ESPN: The Sooner Network?

With the arrival of August comes a big revelation: One month until the college football season begins. If you're like me, then the wait since OU's Fiesta Bowl victory over Connecticut has felt way too long. Usually the college basketball season can help ease the pain of waiting, but Jeff Capel had other things in mind.

The Sooners have been busy this offseason, and have been getting tons of media attention, particularly from ESPN, spending a day on their campus last Friday. That, along with the All-Access Series that will debut later this month, puts the Sooners in the gaze of many throughout the nation. Typically the networks try and promote the team they feel will be most prominent during the college football season, a fact that should excite Sooner fans even more.

But is it possible the Sooners are overstaying their place in the spotlight before the season has even begun? When the focus is on your favorite team, it's easy to assume this is not the case, but if this coverage were being given to LSU, I would absolutely loathe it. The truth is that this media attention is both a gift and a curse, something teams can either take full advantage of or have backfire on them drastically.

Later this week I'll be writing an article on whether or not the Sooners may in fact be overrated, but for now I want to focus solely on them being a "media darling" before even playing a down. This Oklahoma team has a great chance to make it to the National Championship game in New Orleans, but there are several hurdles that must be cleared before that day arrives.

As sad as it may be, having the media (ESPN) on your side is a luxury that can keep a team in the hunt when they may have an off week. In 2005, when Reggie Bush was being lauded as the greatest all-purpose player of all time, in games in which USC would struggle, ESPN would do its best to gloss over that fact, only highlighting the 3 touchdown victory that came late in the 4th quarter. This was also the year where Bush could post subpar rushing numbers only to see ESPN promoting his "all-purpose yards" which included kick return yards, giving him 250 yards total a week.

Much has been made of the potential (and very real) downside of the Longhorn Network, but there is something to be said about keeping the Sooners front and center in the eyes of the sports world, and ESPN in particular, during this offseason and as the season begins. If OU can stay on top, it could very well make ESPN the Sooner Network, only enlarging the bulls eye that is likely to find them as the 2011 season begins. If they fall early, such as a loss at Florida State, that window for attention could disappear entirely, along with the chance for an 8th national championship.