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SBTN Hall of Fame #14 - Content Analysis:

2007 Spring Guide - Preparing for another undefeated season in 2008.

Number of undefeated seasons (14) at the University of Oklahoma.  The first time this feat was achieved was in 1896 and most recently in 2000.

Fourteen undefeated seasons in a school's history doesn't just happen.  Anyone that has stepped onto a football field will tell you that it is next to impossible to run the table and come up with an unblemished record.

To give you an idea of how hard it is to go unbeaten, look towards the NFL.  In the history of the league, only one team has gone undefeated.  The Miami Dolphins recorded this feat in 1972.

They accomplished this task as a team.  No "one" more important than the other.

The same can be said for the unbeaten teams of OU.

Coach Bob Stoops takes the concept of "team" to heart. Stoops once declared that players' jerseys were to be stripped of surnames on the back of the Oklahoma uniform until his players cared more about the word OKLAHOMA on the front of jersey.

The family is what makes OU unstoppable. The OU community is what makes Oklahoma unbeatable. And the "team" is what makes the Sooners undefeated.

The following Content Analysis will address the 2007 Spring Guide, a program that is published for OU fans by Soonersports.com.  It is the spring publication or Media Guide that reviews the previous season and gives OU fans an idea of what to expect during the upcoming fall campaign.

The SBTN team would like to review this guide to give our readers an idea of what OU believes in.  The concept of team that is the catalyst for an undefeated team is evident in everything that OU produces, even through its publications like the 2007 Spring Guide.

Words to analyze:

• team
• community
• family

1. The word team was used 331 times in this program while the word individual was used only on 7 occasions.  Team is a significant word that describes a group of young men striving for the same goal.  The word is a reflection of unity and a desire to achieve and complete a mission. 

"The Overcomers: Oklahoma's 2006 team persevered to spend the entire season ranked among the top 25."

2. The word community was used 11 times in the 2007 Spring Guide.  Community in a small town like Norman is a lifeline and gives a person much of their cultural worldview.  It is the family around a young person that can make a difference in who they become and how they turn out.  The community can be a positive reinforcement and can push a team to greatness.

"A diverse student community is a priority at OU."

3. The word family is mentioned 46 times in the document.  In fact, there are 14 family photos of coaches and their loved ones in the program.  The family is a significant factor in the success of OU football.  Without their support, the program would have no chance of going undefeated.

Note:  On the first page of the Spring Guide is a picture of the 2006 Big 12 Championship Team.

These three words: Team, Community, and Family are the foundation for OU football.  They are mentioned in every speech, every program, and every interview.  With these things present, Oklahoma fans will undoubtedly see another perfect season sometime in the near future.

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