Why the Creighton loss frustrated me so bad ...

[pnkranger]

It's all about momentum. The Thunder are bad, OU Football is bad, we just signed a great recruiting class and got a top 50 commitment in 2016. We started the year ranked in the top 20 without Tayshawn Thomas and then GOT Tayshawn Thomas eligible.

Finally, after a decade of being totally irrelevant (minus one year with Blake Griffin), which turned sour by the next September ... we were on the cusp of being relevant again in a big way, locally and nationally.

And ... another speed bump. I'm skittish (not skiddish). Because every time we almost crest the summit, we get knocked back down. I believe in our team and think we'll be top 15 by March, but ... man, I am gunshy and ashamed about it.

 

[skyvue]

I hear you. I got mocked by some for overreacting (in their eyes) to the poor second half performance in our first game, but I knew we had a tough test ahead of us at Creighton (and we failed that test in exactly the way I feared we would -- a second-half letdown) and that if we lost that one, we could easily start the season 3-3 or even 2-4.

I take no pleasure or pride in having been right on this one, but I also took the Creighton loss pretty hard. If we don't see a big step forward by the team in the Bahamas (and I'm not saying we won't -- I'm just taking a wait-and-see attitude), we could have a pretty big hole to dig out of, as far as the national perception of the program goes.

I remember all too well how hard it was to finally enter the Top 25 last season (while texas, it seemed, was being rewarded by voters for every halfway decent win they notched), and if we should fall out of the Top 25, it could take us quite a while to climb back in.

I understand that being ranked is not the be-all, end-all, but I think it's important as far as national perception of the program goes, and that national perception can impact our recruiting, whether or not we make the tourney in a marginal year, how highly we're seeded, etc.

 

[ben]

It's easy to regain momentum in basketball. Just beat UCLA, UNC and whoever we play this week. Shouldn't be a problem, we will probably win those all by 25+ points.

 

[Swans]

It's easy to regain momentum in basketball. Just beat UCLA, UNC and whoever we play this week. Shouldn't be a problem, we will probably win those all by 25+ points.

Really? I'll take that to the bank then.

 

[StatGeek]

It's easy to regain momentum in basketball. Just beat UCLA, UNC and whoever we play this week. Shouldn't be a problem, we will probably win those all by 25+ points.

And I thought I was optimistic!

 

[ben]

In these dark times where Bob Stoops is John Blake and losing to Creighton on the road in front of a loud home crowd derails all hope, I've chosen to be optimistic to the point of insanity.

 

[scrybe]

In these dark times where Bob Stoops is John Blake and losing to Creighton on the road in front of a loud home crowd derails all hope, I've chosen to be optimistic to the point of insanity.

So, you're showing us you're nuts?

 

[skyvue]

I would add that I think this is going to be a very strong team eventually, and maybe sooner than later -- I certainly haven't given up on them by any means (it would be absurd if I had, of course).

But the problem is our front-loaded schedule. Really, there are VERY few patsies on our non-conference schedule and virtually none on our conference slate. Some fans ***** and moan about our supposedly soft non-con schedule many years, but they got what they they asked for this year and some of them will, I trust, be among the first to complain if we return from the Bahamas with a .500 record or worse.

But in case I came off as a doom-and-gloomer up there, that's not what I intended. I've no doubt we're going to get it going. It's just a matter of when.

 

[pnkranger]

I would add that I think this is going to be a very strong team eventually, and maybe sooner than later -- I certainly haven't given up on them by any means (it would be absurd if I had, of course).

But the problem is our front-loaded schedule. Really, there are VERY few patsies on our non-conference schedule and virtually none on our conference slate. Some fans ***** and moan about our supposedly soft non-con schedule many years, but they got what they they asked for this year and some of them will, I trust, be among the first to complain if we return from the Bahamas with a .500 record or worse.

But in case I came off as a doom-and-gloomer up there, that's not what I intended. I've no doubt we're going to get it going. It's just a matter of when.

This was my point 100%. We WILL be a good team. THIS YEAR. But if we don't strike while the iron is hot, we're not going to get the benefit of the doubt (the way TEXAS seems to do ... or OSU). We have not been a hot program and so must work harder to be seen as a hot program, which impacts recruiting as well as seed and placement in the NCAA tournament (regardless of what the committee wants us to believe).

My point was not that we should panic or jump off a cliff over the Creighton loss ... but that it was HUGE missed opportunity to make an early season statement that would have carried us a long way in the minds of voters and seeders and recruits because it would have kept us visible and relevant going into Bahamas.

Now, if we go 2-1 and make a go of it in the championship game (or finish 3rd), we'll be right back there. But that's a tall task.

 

[bocabull]

lol there is virtually zero chance this OU basketball team will perform better than the OU football team or OKC Thunder this season.

