Great news

[BigTime]

I don't have a clue as to why you don't believe him. One doesn't need to have an personal one on one interview with Kruger to come to the same conclusions.

1. Cam is primed for a big year. He is a senior and has shown flashes of pretty good.
2. Last years freshmen will be much improved as sophs.
3. Most fans are underestimating Spangler and Bennett.
4. Cole, Hamilton, and Neal may not be impact players.
5. Avila may be a use full every game sub.
6. Grooms and Pledger won't be missed.

What is it about that scenario that you are having so much trouble with?

#6 is the one that I have a hard time with. Though if that is the case then this team will be a fringe tourney team much like last year and I will be very happy much like last year.

 

[garyeb2]

#6 is the one that I have a hard time with. Though if that is the case then this team will be a fringe tourney team much like last year and I will be very happy much like last year.

Well, if the 1st 5 prove out to be accurate, then #6 would become accurate due to improvements in other areas. Even if one believed that Grooms and Pledger were valuable assets last season, the weight of their loss would be diminished by contributions from Woodard and Booker and the good play of Spangler, Cousins, Buddy, Hornbeak, and Cam.

 

[KBaden145]

#6 is the one that I have a hard time with. Though if that is the case then this team will be a fringe tourney team much like last year and I will be very happy much like last year.

We definitely will not miss Sam. There might be times in particular games where we will miss having another shooter on the floor but I don't think I will be saying 'boy, I wish we had Steven Pledger right here'.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I don't have a clue as to why you don't believe him. One doesn't need to have an personal one on one interview with Kruger to come to the same conclusions.

1. Cam is primed for a big year. He is a senior and has shown flashes of pretty good.
2. Last years freshmen will be much improved as sophs.
3. Most fans are underestimating Spangler and Bennett.
4. Cole, Hamilton, and Neal may not be impact players.
5. Avila may be a use full every game sub.
6. Grooms and Pledger won't be missed.

What is it about that scenario that you are having so much trouble with?

#6 is the one I have issues personally with. But the main thing is that I don't believe Kruger would give this info personally with someone that would go plaster it on a message board. Especially the remarks about grooms and pledger being easily replicable

 

[Big Old Booger]

We definitely will not miss Sam. There might be times in particular games where we will miss having another shooter on the floor but I don't think I will be saying 'boy, I wish we had Steven Pledger right here'.

Exactly but Bounce is the President of the Stephen Pledger fan club. He thinks Pledger is the best guard since he (bounce) started watching OU basketball which was 3 or 4 years ago. :ez-laugh:

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Exactly but Bounce is the President of the Stephen Pledger fan club. He thinks Pledger is the best guard since he (bounce) started watching OU basketball which was 3 or 4 years ago. :ez-laugh:

You don't know what you are talking about. I have been very critical of Pledger this year.

 

[garyeb2]

#6 is the one I have issues personally with. But the main thing is that I don't believe Kruger would give this info personally with someone that would go plaster it on a message board. Especially the remarks about grooms and pledger being easily replicable

Well, firstly, it probably isn't a very good idea to go public with information that was obtained through a private conversation. But, that is a choice the poster made.

Part of a college coach's job is to develop relationships and rapport with high school coaches. It benefits the college coach and the program to do just that. Stoops just fired one of his long time assistants for among other things letting those relationships with high school coaches diminish in his recruiting area.

It isn't unrealistic to think that feeding a little inside information would be one way Kruger would use to develop and acquire assets. It has been my experience that Kruger is a pretty shifty guy when it come to getting anything use full. But, my experience in no way reflects how Kruger might interact with others that have a different relationship. Why should he tell me anything. I don't have anything to give him back. A long time well thought of high school coach can give him a lot. With the right recruit he could be furnished background, insight, and access. That is certainly worth sharing a few secrets.

To me this whole thread for some is a case of not liking the message and attacking the messenger.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Well, firstly, it probably isn't a very good idea to go public with information that was obtained through a private conversation. But, that is a choice the poster made.

