Coaching
- Thread starter WTSooner
- Start date
Big Old Booger
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2008
- Messages
- 6,520
- Reaction score
- 1
Very few games in 85 after Holieway took over for Aikman did we not score at least the high 40's and some over 50. Nebraska was one for sure we didn't score 50 but did score 27. OSU was in the snow. We didn't score 50 (or 40) vs SMU either. However, vs KU, MU, ISU, and maybe CU we scored close to 50 but that's a guess.
Losing track of blowouts from that period (70s and 80s) of football is much easier to do than remembering the state of the basketball program in the late 70's and early 80's and it's rise after Tubbs hiring. In football, we routinely "hung half a hunnerd" on ISU, KSU, KU, MU, and CU in those days. In basketball, before Tubbs we routinely lost to KU, MU and KSU. Vs the other 4, we were pretty good. After Tubbs, that all changed except we still routinely lost to KU but we also beat them with more regularity than any other time thru history. KU is the only big 8/12 program we have a losing record against in basketball and some of the series aren't close but they were much closer when Tubbs took over. He dominated the other 7 big 8 programs from 83-90.
Very funny. So watching somebody else play a game is a great achievement but actually playing a game yourself is worthless? Gotcha. lol
Big Old Booger
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2008
- Messages
- 6,520
- Reaction score
- 1
Not sure what you are trying to say, but I played sports. I played sports year round, and actually lettered in 3 sports in HS (at a 4A school). We had video games at home but I was never one to play them much. I grew up in the country, and went to a small elementary school that only had K-8. We played basketball every day so growing up, I played basketball when school was out (if I wasn't playing basketball, it was football, or riding my bike or my 3 wheeler; I actually spent very little time inside as a kid). I remember learning how to shoot a left-handed turnaround jumper, just like Wayman (well, as good as I could replicate it). I also remember being the OU player who hit the jumper to beat Indiana State (even though it was a blowout; in my driveway the games were never blowouts) and Larry Bird and imitating Kerry Carabine, John McCullough, Aaron Curry, Eddie Fields, etc., in my driveway helping the sooners win games. All at the last second of course.
My point was, when OU was playing we were at the game if it was in Norman or OKC (All College). Let me also note I lived outside of Chickasha so it wasn't like we lived in Norman or OKC. We had a 40 minute drive to either Norman or OKC and we made almost every game (football, basketball and baseball). If we didn't make those games, then we listened on the radio or watched on TV if available. We didn't have cable so most times it was on the radio. That's how we spent family time during the various sports seasons. John Brooks and Mike Treps were basically members of my family but they never knew it. When OU was playing I wasn't playing video games, going to movies or watching random shows on tv like all my childhood friends. That was my point.
Let me also add I included that statement/paragraph to point out to WT that I don't need google to tell me how good OU was in basketball or how good VCU or Lamar were in those days. I remember because I watched and paid attention to scores. That's why that was included but go ahead and take it out of context if you want. :facepalm
Last edited:
SoonerinNC
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2008
- Messages
- 1,752
- Reaction score
- 2
I don't place a lot of value on pro experience as an asset to a coach. Actually, the best coaches often come from guys who were while sometimes talented were great makeup guys like Kruger. Kruger was a star but many successful coaches are fringe players who had to pay more attention and work harder than most.
I remember well when Capel was hired. I liked the hire but was a little troubled that he had not duplicated his earlier good years at VCU. Didn't make the post season in his last year. I still liked the hire not because he was a good college player. Actually Duke's worst years was when he was playing there.
I was still enthusiastic particularly when he landed Griffin. I never really felt that he was that great with the X's and O's but usually got blasted any time I suggested that he just may not be the second coming of Dean Smith. The other thing I was uneasy about was the inconsistency of the team.
I remember well when Capel was hired. I liked the hire but was a little troubled that he had not duplicated his earlier good years at VCU. Didn't make the post season in his last year. I still liked the hire not because he was a good college player. Actually Duke's worst years was when he was playing there.
I was still enthusiastic particularly when he landed Griffin. I never really felt that he was that great with the X's and O's but usually got blasted any time I suggested that he just may not be the second coming of Dean Smith. The other thing I was uneasy about was the inconsistency of the team.
