Let's relax and let this play out...

[KBaden145]

I'm extremely hopeful for this season. We've been terrible 4 out of the last 6 seasons and I am sick of it. We have nice not great group of players coming back. Players you can win with if they are coached well, play hard, and play together. We had some gaping holes to get filled and, I for one, think they are close to being filled with addition of M'Baye, the recruiting class, and incremental improvement of some of our starters and returnees. Who starts or not really doesn't matter. There are some things I think we can hopefully agree on.

Osby and M'Baye are guys we would take any year.
Pledger is a very good shooter.
Grooms knows how to run a team but struggles with his shot.
Cam has great athletic ability but needs to match his game to that ability.
Fitz has skill but lacked the effort to overcome his poor athletic ability. His effort seems to have improved immensely.
Neal is in between positions and needs to find his shot and improve his defense to find the floor.
Aren't let the speed of the game bother him last year, struggled, but seems improved so far.
Bennett is behind after one week but his length and athletic ability is interesting to say the least.
The freshmen guards are better than most believed and provide promise for this season and beyond.

Anything other than the above wont be known until actual games start and may not be completely answered until conference.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Much truth in all that.

Opinions are like elbows. We all have them. I hope we can all agree that the glass is half-full, and the future looks promising. Nothing gets recorded in the record books until game day.

FWIW, here are my brief observations/opinions after going to the Fieldhouse on Saturday.

After one week of practice, we are no where close to projecting what the final product will be. This will also be true after the LNC scrimmage next Saturday. Nevertheless, it will be fun to watch this team progress and see how it comes together. There is a nice mix of experience and new blood.

Next Saturday will be a blast in Norman with the afternoon basketball scrimmage and the Fighting Irish coming to Owen Field for the first time since 1966. There may also be a big time recruit in the house at the LNC. It would be extra nice if there was a good size crowd at the 3pm LNC scrimmage.

The freshmen guards should have a bright future. I was impressed with all three. They play hard and get after it on defense. All seem quick and athletic. All seem to have good handles and on-court basketball savvy. All three can score. None of them are short. What more can we ask for?

The Ox in the Paint - Ryan Spangler is an Ox in the Paint. He is a load. He is active and energetic. He plays stronger than the 227 pounds listed in the program. He will give the program a future physical presence in the post, whereby the Sooners will not get pushed around in the paint. On top of that, Freshman C.J. Cole showed similar flashes during his brief sojourn on the court.

Looking forward at the potential of the program over the next few years, I cannot help but look ahead to the sophomore class of 2013-14 ... Hield, Hornbeak, Cousins, Spangler and Cole. With this “core class” I see the makings of a Big-12 powerhouse playing in the LNC just a year or two down the road.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

Much truth in all that.

Opinions are like elbows. We all have them. I hope we can all agree that the glass is half-full, and the future looks promising. Nothing gets recorded in the record books until game day.

FWIW, here are my brief observations/opinions after going to the Fieldhouse on Saturday.

After one week of practice, we are no where close to projecting what the final product will be. This will also be true after the LNC scrimmage next Saturday. Nevertheless, it will be fun to watch this team progress and see how it comes together. There is a nice mix of experience and new blood.

Next Saturday will be a blast in Norman with the afternoon basketball scrimmage and the Fighting Irish coming to Owen Field for the first time since 1966. There may also be a big time recruit in the house at the LNC. It would be extra nice if there was a good size crowd at the 3pm LNC scrimmage.

The freshmen guards should have a bright future. I was impressed with all three. They play hard and get after it on defense. All seem quick and athletic. All seem to have good handles and on-court basketball savvy. All three can score. None of them are short. What more can we ask for?

The Ox in the Paint - Ryan Spangler is an Ox in the Paint. He is a load. He is active and energetic. He plays stronger than the 227 pounds listed in the program. He will give the program a future physical presence in the post, whereby the Sooners will not get pushed around in the paint. On top of that, Freshman C.J. Cole showed similar flashes during his brief sojourn on the court.

