Kelvin Sampson to Indiana?

The Assassin · Post by **The Assassin** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:11 pm

Dan Patrick just reported it on his show.

I like the hire but will the Hoosier faithful accept him?Shine?????

Now who takes the Sooner job? Is Billy Tubbs doing anything??

Harvdog · Post by **Harvdog** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:22 pm

Damn that's gonna leave a mark

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:55 pm

Guys this is confirmed! It happened twenty minutes ago... more later!

the_ouskull

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:07 pm

thanks Kelvin.....for putting OU in a hiring position way after it's plausibile.

asshole.

The Assassin · Post by **The Assassin** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:15 pm

King Crimson wrote:thanks Kelvin.....for putting OU in a hiring position way after it's plausibile.

asshole.

You can have Lon Kruger.

War Stoops · Post by **War Stoops** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:19 pm

This is a great move by Sampson. Lord knows I haven't been one of his biggest fans, but Indiana is a perfect, perfect fit for him. Like it or not, Oklahoma was, is, and always will be a football school. Sampson was hamstrung at OU because his style of play did not excite the fan base, especially because he followed Billy Tubbs. I think coaching at Indiana will allow Sampson to reach his full potential and it's likely that the Hoosiers will become a dominant power under his leadership.

This can also be a good thing for Oklahoma if Castiglione makes the right hire. Of course, I'd like to see the Sooners go after someone with an aggressive, up-tempo style that will put butts in the seats as well as win games. We'll see who makes the short list. Skull, Frozen, or other T1B Sooners...any rumors yet on a replacement?

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:32 pm

jesus, i'm going to guess you guys have been reading insider.

Bizzarofelice · Post by **Bizzarofelice** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:39 pm

Romar played for Washington. After two stints with Jesuit schools I think he'll be at Washington for a while. Also, he recently signed a big fat contract.

War Stoops · Post by **War Stoops** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:43 pm

My [this is a stretch] sources [/this is a stretch] are saying Tim Floyd is a possibility.

Don't know what to think of that.

Bizzarofelice · Post by **Bizzarofelice** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:44 pm

I think Huggins will have a drinking buddy.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:12 pm

Mike Davis??

Bizzarofelice · Post by **Bizzarofelice** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:21 pm

I'm going through the Big XII and we'll have new coaches at Gay St. Iowa St., Okie St., Oklahoma and Missouri.

Dayum.

Degenerate · Post by **Degenerate** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:29 pm

Believe the Heupel wrote: Tubby Smith (who is reportedly very unhappy at Kentucky

My [Zyclone]peeps[/Zyclone] at UK tell me it's just a matter of time before Tubby says adios. He's waiting to pounce on the right opportunity.

Bizzarofelice · Post by **Bizzarofelice** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:55 pm

e wrote:
Bizzarofelice wrote:I think Huggins will have a drinking buddy.
larry eustachy is going to norman?

I knew I could count on you.

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:35 pm

Believe the Heupel wrote:I've heard nothing but speculation. People seem to think that Lorenzo Romar would come, which won't happen. Same with Billy Donovan (Yeah, you're going to leave a team that's stocked with talent and in the Final Four playing in a great basketball conference to come to OU?)

My personal list of who'd I'd like to see that I think we have a real shot at:

Mark Turgeon
Josh Pastner
Herb Sendek
Tubby Smith (who is reportedly very unhappy at Kentucky and rumor has it had accepted the OU job in principle and was warned away from working for Donnie Duncan back in 1994)

Guys (Sooners) we need to face the facts here. OU is a very undesirable coaching job in basketball now.

Anyone in the coaching community is going to be well aware of the real #1 one reason Kelvin left Oklahoma; the support or lack there of from the fan base. The way he was repeatedly attacked by his school's fan base for a multiplicity of reasons they felt the need to complain about will be widely known, coaches talk its like any other proffesional fraternity. They will see the way a coach that is well known, liked, and respected amongst his colleagues was apprecited for winning 72% of his games, competing for the conference title virtualy every year, only missing the NCAA tourney once in twelve years and that was with a team starting one career bench warming senior, a sophmore, and three freshman, and the way he was treated for this. :( He came into a program that had eight schollarship players and the only one with any big college experience left did not want to be there and made it known openly (Prince Fowler) and took them to the NCAA Tournament as a non bubble team. Kelvin Sampson is the only coach in Oklahoma history who never missed the post season; Not Tubbs nor Drake can make that claim.

The pay is average for big time programs at best description.

Oklahoma is not a very big state population wise and unlike in football we are definatly not "the only game in town" so to speak; Oklahoma State and even Tulsa and now ORU are all competitors for Oklahoma talent. This is without even mentioning the University of Kansas' firm grip on the largest Basketball center in the state, Oklahoma City.

The fan support at the games in in Norman would best be described as nonexistant with the exception of four games a seasons.

The facilities we have for basketball are of mixxed quality; the LNC is over 20 years old now and simply is not a basketball friendly venue, don't get me wrong it's great for MTV's Summer Campus Concert Tour, 311, STP, ect. but that's what it is, a concert arena. The fans are as far back as just about any place in college basketball, with the exception of Vanderbilt. The AD just needs to quit BSing and decide if they want Hockey and women's rowing as sports and if so make the LNC a Hockey dedicated facility per NCAA requirments for D1A status and build a real state of the art basketball arena to compete with OSU with for in state talent. The same advantage that we receive from Memorial Stadium when kids come on recruiting visits is what OSU has over us with GIA right now. Shit or get off the pot Joe C!!! but this shit of making bank off the OU hockey Jersey's, hats, and merchandise while still trying to claim it is just a "club level" thing is absurd. The Drake center practice facilities are grade A though but not many coaches select coaching positions based on practice facilities exclusivly.

