Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 35
  1. #1
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member jkm, the stolen pifwafwi's Avatar
    Posts
    12,270
    vCash
    500

    is this the most talented OU team evar?

    we go 9 deep of TALENTED players and i haven't even seen austin johnson in action yet.

  2. #2
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Sooner04's Avatar
    Location
    Ardmore, OK
    Posts
    4,676
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    I'm ready to see Austin Johnson play because he can, supposedly, drive to the basket. I've seen three games with Chris Walker and he hasn't driven into the paint once.

    And in terms of pure "talent", we're probably behind the team with Gar Heard and Clifford Ray. Those two were very solid NBA players for a long time.

    In terms of overall talent, this bunch is uber deep. Now let's see if Sampson can distribute the minutes without causing a bunch of discontent.

  3. #3
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member jkm, the stolen pifwafwi's Avatar
    Posts
    12,270
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    the biggest issue that you have with a deep team is hitting the wall late in the season. i watched it happen to kansas many many years under roy williams.

  4. #4
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 CobraKai's Avatar
    Posts
    1,393
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    The thing I love about this team is that we can score from almost anywhere, and it is hard to shut us down by taking out one player. Too many of our past teams could be completely neutralized by shutting down Minor, or Erdmann, or Brewer, or Price, etc. We have about 6 guys that could be the "man" on any given night.
    "That's a painting of me taking the bull by the horns. Its a metaphor. But that really happened."

  5. #5
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Sooner04's Avatar
    Location
    Ardmore, OK
    Posts
    4,676
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Sampson has said on quite a few occasions that what made the 2002 team so good is we had three guys who could go for 20 every night (McGhee, Price, Ere) while still playing really good team defense.

    This team has three guys who could go for 20 (Gray, Everett, Neal) and a fourth who could go for 15 (Bookout). When you have that many options on the floor and on the bench, things really look bright. Couple that with a devastating bunch of rebounders and you've got a lot of opportunities to put the ball in the hole while keeping the other team to one and done possessions.

  6. #6
    Sooner Benchwarmer
    Posts
    190
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    I'd say our most talented team ever was the 1988 squad. You had 3 guys who were NBA starters in Mookie, Stacy King, & Harvey Grant.

    We also had Ricky Grace, who is in the Hall of fame in the Australian pro leagues & played in several olympics for Australia.

  7. #7
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Sooner04's Avatar
    Location
    Ardmore, OK
    Posts
    4,676
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by OUgradJeff
    I'd say our most talented team ever was the 1988 squad. You had 3 guys who were NBA starters in Mookie, Stacy King, & Harvey Grant.

    We also had Ricky Grace, who is in the Hall of fame in the Australian pro leagues & played in several olympics for Australia.
    I wanted to say '88, but people always rag on me for holding the Tubbs teams in too high of a light.

    Also, what I really liked about the game Saturday night was how many shots we took. Granted, they weren't falling (I think we shot about 40%), but I'm pumped about the opportunities. We took 40 shots in first half. I'd bet there were some games under Sampson where we didn't take that many in a game.

    We had 65 points with ten minutes to go and went ice cold for the rest of the game and STILL got to 81. I've been saying all year if we average 80 a game we'll be incredibly hard to beat. That's a tall order for Sampson, but remember, the '02 team averaged 78 and they went seven deep. This bunch goes nine, possibly ten.

  8. #8
    Sooner Benchwarmer
    Posts
    190
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by jkm, the stolen pifwafwi
    the biggest issue that you have with a deep team is hitting the wall late in the season. i watched it happen to kansas many many years under roy williams.
    What? It's talented teams that have NO depth that you worry about hitting a wall.

    What happened to Kansas was the pressure of being considered one of the greatest teams ever. That & in the NCAA tournament, it just takes one off game & your season is over.

  9. #9
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member jkm, the stolen pifwafwi's Avatar
    Posts
    12,270
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by OUgradJeff
    What? It's talented teams that have NO depth that you worry about hitting a wall.

