In all fairness to Jeff Capel

[MsProudSooner]

He's always said his ultimate job would be as a GM for an NBA team. He has connections w/ the Clippers (Blake) and he probably knows the folks at the Thunder. If wonder if he'll pursue those goals.

 

[jaymOU]

Cool

Agree on all points. Jeff has a lot to learn and he is young. From what I hear, he is a great guy and I believe he has a lot of potential.

If I were his mentor - not that he needs advice from me, I would tell him:

Find a system you like - both offensively and defensively and stick with it. I think most coaches get a style and use that style almost exclusively. The great ones learn to tweak their system to fit special talents, but most use the same system and recruit to that system.

What is Jeff's system and what was his identity at OU?

Tubbs was a run-and-gun, Sampson was hard-nose competitor, Phil Jackson is the triangle, Coach K is shoot the 3 and you can go on and on.

Once Jeff gets an identity, I think he can become a great head coach. We may look back on this day and wonder what might have been if he had stayed.

 

[OUFan]

I like him too but it is best to move on after 2 straight losing seasons

 

[ou4ever]

1. I like the guy.
2. I don't think he's a bad coach. I think he was in over his head after some recruits put us in a perilous spot.
3. With more experience I figure he'll be a very good coach. He just wasn't a good fit for OU at this time.
4. I wish him the best.

+1 I was in the camp of those who wanted to give him one more year. I think he's a young coach who is still learning his craft. I expect him to do well in the future. I think he's learned a few things at Oklahoma that will help him become a better coach.

 

[OUHoosier]

He's always said his ultimate job would be as a GM for an NBA team. He has connections w/ the Clippers (Blake) and he probably knows the folks at the Thunder. If wonder if he'll pursue those goals.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I really like Capel, but he's been very upfront that his goal is to be an NBA front office guy, not a head coach.

Anyone else think it ironic, that Sampson is likely to be an NBA interim coach (after cheating and virtually destroying my alma mater's team) and now Capel could follow his route into the NBA?

 

[Sam]

1. I like the guy.
2. I don't think he's a bad coach. I think he was in over his head after some recruits put us in a perilous spot.
3. With more experience I figure he'll be a very good coach. He just wasn't a good fit for OU at this time.
4. I wish him the best.

All this.

Plus Thank you for two years of Blake Griffin.


Capel seems like a good person from all I've heard and seen, he just made some mistakes with Willie, Tiny and TMG and ended up in over his head.

 

[MichSooner]

+1 I was in the camp of those who wanted to give him one more year. I think he's a young coach who is still learning his craft. I expect him to do well in the future. I think he's learned a few things at Oklahoma that will help him become a better coach.

I did not think that Jeff would survive, though I was not sure. He obviously didn't. I was also not sure what was the correct call in this situation.

I do like Jeff and also wish him well.

 

[OUFan]

Even though Jeff had 2 straight losing seasons, he still had a winning record as head coach as OU, I will miss Jeff, thank you Jeff for the memories!

 

[SoonerTraveler]

1. I like the guy.
2. I don't think he's a bad coach. I think he was in over his head after some recruits put us in a perilous spot.
3. With more experience I figure he'll be a very good coach. He just wasn't a good fit for OU at this time.
4. I wish him the best.

Agree. I think this change was necessary and will work out best in the long run for everyone involved, including Jeff Capel.

:OUbball-logo:

 

[Cleavon Little]

Agree completely with the sentiments here and wish the best for JC. Wish it could have worked out better.

 

[LoveDemSooners]

I hope JC finds a great job. He was just in a bad situation here once Blake left.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I've been very critical of Capel. I agree he will land on his feet and I think he will be a great coach in time. My angst was never at Capel, but more aimed at Joe Castiglione for going on the cheap when he hired Capel and hiring an inexperienced coach. I've always felt Capel was a good coach, but the inexperience showed in his player evaluation and in the way he recruited the big time studs and in the process lost out on plan B and had to resort to plan D (see Jai Lucas recruitment as one example).

I hope for Jeff's sake he finds somebody to teach him how valuable defense is especially when you can't recruit the big time talent. It would serve him well to understand this and force his teams to play lockdown defense. I also hope he has learned his lesson about how to discipline his players and that you can't be friends with them and coaching, like parenting, is not a popularity contest.

Good luck Jeff. I hope you do well and I hope at some point you make me regret ever wanting you out as OU's coach. It was nothing personal.

 

[MercedeSooner]

I've spoken to Capel personally on multiple occasions, exchanged emails with him also. As a person and representative of the university I have nothing but great things to say about him. He is respectful, knows how to treat people the right way, and represented our university the right way.

However I am first and foremost an OU fan which trumps all. It's obvious Capel was in over his head not only in regards to recruiting but also the ability to properly run a big time program. His ability to teach is also a big issue for me along with his inability to get kids to properly buy into what he is selling in terms of offensive/defensive schemes.

With all that said I still sided towards him because I knew him as a person, however that all changed with the NCAA problems last year. Sorry as an Oklahoma University fan I am sensitive towards any perceived violations, and in this case it was actually a coach helping the supposed cheating not some rogue booster. For me that is inexcusable.

Also I find it hard to believe that Capel had no knowledge what Coach O was doing and think those that believe that are being extremely naive. However even if you do believe that it shows how over his head Capel is if someone on his staff is committing violations of that nature and he is unaware of them.

All in all I know Jeff will land on his feet and do well, he has a lot of bball knowledge and comes from a great pedigree and is a fine individual. I think that is something most everyone can agree with, but OU needed a change and now was the right time.

 

[StoopsBros]

Good luck Jeffrey!

 

[sooneraia]

I predict one of his future teams will beat us.....................

 

[cowboysooner]

I think firing Jeff was and is a mistake. I think he has great long term potential and will be a great coach. We'll see. I blame him for much, but not all, of our current woes. But, long term, I think we are going to wish we had stayed the course. However, this is why they pay Joe C the big bucks.

Joe's M-O has always been to hire young guys he believes can recruit, and on the cheap, give them our vast resources and then hope his piece of coal turns out to be a diamond. We'll see if he follows this course again, or tries for an established name. It will be interesting to watch.