Poll: Lon's Future at OU

[hoopsaustin]

Has anything changed for anyone since the time of this thread?

Only a degree bc it would be bad optics to fire a coach after a 3rd finish in conference. Well see after the tourneys tho... i would still prefer for him to retire. outside of a big 12 tournament championship or runner up, or a sweet 16 or really competitive round of 32 loss; Ive pretty much seen enough.. but for a surprise result, im done with him. But still watch every game

 

[skyvue]

Finishing 3rd in a pathetic conference

:ez-roll: :ez-roll: :ez-roll:

 

[stormspencer]

Nope. I didn't truly ever believe Lon would be on the hot seat this year, but the TT, WVU, and TCU comeback wins pretty much ensured he wouldn't be on it soon.

I don't think Lon is the answer, but he's going to get to stick around as long as he wants. He'll do just enough to keep some fans happy. If he sticks around another 5 years, he'll probably have another really good season or two. We should be past the risk of having another terrible season in the next several years, especially if we land any of those 2021 kids. I'm still pretty "bleh" on the program and Lon right now. But I guess it could be worse.

This is where I am. I figure he will retire in the next 2-3 years anyway. I love the guy and want him to be successful, but he needs to pick up the pace. I would say we are slightly improved this year, but not in a manner that really moves the needle for me.

 

[WTSooner]

I would say we are slightly improved this year, but not in a manner that really moves the needle for me.

I know Ken Pom's stats aren't end-all be-all, but here is what he has:

2020:
Overall - 35
Offense - 58
Defense - 28

2019:
Overall - 32
Offense - 57
Defense - 23

At least he's consistent?

 

[AdaSooner]

I was told the taking of several projects will soon be ending... It was a Crutchfield thing.

We will see. I dont mind taking a 1-2 but 3-4 is a bit much. Give me a 4 year HS player from Okla texas vegas IDC...

Crutchfield has been gone since a year ago last May. Did you mean to say the taking of projects is over?

In any event, I agree that our coaches brought in too many projects the past two to three years. Glad those days are behind us now!.

 

[daqman]

I highly doubt those days are behind us. Lon took projects because he couldn't get better players.
It's ridiculous to suggest otherwise. Are you actually saying Lon PASSED UP good players in favor of projects? That's crazy.

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[NY Soonerfan]

Nothing has changed to me. I'm SUPER EXCITED we are going to make the tournament, I do think that's a great accomplishment and I think it's something we take for granted a bit. I see a lot of people say that it doesn't matter b/c we'll be one and done anyway. WHO CARES? Give me that over not making it eight days a week. It's awesome to be vested in the tourney and have a shot at maybe making a run. With that being said, I'm also disappointed I'm super excited we're making the tournament, because it really should be a given with this program, and not a pins and needles last week of the season kind of thing every year.

I also think the "We finished 3rd in the B12" is being a bit overplayed too. Yes, we did, but it was a four-way tie, and we needed the greatest comeback since Lazarus to not be 6th outright. And it was a 9-9 3rd in a VERY down year in the conference (from top to bottom), not a 13-5 damn good kind of 3rd.

I just keep coming back to the word stagnation when I think of this program. We're going nowhere. We should be better. We deserve better. I don't think it's too much to ask for to be a perennial top-25 team where every few years we sneak up a bit higher and maybe make a big run. I don't think this is a program that should be hovering in mediocrity each year.

 

[CoachTalk]

No. Nothing has changed. His seat should be hot. He should retire/move on.
Finishing 3rd in a pathetic conference with little chance of going anywhere in the tournament for the 4th year in a row and not much changing next season doesn't change anything.

Lololololololololololol

 

[skyvue]

I also think the "We finished 3rd in the B12" is being a bit overplayed too. Yes, we did, but it was a four-way tie

If we had tied for third but received the sixth seed, there are a great many posters who would have insisted that we finished sixth, not third, and would have shouted down any suggestions to the contrary. So there's nothing wrong with this time viewing things in a positive light. We earned the third seed, and we have every right to celebrate it. Remember, we were picked to finish eighth and no one on this board was predicting a 13-5 conference record.

