Sooner04
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
- Messages
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I was walking my 12-year-old (nearly) beagle last night and listening to Toby on the broadcast. Up 82-78, Lattin corrals the board, I let loose a couple of fist pumps. It was hard to imagine us losing. But 1.5 blocks later I got to feel just how premature my little celebration was.
It made me wonder if players are winners or if coaches are winners or if programs are winners. We all know that Mike Shashevski schedules his back surgeries around under-performing Duke teams, but is he really the linchpin? Can it just be a guy? Is it a culture?
I ask these things because I know luck can't really be quantified. I'm sure if you researched hard enough you'll find instances where every big-time program has gone through a stretch where the little black cloud followed them no matter where they went. As a sports fan, I know that what goes around comes around. I know that 25 years after Sugar Bear came The Tuck.
But are you guys seeing any one thing I'm missing? I see a bunch of guys who make play after play and then unravel inexplicably.
Northern Iowa (slow drip)
Memphis (defensive sieve)
TCU (brick by brick)
Iowa State (Doolittle foul)
Texas (free-throws)
None of you know me personally (that's by design), but if you did you'd know I'd never utter a bad word about Lon Kruger. I've got a decent memory, and I recall pretty darned well what it was like around here before we kidnapped him from Las Vegas. But is the man snakebit?
His record at OU in overtime games? 2-11.
His record in regulation games decided by three points or less? 18-15
We do not win the close ones with any degree of regularity. Why is that? Do we tally it as the fickle bounce of the basketball, where sometimes a shot kisses the rafters before swishing through our hearts? Do we say winning is something that must be learned? I don't know, but these guys are black belts in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Or is it just a fluke? Barry Switzer coached 190 games at Oklahoma, and he lost one game decided by three points or less.....and that was only because Billy Sims fumbled on the three-yard line heading in for the winning score. Is THAT the fluke?
I really don't know. What I'd like is some honest assessment. I'm tired of staring at the ceiling at night.
It made me wonder if players are winners or if coaches are winners or if programs are winners. We all know that Mike Shashevski schedules his back surgeries around under-performing Duke teams, but is he really the linchpin? Can it just be a guy? Is it a culture?
I ask these things because I know luck can't really be quantified. I'm sure if you researched hard enough you'll find instances where every big-time program has gone through a stretch where the little black cloud followed them no matter where they went. As a sports fan, I know that what goes around comes around. I know that 25 years after Sugar Bear came The Tuck.
But are you guys seeing any one thing I'm missing? I see a bunch of guys who make play after play and then unravel inexplicably.
Northern Iowa (slow drip)
Memphis (defensive sieve)
TCU (brick by brick)
Iowa State (Doolittle foul)
Texas (free-throws)
None of you know me personally (that's by design), but if you did you'd know I'd never utter a bad word about Lon Kruger. I've got a decent memory, and I recall pretty darned well what it was like around here before we kidnapped him from Las Vegas. But is the man snakebit?
His record at OU in overtime games? 2-11.
His record in regulation games decided by three points or less? 18-15
We do not win the close ones with any degree of regularity. Why is that? Do we tally it as the fickle bounce of the basketball, where sometimes a shot kisses the rafters before swishing through our hearts? Do we say winning is something that must be learned? I don't know, but these guys are black belts in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Or is it just a fluke? Barry Switzer coached 190 games at Oklahoma, and he lost one game decided by three points or less.....and that was only because Billy Sims fumbled on the three-yard line heading in for the winning score. Is THAT the fluke?
I really don't know. What I'd like is some honest assessment. I'm tired of staring at the ceiling at night.