Why Does Capel Not Recruit In-State?

[NickZepp]

If we win something like 15-18 games the Elite 8 got us a fired coach. If he didn't have the Elite 8 maybe our expectations wouldn't be as high and we would still be blaming Kelvin for all his problems on this board.

 

[BigTime]

I think Capel has done fine with his in-state recruiting up to this point. The key will be how he does in evaluating some of the 2012 and 2013s. I hope we get Stevie Clark. I don't want any part of Nino Jackson...

 

[campbest]

If you think us signing Willie over Rotnei Clarke is the reason we suck right now, I really question your basketball IQ.

He has done nothing at Arkansas to make them better...and they play in the SEC West!!

 

[campbest]

Furthermore...if WW and TMG had problems, wth you think would of happened with Rotnei and TMG trying to share the ball?

Comical.

 

[BigTime]

Furthermore...if WW and TMG had problems, wth you think would of happened with Rotnei and TMG trying to share the ball?

Comical.

You are really throwing daggers today. Ease up broseph. Its friday...

 

[p230]

Furthermore...if WW and TMG had problems, wth you think would of happened with Rotnei and TMG trying to share the ball?

Comical.

I think probably TMG would not have come here...but that is just a guess. We can't use hindsite in this case. One change such as the Willie Vs. Clark would have led to who knows what? We might be better we might be worse we will never know.

Give similar talet levels one of the pluses of Ok. kids playing (not sitting on the bench) is that more fans would feel invested in the program. After all "local boy makes good" is more interesting than someone from out of state. But that in and of itself is not a reason to take a local player probably.

 

[Big Old Booger]

The Elite Eight is the value.

Is there really any evidence that had we not offered Willie Warren, we were a shoo-in to sign Rotnei Clarke? I think not. I certainly am with campbest on this one.

Correct me if I'm wrong, and maybe I am since my memory is clouding in my elder years ez-laugh, but didn't Clarke commit to OU and then change his commit after WW committed? Or both were committed then they got in the argument and Clarke changed while WW stayed? I thought I remembered it going down like that.

As for the elite 8...I would agree it should be of value, but Capel has been unable to parlay it into anything. IMO, the losing season and all the problems last year was more negative than the positive from the elite 8. Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

[Big Old Booger]

If you think us signing Willie over Rotnei Clarke is the reason we suck right now, I really question your basketball IQ.

He has done nothing at Arkansas to make them better...and they play in the SEC West!!

I didn't say it's the reason.

What has WW done to make us better? Please help me see the difference he's made. By your logic, we would be 0-23 if we hadn't signed WW at this point. :ez-laugh:

 

[campbest]

Correct me if I'm wrong, and maybe I am since my memory is clouding in my elder years ez-laugh, but didn't Clarke commit to OU and then change his commit after WW committed? Or both were committed then they got in the argument and Clarke changed while WW stayed? I thought I remembered it going down like that.

As I recall, they had a falling out on Team Texas before either one committed...WW ended up signing with us.

As for the elite 8...I would agree it should be of value, but Capel has been unable to parlay it into anything. IMO, the losing season and all the problems last year was more negative than the positive from the elite 8. Maybe I'm wrong though.

This is my point, the failures now have to do with what happened after the Elite Eight...it's not WW's fault. Don't know how closely you followed his recruitment and freshman season, but everyone that I confered with indicated he would be at OU a max of two years (unless he was injured). People were afraid he would bolt after his freshman season (he was a projected lotto pick, in the 12-13 range I think). Capel failed to take that momentum and turn it into continuing success, that's on him and the corresponding players he recruited.

The Elite Eight run put a buzz around our program, we just didn't cash in on it. We had a Final Four team that year when healthy, if we steal a #1 seed there is a solid chance we are playing the first weekend in April. If that is a possiblity, you have to go for broke. You play to win championships, and those opportunities don't come around very often. I just don't see any alternative.

 

[Big Old Booger]

As I recall, they had a falling out on Team Texas before either one committed...WW ended up signing with us.



This is my point, the failures now have to do with what happened after the Elite Eight...it's not WW's fault. Don't know how closely you followed his recruitment and freshman season, but everyone that I confered with indicated he would be at OU a max of two years (unless he was injured). People were afraid he would bolt after his freshman season (he was a projected lotto pick, in the 12-13 range I think). Capel failed to take that momentum and turn it into continuing success, that's on him and the corresponding players he recruited.

The Elite Eight run put a buzz around our program, we just didn't cash in on it. We had a Final Four team that year when healthy, if we steal a #1 seed there is a solid chance we are playing the first weekend in April. If that is a possiblity, you have to go for broke. You play to win championships, and those opportunities don't come around very often. I just don't see any alternative.

I wasn't pinning it all on WW, although I believe without WW that team probably still advances to the elite 8, but maybe I'm wrong. None of the teams we beat in the previous 3 rounds had anybody to stop BG except maybe Syracuse and Crocker (besides BG) won that game with his unconscious shooting.

If the stories are true that I've heard about WW causing all the problems with TMG and Tiny last year then all the good WW brought in the elite 8 year are overshadowed by the bad from last year. But, maybe they aren't true and I'm being unfair to WW and last year would have happened regardless of WW and we would still be in this position. Who knows...hindsight is 20/20 as we know.

