The board is full of perspective posts right now and I'm not sure I'm saying anything new here, but for my own selfish, cathartic reasons, I need to post these thoughts.
Lots of ways to judge success or failure. Rings and titles are one way, banners are another, as our wins and losses of course. But for me, as a fan, I like to ask a simple question: How fun was it?
How much did I enjoy the games? Both before, during, and after. Was I fully engaged? Did I really care? Did I enjoy talking about, analyzing, and disease ting the team and the games? The answers to these questions aren't always contained within the standings or the box score.
Two asides.... The 1991 Redskins went 14-2, dominated the league and won the SB. 25 years later we haven't been back... Not even close. I loved that team for obvious reasons... But the team in 1992 that went 9-7 and lost in the divisional playoffs is just as near and dear to my fans heart as 91. I loved that team trying to grind their way back; it was an agonizing, but extremely fun year and team to follow-- the all out effort they put to out to try and repeat against massive injuries and old age was awesome.
The 1990 Reds won the WS, but the 1999 Reds (who didn't even make the playoffs, losing in a one game playoff) is all my all time favorite baseball team. Glorious summer.
The Nova loss will always be a bit of mystery. It will never really make any sense. It was a 50/50 game at tip off that turned into the worst loss in F4 history. Baffling. It was A+ vs F-. All I can say is that they were clearly the better team-- they were better prepared/coached and just dominated us in every way. Tip your cap. Even if we play A+ I still think they lose. Their best was probably better than our best-- and it was about 44 points better than our worst. That game truly sucked. And it always will.
But I actually think it stings less than 88 or 02. In 88 or 02 we were superior to the teams that beat us. Those were upsets. We were underdogs in the game this year. Slight underdogs, but by no means can we claim this was a game we SHOULD have won. Ultimately, the National Semis were probably the absolute peak dream pinnacle this team could have reached. The final score is kind of immaterial to me. We got the F4 and lost. I can fully and totally accept that as a great season.
And man, was it fun. I was pretty skeptical in 2013; pleasantly surprised at the 10 seed--- didn't really start thinking "hmmmm..." Until the next year. Thst NDSU loss really stung-- that's when I knew I cared about OU hoops pretty deeply again. The team won me over. By seasons start of 2015 I was all in.
I hope the next four years trump these last four years in terms of wins and banners. I think they have a great chance to keep this train rolling. But it's going to be hard to top the level of enjoyment and joy of the past four seasons. This is the group that resurrected the program-- that's a tough task-- both physically on the court and emotionally with the fan base. But they did it. I don't expect the LNC to be sold out for SE La. next year, but I do believe the basketball program is relevant on campus again. And as long as they don't tank, I expect crowds and awareness to remain solid. The goodwill this team created could leave a lasting legacy.
It was going to hurt to say goodbye to this group no matter how it ended. Only one team gets to go out on top. We came so much closer than I ever would have guessed. The three weeks of this tourney were as much fun as I've had with any of my teams in a very long time. Culminating with the great scene in OKC vs VCU and the cutting down of the nets in Anaheim. Sometimes losing feels worse than winning feels good-- but this year the happiness I felt after Oregon trumped the sadness I felt after Nova.
Bottom line, I loved this team and enjoyed them so much. I hate that last night was our final chance to ride out with them and it ended in such distaste. But this will always be one of my favorite teams. Definitely feeling a tug of sadness knowing that Buddy, Spangler, and Cousins won't suit up for us ever again. Buddy especially, being such a one of a kind player and personality. Gonna be hard to ever find another player quite like him-- impossible really.
Being there at the VCU game will likely always go down as my best/favorite memory from this group. The show Buddy put on with the crowd in a frenzy was something else. Then the post game scene with the chants and Buddy putting his hand to his ear getting hugs from Cousins and Woodard.... That's the way you go out in front of the home fans. Just awesome. Will always remember that.
So that's that; and it stinks that it's over and it's awesome that they leave behind a F4 banner at the LNC. Could not ask for more over a four year span when you consider the circumstances.
Looking ahead.... While I loved this team, they were flawed. They lived off their early season success despite the fact that we were pretty "eh" after Lawrence. Getting the 2 seed in OKC was huge and drawing the Aggies and Ducks was also good fortune. And Buddy going bananas certainly helped. But one reason we may not miss the guys other than Buddy THAT much next year is because at the end, those guys had really worn down.
The Spangler slide was weird--- happened each year. So much better in Dec/Jan than Feb/March. I think he was just asked to do too much-- not enough depth and he just wore down. Struggled with confidence late in year and didn't want to shoot. Cousins also seemed to run out of gas.... And while I have no ill will and appreciate his efforts, Walker was not a plus player for us. We were carried in the late games by Buddy, then Woodard-- and James was really good in limited minutes as well. Lattin also was good in Anaheim before having a very rough night in Houston (who didn't?).
We should be deeper next year and I like Woodard back at the point. If James, Buford, and McNeace don't improve then we won't be very good-- but I have every reason to believe they will. And Lattin should as well. Manyang could be an X factor for the team next year depending on his situation. If he does not return, we could find ourselves back in a tough spot with post depth--- if he does return, we will be in good shape. Grandstaff should at least provide depth and stability-- and we will need one or two other newcomers to contribute, which is a reasonable expectation.
My realistic goal next year is simple:
Tulsa. Get a top four seed and play in Tulsa. That is without question probably the pie in the sky best case scenario, but I think it's a worthy goal-- that would mean being somehwre around 15th-18th in the country. More realistically, I can envision OU as an 8/9 seed next year maybe coming on strong after a gimpy start. But no way do I think next year is an NIT type of season. I fully expect to be back in the tourney next year.
My longterm goal is also simple:
Get this year's freshmen class back to a F4 level by their senior year. Follow the same path... Work hard, improve, bring in more and more guys of similar ilk and work their way into a top 5-10 type of team over the course of the next few years. I think that is a realistic expectation for OU basketball--- a tourney team just about EVERY year with rare exception and a steady build year to year in seeding before a quick reload. Every five years or so be a team that people consider capable of a legit F4 run. That's about where Kelvin had them and I think Lon can do the same, if not better. Of course, he's older so he may only have 4-5 years left in his tank.
Bottom line when the 2016-2017 season rolls around, I will be excited and interested. And that right there is the greatest gift this class leaves behind.
OK, now I can officially exhale and switch to Thunder mode....
Lots of ways to judge success or failure. Rings and titles are one way, banners are another, as our wins and losses of course. But for me, as a fan, I like to ask a simple question: How fun was it?
How much did I enjoy the games? Both before, during, and after. Was I fully engaged? Did I really care? Did I enjoy talking about, analyzing, and disease ting the team and the games? The answers to these questions aren't always contained within the standings or the box score.
Two asides.... The 1991 Redskins went 14-2, dominated the league and won the SB. 25 years later we haven't been back... Not even close. I loved that team for obvious reasons... But the team in 1992 that went 9-7 and lost in the divisional playoffs is just as near and dear to my fans heart as 91. I loved that team trying to grind their way back; it was an agonizing, but extremely fun year and team to follow-- the all out effort they put to out to try and repeat against massive injuries and old age was awesome.
The 1990 Reds won the WS, but the 1999 Reds (who didn't even make the playoffs, losing in a one game playoff) is all my all time favorite baseball team. Glorious summer.
The Nova loss will always be a bit of mystery. It will never really make any sense. It was a 50/50 game at tip off that turned into the worst loss in F4 history. Baffling. It was A+ vs F-. All I can say is that they were clearly the better team-- they were better prepared/coached and just dominated us in every way. Tip your cap. Even if we play A+ I still think they lose. Their best was probably better than our best-- and it was about 44 points better than our worst. That game truly sucked. And it always will.
But I actually think it stings less than 88 or 02. In 88 or 02 we were superior to the teams that beat us. Those were upsets. We were underdogs in the game this year. Slight underdogs, but by no means can we claim this was a game we SHOULD have won. Ultimately, the National Semis were probably the absolute peak dream pinnacle this team could have reached. The final score is kind of immaterial to me. We got the F4 and lost. I can fully and totally accept that as a great season.
And man, was it fun. I was pretty skeptical in 2013; pleasantly surprised at the 10 seed--- didn't really start thinking "hmmmm..." Until the next year. Thst NDSU loss really stung-- that's when I knew I cared about OU hoops pretty deeply again. The team won me over. By seasons start of 2015 I was all in.
I hope the next four years trump these last four years in terms of wins and banners. I think they have a great chance to keep this train rolling. But it's going to be hard to top the level of enjoyment and joy of the past four seasons. This is the group that resurrected the program-- that's a tough task-- both physically on the court and emotionally with the fan base. But they did it. I don't expect the LNC to be sold out for SE La. next year, but I do believe the basketball program is relevant on campus again. And as long as they don't tank, I expect crowds and awareness to remain solid. The goodwill this team created could leave a lasting legacy.
It was going to hurt to say goodbye to this group no matter how it ended. Only one team gets to go out on top. We came so much closer than I ever would have guessed. The three weeks of this tourney were as much fun as I've had with any of my teams in a very long time. Culminating with the great scene in OKC vs VCU and the cutting down of the nets in Anaheim. Sometimes losing feels worse than winning feels good-- but this year the happiness I felt after Oregon trumped the sadness I felt after Nova.
Bottom line, I loved this team and enjoyed them so much. I hate that last night was our final chance to ride out with them and it ended in such distaste. But this will always be one of my favorite teams. Definitely feeling a tug of sadness knowing that Buddy, Spangler, and Cousins won't suit up for us ever again. Buddy especially, being such a one of a kind player and personality. Gonna be hard to ever find another player quite like him-- impossible really.
Being there at the VCU game will likely always go down as my best/favorite memory from this group. The show Buddy put on with the crowd in a frenzy was something else. Then the post game scene with the chants and Buddy putting his hand to his ear getting hugs from Cousins and Woodard.... That's the way you go out in front of the home fans. Just awesome. Will always remember that.
So that's that; and it stinks that it's over and it's awesome that they leave behind a F4 banner at the LNC. Could not ask for more over a four year span when you consider the circumstances.
Looking ahead.... While I loved this team, they were flawed. They lived off their early season success despite the fact that we were pretty "eh" after Lawrence. Getting the 2 seed in OKC was huge and drawing the Aggies and Ducks was also good fortune. And Buddy going bananas certainly helped. But one reason we may not miss the guys other than Buddy THAT much next year is because at the end, those guys had really worn down.
The Spangler slide was weird--- happened each year. So much better in Dec/Jan than Feb/March. I think he was just asked to do too much-- not enough depth and he just wore down. Struggled with confidence late in year and didn't want to shoot. Cousins also seemed to run out of gas.... And while I have no ill will and appreciate his efforts, Walker was not a plus player for us. We were carried in the late games by Buddy, then Woodard-- and James was really good in limited minutes as well. Lattin also was good in Anaheim before having a very rough night in Houston (who didn't?).
We should be deeper next year and I like Woodard back at the point. If James, Buford, and McNeace don't improve then we won't be very good-- but I have every reason to believe they will. And Lattin should as well. Manyang could be an X factor for the team next year depending on his situation. If he does not return, we could find ourselves back in a tough spot with post depth--- if he does return, we will be in good shape. Grandstaff should at least provide depth and stability-- and we will need one or two other newcomers to contribute, which is a reasonable expectation.
My realistic goal next year is simple:
Tulsa. Get a top four seed and play in Tulsa. That is without question probably the pie in the sky best case scenario, but I think it's a worthy goal-- that would mean being somehwre around 15th-18th in the country. More realistically, I can envision OU as an 8/9 seed next year maybe coming on strong after a gimpy start. But no way do I think next year is an NIT type of season. I fully expect to be back in the tourney next year.
My longterm goal is also simple:
Get this year's freshmen class back to a F4 level by their senior year. Follow the same path... Work hard, improve, bring in more and more guys of similar ilk and work their way into a top 5-10 type of team over the course of the next few years. I think that is a realistic expectation for OU basketball--- a tourney team just about EVERY year with rare exception and a steady build year to year in seeding before a quick reload. Every five years or so be a team that people consider capable of a legit F4 run. That's about where Kelvin had them and I think Lon can do the same, if not better. Of course, he's older so he may only have 4-5 years left in his tank.
Bottom line when the 2016-2017 season rolls around, I will be excited and interested. And that right there is the greatest gift this class leaves behind.
OK, now I can officially exhale and switch to Thunder mode....
