Nick Thompson and Kyle Hardrick tidbits

[Sooner04]

I liked some of the things Thompson could do on the offensive end. There were some intriguing possibilites I saw when they tried to run some Hi-Low with him and Fitzgerald. But it became painfully obvious that he was not cut out to play defense on the D-1 level, and when he was banished to the bench he began to pout. His whole dynamic seemed to change after his grandmother died, but you could tell from his time on the bench that he was no longer connected to the team.

He'll probably transfer to a D-II school and get plenty of PT in 2012. I wish him well.

 

[MercedeSooner]

Promised I wouldn't mention it on the board. He had some disciplinary issues.

Ok I stopped "feeling" for Thompson then being pushed out.

Curious however how the kids we wanted off the team as definitively not being OU level made things a lot easier.

 

[thebigabd]

If I was named team captain, named a starter, played 30+ minutes per game to start the year, and then never got to see the court ever again I would be disgruntled too. I would also think my coach was was incompetent.

 

[scrybe]

I liked some of the things Thompson could do on the offensive end. There were some intriguing possibilites I saw when they tried to run some Hi-Low with him and Fitzgerald. But it became painfully obvious that he was not cut out to play defense on the D-1 level, and when he was banished to the bench he began to pout. His whole dynamic seemed to change after his grandmother died, but you could tell from his time on the bench that he was no longer connected to the team.

He'll probably transfer to a D-II school and get plenty of PT in 2012. I wish him well.

This. I think Nick is a good kid and was obviously well-liked by teammates when he came to Norman. It's sad that he wasn't able to perform up to expectations, but maybe he can be a productive player for a Division 2 team. He's been called everything from "the world's worst basketball player" to a "team cancer." I hope he had some positive experiences at OU, as well.

 

[OUhoops11]

I liked some of the things Thompson could do on the offensive end. There were some intriguing possibilites I saw when they tried to run some Hi-Low with him and Fitzgerald. But it became painfully obvious that he was not cut out to play defense on the D-1 level, and when he was banished to the bench he began to pout. His whole dynamic seemed to change after his grandmother died, but you could tell from his time on the bench that he was no longer connected to the team.

He'll probably transfer to a D-II school and get plenty of PT in 2012. I wish him well.

He was effective with the high/low once or twice, against teams like Northern State. That would never happen against real competition.

 

[OUhoops11]

If I was named team captain, named a starter, played 30+ minutes per game to start the year, and then never got to see the court ever again I would be disgruntled too. I would also think my coach was was incompetent.

Right, blame others because he couldn't get it done on either end of the court.

 

[campbest]

I blame Capel for recruiting Thompson, but Thompson's lack of PT gives him no right to sulk on the bench. Grow up, that happens in middle school games.

 

[seniorsooner]

If I was named team captain, named a starter, played 30+ minutes per game to start the year, and then never got to see the court ever again I would be disgruntled too. I would also think my coach was was incompetent.

He didn't just magically stop getting PT all of a sudden. He needs to look in the mirror, not at anyone else.

 

[sperry]

Yeah agreed, crazy. 19 year old guy gets to go to school and practice every day with a team that he knows he doesn't belong on, gets mocked by message boarders/fans/students on a daily basis who laugh at how much he sucks and also despise him for taking up a precious scholarship from our top 15 program. As an added bonus he gets to spend his days worn out from workouts and practice even though he knows it's all for nothing, his talent will never allow him to sniff the court. And 30-40 year olds with years of perspective and the subtle eraser we call remembrance can't understand why college kids can't understand what we only realized after years of experience. Life is a hard teacher. It gives the test first and the lesson after.

I'm 24 years old. I made the most of my full ride to OU, and it always shocks me when others don't do the same.


Also, he wasn't mocked by fans and students on a daily basis, because no one knew he was, and frankly no one cared. He wasn't hyped when he got here, and he was just an another anonymous student athlete at the school. People have to have expectations for you in order for you to be mocked and derided, and aside from a very small subset of mean spirited people who post on message boards, he didn't receive any of that treatment.

 

[WTSooner]

I guess I'm one of the few people that think Thompson could contribute. To what degree, I'm not sure. But he had some skills, and some size. I'm guessing he'd have looked better this year under LK.

 

[JBaker]

He played in 16 of our first 17 games (missing one because his grandmother died).

On January 11 he played 31 minutes against Baylor.
Our next game he played 3 minutes against Texas.

He then didn't see the floor again for the rest of the regular season.
As in, 13 consecutive games without playing.

During that time, TJ Franklin appeared in 3 games. Barry Honore appeared in 6 games.

