We are back to the Sampson level

[StatGeek]

Really? I never thought we were out of it. Based on one game? That's kind of an overreaction, seems to me. First of all, SFA is a pretty good team (not that I wasn't very frustrated that we lost to them). Second of all, in focusing so strongly on that game, you're missing the point, in my opinion.

It's not been a couple of games. We've won four straight in impressive fashion, and we're 5-1 in our last six games. I reviewed four of those wins above, and A&M, a team we beat by 10, just defeated Kentucky by 10 today.

Sorry, but there's so much more positive news for us over the past month than negative. How many of us, on Dec. 14, would have happily signed on for a 5-1 record in our next six games? Virtually all of us, I suspect.

Will the team disappoint us at times over the next six weeks? Almost certainly, but we can worry about that if and when it happens. For now, celebration is the order of the day, seems to me. Downplaying this solid month of play serves no purpose, in my opinion, and doesn't give enough credit to the team and the coaches.

:clap

 

[coolm]

Gawd I wish some people would lay off of the NCAA crap.

I am glad they're:
- fun to watch
- obviously getting better
- playing a decent style of ball

The rest will come with it.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Gawd I wish some people would lay off of the NCAA crap.

I am glad they're:
- fun to watch
- obviously getting better
- playing a decent style of ball

The rest will come with it.

Agree. Also throw in that we have us a pretty good coach that seems to take everything as it comes and is letting his players play and learn. I watched quite a bit of games when I lived in Vegas and have all the confidence in the world in him.

I know this was Bedlam but I'd sure love to see the crowds keep coming out and supporting the team. Today was nice. At least it looked good on TV.

 

[Darwin]

This was a big win and as a bonus it was osux. Its nice we can remember the many good things about the KS era. Many years in the KS era, we didn't know the team was good till January came and the toughness began to show. It was more about team execution than individual talent. So I see the comparisons there.

All along I thought Lon's program would be similar to Kelvin's. Some of the base will want higher ranked high school talent, so please resist the mentality that Lon can't be successful unless he get's some one and done types like the team he beat Saturday.

 

[NickZepp]

We aren't there yet. We can likely lose to a team like Tech at home as we can beat just about anyone in the conference(outside of Kansas) anywhere. I like the direction we are going. If we keep these freshmen guards a couple years we will be a tough team to beat in 2 or 3 years.

 

[AdaSooner]

This was a big win and as a bonus it was osux. Its nice we can remember the many good things about the KS era. Many years in the KS era, we didn't know the team was good till January came and the toughness began to show. It was more about team execution than individual talent. So I see the comparisons there.

All along I thought Lon's program would be similar to Kelvin's. Some of the base will want higher ranked high school talent, so please resist the mentality that Lon can't be successful unless he get's some one and done types like the team he beat Saturday.

Good points, Darwin. The similarities I see in this team and many of the teams Kelvin coached are toughness and a can't lose attitude that never really surfaced until after the loss at home to SFA. Osby had it, but the others had not bought in yet. Now they have. Doesn't mean they will continue to compete at a high level in every game. It does mean they have learned how to avoid walking off of the court with their heads hanging down and a sick feeling in their gut.

As I said before, this team is still growing in their newfound route to success. The encouraging thing to me is that they're getting better with every outing. It was good to see guys like M'Baye, who most of us had wanted to play with more enthusiasm and aggression, become a vocal leader in yesterdays game, sometimes waving his arms and hands while urging the crowd to cheer louder. That's the kind of things I'm talking about that seemed to be missing before.

I agree that Coach Kruger's success at OU will likely be centered around borderline top 100 players and transfers, with an occasional difference-maker mixed in. It's not easy to recruit top flight talent to a football school. Billy Donovan will confirm that to be true. Coaches like Kruger, Sampson and Brad Stevens will confirm that you can have a lot of success by recruiting good players who work hard and fit into a system.

 

[DenverSooner]

We have more offensive talent than almost all of Sampson's teams. Depth too. They're certainly playing better and I hope it continues. They're a very balanced team in terms of offense/defense and inside/outside. Nice to be able to watch Sooner hoops again without collapsing in the fetal position crying.

I don't agree with this at all. This current team lacks a star but Osby is becoming that. It is a fairly well balanced team and it does have some depth.

I am very please with how things are going. I see the potential for OU to be better next season and I did not think that would be the case when Kruger got hired.

 

[bocabull]

I just don't agree with boca, but shouldn't be surprised that he is taking a backhanded shot at Kelvin's teams.

I don't get this. I defined the "Sampson level" as a consistent B12 top 4 program that cranked out 12-6 average conference records.

How can this be considered a backhanded shot at Kelvin's teams? To my knowledge that is a very accurate description of Kelvin's teams.

