Plenty of talent on this team

[hoopsaustin]

You need to watch the games then.

I've watched plenty. These guys will be 1 pass away and can't close out in time.. bc they're on their heels and flat footed

 

[BCSooners]

I've watched plenty. These guys will be 1 pass away and can't close out in time.. bc they're on their heels and flat footed

Lol ok, I don't know many players that can stop the ball in the lane & be able to take away the 3pt line. You're supposed to be able to stunt & recover but they have to completely stop the ball or it's a layup or dish & dunk.

 

[hoopsaustin]

Lol ok, I don't know many players that can stop the ball in the lane & be able to take away the 3pt line. You're supposed to be able to stunt & recover but they have to completely stop the ball or it's a layup or dish & dunk.

That's not the situation i was trying to discuss. I wish i could show you the play

To act like everyone is bailing out traes defense presumes that the other players know how to play defense too... and they don't and that's not whats happening here

 

[stormspencer]

Young s defense rarely has an effect on why the other players arent guarding the 3 close enough

But the problem is he leaves or loses his man far more often than the other perimeter players. I stated in the game thread yesterday that he turned around and sunk to double team on the post and his man still had the ball....and then his man drilled a 3 while he had his back to him. I will actually give Trae the benefit of the doubt that, because he is so skilled offensively, he likely has never been instructed nor demanded to actually guard someone. Having said that....this is college and you better damn well worry about guarding your man or your minutes should be limited (and that goes for everyone).

Are the other perimeter defenders guarding their man well?...sometimes yes and sometimes no. But Trae is usually the guy you can point to on any given possession that has a defensive breakdown. We love the kid, but his overall defensive effort/execution is downright poor right now....sorry, it's just the way it is.

 

[coolm]

But Trae is usually the guy you can point to on any given possession that has a defensive breakdown. We love the kid, but his overall defensive effort/execution is downright poor right now....sorry, it's just the way it is.

agreed. and it infuriates me when he just lets something go with nary a look. thats contagious when you're leading a bunch of followers.

If Trae Young was diving on the floor and fighting more defensively the rest of this team would as well. It's just a fact.

 

[AdaSooner]

agreed. and it infuriates me when he just lets something go with nary a look. thats contagious when you're leading a bunch of followers.

If Trae Young was diving on the floor and fighting more defensively the rest of this team would as well. It's just a fact.

Gotta agree with you, Coolm. Trae needs to set the example on defense for his teammates. That’s what leaders do.

 

[Stikboy]

I agree. Nobody is going to want to hear this, but anybody remember Marcus Smart? Love or hate him, he gave his ALL every time he was on the court, offensively and defensively, regardless of opponent. He played with passion and desperation. He had to have been in great shape to do that over 30+ games with high minutes. I don't know what OU's guys are saving themselves for. Maybe they all need to get in better shape? Where is all this depth everyone was talking about? Any of you old enough to remember Tubbs' teams that would press the heck out of people for 40 minutes? Some of those years they had a pretty short bench. None of these guys are near that talented, so that just means even more that they should be sacrificing their bodies if that's what it takes..

 

[AdaSooner]

I agree. Nobody is going to want to hear this, but anybody remember Marcus Smart? Love or hate him, he gave his ALL every time he was on the court, offensively and defensively, regardless of opponent. He played with passion and desperation. He had to have been in great shape to do that over 30+ games with high minutes. I don't know what OU's guys are saving themselves for. Maybe they all need to get in better shape? Where is all this depth everyone was talking about? Any of you old enough to remember Tubbs' teams that would press the heck out of people for 40 minutes? Some of those years they had a pretty short bench. None of these guys are near that talented, so that just means even more that they should be sacrificing their bodies if that's what it takes..

Billy’s teams in the late 80’s played the full court press to perfection. Every starter averaged at least 31 mpg. Mookie averaged 35 mpg in 1988. He averaged 39 mpg the following season. Think about that when you’re being called on to play in a full court pressing defense for an entire game.

