 "Photo: Joe Buglewicz | Daily Texan Staff")
To save people from wasting their breath, a vanilla version of the question could have been tape recorded and placed in front of Mack Brown the week of Texas' game with Oklahoma over the past few years.
If reporters wanted to ask Brown if he would ever get over the hump and beat Oklahoma, they could have just asked him to press the play button.
Before Oct. 8 of last year, everyone knew the same query was going to be thrown at him. Reporters just masked the question so it wouldn't get too monotonous.
But it did. Brown didn't like answering the question after five straight defeats to Oklahoma by a combined score of 189-54. He especially didn't like his players having to answer them.
"It was the only game we were losing," Brown said. "And I did think it put more pressure on the kids, because no one was talking about what they won. Everybody was asking about what they lost."
Oh what a difference one win at the Cotton Bowl can make.
The Longhorns manhandled the Sooners in 2005 on their way to a 45-12 victory, which tied Texas' most lopsided series win set in 1941. The question wasn't brought up once when Brown met with the media on Monday or Wednesday. Instead Brown was asked how it felt not to be asked about it.
Brown recalled a time a few years ago when a question was sprung onto Darrell Royal; one of the few times over the years that he was not the one answering back.
"Someone said, 'When do streaks end?' His comment was, 'When the players and coaches get tired enough of hearing it, and they are good enough to do something about it,'" Brown said. "We were the better team last year than we had been in that game."
Brown sat comfortably in his chair, legs crossed, smile attached on Monday.
"I am glad this game is back to where it is instead of about how I screwed up," he said.
He wasn't the only burnt-orange-clad person happy to hear a new batch of questions.
"The only difference [from last year] is not being asked the question of not being able to get the bear off your back hearing, 'You guys haven't been able to beat these guys for five years straight'" Limas Sweed said.
Frank Okam added: "Getting rid of a losing streak allows you to prepare better, mentally. Our team has been very focused."
Brown has been around this particular game enough to understand its true meaning. As he said, the game changes the scope of not only the Big 12, but usually something else in college football.
In the last four conference championships, the Big 12 South Division has been represented by the winner of this game. Five of the past six Big 12 Champions have played in the National Championship - Texas and Oklahoma have played in the past three.
"Winning the game gives the winning team a half-leg up on the other in regards to the division race, and ultimately a Big 12 Championship," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "But in the end, you still have to come play the next week."
That is something Brown got the Longhorns to do almost perfectly. During the Sooners five-game win streak, Texas was 29-1 in post-Oklahoma regular season games. Its only loss was a 42-38 defeat to Texas Tech in Lubbock in 2002.
"This bunch has really enjoyed a good run here," Brown said of his players. "When you get a confident bunch, this [game] is what they enjoy to do.
"What's said during the week doesn't really matter. It's all hyped. After the ball's kicked off, it is very unimportant. If you need that stuff to get ready to play, use it. I don't think anyone needs a motivational line for their team to play in this game."
How about, can you beat Oklahoma two times in a row?
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