And I think the conference being way down is being overstated -- two conferences that I know of (and I'm reasonably confident there are no others) have all their teams in the top 100 in the NET rankings -- one of them is the Big 12 -- and I posted elsewhere about the respective SOS for the various conferences -- the Big 12 comes in a relatively close second against the Big 10, and tops the Big East and the ACC (by a huge margin).

 

[MJSooner]

If we had tied for third but received the sixth seed, there are a great many posters who would have insisted that we finished sixth, not third, and would have shouted down any suggestions to the contrary. So there's nothing wrong with this time viewing things in a positive light. We earned the third seed, and we have every right to celebrate it. Remember, we were picked to finish eighth and no one on this board was predicting a 13-5 conference record.

And I think the conference being way down is being overstated -- two conferences that I know of (and I'm reasonably confident there are no others) have all their teams in the top 100 in the NET rankings -- one of them is the Big 12 -- and I posted elsewhere about the respective SOS for the various conferences -- the Big 12 comes in a relatively close second against the Big 10, and tops the Big East and the ACC (by a huge margin).

Great post sky and dead on. I said something earlier about Tech finishing sixth, and someone said they finished 3rd, and I brought up your same points. Why can we not say we finished 3rd, as that is what the Big XII said based on tiebreakers between teams? Plus, like you said and has been stated on this board, the perception is the Big XII is a "pathetic conference" is a misnomer and just not supported by facts.

The bottom line is Lon got a lot out of a team that had 9 new players and 6 of the 9 that played minutes were new to the floor. Based on projections and probably most of those on this board, we met or beat expectations for this year. Could we have been better? Yes, absolutely. Am I content with our pattern of just making the tournament and maybe winning a game? No way.

I've stated I like Lon Kruger and the overall job he has done with the resources and support he has, or doesn't have. I also feel when Lon chooses to hang it up, I will be okay with that. But to think Lon should be fired or encouraged to retire when, after this year, going to the tourney 7 of 8 years and finishing 3rd in conference is just asanine.

 

[Soonercpa2011]

No. Nothing has changed. His seat should be hot. He should retire/move on.
Finishing 3rd in a pathetic conference with little chance of going anywhere in the tournament for the 4th year in a row and not much changing next season doesn't change anything.

Of course not. This was a given

 

[thegreyghost]

Not sure many coaches that make the NCAA 7/8 years with a sweet 16, final 4 and some 1st round NCAA wins to boot are going to be fired especially with anemic fan support and the worst arena in a top 2/3 league in the country...but I’m sure a Jay Wright would be begging for the job

 

[hoopsaustin]

Great post sky and dead on. I said something earlier about Tech finishing sixth, and someone said they finished 3rd, and I brought up your same points. Why can we not say we finished 3rd, as that is what the Big XII said based on tiebreakers between teams? Plus, like you said and has been stated on this board, the perception is the Big XII is a "pathetic conference" is a misnomer and just not supported by facts.

The bottom line is Lon got a lot out of a team that had 9 new players and 6 of the 9 that played minutes were new to the floor. Based on projections and probably most of those on this board, we met or beat expectations for this year. Could we have been better? Yes, absolutely. Am I content with our pattern of just making the tournament and maybe winning a game? No way.

I've stated I like Lon Kruger and the overall job he has done with the resources and support he has, or doesn't have. I also feel when Lon chooses to hang it up, I will be okay with that. But to think Lon should be fired or encouraged to retire when, after this year, going to the tourney 7 of 8 years and finishing 3rd in conference is just asanine.

No one but the idiots are saying we didn't get 3rd... Hes just saying there's too much stock in it this year by the sunshiners. And hes right imo. But both he and i, are def saying were 3rd and pumped about it.. just that we also were a shot away from 6th and maybe out of the tourney too..

 

[Soonerinkc]

No one but the idiots are saying we didn't get 3rd... Hes just saying there's too much stock in it this year by the sunshiners. And hes right imo. But both he and i, are def saying were 3rd and pumped about it.. just that we also were a shot away from 6th and maybe out of the tourney too..

Exactly... it’s not like we had 3rd wrapped up all by ourselves...
took til the last game with a player going off, winning on the last shot...with other teams losing that shouldn’t have...

But yeah we are 3rd and that’s a good thing.

 

[mict085]

There are 2 teams with a winning conference record this year. We are 9-9, tied for 3rd with 3 other teams. We’re a breath away from being 7th. So, people should stop championing this 3rd place nonsense.

