Sophomore Class

[daqman]

In a heartbeat. Kruger is a great guy, and a very good basketball coach. He has had success and should be remembered fondly... I just think he's gone stagnant with the program. His recruiting errors have come back to haunt him, the product on the floor is kind of meh, and OU is getting passed by other programs.

Sometimes its just time for a change. I think now is one of those times.

One problem with Kruger is he has never stayed very long in one place. Now that he has, you're seeing his capabilities in full. Every place he coached was a rebuild. He did a great job the first 4-5 years, then the trend was down, then he moved on. Exactly what happened here, except he stayed, and we see clearly he cannot maintain a program at a high level. Well, some of us see it clearly.

 

[BCSooners]

pretty sure this had more to do with the griffins, hield, and trae

What? Getting a new gym?

If it's just getting donors by getting guys successful in the NBA then Kruger is the best coach in that department in OU history with just 2 players.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

What? Getting a new gym?

If it's just getting donors by getting guys successful in the NBA then Kruger is the best coach in that department in OU history with just 2 players.

rolls eyes

 

[Kewllane]

Frankly, I just miss the days of being consistently in the Top 25 and not having to sweat until the last week of the season on whether we'll make the tournament or not. I know we've made it 4 of the last 5 years, but recently, we've just barely been getting in.

And I know we haven't been in the Last Four In, but the only reason OU was squarely in last year was because they won the final regular season game at TCU. They had blown it against Texas earlier in the week, and if they hadn't pulled off a win a TCU, they would've had to win one in the Big 12 tourney to get in. And we have STRUGGLED to win in the Big 12 tourney for years now.

And it feels like that more often than not lately. I mean Buddy's team is the last one that we KNEW going into the final 2 weeks of play was going to make the tournament.

It could be that I just expect too much and it's not realistic. I would argue it's not too much to ask, because I believe OU is a top 20 basketball program in NCAA history, but some would definitely disagree with me on that.

So yes, OU has been in most years recently, but they're just sneaking in. And usually from a really poor run of play late in the season.

And I think all of that encompasses why some on here are frustrated.

 

[BCSooners]

rolls eyes

What part of my statement do you disagree with?

 

[SoonerBounce13]

What part of my statement do you disagree with?

You mentioned that to get a new arena, we need to find donors that care about ou basketball.

I mentioned that winning will bring more donors.

You countered by asking if we got more donors for a new gym after Sampson's or Kruger's FF runs.

I may have misunderstood you here but I thought that you were referring to the new facility that was just built a couple years ago as an add on to LNC and that you were tryign to say that Kruger brought that together and that OU has more donors with Kruger than they did with Sampson. Rereading it, it seems you are implying that OU did not get any new donors after either's FF run. I don't know if that is the case. But in principle, you will get more donors the more you win.

 

[BCSooners]

You mentioned that to get a new arena, we need to find donors that care about ou basketball.

I mentioned that winning will bring more donors.

You countered by asking if we got more donors for a new gym after Sampson's or Kruger's FF runs.

I may have misunderstood you here but I thought that you were referring to the new facility that was just built a couple years ago as an add on to LNC and that you were tryign to say that Kruger brought that together and that OU has more donors with Kruger than they did with Sampson. Rereading it, it seems you are implying that OU did not get any new donors after either's FF run. I don't know if that is the case. But in principle, you will get more donors the more you win.

I agree with your statement. My statement was meant to be that no matter how much OU wins they won't get enough donors for a new arena. My reason is unless Norman, OU, or even the state has a new approach of investing in basketball then they won't see a reason to invest the $$$ into replacing LNC.

 

[skyvue]

Solidly in with a 7-11 record?

You know that non-conference games do count, yes? I know some posters on this board like to pretend they don't, but they actually do. OU has played a very tough non-conference schedule for several pre-covid seasons in a row and done well. The committee cares about those wins, even if you don't.

Also, the impact of one's conference record is balanced by how good a conference you play in. If you're in the best (or one of the best) conferences in the country (as OU certainly has been in recent years), you'll get in with a worse record than a team from a weaker conference, especially if you've played -- and done well against -- a tough non-conference schedule.

Reducing a season to "7-11" without no acknowledgment of the conference we're in or our non-conference games tells half the story (if that).

 

[SoonerBounce13]

You know that non-conference games do count, yes?

yes

The committee cares about those wins, even if you don't.

I care about them. But not as much as conference games. There isn't a non conference trophy and the non conference teams aren't peers that we play every year. I take nonconference with a grain of salt.


We have a losing conference record with Kruger. That tells me all we need to know.Yes, I know that the big 12 is one of, if not the, best conferences. Think about that. You are really OK that OU loses more than wins?

Put yourself in Kansas, osu, or texas shoes. I bet their fans are happy we have given kruger such a long leash

 

[skyvue]

Put yourself in Kansas, osu, or texas shoes. I bet their fans are happy we have given kruger such a long leash

I think oswho, who are 7-13 against Coach Kruger's teams, might be very happy to see him go.

