As a college fan you support the PROGRAM

[Mr.B!!!]

I'll take abd's analytical, if sometimes gloomy, posts over the "we suck and we won't win 10 games this year" content-free rants any day of the week.

I would too, but just because the same sentiment is hidden under statistics and at least reasoned conjecture doesn't make it any better. In fact, there are at least a few people on here who think that it makes it worse.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I think you're right on about the post recruiting. To me, one legit post scorer/defender makes us a solid team.

I agree, and I'm sure if Capel had known that Tiny had $3,000 placed into his account and was going to be forced out he would have been in on more guys early. Last season stunk, this season may stink evenmore as a result, but slowly you can see the ship being righted. That is just my opinion, but a line-up of:

PF: Goff
PF: Osby
(Reserves: Fitzgerald, Thompson, Washington, and Ahmed)
Wing: Cam Clark
Wing: Pledger
(Reserves: Newell, TJ)
Point Guard: Battle between Blair, Newell and probably a solid Freshman.

That starts to look like a competitive B12 team, particularly when your anticipated reserve posts were thrown into the fire this season. That is also why I just want to say guys grow and progress throughout the season, because it "should" propel us back to OU standards next season.

 

[luckyc1423]

I agree, and I'm sure if Capel had known that Tiny had $3,000 placed into his account and was going to be forced out he would have been in on more guys early. Last season stunk, this season may stink evenmore as a result, but slowly you can see the ship being righted. That is just my opinion, but a line-up of:

PF: Goff
PF: Osby
(Reserves: Fitzgerald, Thompson, Washington, and Ahmed)
Wing: Cam Clark
Wing: Pledger
(Reserves: Newell, TJ)
Point Guard: Battle between Blair, Newell and probably a solid Freshman.

That starts to look like a competitive B12 team, particularly when your anticipated reserve posts were thrown into the fire this season. That is also why I just want to say guys grow and progress throughout the season, because it "should" propel us back to OU standards next season.

Oh I disagree that if capel would have known.....even with gallon back we needed a center...fitz should be coming off the bench on a good team...he knew all year long we needed a strong low post presence

 

[Mr.B!!!]

Oh I disagree that if capel would have known.....even with gallon back we needed a center...fitz should be coming off the bench on a good team...he knew all year long we needed a strong low post presence

Well, maybe a bunch of the guys he offered early didn't want to play second fiddle to Gallon...who knows? I doubt that it was a contrived plan to not bring anyone in until late spring.

 

[okcsooner83]

Capel missed on quality post players because he was forced to get rid of his best recruiting assistant. To be able to get top high school talent you need assistants that have connections with aau coaches and ou has lost that.

 

[DenverSooner]

Since 1990, I've suffered through three years as a fan - 1993, 2006 and 2010. That's about it for me...enjoyed the others. Those three years I felt the team badly underachieved based on their talent level. Otherwise, I couldn't be happier as a fan.

I think that is a fairly reasonable statement about OU basketball. Last year was the absolute worst year for me. I really though Tiny, TMG, WW, Pledger, Davis, Crocker, Fitzgerald, Allen and Wright could be a strong team. Unfortunately it just didn't work out that way.

2006 was a down year but it wasn't that bad for me because I had fairly low expectations. I really would have liked to see them win a couple more games and make the NIT at a minimum.

This year, I would really like to see this team over perform and make the NIT or NCAA Tournament. I don't expect them to do that but I do think they could accomplish that goal if they progress as a team, take care of business at home and consistently compete on the road. If they are in road games with 4 minutes to go, they will get some victories.

 

[sybarite]

I find the negativity on a basketball board to be somewhat surrealistic. Although OU has had some moments, we are kidding ourselves if we think we are a nationally-recognized program that is capable of competing with the best for recruits or ranking. We just haven't developed that consistent track record of going to the Final Four every year. Tubbs and Sampson did it how many times? How many times have we been to the Final Four? We have more national titles in football and wrestling than Final Four appearances in basketball. We may be approaching that in baseball and men's gymnastics.

If someone has a complaint about our football program, I can see it. We have had a tradition of national titles. We expect it to continue. We expect our coaches to be able to use that tradition to get the top recruits, and we expect them to win national titles. When they don't, we have questions. We don't have a reason to expect such achievements in basketball. Unless we have a Bud Wilkinson and George Lynn Cross moment in basketball, we'll have to settle for slow development. Hopefully, we get more steps forward than backward.

 

[seniorsooner]

I find the negativity on a basketball board to be somewhat surrealistic. Although OU has had some moments, we are kidding ourselves if we think we are a nationally-recognized program that is capable of competing with the best for recruits or ranking. We just haven't developed that consistent track record of going to the Final Four every year. Tubbs and Sampson did it how many times? How many times have we been to the Final Four? We have more national titles in football and wrestling than Final Four appearances in basketball. We may be approaching that in baseball and men's gymnastics.

If someone has a complaint about our football program, I can see it. We have had a tradition of national titles. We expect it to continue. We expect our coaches to be able to use that tradition to get the top recruits, and we expect them to win national titles. When they don't, we have questions. We don't have a reason to expect such achievements in basketball. Unless we have a Bud Wilkinson and George Lynn Cross moment in basketball, we'll have to settle for slow development. Hopefully, we get more steps forward than backward.

