Cam Clark sounds off

[BigTime]

This is a feature on metroplexhoops.com. Don't really like how this latest install comes off. Hopefully I'm reading into it too much.

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Hello to everyone in Dallas/Fort Worth and Sherman/Denison. I would like to start off by sending my congrats to my boy Phil Pressey on his verbal to the University of Missouri. It has been a tired but yet fulfilling week. Oklahoma was in the house Wednesday for a home visit. It was cool, and Thursday Oklahoma State came and they had a real cool presentation. Coach Ford and his staff really brought their “A” game. Marquette came in Sunday and it went well. Coach Buzz is cool and broke the NBA down by numbers. I would like to take this time and thank all the coaches, who took their time in recruiting me. I pray that our relationships don’t end because I choose one school over another. You all have done a wonderful job, thank you. My family and I are deeply humbled by this experience and we do not take any of this for granted. But in saying all of this its only one of me and I narrowed the schools down to three: Marquette, OSU, and OU. To all of my basketball brothers, a word of advice. When you go are going through this process, stay prayerful, stay focus, and stay honest. Peace and stay tuned.

 

[Krugerfan52]

If he goes to OSU I'm going to be sick.

 

[thebigabd]

Yep, going to OSU would be horrible news for OU. They would have a future lineup of,

PG: Fred Gulley
SG: Brian Williams
SF: Cameron Clark
PF: Roger Franklin
PF: Michael Cobbins

Williams, Clark, Franklin, and Cobbins would develop into a Big 12 title capable group IMO. Franklin and Clark are big and athletic enough to rebound in that system and Cobbins is a freak in the same mold of Hakim Warrick.

Throw in Keiton Page, Markel Brown, Reger Dowell, Ray Penn, and whatever other forwards they recruit they would be putting something special together in Stillwater.

If he doesnt go to OU hopefully he goes to Marquette.

 

[elmocarp]

I've been saying for a while we've been counting that chicken too soon...Hope I'm wrong though...

 

[j2d2]

Who the h__ll is Buzz?

 

[DFWHoopster]

Who the h__ll is Buzz?

Marquette's head coach

 

[OUHoosier]

Who will OSU drop to fit Cam in if he commits?

 

[BigTime]

Who will OSU drop to fit Cam in if he commits?

I am not sure. Maybe :ford will let Cam pick.

 

[HoHum]

Who will OSU drop to fit Cam in if he commits?

As far as guys on the recruiting class, none I would think. On the team, Akol's probably gone for sure, and one of Sidorakis or Page probably.

If Anderson's stock doesn't raise and he decides to come for his senior year, then it could get REAL messy.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Hopefully he's just being a little coy.

 

[Perk's Scowl]

It sounds to me like he is ready to commit when he is talking about hoping the other coaches stay in touch. He is visiting this weekend, so hopefully i am reading him the right way. I have a good feeling.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Is Doron Lamb being pulled as a negative recruiting tool?

 

[SoonerNorm]

I predict he is coming to OU. Nothing really concrete to base that on but he probably said less about OU than he did the other two. I think the reason he did that is to let the other 2 schools know they were good, real good. But, he likes Capel. He likes OU and I think his relationship with Jeff wins out over the other two and I think he has already made his decision. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[tomkar98]

I predict he is coming to OU. Nothing really concrete to base that on but he probably said less about OU than he did the other two. I think the reason he did that is to let the other 2 schools know they were good, real good. But, he likes Capel. He likes OU and I think his relationship with Jeff wins out over the other two and I think he has already made his decision. Keeping fingers crossed.

Boy I hope your right! I didn't think about that... but it makes sense. We shall see.

 

[Capel's Mustache]

Trust the 'stache gentlemen. Believe in the power of it

 

[AdaSooner]

I predict he is coming to OU. Nothing really concrete to base that on but he probably said less about OU than he did the other two. I think the reason he did that is to let the other 2 schools know they were good, real good. But, he likes Capel. He likes OU and I think his relationship with Jeff wins out over the other two and I think he has already made his decision. Keeping fingers crossed.

Norm makes more sense than anything else I can glean from what Cam said. I mean, what other reason would he have to praise the OSU and Marquette coaches and leave Coach Capel out, especially on the eve of his visit to OU? In every report I've read for months he has spoken in glowing terms about his relationship with our coach.

That said, if Cam doesn't make it to Norman this weekend, I may join the worry wagon group.

 

[elmocarp]

I think there are two ways to read those comments...

First, he knows that he is leaning toward OU and the thought of letting down Ford and Buzz is on his mind so he is going out of his way to express his gratitude toward them and their programs. While this is obviously the scenario we are all hoping for, the "stay tuned" part of it certainly supports it. That comment definitely suggests a looming announcement and with his first official visit coming up in Norman this weekend, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic.

That said, the second scenario seems pretty plausible as well. I know Cam elaborated on Marquette as well, but I think the most positive energy in the paragraph is certainly directed toward Ford and OSU. The comment in which he expresses worry about being unable to maintain his relationships with coaches who he has grown close to would certainly make the most sense when directed toward Capel. He is on record that Capel is his favorite coach he has met in the recruiting process and OU has been on him the longest. Also, the fact that he is coming to Norman this weekend could indicate that he is preparing to break the bad news to Coach face to face.

Now, I might be reading too much into this...I mean, he is just a high school kid and one of the worst parts about following/caring about recruiting is that we wind up hanging on the words of these kids, which can be equal parts foolhearty and pathetic. But I think that whenever people speak or write (but especially write) they inevitably communicate more than they intend or realize. Words are how I make my living and after years of writing and reading and grading papers I almost always am aware of these unintended disclosures.

That said, without knowing Cam personally it is tough to know which scenario is more plausible, but the feeling I get is that it is the latter. Maybe I am just being cautious or maybe I just try too hard to force impartiality upon myself. Regardless, I am really impressed with what he had to say. It seemed well thought out and well written. It makes me like the kid a lot, especially considering how infrequently you see this type of sentiment being expressed by these kids. The kid certainly has a good head on his shoulders, and, much like Roger Franklin, I am gonna be a fan regardless of where he lands (even if that winds up being northern Oklahoma).

 

[HoHum]

Where ever Clark goes, I think one thing seems to be for sure is that the way :jcapel and :ford can recruit and despite DirtyMess's objections, coach at least in my opinion.

However long they are both there there will be some exciting Bedlam games, possibly even better than the :eddie187_jpg_xs: vs :kelvin matchups.

Edit - Where's my Capel head?!?

 

[FaithfulSooner]

In earlier posts I've stated that I have relatives in Sherman who know the Clark family. At this time I will say that the family loves Coach Capel and what he is trying to accomplish at OU. One thing they really love is that Coach Capel and his assistants really believe in the concept of family on a basketball team. I really wish I could give more information, but I will just say that OU is in very good shape with Cam. Let's just let the rest play out. BOOMER SOONER BABY!!!:clap

 

[soonerczech]

Tobias Harris's father had glowing reviews for both Capel and Huggins, but I don't believe that Tobias will be going to either OU or WV. I don't know of a recruit that has based his decision on an in-home visit. In-home's help solidify your position or help you establish some sort of position, but they don't really seem to be the be-all-end-all. OSU's roster seems to be a bunch of Cam-type players, so it really doesn't seem to make sense for him to go there.