Part of a college coach's job is to develop relationships and rapport with high school coaches. It benefits the college coach and the program to do just that. Stoops just fired one of his long time assistants for among other things letting those relationships with high school coaches diminish in his recruiting area.

It isn't unrealistic to think that feeding a little inside information would be one way Kruger would use to develop and acquire assets. It has been my experience that Kruger is a pretty shifty guy when it come to getting anything use full. But, my experience in no way reflects how Kruger might interact with others that have a different relationship. Why should he tell me anything. I don't have anything to give him back. A long time well thought of high school coach can give him a lot. With the right recruit he could be furnished background, insight, and access. That is certainly worth sharing a few secrets.

To me this whole thread for some is a case of not liking the message and attacking the messenger.

:clap

 

[SoonerBounce13]

To me this whole thread for some is a case of not liking the message and attacking the messenger.

not at all from my side.

 

[WaymanFan]

I have no reason to doubt the original poster. I also know it's human nature for things to get lost in translation. The odds of Coach Kruger saying that "Woodward Booker will replace Grooms and Pledger easily" to someone outside of his inner circle? About a million to one. But he could have said something like this --> "Woodward and Booker are the real deal. We think they could come in and have a chance to pick up where Grooms and Pledger left off."

 

[luckyc1423]

I don't have a clue as to why you don't believe him. One doesn't need to have an personal one on one interview with Kruger to come to the same conclusions.

1. Cam is primed for a big year. He is a senior and has shown flashes of pretty good.
2. Last years freshmen will be much improved as sophs.
3. Most fans are underestimating Spangler and Bennett.
4. Cole, Hamilton, and Neal may not be impact players.
5. Avila may be a use full every game sub.
6. Grooms and Pledger won't be missed.

What is it about that scenario that you are having so much trouble with?

4&6 for me

people have already listed reasons for number 6. number 4 because I dont believe kruger would openly bash any of his players or atleast I hope he wouldnt. And he didnt say there were not impact players the original post said "He hopes Neal Cole Hamilton will be better but dont know how much they can contribute in D1."

it doesnt say on this team or even in the big 12, he said he doesnt know how much they can contribute in division 1.

 

[luckyc1423]

If kruger did infact make some of these comments I would rather the poster not post this on the message board imo. I dont want to believe kruger would openly say some of his players are not good enough for division 1 or say pledger will be easily replaced.

I would rather believe kruger respects his kids more than that and just keep those type of comments "in house" then read this and think he is ok "knocking" on players.

 

[scrybe]

It's a message board. People lie all the time to make themselves feel more important

I suppose you're speaking from personal experience? :ez-laugh:

Seriously, SoonerBounce, I'm just saying it's not a good policy – not to mention it's not very nice – to outright call another poster a liar, especially when you have no proof to support such an accusation.

 

[nikebasketball]

Woodward will score more then Grooms and will have better D even as a freshman. Pledger was pretty much a 3 point shooter. Booker can hit 3s just as good as pledger and his D should be better. Like i said in a earlier post he did not dog on Neal cole Hamilton he just said he dont know how much they can score rebound etc. as much as Clark Buddy Jelon will..and like i said in my first post i should not have started this thread but this one is not that bad that Kruger would not care to be posted.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I suppose you're speaking from personal experience? :ez-laugh:

Seriously, SoonerBounce, I'm just saying it's not a good policy – not to mention it's not very nice – to outright call another poster a liar, especially when you have no proof to support such an accusation.

Liar...

 

[scrybe]

Liar...

I consider that a compliment, coming from you (and that's the truth)!

 

[WTSooner]

Woodward will score more then Grooms

Yes and no. Will Woodard average more than 5 ppg for the season? Probably.

Will he have any 8 game stretch, let alone the final 8 regular season games, where he averages nearly 14 ppg? I'd bet no. And we needed Grooms to be huge over those last 8 games to make the Dance.