Well I feel like I am pretty pragmatic when it comes to OU basketball and what I am seeing right now greatly concerns me. I am not asking for deep tourney runs on a regular basis, but I do feel like our program is good enough to view a failure to reach the NCAA tournament as just that, a failure. Since 1981 we have gone to the NCAA tournament 22 times. That is a rate of about 71%. While that may not stack up with the truly elite programs, I feel like it would definitely put us in the top 25. Barring a very surprising season this season we will be looking at two straight years of no NCAAs (and possibly no postseason whatsoever) and 3 years out of 5. I have really tried to remain patient and positive when it comes to Coach Capel, but you can put me in the camp that thinks a change is necessary if we don't return to the tournament next year. I think highly enough of our program to say that three straight years without making the tournament would be completely unacceptable.

That being said, I choose to remain positive and hopeful rather than defeatist and negative. I am rooting for the team and for our coaches to succeed. It almost seems like some have the mentality that they would like to see a coaching change no matter what, but they need to realize that could set our program back further than it currently is.

 

[Sam]

I agree, and I'm sure if Capel had known that Tiny had $3,000 placed into his account and was going to be forced out he would have been in on more guys early. Last season stunk, this season may stink evenmore as a result, but slowly you can see the ship being righted. That is just my opinion, but a line-up of:

PF: Goff
PF: Osby
(Reserves: Fitzgerald, Thompson, Washington, and Ahmed)
Wing: Cam Clark
Wing: Pledger
(Reserves: Newell, TJ)
Point Guard: Battle between Blair, Newell and probably a solid Freshman.

That starts to look like a competitive B12 team, particularly when your anticipated reserve posts were thrown into the fire this season. That is also why I just want to say guys grow and progress throughout the season, because it "should" propel us back to OU standards next season.

I wouldn't mind seeing a lineup like this at times next year.
PG Calvin Newell (got the tools, I just hope he develops the skills to run the team)
SG Cameron Clark
SF Romero Osby
PF Andrew Fitzgerald
C Robert Goff

Solves a lot of our rebounding problems and I think Cam and Cal could read a mean half court trap or something with their quickness.

Then you have instant offense off the bench in Pledger.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

That being said, I choose to remain positive and hopeful rather than defeatist and negative. I am rooting for the team and for our coaches to succeed. It almost seems like some have the mentality that they would like to see a coaching change no matter what, but they need to realize that could set our program back further than it currently is.

I think that this approach particularly holds true when, unless there are some extreme off-the-court issues, Capel is pretty much a lock to be here through the end of the season after this. More help is on the way, and I'm pretty sure this group of players isn't going to tank it like last years did. Of course we all want wins, but I think that it is pragmatic to hope for the best and look for improvement under what are likely to be adverse circumstances this season.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I wouldn't mind seeing a lineup like this at times next year.
PG Calvin Newell (got the tools, I just hope he develops the skills to run the team)
SG Cameron Clark
SF Romero Osby
PF Andrew Fitzgerald
C Robert Goff

Solves a lot of our rebounding problems and I think Cam and Cal could read a mean half court trap or something with their quickness.

Then you have instant offense off the bench in Pledger.

I agree, and that starts to look like a very competitive team right there; moreover, I'm sure we will bringing in at least one more solid player to go along with this group.

 

[luckyc1423]

I agree, and that starts to look like a very competitive team right there; moreover, I'm sure we will bringing in at least one more solid player to go along with this group.

That def would be a great lineup....I havent seen enough of osby to know whether he could play the 3 or not?

 

[OKUman]

as a college fan you support the program at games by cheering them to victory or defeat, as a message board poster you discuss the program, players, coaching, defense etc. You don't put your hand in the sand and say all is good, rah rah rah. You give your honest opinion whatever it may be and as long as its an educated opinion backed up by a decent amount of logic, it should be allowed to be talked about and discussed.

And you ATTEND the games to get a real idea of what the team is all about.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I think that some of you are letting the fact that you might be mad at the coach interfere with your support of the team.

No matter what the circumstances, this is the team that wears the Crimson and Cream this year. As long as they are giving 100% effort, trying to get better every week and playing as a team, they deserve our support. We aren't stupid. We know they are probably going to struggle this year. But, good support from the fans could ease that struggle somewhat.

 

[918sooner]

I will buy several tickets to games reguardless of what the record is! I love me some Sooner basketball! I am a huge Capel fan. He made a couple recruiting mistakes. Two years we're right back where we should be.

 

[thegreyghost]

all sports team message boards are full of a bunch of whine bags

 

[918sooner]

It's a little tougher at OU because we're so used to winning truthfully. Coaches lose a lot of sleep trying to keep us happy.

 

[campbest]

And you ATTEND the games to get a real idea of what the team is all about.

It's 2010, if I can't make a game I can pretty much find out what the team is like without being there. Hell, we knew which guys were sleeping with others girlfriends the last couple years.