Look at our bench. It's below mid major.

 

[StatGeek]

lol there is virtually zero chance this OU basketball team will perform better than the OU football team or OKC Thunder this season.

Look at our bench. It's below mid major.

I see your trolling isn't in midseason form yet, nice try dork.

 

[DenverSooner]

It's easy to regain momentum in basketball. Just beat UCLA, UNC and whoever we play this week. Shouldn't be a problem, we will probably win those all by 25+ points.

No problem. UCLA, UNC and then the winner of Florida and Wisconsin. Anyone can do that.

I really hope that happens but winning this little tournament is not easy. When you are a number one seed in the tournament you don't face a ranked team until the four seed in the sweet sixteen. Essentially you must beat four ranked teams in a row. At this tournament OU will have to essentially beat three ranked teams in a row.

 

[garyeb2]

I wish my fellow posters and Oklahomans would get over this dust bowl mentality. We have a good basketball team to support this season. Better than last years team.

OU isn't up against it and in tough this weekend. OU's opponents are the ones with the problem. They may not, but, I expect them to win all three. It is just as likely they sweep without a serious challenge as they lose a game.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I wish my fellow posters and Oklahomans would get over this dust bowl mentality. We have a good basketball team to support this season. Better than last years team.

OU isn't up against it and in tough this weekend. OU's opponents are the ones with the problem. They may not, but, I expect them to win all three. It is just as likely they sweep without a serious challenge as they lose a game.

you expect OU to win all 3 ..... lol that is funny ..

homer much .... expecting OU to beat a good (not great) UCLA team

then beat #5 UNC and #2 Wisky back to back .. is not reasonable ..

can we do it? of course we can ... but to "expect" it ... no ..

 

[scrybe]

you expect OU to win all 3 ..... lol that is funny ..

homer much .... expecting OU to beat a good (not great) UCLA team

then beat #5 UNC and #2 Wisky back to back .. is not reasonable ..

can we do it? of course we can ... but to "expect" it ... no ..

Well, of course! The average OU fan would never "expect" anything as good as the above scenario to occur. Gee, that would only be setting ourselves up for certain disappointment, wouldn't it?

LOL! What I view as "funny" are those who never expect our team to rise to any level above mediocrity. Well, at least those of us who have such low expectations will never have to experience disappointment, will we?

LOL, indeed.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Well, of course! The average OU fan would never "expect" anything as good as the above scenario to occur. Gee, that would only be setting ourselves up for certain disappointment, wouldn't it?

LOL! What I view as "funny" are those who never expect our team to rise to any level above mediocrity. Well, at least those of us who have such low expectations will never have to experience disappointment, will we?

LOL, indeed.

i think OU has a shot to win all 3 ... i think OU will go 2-1 .. if OU wins vs UCLA UNC and Wisky in the next 3 days .. we will jump into the top 10 ..

 

[scrybe]

i think OU has a shot to win all 3 ... i think OU will go 2-1 .. if OU wins vs UCLA UNC and Wisky in the next 3 days .. we will jump into the top 10 ..

LOL! You went from a glass half empty to a glass half full guy in just a few short minutes. Man, you ought to try this a little more often.

(Just messin' with ya, Boulder) :ez-laugh:

 

[pnkranger]

Well, of course! The average OU fan would never "expect" anything as good as the above scenario to occur. Gee, that would only be setting ourselves up for certain disappointment, wouldn't it?

LOL! What I view as "funny" are those who never expect our team to rise to any level above mediocrity. Well, at least those of us who have such low expectations will never have to experience disappointment, will we?

LOL, indeed.

The point of the original post was: I DO expect us to rise above mediocrity, and I get so disappointed because every time we have a chance to do just that, we lose to North Dakota State or a marginal Creighton team.

 

[scrybe]

The point of the original post was: I DO expect us to rise above mediocrity, and I get so disappointed because every time we have a chance to do just that, we lose to North Dakota State or a marginal Creighton team.

You're a great fan, pnkranger. But like most of us (myself included), you allow yourself to become deflated over a single loss. The college basketball season is long and arduous. Losses will occur, even among the teams that eventually wind up in the Final Four. Better for this OU team to lose a few games early while it's trying to gain its identity, than in March, when one loss will send the Sooners home for good.

Think of it this way: What was Kentucky's record going into last year's NCAA Tournament?

 

[garyeb2]

you expect OU to win all 3 ..... lol that is funny ..

homer much .... expecting OU to beat a good (not great) UCLA team

then beat #5 UNC and #2 Wisky back to back .. is not reasonable ..

can we do it? of course we can ... but to "expect" it ... no ..

Well, you know, I have been posting on this message board for about 4 seasons now. I have never been far off when evaluating OU's prospects for the season. You thought Carl Blair was a good player which is an automatic disqualifier for offering up an opposing view.