Ryan Spangler

[vbdad]

Not sure what your definition of "like" is, but I would guess since the kids keep their nose clean, go to class, and represent the University in a positive light he has no problem with them. This means I think he likes them.

I'm sure, like most coaches, he wishes he had better players to push these guys more and to improve the athleticism of the team as a whole, but I don't believe for one second he doesn't "like" these guys.

CLK is not the type of coach (and even if he was JC and DB wouldn't allow him) to cut players because they aren't good enough. It's not like these guys are Kyle Hardrick or something.

He may like them personally but he doubt he likes most of them as ball players. I can't wait till we have a transfer or two announced to prove you wrong!

 

[garyeb2]

I've already told you the two frosh aren't going to start. You need to trust me on that. So my question to you is this.....assuming M'Baye starts over Cam or Fitz, and Pledger plays much like he did this year (in minutes, points, and percentages), do you think OU can make the Dance? Because in the past, as recently as the last two days (I think), you said OU couldn't make the Dance without replacing two starters. So which is it?

A link to a recent comment of yours:

http://ouhoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=345855&postcount=6

Let me clear something up. I don't care what you told me. I don't think you have a clue. You way over value the worth of the current group and that prevents you from understandings the depts to which the program has sunk.
Freshmen start and contribute for teams all over the country. Both good ones and bad ones.

Where is the quote that I said OU wouldn't make the tourney without replacing two starters. I said they wouldn't be a good team. They wouldn't be. They could be a 9-9 team and slip in. Then a good team, a 5 seed or better would blow them out of the gym.


OU will be a better team next year because of M'Baye and whoever else. It will have nothing to do with Pledger or Fitz. Players like that cap a team. They impose a low ceiling. They place limitations on what Kruger can do with his team.

If M'baye is a bust and the same 5 go again, fans may as well fast forward to 2013. They won't be going anywhere.

 

[WTSooner]

Let me clear something up. I don't care what you told me. I don't think you have a clue. You way over value the worth of the current group and that prevents you from understandings the depts to which the program has sunk.
Freshmen start and contribute for teams all over the country. Both good ones and bad ones.

And next year, when you end up being wrong again, what will you say? Like you were wrong about Arent starting. Like you were wrong about Grooms being better than he was. Like you were wrong about Osby playing the wing. Like you were wrong about what Pledger would average this year. Like you were DEAD wrong about all things Newell. You were wrong about what we were going to do on offense and defense as a team this year. Need I go on? Your preseason evaluations of this team, from top to bottom, couldn't have been more wrong.

But you think you know more about the two new kids? You think Capel is going to send Pledger to the bench b/c Hield has quicker feet? Please. You suggest I (and others) focus too much on Pledger's offense when evaluating him, but you do the opposite. You focus on his speed, and use that as a reason to bench him. That is nonsense. We're not bringing in top 25 guards here. These kids will need considerable time to adjust to the D1 game. Not saying they can't contribute, and do some good things for OU early, but if you expect them to be better overall players than Pledger, it ain't gonna happen. I doubt they even beat out Cam for minutes.

So keep telling yourself that we're going to replace two starters. And next year, when it doesn't happen, come back and give me your excuses.

Where is the quote that I said OU wouldn't make the tourney without replacing two starters. I said they wouldn't be a good team. They wouldn't be. They could be a 9-9 team and slip in. Then a good team, a 5 seed or better would blow them out of the gym.

You are splitting hairs. You say OU will be better, then you act like it'd be some lucky accomplishment to win 9 Big 12 games this year. If we're better, and a lot of other teams are worse, and we lost 2-3 games this year that we absolutely should have won, then 9-9 and making the Dance shouldn't be some Kruger miracle. I still think next year's team has a darn good shot at making the Dance, even if we replace no starters. You know why? Because that means that Cam will have gone back to freshman form, and it means we're bringing some pretty darn good players off the bench, including M'Baye at a position he is more suited to play (the post). He may start for Fitz, or LK might just bring him off the bench, and give him starter minutes.

 

[Max Power]

And next year, when you end up being wrong again, what will you say? Like you were wrong about Arent starting. Like you were wrong about Grooms being better than he was. Like you were wrong about Osby playing the wing. Like you were wrong about what Pledger would average this year. Like you were DEAD wrong about all things Newell. You were wrong about what we were going to do on offense and defense as a team this year. Need I go on? Your preseason evaluations of this team, from top to bottom, couldn't have been more wrong.