 

[Section31]

Right, blame others because he couldn't get it done on either end of the court.

scrybe and I were told on another thread that the ONLY reason the moronic, anti-Capel posts keep appearing is because those dopes are called out...I'm still looking for the post that called abd out from under his rock...

 

[Section31]

He played in 16 of our first 17 games (missing one because his grandmother died).

On January 11 he played 31 minutes against Baylor.
Our next game he played 3 minutes against Texas.

He then didn't see the floor again for the rest of the regular season.
As in, 13 consecutive games without playing.

During that time, TJ Franklin appeared in 3 games. Barry Honore appeared in 6 games.

Yea, I'd say there is MUCH more to the story.

 

[boksooner]

scrybe and I were told on another thread that the ONLY reason the moronic, anti-Capel posts keep appearing is because those dopes are called out...I'm still looking for the post that called abd out from under his rock...

No. What was said was that the reason they came out in THAT thread was because they were called out and that if you call them out, then you shouldn't complain about them showing up. This thread is nothing like the previous thread, so I am not sure what the point of your post is.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I guess I'm one of the few people that think Thompson could contribute. To what degree, I'm not sure. But he had some skills, and some size. I'm guessing he'd have looked better this year under LK.

I agree with this. I think he was skilled on the offensive end, but boy, his defense was really bad and he didn't like to rebound much either. I had hoped LK could find a position for him to where he could give 5-6 productive minutes each game. However, I would guess if we get Arent then Nick's 5-6 minutes may have been even less.

If he chooses to play D-2, I think he could be a pretty good player on that level. Terry Evans should give him a call...how many D-2 teams have a 6'8" player who can shoot the 3? And, Nick is a good passer on the offensive end.

 

[thebigabd]

Tyler Neal plays 24 minutes and scores 16 points against Virginia.
Plays 12 minutes and gets 2 shots against Chaminade in the next game.
Plays 10 minutes and gets 2 shots against Arkansas the next game.
7 minutes, no shots the next game.
DNP vs Gardner-Webb
DNP vs ORU
DNP vs Cincy
11 minutes vs Sac State
DNP vs Central Arkansas
3 minutes vs Maryland Eastern Shore

So after playing a combined 21 minutes in the past 7 games, he starts and gets 12 minutes at both Texas A&M and Baylor.

He was just all over the place with Tyler Neal, Nick Thompson, Calvin Newell, etc. We would see them one game, and not see them again for a month. It wasnt just Thompson, it was Neal and Newell too.

He had no idea what he was doing.

 

[vbdad]

I don't think the coaches asked him to leave. Based on his ability I'm sure they didn't try to change his mind.

 

[OUhoops11]

Tyler Neal plays 24 minutes and scores 16 points against Virginia.
Plays 12 minutes and gets 2 shots against Chaminade in the next game.
Plays 10 minutes and gets 2 shots against Arkansas the next game.
7 minutes, no shots the next game.
DNP vs Gardner-Webb
DNP vs ORU
DNP vs Cincy
11 minutes vs Sac State
DNP vs Central Arkansas
3 minutes vs Maryland Eastern Shore

So after playing a combined 21 minutes in the past 7 games, he starts and gets 12 minutes at both Texas A&M and Baylor.

He was just all over the place with Tyler Neal, Nick Thompson, Calvin Newell, etc. We would see them one game, and not see them again for a month. It wasnt just Thompson, it was Neal and Newell too.

He had no idea what he was doing.

And it's obvious you never have been a basketball coach nor ever will be.


Players earn playing time in practice. They also get playing time if a matchup with the opposing team calls for their particular skills or not.


Tyler Neal, Nick Thompson, and Calvin Newell were incredibly inconsistent players, especially early in the season. They could practice very well for a week or two and earn themselves playing time, then practice like crap for a week or two and lose playing time.


Your weak assumption also includes that Nick did not have any off the court issues that had a role in his playing time, which has been refuted by others on this thread.



Saying Capel had "no idea what he was doing" when you did not attend one practice nor have any idea what may have occurred off the court is absurd, but then again, it is abd.

 

[psk2080]

You could say that in virtually every team sport playing time is earned in practice and is adjusted for matchups...about the only time that isn't the case is if you have certain star players that will be in the lineup no matter what, regardless of practice or matchups...

it had to be difficult for Capel to juggle his roster, because you could say that no one was particularly consistent (in games anyway) and no one was so good that his name was going to be in the lineup no matter what...

 

[skyvue]

I guess I'm one of the few people that think Thompson could contribute. To what degree, I'm not sure. But he had some skills, and some size. I'm guessing he'd have looked better this year under LK.

Many of us were excited about him after the first couple of games, though there was obviously a big fall-off after that. I did wonder what he might do under a new coach. It's a moot point now.