Ahhh.... It's Joe C's fault

[afaSooner]

Next year many of you will be singing a different tune. Don't get me wrong, this year was a huge let down but if you look around the country you will find plenty of other teams struggling. The WW factor, injuries, and stupid freshman mistakes on and off the court has hurt this teams chance to gel.

 

[Boomer1]

OK. I know that Blake Griffin was a huge impact on the Jeff Capel coaching era. But to say hes not a good recruiter is not right. Tiny Gallon and TMG were both McDonalds All-Americans and that is the best players coming out of high school. I am upset about this year, but who could we get? I'm not sure about giving Coach Capel another year after this year. It just hurts so much because the last two out of four years have been REALLY disappointing.

 

[Big Old Booger]

OK. I know that Blake Griffin was a huge impact on the Jeff Capel coaching era. But to say hes not a good recruiter is not right. Tiny Gallon and TMG were both McDonalds All-Americans and that is the best players coming out of high school. I am upset about this year, but who could we get? I'm not sure about giving Coach Capel another year after this year. It just hurts so much because the last two out of four years have been REALLY disappointing.

You are correct, TMG and Tiny are both McD's AA's. However, did you notice the schools we beat out for Tiny? Miss State, and some mid-major type schools. KU, Texas, and the other big boys from our conference weren't even recruiting him.

TMG is a great offensive player, but his defense is very offensive and he appears to have an attitude problem. Makes me wonder how many schools were recruiting him.

However, back to your point...they are both McD's AA's, but look at the other players he's recruited since he's been here. Kyle Cannon, Chris Early, Ray Willis, Tony Neysmith, Orlando Allen, Kyle Hardrick, Ray Willis...which of those is even a great "glue" player like David Godbold or Johnnie Gilbert? None of them...in fact, none of them should have been recruited by OU. This is why I say he's not a great recruiter in my book. Too many busts.

 

[Boomer1]

OK i agree with you they werent good glue guys like Daryan Selvy, or Aaron McGee. but i think he needs another year

 

[stoops4pres]

i've heard that story. it's retarded. not saying you're wrong, just that if that was a significant part of turgeon's thought process, he's a retard.

Agreed. I know anything can happen, but when you got a coach that's one of the best in the business, and looks to be there for a very long time with Coach Self, why base your future on something that is seemingly improbable?

 

[Cheno]

Actually, I heard a fairly well known TV announcer on the radio a few years back and they were talking about Turgeon. This guy is a friend of Turgeon's and he said Turgeon did turn down OU because he felt like if he took the OU job, he would never have a chance to coach at KU.

Evidently, according to this announcer, OU is considered a rival of KU, not near as big of a rival as MU or KSU, but it sounded like OU was the next school in line as a rival of KU. A big enough rival that the coach of one could never be the coach of the other.

The announcer said this is exactly what Turgeon told him. Otherwise, he'd have taken the job.

I've heard exactly the same thing here in Wichita. Turgeon thought hard about it and then pulled out of the running. The reason I think he took A&M job the following year is because he really had a tough season that year after the OU job was open. I think he saw his window of opportunity shrinking. Plus he knew he didn't have a great team coming back to WSU. He got out while he could. It was a smart move. He's done a really good job at A&M.

 

[sys]

The reason I think he took A&M job the following year is because he really had a tough season that year after the OU job was open. I think he saw his window of opportunity shrinking. Plus he knew he didn't have a great team coming back to WSU. He got out while he could. It was a smart move. He's done a really good job at A&M.

that's exactly what i was trying to say. your answer is much more complete than mine was.

 

[stoops4pres]

I've heard exactly the same thing here in Wichita. Turgeon thought hard about it and then pulled out of the running. The reason I think he took A&M job the following year is because he really had a tough season that year after the OU job was open. I think he saw his window of opportunity shrinking. Plus he knew he didn't have a great team coming back to WSU. He got out while he could. It was a smart move. He's done a really good job at A&M.

Agreed, that's what I was saying.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

Sounds like getting guys from Whichita State is Joe C.'s kryptonite. Next year should be interesting around here.

 

[bestj]

It's hard to compare Coach Stoops to Capel...in fact impossible.

I agree. Stoops was never a head coach before he was hired by OU. Capel was already a head coach with some success at VCU.

The OU football program at the time Stoops was hired was thought to be a "sleeping giant" due to the results of the previous 10 years. The OU basketball program was in very good shape with plenty of post-season appearances and some great recruits signed-up and ready to be sooners.

Yeah but what happened to those great recruits when Sampson left? Reynolds is at Villanova, James is at Texas and the other recruit escapes my mind at the moment. When Capel took over the basketball program wasn't in good shape with most of Sampson's last recruiting class going elsewhere and the school on probation thanks to Sampson.

Just think if Sampson stayed and didn't go to Indiana. What would have happened to the basketball program if violations Sampson did at Indiana was at Oklahoma for the second time?

 

[BoulderSooner]

Easy Boomer...Capel and "very good basketball coach" do not belong in the same sentence. He may be a "very good basketball coach" at some point, but right now he's mediocre at best.

I'm not even sure he's a great recruiter...too many Kyle Cannon, Orlando Allen, Ray Willis, Tony Neysmith, Chris Early, Kyle Hardrick, etc., type recruits to just give him credit for the Blake Griffin's. I'm also not sold on WW, TMG, or Tiny, although TMG is selling me more everyday.

Truthfully, Cade Davis is his 2nd best recruit behind BG at this point, and that doesn't bode well for Capel.

the last line tells me all i need to know about your basketball knowledge

 

[Big Old Booger]

the last line tells me all i need to know about your basketball knowledge

Who would you put above Cade that is a Capel recruit?

Crocker? Even though he's as much a Sampson recruit as a Capel recruit.
WW? He's had one good season, but his attitude this year trumps his performance last year, IMO.
TMG? He's had a decent stretch for his frosh year, but will he be back next year?
Tiny? He's had a few games where he looked like he had some talent, but a bunch of games where he looked absolutely lost.

IMO, Cade Davis has been the most consistent of Capel's recruits except for BG who was a lottery pick. If TMG and Tiny stick around, keep their nose clean, and continue to improve, no doubt they will be listed ahead of Cade Davis. I'm just not ready to rank them above Cade because I doubt if both return, and if both return are they ready to buy-in to Capel's program.

Certainly, they (WW, TMG, and Tiny) have more talent than Cade but he's doing a lot more with his talent than they have done with theirs. This is why I say he is Capel's 2nd best recruit to date.