Bob Stoops gets soaked at Holiday Bowl. Photo by LaizurePhoto

Never fails. Ever.

It starts about this time every year with a firing in the NFL and is immediately picked up by some joker on a message board. In a matter of moments, it has spread faster than the wildfires crisscrossing the wind-swept plains of Oklahoma and Texas.

Not to be left out, the local media — led by the talk radio gurus — further fans the flames with stories and reports usually based more on fiction than fact, and almost certainly designed to spike ratings.

Yes, sports radio is all about providing opinions and that’s all well and good, but when the hosts continuously state supposed facts based on their gut feelings instead of actual first-hand knowledge, well, that’s a bit dicey.

We all know how crazy sports fans can get when the rumors start flying. Everyone remembers the “Stoops to Florida� debacle from a few seasons ago when speculation oozed from every microphone and keyboard.

Let’s just say it was not the local media’s finest hour.

Well, there were several instances Tuesday when one of the local sports talk radio hosts stated that Bob Stoops was interested in the Kansas City Chiefs' vacant head coach position. He said it as if he had just gotten off the phone with Stoops and had heard with his own ears the very words from the man himself — “Yes, I am interested in the Kansas City job.�

But that was not the case. Instead, the talk show host was strictly going on his own intuition. There was no fact involved. No inside scoop from Stoops. Not even a tip from the Stoops’ family dog.

Of course, this statement whipped OU fans into a frenzy. And of course, that’s what it was designed to do.

It makes for good sports talk radio. And that’s all.

As for the real story — there isn’t one.

Bob Stoops is not going to Kansas City. In fact, he’s not going to take any NFL job anytime soon.

Stoops has stated on more than one occasion that he is not interested in the NFL right now. Maybe sometime down the road — but not now.

Not with Rhett Bomar and Adrian Peterson returning next season, along with a talented supporting cast that certainly has what it takes to contend for a national title again in 2006. Not after watching former mentor Steve Spurrier suffer through two painful seasons as the head coach of the Washington Redskins.

Stoops has barely scratched the surface as a college coach. Yes, he’s already won a national title, but he is still considered a young coach and there is plenty more to prove at this level, where he can teach the game and impact young lives.

The man is already making millions of dollars to do something he loves and at a place where he is revered, so don’t expect him to be swayed by some hefty NFL paycheck. Is he above temptation? Well, he’s only human — but his reasons for coaching are far more personal than financial.

So, you can sit back and relax. Put your worried minds at ease, at least where Bob Stoops is concerned. He’s not going anywhere other than the recruiting trail to find more talent to bring to Norman.

Of course, the rumors will continue to fly over the next few weeks until all of the NFL jobs are filled.

That’s simply the way this parade works.