Chicken-Fried News: Chicago curb appeal

If you’ve ever wondered what University of Oklahoma (OU) football coach Bob Stoops spends his $5 million salary on, look no further than Chicago Tribune’s real estate section.

Stoops is all about real estate, and he is picky — it must be in Chicago’s affluent Gold Coast historic district, which is located along Lake Michigan.

According to Chicago Tribune, Stoops and his wife Carol recently paid $2.25 million for a four-bedroom vintage row home, which is next door to another home they purchased last year for $2.25 million.

Before OU fans begin huffing and puffing, we at Chicken-Fried News don’t see Stoops eyeing a coaching job at Northwestern University. After all, he is sitting pretty with a nice salary from OU, and his contract runs through 2021. Maybe he’s just buying retirement homes for everyone in his family. Chicken-Fried News has a few other theories about Stoops’ Chicago retreat.

Theory No. 1: Stoops likes cold weather and has developed an exceptional fondness for wind. Stoops is from Youngstown, Ohio, where the average temperature is 49.05 degrees. Norman’s average temperature is 60.05 degrees. Blend cold weather with blustery winds and — voilà! — you have Chicago.

Theory No. 2: Stoops is exhausted by football. When in Oklahoma, he’s constantly bugged about Sooner football. He needs time away from the game and fans. Frequent trips to Chicago with visits to the aquarium, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile and more help clear his mind. He always returns from those visits refreshed and ready to work.

Theory No. 3: Stoops loves a classic Chicago-style hot dog followed by a slice of authentic deep-dish pizza. In fact, after big wins, that’s all he thinks about! While there are many great places to eat along Norman’s historic Campus Corner district, Stoops has yet to see it filled with steaming hot dog carts. Hot dog carts just might be the key to keeping him in Oklahoma year-round.

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