Poy

[tycat947]

I would not agree that this board even compares to "land Theives" or the basketball board of a couple of years ago. It is more negative this year due to expectations, and possibly a realization that a very mature team seems to be making the same mistakes that they made 3 years ago. I find Norm to be very even in his comments but certainly a strong, strong OU fan. Syb is no doubt a die hard OU fan, although even he has had a tough year with this team. I do not however know of very many University's that do not have football and basketball. Lots of colleges but very few Universities. Even the Ivy league looks for performance. Accepting a scholarship and being a starter in almost any sport of significance at a D1 school brings more scrutiny than it should with todays media, and social networking. It requires thicker skin than I have. I hope everyone continues to post their thoughts (even though a lot of them are wrong JK), that is what this board is for. As long as the language does not deteriorate. That is my biggest fear not just disagreements.

I haven't spent much time on land Thieves but you may be right. I visits 4 or 5 other boards frequently and haven't noticed the constant negativity that I do here. The negativity by some has been on this board, in varying degrees, ever since I found it, however many years ago. Even during Final 4 years there were numerous complaints. When we were winning more, it would go along the lines of Sherri's hair, clothes, shoes were terrible or Sherri wouldn't yell at the officials or the players enough to their liking. Then after 4 injuries last year and a few years before, and we were down to less than 10 available players, Sherri didn't use all the scholarships available and that was the problem (like she had intended for there to be only 7 or 8 available players during a season). Nevermind, UConn and the vast majority of Top 25 teams (a couple of years ago when I looked it up) had the same amount of scholarship players at the beginning of the year that we did, OR less. UConn, the soon to be NC again, has a roster of 11 and only 9 played in a recent 82-35 win at home over UCF, so I've got to assume they have a couple of injuries too. We've also had people just rip players on here saying they are the "worst I've seen" or whatever poor comment they can come up with. Can you imagine if your daughter were playing D1 college basketball and you as a parent would go to the team boards of the school at which she was playing and see similar comments about her??? Then the last few years it's been Sherri can't coach, her staff can't coach, none of them can recruit, Sherri shouldn't be coaching the US team in the summer, too family oriented, too religious, she makes too much money, etc, etc, etc. If I'm not mistaken, three fourths of this staff took 2 teams to the Final 4 and half of the current staff took all 3 teams to the Final 4. I think Sherri was the head coach of the gold medal winning US University Games team, just a few short months ago. I think she can still coach!

It almost seems like someone had a daughter that Sherri didn't recruit, or someone winked at Sherri and she gave them a horror look, or someone who was a friend of Burl Plunkett or Gary Hudson and didn't like the way OU treated them and this is their way of getting back at her. It really is ridiculous!

I can assure you no one hates losing more than Sherri Coale! I want OU to win in EVERY SINGLE game or event they compete in, whether it be debate team or rowing team. I've stated a few times before that I've not seen one person state that Sherri is perfect, nor the coaching staff is perfect, nor is the women's basketball program is perfect but if you say anything positive or try to find the good in a situation, you're labeled a "sunshine pumper". Everyone is disappointed in the season results to date and I'm sure the coaching staff and team feel that more than anyone. I have no doubt that Sherri and staff, whoever is on that staff, will return this program to the top of the Big 12 and compete with the top in the country, year in and year out, in a short period of time. Sherri has won at almost everything she's attempted! The CONSTANT negativity is uncalled for and unwarranted IMO.

 

[sybarite]

I haven't spent much time on land Thieves but you may be right. I visits 4 or 5 other boards frequently and haven't noticed the constant negativity that I do here. The negativity by some has been on this board, in varying degrees, ever since I found it, however many years ago. Even during Final 4 years there were numerous complaints. When we were winning more, it would go along the lines of Sherri's hair, clothes, shoes were terrible or Sherri wouldn't yell at the officials or the players enough to their liking. Then after 4 injuries last year and a few years before, and we were down to less than 10 available players, Sherri didn't use all the scholarships available and that was the problem (like she had intended for there to be only 7 or 8 available players during a season). Nevermind, UConn and the vast majority of Top 25 teams (a couple of years ago when I looked it up) had the same amount of scholarship players at the beginning of the year that we did, OR less. UConn, the soon to be NC again, has a roster of 11 and only 9 played in a recent 82-35 win at home over UCF, so I've got to assume they have a couple of injuries too. We've also had people just rip players on here saying they are the "worst I've seen" or whatever poor comment they can come up with. Can you imagine if your daughter were playing D1 college basketball and you as a parent would go to the team boards of the school at which she was playing and see similar comments about her??? Then the last few years it's been Sherri can't coach, her staff can't coach, none of them can recruit, Sherri shouldn't be coaching the US team in the summer, too family oriented, too religious, she makes too much money, etc, etc, etc. If I'm not mistaken, three fourths of this staff took 2 teams to the Final 4 and half of the current staff took all 3 teams to the Final 4. I think Sherri was the head coach of the gold medal winning US University Games team, just a few short months ago. I think she can still coach!

