Since I have been going to games ...

[SoonerTraveler]

I graduated from OU in 1977. Here is my history of being a season ticket holder at OU. I got spoiled by the wonderful success in recent decades. These last two years have made me appreciate the past even more. I hope Coach Capel can get OU basketball back to what it once was.


(1) – Conference Regular Season Champion
(2) – Conference Tournament Champion


Head Coach Dave Bliss

1975-76 .... 9-17 (6-8 Big Eight)
1976-77 .... 18-10 (9-5)
1977-78 .... 14-13 (7-7)
1978-79 .... 21-10 (10-4) .... NCAA Sweet-16 ... (1) (2)
1979-80 .... 15-12 (6-8)

Head Coach Billy Tubbs

1980-81 .... 9-18 (4-10)
1981-82 .... 22-11 (8-6) .... NIT
1982-83 .... 24-9 (10-4) .... NCAA 2nd Round
1983-84 .... 29-5 (13-1) .... NCAA 1st Round ... (1)
1984-85 .... 31-6 (13-1) .... NCAA Elite-8 ... (1) (2)
1985-86 .... 26-9 (8-6) ...... NCAA 2nd Round
1986-87 .... 24-10 (9-5) .... NCAA Sweet-16
1987-88 .... 35-4 (12-2) .... NCAA Championship Game ... (1) (2)
1988-89 .... 30-6 (12-2) .... NCAA Sweet-16 ... (1)
1989-90 .... 27-5 (11-3) .... NCAA 2nd Round ... (2)
1990-91 .... 20-15 (5-9) .... NIT
1991-92 .... 21-9 (8-6) ..... NCAA 1st Round
1992-93 .... 20-12 (7-7) .... NIT
1993-94 .... 15-13 (6-8) .... NIT

Head Coach Kelvin Sampson

1994-95 .... 23-9 (9-5) .... NCAA 1st Round
1995-96 .... 17-13 (8-6) .... NCAA 1st Round
1996-97 .... 19-11 (9-7) .... NCAA 1st Round ..... (First year of Big-12)
1997-98 .... 22-11 (11-5) .... NCAA 1st Round
1998-99 .... 22-11 (11-5) .... NCAA NCAA Sweet-16
1999-00 .... 27-7 (12-4) .... NCAA 2nd Round
2000-01 .... 26-7 (12-4) .... NCAA 1st Round ... (2)
2001-02 .... 31-5 (13-3) .... NCAA Final-4 ... (2)
2002-03 .... 27-7 (12-4) .... NCAA Elite-8 ... (2)
2003-04 .... 20-11 (8-8) .... NIT
2004-05 .... 25-8 (12-4) .... NCAA 2nd Round ... (1; Co-Champion)
2005-06 .... 20-9 (11-5) .... NCAA 1st Round

Head Coach Jeff Capel

2006-07 .... 16-15 (6-10)
2007-08 ... 23-12 (9-7) .... NCAA 2nd Round
2008-09 .... 30-6 (13-3) .... NCAA Elite-8
2009-10 .... 13-18 (4-12)
2010-11 .... 12-13 (4-7)

Lots of good memories in this history.

Getting to the Big Dance ... I will never again take it for granted. No team is entitled to a NCAA Tornament bid. Each and every season, you have to fight, scratch and claw your way to enough wins against good teams to get into the Dance. The opportunity expands for the Sooners next season, as they will play KU and Mizzou home-and-home.

Win or lose in the Big Dance, it takes a good season to get there. Good seasons are fun to watch.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I graduated from OU in 1977. Here is my history of being a season ticket holder at OU. I got spoiled by the wonderful success in recent decades. These last two years have made me appreciate the past even more. I hope Coach Capel can get OU basketball back to what it once was.


