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Under the direction of Lon Kruger, Oklahoma is hosting it's first-ever Alumni Weekend and Legends game, and it's shaping up to be a bigger event than anyone could have ever dreamed it would be.
As of Wednesday, OU was expecting well over 100 former Sooner greats, including the likes of Blake Griffin, Hollis Price, Alvan Adams, Eduardo Najera, Stacey King among others, in town to honor the 2002 Final Four team with a banquet on Friday night, and then to take part in the Legends game on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Admission to the game, which will be held at the Lloyd Noble Center, is free and the doors will open at 11 a.m.
Earlier this week, OUHoops.com was able to catch up with a handful former Sooner greats, who will be in attendance this weekend, to get their thoughts about their careers and the direction of the program under Lon Kruger.
Among those we talked to include: Mike McCurdy (1972-75), Choo Kennedy (1983-87), William Tisdale (1983-85), Mike Neal (2005-07) and Austin Johnson (2005-09).
OUHoops: Favorite memory at Oklahoma?
Mike Neal: Winning four games in a row by one in the 2005-2006 season. Playing with a group of tough players. Beating up on OSU.
William Tisdale: My most favorite memory from my Sooner playing has to be the year we won the Big Eight regular season conference title. Realizing that for the moment in a season, the Sooners were the best team in our league is a memory that last forever.
Choo Kennedy: The ice storm game against Las Vegas. Got to win a game at the buzzer, sort of.
Mike McCurdy: Favorite memory was, of course, the teammates I played with, my senior year beating 4th-ranked South Carolina coached by Frank McGuire, and outscoring Alex English and Mike Dunleavy.
Austin Johnson: It is hard for me to have just “one favorite memory”, but if I had to choose just one, or three, it would be winning the pre-season NIT Championship in New York, going to the Maui Classic Tournament in Hawaii, and the whole NCAA Tournament experience during my season year.
OUHoops: What was your favorite thing about Norman?
Mike Neal: I still live in norman, the people are great. I've built a lot of good relationships with people here.
William Tisdale: There were many favorite things I liked about Norman, but one of me and Wayman's and I favorite hangouts was a place called The Kettle. I spent countless hours cramming for finals and meeting friends there.
Choo Kennedy: Going to football games. All of the games in the '85 championship year.
Austin Johnson: My favorite thing about living in Norman was having such a small and close college community. Everyone respected us and took great care of us, regardless of a win or a loss. Because everyone was a Sooner fan, it felt like “home” to me.
OUHoops: What is your funniest memory of your time at OU?
Mike Neal: We were losing at Texas my junior year. Coach Sampson was ripen' everyone in a timeout, and Taj Gray went to sit down and broke the chair. An extremely serious moment was broken with David Godbold's laughter. I put a towel over my face...had to laugh.
Austin Johnson's few moments of rebelling. Beau Gerber eating in pre/post game meals. Tony Crocker's anger problem. Alex Brown's jokes (hands down the funniest).
William Tisdale: Once again, this is a multi-faceted question. Memory one has to be the year we clinched the Big Eight title in Colorado. The whole team held up our ring finger to display the fact that we were going to receive championship rings. However, the next morning the Colorado papers headlines read, "Sooners flip off Buffalo fans". To refute this claim, Coach Tubbs made us all wear mittens at the conclusion of the remaining games.
Choo Kennedy: Was Coach Tubbs telling the refs no matter how bad the refs are, don't throw nothing on the floor.
Austin Johnson: The funniest memory regarding my time at OU would have to be my freshman year. It all started when we were walking to weights at 5:30 a.m. and we see Coach Bennie Seltzer in the training room with both of his legs up getting treatment and iced.
So, we go and ask Coach Seltzer what happened and he said, “As I was leaving work last night, I got cornered by a skunk and the door shut behind me so I was locked out”.
That being said, Coach Seltzer was left with the decision of getting sprayed by the skunk or jumping 20 to 30 feet down the ramp. His final decision…risking his life and breaking both ankles.
OUHoops: Your thoughts on Lon Kruger and the new staff?
Mike Neal: I think the new staff will be a great fit for OU. I look forward to coming to the games and supporting them and our program.
William Tisdale: Coach Kruger and his staff seems to be the real deal. I am excited to have them on board to bring respectability back to the Sooner program. I look forward to being part of this new era.
Choo Kennedy: I like Coach K, but for one thing — beating us at the buzzer my last home game in the LNC.
Mike McCurdy: We competed against Lon several times during my time at the University. We never lost to him at home, but couldn't ever beat him in Manhattan. It will be good to talk about those times with him.
Austin Johnson: Although I don’t have much knowledge on Lon Kruger and his staff, I do know that he has a reputation for helping struggling programs become competitive. I look forward to meeting Coach Kruger and his staff this weekend at the Sooner Basketball Family Weekend.
