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Sooner04
2/11/2009, 11:49 PM
In 1987, as he limped off the field following OU's 17-7 win over Nebraska in the Game of the Century II, Barry Switzer was approached by the CBS cameras. After going on a rant about how no Sooner Magic was required for the ***-kicking the nation had just seen, the "Rhett Butler of College Football" was asked about playing Miami for a third time in three years. Switzer's mood immediately turned to reflective before he told the sideline guy in a hushed tone, "maybe it's our time."

Well, it wasn't our time then, but maybe it's our time now. How else do you explain balls being blocked by Baylor STILL going in for our Sooners? How else do you explain a tipped defensive rebound for the Bears popping into the basket for Oklahoma? HOW IN THE WORLD do you explain Austin Johnson catching a ball in mid-air and hitting a trey from the banks of the Brazos as the shot clock hits zero to put the game away?

If these were isolated incidents, maybe I would be more of a skeptic. But somehow, someway, our guys make plays and rack up wins. At what point does it stop being lucky and start just being how it is for the 2009 Oklahoma Sooners? We've had the answer so often from outside on the road. Tony hit a big three, Austin hit a ridiculous three. The Chupacabra hit a jumper to stop a run. EVERY TIME, there we were.

Baylor was scared to death of us from the opening horn, and you could tell by how much they slowed the game down. We played their game in Norman and beat the stuffing out of them. Tonight they hung around tenaciously and seemed to get crucial buckets after controlling several goofy-looking loose balls. Their crowd tried to pump them up, their coach implored them for a stop, and with the game in the 50s and less than ten minutes to go it looked as though they'd hang around enough to really make it a nailbiter at the end.

Shoo fly. Cry into your Dr. Pepper on the drive back home. And don't miss curfew.


SCORING BREAKDOWN:
1st - 13 [polar bear choking on plankton]
2nd - 22 [oh let the sun beat down upon my face!]
3rd - 13 [grizzly choking on rotting salmon]
4th - 30 [in the days of my youth i was told what it means to be a man!]


LEADING SCORERS:
18 - Blake Griffin [a timid 18]
17 - Austin Johnson [when no one else is there, Austin Johnson delivers.]
14 - The Chupacabra
14 - Willie Warren


LEADING REBOUNDERS:
10 - The Chupacabra [double-double]
10 - Blake Griffin


PLUSES:
1. The Chupacabra: Juan Pattillo burning the redshirt sent the Big 12 from a 3-Mile Island level of concern down to Chernobyl. He's playing more and more minutes and he's insuring that whoever is on the other side of Blake will be fresh. He and Taylor are both playing meaningful minutes without the risk of being gassed. Tonight's performance was particularly scary for coaches still trying to game plan for us, and The Chupacabra continues to fill up the stat sheet with steals, blocks and assists. Oh, and The Chupacabra does not dunk, friends. No, no, he settles personal vendettas by throwing it dooooooooown. It's almost like he hit the rim the first time he tried to dunk when he was two. He was so angry at being slighted that he's taken it out on the rim ever since.

2. Austin Johnson: Player of the game on ESPN, and hard to argue with that pick. Add his ridiculous "HORSE" style shot from 27 feet to the growing list of daggers he's driven into the hearts of our defeated opponents. I just can't say enough about him. I'm still eating crow every day over him.

3. Willie Warren: An OK game by his lofty standards, but 7-8 from the line was really big when things got sloppy down the stretch.

4. Announcing crew: Gannon and Bardo are the best I've heard this season. Knowing about Alvan and Gar Heard in Phoenix earns them massive credibility in the 04 household.

5. Blake Griffin: Speaking of Alvan and Gar, they're now tied with Blake for the most double-doubles in a season with 21. 25 games, 21 double-doubles for Blake. Looks like we're going to do the Heisman-Naismith two-step this year.

6. Protection: Only nine turnovers. True, the pace wasn't breakneck, but it's still protecting the basketball. Those possessions aren't wasted when, at the very least, a shot goes up.


MINUSES:
1. Blake at the Line: I'm a broken record, I know, but Blake misses, MISSES four free throws a game. We've played 25 games, and he's missed 102 free throws. That's a LOT of baggage being left out on the floor.