(1) – Conference Regular Season Champion
(2) – Conference Tournament Champion


Head Coach Dave Bliss

1975-76 .... 9-17 (6-8 Big Eight)
1976-77 .... 18-10 (9-5)
1977-78 .... 14-13 (7-7)
1978-79 .... 21-10 (10-4) .... NCAA Sweet-16 ... (1) (2)
1979-80 .... 15-12 (6-8)

Head Coach Billy Tubbs

1980-81 .... 9-18 (4-10)
1981-82 .... 22-11 (8-6) .... NIT
1982-83 .... 24-9 (10-4) .... NCAA 2nd Round
1983-84 .... 29-5 (13-1) .... NCAA 1st Round ... (1)
1984-85 .... 31-6 (13-1) .... NCAA Elite-8 ... (1) (2)
1985-86 .... 26-9 (8-6) ...... NCAA 2nd Round
1986-87 .... 24-10 (9-5) .... NCAA Sweet-16
1987-88 .... 35-4 (12-2) .... NCAA Championship Game ... (1) (2)
1988-89 .... 30-6 (12-2) .... NCAA Sweet-16 ... (1)
1989-90 .... 27-5 (11-3) .... NCAA 2nd Round ... (2)
1990-91 .... 20-15 (5-9) .... NIT
1991-92 .... 21-9 (8-6) ..... NCAA 1st Round
1992-93 .... 20-12 (7-7) .... NIT
1993-94 .... 15-13 (6-8) .... NIT

Head Coach Kelvin Sampson

1994-95 .... 23-9 (9-5) .... NCAA 1st Round
1995-96 .... 17-13 (8-6) .... NCAA 1st Round
1996-97 .... 19-11 (9-7) .... NCAA 1st Round ..... (First year of Big-12)
1997-98 .... 22-11 (11-5) .... NCAA 1st Round
1998-99 .... 22-11 (11-5) .... NCAA NCAA Sweet-16
1999-00 .... 27-7 (12-4) .... NCAA 2nd Round
2000-01 .... 26-7 (12-4) .... NCAA 1st Round ... (2)
2001-02 .... 31-5 (13-3) .... NCAA Final-4 ... (2)
2002-03 .... 27-7 (12-4) .... NCAA Elite-8 ... (2)
2003-04 .... 20-11 (8-8) .... NIT
2004-05 .... 25-8 (12-4) .... NCAA 2nd Round ... (1; Co-Champion)
2005-06 .... 20-9 (11-5) .... NCAA 1st Round

Head Coach Jeff Capel

2006-07 .... 16-15 (6-10)
2007-08 ... 23-12 (9-7) .... NCAA 2nd Round
2008-09 .... 30-6 (13-3) .... NCAA Elite-8
2009-10 .... 13-18 (4-12)
2010-11 .... 12-13 (4-7)

Lots of good memories in this history.

Getting to the Big Dance ... I will never again take it for granted. No team is entitled to a NCAA Tornament bid. Each and every season, you have to fight, scratch and claw your way to enough wins against good teams to get into the Dance. The opportunity expands for the Sooners next season, as they will play KU and Mizzou home-and-home.

Win or lose in the Big Dance, it takes a good season to get there. Good seasons are fun to watch.

The first year I started going to games was in the 76-77 season. My dad had season tickets back then, and even had them when the Sooners played in the fieldhouse. He dropped his season tickets right before Tubbs took over as head coach but we still attended quite a few home games most seasons before we had season tickets again in the 90's. When I was a student, I of course, had a student ticket.

I am with you Traveler. After the last few years, I will never take for granted post season play. In fact, I will never take for granted that the next coach will continue to build the program as I once thought we were past hiring a coach who would have multiple losing seasons.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

For most of those 35 seasons listed above, me and my dad never missed a home game.

I have had many "favorite" OU teams, but my all-time favorite is the 1987-88 team. Those five starters could (and did) play almost 40 minutes each. They were tireless and relentless, while pressing and running. It was amazing to watch. When I now see 19 and 20 year-old players get gassed and too tired to give it their all, I think back to that 1987-88 team. Those guys could run all day long, and play good while doing so.

There is no contest for my least favorite team. It was the team last year with WW, Tiny and TMG.

 

[Big Old Booger]

For most of those 35 seasons listed above, me and my dad never missed a home game.

I have had many "favorite" OU teams, but my all-time favorite is the 1987-88 team. Those five starters could (and did) play almost 40 minutes each. They were tireless and relentless, while pressing and running. It was amazing to watch. When I now see 19 and 20 year-old players get gassed and too tired to give it their all, I think back to that 1987-88 team. Those guys could run all day long, and play good while doing so.

There is no contest for my least favorite team. It was the team last year with WW, Tiny and TMG.

I liked the 87-88 team as well, but one of my favorite teams is the 81/82 team that advanced to the NIT final 4. Wayman was still in HS, and that team is what started the incredible run that Billy enjoyed.