And to my eyes Kruger has us pretty much there.

 

[WTSooner]

I don't get this. I defined the "Sampson level" as a consistent B12 top 4 program that cranked out 12-6 average conference records.

How can this be considered a backhanded shot at Kelvin's teams? To my knowledge that is a very accurate description of Kelvin's teams.

And to my eyes Kruger has us pretty much there.

Don't you think we should probably finish at least ONE full season where we meet Kelvin's standards, before claiming we are "there?"

Kelvin's last 9 seasons, he only lost 6 conference games once. Most of those 9 seasons, he lost 4 games or less in the Big 12. Ten of Kelvin's 12 seasons, OU finished at least tied for 3rd in the Big 12, or better. I doubt OU finished third this season, and it's a down Big 12. Most of what makes Kelvin's legacy so special is the consistency. If you are going to compare a program to his, how can you do that when we haven't even finished one season yet that compares to what he did for the better part of his 12 seasons?

I'm as excited about the current team as anybody, but this team isn't on par with most of those 9 OU teams. What those teams accomplished was against much tougher competition as well. The Big 12 stinks this year. No way to sugar coat that. KU isn't a NC contender. Baylor is the 2nd best team, and most have a hard time separating them from the 2-7 pack in the Big 12 this year. UT stinks. We're just not a strong conference this year. Which is fine with me. If that is the edge OU needs to climb into the top 4 or 5 this year, I'm absolutely okay with that.

None of this is a knock on LK. I think he is a very good coach, and I'm grateful he is at OU right now. I think, in time, he'll get us back to an acceptable level.

 

[SoonerinNC]

The depth that Kruger has been working on is beginning to pay off. We are getting production from more players than in the Sampson era. Don't think we are up to that level yet. Kelvin's teams usually had a pretty strong upper class core. We are playing guys that play good at times and like freshmen at times. Who knows how good they will be by mid-February.

I like the players Kruger is bringing in. Not Kentucky or North Carolina good but good players. I think as a rule they are more talented than most of Kelvin's recruits. I also think in time that the Sooners will near Kelvin's defensive level but also think they will be better offensively.

Yesterday was a good day for the Sooners. A&M beat Kentucky in Lexington and Arkansas whacked Vanderbuilt pretty good. NC State who OSU knocked off early in the season, knocked off Duke. So our RPI may not be as far off as some think.

With the garbage that is going on in recruiting now I doubt that we will get the 5 star guys unless they grow up close by and don't have their hand out. Sampson got run out of the college game for too many phone calls when others were using texting to accomplish the same thing. Mulkey gets away with frequent illegal contact with the parents of many of her current players. Don't bet that she didn't have contact with the recruits at the same time.

The NCAA will protect the teams that will make them money like Baylor and like they did Auburn. Baylor filled the gym at TCU and that seems to be more important to them than running clean programs. If OU on the other hand got money to Stevie Clark to land him, the NCAA would have been all over us.

 

[DenverSooner]

This strikes me as a tad bit paranoid. The NCAA practically gave the Baylor basketball program the death penalty.

 

[Sooner Season]

With the garbage that is going on in recruiting now I doubt that we will get the 5 star guys unless they grow up close by and don't have their hand out. Sampson got run out of the college game for too many phone calls when others were using texting to accomplish the same thing. Mulkey gets away with frequent illegal contact with the parents of many of her current players. Don't bet that she didn't have contact with the recruits at the same time.

The NCAA will protect the teams that will make them money like Baylor and like they did Auburn. Baylor filled the gym at TCU and that seems to be more important to them than running clean programs. If OU on the other hand got money to Stevie Clark to land him, the NCAA would have been all over us.

This is ridiculous.........so the NCAA favors Auburn football and Baylor women's basketball as cash cows???? Hahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!

 

[scrybe]

I doubt OU finishes third this season, and it's a down Big 12.

And you're being critical of other posters for speaking too soon? :ez-laugh:

 

[SoonerinNC]

The near death penalty for Baylor was old news before the current regime. The women are a big draw now and will be throughout the NCAA tournament.

Auburn was in the finals of the BCS championship and the game would have been tarnished if their quarterback had not been allowed to play. Also I believe a similar thing occurred with Ohio State at the same time. The NCAA deferred punishment for a violation.

 

[bocabull]

Right?

What seed will we be?

 

[ouwxman]

I really liked what I saw from M'Baye today. It will take a lot of pressure (and extra defenders) off Osby if he continues to progress like he has. Against good teams, we're going to live and die on our guard play. Pledger has started giving us some better performances, but we'll need some big games from him or Hield. We had some freshmen moments at the end of the game and really needed better ball handling. But, hopefully that will improve throughout the remainder of the season.