Toby Rowland 2/23

[sybarite]

It seems that Sherri is a bit more revealing this year than in the past. Questions are better? It was obvious that she was proud of the effort against Texas, and it may have some influence on seedings and a home court advantage. She was pleased that the play that they always used worked effectively to free up Peyton, and Peyton had the best form she had had all night on that shot.

Maddie was cleared to play, but Sherri had told Maddie that she would not be playing against Kansas State. This was during pre-game warmups. The start that we had against K-State changed her mind, and she sent in Maddie. She was pleased that Maddie had a chance to work herself back into form. She needed to get the feel of the game back. Maddie is OK, feeling fine after the game and the day off.

She talked about how they recruit a specific player for team chemistry, a glue to hold the team together. Shaya was that. She thinks that Simpson will be that.

The typical player that they recruit wants to be a part of a family. She indicated that was what the girls wanted, or most of them. Kind of walked it back by saying she didn't know what boys wanted. Can only speak for the girls.

 

[Sooner Cal]

Nothing against team chemistry, but there are other qualities in a player that matter. Not sure how someone who rarely sees the court is the glue that holds the team together.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Nothing against team chemistry, but there are other qualities in a player that matter. Not sure how someone who rarely sees the court is the glue that holds the team together.

Also not certain you recruit a player for team chemistry that has limited basketball skills that will keep her off of the court. Seems more talent would make a great contribution to team results. But it is Sherri's team and she knows what she wants although to some it appears she recruits more to meet her player profile than to recruit the talent to win championships.

 

[soonerstar]

Nothing against team chemistry, but there are other qualities in a player that matter. Not sure how someone who rarely sees the court is the glue that holds the team together.

+1

 

[soonerstar]

Also not certain you recruit a player for team chemistry that has limited basketball skills that will keep her off of the court. Seems more talent would make a great contribution to team results. But it is Sherri's team and she knows what she wants although to some it appears she recruits more to meet her player profile than to recruit the talent to win championships.

+1 again

 

[sybarite]

Also not certain you recruit a player for team chemistry that has limited basketball skills that will keep her off of the court. Seems more talent would make a great contribution to team results. But it is Sherri's team and she knows what she wants although to some it appears she recruits more to meet her player profile than to recruit the talent to win championships.

I don't remember her saying that the player would not be competent to play.

It is interesting that the idea would occur, and that there would be some who share it.

 

[Oliver Hardy]

I don't remember her saying that the player would not be competent to play.



It is interesting that the idea would occur, and that there would be some who share it.

Syb, I appreciate your contributions to this board and your love of everything OU and Sherri, but do you ALWAYS HAVE TO BE a snide, self-righteous, condescending ?

You are one of the most insufferable people I've ever run across.

How about trying to be a little more tolerant and nice? Please?

Not everyone has to, should, believe as you do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SoonerSpock]

I don't remember her saying that the player would not be competent to play.

It is interesting that the idea would occur, and that there would be some who share it.

Nor did my statement state or imply that Sherri said that the player would not be competent to play. That is just another example of you inability to comprehend what is written and choose to believe what you perceive was written is the truth. Again making an issue where none existed.

My statement was: But it is Sherri's team and she knows what she wants although to some it appears she recruits more to meet her player profile than to recruit the talent to win championships.

 

[sybarite]

Also not certain you recruit a player for team chemistry that has limited basketball skills that will keep her off of the court.

Explain it any other way.

 

[gosooner2]

So far this year Shaya has played less minutes than anyone on the team except the elusive Morgan Rich. I think what Sherri said tells you what we have and what we are going to be. Nice little team, nice ladies. Enjoy it for what it is! Maybe they will get lucky sometime!

 

[SoonerSpock]

Explain it any other way.

The Sherri recruiting profile is somewhat mutually exclusive of the most talented WBB high school recruits. Name me how many top ten WBB talents has Sherri brought to Norman in the last 20 years? How many OU players have been drafted by the WNBA during its existence? Far fewer than one would expect for a top 5-top 8 program.

Nothing wrong with Sherri's approach so long as she recognizes and acknowlege that is her M.O. and fans should not have false or too high of expectations.

Personally I understand that 2005-2010 years of Stacey, LaNeishea, Caton, Dionnah, Rosalind, Courtney, Ashley, Amanda, Abi and DRob was probably an anomaly that lasted almost a decade but is and will remain a level of play from the past. Not the present or the future.

Sherri will consistently field quality teams comprised of outstanding young ladies that the university and its fans can be proud of having as members of their WBB team. But her days of consistently winning championships while contending for the national championship are a thing of the past and I think willremain such with the ladies she targets to become an Oklahoma Sooner.

In my opinion going forward OU will field an occasional national contender but never will she consistently over a 5 or 10 year period have her team at very the top echelon of national contenders like Baylor, UConn, Notre Dame, Maryland, Duke, South Carolina and Louisville. This year's senior laden veteran team has probably played a little better than most thought they would but they are still going to finish 3rd in the conference and hopefully make the Sweet 16. To me that is disappointing for the best team we have had in 7 years (losses of 7 to date, 11, 12, 15, 11, 13 and 12). But that is their talent level. I also do not see the Sooners as being better in 2017 than 2016 nor better in 2018 than in 2017. To me it is what it is.

 

[sybarite]

We know of three top ten prospects that OU brought to Norman this year. None signed with OU. It might just be that Oklahoma as a state isn't the most desirable right now for many recruits.

Since we don't usually have any idea who is being recruited, how can you say that we don't recruit specific players?

 

[SoonerSpock]

We know of three top ten prospects that OU brought to Norman this year. None signed with OU. It might just be that Oklahoma as a state isn't the most desirable right now for many recruits.

Since we don't usually have any idea who is being recruited, how can you say that we don't recruit specific players?