It almost seems like someone had a daughter that Sherri didn't recruit, or someone winked at Sherri and she gave them a horror look, or someone who was a friend of Burl Plunkett or Gary Hudson and didn't like the way OU treated them and this is their way of getting back at her. It really is ridiculous!

I can assure you no one hates losing more than Sherri Coale! I want OU to win in EVERY SINGLE game or event they compete in, whether it be debate team or rowing team. I've stated a few times before that I've not seen one person state that Sherri is perfect, nor the coaching staff is perfect, nor is the women's basketball program is perfect but if you say anything positive or try to find the good in a situation, you're labeled a "sunshine pumper". Everyone is disappointed in the season results to date and I'm sure the coaching staff and team feel that more than anyone. I have no doubt that Sherri and staff, whoever is on that staff, will return this program to the top of the Big 12 and compete with the top in the country, year in and year out, in a short period of time. Sherri has won at almost everything she's attempted! The CONSTANT negativity is uncalled for and unwarranted IMO.

Sanity.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Sherri and the players get a lot of praise on this board when they play well and when they recruit well.

When there is criticism on the men's board, I haven't seen posts attacking the negativity. But, let the same thing happen here and one would think its a close relative being water-boarded.

Some want to behave as an ostrich and still their heads in the sand and pretend everything is hunky dory. Others are more realistic and say what they think based upon the play on the court.

Fortunately, those who want to express their opinions, whatever they may be, are free to do so.

 

[sybarite]

OK. Let's deal with the Baylor fans, both from OU and Baylor.

A couple of years ago, I was complimented by a Baylor fan on HoopScoop, where we can discuss women's basketball without hatred, except that it does appear that everyone now does hate Baylor, for writing a blurb about how the 2005 Baylor championship team was one of my favorite teams because of how they fit together and played as a team at the right time. Maybe, it was three or four years ago. I think it was Scamp who sent me a PM about it. I don't remember.

But, something happened to Baylor and to Kim Mulkey. It became common knowledge that Niemann had had a few problems with Baylor and Kim, and she left Baylor prematurely. The way that went down did not sit well with a lot of people who saw it as somewhat bigoted.

Then, we had the stuff with Pokey, the incident where Kim complained to Sherri (angrily) about Ny shooting a three, and a few other attitudes that gave the impression that Kim was a bit of a brat.

The way that she handled the entire recruitment of the team that she put on the floor the past four years did not sit well, even with people who are very supportive of women's basketball and have never made a negative comment about anyone to my knowledge. Then, she kind of had that "in your face" comment about "you better beat me (not this team, but me) this year, because you won't do it after this year." That is about as brazen of a lack of sportsmanship as I have seen a women's coach exhibit. It also put the focus clearly on what she thinks is important---herself and winning.

Then, we watched Griner elbow Jo in the face deliberately. There was no response or apology from Kim or Griner. Then, we saw Griner throw a fist at Barncastle. Instead of a severe suspension to demonstrate her displeasure, Kim kind of justified it, as did Baylor fans, as being provoked. Well, Wabara provoked Courtney enough to knock her into the next century. You do not respond.

We had Sims starting fights. Kim seemed to think it was all justified. They are just out to get us because we are winning. Well, who is out to get UConn. Tell me a UConn player that you hate---a Notre Dame player. Sims started a fight in the finals (?) of the Elite Eight, and who was it that pulled someone's hair? Then, Griner and three others left the bench, an automatic suspension. Kim's reaction? Nothing. No suspensions. No actions taken.

Kim has earned the disgust of those who despise her, and it isn't doing Baylor any good to keep her as their image. Hypocrite U? Not a bad term. But, yes. I do disapprove of a program that I had once held up for acclaim. But, Baylor fans think that it is prejudice. It is jealousy.

Think on.