    What happened to Kansas was the pressure of being considered one of the greatest teams ever. That & in the NCAA tournament, it just takes one off game & your season is over.
    you'd think, but that isn't the way it normally works. the more depth you have, the later in the year you hit the wall. there is just this 3 game period where you have no energy whatsoever. normally for us that is right around the beginning of big 12 play which is why we always start in an 0-2 hole. part of it is that we always seem to have newcomers playing on the road and the emotional fatigue just catches up with you.

    with more depth you try not to overstress anyone before finals and the holidays and then start to ramp up minutes after the break.

  10. #10
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Sooner04's Avatar
    Location
    Ardmore, OK
    Posts
    4,676
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by jkm, the stolen pifwafwi
    there is just this 3 game period where you have no energy whatsoever. normally for us that is right around the beginning of big 12 play which is why we always start in an 0-2 hole. part of it is that we always seem to have newcomers playing on the road and the emotional fatigue just catches up with you.
    Actually, we're quick Big 12 starters. We usually hit the wall in early February, then peak in early March and proceed to a second round NCAA Tournament train wreck.

  11. #11
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member TopDawg's Avatar
    Posts
    12,030
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    This team has three guys who could go for 20 (Gray, Everett, Neal) and a fourth who could go for 15 (Bookout). When you have that many options on the floor and on the bench, things really look bright. Couple that with a devastating bunch of rebounders and you've got a lot of opportunities to put the ball in the hole while keeping the other team to one and done possessions.
    I like all the different looks we can give people. Walker and Longar might be the only two in our 10-deep that can't play two positions. And we've got the type of athletes and body-types to allow us to go quick without going short and to go big without going slow.

    I think a big key for us will be Walker developing an outside game. Has he taken a shot from the perimiter yet? Our 2002 team turned the corner when Quannas became a threat from behind the arc and if Walker can provide us with that same threat, it'll be huge for us.

  12. #12
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member crawfish's Avatar
    Location
    Way out in left field
    Posts
    17,651
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    I wonder who on this team will get a chance in the NBA?

    Gray, for sure, should be a first-rounder. Everett may get some interest if he builds on his point guard skills - he's the right size.

    Not sure if we have a third this year.

  13. #13
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 Sooner04's Avatar
    Location
    Ardmore, OK
    Posts
    4,676
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by TopDawg
    Our 2002 team turned the corner when Quannas became a threat from behind the arc and if Walker can provide us with that same threat, it'll be huge for us.
    Quannas really didn't start pouring it in from outside until the next year.

    The 2002 team turned the corner when the light went on for Aaron McGhee. Once he started burying every 15-foot jumper he looked at, that team began to roll.

  14. #14
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member TopDawg's Avatar
    Posts
    12,030
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by crawfish
    Not sure if we have a third this year.
    Griffin?

  15. #15
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member TopDawg's Avatar
    Posts
    12,030
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sooner04
    Quannas really didn't start pouring it in from outside until the next year.

    The 2002 team turned the corner when the light went on for Aaron McGhee. Once he started burying every 15-foot jumper he looked at, that team began to roll.
    Sure, Quannas' numbers the following year are more impressive, but I remember that as being more of an extension of the end of the 02 season than a "new thing" in 03. I haven't found a site that makes it easy to look at his outside production game-by-game, but he clearly became a much bigger part of our offense, scoring-wise, against Kansas in 2002.

    Yeah, it's clear that McGhee turning it on was what made that season special, but I think Q opening up our offense a little more was part of what helped McGhee hit his stride.

  16. #16
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member jkm, the stolen pifwafwi's Avatar
    Posts
    12,270
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    the thing about walker is that he is a glue guy, but he can only be on the court with certain lineups. taj or bookout have to be on the floor and it helps to have neal or everett on the opposite wing. the key is that he can get the ball into the paint and more importantly, stop crap going the other way. that frees up guys to crash the boards. if you put him in with say longar then you could end up with a doug gottlieb daring him to shoot situation.

