DenverSooner
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Pledger is going to have a big game on Saturday. He is due.
Pledger
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+1
McJacknife
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+2
And to top it off, he'll win us one or two or three with sheer scoring ability. Dude can put up 35, we've all seen it.
And to top it off, he'll win us one or two or three with sheer scoring ability. Dude can put up 35, we've all seen it.
SoonerBounce13
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He is a decent shooter and i have nothing against him. I just think we will be better off when he is gone. He is pretty inconsistent. He is pretty cold blooded though. he has hit some big shots
McJacknife
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No doubt. When he's off he's close, when he's getting a feel he's good, and when he's on he's nails. He has the gift
BigTime
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I disagree. I think his defense, decision making, big shot potential and leadership make him a really good player. Wish he were only a junior...
Hopefully Pledger is a guy who gets appreciated more after he is gone. I'm not sure why he is such a polarizing player. He is what he is and he's pretty good at doing it. In years past the team had to rely on him to score now he's just a piece to the puzzle, one that he is starting to settle into quite comfortably.
I'm sure glad he is on our team and not any other in the Big 12 conference.
I'm sure glad he is on our team and not any other in the Big 12 conference.
McJacknife
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I met him once at Sears in Sooner Fashion Mall. I was renting a car at the Avis booth, and he was trying to claim a lawn mower warranty. Or replace a lead acid battery. The details are fuzzy.
At any rate, he came across as someone who really cared about solving his particular warranty issue at the time. He stood at the counter patiently, despite lackluster customer service... willing to play his role in the game to assure an amenable outcome.
I have no doubt that he could have been more aggressive, taken unnecessary verbal shots and come away with a higher capacity battery (or more reliable lawn mower) in the short term. But his true character shone thru brightly, and the four people in the dregs of Sears were better off. A true team player.
Draw your own conclusions.
At any rate, he came across as someone who really cared about solving his particular warranty issue at the time. He stood at the counter patiently, despite lackluster customer service... willing to play his role in the game to assure an amenable outcome.
I have no doubt that he could have been more aggressive, taken unnecessary verbal shots and come away with a higher capacity battery (or more reliable lawn mower) in the short term. But his true character shone thru brightly, and the four people in the dregs of Sears were better off. A true team player.
Draw your own conclusions.
AdaSooner
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+1
I have no idea why Pledger has been such a polarizing figure the past three years? Austin Johnson filled that role for most of his career, now it's Steven's turn. None of that makes sense to me, but that's the way it has played out.
Like you, I hope that in time Pledger's value to the team and the program will be fully appreciated. He may be inconsistent at times, but he's a pretty darned good player and one I will be sorry to see go.
SoonerBounce13
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He's polarizing b/c he has been hyped up as a 3 point specialist and had "the best shot I have ever seen". He shoots below 40% from the field. He reminds me of dequan cook. Great when he is on but he can't drive to the basket and doesn't offer anything else on offense.
It isn't fair to fault these guys for things a former coach said about them.
It's hard to imagine but if it weren't for Steven Pledger this program would have been in a lot worse shape than it was when Kruger took over. Pledger is a good player. You don't score 16ppg in conference play like he did last year, or over 1,000 in a career, by accident.
It's hard to imagine but if it weren't for Steven Pledger this program would have been in a lot worse shape than it was when Kruger took over. Pledger is a good player. You don't score 16ppg in conference play like he did last year, or over 1,000 in a career, by accident.
AdaSooner
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To be fair, Pledger has shot 44% from the field (227 of 514) the past two seasons. He has averaged almost 40% (39.77% to be exact) from three (105 of 264) the past two years. He may not be the best shot in the history of the sport, but he's far from the worst we have ever seen. Funny how some people like to focus on the games when he's off and forget the numerous good games he has had during his career.
Even I have been critical of Steven's tendency to disappear from time to time. It's not like he's the only one who does that, it's just that more is expected of him, I suppose. But when you take a good, long look at what he he has accomplished during his career, especially in the past two seasons, I can't see how anyone can not be at least be mildly pleased with what he has meant to our program.
Pledger is a good player and an above-average shooter. How many kids are ever going to average 25 points per game and wind up being lottery picks? Some of us just tend to have unreasonable expectations about certain players, then trash those players when they don't live up to our expectations.
With the possible exception of Osby, Steven is the best, most consistent player we've had at OU since Blake left for the NBA. And his contributions will be missed when he's gone.
With the possible exception of Osby, Steven is the best, most consistent player we've had at OU since Blake left for the NBA. And his contributions will be missed when he's gone.
Pledger is a good shooter. Some days he is a very good shooter. He is in the midst of his best season as a Sooner. In most games, most of the time, he is trying to defend to the best of his ability. He is making an effort to chase down rebounds.
He is scoring 11/12 points a game and not sticking out as a glaring liability in other aspects of the game. The team is winning and has good prospects of winning more than they lose going forward. Some if not most of the team goals will likely be met and Pledger will have contributed to that. That is something to hang your hat on. But, that is all there is to it.
He is scoring 11/12 points a game and not sticking out as a glaring liability in other aspects of the game. The team is winning and has good prospects of winning more than they lose going forward. Some if not most of the team goals will likely be met and Pledger will have contributed to that. That is something to hang your hat on. But, that is all there is to it.
+ 1
Pledger is showing great Senior leadership by sacrificing his scoring to do the little things that help the team win. He had 9 rebounds against OSU... who would have thought Pledger was capable of doing that.
SoonerinNC
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I think Pledger is still a little uncomfortable with his role in the new Kruger offense. (It is different this year.) He is a little spotty in consistently using the screens to get open and still seems to be to not squaring up consistently on his shots.
I think one of his best improvements is that last year he started taking the ball to the rim and added some 2's to the 3's.
I think one of his best improvements is that last year he started taking the ball to the rim and added some 2's to the 3's.
SoonerBounce13
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This isn't his best year as a sooner. last year was.
And i'm not trashing the kid. I just think we can find somebody to fill his role and be more productive at both ends of the floor
And i'm not trashing the kid. I just think we can find somebody to fill his role and be more productive at both ends of the floor
