For this program, what will you be happy/OK with??

[topcat]

Sweet 16 every 3-4 years and advancing at least twice every decade. We shouldn't ever miss the NCAA and finishing below the aggies in conference for the last 4-5 years stinks.
The recruiting has me worried. The roster will soon b all HCLK players.

 

[cosmic_sooner]

Great question and, I, like most would just love to go back to Sampson-style success. Big games, big wins, tourney runs, a few titles, meaningful home games, etc. Can you imagine beating a UCONN or Maryland at home?!

But moreover, I would like to see OU get back to some BillyBall. I know an exact replica isn't possible, nor should it be. But I'd like to see us create a culture of high-tempo, scoring, shooting and threatening brand of hoops.

Recruiting shooters, no matter of size or typical D-1, blue chip, McD AA type skills. I think you have to learn from your mistakes when they're looking at you in the face. Right now it's Rotnei and McGee. Perfect examples, but I also don't necessarily blame anyone over them. It's just how it is, sadly...

By developing this style of play, I think you attract certain types of players to come play for you. Whether it's a shooter from farmland Oklahoma, a slasher from Texas or an undersized PG from the east coast that you're giving a shot when others passed over him. It's fun, attractive, puts butts in the seats. You're never out of a game, no matter who you're playing.

The SDSU game really opened my eyes. We all know we didn't have the best skill or shooters in the world. But once we got down by 6-8 points, we all knew it was over. There was simply not a thing we could do about it.

 

[coolm]

I want a style. One that will make the program a winner yearly with an NCAA berth a majority of the time and making it to the second weekend every few years.

I have NO problems rooting for a building team. If we go a couple of years rebuilding after some grad or unexpected player losses then I accept that. I just want that group to actually be improving.

I know on what side the OU bread is mostly buttered. Thats ok. Football can keep us in the black and I am OK with that. I just want to have a respectable bball team that is normally in the top 4 of the conference.

 

[stoopified]

I would be thrilled if OU men could reach the level that Sherri Coale has the women at year in and year out.

 

[mict085]

I would like to be where we've been before under tubbs & Sampson. I would like to win some conference titles, make the tourney almost every yr, do well in the tourney. It's crazy OU hasn't won a conf regular season title in over 20 yrs.

I would really like to see OU win a national title at least once. We were the best team in 1988 but lost. We were really close in 2002 but came up short. I want that one shining moment to shine on OU just once. Please.

 

[MercedeSooner]

I expect consistency on the level that Calvin gave us - but my question is why can't we have the same success as Florida does with both football and basketball ? Is it solely the ability to recruit ? Nobody would ever confuse Florida as being a basketball school.

 

[WaymanFan]

I expect consistency on the level that Calvin gave us - but my question is why can't we have the same success as Florida does with both football and basketball ? Is it solely the ability to recruit ? Nobody would ever confuse Florida as being a basketball school.

Geography might have something to do with it. Also, Florida fans do a much better job of supporting their basketball teams than most "football" power schools.

Regardless, even Florida has a difficult time being consistent in basketball. Heck, they followed up back-to-back titles with some NIT and 1st round knockouts. They were the "team of the 2000s" with regards to combining football and basketball. Michigan was the team of the 90s, Oklahoma the team of the 80s, and Notre Dame the team of the 70s. The point is, it is very difficult for a football power to dominate in basketball for any consistent length of time.

That is why I would be fine with an occasional deep run in March, sprinkled with some Sweet 16 appearances. My only gripe with the Billy and Kelvin eras, as already stated, was losing too many games in March that we should have won.

 

[garyeb2]

The OU basketball program has a decent enough tradition. They have the budget to hire a good coach and staff. The facility is adequate. The staff has enough of a budget to recruit. We play in a good enough league.

Making the NCAA tourney every year has to be the bottom line. The better teams could and should advance in the tourney. For OU not to make the field of 68 someone has or is doing something wrong. Kelvin's teams for the most part met expectations and from time to time well exceeded them.

This past season, the stated goal of the team was to make the tourney. That might be a good one for this next team to have too. But, after that, going forward, making the tourney should be the expectation. Not the goal.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

... That is why I would be fine with an occasional deep run in March, sprinkled with some Sweet 16 appearances. My only gripe with the Billy and Kelvin eras, as already stated, was losing too many games in March that we should have won.

Every successful coach has their own personality and their own way to achieve winning basketball.

Billy ... Recruit athletes that can "run and gun" .. stress offense .. full-court press on defense .. brash and cocky ... Billy Ball.

Kelvin ... Recruit tough athletes .. stress defense, rebounding, and efficient free throw shooting ... heart, hustle hardwood.

Both Billy and Kelvin believed in keeping their best players in the game, sometimes having teams where the top 6 players got almost all the minutes. By giving their best players all the minutes, Billy and Kelvin had teams with a strong on-court chemistry.

Lon Kruger had 9 players average more than 14 minutes in conference games. Big difference in strategy and philosophy compared to Billy and Kelvin

I guess we shall see if Lon Kruger can approach the success of Billy and Kelvin. Their winning percentages (in the regular season) at OU were outstanding. They both made Elite-8 and Final-4 runs. Overall, I was happy with the program under Billy and Kelvin. In many ways their success spoiled me as an OU fan. That was not a bad thing.

The question here is, what is acceptable. Well, here is what is NOT acceptable.

I was sickened during the recent years when much of the Big-12 just cruised into Norman and won, often without OU even putting up a good fight. I was sickened when I would make the drive to the LNC knowing in my heart that the Sooners had no chance of victory against a decent opponent. I was sickened that since the beginning of the 2006-07 season, Texas had beaten OU 12 out of 14 times. Most of all, I was sickened by the fact that going to OU basketball games was really not much fun anymore.

I go to the games at the LNC. What happens at the LNC is very important to me. I expect an Oklahoma basketball program that is good enough that it rarely losses a home game. I expect a basketball program where, most of the time, NO OTHER TEAM IN THE COUNTRY is confident of victory when they visit Norman, Oklahoma.

The post season is nice, but the post season does not have a chance to happen if our team is not good enough to hold serve at home, inside the LNC.

 

[luckyc1423]

Def some great and interesting answers and better yet we stayed on topic and as of now noone has been called a troll lol

I think one thing we all agree is win is the biggest priority.
Some seem to love billy ball and some seem to love hard nose Sampson ball.

For me, I think you recruit the best talent and adjust your style that best suits our personnel. Whether it be up tempo or slow down.