Die Macht » Thomson was recounted by Don Delillo in a 1992 Ha

NORMAN, Okla. -- Two prominent Oklahoma boosters who support Sooners coach Bob Stoops say the teams early struggles have made some other boosters restless.Jim Ross, a boxing announcer for CBS Sports best known for his work in professional wrestling, and Wallis Marsh, founder and CEO of the Extex Companies in Houston, say they have gotten many calls about this the past few weeks.Losses to Houston and Ohio State already have knocked the Sooners out of the national championship picture. Oklahoma plays No. 21 TCU on Saturday and No. 22 Texas the following week -- both possible defeats.If we lose a couple more games, this unorganized tropical depression could become a named storm, Marsh said, referring to a possible attempt to pressure the athletic department to make a coaching change. Marsh said the most prominent boosters dont want that, but there is uneasiness, even among some of Stoops supporters.The people that are close to the program, the people that support the program, the people that love the program the most arent in that camp right now -- yet, Marsh said. Its starting to fester.An Oklahoma spokesman said athletic director Joe Castiglione does not respond to requests about the standing of coaches.Stoops has a 180-48 career record. He is the winningest coach in Oklahoma history and the longest-tenured coach in major college football. His teams have played for national championships four times since he took over in 1999, and he won the national title in 2000. He has won nine Big 12 titles and entered this season favored to win again. Just last season, Stoops led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff.The Associated Press ranked Oklahoma No. 2 in its all-time poll , and Ross said the long-term success has spoiled the fans. The Sooners have won seven national titles, but not winning one for more than a decade has some folks thinking Stoops might have overstayed his welcome.Ross, who lives in Norman, isnt one of them.In our right minds, how could you look at Bob Stoops record, running a clean program and being a great mentor to these kids -- he treats them like theyre his. ... Its hard to believe that were even having this conversation, he said.Marsh, who graduated from Oklahoma in 1990 and remembers the down years in the `90s, said he appreciates Stoops bringing the program back to prominence. He said there was some negative sentiment from other boosters going back to the 2012 season, when the Sooners were embarrassed by Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl after the 2013 season, but the Sooners started the next season ranked No. 4 before stumbling to an 8-5 season.Last seasons trip to the playoff created a high and raised expectations. The Sooners started this season No. 3, but the losses to Houston and Ohio State brought the doubters back out, and LSUs firing of coach Les Miles added fuel for dissatisfied Sooners fans and boosters. Miles was let go after last Saturdays loss to Auburn, despite having led the Tigers to a national title in 2007 and being one of the most successful coaches in school history.I do know that the Les Miles firing has fired up our fan base, Marsh said. People that have been quietly been disgruntled at going 10-3 and playing at a good bowl game now have a sort of lynch mob mentality for change.Stoops said this week that he felt bad for Miles.You hate it for him, Stoops said. But I also know this business. Ive been in it a long time and get that theres a certain level of winning that people want and if youre not doing it . theres a lot of reasons, I think, that go into all of those decisions for everybody, and thats our business.Ross said the boosters who understand football best appreciate the fact that Stoops has kept the Sooners at a high level in an age of parity.Some vocal members of the fan base and a lot of keyboard warriors that are sitting in anonymity believe that the criteria for having any issue with Coach Stoops is that he hasnt won enough national titles, Ross said. Are you kidding me?Oklahoma opened last season ranked No. 19 and finished No. 5, despite adding a new offensive coordinator in Lincoln Riley, and a new quarterback in Baker Mayfield.Nobodys espousing the great coaching job Bob did last year for a team that obviously overachieved and made it to the Final Four ... Its about today. Its about right now, Ross said.And right now, fans and boosters of a blue blood are smarting after Ohio State, the No. 1 team in the APs all-time rankings, rolled the Sooners 45-24 on Sept. 17. Theyve had a bye week to stew in their anger and tweet their venom.I think right now, theres a lot of disorganization to it, Marsh said. Its going to need a catalyst to organize. If we beat TCU or Texas, I think it could be dead. If we lose to TCU or we lose to Texas, I think theres a chance it could get organized.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP . Nike Air Max 720 Rabatt . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. Nike Air Max 97 Sverige . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. http://www.reaairmaxsverige.com/air-max-just-do-it-rabatt.html . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Billiga Nike Air Max 270 Dam . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Nike Air Max 270 Dam Rea .