Great news

[WaymansFadeaway]

nikebasketball: Hey Coach!
Kruger: Uh, hey nikebasketball.
nikebasketball: Hey, Big Gulp huh?
Kruger: Nods head
nikebasketball: Cool. Welp, see ya later.

 

[nikebasketball]

nikebasketball: Hey Coach!
Kruger: Uh, hey nikebasketball.
nikebasketball: Hey, Big Gulp huh?
Kruger: Nods head
nikebasketball: Cool. Welp, see ya later.

huh?

 

[SoonerBounce13]

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.

.

Um wat

 

[Big Old Booger]

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 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.

Disagree X 10000!

He wouldn't have seen the floor on a number of Kelvin's and Billy's teams. IMO of course.

 

[garyeb2]

Disagree X 10000!

He wouldn't have seen the floor on a number of Kelvin's and Billy's teams. IMO of course.

Yea, that is right. I've said enough about Pledger. I want to talk about the Grooms comment. The defenses turned Grooms completely loose. Time after time in that stretch he was standing there with the ball in his hands and there wasn't a defender within 10 ft. of him.

He made some shots during that stretch and that is a good thing. But, if Woodard ever got that kind of treatment he would go off for 30 a game. It is like some of these posters put stuff out with the belief the rest of us aren't watching the games.

The book on Booker is that he is a hustling hard working gym rat that is an excellent shooter and a good all around player. That doesn't sound like a clone of any of the departing guards.

 

[WTSooner]

The book on Booker is that he is a hustling hard working gym rat that is an excellent shooter and a good all around player. That doesn't sound like a clone of any of the departing guards.

That and potentially athletically limited. At least for now.

 

[WTSooner]

By the way, here is ESPN's last scouting report of Pledger as a HS player:

ESPN Analyst

August, 2008: This kid is a gym rat. He's a big time shooter that plays very efficient and has very good size for a 2 guard. He struggles defensively against quicker wings on both ends but makes good basketball decisions and plays with a very high IQ. He is the type of player that will struggle defensively against athletic and quick wing players but will be solid in a team defensive scheme. Because of his high basketball IQ he will be an excellent motion player because he does a good job in reading screens and defenders. Do not look for him to create off the dribble but will be good enough to create some space offensively. In a motion system he will be able to stretch defenses because of his range. What he lacks in some areas will not take away from his overall game, a solid four year contributor.

 

[garyeb2]

By the way, here is ESPN's last scouting report of Pledger as a HS player:

Boy that was flattering. But, most of the recruiting capsules are, aren't they? Now, 4 years later, we know that they were wrong. He never maintained a gym rat attitude and his positives never outran his negatives.

I told you the common knowledge Rotnie Clarke story. Then there is the Buddy putting up a 1000 after practice shots a day on a broken foot story and the Cousins in the gym taking shots after the Tip In Club dinner on selection Sunday story. And Hornbeak right there shagging balls for them.

Got any Pledger stories?

I have free time and spend a lot of it reading. Some of it is about basketball and basketball players. I haven't come across anything that even remotely infers that Booker is in any way limited athletically. Do you have any research on that?

 

[WaymanFan]

Boy that was flattering. But, most of the recruiting capsules are, aren't they? Now, 4 years later, we know that they were wrong.

I have no idea about him being a gym rat or not. However, they certainly weren't wrong about him being a solid four-year contributor, that's for certain! The man will definitely make some money playing overseas. Everyone should be wishing him nothing but the best and cheering him on every step of the way...I feel sorry for anyone not on board with that.

As for Booker, let's hope he eventually is as good or even better than Pledger...again, I feel sorry for any OU fan not on board with that.

 

[garyeb2]

I have no idea about him being a gym rat or not. However, they certainly weren't wrong about him being a solid four-year contributor, that's for certain! The man will definitely make some money playing overseas. Everyone should be wishing him nothing but the best and cheering him on every step of the way...I feel sorry for anyone not on board with that.

As for Booker, let's hope he eventually is as good or even better than Pledger...again, I feel sorry for any OU fan not on board with that.

The things that you think are for certain and the things you think will definitely happen are opinionated and speculative at best.

And, if it really is your job to be telling OU fans what they should be thinking, feeling, or doing, please, jump in more often. I know that I'm not always up to speed on that. Mayby others are way off base too.

 

[nikebasketball]

I have no idea about him being a gym rat or not. However, they certainly weren't wrong about him being a solid four-year contributor, that's for certain! The man will definitely make some money playing overseas. Everyone should be wishing him nothing but the best and cheering him on every step of the way...I feel sorry for anyone not on board with that.

As for Booker, let's hope he eventually is as good or even better than Pledger...again, I feel sorry for any OU fan not on board with that.