2. Loose Balls: The only reason Baylor stayed within 25 was our inability to corral loose balls throughout the game. Several garbage buckets were scored while we tried to start a fast-break without having possession of the rock.

3. Mugging: What they do to Blake down low is criminal. If Hansbrough received that kind of treatment Roy Williams would be bawling like Dick Vermeil at every post-game presser.

4. EF-4's Four Miles From My House: Say a prayer for the good folks of Lone Grove, Oklahoma, tonight everybody. They're hurting out there. Last night was some scary, scary stuff.


24-1 and 10-0 and ALL ALONE on top of the Big 12 Conference. Texas Tech comes to Norman on Saturday and I expect a great effort before a much needed week off before traveling to Austin. In fan news, I expect the LNC to be pretty well packed for our Valentine's Day matinee. In other fan news, OU acquired some additional tickets to the Big 12 Tournament in OKC, so we need to scarf those suckers up like a fat girl going after Beanie Babies in 1997.

The runaway locomotive that is OU Basketball only has a few more local stops left in 2009. Don't miss the train, sports fans. If you do, you'll damn sure regret it down the line.


Thank you for your time.

SoonerObsession
2/12/2009, 12:00 AM
Nice write up 04! I'm so excited about this team! For a while I was skeptical, but they just keep getting better. The only time I don't feel confident we will score is when Blake goes to the line. Every game has at least 5 plays that make me say "Wow!" I hope more of OUr fans can appreciate what we have this year and really start making the LNC rock for the remaining games.

SCOUT
2/12/2009, 12:20 AM
Well done 04. I like the way you summarize the game with colorful commentary. The positives of this team are huge. I can't remember an OU team with this much balance, although I must admit that I really started following OU basketball in the 90's.

One thing that I noticed tonight, and have seen in other games, is a lot of traveling calls. I get the one of Blake under the basket and the occasional misstep, but it seems to be frighteningly frequent. Am I being overly concerned about that kind of needless turnover?

This isn't a complaint post in the least. My intent is to ask about the minor ding on the $150,000 Mercedes.

bri
2/12/2009, 12:30 AM
The tight traveling calls are especially glaring when you're flipping back and forth between a college game and an NBA game. I'd see one of our guys get called for thinking about lifting his pivot foot, then flip over to FSNOk and watch Brandon Roy take five little steps in a circle while working the ball from one wing to the next. Infuriating, to say the least.

SCOUT
2/12/2009, 12:32 AM
The tight traveling calls are especially glaring when you're flipping back and forth between a college game and an NBA game. I'd see one of our guys get called for thinking about lifting his pivot foot, then flip over to FSNOk and watch Brandon Roy take five little steps in a circle while working the ball from one wing to the next. Infuriating, to say the least.

That could certainly be a part of my perception :)

tommieharris91
2/12/2009, 12:36 AM
The tight traveling calls are especially glaring when you're flipping back and forth between a college game and an NBA game. I'd see one of our guys get called for thinking about lifting his pivot foot, then flip over to FSNOk and watch Brandon Roy take five little steps in a circle while working the ball from one wing to the next. Infuriating, to say the least.

I do that, then I see Tyler Hansborough completely rotate his pivot foot while he's holding the ball in the Duke/UNC game. I wish we could get calls like that.

bri
2/12/2009, 12:46 AM
That could certainly be a part of my perception :)

Having the NBA in our state has completely fuxx0rd our fundamentals. :D

sooner59
2/12/2009, 01:11 AM
Am I going to be the one to say it? Actually, I didn't look up all of the old threads, so I may not be the first. But its taboo nonetheless.

I honestly believe (given a few good breaks every champion needs) that this team "has the potential" to compete for a championship this year. Capel has passed my expectations and I hope we can keep him. We have a team with a point guard who is reaching his top potential, brothers who dominate the paint, Blake is a freak and Taylor definitely holds his own. We have the X-Factor in Willie Warren plus a solid player in Crocker and a Streaky 3-ball shooter in Cade. But add them together with Patillo off the bench and this team shapes up to be a force. All that we need is character and the will to win....wait, I believe we have continued to show that we have that as well. I honestly believe that if we make the Sweet 16 this year, its par....Elite 8 is as expected. Final 4 would be awesome. Title game would be unbelievable. But cutting down the nets for winning it all would be a dream. However, I believe this team has the "potential" To achieve the dream. I hope im right.

yermom
2/12/2009, 01:27 AM
just wanted to pop in and give AJ props

that sloppy 3 was just sick

8timechamps
2/12/2009, 02:18 AM
First, a public letter to Brando:

See, positive thinking works! :D

I’m also going to pay you your due respect. You have been singing the praises of El Chupacabra (I found myself referring to him by that name tonight). You were dead on. #12 is a player.