But you think you know more about the two new kids? You think Capel is going to send Pledger to the bench b/c Hield has quicker feet? Please. You suggest I (and others) focus too much on Pledger's offense when evaluating him, but you do the opposite. You focus on his speed, and use that as a reason to bench him. That is nonsense. We're not bringing in top 25 guards here. These kids will need considerable time to adjust to the D1 game. Not saying they can't contribute, and do some good things for OU early, but if you expect them to be better overall players than Pledger, it ain't gonna happen. I doubt they even beat out Cam for minutes.

So keep telling yourself that we're going to replace two starters. And next year, when it doesn't happen, come back and give me your excuses.



You are splitting hairs. You say OU will be better, then you act like it'd be some lucky accomplishment to win 9 Big 12 games this year. If we're better, and a lot of other teams are worse, and we lost 2-3 games this year that we absolutely should have won, then 9-9 and making the Dance shouldn't be some Kruger miracle. I still think next year's team has a darn good shot at making the Dance, even if we replace no starters. You know why? Because that means that Cam will have gone back to freshman form, and it means we're bringing some pretty darn good players off the bench, including M'Baye at a position he is more suited to play (the post). He may start for Fitz, or LK might just bring him off the bench, and give him starter minutes.

God I hope not

 

[garyeb2]

Where do i start. I said my assumption was that anyone Kruger brought in would be better than what he had. If they weren't he probably shouldn't have recruited them. Arent wasn't. The game never slowed down for him.

I have it on pretty good authority that the original thought was to move Fitz to the #4 and Osby to the #3. If you don't understand that Osby would have done a better job in that spot than Cam, then you cann't convince me that you ever watched a game. When Arent no showed, it was back to square #1.

What do you mean I oversold Grooms. He was better than Blair and one of the top Ass./turnover guys in the conference. He is a solid defender, a one man press breaker and a much better point guard than Pledger is a #2.

Calvin, well he is a better guard than Pledger and it wasn't close. Other issues got him. If he would have stuck Pledger would have been battling Cam for min. He went to a tourney caliber team. He will start and do well there.

Oh, and by the way. Kruger is the coach now. Not Capel. But, it was Capel that told Osby that if he came to OU that he would play the #3. That is what Osby wanted and that is why he came to Oklahoma.

When Calvin left Kruger couldn't play the style of ball he wanted to. Pledger is too slow and can not guard anyone. He did the only thing he could do when short on talent. To keep the games close and stay competitive he took the air out of the ball and dropped into a zone. I'm glad he did it it kept us from getting beat by 20 all the time.

To say Oklahoma should have won more games than they did is the dumbest thing I ever heard. They were lucky that they got 5. Like when you were on here saying that if OU had made their free throws we would have beat Missouri. No we wouldn't have. Superior teams beat inferior teams not just one way. But in a variety of ways. If OU had been making their free throws all along., Missouri would just have beaten them another way. But, you are right. OU certainly had a CHANCE to win 3 more games. But, as expected, you boy Pledger choked the money shot 3 times. Great shooters don't choke the money shot 3 times. They define themselves as great shooters by making the money shot. Good H.O.R.S.E. players do miss from time to time when the game is one the line.

The freshmen? Kruger is recruiting to a 5-13 team. He is recruiting contributors, not 5/7 min per game bench jockeys. He will handle them just like he did Arent. Playing time is their's to lose. Not the other way around. From day one, Arent was the 1st big off the bench. Where he went from there was up to him. CJ was just better and he went backwards.

Human nature seems to be beyond your grasp. If competition is just close between a Kruger recruit and a Capel leftover, The Kruger recruit will win everytime. If Kruger can play the way he wants with his guys and he can not with Capel's guys. Why would he play the Capel guys. The only reason would be that he can win with the Capel guys. OOPS, 5-13. Your failure to understand that dynamic is, well, stunning.

Until you get it thru your head, that with the possible exception of Cam, Pledger does his particular job worse than any of the other starters do theirs. What you see when watching an OU basketblall will never make sense to you. Making excuses and blaming other player for Pledger's shortcomings is all you have done all season long. It is alittle pathetic and pitifull.

 

[vbdad]

Pledger is a good shooter! He is a terrible ball handler. He doesn't play defense. He doesn't work hard to get open most of the time. He certainly loses focus and doesn't play with intensity. Yes he would be better as a role player and is a division one player but not a star.

