thebigabd
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A few years back OSU made a similar attempt to stop recruiting just "good" players, jucos, etc and went after the huge names. They werent able to get the high character big guys (except Anderson), and ended up with their program spiraling out of control, coach getting fired, and rebuilding with Travis Ford who is now recruiting very well, but not landing any gigantic names.. He is recruiting like OSU recruited under Eddie for the most part.
Keith Brumbaugh, Gerald Green, Rod Flemmings, Torre Johnson, and Gary Flowers were all very good players but bringing them in cost OSU big time. Brumbaugh stole from Wal-Mart and never qualified, Green went to the NBA, Flemmings transferred to Hawaii, Torre got kicked off the team, and Flowers never made it either.
Eaton, Harris, and Boggan panned out from that class... but Eaton didnt really get his head on straight until his 3rd year in the program. Prior to that he was disliked by most of the fans. He was probably never fully appreciated.
Suck ensued and it cost Sean Sutton his job, on top of some substance abuse issues, but the losing is what got him fired.
OU might be in a similar situation with Willie Warren, Tiny Gallon, Fitz, Pledger, and TMG... Plus, OU has guys like Allen, Willis, and Hardrick that probably aren't good enough to play at this level.
Willie has been suspended, injured, and by all accounts just wants to get to the NBA.. Tiny Gallon has been suspended 2-3 times this year now and may not play anymore because of alleged contact with agents, Fitz and Pledger just got caught stealing from Dillards and were suspended (but seem like good kids otherwise), and TMG is the bright spot and the future of the program.
Things somehow went downhill for Sampson when he attempted to recruit a certain way... He got Damion James, Scottie Reynolds, but neither made it to campus after it was found out Sampson was caught breaking NCAA rules. Those were probably the biggest names Sampson ever got to Norman in 12 years, but it didnt work out.
Perhaps schools like OU and OSU have to take a hit on the types of people they recruit in order to land the huge names. Both have good basketball programs and a long history of having great players, but neither traditionally recruits the huge names very often.
Keith Brumbaugh, Gerald Green, Rod Flemmings, Torre Johnson, and Gary Flowers were all very good players but bringing them in cost OSU big time. Brumbaugh stole from Wal-Mart and never qualified, Green went to the NBA, Flemmings transferred to Hawaii, Torre got kicked off the team, and Flowers never made it either.
Eaton, Harris, and Boggan panned out from that class... but Eaton didnt really get his head on straight until his 3rd year in the program. Prior to that he was disliked by most of the fans. He was probably never fully appreciated.
Suck ensued and it cost Sean Sutton his job, on top of some substance abuse issues, but the losing is what got him fired.
OU might be in a similar situation with Willie Warren, Tiny Gallon, Fitz, Pledger, and TMG... Plus, OU has guys like Allen, Willis, and Hardrick that probably aren't good enough to play at this level.
Willie has been suspended, injured, and by all accounts just wants to get to the NBA.. Tiny Gallon has been suspended 2-3 times this year now and may not play anymore because of alleged contact with agents, Fitz and Pledger just got caught stealing from Dillards and were suspended (but seem like good kids otherwise), and TMG is the bright spot and the future of the program.
Things somehow went downhill for Sampson when he attempted to recruit a certain way... He got Damion James, Scottie Reynolds, but neither made it to campus after it was found out Sampson was caught breaking NCAA rules. Those were probably the biggest names Sampson ever got to Norman in 12 years, but it didnt work out.
Perhaps schools like OU and OSU have to take a hit on the types of people they recruit in order to land the huge names. Both have good basketball programs and a long history of having great players, but neither traditionally recruits the huge names very often.