your article, it seems you are getting more and more delusional, something I didn't think was possible. Catch a clue that you don't have a clue about OSU athletics and its fans and never will.
Barry, could you please tell me what your ongoing investigation has found regarding Ryan Broyles? As it was left, Broyles had a "key" to turn on the gas pump when stealing it. Who did he get the key from? Calls to Rutherford Oil, who owns the pump, were never returned. Is this a donor we don't want to bring to light? I'll just keep waiting for that fair and unbias investigation.....
Are you and Dave Sittler of the Tulsa World sharing article ideas now? or is this just some weird coincidence? (TW Article, New Scenery gives Miles career boon)
The only people who hate Miles are the OU fans who couldn't stand that he beat their team a couple of times and didn't back down to Bob Stoops. There may be a few OSU fans who don't like him but most of us have moved far beyond how he left us. I think he is a very good coach who made used poor judgement in how he handled his departure from OSU.
Barry, I don't know how you think you have a pulse of the OSU fan. You are so biased towards OU that you couldn't possibly have any idea how we feel. Try as you will, you will never convince me that you are unbiased. You are still hung up on Gundy's rant. You can't move beyond that. I get the distinct impression that you will go to any length to gouge him in your articles.
I'm an OSU fan, and i don't hate Miles for leaving. I don't think any OSU fans do. It's the WAY he left. He flat out lied about talking to LSU and he distracted the team during bowl week. Miles was a great coach for OSU and i'm pretty sure everyone was happy to have him while we did, but he shouldn't have been such a snake about leaving. Everyone feels this way. No one likes that he lied to us. Do you think there was one person in Oklahoma that thought Miles WASN'T going to Michigan before they hired Rich Rodriguez?
Let's not use the word "hate" in connection with sports, except when talking about the shorthorns, hah, just kidding. Sports is an activity involving "entertainment." Keep sports in perspective. Let's use "hate" when talking about the cowardly acts of terrorism that are killing our men and women overseas. Boomer Sooner!
As an OSU alum and fan, and one who grew up in Stillwater, I can tell you I have no problem with Miles. I rooted for his team against THE ohio state team. I remember the good OSU coaches of the past quite well. Berry talked about Jim Lookabaugh, whose son I grew up with, and he is right about the different attitude of fans today. At basketball games, the fans politely applauded the opposing teams players...no booing at all. When Lookabaugh moved on, there were no hard feelings. Things are different now, I know, but just because Miles had one foot out the door in San Antonio doesn't change the fact that he beat OU twice. For an old Aggie like me, that's good enough!!
As an OSU alum and fan, and one who grew up in Stillwater, I can tell you I have no problem with Miles. I rooted for his team against THE ohio state team. I remember the good OSU coaches of the past quite well. Berry talked about Jim Lookabaugh, whose son I grew up with, and he is right about the different attitude of fans today. At basketball games, the fans politely applauded the opposing teams players...no booing at all. When Lookabaugh moved on, there were no hard feelings. Things are different now, I know, but just because Miles had one foot out the door in San Antonio doesn't change the fact that he beat OU twice. For an old Aggie like me, that's good enough!!
yawn.....the only reason i m glad LSU won, was so someone else lost 2 NC BCS games in a row. Anyone could have coached that team & anyone could have beat them. Lets not give Miles too much love. Just ask Darren "it is Ar-kan-saw" McFadden.
I agree Barry. I am an OSU fan and season ticket holder and I still root for Miles. I am glad he was our coach while he was here. He did a good job and was always around the fans in person. Good article.
