Sam Cassell Jr?

[SoonerSpock]

Also M'baye is listed as 6'9. I cannot imagine him spending the majority of his time on the wing considering how weak we are in the post. He will spend alot of his time at the 4.

No way he goes pro after this year.

You could well be correct that M'baye's size dictates he spend most of his time playing the 4 but my observation at about a dozen practices last season was that Kruger had M'baye playing at the wing virtually all of the time.

It seems illogical to me to practice M'baye at the wing if you were going to play him at the 4. Of course team needs as the season develops may dictate doing otherwise.

 

[campbest]

Sam, you're not old enough to be posting in this thread...please step outside.

 

[DenverSooner]

You could well be correct that M'baye's size dictates he spend most of his time playing the 4 but my observation at about a dozen practices last season was that Kruger had M'baye playing at the wing virtually all of the time.

It seems illogical to me to practice M'baye at the wing if you were going to play him at the 4. Of course team needs as the season develops may dictate doing otherwise.

Kruger and M'Baye have both stated he intentionally worked on his perimeter skills last season because they felt his skills inside were already strong. I have no clue where he will play but it makes sense to improve on your weaknesses in a redshirt year.

 

[luckyc1423]

You could well be correct that M'baye's size dictates he spend most of his time playing the 4 but my observation at about a dozen practices last season was that Kruger had M'baye playing at the wing virtually all of the time.

It seems illogical to me to practice M'baye at the wing if you were going to play him at the 4. Of course team needs as the season develops may dictate doing otherwise.

Team Needs:

Guards: cousins, hornbreak, heild, clark, pledger, grooms, and neal can all play good minutes. Thats 7 guards, why do we need 8 guards??

Forwards: fitz, mbaye, osby, ?? anyone else really?? thats 3. We need him more in the post...

Also, comparing anything to practice in my eyes is silly. He probably could have played point guard in practice. Last year we finished 5-13 in the big 12. He didnt have alot of competition in practice.

And for someone to say he is going pro because he looks like a stud in practice, alot of people would look like a stud in practice going against guys that were 5-13. There was word that Osby might be going pro as well. I would assume we made guys look better in practice than they really are.

Note: Im sure mbaye will be one of our better players, but before labeling him as a college star lets let him play a game in the big 12.

 

[TheGimper]

Spangler, Elliott, Bennett are not comparable in talent to Romero or Andrew. Now these guys might be able to do somethings better than either one of our two seniors, but it's still a pretty steep talent drop off. Which is why I believe people are saying we need post players. Not just post players, but talented posts - at the very least some that pack an offensive punch.

 

[garyeb2]

I agree.

A team full of moderately athletic guys that play the game the right way, and can make shots, probably beats a team full of monster athletes with limited basketball skills more often then not.

As OU was losing badly in conference play over the last 3 years they were out athleted just as often as they were outshot. Pick your poison. Getting beat is getting beat.

 

[WTSooner]

As OU was losing badly in conference play over the last 3 years they were out athleted just as often as they were outshot. Pick your poison. Getting beat is getting beat.

My point isn't any less valid just b/c OU was lacking in both areas.

I'll always reference back to the teams that Kelvin had, that nobody could confuse with being "athletic."

 

[garyeb2]

My point isn't any less valid just b/c OU was lacking in both areas.

I'll always reference back to the teams that Kelvin had, that nobody could confuse with being "athletic."

Well, if Cam the athlete and Pledger the shooter played a game of 1 on 1, who do you like? If they played to 100, I would spot you 50 and take Cam.

 

[cvangild]

Sam Cassell Sr. almost went to OU. He played on the same juco team as Bryan Sallier, who signed with OU and was a beast in the post (San Jancinto JC). Instead, we ended up starting a tru freshman at PG, Terry Evans..who had a pretty damn good career at OU!!! Sallier was one of my favorite OU players from OU back in that time period. He was a Parade AA in both football (at TE) and basketball, at 6'8 250 lbs!!

 

[WTSooner]

Well, if Cam the athlete and Pledger the shooter played a game of 1 on 1, who do you like? If they played to 100, I would spot you 50 and take Cam.

Why does that matter? Basketball is a team sport, and team basketball is quite a bit different then one on one. I could likely beat Shaq in a FT shooting contest. Doesn't make me an NBA player though.