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. Ralph Brancas career was defined by that one high-and-inside fastball.The Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher who gave up Bobby Thomsons famed Shot Heard `Round the World still echoing more than six decades later among the most famous home runs in baseball history, died Wednesday. He was 90.His son-in-law, former big league manager Bobby Valentine, said Branca died at a nursing home in Rye Brook, New York.Branca was a three-time All-Star and spent 12 seasons in the majors. Brought in from the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth inning during the deciding Game 3 of the National League pennant playoff on Oct. 3, 1951, he gave up a three-run homer to Thomson that gave the rival New York Giants a stunning 5-4 victory.The one-out line drive into the left field lower deck at the Polo Grounds prompted the frenetic call from announcer Russ Hodges, The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The team and its fans celebrated wildly as Thomson breezed around the bases while Branca, wearing his unlucky No. 13 jersey, trudged off the mound.You know, Branca told The Associated Press in 1990, If you kill somebody, they sentence you to life, you serve 20 years and you get paroled. ... Ive never been paroled.Thomson, who also homered off Branca in Game 1, capped a sensational comeback for the Giants, who trailed the Dodgers by more than a dozen games heading toward mid-August.For the next 50 years, Branca and Thomson often appeared together at card shows, corporate events and baseball functions, re-telling the story of the home run that grew into a sports legend. They always were friendly at the affairs, sometimes even teaming up to sing about the big moment.I was closer to Ralph than to any other Dodger, Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully said in a statement. He carried the cross of the Thomson home run with dignity and grace.It wasnt until many years later that it was revealed that the Giants had a little extra help.Thats when it came to light that the Giants employed a telescope-and-buzzer system that season to steal signs from opposing catchers. With that advantage, Giants hitters got a boost in their swings.And for years, the question remained: Did Thomson know the high-and-inside fastball from Branca was coming?Thomson firmly asserted that, no, he didnt get a sign in advance. A three-time All-Star himself, Thomson stuck to that claim until he died in 2010 at age 86.Branca, however, wasnt so sure about that.In 2001, the Giants sign-stealing operation was detailed in a story in The Wall Street Journal.A few days after that, Branca and Thomson saw each other for the first time at an event in Edison, New Jersey. They talked in private for five minutes, about a secret theyd both known about but never shared.Later, they spooke about their discussion.dddddddddddd.Its been a cleansing for both of us, Branca said then. He knew that I knew. Its better this way.To me, it was a forbidden subject, the right-hander said. And I didnt want to demean Bobby or seem like I was a crybaby.Said Thomson: It was like getting something off my chest after all those years. Im not a criminal, although I may have felt like one at first.And then, hours later, Thomson and Branca appeared together in Manhattan at the New York baseball writers dinner. In front of a ballroom full of fans, they took turns singing about the fateful pitch and swing, to lyrics written to the old standard Because of You -- a reprise of the act they performed when the same dinner was held in January 1952.His matchup with Thomson was recounted by Don Delillo in a 1992 Harpers Magazine story Pafko at the Wall, included five years later in the novel Underworld.Yes. It is Branca coming through the dampish glow. Branca who is tall and stalwart but seems to carry his own hill and dale, he has the aura of a man encumbered. The drooping lids, clodhopper feet, the thick ridge across the brow. His face is set behind a somber nose, broad-bridged and looming.One of the last remaining Boys of Summer, Branca was 88-68 with a 3.79 ERA in his big league career. He spent the first 11 years with the Dodgers, then played for Detroit and the Yankees before returning to Brooklyn for a final game in 1956.Branca made his debut as a teen in 1944 and went 21-12 with 15 complete games during Jackie Robinsons first season in 1947. Branca added another win that year at Yankee Stadium in the World Series.Branca to me was a hero, former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said in a statement. Ralph and I became very close, my family and his family. I always enjoyed being around him. He was a tough one in every way and I really admired him.Branca co-founded the Baseball Assistance Team, which aids members of the baseball family in need of financial, medical or psychological assistance, and served as its president for 17 years. He was a pallbearer at Robinsons funeral in 1972.Ralphs participation in the `Shot Heard `Round the World was eclipsed by the grace and sportsmanship he demonstrated following one of the games signature moments, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. He is better remembered for his dedication to the members of the baseball community. He was an inspiration to so many of us.Branca is survived by wife Ann and daughters Patti and Mary -- the latter the wife of Valentine.A funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at the Church of the Resurrection in Rye. ' ' '