The Chicken Little syndrome

[Jay C. Upchurch]

You can always find it here after an OU loss. It's a sad, but true fact.

You'd think instead of having a five-game winning streak snapped by Kansas, the Sooners had lost five in a row. That's the mentality of about 10 posters on this board who thrive on finger-pointing and name-calling any time OU loses a game.

Is this loss disappointing? Very much so. Mainly because the Sooners gave it away. That's what should sting the most.

The bottom line was OU missed 18 of its last 22 shots from the field and turned the ball over seven times in the last eight minutes. The guards played well for 32 minutes and then crumbled. Kevin Bookout missed point-blank shot after point-blank shot. Taj Gray was wearing a foul me sign on the back of his jersey (evidently invisible to the officiating crew).

But of course, the Chicken Little theorists are going to blame Kelvin. The sky is falling again because Kelvin didn't make the right adjustments or get his team to make some shots when it needed them most.

And of course, Kelvin had nothing to do with the Sooners getting a 16-point second-half lead. That was all the players' doing.

That's how this thing works...

When OU plays well, the players are doing a great job.

When OU loses, Kelvin is a bad coach.

Sigh...

[PrideTrombone]

I wondered how long you'd take to post something like this.

[oumartin]

so, what type $ you get from the university?

[SoonerDood]

you could substitute Chuck Long for Kelvin Sampson and place it on the football board. If this game is at home we win by at least 20.

[Cam]

[Frozen Sooner]

Said it before, I'll say it again:

Some people tend to talk when they're happy. These are the ones who typically post a lot when OU is doing well-and they post a lot, because OU is generally doing well.

Some people tend to talk when they're upset. These are the ones we only see after a loss.

It gives the impression that the latter are only around when OU loses-when the reality is many of them just don't have anything to say when OU wins because they're happy.

There are a SMALL minority who seem to be happy when OU loses because it validates their criticisms of Coach Sampson. Eventually, Coach Sampson will leave-which should make that minority doubly happy, as we'll be losing a LOT more and Sampson will be gone.

[Jay C. Upchurch]

Hey, if it makes people feel better about things to blame Kelvin, then so be it. Obviously, that's how it's always going to be when the Sooners lose a game like that.

I'm just pointing out the predictable knee-jerk reaction several posters on this board have too every hint of adversity.

It's almost humorous.

[JohnnyMack]

Jay,

I think you'll find my meltdown thread does attempt to blame BOTH the players and the coaching staff.

Although I personally don't give a wet fart if Kelvin is our coach or not. With our AD, our facilites and our money we can and will be a winning program regardless of who's at the helm.

[ouradu]

I blame the players for not knowing how to finish a game. We've blown a lot of big leads this year, these guys don't know how to play with a big lead.

[Cam]

There are a SMALL minority who seem to be happy when OU loses because it validates their criticisms of Coach Sampson. Eventually, Coach Sampson will leave-which should make that minority doubly happy, as we'll be losing a LOT more and Sampson will be gone.

Happy at a lose? Not even close.

Completely and utterly gutted? **** yeah.

That game should have been over with 5 minutes left. Our guys went into the dribble at the top of the key while the other 4 stand in a straight line syndrome. How did we get the 16 point lead? By running the ball and pressing their half court game with the extended zone. How did we lose it? By taking the air out of the ball on offense and sagging the zone. Why the change?

[william_brasky]

Chicken Little reference = ghey

The loss speaks for itsself.

Who catches heat when a company fails? Joe Worker or the HMFIC? The HMFIC does. That's life. This is the internet. In the words of our esteemed leader here, GADOCADWI.

[Sooner24]

Hey, if it makes people feel better about things to blame Kelvin, then so be it. Obviously, that's how it's always going to be when the Sooners lose a game like that.

I'm just pointing out the predictable knee-jerk reaction several posters on this board have too every hint of adversity.

It's almost humorous.

I don't find it humorous, more like painful. I went to Austin two years ago and watched us score 37 points. It was what I imagine a root canal without Novocain would feel like. How many times this year, and years past, has a Kelvin Sampson coached team had 8-10 minute droughts of not scoring? Too many!!!!

[Jay C. Upchurch]

Again, OU missed 18 of its last 22 shots.

That's 18 percent.

If they shoot 23 percent — 5 for 22 — they win.

Doesn't get much more simple than that.

[BarryBnds]

Jay I figured you'd dismiss anything negative said about coach Denim as negative fans being negative fans. When will you recognize that this program has plateaued and will stagnate into the boring crap we keep throwing out there? Is Kelvin a good coach? Sure. But at almost a million a year should we settle for good? Are you happy being mediocre? Are you accepting of the fact that we absolutely suck in one of the worst conferences around this year when we were supposed to have all the pieces to make our glorious run? Are you going to be happy when we lose to Manhattan or Canisius or some other team we should beat? Should we replace Kelvin? I don't know. I just know something HAS to change. Either he coaches in the 21st century or find someone who will.

[Sooner24]

After the NCAA gets through with OU in April the coaching problem will be fixed.

[Cam]

For the record, I have no troll handles. Never have, never will.

Any resemblance between BarryBnds' comments and my own is just him/her stating what they feel.

[GottaHavePride]

Again, OU missed 18 of its last 22 shots.

That's 18 percent.

If they shoot 23 percent — 5 for 22 — they win.

Doesn't get much more simple than that.

Or if, say, we don't start waiting until we only have 8 seconds on the shot clock to force a shot, maybe we get 25 shots off in that span of time instead of 22. just saying...

[william_brasky]

Hell, if they make 22 of the last 22 shots they win.

I think most people who are criticizing the coaching today are doing so because there was a noticeable change in strategy once we built up a lead. Sit back in the zone on D and run the point guard Isolation on O. Neither worked. Those calls come from the top. So, the top is faulted.

Doesn't get much more simple than that.

[Ardmore_Sooner]

I don't find it humorous, more like painful. I went to Austin two years ago and watched us score 37 points. It was what I imagine a root canal without Novocain would feel like. How many times this year, and years past, has a Kelvin Sampson coached team had 8-10 minute droughts of not scoring? Too many!!!!

You are exactly right, if this was the first time we had gone on a drought like this it would be a little understandable, but after about the X number of times it gets old. Anyone remember the Big 12 Title game against Mizzou? Or the complete meltdown in Norman against Texas in 2003. Its just gotten to the point that something needs to happen when we get up by more then 15 points. Play the same offense you did the first 30 minutes instead of our "Prevent Offense©*."

*© by Sooner04

[Sooner24]

Or if, say, we don't start waiting until we only have 8 seconds on the shot clock to force a shot, maybe we get 25 shots off in that span of time instead of 22. just saying...

With 13:30 to go in the game we are standing out at the top of the circle just running clock. We get the ball stolen and the make an easy basket. I am not a basketball coach by any strech but simple math tells me with a 35 second shot clock it is going to be impossible to run 13:30 off the clock and win.