Runnin' With the Big Dogs The True, Unvarnished Story of the Texas-oklahoma Football Wars

Raucous, raw, and reliably remarkable, the century-old football rivalry between the state universities of Texas and Oklahoma stands as testament that hate-based relationships are the most enduring Each year in October the fans of both schools-the crimson-clad huns from OU and the burnt orange barbarians from UT-invade Dallas for a weekend of high-octane hell-raising and reveling in an athletic contest proving that elephants, tigers, and acrobats are not necessary to stage the greatest show on earth. And the football's not bad, either. Runnin' with the Big Dogs details the outlandish and colorful saga of this ferociously entertaining football confrontation. This is the story of pride, heroics, hopes, dreams, and prodigious four-day hangovers. As acclaimed author Mike Shropshire makes clear, the Longhorns-Sooners confrontation is rougher than playing Russian roulette with a shotgun. Built on the passionate fury of their fans (in this case fully earning the term's origin-"fanatics"), the Texas-Oklahoma spectacle is a production line for national champions, Heisman Trophy winners, NFL All-Pros, and some of the most storied coaches in the history of the sport, from Bud Wilkinson and Darrell Royal to Mack Brown and Bob Stoops. The rivalry has produced some of the most memorable football contests ever, though it matters not whether the teams are ranked-every year is a battle royal. As for the people who come to witness the event, Dallas County's top law enforcement official said, "You watch those lunatics and wonder what drives a person to carry on like a crazy destructive madman." That's why Shropshire is convinced that Texas-OU football fans are the best in the country, and the players and coaches are driven to manic extremes to give them performances to remember. The great players, the great games, and the great stories of the wildest weekends in sports-Runnin' with the Big Dogs captures it all.Shropshire, Mike is the author of 'Runnin' With the Big Dogs The True, Unvarnished Story of the Texas-oklahoma Football Wars', published 2006 under ISBN 9780060852771 and ISBN 0060852771.