As of Wednesday, OU was expecting well over 100 former Sooner greats, including the likes of Blake Griffin, Hollis Price, Alvan Adams, Eduardo Najera, Stacey King among others, in town to honor the 2002 Final Four team with a banquet on Friday night, and then to take part in the Legends game on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Admission to the game, which will be held at the Lloyd Noble Center, is free and the doors will open at 11 a.m.
Earlier this week, OUHoops.com was able to catch up with a handful former Sooner greats, who will be in attendance this weekend, to get their thoughts about their careers and the direction of the program under Lon Kruger.
Among those we talked to include: Mike McCurdy (1972-75), Choo Kennedy (1983-87), William Tisdale (1983-85), Mike Neal (2005-07) and Austin Johnson (2005-09).
OUHoops: Favorite memory at Oklahoma?
Mike Neal: Winning four games in a row by one in the 2005-2006 season. Playing with a group of tough players. Beating up on OSU.
William Tisdale: My most favorite memory from my Sooner playing has to be the year we won the Big Eight regular season conference title. Realizing that for the moment in a season, the Sooners were the best team in our league is a memory that last forever.
Choo Kennedy: The ice storm game against Las Vegas. Got to win a game at the buzzer, sort of.
Mike McCurdy: Favorite memory was, of course, the teammates I played with, my senior year beating 4th-ranked South Carolina coached by Frank McGuire, and outscoring Alex English and Mike Dunleavy.
Austin Johnson: It is hard for me to have just “one favorite memory”, but if I had to choose just one, or three, it would be winning the pre-season NIT Championship in New York, going to the Maui Classic Tournament in Hawaii, and the whole NCAA Tournament experience during my season year.
OUHoops: What was your favorite thing about Norman?
Mike Neal: I still live in norman, the people are great. I've built a lot of good relationships with people here.
William Tisdale: There were many favorite things I liked about Norman, but one of me and Wayman's and I favorite hangouts was a place called The Kettle. I spent countless hours cramming for finals and meeting friends there.
Choo Kennedy: Going to football games. All of the games in the '85 championship year.
Austin Johnson: My favorite thing about living in Norman was having such a small and close college community. Everyone respected us and took great care of us, regardless of a win or a loss. Because everyone was a Sooner fan, it felt like “home” to me.
OUHoops: What is your funniest memory of your time at OU?
Mike Neal: We were losing at Texas my junior year. Coach Sampson was ripen' everyone in a timeout, and Taj Gray went to sit down and broke the chair. An extremely serious moment was broken with David Godbold's laughter. I put a towel over my face...had to laugh.
Austin Johnson's few moments of rebelling. Beau Gerber eating in pre/post game meals. Tony Crocker's anger problem. Alex Brown's jokes (hands down the funniest).
William Tisdale: Once again, this is a multi-faceted question. Memory one has to be the year we clinched the Big Eight title in Colorado. The whole team held up our ring finger to display the fact that we were going to receive championship rings. However, the next morning the Colorado papers headlines read, "Sooners flip off Buffalo fans". To refute this claim, Coach Tubbs made us all wear mittens at the conclusion of the remaining games.
Choo Kennedy: Was Coach Tubbs telling the refs no matter how bad the refs are, don't throw nothing on the floor.
Austin Johnson: The funniest memory regarding my time at OU would have to be my freshman year. It all started when we were walking to weights at 5:30 a.m. and we see Coach Bennie Seltzer in the training room with both of his legs up getting treatment and iced.
So, we go and ask Coach Seltzer what happened and he said, “As I was leaving work last night, I got cornered by a skunk and the door shut behind me so I was locked out”.
That being said, Coach Seltzer was left with the decision of getting sprayed by the skunk or jumping 20 to 30 feet down the ramp. His final decision…risking his life and breaking both ankles.
OUHoops: Your thoughts on Lon Kruger and the new staff?
Mike Neal: I think the new staff will be a great fit for OU. I look forward to coming to the games and supporting them and our program.
William Tisdale: Coach Kruger and his staff seems to be the real deal. I am excited to have them on board to bring respectability back to the Sooner program. I look forward to being part of this new era.
Choo Kennedy: I like Coach K, but for one thing — beating us at the buzzer my last home game in the LNC.
Mike McCurdy: We competed against Lon several times during my time at the University. We never lost to him at home, but couldn't ever beat him in Manhattan. It will be good to talk about those times with him.
Austin Johnson: Although I don’t have much knowledge on Lon Kruger and his staff, I do know that he has a reputation for helping struggling programs become competitive. I look forward to meeting Coach Kruger and his staff this weekend at the Sooner Basketball Family Weekend.
