*****Oklahoma-Cincinnati Game Thread*****

[Shooterms]

It's pretty funny to watch those that crucified Capel teams now line up to make excuse after excuse for Kruger teams.

Kruger teams? Good grief, we lost a close game on the road with questionable officiating. We made some mistakes that showed our inexperience. Comparing the fact that people aren't ready to blow a gasket after this game, to the reactions to some of the crap we've seen the last few seasons, is truly ludicrous.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

It's pretty funny to watch those that crucified Capel teams now line up to make excuse after excuse for Kruger teams.

I see that as well with certain posters, but I believe most realize LK is still going through the process as a new coach here. He is trying to implement a tougher mentality, a more defensive minded mentality, and trying to put average players in their best position to succeed. If he had been here 2 or 3 seasons, I would totally agree with your post here.

I don't think most rational posters are ready to hang the guy yet, just as most didn't hang JC in his 1st couple of failures. There are of course exceptions around here, as some hate JC so much they will always bash him, and others will bash LK because they loved JC.....

 

[seniorsooner]

I see that as well with certain posters, but I believe most realize LK is still going through the process as a new coach here. He is trying to implement a tougher mentality, a more defensive minded mentality, and trying to put average players in their best position to succeed. If he had been here 2 or 3 seasons, I would totally agree with your post here.

I don't think most rational posters are ready to hang the guy yet, just as most didn't hang JC in his 1st couple of failures. There are of course exceptions around here, as some hate JC so much they will always bash him, and others will bash LK because they loved JC.....

I'm not ready to "hang" anyone. Here's my point: we should have a certain level of expectation for our basketball team, just like we do with our football team. When we sh*t ourselves and blow a game on the road against an average - yes, AVERAGE - team, we should be disappointed with that, not say "oh it's just a learning experience" or any of the other BS excuses that have been circulated here. Am I saying we should hang/fire/run off anyone? No. Am I saying tonight's result is unacceptable? Yes.

Let's take a look at where Cincinnati is at the end of the year, and then ask ourselves just how big of a "moral victory" this was. I'm guessing the luster will diminish quite a bit.

Last point: if Capel were still our head coach, and tonight's result had been the same, how would you have responded then? Would you have reacted quite so benevolently?

 

[jmizzy4ou]

I'm not ready to "hang" anyone. Here's my point: we should have a certain level of expectation for our basketball team, just like we do with our football team. When we sh*t ourselves and blow a game on the road against an average - yes, AVERAGE - team, we should be disappointed with that, not say "oh it's just a learning experience" or any of the other BS excuses that have been circulated here. Am I saying we should hang/fire/run off anyone? No. Am I saying tonight's result is unacceptable? Yes.

Let's take a look at where Cincinnati is at the end of the year, and then ask ourselves just how big of a "moral victory" this was. I'm guessing the luster will diminish quite a bit.

Last point: if Capel were still our head coach, and tonight's result had been the same, how would you have responded then? Would you have reacted quite so benevolently?

I would have. Remember I was considered a JC apologist because I never bashed the guy, ever, and I still don't. I loved him. I loved BT, I loved KS, I'm just full of love and support.

 

[OUhoops11]

I'm not ready to "hang" anyone. Here's my point: we should have a certain level of expectation for our basketball team, just like we do with our football team. When we sh*t ourselves and blow a game on the road against an average - yes, AVERAGE - team, we should be disappointed with that, not say "oh it's just a learning experience" or any of the other BS excuses that have been circulated here. Am I saying we should hang/fire/run off anyone? No. Am I saying tonight's result is unacceptable? Yes.

I'm not sure how you can compare the 2011 OU MBB team with the 2011 OU FB team. One was preseason #1 with 5 stars transferring because they have no chance of seeing playing time. One is 11 games into a new coach, a new system and lacking key personnel pieces of a championship caliber team.


Do I have expectations of OU Basketball? Most definitely. But throwing an internet temper tantrum because we blew a road game lead is not changing the fact that we are not competing for championships this year regardless of our proud history as a program.


And yet again, no one (at least not that I've seen) is using the "learning experience" suggestion as an excuse. It's not an excuse. It's a fact. If we are still losing close games two years from now, assuming we have significant experience and upgraded talent and depth, then I will be concerned. It's far too early for that now.

 

[209sooner]

Why was Cincy an average opponent? They're 10-3 this season, and we're 9-4. The suspensions? Well, they've clearly adjusted pretty well following that incident.

We were on the road, in an arena in which they'd won 16 straight, and they got a major boost from the officials. I'm as disappointed as anyone, but I feared a much worse loss than this one tonight. I'm frustrated because it was there for the taking, but it's nothing to melt down over.