And I know of multiple top ten prospects that visited OU that Sherri would not make an offer to that had indicated their interest was high after their visit. Information comes from more than one very closer insider that must remain confidential to keep the sources.

But Waco is an extremely desirable place to spend 4 years? Give me a break! If Sherri cannot sell Norman Sherri is a lousy salesman. Bob Stoops, Patty Gasso, Mark Williams and K.J. Kindler don't seem to find Norman as an obstacle. But they are all presently performing at a championship level. Perhaps Sherri could observe and learn a thing or two.

 

[tycat947]

And I know of multiple top ten prospects that visited OU that Sherri would not make an offer to that had indicated their interest was high after their visit. Information comes from more than one very closer insider that must remain confidential to keep the sources.

But Waco is an extremely desirable place to spend 4 years? Give me a break! If Sherri cannot sell Norman Sherri is a lousy salesman. Bob Stoops, Patty Gasso, Mark Williams and K.J. Kindler don't seem to find Norman as an obstacle. But they are all presently performing at a championship level. Perhaps Sherri could observe and learn a thing or two.

I believe most of Sherri's recruiting issues are due to her choice to not swim in the slime of AAU basketball. Apparently, Boren and Castigione are supportive of this.

Mulkey was probably the leader of diving into the slime as she hired assistant coaches that were involved with AAU programs and signed many players from those teams. Fired the coaches when players eligibility was over. Karen appears to be jumping in as well, hiring coaches with strong AAU ties. Candi, at Tech, may be following suit (hiring Caldwell's Dad to gain her transfer and most likely the other sister's signature in future).

I don't believe Norman has anything to do with recruiting problems. Norman is at the top (excluding Austin) of Big 12 homes. You can argue about Oklahoma, in general, but all the other Big 12 states are in same boat and really anywhere except west coast, northeast coast and probably Colorado are in same boat, as well. OU campus and facilities are second to none.

I believe this is why the lack of TX recruits in past years. It may be the slimiest of all AAU programs. Mulkey's mother is intelligent and I don't believe allow AAU coach to make her daughter's collegiate choice.

 

[sybarite]

I believe most of Sherri's recruiting issues are due to her choice to not swim in the slime of AAU basketball. Apparently, Boren and Castigione are supportive of this.

Mulkey was probably the leader of diving into the slime as she hired assistant coaches that were involved with AAU programs and signed many players from those teams. Fired the coaches when players eligibility was over. Karen appears to be jumping in as well, hiring coaches with strong AAU ties. Candi, at Tech, may be following suit (hiring Caldwell's Dad to gain her transfer and most likely the other sister's signature in future).

I don't believe Norman has anything to do with recruiting problems. Norman is at the top (excluding Austin) of Big 12 homes. You can argue about Oklahoma, in general, but all the other Big 12 states are in same boat and really anywhere except west coast, northeast coast and probably Colorado are in same boat, as well. OU campus and facilities are second to none.

I believe this is why the lack of TX recruits in past years. It may be the slimiest of all AAU programs. Mulkey's mother is intelligent and I don't believe allow AAU coach to make her daughter's collegiate choice.

Largely on target.

The women's basketball recruit is not governed by the same things as the male football player, male or female gymnastics, or even the men's basketball player. Indeed, Kim Mulkey can sometimes attract specific players exactly for this reason, an "us against the world."

 

[SoonerSpock]

I believe most of Sherri's recruiting issues are due to her choice to not swim in the slime of AAU basketball. Apparently, Boren and Castigione are supportive of this.

Mulkey was probably the leader of diving into the slime as she hired assistant coaches that were involved with AAU programs and signed many players from those teams. Fired the coaches when players eligibility was over. Karen appears to be jumping in as well, hiring coaches with strong AAU ties. Candi, at Tech, may be following suit (hiring Caldwell's Dad to gain her transfer and most likely the other sister's signature in future).

I don't believe Norman has anything to do with recruiting problems. Norman is at the top (excluding Austin) of Big 12 homes. You can argue about Oklahoma, in general, but all the other Big 12 states are in same boat and really anywhere except west coast, northeast coast and probably Colorado are in same boat, as well. OU campus and facilities are second to none.

I believe this is why the lack of TX recruits in past years. It may be the slimiest of all AAU programs. Mulkey's mother is intelligent and I don't believe allow AAU coach to make her daughter's collegiate choice.

I concur that Sherri has disassociated herself from the AAU programs and that has hurt her recruiting in Texas. But based on the inside info I have the structure of the profile of who she will offer appears to be much more restrictive to me than her circumstance in Texas.

No question success recruiting in Texas would benefit Sherri but without personally knowing I do not see UConn, Notre Dame, Maryland, Duke, Louisville, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Kansas, Stanford, South Carolina, FSU, Washington, Baylor, Ohio State or Oklahoma having to be dictated to the demands and whims of AAU coaches. The shoe is really on the other foot.

It is these schools that have the scholarships the kids want, the competitive capability to win championships the kids want and are the school the kids have always dreamed playing for they can, should and do dictate to the AAU coaches who gets the offers. If the environment was as vile as many here think the coaches would unite and shut that down in a heart's beat telling the AAU coaches and their players to go twiddle their thumbs we don't want you or your players. Period.

Now that is not to deny the isolated circumstance where a AAU coach can unduly influence a kid here and there but that is the exception not the rule. Choosing to step away from AAU basketball in its entirety is to shoot yourself in the foot as a college coach. If you are going to compete at the upper echelons of WBB you cannot be too self-righteous. Recruiting is a tough and dirty venture and you are going to get grime under you nails being successful at the highest level. To me Sherri just does not want to dirty her nails. She wants to do it her way. More power to her. You reap what you sow.