Being relevant.....

[WTSooner]

Isn't it nice having OU basketball relevant on a national stage again? Not stressing about being on the bubble, or knowing we aren't getting into the Dance?

I love this time of year, but I found out a few years ago that it just isn't the same when OU isn't in the Dance. Still fun? Sure. But not as fun.

I think LK could be ready to put together a streak like Kelvin put together, where OU is dancing for the next several years. Especially when you look at some of the other schools in the Big 12, I just really like the shape and position that LK has OU right now.

LK wasn't my first choice when we fired Capel, but I truly think he is a perfect fit for our program right now.

 

[jerry]

Isn't it nice having OU basketball relevant on a national stage again? Not stressing about being on the bubble, or knowing we aren't getting into the Dance?

I love this time of year, but I found out a few years ago that it just isn't the same when OU isn't in the Dance. Still fun? Sure. But not as fun.

I think LK could be ready to put together a streak like Kelvin put together, where OU is dancing for the next several years. Especially when you look at some of the other schools in the Big 12, I just really like the shape and position that LK has OU right now.

LK wasn't my first choice when we fired Capel, but I truly think he is a perfect fit for our program right now.

Yeah program looks good right now. LK probably was not allot of people's first choice, but when you look at how far back Capel set our program and LK's track record of turning around programs it made since then and now we are enjoying his quick success.

 

[KBaden145]

He's doing a wonderful job of adding excellent pieces to the mix. You can see the thought and effort put into the recruiting and player development process he has established at OU. It's easy to see why so many programs he has coached in the past were able to be successful after he left. A foundation is set now and I believe for many years to come to get us back to where we were for so many seasons under Tubbs and Sampson.


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[SoonerTraveler]

I really did not have a favorite to be the next coach back in April 2011. When Lon Kruger was introduced as OU's coach, I thought it was a good "solid" hire. Coach Kruger has turned out to be better than I expected. Every aspect of the basketball program seems to be on the upswing, including academic achievement and integrity.

It is SO NICE to be relevant again on the basketball court. I also see Coach Kruger putting together a run of seasons where it is a given that OU will be in the big dance each March. It is SO NICE to be PROUD of the basketball program. It is SO NICE to look forward to the post-season, and to next season.

 

[pnkranger]

Kruger was good at UNLV, but I kind of get the sense that being back in the Big 12 has really reignited his competitive fire.

 

[Laxtothemax12]

He turns out 2*'s and 3*'s rated by the so-called experts into double digit scorers as sophomores and freshman..(Cousins and Woodard). He has a knack for seeing talent, and coaching that talent to the highest ceiling as possible. I bet Cousins joins Hield next year as a prolific scorer in the Big 12 around 15 PPG

 

[tycat947]

Considering the state of OUr program at the time of Capel being let go, I don't think there was a better choice to restore OUr program! He not only restored the presence on the court but off the court as well! AND so glad to see us back safely in the tourney again!

 

[NickZepp]

What you have to love about this team is that there's still a lot of room for improvement next year. For example our best scorer is Buddy, and he really hasn't had many complete games. Most of the time he has a few minutes where he gets hot from 3 and gets all of his points then disappears offensively the rest of the game. If he can ever get decent handles so he can get to the lane and make shots when his jumper doesn't fall. The sky is the limit for Buddy. But you can also say the same for the other guys. Hornbeak the last part of the season has been really good not only on defense but also as an alternate PG basically. Nobody really has been talking about how well he's ran the team in some minutes when Woodard is on the bench.

 

[coolm]

The biggest improvement for next year, bar none, will be defensively. If we can bust into next season with our offense still rolling and our defense as improved as it should be then this can be a top-10 team and will most certainly be top-15. Good defense and we'd be a 3-4 loss team right now.

Of course now we're getting into the land of high expectations again. I kinda like coming from nowhere like we did this year.

 

[j2d2]

Considering the state of OUr program at the time of Capel being let go, I don't think there was a better choice to restore OUr program! He not only restored the presence on the court but off the court as well! AND so glad to see us back safely in the tourney again!

I didnt know what to think when Kruger was hired, but it seems clear now that Joe C has done it again!

 

[NickZepp]

The biggest improvement for next year, bar none, will be defensively. If we can bust into next season with our offense still rolling and our defense as improved as it should be then this can be a top-10 team and will most certainly be top-15. Good defense and we'd be a 3-4 loss team right now.

Of course now we're getting into the land of high expectations again. I kinda like coming from nowhere like we did this year.

I would rather have this problem than have the opposite problem like we had under Capel the last 2 seasons where we had high expectations going into a season only to have an epic collapse of the program.

 

[JBaker]

The biggest improvement for next year, bar none, will be defensively. If we can bust into next season with our offense still rolling and our defense as improved as it should be then this can be a top-10 team and will most certainly be top-15. Good defense and we'd be a 3-4 loss team right now.

Of course now we're getting into the land of high expectations again. I kinda like coming from nowhere like we did this year.

After what we've been through, having high expectations honestly feels awesome.
I wanna be pissed when OU loses. It means the program is in the right place.

 

[Max Power]

After what we've been through, having high expectations honestly feels awesome.
I wanna be pissed when OU loses. It means the program is in the right place.

I don't know about you, but I was pissed during the La Tech and Tech loses, pissed at the big 12 for making us play the WVU game without at least an hour delay, and pissed we let the squawks off the hook twice. Only 1 I was not upset about was MSU.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Kruger was good at UNLV, but I kind of get the sense that being back in the Big 12 has really reignited his competitive fire.

The more I've thought about this post all day the more I think you are onto something. As I've said in other threads the money LK was offered was a big factor in his acceptance of the job. However, he played and coached in the Big 8. I think he had to be intrigued by the possibility of getting closer to home and now that he's here I think he does seem more energized.

Good post and astute observation.