I think every sooner fan is on board for every old sooner to excel in pro basketball and life.

 

[garyeb2]

I think every sooner fan is on board for every old sooner to excel in pro basketball and life.

Not me. I'm well past the point in life where I would wish misfortune on anyone. I especially wouldn't wish misfortune on a current or former basketball player. There is a group of people that I quietly root for. Some of those people are current or former OU basketball players. However, there is also a group that I could care less about one way or the other. Some of the people in that group are current or former OU Basketball players.

I just don't have a blind allegiance to jocks. Do you think that disqualifies me from being a "good" fan?

 

[nikebasketball]

Not me. I'm well past the point in life where I would wish misfortune on anyone. I especially wouldn't wish misfortune on a current or former basketball player. There is a group of people that I quietly root for. Some of those people are current or former OU basketball players. However, there is also a group that I could care less about one way or the other. Some of the people in that group are current or former OU Basketball players.

I just don't have a blind allegiance to jocks. Do you think that disqualifies me from being a "good" fan?

No

 

[WaymanFan]

And, if it really is your job to be telling OU fans what they should be thinking, feeling, or doing, please, jump in more often. I know that I'm not always up to speed on that. Mayby others are way off base too.

No, it's not...thought I was just stating the obvious, but was apparently wrong. I guess I won't speak for everybody in wishing Mr. Pledger all the success in whatever he does.

 

[Big Old Booger]

No, it's not...thought I was just stating the obvious, but was apparently wrong. I guess I won't speak for everybody in wishing Mr. Pledger all the success in whatever he does.

I can think of few college players for any team whom I don't/didn't wish success after college. The thug that played for Texas about 10 years ago, can't remember his name and Jason Sutherland of Mizzou are maybe the only 2 off the top of my head.

But that's just me.

 

[WaymanFan]

I can think of few college players for any team whom I don't/didn't wish success after college. The thug that played for Texas about 10 years ago, can't remember his name and Jason Sutherland of Mizzou are maybe the only 2 off the top of my head.

But that's just me.

Yes, that would be human nature...but I'm getting the feeling we have OU fans rooting against certain players (whether at OU or post-OU) for the sole reason of wanting to be right on an internet message board. That's the part which boggles my mind.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Yes, that would be human nature...but I'm getting the feeling we have OU fans rooting against certain players (whether at OU or post-OU) for the sole reason of wanting to be right on an internet message board. That's the part which boggles my mind.

I don't think so but you may be right. I get the feeling some (like Gary) root against certain players because they are frustrated with the effort (or lack thereof) by certain players. Stephen is a good example of this...he could have been a better or more consistent player but even as a sr, he disappeared. It seemed from where I sit, he didn't really care at times which is hard to understand (for me).

This is very frustrating and it's why Pledger received so much criticism from posters on this site, IMO.

But, maybe I'm wrong.

PS -- the Texas player I couldn't name was Gabe Muoneke.

 

[garyeb2]

Yes, that would be human nature...but I'm getting the feeling we have OU fans rooting against certain players (whether at OU or post-OU) for the sole reason of wanting to be right on an internet message board. That's the part which boggles my mind.

Well, give your mind a soothing rub to settle it down. Your feelings have led you to the wrong conclusions.

Whether I'm rooting for or against something has no bearing on the outcome. Pledger's own behaviors both on and off the court, his uneven effort in games, his unpredictable and undependable production has led me though my own observations to believe that he is a 2nd rate talent and 1st rate bum. And I am glad he is gone. I don't know Pledger. I don't hate Pledger. I don't wish Pledger any misfortune. I just don't have any use for him.

There are plenty of players coming through the program that don't get suspended three times for infractions ranging from legal problems to NCAA violations to violations of attendance policy. There are plenty of players coming through the program that respond to slumping or poor game performance by hitting the gym for extra work. There are plenty of players coming through the program that can be depended on for max effort every minute they are on the court. And I could go on and on. But, if you don't mind. I'll pick my favorites from this group. I'll root for them now and on into the future.

My youngest daughter was a cheerleader at OU 10 or so years ago. It was her job to root for all of them. But, it certainly isn't my job.

Now, with that said. I want the program to succeed and the team to win. I've never rooted against Pledger. I never hoped he would have a bad game. I never wished he would miss a shot. I never longed for his shortcomings to be amplified.

If people want to be both staunch OU fans and members of the pep squad, it is OK with me. But, for myself, I'll pass on the pep squad job. I don't think that I would look very good in one of those short skirts.

 

[WTSooner]

And there you have it folks.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I just don't have any use for him.

Well that's good to know. Thanks.

I'm sure Pledger will be so broken hearted