That said, I’m glad we’re 3rd and not 7th but that doesn’t mean we’re moving in the right direction. Lon should be praised for what he did to rebuild the program and take us to the FF after the capel disaster. However, since then he and the coaching staff have failed to produce, mostly due to failures in recruiting. I can’t help but think losing his 2 best and longest tenured assistants had a negative impact on recruiting and the trajectory of the program.

I think Lon should retire, but that’s probably not happening for a few years. Joe C should be researching candidates and preparing for the transition, but sonething tells me he hasn’t spent a moments thought on the next HC hire.

 

[Soonerinkc]

There are 2 teams with a winning conference record this year. We are 9-9, tied for 3rd with 3 other teams. We’re a breath away from being 7th. So, people should stop championing this 3rd place nonsense.

That said, I’m glad we’re 3rd and not 7th but that doesn’t mean we’re moving in the right direction. Lon should be praised for what he did to rebuild the program and take us to the FF after the capel disaster. However, since then he and the coaching staff have failed to produce, mostly due to failures in recruiting. I can’t help but think losing his 2 best and longest tenured assistants had a negative impact on recruiting and the trajectory of the program.

I think Lon should retire, but that’s probably not happening for a few years. Joe C should be researching candidates and preparing for the transition, but sonething tells me he hasn’t spent a moments thought on the next HC hire.

Agree...

 

[skyvue]

No one but the idiots are saying we didn't get 3rd... Hes just saying there's too much stock in it this year by the sunshiners. And hes right imo. But both he and i, are def saying were 3rd and pumped about it.. just that we also were a shot away from 6th and maybe out of the tourney too..

And I could say we were a fluke three-pointer (or two made free throws) from being alone in third and, who knows, maybe a 7 seed in the NCAA tourney. See how that works?

And you might respond to that (if you didn't, someone else would) with, "So what? We missed the free throws and they hit the three-pointer. We lost!"

Well, it goes both ways, is all I'm saying. We won. We finished in third place. We're assured of a berth in the NCAA tourney. Citing hypohetical ways that might not have happened seems an odd way to spend one's time and energy.

 

[BCSooners]

There are 2 teams with a winning conference record this year. We are 9-9, tied for 3rd with 3 other teams. We’re a breath away from being 7th. So, people should stop championing this 3rd place nonsense.

That said, I’m glad we’re 3rd and not 7th but that doesn’t mean we’re moving in the right direction. Lon should be praised for what he did to rebuild the program and take us to the FF after the capel disaster. However, since then he and the coaching staff have failed to produce, mostly due to failures in recruiting. I can’t help but think losing his 2 best and longest tenured assistants had a negative impact on recruiting and the trajectory of the program.

I think Lon should retire, but that’s probably not happening for a few years. Joe C should be researching candidates and preparing for the transition, but sonething tells me he hasn’t spent a moments thought on the next HC hire.

Disagree

 

[BCSooners]

Great post sky and dead on. I said something earlier about Tech finishing sixth, and someone said they finished 3rd, and I brought up your same points. Why can we not say we finished 3rd, as that is what the Big XII said based on tiebreakers between teams? Plus, like you said and has been stated on this board, the perception is the Big XII is a "pathetic conference" is a misnomer and just not supported by facts.

The bottom line is Lon got a lot out of a team that had 9 new players and 6 of the 9 that played minutes were new to the floor. Based on projections and probably most of those on this board, we met or beat expectations for this year. Could we have been better? Yes, absolutely. Am I content with our pattern of just making the tournament and maybe winning a game? No way.

I've stated I like Lon Kruger and the overall job he has done with the resources and support he has, or doesn't have. I also feel when Lon chooses to hang it up, I will be okay with that. But to think Lon should be fired or encouraged to retire when, after this year, going to the tourney 7 of 8 years and finishing 3rd in conference is just asanine.

This is my general feeling.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Remember a couple seasons ago when so many people wanted to claim we finished ninth or whatever it was because that was our seed based on tiebreakers? Funny how some of those people now are the ones discounting our seed and noting that we didn’t finish in third by ourselves. The fact is, yes we tied for third. And two years ago, we tied for sixth IIRC.