And your suggestion that we're now not allowed to lose a tough road game the rest of the season or it shows we haven't "learned our lessons" from this defeat are silly, with all due respect. A team doesn't get better like an on/off switch. It happens gradually.

Tonight Cincinnati was well below average in my opinion. I can't remember seeing a worse offensive display. We were on the road, but the crowd wasn't a factor until the last few minutes. The arena looked close to half empty and was not loud at all for most of the game. Outside of maybe Tech, that's probably the least intimidating atmosphere we'll play in all year.

Let's hope the team is able to play better on the road the rest of the season.

 

[SoonerinNC]

It is a work in progress.

Not a good loss because we had the game under control at a point when we should have put it away.

This is not a complete team. We had too hard a time to get open shots and moved away from what got us there. The inside play.

I don't think the season ended tonight but the result is a clear indicator that we will be touch and go against the middle of the Big 12 pack and probably out muscled against the top tier.

Hopefully we can improve enough to win more than we lose.

 

[DenverSooner]

It's pretty funny to watch those that crucified Capel teams now line up to make excuse after excuse for Kruger teams.

Who is doing this? Capel got a free pass his first season. Capel also had AJ, Godbold Griffin. Longer, Nate Carter, Keith Clark, tony Crocker, Michael Neal, Chrs Walker and Bobby Maze. Kruger has No depth.

I was not impressed down the stretch. OU should have used their timeouts. Additionally if fatigue was an issue,Kruger should have substituted on those free throws

 

[garyeb2]

I'm not ready to "hang" anyone. Here's my point: we should have a certain level of expectation for our basketball team, just like we do with our football team. When we sh*t ourselves and blow a game on the road against an average - yes, AVERAGE - team, we should be disappointed with that, not say "oh it's just a learning experience" or any of the other BS excuses that have been circulated here. Am I saying we should hang/fire/run off anyone? No. Am I saying tonight's result is unacceptable? Yes.

Let's take a look at where Cincinnati is at the end of the year, and then ask ourselves just how big of a "moral victory" this was. I'm guessing the luster will diminish quite a bit.

Last point: if Capel were still our head coach, and tonight's result had been the same, how would you have responded then? Would you have reacted quite so benevolently?

Well of course. Oklahoma should be expected to be a top 20 program year in and year out. And a top 20 team should have and probably would have closed that game out.

But, at this particular point in the history of OU basketball, this team isn't in the same time zone of a top 20 team. It will be a big waste of emotion to hold them to such a lofty standard.

 

[soonerobserver]

All excuses aside (whether valid or not) OU should've won that game...They had it well under control but just couldn't make the one play down the stretch (whether it be a key defensive stop, rebound, or shot) needed to win...

I love what Kruger has done so far..:clap

 

[Soonerman]

Some of you need to calm the f' down. We're 9-2, our first truly bad loss of the season coming this late? I'll take it. It's been all good up until now, let's keep things in perspective. Hopefully the guys learn from this and move on. Let's surprise some folks in the Big 12!

 

[WTSooner]

Last point: if Capel were still our head coach, and tonight's result had been the same, how would you have responded then? Would you have reacted quite so benevolently?

you really think it is fair to compare a coach that was at OU for 5 years to one that has coached about 10 games at OU? LK has to have time to coach these guys up the right way. He also needs time to build some depth. If in 2-3 years we still have no bench and no clue how to win close games, yes, I'll probably complain about it. People weren't hammering Capel 10 games into his tenure at OU.

 

[Big Old Booger]

you really think it is fair to compare a coach that was at OU for 5 years to one that has coached about 10 games at OU? LK has to have time to coach these guys up the right way. He also needs time to build some depth. If in 2-3 years we still have no bench and no clue how to win close games, yes, I'll probably complain about it. People weren't hammering Capel 10 games into his tenure at OU.

Exactly. In fact, Capel got hammered at home about 10 games into his first season by Villanova, with a player whom was committed to us yet Capel couldn't land him when Sampson left. Not many people complained, and that game was at home. We were never in it and we looked terrible.

I was onboard the Capel bandwagon until that late season swoon his first year when we lost 6 or 7 straight conference games and looked like we didn't know the difference between our butts and a hole in the ground. I knew then we had problems.

I am a Kruger fan and have been for a long time so I'm not ready to put him in the same category as Capel just 10 games in with a roster that has some huge holes. Especially after a road game vs a Big East opponent who has a pretty good team.

If losses like this continue and we have a late season swoon where we look worse than Chickasha High Schools varsity team, then I will start to complain.