Looking forward at the potential of the program over the next few years, I cannot help but look ahead to the sophomore class of 2013-14 ... Hield, Hornbeak, Cousins, Spangler and Cole. With this “core class” I see the makings of a Big-12 powerhouse playing in the LNC just a year or two down the road.

:woot:woot:OUbball-logo:

 

[Mr.B!!!]

OU fans are getting unprecedented access to the basketball program from day one starting with practice. With the same access I'm pretty sure that every fan base in the nation would be skeptical at this point. We will be better this season than last, I feel good about that prediction.

 

[SoonerinNC]

I like to read anyone's eyewitness reports on the team.

I have my own opinions from watching the practices and the scrimmages on the net but what do I know. I coached high school basketball but even then ( a long time ago) the college game was a lot different and is much moreso today.

It would help if the people who post the reports didn't get so offended when someone disagrees with them. That only results in a lot of back and forth that at best clutters up the thread. I would like to read anyone's opinions rather than the insults that begin flying back and forth. I don't have to agree with anyone but you pick up something from almost any report.

We have the five starters back from last year. I expect some but not a lot of improvement from them. The real pickup should be from the additions. It is probably a given the M'Baye will be better than anyone off the bench last year and I feel that the three freshman guards will also be better. Neal appears to be somewhat improved and that is 10 deep.

We lost too many games where we were in a position to win last year because the starters logged too many minutes and got no help from the bench.

I think Bennett and Cole have possibilities to help but perhaps next year. No counting on Arendt but he could suprise.

Expecting help from Spangler next season.

 

[BCSooners]

I like to read anyone's eyewitness reports on the team.

I have my own opinions from watching the practices and the scrimmages on the net but what do I know. I coached high school basketball but even then ( a long time ago) the college game was a lot different and is much moreso today.

It would help if the people who post the reports didn't get so offended when someone disagrees with them. That only results in a lot of back and forth that at best clutters up the thread. I would like to read anyone's opinions rather than the insults that begin flying back and forth. I don't have to agree with anyone but you pick up something from almost any report.

We have the five starters back from last year. I expect some but not a lot of improvement from them. The real pickup should be from the additions. It is probably a given the M'Baye will be better than anyone off the bench last year and I feel that the three freshman guards will also be better. Neal appears to be somewhat improved and that is 10 deep.

We lost too many games where we were in a position to win last year because the starters logged too many minutes and got no help from the bench.

I think Bennett and Cole have possibilities to help but perhaps next year. No counting on Arendt but he could suprise.

Expecting help from Spangler next season.

Yes the only one I could see making a significant improvement would be Cam. Also if Grooms just shoots 33% from 3, then to me that would be a tremendous boost.

 

[OUHoops]

The Ox in the Paint - Ryan Spangler is an Ox in the Paint. He is a load. He is active and energetic. He plays stronger than the 227 pounds listed in the program. He will give the program a future physical presence in the post, whereby the Sooners will not get pushed around in the paint. On top of that, Freshman C.J. Cole showed similar flashes during his brief sojourn on the court.

Agree on Spangler. Love everything I've seen so far. Not saying he's going to be a superstar, but he's going to play a role and play it very, very well.

 

[DenverSooner]

Yes the only one I could see making a significant improvement would be Cam. Also if Grooms just shoots 33% from 3, then to me that would be a tremendous boost.

If he shoots 30% from 3 point range it would be a tremendous boost.

 

[NickZepp]

I'm still not sure about our guards outside of Pledger. We need a season of postseason experience to get the ball rolling the right direction. I do realize we have some senior leadership, but our guard play will be the key to this and future seasons.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I have only seen them once so far in person, but here is another observation regarding the three freshmen guards ... They seem to exhibit a level of maturity that I am not used to seeing from some freshmen players. I did not observe the drooped shoulders or the pained expressions that some freshmen show when things do not go their way. I was struck by the impression that these are serious, no-nonsense guys. We shall see.