14-17

[AdaSooner]

I said at the beginning of the season that if this young team with eight new faces could find a way to match or exceed the number of wins OU had last year, it would be quite an accomplishment. With last night's drubbing in a game that Baylor was never in from the start, these kids did just that. So, I'll keep my promise and give them major props.

Well done, guys!!! :clap

 

[5hrenergy]

Not sure how I feel about this post. Good for you for coming back doing what you said you would do, but that said you are applauding a 14-17 team. Meh.

 

[colston15]

Not sure how I feel about this post. Good for you for coming back doing what you said you would do, but that said you are applauding a 14-17 team. Meh.

Join us in reality, please. This team has overacheived.

And before you say it, no, it's absolutely not acceptable that winning 14 games is exceeding expectations. That still doesn't change the fact that Capel has done a good job coaching this team up...Putting the team together is another story entirely...

 

[p230]

I would say this group has worked hard enough to get a pat on the back. Lets face it after Maui things looked dark. I would not have been supprised if we won 3 games or less in conference but they bounced back. Cade has really been a rock these last six games.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I wonder how the players feel about the postion Coach Capel is in right now. They are obviously concious of the speculation and rumors, and on some level, their play over the course of the season is partially to blame. Honestly, I've never played on a team where the coach was in jeapordy of losing his job, but on some level I'd be pretty upset with myself (unless I hated the guy, which doesn't seem to be the case here).

 

[AdaSooner]

Not sure how I feel about this post. Good for you for coming back doing what you said you would do, but that said you are applauding a 14-17 team. Meh.

I'm applauding the team, not their record. I'm not the least bit happy with the last two seasons under Capel. How could anyone be pleased with what have been two of the worst seasons in our history, and back to back at that? But when you consider the makeup of this team, with so much youth and inexperience, not to mention a lack of size and definitely no star power, a 14-17 record truly is quite an accomplishment.

Anyone who thought this team could reach the usual plateau of 20 or more wins and a birth in the dance we have come to expect from OU teams of the past, had to be dreaming. They exceeded my expectations, not what I believe this team should have been to start the season.

Last year's mess with tons of talent and this year's record with a few players who wouldn't have logged meaningful minutes on good OU teams of the past thirty years or more, is strictly on Jeff Capel. He recruited and coached both teams.

 

[colston15]

I wonder how the players feel about the postion Coach Capel is in right now. They are obviously concious of the speculation and rumors, and on some level, their play over the course of the season is partially to blame. Honestly, I've never played on a team where the coach was in jeapordy of losing his job, but on some level I'd be pretty upset with myself (unless I hated the guy, which doesn't seem to be the case here).

I bet it's less of a factor than you might imagine. They don't have much time to listen to all the speculation. I'm not saying they aren't aware he's under fire, but I doubt it's something they think about a lot.

 

[soonernutt]

Leaving aside all the drama about Capel, it's hard not to respect the effort the guys have put out this season.


:clap

 

[pnkranger]

I am squarely on the fence with Coach Capel, but I agree with Ada's post. These players have busted their butts and have made the most of their opportunities.

If we win tonight, I might fall back into Capel's camp for one more year.

 

[WTSooner]

This team has overacheived.

That is your opinion.

Big 12 is down this year, and OU still finished TIED for the exact place in the Big 12 standings that one source (I forget who, the coaches/media?) picked us to finish in.

How is that "overachieving?"

 

[trueou]

No, I would not say the team has over achieved. But they have shown a lot of promise. Coach Capel never lost his team. After some of the tough stretches and the blow out loss in Lubbock, I thought this team was going to give up. It would be so easy with so many young guys for them to hang it up and think about next year.

The team never gave up. They improved as a team. No bad apples (character) in the bunch that I can see. I prefer it when my Sooners win but I am not ashamed to call these guys Sooners.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

laughing out loud at anyone who says this team didnt overachieve.

 

[Edmond_Sooner]

laughing out loud at anyone who says this team didnt overachieve.

:clap

 

[MichSooner]

That is your opinion.

Big 12 is down this year, and OU still finished TIED for the exact place in the Big 12 standings that one source (I forget who, the coaches/media?) picked us to finish in.

How is that "overachieving?"

Because the circumstances that we faced this year - depleted, young roster with a truckload of newcomers to D1 - made even achieving a similar record as last year a longshot and much more difficult. Given our situation coming into the year, this team has overachieved without question....

 

[WTSooner]

Because the circumstances that we faced this year - depleted, young roster with a truckload of newcomers to D1 - made even achieving a similar record as last year a longshot and much more difficult. Given our situation coming into the year, this team has overachieved without question....

Because young teams can't win games?

Tell that to the '04 Sooner team. Glad they didn't lower expectations because they were young.

In the Big 12 tournament, they lost to #11 UT by three points. At that point in the season, they started 3 true frosh and two seniors (Gilbert/Detrick). Coming off the bench was another true frosh and a sophmore. They only played 8 players, and only 6 played over 12 minutes.

If you can coach, youth you can win. Maybe not championships, but 20 games certainly isn't out of reach.

 

[colston15]

That is your opinion.
Big 12 is down this year, and OU still finished TIED for the exact place in the Big 12 standings that one source (I forget who, the coaches/media?) picked us to finish in.

How is that "overachieving?"

And it's also the consensus of most reasonable people. Maybe 10% of people here thought we could win five conference games before the season. I bet you didn't think we could win five, did you?

 

[aaron7]

I could definitely be labeled an optimist, but after the NC Central game I only thought we would win 3 max. Doubled that so far.

 

[cfin5256]

And it's also the consensus of most reasonable people. Maybe 10% of people here thought we could win five conference games before the season. I bet you didn't think we could win five, did you?

I think the 4 game win streak might have hurt the team in this regard. A lot of people, right or wrong, adjusted their expectations higher. I was guilty of this, though I never felt we were a true threat to finish in the top 3 or 4 with the hardest part of our schedule at the end. I somehow convinced myself that we could finish around 6 or 7 though, which made the 8 game losing streak more disappointing.

 

[WTSooner]

And it's also the consensus of most reasonable people. Maybe 10% of people here thought we could win five conference games before the season. I bet you didn't think we could win five, did you?

LMAO

Nonsense. BEFORE the season started, most people thought this was a team that if everything came together, could win 20 games or so and sneak into the Dance. Worst case, most thought we'd make the NIT.

The doom and gloom didn't begin until we lost to Chaminade. This board is so fickle though, it's hard to guage how most folks feel, b/c they change their mind every game. "Oh, we didn't lose by 20 to KU, Capel is great". Ridiculous. Single games cannot swing your opinion of things. Look at the entire pie. It's a stinky pie, even if one piece might taste good.

So yea, before the season, darn near the entire board thought we'd win 5 conference games. After Chaminade, that is win some of the goobers started saying things like 0 or 1 win. That was stupid. We were never in danger of winning less than 4 games. NEVER. Check past Big 12 records. That simply doesn't happen very often. And as bad as we were, I knew we weren't the worst team in the conference.

 

[152219]

laughing out loud at anyone who says this team didnt overachieve.

If the date that he joined the board it correct, he wasn't here before the season started. Most on here had OU at maybe 3 wins. They have 6 now.