Pledger was pretty much a 3 point shooter. Booker can hit 3s just as good as pledger and his D should be better.

Pledger is one of the top 3 point shooters in OU history. I'm sorry, and I say this as a HUGE Booker fan, but he isn't going to come in and offer as a true freshman what Pledger offered as a senior. Pledger wasn't just some random, 3rd or 4th offensive option that could shoot stand still threes, like a Timmy Heskett. Pledger was a large part of our offense, and pretty much our only perimeter threat. Booker won't come close to matching Pledger next year. And defense is Booker's biggest question mark. He is actually a carbon copy of Pledger. A shoot-first guard with decent size and very average athletic ability.

 

[WTSooner]

Let me put this comparison another way. Hield and Hornbeak were rated significantly higher than Booker was/is. Pledger was better than both of them last year. And Cousins. And every OU player not named Osby. But he will be "easily" replaced by a guy with Booker's pedigree? Not going to happen next year.

I think Booker has a chance to be better than Pledger at some point. But it won't be next season.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I'm a little suprised that Kruger would be that specific outside the Sooner family but I have never met the man. He does seem to be very open about things.

As for not missing Pledger and Grooms I can identify with that. Kruger went to great lengths to find a better point guard than Grooms from the freshman trio. That speaks volumes about how comfortable he was with Grooms as his starting point guard.

Also in the late season meltdown (final 3 games) Pledger went 5-26 from the floor 2-16 from behind the arc and captured 7 rebounds. Grooms was better but not nearly as good as when he had his good streak.

Grooms was 6-15 from the field, 1-5 behind the arc and captured 6 rebounds. His greatest contribution was 12 assists vs 4 turnovers.

Between them they scored a total of 32 points in the three games and grabbed 13 rebounds.

The 14 assists between them will be a little hard to replace but not impossible. I think we can find a couple of players who can score 5 plus points a game.

 

[garyeb2]

Let me put this comparison another way. Hield and Hornbeak were rated significantly higher than Booker was/is. Pledger was better than both of them last year. And Cousins. And every OU player not named Osby. But he will be "easily" replaced by a guy with Booker's pedigree? Not going to happen next year.

I think Booker has a chance to be better than Pledger at some point. But it won't be next season.

You sure have an odd way of looking at things. How about this perspective. Buddy and Hornbeak both beat Pledger out last season. Pledger held on to a starting spot in the lineup because he beat out Cam.

You keep saying that Pledger was the 2nd best player on the team. he wasn't, he was the second leading scorer. Just barely. M'Baye was the second best player on the team and any attempt to debate otherwise is foolishness. And just to help a little more with perspective.

OU won 20 games last season and made it to the tourney on Romero Osby's back. Pledger and the rest of them were nothing more than bit players in Romero's show. To try to suggest otherwise is diminishing Osby's season.

Pledger scored 11 points a game and couldn't guard anyone. Hardly the stuff of legends. Pledger, Grooms, and Fitz were nothing more than 2nd rate talents. I'm absolutely confident that by the time they finished up, Kruger was sick of all three of him.

It is no stretch at all to believe that Kruger not only thinks he can easily replace them, he would be happy to do it.

There wasn't a player in the country that was guarded harder than Rotnie Clarke. But, no one worked harder off the ball and it didn't stop him from being a plus 40% career shooter from 3. His defense was adequate and every day, and I mean every day, he stayed late and put up shots till he had 300 makes. Then he had to take a one hour ice bath to keep the soreness at bay.
That is a 1st rate talent.

You look up second rate talent in the dictionary and you find a picture of Pledger. A 37% career shooter from 3. A player who acted like his objective every night was to play an entire game without breaking a sweat. A player that never ever did anything but the bare minimum to get by.

How you wove this Pledger fairy tale in your mind and imprinted on him like a baby duckling does his momma will forever be a mystery.