NickZepp
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Death of a Program
OU Basketball died last month. A few of you noticed and probably mourned. Others heard the news and it brought them pause, like thinking of somebody for the first time in a long while and wondering what ever happened to them.
But, make no mistake, OU Basketball is dead.
It had glimpses of greatness and periods of darkness. It had moments of joy and doses of heartache.
OU Basketball was never better than from 1982 through 2009. In those 28 seasons OU Basketball established itself as a great program; a program to truly be proud of and whose accomplishments shouldn't be taken lightly.
In those 28 seasons, OU Basketball posted these numbers:
2: Final Fours
3: Elite Eights
3: Sweet Sixteens
22: NCAA Tournament Appearances
5: Conference Championships
6: Conference Tournament Championships
5: 30-win seasons
19: 20-win seasons
25: consecutive seasons with a postseason appearance (longest in USA when it ended)
In those 28 seasons, OU Basketball produced the greatest player in the history of the Big 8 Conference (Wayman Tisdale) and the only #1 pick in the history of the Big 12 Conference (Blake Griffin).
Presiding over the funeral will be the head coach, Jeff Capel. Under Capel, OU Basketball has reached lofty heights (first top-2 ranking since 1990) and depressing lows (first losing season since 1981). The 2011 season will, more than likely, be OU's second consecutive losing season...a depth that hasn't been achieved by the program since 1967.
Since Capel took over, OU Basketball has posted the following:
1: Losing season
2: Losing conference slates
10: Players who left before their junior years or earlier.
35: Double-digit losses
9: Game losing streak to end 2010, the longest since a 10-game streak in 1964.
Assisting with the casket will be the OU Athletic Department who, in light of last season's despicable closure, voted to not change the donation levels for lower level seats. It still requires a donation of $250 per seat to sit behind the goals and $500 per seat to sit along the sidelines even though most believe the 2011 OU Basketball team will finish either 11th or 12th in the final season of Big 12 Basketball.
Also on hand will be members of the front office of the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose team has feasted on former Sooner fans who once sat on the fence of OU Basketball fandom. With the success of the Thunder, more and more Sooner fans choose to spend their money in downtown Oklahoma City rather than inside the confines of the Lloyd Noble Center.
Also in attendance will be Sherri Coale, whose grass roots approach to marketing her basketball team has further ciphoned fans from the OU Basketball men. She has proven again and again that success can be attained by running a generally drama-free program stocked with solid, upstanding citizens who can connect with the "down-home" virtues of those fans who love their basketball in this great state.
It has been an exhilarating ride. But all good things must come to an end. In lieu of flowers those who love OU Basketball ask that you sit back and think of what once was, and what will probably never be again.
Think of Alvan.
Think of Wayman.
Think of cutting down the nets in Allen Fieldhouse.
Think of T-Mac, Choo and DJ.
Think of Harvey, Mookie, Dave, Stacey and Ricky.
Think of the Skeeter Meter.
Think of Ski.
Think of Billy.
Think of The Creator and The Helicopter.
Think of Kelvin.
Think of Minor and Ontjes.
Think of Abercrombie from the corner.
Think of Eduardo.
Think of Hollis and Quannas and Ebi and Aaron and Jabahri.
Think of Bookout and Taj and Terrell.
Think of AJ and Crocker.
Think of Blake.
Those who love OU Basketball, they thank you for your kind thoughts.
And they ask that the last one to leave please turn out the lights.
OU Basketball died last month. A few of you noticed and probably mourned. Others heard the news and it brought them pause, like thinking of somebody for the first time in a long while and wondering what ever happened to them.
But, make no mistake, OU Basketball is dead.
It had glimpses of greatness and periods of darkness. It had moments of joy and doses of heartache.
OU Basketball was never better than from 1982 through 2009. In those 28 seasons OU Basketball established itself as a great program; a program to truly be proud of and whose accomplishments shouldn't be taken lightly.
In those 28 seasons, OU Basketball posted these numbers:
2: Final Fours
3: Elite Eights
3: Sweet Sixteens
22: NCAA Tournament Appearances
5: Conference Championships
6: Conference Tournament Championships
5: 30-win seasons
19: 20-win seasons
25: consecutive seasons with a postseason appearance (longest in USA when it ended)
In those 28 seasons, OU Basketball produced the greatest player in the history of the Big 8 Conference (Wayman Tisdale) and the only #1 pick in the history of the Big 12 Conference (Blake Griffin).
Presiding over the funeral will be the head coach, Jeff Capel. Under Capel, OU Basketball has reached lofty heights (first top-2 ranking since 1990) and depressing lows (first losing season since 1981). The 2011 season will, more than likely, be OU's second consecutive losing season...a depth that hasn't been achieved by the program since 1967.
Since Capel took over, OU Basketball has posted the following:
1: Losing season
2: Losing conference slates
10: Players who left before their junior years or earlier.
35: Double-digit losses
9: Game losing streak to end 2010, the longest since a 10-game streak in 1964.
Assisting with the casket will be the OU Athletic Department who, in light of last season's despicable closure, voted to not change the donation levels for lower level seats. It still requires a donation of $250 per seat to sit behind the goals and $500 per seat to sit along the sidelines even though most believe the 2011 OU Basketball team will finish either 11th or 12th in the final season of Big 12 Basketball.
Also on hand will be members of the front office of the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose team has feasted on former Sooner fans who once sat on the fence of OU Basketball fandom. With the success of the Thunder, more and more Sooner fans choose to spend their money in downtown Oklahoma City rather than inside the confines of the Lloyd Noble Center.
Also in attendance will be Sherri Coale, whose grass roots approach to marketing her basketball team has further ciphoned fans from the OU Basketball men. She has proven again and again that success can be attained by running a generally drama-free program stocked with solid, upstanding citizens who can connect with the "down-home" virtues of those fans who love their basketball in this great state.
It has been an exhilarating ride. But all good things must come to an end. In lieu of flowers those who love OU Basketball ask that you sit back and think of what once was, and what will probably never be again.
Think of Alvan.
Think of Wayman.
Think of cutting down the nets in Allen Fieldhouse.
Think of T-Mac, Choo and DJ.
Think of Harvey, Mookie, Dave, Stacey and Ricky.
Think of the Skeeter Meter.
Think of Ski.
Think of Billy.
Think of The Creator and The Helicopter.
Think of Kelvin.
Think of Minor and Ontjes.
Think of Abercrombie from the corner.
Think of Eduardo.
Think of Hollis and Quannas and Ebi and Aaron and Jabahri.
Think of Bookout and Taj and Terrell.
Think of AJ and Crocker.
Think of Blake.
Those who love OU Basketball, they thank you for your kind thoughts.
And they ask that the last one to leave please turn out the lights.