 

[garyeb2]

Why does that matter? Basketball is a team sport, and team basketball is quite a bit different then one on one. I could likely beat Shaq in a FT shooting contest. Doesn't make me an NBA player though.

It matters because my point is that the superior athlete will gobble up the player with limited athletic ability and a good basketball skill. It doesn't matter if it is 1 on 1 or 5 on 5. I just find myself on the opposite side of your premise that the player with a basketball skill is preferred over the superior athlete.

 

[vbdad]

Spangler and Bennett are going to be as good as Fitz and Osby.

 

[WTSooner]

Spangler and Bennett are going to be as good as Fitz and Osby.

I don't see that happening. Spangler has an outside shot at playing at that level. I don't see Bennett getting anywhere near it.

 

[garyeb2]

Spangler and Bennett are going to be as good as Fitz and Osby.

I think that Osby showed enough last season to indicate that he will prove out to be a good one for OU. It would be a stretch to believe that either Spangler or Bennett would be a worthy replacement for him. But, one of them might be able to improve the position over Fitz. I'm with WT on this one. It would probably be Spangler.

 

[DenverSooner]

It matters because my point is that the superior athlete will gobble up the player with limited athletic ability and a good basketball skill. It doesn't matter if it is 1 on 1 or 5 on 5. I just find myself on the opposite side of your premise that the player with a basketball skill is preferred over the superior athlete.

Lets take 4 sets of identical twins, with identical basketball abilities. Now who do you want as your 5th player? I want Pledger because I can set a screen for him and count on him to make the shot. I can count on him to stretch the defense. Pledger is a better player than Cam Clark or at least has been to this point in their careers.

 

[TheGimper]

I don't see that happening. Spangler has an outside shot at playing at that level. I don't see Bennett getting anywhere near it.

Yeah, no chance of either one becoming as good as Romero. Ro has an outside shot of Big 12 player of the year this season, I can't see that ever happening to Spangler.

Now Spangler (most likely) will be a better rebounder and defender than Fitz by the time he's a senior, but I doubt he will ever have the offensive skill set Fitz has.

 

[DenverSooner]

I think that Osby showed enough last season to indicate that he will prove out to be a good one for OU. It would be a stretch to believe that either Spangler or Bennett would be a worthy replacement for him. But, one of them might be able to improve the position over Fitz. I'm with WT on this one. It would probably be Spangler.

By all accounts Spangler is a better athlete than Fitzgerald. He jumps higher, runs faster and is quicker based on everything I have read. According to your earlier comments the athlete always wins. Therefore, I am confused how it is that Spangler only has a chance to improve the position over Fitz.

Could it be that while Fitzgerald is not a great athlete by Big XII basketball player standards he is a good basketball player by those same standards?

 

[garyeb2]

By all accounts Spangler is a better athlete than Fitzgerald. He jumps higher, runs faster and is quicker based on everything I have read. According to your earlier comments the athlete always wins. Therefore, I am confused how it is that Spangler only has a chance to improve the position over Fitz.

Could it be that while Fitzgerald is not a great athlete by Big XII basketball player standards he is a good basketball player by those same standards?

Some days in some ways I try to take alittle edge off my comments. I was trying to be nice.

I like Fitz. He is a good student and a tough kid. Every year he has gotten alittle craftier around the basket. To make up for his llimited athletic ability and lack of quickness he plays dirty and is a cheap shot artist. I like that too. He plays defense with a handfull of jersey and half of his fouls come from elbows and shoves trying to get open.

If in fact M'Baye plays the #3, there is no telling how many points Fitz will score. The times Osby or M'Baye get doubled, Fitz will always be the one the defenders turn loose. I hope he has a big year.

Let me clarify. If the objective is to have a team that competes well in the Big 12, Fitz is a liability. He is not an asset. One dimensional contributors like Fitz and Pledger will just get you beat when it comes time to play big boy basketball.

I fully expect Spangler to develope into a player that greatly improves that position and becomes a guy Kruger can win with in the Big 12. And my hope is that Hield shows up with a skill set to fully or partiall dispatch Pledger.

Now, that should be enough red meat for you guys to have some fun with.