My reality on sooner hoops

[eyeguy]

1) We didn't get here overnight, and we're not gonna get out of it over night. Our situation was the perfect storm...unrealistic expectations aka. the Blake tenure, and subsequent McAA recruits who we expected to have the same impact as Blake.

2) Is Capel the right guy? The guy can coach...USA basketball doesn't pick some hack to coach its world U17 team. Obviously he's well thought of or he would have never gotten that opportunity. By the way, he represented pretty well, and got alot of egos moving toward a common goal.

3) Champagne taste on beer budget. I think Capel has made significant mistakes along the recruiting trail which has led to our total lack of continuity in the program. You can't chase 5 star one-and dones all over the country, and put all your eggs in their basket, while ignoring the solid guys with upside who want to be sooners and are team first guys.

4) Assistant coaches- I know OT could recruit, but the damage done was far greater than the risk. I wish Capel would have hired a former head coach with experience to assist on the bench, and with preparation like (Bobby ? @ Charlotte) to make those tasks easier as its obvious Capel can recruit.

5) This years team, to be candid, we were lucky to field a team and sign anyone. We need to have no expectations, and hope they play hard, play as a team, and several of them gain confidence at this level. The good news is they are young. Al McGuire often said the best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores!

Just some random thoughts...:OUbball-logo:

 

[DenverSooner]

2) Is Capel the right guy? The guy can coach...USA basketball doesn't pick some hack to coach its world U17 team. Obviously he's well thought of or he would have never gotten that opportunity. By the way, he represented pretty well, and got alot of egos moving toward a common goal.

5) This years team, to be candid, we were lucky to field a team and sign anyone. We need to have no expectations, and hope they play hard, play as a team, and several of them gain confidence at this level. The good news is they are young. Al McGuire often said the best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores!

Just some random thoughts...:OUbball-logo:

If you say so then I guess Capel can coach. He is a good guy, with great contacts and a great basketball resume. I don't see any evidence that actually suggests he is a good head coach at this point in his career. I suspect being selected to coach USA basketball has a lot to do with politics.

Number 5 is ridiculous. OU is one of the top 20 programs in the country. To act like players don't want to play for OU is ridiculous. They do. There are at least 250 d-1 teams that are clearly lower in status than OU.

 

[MsProudSooner]

To act like players don't want to play for OU is ridiculous. They do. There are at least 250 d-1 teams that are clearly lower in status than OU.

I suspect if one could rank the negative recruiting that our coaches faced at the end of the season last year it would be near the top. I don't think there were many players clamoring for scholarships last spring.

If Capel can weather this storm, he may emerge as a better coach. But he as to weather the storm first.

 

[scrybe]

Good first post, eyeguy. You make some very valid points, though I'm certain the average poster at OUHoops disagrees with your assessment of Capel as a coach. I, however, can't disagree with anything you wrote.

 

[Sooner23]

2) Is Capel the right guy? The guy can coach...USA basketball doesn't pick some hack to coach its world U17 team.

With all due respect, NickZepp could've coached that team to a gold medal.

 

[Max Power]

With all due respect, NickZepp could've coached that team to a gold medal.

:ez-roll: I love that British ****

 

[25mob]

With all due respect, NickZepp could've coached that team to a gold medal.

Kind of like Roy Williams is doing with the heels huh? posters on this board make me laugh with all the anybody could have done what coach Capel did with blake and the USA team but praise other coaches who have rosters full of AA when they win.

when the team wins its the players but when the team loses it's the coach.

 

[Dem Coltz]

Kind of like Roy Williams is doing with the heels huh? posters on this board make me laugh with all the anybody could have done what coach Capel did with blake and the USA team but praise other coaches who have rosters full of AA when they win.

when the team wins its the players but when the team loses it's the coach.

Come on now 25mob. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.

 

[Dem Coltz]

With all due respect, NickZepp could've coached that team to a gold medal.

NickZepp couldn't coach his way out of paper bag. But maybe with this year's team that's not necessarily a bad thing. Better if they don't see your face, your shame will become another man's sig.

 

[seniorsooner]

Kind of like Roy Williams is doing with the heels huh? posters on this board make me laugh with all the anybody could have done what coach Capel did with blake and the USA team but praise other coaches who have rosters full of AA when they win.

when the team wins its the players but when the team loses it's the coach.

I give Capel plenty of credit for the 13 games he won last year. I'll celebrate him for the even smaller win total we are likely to amass this season.

 

[soonermcd93]

I think he can coach, but you have to look at the total program and how it operates and it appears it may be too much. You can't say.."oh, he can coach when he has the right players because he is responsible for getting those players. He is also responsible for knowing what kind of players he is bringing in the program, so multiple guys dropping out is not an excuse. It is the total program and we are in a free-fall. Yes, other programs are going to negative recruit now because we created the atmosphere for it. I have no idea when that will end unless there is some announcement soon that we are clear of any wrongdoing or get some minor penalty and move on. Again, I think he can coach and any coach is better when they have good players but how do we get good players is the question.

 

[oSuJeff97]

Kind of like Roy Williams is doing with the heels huh? posters on this board make me laugh with all the anybody could have done what coach Capel did with blake and the USA team but praise other coaches who have rosters full of AA when they win.

To me, the difference is this -

Of course every coach needs talent to win games... that's a given.

But not every coach needs an absolute freak talent like Blake, who was the #1 overall pick in the NBA draft, to win.

I think there is a need to realize just how special Blake Griffin was/is.

He was a once-in-a-generation talent. Even places like Kansas and North Carolina don't get guys like him all the time. Has Bill Self ever coached someone who was the #1 overall pick in the NBA draft? Off the top of my head, I can't think of one.

 

[eyeguy]

In the last 40 years of OUhoops we have three guys who were differance makers by themselves... Alvin Adams, Wayman, and Blake.

If you get one of those guys every ten years, you're lucky. Hell, most programs never get one at all. The true test is can you get great players, surround them with role guys, and develop some late bloomers along the way. Too much boom and bust leaves us where we are right now.