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Bob Stoops is about to enter his tenth season at the University of Oklahoma. Many fans know his statistics, but who is the man behind all that success?
We see him on the field and in sports interviews. But, very rarely do we see the personal side of Bob Stoops. We sat down this week in the presidential suite at the Renaissance Hotel.
So how does he deal with the intense pressure to win?
"I don't realize the pressure because I don't need it. I love what I do. But again, what matters to me -- the pressure -- is that my family and my relationships are what they ought to be."
There's no doubt. family comes first for Bob Stoops. In fact, staff meetings don't even start until all the OU coaches take their kids to school.
Bob and his college sweetheart Carol have three kids -- 11 year old daughter MacKenzie and 8 year old twin sons, Isaac and Drake.
"How do you keep your kids -- this may sound funny -- from getting the big head? They have the Stoops last name. How do you keep them grounded?"
"It's been fairly easy at the point because they're so young. But there have been times. In fact, I walked in the house a year and a half or two years ago, and they're all eating dinner and I'm late, of course, come back from some other event. And Issac, one of my twin boys, opens the door and announces to the rest of the family that Bob Stoops is here."
"They're just starting to figure out a little bit of the notoriety of the job. To them, they love my job because they get to go to practice and see the players. They love that part of it. And they're just starting to realize that people pay attention to it."
In fact, attention is something that doesn't impress him.
"You're pretty guarded around the media. How come?"
"Because the media exploits too much. And I think you would agree with that. They're always looking for the negative."
It explains why the face of Sooner football doesn't go out of his way to be on camera. And that suits him fine. Especially back in 1999 at the Independence Bowl. When cameras missed his most embarrassing moment.
"That I got taken out by a RuffNeck in the Independence Bowl. Running out for the game, one of them gets tied up with another one sprinting down the field and one just hits me in the side of the knee. And this might go along with the most embarrassing moment. Hits me in the side of the knee. Blindsides me. I don't even know he's there. I do a full 360 in the air and land on my rear end. Grass stains, everything. Then I have a bad knee, of course, through all my years of playing football. So it swells up and I'm walking around with a watermelon the entire game, limping. Again, on top of being wiped out on your rear end. Fortunately the TV cameras didn't get it."
"No video, huh?"
"Exactly."
Bob says one coach shaped him more than any other.
"Probably my dad. He was a long time assistant coach in high school."
Ron Stoops died of a heart attack on the sidelines while coaching in 1988. But, he certainly passed his love of football on to his boys. All four are coaches.
Bob says he learned more than that from his dad. He also learned what's most important in life.
"Do you think your dad had a real influence on how you coach and how you live your personal life?"
"Absolutely. I'm who I am because of that. I know what matters in my life and it's not counting up victories or championships. Relationships with my wife, my kids, my friends are all that matter to me. In the end when this is all gone. I'll be sitting on a porch with them having a good time and laughing about something else. I don't need this, I'll promise you. I love it and I know it's important but in the end, it isn't what I'm about by a long shot."
The Arthritis Foundation honored coach Stoops with the Spirit of Commitment award prior to our interview.
There is more to this interview. Who are his favorite players? How does he keep romance alive with his wife? And, when will his twin boys start tackle football?
You can see the full interview by going to:
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