The late 80’s teams were special. Our final four team with Buddy, Isaiah and Ryan was too. This team could learn from them!

 

[OULad]

Id rather have Sampson than Kruger, but he isnt walking through that door again. And he shouldnt, given his conduct here. But hes a better coach imo.

 

[sooners78]

Piss poor job by Kruger, I think our team is the least athletic in the big 12 and our recruiting isn’t good, future isn’t bright with Kruger

 

[coolm]

I agree. Nobody is going to want to hear this, but anybody remember Marcus Smart? Love or hate him, he gave his ALL every time he was on the court, offensively and defensively, regardless of opponent. He played with passion and desperation. He had to have been in great shape to do that over 30+ games with high minutes. I don't know what OU's guys are saving themselves for. Maybe they all need to get in better shape? Where is all this depth everyone was talking about? Any of you old enough to remember Tubbs' teams that would press the heck out of people for 40 minutes? Some of those years they had a pretty short bench. None of these guys are near that talented, so that just means even more that they should be sacrificing their bodies if that's what it takes..

I agree with you except for the thing about none of these guys being as talented as those on Billy's team. Billy's teams werent always uber-talented as much as they were uber conditioned. He turned up the temperature in LNC too. That was one of those things he said he could control and those guys were incredibly conditioned.

IDK what they're saving themselves for either. As Ive said a few times I think they rarely leave it all on the floor.

 

[Stikboy]

Billy's best teams were uber talented and extremely well conditioned. All these guys besides Young would be coming off the bench, if that, on Billy's best teams. Tubbs recruited incredible athletes who could also score.

 

[coolm]

Billy's best teams were uber talented and extremely well conditioned. All these guys besides Young would be coming off the bench, if that, on Billy's best teams. Tubbs recruited incredible athletes who could also score.

no way. I was at most of Billy's games until I joined the navy and thats just not an accurate statement.

billy would LOVE CJ, Doolittle, Odomes, Trae, Lattin, Freeman and he would DIE for McNeace. I saw billy's players up close. ate with them. kidded around with them. there were some great guys there. but you vastly overstate the specific basketball skills they possessed. they were athletes first for the most part. that was how he recruited. these guys have greater basketball skills overall to many of his teams.

 

[Romulus]

Difference in Billy and Lon is that Billy would make this team a bunch of men. Skeeter Henry could whoop this whole team by himself. We have a bunch of pussboys out there right now who need to be toughened up.

 

[chuckb]

no way. I was at most of Billy's games until I joined the navy and thats just not an accurate statement.

billy would LOVE CJ, Doolittle, Odomes, Trae, Lattin, Freeman and he would DIE for McNeace. I saw billy's players up close. ate with them. kidded around with them. there were some great guys there. but you vastly overstate the specific basketball skills they possessed. they were athletes first for the most part. that was how he recruited. these guys have greater basketball skills overall to many of his teams.

Billy's best team made it to the NCAA championship game and had 3 NBA players on it. This entire line is silly. Of course they were more talented than the current team is. It played for a national championship as a #1 seed and had 3 1st rounders. That's the bar we're comparing this team to? That if it's not one of the 2 best teams in the country and if it doesn't have at least 3 NBA players starting, then the team isn't talented? Kruger's not as good a coach as Tubbs was because this team won't be a 1 seed and he's not starting 3 NBA guys?

This entire site has come off the rails with the complete lack of perspective of so many of its members.

:facepalm

 

[chuckb]

Difference in Billy and Lon is that Billy would make this team a bunch of men. Skeeter Henry could whoop this whole team by himself. We have a bunch of pussboys out there right now who need to be toughened up.

What a fantastic argument! No doubt you were president of your high school debate team!

 

[Romulus]

I didn’t know we were debating. I’ll make it simple for you if you are having trouble understanding, this team is soft as charming in all phases of the game