Why criticize Kruger?

[bgrch1350]

And if you want to compare Kruger's recruiting to Capel's, you can only count the recruits Capel brought in for his first season, since that's where Kruger stands in his tenure at OU. Assessed from that viewpoint, Kruger's doing fine. He brought in Grooms (who's doing fine, despite your ongoing jeremiad against him) and M'baye.

Grooms is doing fine??? compared to who.

look at the rest of the big 12 and compare him to those PGs. Cause thats who he has to be better than. Not Quantas White, Not Everett, Not Lavender. He has to be better than His competition and his competition Next year is
K. Lucious(MSU transfer) ISU
Kabong Tex
Johnson KU
P. Jackson Baylor
Spradling K-St
Brown OSU
Hinds W.V.


You keep comparing him to the past...Thats not going to help him in the present.

 

[StatGeek]

Keep holding on to that...b/c your going to need to keep telling yourself that.

What does this mean? Cashing in the chips on Kruger already? Your combination of ignorance and negativity is baffling.

 

[bgrch1350]

What does this mean? Cashing in the chips on Kruger already? Your combination of ignorance and negativity is baffling.

I'm telling you this...The big 12 is loaded with solid coach's so to keep talking about what he's done in the past doesn't mean squat to me b/c I recognize that he is a good coach..but I also recognize that all big 12 coach's are solid.

We had a chance to be one of the better big 12 teams this year but b/c we didn't bring anyone in except a mediocre PG...we finished 3rd from the bottom in the big 12.

Again next year...We return everyone and hopefully the MBaye guy is a solid contributor...we have a chance to be 1 of the best if not the best team in the big 12. But again, right now our recruiting is not as good as our competition. And you guys think he's going to just out coach everyone...and thats not going to happen b/c again he's not the only good coach in this conference.

 

[skyvue]

We had a chance to be one of the better big 12 teams this year but b/c we didn't bring anyone in except a mediocre PG...we finished 3rd from the bottom in the big 12.

Again next year...We return everyone and hopefully the MBaye guy is a solid contributor...we have a chance to be 1 of the best if not the best team in the big 12. But again, right now our recruiting is not as good as our competition. And you guys think he's going to just out coach everyone...and thats not going to happen b/c again he's not the only good coach in this conference.

If you're going to raise your (and our) expectations that way each season, you're going to always find a reason to be bitterly disappointed.

There's not a fan on this board except you (if you're being genuine, which I doubt) who thinks we're in a position to be one of the best, much less the best, team in the conference next season. That's as big a straw man as I've ever seen.

And given that Kruger was brought aboard in April, what recruiting magic did you expect from him? Which all-world player did he miss out on, exactly?

 

[jerry]

Agreed, Capel screwed us good with this roster and probation. We should revoke his ability to ever step a foot in the state. His years were a trainwreck

Agree.

 

[MichSooner]

Agree.

Here is my two cents worth. Kruger stepped into a tough situation - the cupboard was not totally bare but he is missing a couple of difference makers before he is going to win 20 games. He started off better than expected and expectations got out of hand. Then he enters conference play where things toughen up and got his head handed to him/us overall.

The turning points in the season, IMO, were: 1) losing by 1 at Cinicinatti after being up late in the second half on the road; and 2) Newell flaking out on us and *****ing up and quitting.

Capel missed a lot on talent evaluations. Not 100% by any means but he missed too many times. He missed too many times on character evaluations as well. Way too many kids came here who either could not play at a high enough level or were knuckleheads and couldn't keep their nose clean.

We need some juco help. We don't have any inside game to speak of except for some athletic forwards who try and mix it up inside. Our big man was MIA this year.

This season is over and done with. Pissing and moaning about it won't help one thing. We need a couple of difference makers and a likely one was sitting out this year. With another year under the belts of Pledger, Fitz, Neal, Osby, and Grooms, M'Baye coming in, and perhaps a HS or juco kid who is ready to play next year we might just be pretty good next year. We had a lot of second half leads and just could not hold them. Kinda reminds me of Stoops first year at OU.

I think the pain in OU basketball is pretty much over. Looking in the rear view mirror will lead to unnecessary flogging of the coach, players, and ourselves. Our immediate future is bright.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I thought Kruger did a pretty good job overall and we had the same problems that many teams under a first year coach generally have, finishing out close games. A continuing theme of frustration was games that we "should have" won but didn't, I think that flips around a little bit. As far as the quality of coaching in the B12, I think CLK stacks up pretty well.

 

[pillmanj]

There are only 2 reasons for being overly critical of Kruger after this season:

1) You didn't like the hire to begin with and your criticism is a poor attempt at 'I told you so'..

2) You had unreasonable expectations of how good we would be this year to begin with and you are peeved that you were wrong.

This team was desperately short on talent and depth but there was improvement over last year. Last year, when things went south in conference play, they ended on a 10(?) game losing streak. Unlike last year, this team exhibited at least a rudimentary knowledge of rotation on defense. They withstood comebacks in the OSU and Texas A&M games at home. Last year, they would have folded like a cheap tent.

We have at least 3 new players coming in next year. Hopefully, the3 increased talent an depth will lead to a better season.

Agree x 100......I think our wins against a mediocre Arkansas team and making the finals of that tournament gave some people unrealistic expectations. Fact of the matter is...We had several guys playing meaningful minutes against Big 12 competition that had no business playing those minutes because they are all we had. Hopefully in the next couple of years the talent pool will get upgraded to where we have actual Big 12 quality depth.