  17. #17
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member jkm, the stolen pifwafwi's Avatar
    Posts
    12,270
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    last year

    Sat, Jan 29 Iowa State at Ames, Iowa 66 - 74 (L) ESPN+

    Wed, Feb 02 Texas A&M Norman 69 - 65 (W) ESPN2

    Sat, Feb 05 Texas Tech Norman 81 - 88 (L) ESPN+

    Mon, Feb 07 Oklahoma State at Stillwater, Okla. 67 - 79 (L) ESPN

    Sat, Feb 12 Missouri at Columbia, Mo. 65 - 68 (L) OT ABC

    2004

    Sat, Jan 03 Princeton at Oklahoma City 58 - 55 (W) ESPN2

    Sun, Jan 11 Connecticut at Storrs, CT 59 - 86 (L) CBS

    Wed, Jan 14 Oklahoma State at Stillwater, OK 56 - 77 (L) ESPN Plus

    Sat, Jan 17 Missouri Norman 75 - 79 (L) OT ABC

    Mon, Jan 19 Texas Tech at Lubbock, TX 47 - 67 (L) ESPN

    2003 (we had a ton of guys that had been on campus for at least a year this year)

    n, Jan 13 Oklahoma State 5 24 at Stillwater, Okla. 46 - 48 (L) ESPN

    Sat, Jan 18 Iowa State 5 - Ames, Iowa 70 - 60 (W) ESPN Plus

    Mon, Jan 20 Texas Tech 7 - Norman 69 - 64 (W)
    (OT) ESPN

    2002

    1/19/02 at Kansas L 67 - 74 5 - 4 16,300 Lawrence

    1/21/02 Missouri W 84 - 71 6 - 18 11,409 Norman

    1/26/02 at Texas Tech L 79 - 92 6 - NR 15,098 Lubbock

    1/30/02 Oklahoma State W 58 - 53 6 - 9 12,145 Norman

    2001

    12/30/00 (4) vs SMU W 1 OT 79 - 78 8,471 Oklahoma City

    1/6/01 at Iowa State L 80 - 100 12,747 Ames

    1/9/01 Texas A&M W 78 - 65 19 - NR 9,764 Norman

    1/13/01 Kansas L 61 - 69 11,183 Norman

    1/16/01 at Texas Tech L 59 - 60 9,550 Lubbock

    1/20/01 at Kansas State W 1 OT 64 - 63 10,251 Manhattan

    2000

    1/11/00 Baylor W 76 - 43 10,844 Norman

    1/15/00 at Texas L 66 - 79 15,123 Austin

    1/19/00 at Colorado L 80 - 88 6,023 Boulder

    1/22/00 Iowa State W 2 OT 80 - 75 10,925 Norman

    1999

    1/16/99 at Cincinnati L 59 - 72 NR - 13,176 Cincinnati

    1/20/99 Nebraska L 81 - 96 NR - 11,607 Norman

    1/23/99 at Kansas State L 51 - 66 NR - 12,571 Manhattan

    1/25/99 Texas L 60 - 64 NR - NR 11,560 Norman

    1/30/99 at Texas Tech W 72 - 54 NR - 7,672 Lubbock

  18. #18
    SoonerFans.com Elite Member King Crimson's Avatar
    Location
    spotlight kid
    Posts
    25,528
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    i think the games we lose this year will be a product of outside shooting. if Neal is the only one who can stroke it beyond the arc, then shutting down one guy is something the better teams/coaches can do.

    i really think Bookout is the key. people are going to sag on Taj (a la Tech last year) and if you've got fouls to give, Bookout didn't beat anyone from the stripe last year.

    Free throw shooting is key for a team with a front line emphasis.

  19. #19
    Sooner Benchwarmer
    Posts
    190
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Quote Originally Posted by crawfish
    I wonder who on this team will get a chance in the NBA?

    Gray, for sure, should be a first-rounder. Everett may get some interest if he builds on his point guard skills - he's the right size.

    Not sure if we have a third this year.
    I don't know if we have any NBA talent on this team. Think of the great players we've had under Sampson & only Najera made it. Here's who didn't make it:
    Ryan Minor
    Nate Erdmann
    Corey Brewer
    Hollis Price
    Aaron McGee

    I don't think Gray has an NBA body. I think Everrett is in the same boat plus he isn't much of a shooter.

  20. #20
    Sooner All-Big XII-2-1+1-1+1 OUGreg723's Avatar
    Location
    Norman, OK
    Posts
    1,692
    vCash
    500

    Re: is this the most talented OU team evar?

    Next year will be the most "Talented" OU team ever. 2007 could be a NC run. Maybe even next year too. Alot of great players are coming to town. Watch out for Scottie Reynolds. He's gonna be NUTS.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •