kruger should be fired

[cowboysooner]

I love everything about Kruger so far except one thing. And if he does it again, he needs to be fired.

If he lets Woodard touch the ball again at the end of regulation or overtime or under any situation where he is only going to get one shot, he needs to be fired immediately. I would rather lose every game and be reduced to a national joke again than watch the worst shooter on the squad shoot the ball to decide a game.

For a guy that does everything right, Kruger's continued insistence on Woodard losing every close game by missing a shot is inexplicable. Every single player on the team would be a better option. Its insane.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I love everything about Kruger so far except one thing. And if he does it again, he needs to be fired.

If he lets Woodard touch the ball again at the end of regulation or overtime or under any situation where he is only going to get one shot, he needs to be fired immediately. I would rather lose every game and be reduced to a national joke again than watch the worst shooter on the squad shoot the ball to decide a game.

For a guy that does everything right, Kruger's continued insistence on Woodard losing every close game by missing a shot is inexplicable. Every single player on the team would be a better option. Its insane.

Your posts aren't usually this stupid. If you made another one as stupid as this, you should ban yourself.

 

[tycat947]

Your posts are usually this stupid. If you made another one as stupid as this, you should ban yourself.

:woot

 

[Krugerfan52]

cant fire him for one decision with one player. But 0-2 in NCAA, 0-3 in Big 12 tourney games and 0-7 in overtiime games needs to change.

This March, Kruger needs to win a game that matters. I know he won big games at KSU in the 80's and FLA in the 90's but he hasnt won anything in crunch time at OU.

 

[sybarite]

There is one similarity between the men's board and women's board. A lot of folks show up after a loss.

It happens.

 

[cowboysooner]

the purpose of the title of the post was to initiate a discussion of Lon's late game planning and not to really suggest his being fired for a late game decision.

However, this thread is not nearly as dumb as Lon's late game planning.

A coaches only job late in a game like tonight is to arrange to have his best player take a shot. Webber did this twice. Any other plan is a gross over thinking of the situation. Webber moved Foster around until he got the ball and then let him take the critical shot in regulation. He got him the ball again in overtime. Getting the ball in the hands of your best offensive player is the sole job of a coach. Webber got it done twice. Lon failed twice.

Buddy and/or Isiah need to have the ball at crunch time. In another thread, someone suggests that we need a guy that foster to take a shot at closing time. We have two like Foster, we just don't have a coach that insists on getting them the ball.

If Lon had been coaching the high school "hoosiers", he would have used Jimmy chitwood as a decoy and used the kid that couldn't dribble to shot the last shot. We wouldn't have ever heard of the school and there wouldn't be a movie.

Seriously, I love just about everything about lon and don't want him fired. But, he is so overthinking the end of games it is comical. Lon doesn't get to play, he doesn't get to shot, set a screen etc. He has one job get the ball to his best shooter at the end of games. That is his job, nothing else. If buddy or isiah lose the ball or miss the shot, so be it. He has done his job.

Every fan, player, person watching on TV, knew Bob shouldn't punt one time, much less two times to Hill. The only guy that didn't know, was the guy we were paying 6 million to know what to do. This situation with Lon letting Woodard shoot every shot at the end of close games is just about, but not quite, as stooped.

Again, the purpose of the title was to get people talking about the issue.

 

[MNsooner]

the purpose of the title of the post was to initiate a discussion of Lon's late game planning and not to really suggest his being fired for a late game decision.

somehow I don't think that was actually the purpose of the title

 

[AdaSooner]

I doubt if cowboysooner really wants to see Kruger fired. That certainly hasn't been his MO or his posting style since Lon came to OU.

I understand his frustration with some of the mistakes this team makes in crucial situations that can be the difference in a win or a loss. Even worse, they seem to repeat them way too often.

I can also see why he would blame Coach Kruger for some of what we saw in last night's game. Except for a three-guard weave and an occasional pass to a post player at the top of the key or on the baseline extended, I have no idea what, or if, we had an offensive game plan for that game? I expected more from a team that went into the Baylor and UT games with a plan that worked to perfection. I praised LK for having his players ready to play in those games, so I think it's reasonable to be critical of what appeared to be the absence of a solid offensive scheme for last nights game.

I also wondered why we didn't see any changes in the man to man defense we were in for most of the game? One thing is certain, it didn't work too well against KSU. Actually, it was our help defense that kept giving their players layups, dunks and wide open jumpers from fifteen and in. It was like some of our players had forgotten how to play help defense that was anything close to the unbelievable effort we saw in the UT game.

And, yes, I blame Coach Kruger for some of that. But, in the end the players have to accept the responsibility for their mistakes, and for their inability to secure most of the 50-50 balls, make point blank shots and numerous open jumpers, not to mention maintain their focus on defense. That was not the kind of effort we have come to expect from what is now a veteran team.

 

[allday92]

I doubt if cowboysooner really wants to see Kruger fired. That certainly hasn't been his MO or his posting style since Lon came to OU.

I understand his frustration with some of the mistakes this team makes in crucial situations that can be the difference in a win or a loss. Even worse, they seem to repeat them way too often.

I can also see why he would blame Coach Kruger for some of what we saw in last night's game. Except for a three-guard weave and an occasional pass to a post player at the top of the key or on the baseline extended, I have no idea what, or if, we had an offensive game plan for that game? I expected more from a team that went into the Baylor and UT games with a plan that worked to perfection. I praised LK for having his players ready to play in those games, so I think it's reasonable to be critical of what appeared to be the absence of a solid offensive scheme for last nights game.

I also wondered why we didn't see any changes in the man to man defense we were in for most of the game? One thing is certain, it didn't work too well against KSU. Actually, it was our help defense that kept giving their players layups, dunks and wide open jumpers from fifteen and in. It was like some of our players had forgotten how to play help defense that was anything close to the unbelievable effort we saw in the UT game.

And, yes, I blame Coach Kruger for some of that. But, in the end the players have to accept the responsibility for their mistakes, and for their inability to secure most of the 50-50 balls, make point blank shots and numerous open jumpers, not to mention maintain their focus on defense. That was not the kind of effort we have come to expect from what is now a veteran team.

Well said. I think most nights, Lon will be just fine with holding the opposing team to 55 points at the end of regulation.

Right now there doesn't seem to be an identity offensively, and that is leading to too many wasted possessions. We're stuck somewhere in the middle between last year's fast paced guard oriented attack and this year having two solid post threats and running more half court sets.

 

[DenverSooner]

It is immature and silly to come on this board and suggest Kruger should. E fired after a loss when OU is a ranked team. It is even worse when you suggested his starting pg should not touch the ball late. OU got a much better shot at the end of regulation than the did at the end of OT. Woodard is a millimeter away from hitting that shot

 

[sheepdogs1]

It is immature and silly to come on this board and suggest Kruger should. E fired after a loss when OU is a ranked team. It is even worse when you suggested his starting pg should not touch the ball late. OU got a much better shot at the end of regulation than the did at the end of OT. Woodard is a millimeter away from hitting that shot

Either it was a miss or it wasn't. Are you suggesting the person who is a poor but open shooter take the shots rather than a better shooter who might not be as open on a regular basis. Just asking.

 

[Big Old Booger]

cant fire him for one decision with one player. But 0-2 in NCAA, 0-3 in Big 12 tourney games and 0-7 in overtiime games needs to change.

This March, Kruger needs to win a game that matters. I know he won big games at KSU in the 80's and FLA in the 90's but he hasnt won anything in crunch time at OU.

Another clown post brought to you by capelfan52

 

[152219]

Almost every offensive possession to finish the first half or at the end of the game when it was tied or OU was down one possession has resulted in Woodard taking the last shot with most of the time being him dribbling out the clock and then him hoisting a jumper. I cannot recall a single one of those going in. Why does Kruger continue to allow that to be OU final shot with the clock waning? Woodard would be the last one on this team I would want to take a jumper. It would be different if he was driving into the lane and either creating his own shot in the lane or an opportunity for one of his teammates but that isn't the case either. Such a head scratcher and I wish someone in the media would ask him about it.

 

[DenverSooner]

Either it was a miss or it wasn't. Are you suggesting the person who is a poor but open shooter take the shots rather than a better shooter who might not be as open on a regular basis. Just asking.

I did not suggest that Woodard should take the shot. I simply stated the fact that OU got a better look when Woodard took the ball up court than when Cousins did. Thomas **** an air ball at the end of OT.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Last thing we need to do is fire Kruger. We shot the ball poorly the entire game and they were lights out even on bad shots. That is the type of game that led to Kentucky eeking out in two overtime games in a row to unranked teams.

That is why they play the game. The best team doesn't always win.

 

[Delta Sooner]

Cowboy makes a good point about Woodard. Obviously, firing Kruger because of it, is way over the top. However, Woodard is a poor shooter and the worst among players that get substantial minutes. It is hard to understand how Lon is okay with Jordan taking big shots at crucial times.

 

[sybarite]

As someone who was not a big fan of the Kruger hire, I have learned to appreciate what he has done. I don't think he'll have time to get us to #1, but we are moving up. But, let me take a stab at the Woodard thing.

Kruger is not in the game for today, but as a builder. I think he sees Woodard as a necessary part of the long-term success of this team. He has no other point. If he wants the program to take a step towards a higher finish in the NCAAs, he will need a solid point who has confidence in himself. He needs Woodard to feel comfortable shooting something other than just free throws at the end of the game, especially if they are going to leave Woodard open. Jordan has to learn to hit those shots. If he doesn't try, he won't. If we don't have him at the point, we suffer.

 

[jaymOU]

Almost every offensive possession to finish the first half or at the end of the game when it was tied or OU was down one possession has resulted in Woodard taking the last shot with most of the time being him dribbling out the clock and then him hoisting a jumper. I cannot recall a single one of those going in. Why does Kruger continue to allow that to be OU final shot with the clock waning? Woodard would be the last one on this team I would want to take a jumper. It would be different if he was driving into the lane and either creating his own shot in the lane or an opportunity for one of his teammates but that isn't the case either. Such a head scratcher and I wish someone in the media would ask him about it.

I believe he is getting his inspiration from Scott Brooks!

 

[cowboysooner]

Clearly, Woodard is the last person you want taking the deciding shot, particularly when you have a bunch of good shooters. We know lon is a good, maybe great, coach and a smart guy. So, why is he consistently going to Woodard at the end of games? Well, I don't know. But, my thinking ior guess is just like syb's . If I had to guess, you have hit the answer on the head syb.

I would like someone to ask him at a presser, just to hear what he would have to say.

BTW, overall, I think Lon is terrific, and don't want him fired. I was, perhaps in an inappropriate way, trying to get a discussion going on the bizarre end of game strategy we seem to be using.

And, I would add, I don't think and never said (but fairly could be said to have implied) that the strategy cost us these games. I don't think that. We might or might not have won letting others shoot the deciding shots. Our biggest problems have been allowing too many offensive rebounds and missing bunnies and free throws in our losses, other than Wisconsin. If we play a little cleaner in these areas, I think we only have the Wisconsin loss.

In retrospect, I probably just shouldn't have posted.

 

[scrybe]

You finally said something I can agree with. LOL