 

[gosooner2]

Syb, one of the reasons I think Norm gets so upset with you is you flat LIE. I went to the MIT site before I posted and they play FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, and BASEBALL. You simply make up whatever you want and then post it like you know what you and taking about and the truth is you do not.

 

[sybarite]

I apologize. I went back to the site, and they do play. But, as I stated, it is D-3. This is the site that I went to that stated there were no basketball or football teams.
http://www.mit.edu/activities/sports.html

 

[sybarite]

Incidentally, i usually post the stats and sites, and they are still ignored.

 

[NMSooner'80]

I haven't spent much time on land Thieves but you may be right. I visits 4 or 5 other boards frequently and haven't noticed the constant negativity that I do here. The negativity by some has been on this board, in varying degrees, ever since I found it, however many years ago. Even during Final 4 years there were numerous complaints. When we were winning more, it would go along the lines of Sherri's hair, clothes, shoes were terrible or Sherri wouldn't yell at the officials or the players enough to their liking. Then after 4 injuries last year and a few years before, and we were down to less than 10 available players, Sherri didn't use all the scholarships available and that was the problem (like she had intended for there to be only 7 or 8 available players during a season). Nevermind, UConn and the vast majority of Top 25 teams (a couple of years ago when I looked it up) had the same amount of scholarship players at the beginning of the year that we did, OR less. UConn, the soon to be NC again, has a roster of 11 and only 9 played in a recent 82-35 win at home over UCF, so I've got to assume they have a couple of injuries too. We've also had people just rip players on here saying they are the "worst I've seen" or whatever poor comment they can come up with. Can you imagine if your daughter were playing D1 college basketball and you as a parent would go to the team boards of the school at which she was playing and see similar comments about her??? Then the last few years it's been Sherri can't coach, her staff can't coach, none of them can recruit, Sherri shouldn't be coaching the US team in the summer, too family oriented, too religious, she makes too much money, etc, etc, etc. If I'm not mistaken, three fourths of this staff took 2 teams to the Final 4 and half of the current staff took all 3 teams to the Final 4. I think Sherri was the head coach of the gold medal winning US University Games team, just a few short months ago. I think she can still coach!

It almost seems like someone had a daughter that Sherri didn't recruit, or someone winked at Sherri and she gave them a horror look, or someone who was a friend of Burl Plunkett or Gary Hudson and didn't like the way OU treated them and this is their way of getting back at her. It really is ridiculous!

I can assure you no one hates losing more than Sherri Coale! I want OU to win in EVERY SINGLE game or event they compete in, whether it be debate team or rowing team. I've stated a few times before that I've not seen one person state that Sherri is perfect, nor the coaching staff is perfect, nor is the women's basketball program is perfect but if you say anything positive or try to find the good in a situation, you're labeled a "sunshine pumper". Everyone is disappointed in the season results to date and I'm sure the coaching staff and team feel that more than anyone. I have no doubt that Sherri and staff, whoever is on that staff, will return this program to the top of the Big 12 and compete with the top in the country, year in and year out, in a short period of time. Sherri has won at almost everything she's attempted! The CONSTANT negativity is uncalled for and unwarranted IMO.

Yep. It's even more absurd than when Kelvin endured crap, even when he was winning close to 30 games a year. But, those mental giants invalidated themselves by saying things like, "it's better to go to the Final 4 once and have three NIT bids sandwiched around it, than to go to the NCAA every year...."

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Too much so. I think there is a fundamental that is forgotten by some. OU is a university. The function is to educate human beings for the betterment of our society and themselves. That is the only real function of a university, and it can survive without football or basketball.

We may object or wish that a player would play better or quit making basketball mistakes. But, the bottom line is that each one is a university student at the University of Oklahoma, and Sherri teaches them the type of stuff that students should learn in order to make ours a better world. Not all coaches do that.

My dad always used to quip that Sherri recruited more for the academic side than the basketball side. Year after year those teams are full of girls from OU.

Something we always need to remember is that, no matter what the sport, these are 18-21 year old kids out there. Think back to when you were that age. Players like Simmons and Sims cost their teams possible NC with poor play their freshmen year. And I may be wrong but didn't Diana Taurasi stink it up when UConn lost to ND her freshman year?

I didn't coach college age but I used to coach girls from 10 to HS. Everything was fine as long as their heads weren't in the clouds. At times herding cats comes to mind. I know we all are hard on them but they are who they are.