I know this much...

[Shooterms]

I would much rather watch a team full of team-first over-acheivers than a team littered with me-first under-acheivers, even if the win/loss record is equal.
That being said, predicting that next year's team is going to be bad is at least as presumptuously uninformed as predicting a year ago that we were going to be world-beaters.
If this team shows the kind of grit, determination and work ethic that Cade plays with, it is going to be a good year.

 

[Sooner Quick]

Good point Shooter. I expect the new guys will be more receptive to any criticism as well and look to Cade and follow his examples in work ethic.

 

[Darwin]

I would much rather watch a team full of team-first over-acheivers than a team littered with me-first under-acheivers, even if the win/loss record is equal.
That being said, predicting that next year's team is going to be bad is at least as presumptuously uninformed as predicting a year ago that we were going to be world-beaters.
If this team shows the kind of grit, determination and work ethic that Cade plays with, it is going to be a good year.

great point

 

[j2d2]

I would guess that Capel was careful to stress t5hat work, work and more work would be required and that any sign whatsoever of slacking off or "me first" would result in a quick exit. I'd be surprised if he didn't require those guys to promise that they would give their best from the start.

 

[sooner333]

I would much rather watch a team full of team-first over-acheivers than a team littered with me-first under-acheivers.

You're old school. And that's a good thing.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB5-yJM3vJc[/ame]

 

[One More Rebound]

Are we saying we want lunch pail players?

 

[SoonerNorm]

Are we saying we want lunch pail players?

Sure, if they can play at a high level.

 

[oketex]

Guys, I don't care how good a coach you are, if you had the team that we had last year with the "it's all about me" attitude you are not going to be very successful. Yes, we were all sucked in with the McD's AA's coming to OU but they all were about themselves and not about the team. I use to get onto Tony C and Cade but maybe these guys understood what was happening early on and knew the attitude.

Now for those who don't believe the "it's all about me" if TMG was about the team he would be in school right now helping to turn this thing around, as for Willie, SO LONG and Tiny - you need to figure out your destination in life because if you are thinking people are going to give it to you because you are a very large individual, you need to rethink you destination.

Let's all hope for the best and maybe, just maybe a team with team players can win a few games.

 

[luckyc1423]

Guys, I don't care how good a coach you are, if you had the team that we had last year with the "it's all about me" attitude you are not going to be very successful. Yes, we were all sucked in with the McD's AA's coming to OU but they all were about themselves and not about the team. I use to get onto Tony C and Cade but maybe these guys understood what was happening early on and knew the attitude.

Now for those who don't believe the "it's all about me" if TMG was about the team he would be in school right now helping to turn this thing around, as for Willie, SO LONG and Tiny - you need to figure out your destination in life because if you are thinking people are going to give it to you because you are a very large individual, you need to rethink you destination.

Let's all hope for the best and maybe, just maybe a team with team players can win a few games.

I strongly disagree...the great coaches should be able to get kids to play as a team...should be able to install discipline
Look at UNC year in year out...they have abunch of me first guys and still put a great team on the floor
Look at Texas year in year out...they are always in the top 15
Look at Kansas
Look at Kentucky

All the great programs have elite talent that is or once was me first, but they also have great coaches that are able to tame that talent into a team.

 

[sooner8]

Good point lucky!!You have to have some elite players on your team & your head coach has to be able to not only recruit that talent,but mold it & coach it.Grab your hard hats & pull up your boots on can only go so far.Go Sooners!!!!!!!

 

[SoonerNorm]

I strongly disagree...the great coaches should be able to get kids to play as a team...should be able to install discipline
Look at UNC year in year out...they have abunch of me first guys and still put a great team on the floor
Look at Texas year in year out...they are always in the top 15
Look at Kansas
Look at Kentucky

All the great programs have elite talent that is or once was me first, but they also have great coaches that are able to tame that talent into a team.

