Capel on thin ice at Oklahoma? >>> The Sporting News

[OUHoops]

http://www.sportingnews.com/college...starting-five-jeff-capel-on-thin-ice-oklahoma

2. Speaking of Capel, is this a must-win season for brother Jeff at Oklahoma, considering the Sooners' program appears to be unraveling a bit?

DeCourcy: In Googling a few facts to answer the first question—such as, when Jeff took over at VCU—I came across an article by esteemed Big 12 writer Mike Jones of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram warning "those clamoring for his dismissal" that Capel is an accomplished, capable coach and that "good people deserve more than one chance to prove themselves."

Wow, I did not see that coming.

People really are talking about firing Capel? Apparently they are, enough that Jones would write a column about it. Which shows how nuts college sports have become, and why coaches loathe staying in one job for very long.

OK, Oklahoma is a mess right now. Capel bet big on Willie Warren's character, and a year ago it seemed like a smashing decision. The Sooners made the Elite Eight and might have been a Final Four team if a late-season injury to Blake Griffin hadn't bumped them into the same bracket as North Carolina.

As it turns out, bringing Warren back for a second season was a colossal error. This is where Kentucky's John Calipari has vision other coaches sometimes lack; he knows how long he can hold a high-risk player together and when that time is up he encourages him to move on. Not pushing Warren into the draft might have been the first significant mistake Capel has made as a head coach.

For a guy with eight years under his belt at 35, that's a pretty fair track record. If OU doesn't want him, there'll be dozens of other schools eager to hire him. Come to think of it: Has Oregon called?

 

[Cleavon Little]

Can't help but wonder if this lazy journalism all comes back to reading this board and disgruntled people calling for his head. Can't help but wonder if we are helping shape media perceptions (and therefore public opinion) of our team, or at least the job security of our coach. Not to say they aren't valid opinions, but we all know lazy journalists write from message boards.

 

[SoonerNorm]

It is interesting that some here think Capel should have been fired a few weeks ago while some who are looking in from the outside think that would be a moronic thing to do.

 

[seniorsooner]

In my opinion this all comes back to that moronic article by Sittler in which he stated that Joe C. "wasn't happy" with Capel simply because of his body language at the Big 12 tournament.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

If I wanted to know what the fans were thinking about a coach and I was a journalist, a message board would be the first place I'd look.

 

[AdaSooner]

Can't help but wonder if this lazy journalism all comes back to reading this board and disgruntled people calling for his head. Can't help but wonder if we are helping shape media perceptions (and therefore public opinion) of our team, or at least the job security of our coach. Not to say they aren't valid opinions, but we all know lazy journalists write from message boards.

You need to get out more. Admittedly, this board has been bad enough. But I have seen a lot worse on other boards that shall remain nameless. Capel himself said that he was embarrassed and that he did not do a good job last season. I agree with him.

Coach Capel can turn things around by filling our basic needs (a point guard and two bigs) during this signing period, to give us a chance to be competitive next season. Do that, win a few games and much of what we're experiencing now could blow over. That will not be an easy task for a very young team lacking in talent. But it's not impossible.

I believe more than anything fans want to see the right attitude from our players, on and off the court. We're eager to see players compete hard on defense and bring back a sense of pride to the C&C that was sorely missing last season. I can live with a few losses. But not at the expense of tarnishing a once proud program, or when players clearly aren't willing to earn their scholarship by competing at a high level.

 

[skyvue]

I believe more than anything fans want to see the right attitude from our players, on and off the court. We're eager to see players compete hard on defense and bring back a sense of pride to the C&C that was sorely missing last season. I can live with a few losses. But not at the expense of tarnishing a once proud program, or when players clearly aren't willing to earn their scholarship by competing at a high level.

Eggzackly.

Plus, the Sporting News writer oddly pins all our troubles on Willie staying for his sophomore season. That's an ill-informed leap, in my opinion.

 

[Cleavon Little]

Ada, then where do you think they are getting the feeling that Capel should be fired? That was my only point. Notice I wrote "not that they aren't valid opinions." I assume you think these reporters are reviewing Gallup polls and interviewing OU BB fans across the state and compliling the results to come up with that opinion?

You all are so quick to get into the "fired vs. not fired" debate. That's fine for message boards, because you get to holler your opinion out from the rooftops (what message boards are for).

To repeat for the slow readers : In my opinion, the journalists read here to gauge public perception, then report it as representative of all fans of the program. Whether accurate or not, it sure is a small sample used to make conclusions for a large group of people.

 

[SKSooner]

I'm not sure if I think Capel should be fired, but I don't have a lot of confidence in his ability to manage a basketball program at this point. Hopefully, that changes. Outside of a dominant Blake Griffin, his teams have been absolutely pitiful to watch.

 

[OUBig12Champs]

Some one needs to heat up the pond, hurry!

 

[HeismanWatch]

As it turns out, bringing Warren back for a second season was a colossal error. This is where Kentucky's John Calipari has vision other coaches sometimes lack; he knows how long he can hold a high-risk player together and when that time is up he encourages him to move on. Not pushing Warren into the draft might have been the first significant mistake Capel has made as a head coach.

That's it in a nutshell!!!!!!!!

 

[Cheno]

I believe more than anything fans want to see the right attitude from our players, on and off the court. We're eager to see players compete hard on defense and bring back a sense of pride to the C&C that was sorely missing last season. I can live with a few losses. But not at the expense of tarnishing a once proud program, or when players clearly aren't willing to earn their scholarship by competing at a high level.

This is exactly how I feel. I've questioned in my head whether Coach Capel is the right guy for the job. And it 100% has nothing to do with the record this year. It was the effort and total lack of control of the players and program. I want the guy to succeed and believes he should get another year.
All I'm looking for is improvement on the court and 100% effort on and off the court. I don't think that's unreasonable.

 

[jerry]

This is exactly how I feel. I've questioned in my head whether Coach Capel is the right guy for the job. And it 100% has nothing to do with the record this year. It was the effort and total lack of control of the players and program. I want the guy to succeed and believes he should get another year.
All I'm looking for is improvement on the court and 100% effort on and off the court. I don't think that's unreasonable.

Well they wrote the truth. He has taken our program to it's lowest in the last 30 years. He is in charge of the program and he recruited the kids so he is accountable. Hope the program starts forward next year a little so we don't have to fire him, but right now .500 season doesn't look very promising.

 

[mattham4]

Ada, then where do you think they are getting the feeling that Capel should be fired? That was my only point. Notice I wrote "not that they aren't valid opinions." I assume you think these reporters are reviewing Gallup polls and interviewing OU BB fans across the state and compliling the results to come up with that opinion?

You all are so quick to get into the "fired vs. not fired" debate. That's fine for message boards, because you get to holler your opinion out from the rooftops (what message boards are for).

To repeat for the slow readers : In my opinion, the journalists read here to gauge public perception, then report it as representative of all fans of the program. Whether accurate or not, it sure is a small sample used to make conclusions for a large group of people.

I think you are SPOT ON...and that's not a criticism of those on this board or their opinions.

 

[Sid]

You need to get out more.

Coach Capel can turn things around by filling our basic needs (a point guard and two bigs) during this signing period, to give us a chance to be competitive next season. Do that, win a few games and much of what we're experiencing now could blow over. That will not be an easy task for a very young team lacking in talent. But it's not impossible.

I believe more than anything fans want to see the right attitude from our players, on and off the court. We're eager to see players compete hard on defense and bring back a sense of pride to the C&C that was sorely missing last season. I can live with a few losses. But not at the expense of tarnishing a once proud program, or when players clearly aren't willing to earn their scholarship by competing at a high level.

I agree.