Who says Coach Kruger likes these guys. Kruger is one of the most intense competitors that has ever played sports. These guys are so passive it is sickening. How about the guys on the team who do the bare minimum and don't care if they get playing time or not. They are cruising because there is no talent on the team and they don't care if they play or not next year. If Kruger wasn't such a good person most of these guys would be gone.[/QUOTE]

Well, we are all entitled to our own opinions, and obviously this entire post consists of nothing but yours.......

The bolded part is some of the craziest stuff I have read on this board. Do you personally know LK or the players?? Do you have intimate knowledge if LK "likes certain players"?? Coaches aren't paid to " like players", they are paid to coach, nurture, train, and prepare young men/women, who happen to be college athletes. I bet you couldn't get LK to bash any kid who works hard, goes to class, and shows improvement, no matter what his weaknesses are. To say the kids don't care, and are just cruising along, shows me you also probably never played competitive sports......:facepalm:facepalm

Yes those are my opinions. Wrong played several sports competively however I wasn't very good.
My mistake Coach Kruger loves the players.

 

[garyeb2]

Oh, and one more thing. Please stop embarassing yourself with the commentary on M'Baye. You don't know what you are talking about. I'll help you out.

He is a natural college #4. A pro #3, but a college #4. He was a #4 at Wyoming. Are you keeping up. It gets complicated now.

He has a range and mobility that is rare for a guy his size. Kruger may very well use him on the inside. He would do just fine. He would start for either Osby or Fitz. And he will start. It would be nice to win a jump ball at the start of the game.

But, if he does start on the inside, because of his range and mobility Kruger would be giving up some of the ways he could help the team. Because of that, he will likely spend alot of time on the outside. Or at least switch back and forth. How other players develope and come along will impact on how he is ultimately be used.

Hope that helps you some.

 

[WTSooner]

I can't even debate this with you, b/c I literally disagree with all but one sentence in your last two posts.

I don't think there is anybody on this board that respects the opinions you form from watching OU basketball, be it games or practices. And now you are just making stuff up. As if you know what Capel told Osby about what position he would play. And even if he did, well, coaches lie. Just like Notre Dame was going to turn Ryan Humphrey into the next Scottie Pippen. LOL. If you watched him all year and you think he is what we need at the 3, then you know less than I thought you did about college basketball. You probably thought Taylor Griffin would play the 3 as well. How'd that work out? And still saying Newell was better than Pledger?

Let's go back to just not responding to each other. It works better that way. And next year, when things play out how I suspect they will, you can make more excuses for your faulty logic.

 

[garyeb2]

I can't even debate this with you, b/c I literally disagree with all but one sentence in your last two posts.

I don't think there is anybody on this board that respects the opinions you form from watching OU basketball, be it games or practices. And now you are just making stuff up. As if you know what Capel told Osby about what position he would play. And even if he did, well, coaches lie. Just like Notre Dame was going to turn Ryan Humphrey into the next Scottie Pippen. LOL. If you watched him all year and you think he is what we need at the 3, then you know less than I thought you did about college basketball. You probably thought Taylor Griffin would play the 3 as well. How'd that work out? And still saying Newell was better than Pledger?

Let's go back to just not responding to each other. It works better that way. And next year, when things play out how I suspect they will, you can make more excuses for your faulty logic.

Osby said it. Miss. paper when interviewed as to why he was leaving. Look it up yourself. And sure, I was wondering why you kept inviting me to take shots at you. Your such an easy target.

 

[WTSooner]

.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I can't even debate this with you, b/c I literally disagree with all but one sentence in your last two posts.

I don't think there is anybody on this board that respects the opinions you form from watching OU basketball, be it games or practices. And now you are just making stuff up. As if you know what Capel told Osby about what position he would play. And even if he did, well, coaches lie. Just like Notre Dame was going to turn Ryan Humphrey into the next Scottie Pippen. LOL. If you watched him all year and you think he is what we need at the 3, then you know less than I thought you did about college basketball. You probably thought Taylor Griffin would play the 3 as well. How'd that work out? And still saying Newell was better than Pledger?

Let's go back to just not responding to each other. It works better that way. And next year, when things play out how I suspect they will, you can make more excuses for your faulty logic.

BoulderSooner was pretty adamant before the season and last year that Ro would play the 3 and not the 4. Based on how adamant he and others were, I would bet Capel promised Ro he would play the 3. Capel was in desperation mode.