I think Jeff is capable of handling most teams. Last year we didn't have a normal team but rather a bunch of individuals who got in trouble, who were suspended, and who were not interested in playing team basketball. If Jeff gets things straightened out, it will tell me that last year was an aboration and I won't spend any time worrying about that one year. If it happens again, there will be some changes made.

 

[luckyc1423]

I think Jeff is capable of handling most teams. Last year we didn't have a normal team but rather a bunch of individuals who got in trouble, who were suspended, and who were not interested in playing team basketball. If Jeff gets things straightened out, it will tell me that last year was an aboration and I won't spend any time worrying about that one year. If it happens again, there will be some changes made.

I agree I think capel has the "potential" to be one of the greats but he is not there right now....so we have to make a decision if we are willing to go through his growing pains and hope he sticks around with us when he gets better...or if we need to cut ties

And I also agree that last years team was a tough one to coach, but they were not uncoachable....capel made mistakes from the very beginning that led to the way guys were playing and acting
I just wanted to make the point that we need top elite talent to be able to go were we want to go (national championship)....and we do not need to let one year change our mindset because without that elite talent we cannot compete as well....and quit frankly I think anyone can coach a group of lunch palers...anyone can coach guys that are willing to listen and be devoted...but what seperates the great coaches and the ok coaches are being able to mold the talent into a group

 

[Shooterms]

I strongly disagree...the great coaches should be able to get kids to play as a team...should be able to install discipline
Look at UNC year in year out...they have abunch of me first guys and still put a great team on the floor
Look at Texas year in year out...they are always in the top 15
Look at Kansas
Look at Kentucky

All the great programs have elite talent that is or once was me first, but they also have great coaches that are able to tame that talent into a team.

I've seen you make this leap before. Elite does not equate to me-first. Blake was not a me-first player, Wayman was not a me-first player, Stacey King was not a me-first player, Kevin Durant was not a me-first player, etc and so on. The problem with last year's team was not great talent, the problem was that these guys were not playing for the team, but the two characteristics are not bound together. I'm not sure why you think that they are.

 

[bocabull]

All I care about is seeing good basketball. It does nothing for me to see somebody bust their butt, but not be good enough to play the game at a high level.

I have hopes for Clark, Newell, Tyler, Washington, Blair, Fitz and Pledger. That is 7 guys to build around that can hopefully get us 16-15 this season and then make an NCAA tournament run the year after.

 

[Shooterms]

And I also agree that last years team was a tough one to coach, but they were not uncoachable....capel made mistakes from the very beginning that led to the way guys were playing and acting

How could you possibly know that?

 

[luckyc1423]

How could you possibly know that?

I dont...this is just my opinion obviously...I believe he made the mistake by not cracking the whip early and often with these young guys...he needed to let them know what there role was, because I didnt get the vibe from watching the games that everyone knew their role

 

[Shooterms]

I dont...this is just my opinion obviously...I believe he made the mistake by not cracking the whip early and often with these young guys...he needed to let them know what there role was, because I didnt get the vibe from watching the games that everyone knew their role

When you look at the decisions some of those guys made, coming out early with very poor draft potential, it becomes evident there is not much that can be done/said/threatened, to get through to them. I know enough about what went on behind closed doors to know that there was essentially a perfect storm of attitudes and personalities. I'm glad to see that storm pass.

 

[MsProudSooner]

All I care about is seeing good basketball. It does nothing for me to see somebody bust their butt, but not be good enough to play the game at a high level.

I have hopes for Clark, Newell, Tyler, Washington, Blair, Fitz and Pledger. That is 7 guys to build around that can hopefully get us 16-15 this season and then make an NCAA tournament run the year after.

You left out Cade Davis.

 

[boksooner]

You left out Cade Davis.

And TJ Taylor

 

[bocabull]

You left out Cade Davis.

On purpose. I expect from Cade what we got from Michael Neal in Capels first season. Around 10 ppg on a .500ish team.

But the future will be based on the 7 guys I mentioned and hopefully a couple more top recruits next season.