Carl Blair-MVP of Game 1

[TINY]

Maybe another thread has been made regarding Blair's game 1 performance, but I just wanted to say that man is a point guard right there.

He had 8 assists and shot 100% from the floor. I think he only had 2 turnovers to go with those 8 dimes.

That is the way to run an offense!

8 assists is a monster game for anyone on any team. Now, consider Blair did that with this team in his first game..pretty impressive! This team, being a D1 team who is relying heavily on Cade Davis to be one of our top 2 scorers, who was about 30% shooting on 15 shots. I love what Cade brings to the table, but his shooting has never been one of the his best assets, IMO.

I am not a doom and gloom type, but it is quite obvious that this is a team that will never be able to simply outscore the other team.
So, that means we will have to take care of the ball, most importantly, and play very unselfish team ball.

Blair was unreal in those departments in game 1.:clap

Our point guard position (Newell/Blair) looks to be in the best shape I have seen here @ OU in a very long time, when you consider how young and talented these guys are.

 

[thebigabd]

He was better than Calvin on offense, but way worse on defense.

 

[luckyc1423]

He was better than Calvin on offense, but way worse on defense.

I only got a chance to watch the first half....but from what I saw from Carl it looked like his handles were questionable...like the big 12 guards would harrass him and he wouldnt be able to handle it?

 

[Krugerfan52]

I like Carl Blair. I think he will be a solid PG. But anybody that was at the game would know that he was not the MVP of the game. He played most of the first 30 minutes of the game and then was benched the final 10 minutes of the game. We were losing for about a 20 minute stretch while he was on the floor. Then when Newell came in, along with Honore and Adbul Ahmad, that is when the intensity turned up and we went on a run to go from down 5 to up 10.

The difference in the game was the last 10 minutes when Blair was not on the floor.

All that being said, I think he did a good job of setting people up when he was on the floor, and I think he will do some good things for us this year. I just respectfully disagree with the title of this thread. If I had to pick an MVP from this game it would have been Steven Pledger. He made the big shots in the 2nd half and got to the line to help us get a victory.

 

[Bk2X]

I like Carl Blair. I think he will be a solid PG. But anybody that was at the game would know that he was not the MVP of the game. He played most of the first 30 minutes of the game and then was benched the final 10 minutes of the game. We were losing for about a 20 minute stretch while he was on the floor. Then when Newell came in, along with Honore and Adbul Ahmad, that is when the intensity turned up and we went on a run to go from down 5 to up 10.

The difference in the game was the last 10 minutes when Blair was not on the floor.

All that being said, I think he did a good job of setting people up when he was on the floor, and I think he will do some good things for us this year. I just respectfully disagree with the title of this thread. If I had to pick an MVP from this game it would have been Steven Pledger. He made the big shots in the 2nd half and got to the line to help us get a victory.

I agree 100% percent. 2nd half determined the MVP (Pledger IMO). Blair's stats are misleading, they look good but it was Newell and company that won the game.

 

[sharp1]

I like Carl Blair. I think he will be a solid PG. But anybody that was at the game would know that he was not the MVP of the game. He played most of the first 30 minutes of the game and then was benched the final 10 minutes of the game. We were losing for about a 20 minute stretch while he was on the floor. Then when Newell came in, along with Honore and Adbul Ahmad, that is when the intensity turned up and we went on a run to go from down 5 to up 10.

The difference in the game was the last 10 minutes when Blair was not on the floor.

All that being said, I think he did a good job of setting people up when he was on the floor, and I think he will do some good things for us this year. I just respectfully disagree with the title of this thread. If I had to pick an MVP from this game it would have been Steven Pledger. He made the big shots in the 2nd half and got to the line to help us get a victory.

It was defiantly Pledger, with Newell a close 2nd...I ws impressed with Blair assists and court vision, but Pledger hit the big shot to put us ahead, did what we all thought he couldn't do drive to the rack get fouled and knock down free-throws

 

[Sooner23]

Calvin Newell.

 

[Sawyer]

Did Blair and Newell play together much?

 

[sybarite]

When asked why he didn't play a rookie who was hitting 400, the great John McGraw said, "because he is also fielding 400."

 

[Sooner23]

Did Blair and Newell play together much?

No, I don't think they played together at all. In fact, it was when they finally took Blair out of the game in the second half and replaced him with Newell, and let him play, that things started to turn around. Kid is a ballhawk defender and his energy spread to the other players. Blair, on the other hand, was getting taken to the hole just about every time down the court by Ollie from Hoosiers.

 

[Sam]

No, I don't think they played together at all. In fact, it was when they finally took Blair out of the game in the second half and replaced him with Newell, and let him play, that things started to turn around. Kid is a ballhawk defender and his energy spread to the other players. Blair, on the other hand, was getting taken to the hole just about every time down the court by Ollie from Hoosiers.

That was clearly Marshall Mathers and not Ollie. Ollie wouldn't be rocking those tats.

 

[BigTime]

That was clearly Marshall Mathers and not Ollie. Ollie wouldn't be rocking those tats.

haha slim shady made Carl look confused on the defensive end on more than one occasion.

I'm trying to stay optomistic about Blair. He DID make some nice passes and I like it that he doesn't force up bad shots, but I sure hope he is a better defender than he showed a couple of nights ago. Maybe the stress microfracture was still affecting him a bit.