Now, on to a couple of thoughts:

Baylor. Poor, poor Baylor. They want so badly to be relevant in the Big XII. And, they are almost there (their recruiting promises to make them at least an irritant in the coming years). They had everything aligned tonight for an upset: A home game (in what looked to start off as a loud, ruckus environment). Trying to put to end a five game losing streak. The last chance to bolster their resume by beating a top 25 team. For that matter, the last chance to beat a ranked opponent. And, possibly a little payback for losing in Norman.

None of it was enough.

I know Blake is special. I also know he will probably win POY. And, I know that we wouldn’t be as special without him. But, WOW, we’ve got a legitimate national hoops power in Norman! No more one player wonders. Not this year anyway.

Aside from Blake, we’ve got some weapons. If AJ can finish off his senior year the way he is playing, he may be playing ball next season in Europe (Or, um, doing something with his talent maybe?). Willie is a future NBA guy. Surely Taylor realizes the circumstances…the chance to make his last season with OU and his last chance to play with his brother…something special, really special. And then there is El Chupacabra. I cannot do him justice, so I will point you to previous 04 threads on the topic.

The good news is we are 24-1, undefeated in conference play, ranked #2 in the country and are a virtual lock for a good seed in March.

The news that makes me a little nervous (I won’t call it bad news), Is that we haven’t yet gotten to the real “meat” of the schedule. With Texas in Austin, Mizzou and KU on the near horizon, we will be tested.

But for now, awesome win. Great write up 04.

8timechamps
2/12/2009, 02:21 AM
The tight traveling calls are especially glaring when you're flipping back and forth between a college game and an NBA game. I'd see one of our guys get called for thinking about lifting his pivot foot, then flip over to FSNOk and watch Brandon Roy take five little steps in a circle while working the ball from one wing to the next. Infuriating, to say the least.

I think King James refers to those as Crab Steps. :D

okienole3
2/12/2009, 07:31 AM
Great wrap-up.

Boogie is stepping up and making plays whenever needed. El Chupacabra is flat out dominating.

Also, I liked how balanced our scoring was last night. Four guys in double figures and another two with 7 and 8.

Boomer.....
2/12/2009, 08:42 AM
30-0 against Baylor in basketball and also undefeated against them in football. Flat out embarassing. :D

Sooner04
2/12/2009, 10:11 AM
I should've copyrighted my "plus/minus" gimmick.

linkage (http://oklahoma.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=911800)

DrKupferberg
2/12/2009, 10:16 AM
Their crowd tried to pump them up, their coach implored them for a stop, and with the game in the 50s and less than ten minutes to go it looked as though they'd hang around enough to really make it a nailbiter at the end.

Folk down there really don't care, really don't care, don't care, really don't

King Crimson
2/12/2009, 10:21 AM
I should've copyrighted my "plus/minus" gimmick.

linkage (http://oklahoma.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=911800)

hell, Joe Lunardi makes a living being a moron and ripping off what Jerry Palm was doing (for kicks in his spare time) in the late 90's, when no one had ever heard of the rpi.

nice to see Palm on with CNN/SI or whoever. back inna day, JP was a nice guy and would always return emails/questions etc. Lunardi is a moron and it pains me to see most of hoopsdom be duped by this imposter/pretender and take his word as somehow holy. but, that's ESPN for you.

soonervegas
2/12/2009, 10:39 AM
I am really, REALLY ready to see this team in Columbia and Austin.

ouleaf
2/12/2009, 11:16 AM
I'm not sure what Capel did or said during that time-out after Baylor pulled within 3 points, but we were a completely different team after that. Gotta give him praise for that. Our guys remained calm and went to work after that.

As per usual, the hot shooting night rotated to AJ. If it's not him, it's Crocker. If it's not either of them, it's Wille. Hopefully this is a trend that continues. We will need it to come tourney time. As great as Blake is, he can't beat another team by himself.