I will never forget going to the Mizzou game at the LNC and it was the fullest I had ever seen the LNC (that was at the time a record crowd) that full. Mizzou had Stipo, Sundvold, and others and were really good. The crowd was into the game and looking for chances to erupt. David Little, our outside shooter kept missing what would now be 3 point shots. Every time he would shoot the ball, my brother would say "oh, that ones in". After about 5 or 6 misses, my dad, who was growing frustrated with every miss finally said "Joe, would you quit saying that!". We still laugh about it even today. Anyway, OU kept it close but lost by 5.

That season we also swept OSU, winning the 2nd game in 2 OT in the old Gallagher Hall. They also advanced to the finals of the Big 8 tourney by beating KSU with Jack Hartman in KC, which was a huge upset. Then they didn't make the NCAA tourney (only took 32 teams back then), but should have, and instead were picked for the NIT.

The first game of the NIT was vs ORU at the Mabee Center. OU won the game after trailing by 20 points or more in the first half. The next game was in the LNC, and we beat Cal-Irvine again after trailing by double-digits. I was at that game with my dad and a school buddy (my brother was on a church ski trip). Calvin Pierce had 2 humongous thunder dunks off rebounds that really got the crowd going. This was the first ever postseason game in the LNC. It was a great comeback and this was the first game my dad let us stay until the end because the game wasn't over until the final buzzer.

Then we beat Dayton and advanced to NYC for the NIT final 4. We lost in the next game to eventual NIT champion Bradley with Hersey Hawkins, who was too much for us.

The starters that year were Chucky Barnett (2), David Little (3), Charles Big Time Jones (5), Calvin Pierce (4), and I think Bo Overton was the PG.

As mentioned above, this team set the stage for the Wayman teams.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

There are so many fine teams to reminisce about. The 1999-00 team had Eduardo as a senior and Hollis as a freshman .. one leader passing the torch to the next. I will never forget the opening game in the conference tournament in KC, where true freshman Hollis Price had to sink two free throws to send the game into overtime, while the Mizzou fans were going crazy inside Kemper Arena. Of course, Hollis made the free throws, and OU beat Mizzou in OT. The Sooner then stomped Texas the next night in the semi-finals.

I think the starters were Eduardo, Hollis, J.R. Raymond, Nolan Johnson and Renzi Stone. The bench included Tim Heskett, Kelly Newton, Victor Avila, and Jameel Heywood.

There was a time when OU just owned Mizzou and Texas.

 

[Big Old Booger]

There are so many fine teams to reminisce about. The 1999-00 team had Eduardo as a senior and Hollis as a freshman .. one leader passing the torch to the next. I will never forget the opening game in the conference tournament in KC, where true freshman Hollis Price had to sink two free throws to send the game into overtime, while the Mizzou fans were going crazy inside Kemper Arena. Of course, Hollis made the free throws, and OU beat Mizzou in OT. The Sooner then stomped Texas the next night in the semi-finals.

I think the starters were Eduardo, Hollis, J.R. Raymond, Nolan Johnson and Renzi Stone. The bench included Tim Heskett, Kelly Newton, Victor Avila, and Jameel Heywood.

There was a time when OU just owned Mizzou and Texas.

Yep. Those were wins most every time, but Mizzou was always a nail-biter.

One of my favorite players was Corey Brewer. I loved watching him take over games and he was tough as nails.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Yep. Those were wins most every time, but Mizzou was always a nail-biter.

One of my favorite players was Corey Brewer. I loved watching him take over games and he was tough as nails.

That toughness you mention is now becoming a distant memory. It is a trait the program now lacks.

 

[NMSooner'80]

I liked the 87-88 team as well, but one of my favorite teams is the 81/82 team that advanced to the NIT final 4. Wayman was still in HS, and that team is what started the incredible run that Billy enjoyed.

I will never forget going to the Mizzou game at the LNC and it was the fullest I had ever seen the LNC (that was at the time a record crowd) that full. Mizzou had Stipo, Sundvold, and others and were really good. The crowd was into the game and looking for chances to erupt. David Little, our outside shooter kept missing what would now be 3 point shots. Every time he would shoot the ball, my brother would say "oh, that ones in". After about 5 or 6 misses, my dad, who was growing frustrated with every miss finally said "Joe, would you quit saying that!". We still laugh about it even today. Anyway, OU kept it close but lost by 5.

