The first about going to practice...you can't talk about going to practice

[Capel's Mustache]

The first rule about going to practice...you can't talk

Can someone please explain to me why people are allowed to watch practice but can't post recap/thoughts on what they saw? What changed from last year?

 

[Zimwillett]

This is definitely a little odd. A journalist could attend and print/broadcast his observations to millions and there's nothing OU basketball could do to prevent it. So what's the point of trying to restrict dissemination of information on fan message boards? Plus, I doubt most of what the fans on here would share is worth protecting. It would mostly be subjective observations about how players "look" and little, if anything, of substance about strategy.

Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful Kruger is so open with the program, and this really isn't that big of a deal. But I feel like if you're going to be open, you should just embrace all of the consequences.

 

[pnkranger]

1. There are so many rules about what you can say about unsigned players, that this is a protective measure to make sure there is no perceived impropriety about access to recruits or information about recruits, etc.

2. Sports journalists understand the ethics of reporting about practice. They know that if they give away secrets or plays they lose access. Fans don't have the same set of ethics.

 

[Zimwillett]

1. There are so many rules about what you can say about unsigned players, that this is a protective measure to make sure there is no perceived impropriety about access to recruits or information about recruits, etc.

2. Sports journalists understand the ethics of reporting about practice. They know that if they give away secrets or plays they lose access. Fans don't have the same set of ethics.

I don't quite understand what you're getting at with #1. How does allowing fans (or media) to report on signed, enrolled, and practicing players in any way suggest impropriety with recruiting? Am I missing something?

 

[trueou]

I think his point is that there are recruits who are present at some practices right now. There is a concern that a message board poster might write something that crosses a line.

That might get the coaches in trouble if it were judged they did not use due care to prevent such a line crossing. The coaching staff is being cautious by having a policy that practice should not be written about.

Just guessing about motives here.

 

[DenverSooner]

Why not just follow our Constitution and not have content based restrictions on speech?

 

[OUHoops]

I'm sure this has more to do with someone power hungry in the athletic department than it does with Kruger.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Does anyone know for shure whether the coaches object to reports on summer workouts.

Kruger seems very approachable so someone should just go to the horses mouth.

I would really like to know how the guys are looking, particularly the newbys.

 

[hoopsaustin]

Honestly.. I'd imagine if you asked him he'd say i don't give a sh...

 

[CoachTalk]

I spoke to coach Kruger (via email) when coach shepherd got onto Gary (I think) about his reports. He mentioned someone was watching practice and reporting negative things about practices. He sited stating positive about all players.

At the time I didn't think that was anyone on this board.

 

[usedtobe1]

I called the OU basketball office on Monday morning to ask about practices this week. The secretary was very nice and went to check. When she came back, she told me the practices were closed and visitors weren't allowed. I had already asked on this board if anyone knew when practices were and got a PM that they were at 4:00 on Monday and Wednesday. Also, I was told in the PM that if a visitor happened to wander in during practice, they would not be asked to leave. I attended the Wednesday practice and it was a great experience. I hope to do it again the next time I visit the OKC area.

I also know Mike Sheperd is the Director of Men's Basketball Operations. He's the one who talked to Gary last summer. Kruger has a lot of faith in Mike who has been with Kruger since 1990 at every school and even the NBA. I've been told that there are some different rules about summer practices versus regular season practices. Mike is honestly concerned that fans are not supposed to attend the summer practices.

Fast forward to now. Some of what CoachTalk said is just common sense. Why post something negative about the team we all root for? Players read this board, and practices have just started. The new players will learn and change a lot over the next couple of months. I watched the 5 newcomers on Wednesday and was impressed by all of them: James, Manyang, Odomes, McNeace, and Buford. I could even rank them based on what I saw, but that ranking would likely be different at the end of August. Wednesday was just the 6th practice of the summer.

Why won't I post my observations? I don't want to overstep our privilege of watching a practice. Theoretically we could watch the football practices too, but Stoops has that locked up tighter than Fort Knox. I'm not willing to jeopardize our open basketball practice privilege by posting some crazy comments that aren't accurate or are an anomaly. A bad report could help Sheperd convince Coach Kruger to lock down fans attending summer practices. I'm just not going to chance it.

Note: practice dates are subject to change every week. There were a single digit number of fans at the Wednesday practice. Mike Sheperd (I assume), was chatting with a practice "regular" who asked when practices were scheduled next week. Mike said they hadn't decided yet because they were trying to schedule them to coincide with bringing in another recruit.

 

[coolm]

I can understand them not wanting negative comments - a MULTITUDE of reasons for not wanting them. The last thing these kids need is overcoming an ill perception on social media while they're trying to adjust to everything else.

They wouldnt mind fluff be written, but some people view that as being too "homer" and non-objective and they think it's their job to be woodward and bernstein relaying what they saw. Then you'd also have the people who complain that it's censorship and they have some kind of right to report whatever. So it just becomes some other hazard to protect the kids from.

I know it feels "insidery" and all to hear/read reports from practice but honestly it doesn't accomplish much of anything and it probably has the potential to do much more harm than good. So you just play nice with the people that come around but you try to curtail anything going out about the players.

 

[WTSooner]

BIG difference in closing football practices and closing basketball practices.

And I say that not caring one way or the other what LK does, b/c I trust him with the program.

 

[SoonerinNC]

And we have those that have to prove how smart they are compared to the players and coaches. Of course their smarts are aided with 20/20 hindsight.

As much as I would like to hear how players are doing I wouldn't want to jeopardize our opportunities with recruits who may be attending practice. A coach's recruiting job is hard enough without us making it harder.

 

[bocabull]

They should just close practice other than special events. It was a nice gesture to build enthusiasm when Kruger took over but doesn't add any value to the program.

 

[thebigabd]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOa4fvUlhiE

 

[campbest]

It's summer...go to the lake, take a vacation, hit the links.

Always great people are excited, but most of these open runs add little to no value when it comes to "inside" information. Athletes look great in open runs, means very little when it comes to the season. Let the players and coaches do what they do.

And to punctuate what another poster said, the summer "practices" times are rarely set for a number of reasons. Kids leave town, summer school, recruits coming in, etc. It's not uncommon to have too few players for some runs and have to pick up a manager or local player to fill in for a full 10.

 

[garyeb2]

Let me see if I can clear this up. Shepard ask me one day after practice about a year ago to refrain from posting practice recaps for the off season workouts. Nothing was ever mentioned about content and there was a specific mention to proceed with the recaps for the regular season practices. I gave him some blowback because that is what I do. He took it ok and we moved on. His concern was that fan attendance could be flirting with some sort of ncaa prohibition. The reality is that Kentucky was using the off season practices to fill up rupp while bringing in recruits and the ncaa put a stop to it. No one thinks that 3/4 old men wondering in to watch an off season practice is a violation. Shepard just thought it would be a good idea not to draw attention to it. I would bet my last dime that outside of his narrow scope of duties mike makes no decision or takes any action without the explicit consent of Kruger. I have had several other things occupying my time over the last year and just haven't gone to near as many practices. Or if I did go I only stayed for part of them. With so many new faces and high expectations I look forward to reporting in some this fall.

 

[usedtobe1]

"No one thinks that 3/4 old men wondering in to watch an off season practice is a violation. Shepard just thought it would be a good idea not to draw attention to it."

I agree. There were 4 old guys and a 10 year-old kid at the Wednesday practice. One of the old guys played for OU back in the 60's. Mike came in the stands and chatted with some fans for a couple of minutes and knew them because they go to practice regularly. It was all very casual. Even the players knew some of the fans on a first name basis.

 

[thewez]

Anyone know when they practice this week?