Honestly, I like Les Miles! He's a great football coach and an even better motivator of young athletes. But much like Jimmy Johnson he's a bit eccentric, self-absorbed and a little out there! If I were LSU I wouldn't hold my breath for too long thinking he's going to stick around because I hear the NFL calling his number! Les can be a little scary at times too! You know he had that little episode with the brain tumor while at OSU and I'm not for certain the guy's got all his ducks flying in formation. Mike Gundy's rant by comparison was almost mild and predictable by comparison to the wild-eyed gestures and broken emphatic speeches coming from Miles. I could tell when Gundy became coach that the sports editor staff at the Daily Oklahoman worked hard to push Mike Gundy's buttons to see how far they could go and they finally found the red button with Jenni Carlson's piece of trash talk! Mike by his own admission has some growing to do as a head football coach, mostly on the defensive side of the ball, but he's working hard all on avenues, and in the end I think he'll be a better recruiter for OSU than Les was. Les was the benefactor of some very good Bob Simmon's recruits that he shaped into a formidable opponent. Much like Pat Jones did with what Jimmy Johnson left him! Yes Gundy has to get his act together quickly but he's a competitor and a proven winner. He'll scratch and claw until it comes easier for him. No! Mike Gundy never beat OU but I don't think you can fault Gundy for the late hit out of bounds or the perfectly thrown dropped pass in the back of the end zone! I watched him play and he was a remarkable athlete who never quit and never gave up! He loves OSU and OSU loves him! In the end he will succeed because for Mike Gundy, failure is not an option!
Miles is a decent coach--not great, but good. He left OSU for good reason at the time--can't blame him for that--LSU is a better place to win a National Championship--better fan support (90,000 seat stadium always full) major city (Baton Rouge) closeness to party city of the world (New Orleans) and great tradition, not to mention the exposure of the SEC. That having been said, Miles left OSU wrongly and DID distract from the Alamo Bowl game significantly. State was definitely outmanned by Ohios State, but not as the score indicated. In addditon, Miles made several coaching blunders during his tenure--I can think of several that were game changers. It's true he was a little cocky (wasn't Barry Switzer?) and wasna't scared of OU. However, I don't think any coach at OSU has ever been afraid of OU--they just haven't always had the material to win the game. Personally, I'm glad Miles is gone and think Gundy should have a chance.
Miles...just looking at him makes me cringe. Hearing his voice makes me see red. Literally. I cannot stand the man. One day his arrogance will bite him. His quotes after the NCG were nausiating. Oh, and Nathan. SWEET pick-up on Berry flip-flopping!!! Nice work, Berry. You want to revile Rodriguez for taking the Miles way out of town, eh? Yet, you want to revere Miles for his success and sweep the fact that he quit on his team under the rug? For shame.
Good coach or not, he's still a buffoon. I wouldn't want my kid to play for him. There are plenty of other teams in the title race year in and year out where you can play for a classier coach. While we're on the subject, maybe OU and OSU fans ought to gain a reputation of getting hammered before every home game, so that all of the network will praise our intense atmosphere and the way the night just "brings out the animal instincts," so we can get lots of nationally televised night games like LSU does. I don't understand why some schools get nailed for having bad fans and other schools get praised. OU and OSU think the others fans suck, but nationally, both have pretty good reputations, unlike LSU, Miami, Colorado, and several others. Although I'll always love Colorado a little because of the story that one week after one of the OU-Texas games where OU won 60 ish - 14 ish, Texas was playing at Colorado, and was winning big when the visiting Texas fans began chanting "Colorado Sucks! Colorado Sucks!" As the story goes, Colorado's band simply stood up and played "Boomer Sooner." It may be a tall tale, but I love it.
Berry: To quote your own words, 'An honorable man doesn't just walk out' and thats exactly what Les Miles did before the Alamo Bowl and his actions will be remembered. On the other hand, he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms by Boone Pickens and in the long term, Mike Gundy will be the coach that will take us to our best level of sustainable success.
There is a rumor that a during a meeting with the Athletic Director and his puppet master. Les was asked if Mike Gundy was ready to be a head coach. Les responded that he felt Gundy was ready. Les was then told thank you and your services are no longer needed. If this is true it would seem to explain his actions during the bowl week.
I think Les Miles was a great coach and don't blame him for leaving. What I can't understand as an OSU alum, former season ticket holder, and long time fan and supporter is why we cannot keep a Les Miles. Why do they leave? If Gundy is our hope for the future, we are in for a long period of disappointments. Surely we can afford to pay a competetive salary and provide comparable supplements. Ley's try to settle for the best, not6 medeocrity.
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LSU coach Les Miles now has a national title under his belt and that's the reason he bolted OSU for the bayou. Associated press
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Barry, I don't know how you think you have a pulse of the OSU fan. You are so biased towards OU that you couldn't possibly have any idea how we feel. Try as you will, you will never convince me that you are unbiased. You are still hung up on Gundy's rant. You can't move beyond that. I get the distinct impression that you will go to any length to gouge him in your articles.