UT might, too, given that virtually every year they are ranked ahead of OU entering the season, but have gone 9-9 head-to-head against his teams.

KU, you might have a point on, but given the tough wins they've often had to eke out against OU, I'm confident that, if you asked him, Bill Self would express a much higher opinion of Coach Kruger than you hold.

 

[daqman]

I think oswho, who are 7-13 against Coach Kruger's teams, might be very happy to see him go.

UT might, too, given that virtually every year they are ranked ahead of OU entering the season, but have gone 9-9 head-to-head against his teams.

KU, you might have a point on, but given the tough wins they've often had to eke out against OU, I'm confident that, if you asked him, Bill Self would express a much higher opinion of Coach Kruger than you hold.

What Bill Self thinks of Kruger means exactly the square root of ****.
What matters is that Kruger's recent performance (past 4 years) does not meet most Sooner fans' expectations. The fact that about a half dozen posters here have no problem with Kruger's results reflects the current state of the program.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Since the FF run, we have won 54% of our games total and 40% of conference games.

In what world is this worth of a program like OU?
I understand not wanting to fire Kruger. But he needs to be told to retire.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Bill Self would express a much higher opinion of Coach Kruger than you hold.

I don't doubt that Kruger is a good coach.

Good coaching can only do so much.

And if you want to call him a really good coach....then it exacerbates how back recruiting is. If he is a great coach then the issue is obvious.

 

[thebigabd]

Since the FF run, we have won 54% of our games total and 40% of conference games.

In what world is this worth of a program like OU?
I understand not wanting to fire Kruger. But he needs to be told to retire.

Yea that is unacceptable.

 

[CoachTalk]

What Bill Self thinks of Kruger means exactly the square root of ****.
What matters is that Kruger's recent performance (past 4 years) does not meet most Sooner fans' expectations. The fact that about a half dozen posters here have no problem with Kruger's results reflects the current state of the program.

Daq. Who you want to coach?

 

[skyvue]

I remember all too well the same kind of posts, season after season, ragging on Coach Sampson. Now, in the eyes of some (including some who ragged on him, I'm guessing), he is top drawer, aces, can do no wrong. Few, if any, have copped to having been wrong about him.

It's so easy to call for the dismissal of a coach and imagine that the next guy will be amazing but better coaches than Lon Kruger don't grow on trees, and if Kruger's replacement didn't have us in the Sweet 16 or better within two or three years, the same posters would be calling for him to be shown the door, too (and don't claim you would't -- he would NOT be inheriting the dumpster fire that Kruger did).

On the football board, posters were screaming for Mike Stoops to be brought back, and then it wasn't long after his return before they were screaming for him to be fired again, and no one (that I've ever seen) has ever once copped to having been wrong about him returning. They just pretend they never demanded it and hope no one calls them on it.

One of Kruger's loudest critics on this board is actually pushing for us to hire a two-time loser with the NCAA as his replacement. Mind-boggling.

 

[daqman]

Daq. Who you want to coach?

Someone who can do a better job recruiting/developing players/coaching than Kruger. If OU can't attract that type of coach, then the program will continue in decline until it's solidly bottom 3. And I'll watch fewer and fewer games.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I remember all too well the same kind of posts, season after season, ragging on Coach Sampson. Now, in the eyes of some (including some who ragged on him, I'm guessing), he is top drawer, aces, can do no wrong. Few, if any, have copped to having been wrong about him.

It's so easy to call for the dismissal of a coach and imagine that the next guy will be amazing but better coaches than Lon Kruger don't grow on trees, and if Kruger's replacement didn't have us in the Sweet 16 or better within two or three years, the same posters would be calling for him to be shown the door, too (and don't claim you would't -- he would NOT be inheriting the dumpster fire that Kruger did).

On the football board, posters were screaming for Mike Stoops to be brought back, and then it wasn't long after his return before they were screaming for him to be fired again, and no one (that I've ever seen) has ever once copped to having been wrong about him returning. They just pretend they never demanded it and hope no one calls them on it.

One of Kruger's loudest critics on this board is actually pushing for us to hire a two-time loser with the NCAA as his replacement. Mind-boggling.

It’s a results oriented sport. If you don’t cut it, pack your bags.

 

[cyberthoth]

Can two things be true at the same time? It's time for Kruger to go. It will be hard to find a better coach than him that's actually willing to stay at OU and not leave for greener pastures. In my mind OU should be at the level where we can argue we're the second best program in the Big 12. We were that frequently during the Sampson years and at times during Kruger's. I don't see us getting back there without a coaching change. I think the odds of us getting a worse coach than Kruger in a coaching change are 50 - 50.

 

[CoachTalk]

Someone who can do a better job recruiting/developing players/coaching than Kruger. If OU can't attract that type of coach, then the program will continue in decline until it's solidly bottom 3. And I'll watch fewer and fewer games.

So you don’t have any names?

I’m generally curious.