I REALLY hope people were paying attention to these exhibitions

[coolm]

and pull the reins back on some of these expectations.

They've done some positive things and they will have some strengths...but they're not going to be very good overall.

Focus on player development, how well the team meshes, and how much they learn. This will make the season MUCH more palatable.

Kruger will get the job done eventually, but it won't be with this particular group.

 

[NickZepp]

Yep, there's a lot to like about this team compared to the last 2. I think we should be better than those 2 teams. But really that's about all we should expect out of the gate for Kruger.

 

[seniorsooner]

Who really had expectations?

 

[AdaSooner]

My expectations are limited to improving as a team. Period.

Oh, I believe we'll win more games than last year's squad. But it's not tied to anything out of the ordinary, iike getting a decent seed in the NCAA tourney. Do I think this team has an outside chance to get a post season birth in the NIT or beyond? Sure. But I'm under no illusions that we have a long way to go to make that possible.

Having said that, though, there's a lot to like about this team. They seem to genuinely care for each other. LK and his coaches have these kids playing together as a team for a change, especially on defense. Win or lose it will be a team effort.

Those are huge steps forward from what we saw in the past two years. I'm happy with that, at least for now.

 

[badger]

I love this team and I don't care that our competition so far has been D-2 home exhibition games.

Did you see the way that they high-fived everyone from the students to the kids to the old alums after the game? They're playing like a team, they're swarming the opposition on defense, they're showing true signs of progress from last season in just about every way.

I don't care if they lose occasionally to more talented, stronger, taller teams--- they're winners

 

[thebigabd]

OU only won its exhibition game last year by 10 points and were trailing by 6 points with 7 minutes to play, AND were losing the entire game.

Much different this year.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I've never seen the problem with having high expectations until proven otherwise; but I've never been a fan of a defeatist mentality either. Do I think we currently have a roster that can win a conference championship? No. But I do realistically feel that: (1) in just about every game we go into we will have an edge on the bench both in off-the court preparation and on-the-court coaching ability; and (2) we have eight or nine kids on this roster that can compete at the B12 level. I think (1) has already proven itself out on some level as CLK has had six weeks or so with these guys and they already look more cohesive than at any point last season. I think (2) is still a work in progress but I haven't seen anything to this point to make me change my mind.

 

[trueou]

Yesterday, I saw a true milestone in defensive improvement. I actually saw Fitzgerald rotate over with help defense to stop a dribble penetration. It almost looked natural. But I don't remember seeing it very often last year.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I've never seen the problem with having high expectations until proven otherwise; but I've never been a fan of a defeatist mentality either. Do I think we currently have a roster that can win a conference championship? No. But I do realistically feel that: (1) in just about every game we go into we will have an edge on the bench both in off-the court preparation and on-the-court coaching ability; and (2) we have eight or nine kids on this roster that can compete at the B12 level. I think (1) has already proven itself out on some level as CLK has had six weeks or so with these guys and they already look more cohesive than at any point last season. I think (2) is still a work in progress but I haven't seen anything to this point to make me change my mind.

There is no problem with having high expectations as long as you don't overreact when those high expectations aren't met.

 

[AdaSooner]

Yesterday, I saw a true milestone in defensive improvement. I actually saw Fitzgerald rotate over with help defense to stop a dribble penetration. It almost looked natural. But I don't remember seeing it very often last year.

Good point. You don't recall seeing our help defense much last year, because it didn't happen very often.

In contrast to what we grew to expect last year, our two exhibition opponents have found the lanes to easy layups and dunks tough to come by. That is a far cry from the route to easy buckets we witnessed last year. And, to be honest, it was nearly as bad in the final games as the exhibition portion of our season.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

There is no problem with having high expectations as long as you don't overreact when those high expectations aren't met.

Exactly. I'm not that emotionally invested in sports to go crazy when even my favorite team loses from time-to-time. That said, I'm certainly not going to go into this season with my head down conceding that OU is going to be terrible based on what I've seen so far. I call it "perspective"

 

[Northbase]

The most important thing we as fans can do is go to games and be supportive of players and Coach Kruger. Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised........................but, who knows?

Also, with many teams in the past, the Nov & Dec games were shoddy, messy, and learning to play together, only to finally jell during conference play, and then hit their peaks towards March. It is a long process, and if the kids don't get burned out, or lose focus, then maybe they will meet some "higher" expectations.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I think there is a significant distinction between expectations and goals that is being overlooked. Expectations are things that are taken as a given, goals are things you work for to try to achieve. Just like any other season, I think that the goal for the OUMBB should be to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Just like any other season, I think that the expectation should be that our kids are prepared and play hard.

To emphasize the distinction, I do not believe that Jeff Capel was let go because he failed to reach the goal of making the NCAA two years in a row, but because he failed to live up to expectations two years in a row. In fact, it was his termination that crystallized in my mind the distinction between expectations and goals from a fans perspective. Everything I've seen from CLK leads me to think that he will meet expectations this season; whether his team is able to reach a standard goal of the OUMBB program is TBD.

 

[T_Neal's Twitter]

If you people don't think this team will be improved over the past two years, you are kidding yourselves. Defense especially will be much improved

 

[NormanPride]

My God, we are light years better on defense already than we ever were last year.

 

[coolm]

I am CERTAINLY not saying we can't or wont be better ... I am saying we still won't be really good.

 

[WTSooner]

I am saying we still won't be really good.

I don't think I've seen anybody expecting us to be really good. Best "guesses" I've seen offered sneaking into the Dance as our upside. I still agree with that, but think the NIT is probably likely.

 

[badger]

You know what else is improved?

TV

We can actually see virtually every mens and womens game now here in Tulsa, even exhibitions!

This makes me happy. Our streets here are all under construction and it makes it difficult to travel to Norman for every game... but now I can still love and follow the team even if I'm not at LNC.

 

[AdaSooner]

My God, we are light years better on defense already than we ever were last year.

Now, that I agree with!. I have no idea what we were trying to accomplish on defense last season, and I doubt if the players did either.

I have already gone on record in saying that our defense is much improved. This team has clearly bought what Coach Kruger is selling. There's still room for improvement. But I like what I have seen so far.

 

[bocabull]

I disagree people need to pull the reins back on this season. I always said we had 20 win talent under Capel for this season.

Kruger is a better coach and has improved the talent with Grooms and Arent.

After watching these guys play the first couple exhibitions I expect the results of one of Sampson's average teams at OU. Fundamentally sound, better than average overall talent, plays like a team, scratches and claws on every possession.

Sticking with 20+ wins and 9-9 conference.