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http://www.newsok.com/ou-mens-basketball-coach-jeff-capel-struggles-to-find-a-balance/article/3440033?custom_click=headlines_widget
OU men's basketball coach Jeff Capel struggles to find a balance
By David Ubben, Staff Writer, dubben@opubco.com The Oklahoman Comments 6 Published: February 17, 2010
NORMAN — In four seasons at Oklahoma, men's basketball coach Jeff Capel has built the kind of relationships necessary to bring in some of the nation's best talent, including a top-10 class in 2009. But this season, four of his five freshmen have faced disciplinary action, bringing up questions of whether Capel has the relationships to keep his players on the court.
Tommy Mason-Griffin and Tiny Gallon were benched earlier this season for missing practice. Andrew Fitzgerald and Steven Pledger served one-game suspensions after a shoplifting incident.
Before the season, Capel dismissed Juan Pattillo for violating team rules.
Gallon's recent suspension is the latest, for what the team has only referred to as an "internal matter."
"I just think some of these younger guys have never had discipline," Capel said. "If you've never had it, sometimes you fight it. But all of them need it."
From listening to the same music to relating his own experiences as a player, Capel has built strong relationships with the players he invites into his program.
Both Mason-Griffin and Gallon cited Capel's relatable persona as a reason for signing with the Sooners.
"The more I got to know him, we just connected. If it wasn't for that, I probably wouldn't be here." Gallon said in November.
Junior Cade Davis called Capel a "players' coach."
"I think those guys understand that when he gets onto us, its all out of love; it's just to try and help us get better," Davis said. "He's always telling us he wants us to succeed not only on the court but off the court."
Capel rejects the notion that his ability to relate to players — a trait that's helped him emerge as one of the nation's top recruiters — can sometimes hinder his disciplinary measures.
"I don't think it has anything to do with my age or the way you guys, the media, has perceived or written about me as a players' coach," Capel said. "I've always been a coach. I have nothing to do with what anyone else perceives me as. I just always try to be a coach."
And players' coach or otherwise, Capel is far from a pushover on the court.
"Off the court, he could laugh and joke with you or whatever, but on the court, it was all business," said Eric Maynor, Capel's former player at Virginia Commonwealth, now with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"He would get on guys. He would kick guys out of practice. But everybody knows this is a business, and he's got to take care of his job."
Since Capel can't be everywhere or know everything about his players, some accountability must come from within the players.
A season ago, former Sooner Taylor Griffin earned a reputation as a disciplinary force. Teammates feared disappointing Griffin, a player who spent four years in the program and a lifetime in the state. As players have missed meetings, practices and run into off-court trouble this season, Davis says the hole Griffin left behind hasn't been filled.
"It's not been shown all year. I put that blame on my end. I should probably be the one to step up and do that," Davis said. "We have guys on the team who can do it. We just need to do it on a consistent basis."
Mason-Griffin, however, said leadership is far from non-existent.
"From the outside looking in, it doesn't really look like we have leaders from an off-the-court standpoint, but I think we do," he said, naming Ryan Wright, Tony Crocker and Davis as those helping keep the team accountable. "Like, we'll go out and Ryan will be like, 'Everybody, be careful.' He's really like the big brother on the team."
Gallon won't be the last freshman Capel coaches. Don't expect his approach to change the next time a player gives Capel reason to keep him off the court.
While talking to the media on Monday, Capel addressed his team's recent struggles on the court. Reading between the lines, he very well could have been talking about the team's struggles off the court as well.
"We certainly are learning a lot of life lessons," Capel said. "And it's painful sometimes as you go through it, but somewhere down the road, this will make all of us better."
OU men's basketball coach Jeff Capel struggles to find a balance
By David Ubben, Staff Writer, dubben@opubco.com The Oklahoman Comments 6 Published: February 17, 2010
NORMAN — In four seasons at Oklahoma, men's basketball coach Jeff Capel has built the kind of relationships necessary to bring in some of the nation's best talent, including a top-10 class in 2009. But this season, four of his five freshmen have faced disciplinary action, bringing up questions of whether Capel has the relationships to keep his players on the court.
Tommy Mason-Griffin and Tiny Gallon were benched earlier this season for missing practice. Andrew Fitzgerald and Steven Pledger served one-game suspensions after a shoplifting incident.
Before the season, Capel dismissed Juan Pattillo for violating team rules.
Gallon's recent suspension is the latest, for what the team has only referred to as an "internal matter."
"I just think some of these younger guys have never had discipline," Capel said. "If you've never had it, sometimes you fight it. But all of them need it."
From listening to the same music to relating his own experiences as a player, Capel has built strong relationships with the players he invites into his program.
Both Mason-Griffin and Gallon cited Capel's relatable persona as a reason for signing with the Sooners.
"The more I got to know him, we just connected. If it wasn't for that, I probably wouldn't be here." Gallon said in November.
Junior Cade Davis called Capel a "players' coach."
"I think those guys understand that when he gets onto us, its all out of love; it's just to try and help us get better," Davis said. "He's always telling us he wants us to succeed not only on the court but off the court."
Capel rejects the notion that his ability to relate to players — a trait that's helped him emerge as one of the nation's top recruiters — can sometimes hinder his disciplinary measures.
"I don't think it has anything to do with my age or the way you guys, the media, has perceived or written about me as a players' coach," Capel said. "I've always been a coach. I have nothing to do with what anyone else perceives me as. I just always try to be a coach."
And players' coach or otherwise, Capel is far from a pushover on the court.
"Off the court, he could laugh and joke with you or whatever, but on the court, it was all business," said Eric Maynor, Capel's former player at Virginia Commonwealth, now with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"He would get on guys. He would kick guys out of practice. But everybody knows this is a business, and he's got to take care of his job."
Since Capel can't be everywhere or know everything about his players, some accountability must come from within the players.
A season ago, former Sooner Taylor Griffin earned a reputation as a disciplinary force. Teammates feared disappointing Griffin, a player who spent four years in the program and a lifetime in the state. As players have missed meetings, practices and run into off-court trouble this season, Davis says the hole Griffin left behind hasn't been filled.
"It's not been shown all year. I put that blame on my end. I should probably be the one to step up and do that," Davis said. "We have guys on the team who can do it. We just need to do it on a consistent basis."
Mason-Griffin, however, said leadership is far from non-existent.
"From the outside looking in, it doesn't really look like we have leaders from an off-the-court standpoint, but I think we do," he said, naming Ryan Wright, Tony Crocker and Davis as those helping keep the team accountable. "Like, we'll go out and Ryan will be like, 'Everybody, be careful.' He's really like the big brother on the team."
Gallon won't be the last freshman Capel coaches. Don't expect his approach to change the next time a player gives Capel reason to keep him off the court.
While talking to the media on Monday, Capel addressed his team's recent struggles on the court. Reading between the lines, he very well could have been talking about the team's struggles off the court as well.
"We certainly are learning a lot of life lessons," Capel said. "And it's painful sometimes as you go through it, but somewhere down the road, this will make all of us better."