That season we also swept OSU, winning the 2nd game in 2 OT in the old Gallagher Hall. They also advanced to the finals of the Big 8 tourney by beating KSU with Jack Hartman in KC, which was a huge upset. Then they didn't make the NCAA tourney (only took 32 teams back then), but should have, and instead were picked for the NIT.

The first game of the NIT was vs ORU at the Mabee Center. OU won the game after trailing by 20 points or more in the first half. The next game was in the LNC, and we beat Cal-Irvine again after trailing by double-digits. I was at that game with my dad and a school buddy (my brother was on a church ski trip). Calvin Pierce had 2 humongous thunder dunks off rebounds that really got the crowd going. This was the first ever postseason game in the LNC. It was a great comeback and this was the first game my dad let us stay until the end because the game wasn't over until the final buzzer.

Then we beat Dayton and advanced to NYC for the NIT final 4. We lost in the next game to eventual NIT champion Bradley with Hersey Hawkins, who was too much for us.

The starters that year were Chucky Barnett (2), David Little (3), Charles Big Time Jones (5), Calvin Pierce (4), and I think Bo Overton was the PG.

As mentioned above, this team set the stage for the Wayman teams.

The '81-82 was one of my favorites, too, even though they were after my own graduation and I only got to see them play in person once. That "one" game was the Cal-Irvine NIT game. The atmosphere was as amazing as OU's comeback from a 17-point deficit was. Then, we almost blew a 10-point lead in the final minute but held on to win by three.

Overton was the point guard on that team, by the way. They also had a PF named Darryl Allen, a highly-rated JC transfer who I believe had some academic problems and didn't return to the team for Wayman's freshman year.

People may not remember, but David Little almost signed with OU out of high school in '78. He was from Abilene and went to Texas Tech. He left after his sophomore year and transferred to OU. Little would have been a nice addition to that '78-79 Big 8 championship team had he come to OU originally.

The '79 team was definitely my favorite of that era. That was my junior year, and I'd already met a few of the guys on that squad by then. They clinched the outright league title at home on a Saturday afternoon vs. K-State, 65-52. Many of us students started heading for floor level in the final 30 seconds, and we rushed the court when the horn sounded. I think we were there for the net-cutting for almost an hour afterward.

 

[KanSoon]

Thanks for all the memories of good times.

Boomer Sooner!

 

[NMSooner'80]

I liked the 87-88 team as well, but one of my favorite teams is the 81/82 team that advanced to the NIT final 4. Wayman was still in HS, and that team is what started the incredible run that Billy enjoyed.

P.S. one of the other key front-court reserves on that team was Lester Pace, who was a senior at the time. He was never a big star at OU but did start his whole junior year and averaged double figures in points. Pace also helped out in reserve of Al Beal during the Big 8 title run of '79.

It was interesting to find out, years later, that Les is Taj Gray's uncle.

 

[Sooner04]

The '81-82 was one of my favorites, too, even though they were after my own graduation and I only got to see them play in person once. That "one" game was the Cal-Irvine NIT game. The atmosphere was as amazing as OU's comeback from a 17-point deficit was. Then, we almost blew a 10-point lead in the final minute but held on to win by three..

The Irvine game! According to the long-time OU diehards I've spoken to over the years it was the rowdiest crowd of them all.

The donor points football crowd showed up the next season.

 

[Big Old Booger]

The Irvine game! According to the long-time OU diehards I've spoken to over the years it was the rowdiest crowd of them all.

The donor points football crowd showed up the next season.

Chucky Barnett! He had some sweet glasses he used to wear.

The Irvine game was rowdy, but the Mizzou game that year would have been rowdier if the good guys could have ever taken the lead. We were in the game the entire time but could not make the shots to take the MO.

 

[NMSooner'80]

The Irvine game! According to the long-time OU diehards I've spoken to over the years it was the rowdiest crowd of them all.

The donor points football crowd showed up the next season.

A pox on whoever created the donor program - in particular the atmosphere-killer that allowed football-only fans to benefit from their plethora of no-shows starting in '84-85.

In happier news, one of the most amazing crowds I ever saw in person was the one for the OU-Arkansas game of December, 2000. That was a "Big 12 tournament title" season, but that was still a non-conference game for the ages. In particular, when OU rallied from 10 down with about two minutes to play in regulation, then dominated the OT, the so-called "bad arena" rocked like it did pre-donor program.