Thats why Capel took the guys that Sampson left for him and went to the Elite 8 and not exit in the first round.
Blake took the Sooners to the Elite 8 and Capel was just along for the ride. The real Capel is more like Nick Thompson. Bad player and Bad coach.
SoonerTraveler
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2008
- Messages
- 6,651
- Reaction score
- 54
I wish Jeff Capel the best, but I have to wonder about the following questions.
Does anyone here want Jeff Capel back as OU's head coach?
Knowing everything you know TODAY, would you want Joe C. to hire Jeff Capel TODAY if the OU head coaching job became vacant?
Does anyone here want Jeff Capel back as OU's head coach?
Knowing everything you know TODAY, would you want Joe C. to hire Jeff Capel TODAY if the OU head coaching job became vacant?
Your argument reminds me of my favorite line from a movie. It was a mediocre movie, PURE COUNTRY. The actor, Rory Calhoun, was playing the part of a wise old man.
Another person was explaining the redeeming quality of an otherwise unsavory character to the Rory Calhoun character. Calhoun said, " you know that white spot in chicken s**t. Well, that is chicken s**t too."
Great, great example Gary.
It cracks me up that you give no credit to Capel. Coach K had Jabari Parker..maybe the number one pick and couldn't past the first round. Self had Wiggins and couldn't get past the 2nd. Calipari has how many first round guys and he couldn't win the whole thing. And also entered the tournament as an 8th seed. Randle is a stud.
You crack me up Gary. Blake was great, but it takes coaching to get the team far in a tournament. And its not like he lost to just anyone..he lost to UNC...the National Champions.
McDermott is the POY, one of the top scorers ever in college basketball and they couldn't get past Baylor with that one guy.
This is the miscalculation that you are making. Wiggins and Parker and Randal are not the same kind of player as Blake. He is a once in a decade or a once in a generation type player. You examples are not valid.
Most every unsavory person will have a redeeming value or two. Capel is no exception. His elite 8 run with the best player in a generation doesn't change the fact that he was the worse coach in the history of OU basketball. Hiring him was a mistake and firing him was justified.
Blake Griffin and a bunch of nobodies surrounding him or Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood and so on ... or Randle and the Harrison Twins and Young and all the other 5 star athletes thats on their rosters.
You're the guy at Duke right now wanting to fire Coach K for losing in the first round to Mercer! Or you're the guy at KU wanting to fire Self for losing in the 2nd.
Firing him was justified.
He didn't get fired for X's and O's. He got fired for cheating (paying players) and extreme mismanagement of budgets. Among other things!!!!
I assure you the whole athletic department was glad Jeff Capel got fired.
DenverSooner
New member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2008
- Messages
- 11,099
- Reaction score
- 0
All you need to know about Jeff Capel is that he was 37-43 in conference play even though he had Blake Griffin for two seasons. His record without Blake griffin was 15-33 or 31%. The guy was horrible.
With a front line of Longar Longar, Blake Griffin and Taylor Griffin the fool only won 9 conference games. He also had AJ, Godbold, Davis, Crocker and Leary on that team. Kruger, Sampson and Tubbs would win a lot more than 9 games with that lineup.
With a front line of Longar Longar, Blake Griffin and Taylor Griffin the fool only won 9 conference games. He also had AJ, Godbold, Davis, Crocker and Leary on that team. Kruger, Sampson and Tubbs would win a lot more than 9 games with that lineup.
you need to go back and look at the conference that year. Because you forget that Blake Griffin wasn't even best freshmen in that class.
Not to mention...the league was 10 times tougher that year then this past 2 years. The best team in our league that year won the whole thing...they didn't go out in the 2nd round. And the 2nd best team went to the Elite 8.
Last edited:
SoonerBounce13
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2008
- Messages
- 13,232
- Reaction score
- 1,712
c'mon.
The top was better in 2008 (but not by 10 times) but the bottom half of the conference was bad. Todays big 12 is a lot more equal
The bottom half is just as bad as the bottom half now. The top 7 of that year was way better then the top 7 of this year.
DenverSooner
New member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2008
- Messages
- 11,099
- Reaction score
- 0
Capel was a horrible coach.
Similar threads