 

[campbest]

I wasn't pinning it all on WW, although I believe without WW that team probably still advances to the elite 8, but maybe I'm wrong. None of the teams we beat in the previous 3 rounds had anybody to stop BG except maybe Syracuse and Crocker (besides BG) won that game with his unconscious shooting.

If the stories are true that I've heard about WW causing all the problems with TMG and Tiny last year then all the good WW brought in the elite 8 year are overshadowed by the bad from last year. But, maybe they aren't true and I'm being unfair to WW and last year would have happened regardless of WW and we would still be in this position. Who knows...hindsight is 20/20 as we know.

I'm not advocating WW's attitude at times by any means. However, I just really believe we are not a fringe #1 seed without Willie. Against #9 Purdue (who won finished second in the Big Ten and won the conference tourney) in Madison Square Garden, WW goes off for 22 points (really his first real big game for us) and pretty much carries us down the stretch (and overtime) by hitting 11-13 free throws. It was known WW wouldn't be here past two years. TMG could be leading this team right now if he wanted to, but he couldn't take care of business in the classroom...it's not like he had to play with WW for multiple years (not to mention WW was hurt half of last year anyway).

If Blake doens't get the concussion, we are probably a #1, if we make the Final Four does that make WW's signing worth it? In my mind it is a resounding yes.

 

[NickZepp]

There's only one player that made that Elite 8 team an Elite 8 team. That's Blake Griffin. The guy was unanimous player of the year for a damn good reason.

 

[colston15]

There's only one player that made that Elite 8 team an Elite 8 team. That's Blake Griffin. The guy was unanimous player of the year for a damn good reason.

That's so inaccurate it isn't even funny.

Basically, you're saying that BG would make any team an Elite 8 team. That's wrong. The role players on that squad have never gotten the respect they deserved.

I assume you think Blake would take this year's team to the Elite 8, too, right?

 

[Sam]

I'm not advocating WW's attitude at times by any means. However, I just really believe we are not a fringe #1 seed without Willie. Against #9 Purdue (who won finished second in the Big Ten and won the conference tourney) in Madison Square Garden, WW goes off for 22 points (really his first real big game for us) and pretty much carries us down the stretch (and overtime) by hitting 11-13 free throws. It was known WW wouldn't be here past two years. TMG could be leading this team right now if he wanted to, but he couldn't take care of business in the classroom...it's not like he had to play with WW for multiple years (not to mention WW was hurt half of last year anyway).

If Blake doens't get the concussion, we are probably a #1, if we make the Final Four does that make WW's signing worth it? In my mind it is a resounding yes.

As much as Willie gets flack for his attitude his sophomore season he did a great role of Robin his freshman year. He made us so much better, we also lose to at least SMU and Iowa State without him. Also he balled hard vs UNC, his jumper just wasn't falling that day.

Willie might not have been the biggest in the tournament but he put us in position to be a 2 seed. He was the difference between us being a top 15 team and a top 5 team that year.

He was just an immature kid, it was a good risk to take on him. Maybe if he's healthy last year things turn out better. Maybe if Capel didnt lean on him to be a leader it would've turn out better. Who knows.

I'd take Willie over Clark back then and still would today. Clark is just a gunner, he doesn't represent near enough of a difference maker like Willie does.

 

[NickZepp]

That's so inaccurate it isn't even funny.

Basically, you're saying that BG would make any team an Elite 8 team. That's wrong. The role players on that squad have never gotten the respect they deserved.

I assume you think Blake would take this year's team to the Elite 8, too, right?

Take Blake off that team it might be a tournament team barely.

Take Willie off that team that's still an Elite 8 team. Replace him with say a Rontei Clark it's still an elite 8 team. Comparing the 08 OU team to Arkansas now is dumb. Arkansas is a bad program right now just like OU is a bad program right now.

 

[NickZepp]

As much as Willie gets flack for his attitude his sophomore season he did a great role of Robin his freshman year. He made us so much better, we also lose to at least SMU and Iowa State without him. Also he balled hard vs UNC, his jumper just wasn't falling that day.

Willie might not have been the biggest in the tournament but he put us in position to be a 2 seed. He was the difference between us being a top 15 team and a top 5 team that year.

He was just an immature kid, it was a good risk to take on him. Maybe if he's healthy last year things turn out better. Maybe if Capel didnt lean on him to be a leader it would've turn out better. Who knows.

I'd take Willie over Clark back then and still would today. Clark is just a gunner, he doesn't represent near enough of a difference maker like Willie does.

Maybe, but I think not having Blake is the real difference of that team. Willie was such a difference maker last year wasn't he? We basically looked like the same team with or without him last year.

 

[seniorsooner]

We basically looked like the same team with or without him last year.

Clown statement.

 

[NickZepp]

Clown statement.

It's true isn't it? Was there really a big difference in how the the team looked when he or when TMG or Tiny showed up. Not really, because we never looked like a team.

 

[seniorsooner]

It's true isn't it? Was there really a big difference in how the the team looked when he or when TMG or Tiny showed up. Not really, because we never looked like a team.

I would argue there was a big, big difference when Willie was on the floor and healthy versus when he was either not on the floor or playing hurt. There is no way in the world the team completely falls apart and loses 8 or 9 straight games or whatever it was if we had a healthy Willie on the floor the entire season.

 

[NickZepp]

I don't think what we had last year was ever a team environment. That's basically why they all left outside of Fitz and Cade. Willie led the team in scoring in 2 or 3 of the last 8 or 9 games we lost.