I know Blake missing FTs is his only real glaring weakness to his game, but as a team we shot fairly well for the game. 70% on the night is actually better than our season average. If we can keep it at that level, but not dip lower than that the rest of the season, I'd be pretty happy.

Plus, i think the biggest benefit of us getting to the line so often, is that it forces teams out of the game plan if they have to sit one or two key guys b/c of foul problems, which is much more important to me than missing a few free throws.

Baylor gave a mighty effort, but our guys just find a way to win....period. It was a much better way to win a game than our last one against Colorado.

cjames317
2/12/2009, 12:01 PM
What's especially entertaining to me is when Blake and now El Chu play like the basket is their enemy and throw down as harshly as possible. The defender just doesn't matter.

primetime43
2/12/2009, 12:14 PM
I love the versatility this team has. It starts with the Chupacabra. Do you know what kind of luxury it is for a coach when a guy can defend every position? What impresses me is his instincts. He may not have a "position" but that kid is a player. I love the wrinkle Capel is putting in at the end of the game using a zone with Patillo at the top causing havoc. This may sound nuts but his dunking ability reminds of Dominique "hightlight reel" Wilkins.

I would add another minus to 04's list. Cade Davis... Hello... Cade Davis... Are you there? He seems lost out there!

MikeInNorman
2/12/2009, 12:24 PM
I have started yelling "Chupacabra!!!" at the television as the dust clears from another score-settling throw-down at the rim.

My wife thinks I'm insane.

ouleaf
2/12/2009, 12:53 PM
I would add another minus to 04's list. Cade Davis... Hello... Cade Davis... Are you there? He seems lost out there!

I forgot to mention that too. I looked at the game recap, and he was only in there for 4 or 5 minutes, but they really were a lousy 4 or 5 minutes. Hopefully he can shake it off and play some better ball.

cheezyq
2/12/2009, 01:41 PM
The tight traveling calls are especially glaring when you're flipping back and forth between a college game and an NBA game. I'd see one of our guys get called for thinking about lifting his pivot foot, then flip over to FSNOk and watch Brandon Roy take five little steps in a circle while working the ball from one wing to the next. Infuriating, to say the least.

100% agree. The NBA is loosely officiated, the Big 12 is stupidly officiated. The only team in the Big 12 allowed to do a ball fake without getting called for a travel is Texas Tech.

NormanPride
2/12/2009, 02:21 PM
Cade has been in a funk starting with late last year. I think we may need to recruit over him at some point. :(

Sooner04
2/12/2009, 06:12 PM
Bah! Cade is fine. Last night wasn't the greatest matchup for him. I didn't think his minutes last night were that bad.

He values the basketball, and he's a GREAT rebounder for a guy his size. I wish he was more of an assassin from deep, but maybe he'll continue to build toward that.

Now that NP has started the "recruit over Cade" train rolling, expect to see Mr. Davis go off for 25 within the next two weeks. :)

Bruiser53
2/12/2009, 07:19 PM
I forgot to mention that too. I looked at the game recap, and he was only in there for 4 or 5 minutes, but they really were a lousy 4 or 5 minutes. Hopefully he can shake it off and play some better ball.

I think Cade Davis has become what Austin Johnson used to be- the guy that everyone bashes (and with some good reason). It puzzles me that he can't make threes anymore because he couldn't miss those shots in high school. I don't know if it's a confidence thing or he can't adjust to college basketball speed or what, but we could use a sharpshooter off the bench.

josh09
2/12/2009, 07:58 PM
My brother made a statement today about this team, and i agreed with him. He said we seem to coast against teams that should be easy for us to beat, and then when we feel threatened, turn up the heat. Thats fine with me, as long as we win in the end. It sure helps with making every game exciting, too :D

Overtime
2/14/2009, 02:27 PM
Bah! Cade is fine. Last night wasn't the greatest matchup for him. I didn't think his minutes last night were that bad.

He values the basketball, and he's a GREAT rebounder for a guy his size. I wish he was more of an assassin from deep, but maybe he'll continue to build toward that.

Now that NP has started the "recruit over Cade" train rolling, expect to see Mr. Davis go off for 25 within the next two weeks. :)

Well he's off to a good start today - maybe he'll get to 15 or so? Maybe a double-double? =]