I am an OU fan to the point of Crimson and Cream shade wearing Homerism. Not a cleti but damn it I am an optimist when it comes to OU. I have no choice but to be. The Royals are a wipping boy of MLB, the Chiefs can't even make the playoffs reguraly any longer, and the Lakers are dead to me. Today I have to sit back and take off the shades and look at this objectionably and if I were a third party looking at this position as HC I wouldn't be all too interested. Our best bet is an up and coming assistant somewhere big.

Mook · Post by **Mook** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:08 pm

SunCoastSooner wrote:Our best bet is an up and coming assistant somewhere big.

That philosophy sure worked well at Mizzou!!

I'm kidding. I think OU is a bit more attractive than you paint it out to be, although probably not as attractive as it appears at first glance. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 3:27 am

i certainly won't miss Kelvin telling me what and how to think on his radio post-game comments.

i like the guy, all things being equal. I can't say i'll be pulling for him in the future, however.

Pastner has to be on the "Replace Lute" short list. and if Sooner Cletus was unhappy with Kelvin because he's not Billy and doesn't have enough runnin and jumpin brothers to keep Cletus entertained until Spring "Ball"....ain't no way they are going to fall in love with Herb Sendek.

Shine · Post by **Shine** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 4:18 am

The Assassin wrote: I like the hire but will the Hoosier faithful accept him?Shine?????

Right now, not so much. The majority of fans aren't happy with the hire for a multitude of reasons. The most valid being the current NCAA investigation into violations by OU under Sampson. The least valid are those pissed it isn't a former IU guy. I myself am still somewhat shocked because all the talk since Davis was fired centered around a ton of guys and except for some minor mentions very early on Sampson's name never came up. This is truly out of the blue for us Hoosier fans.

Me personally, when I look at all the guys realistically available I'm hard pressed to find someone who can trump:

- 2 national COY awards
- 72% winning percentage in a major conference for over a decade
- 3 straight conference tournament titles
- a trip to the FF

And a guy who year in and year out produced tough minded defensive teams.

Only concerns, valid but minor, are the offense and early tourney exits. And yeah, the violations and propensity for JUCO's.

OUMO · Post by **OUMO** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:02 am

Believe the Heupel wrote:This may not be over yet. There's some noises that indicate that the IU Regents aren't happy with the hire and that Kelvin may be having some second thoughts.

probably nothing or wishful thinking on the part of some, but worth mentioning

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I have already put it to rest.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 2:55 pm

So does this mean that Alford turned the job down? :? Maybe JON can fill us in.

Terry in Crapchester · Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:52 pm

Bizzarofelice wrote:Romar played for Washington. After two stints with Jesuit schools I think he'll be at Washington for a while.

:? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :?

Before Washington, Romar was head coach at Pepperdine and Saint Louis. http://gohuskies.collegesports.com/spor ... nzo00.html

Having graduated from Pepperdine's law school, I can assure you that Pepperdine is most definitely not a Jesuit school. In fact, Pepperdine is most definitely not a Catholic school. The Church of Christ influence there couldn't possibly be more obviousj, a fact of which I was unaware before going there.

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:03 pm

Kelvin and Indiana have been taking swipes at OU since the their presser began.

My opinion of Coach Sampson just changed dramatically.

I don't blame him for leaving us for Indiana but the veiled and snyde comments about The University of Oklahoma killed his image in my book.

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:57 pm

I watched the same press conference and I didn't exactly see the "swipes at OU" that you're referring to...

Help me out.

the_ouskull

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:27 pm

the_ouskull wrote:I watched the same press conference and I didn't exactly see the "swipes at OU" that you're referring to...

Help me out.

the_ouskull

Kelvin Sampson: "You have the ability to win Champiochips here at Indiana" the tone that he said this in left me with the impression that he was truying to imply you could not at Oklahoma. We have been to the Final Four more times than any other team without a trophy and if hadn't have choked to Mike Davis in 2002 we likely would have a trophy because we would have pasted Maryland, again, for the title.

His comments about fan support at Indiana definatly was implying that he didn't get it at OU. This is true to a degree but fans such as myself and you don't deserve that sort of comment. I made it a point to make sure, for the last five years (that is before our FF appearance) to match every dollar that I donated to the football program for the Basketball program. I have seats on the 48 yard line 19 rows up on the East side of Owen Field. You can do the math on skull as I am sure you are aware of what kind of yearly donation that requires. I was also one of about 7,000 fans that attended that FF. And while we were outnumbered nearly 3 to 1 by every school in attendance the 7,000 of us that were there were every bit as loud as the other fans. Those of us that have poured our hearts, time, money, and dedication to the program under his leadership do not deserve such veiled comments indirectly towards them.

Their AD also made some comments introducing him concerning pay and fan support that I found to be a tad bit shady as well but I have not a care concerning this. My concern is levied towards an individual who I have vehemently defended at every turn for the last few years to a cavalcade of "Cleti" fans. I am just upset and thought that he would be able to look forward to his new position rather than make veiled comments about an instuition, that while I am not proud of the support it always showed him, gave him his shot at big time college ball and those of us that were behind from the first and until the last days of his tenure. :(

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:05 am

Whenever we look for a new coach I'd love to have Romar. Our AD was the AD at St. Louis who hired him, so there is a connection there.

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:08 am

I guess if you want to interpret his comments as being wholly negative, that's your right, as a fan, and as a donor. All I've given the program is time.

...but I also feel like, given the way OU treated him, especially the "fans" here, I don't blame him for feeling a bit hurt himself, and when people feel that way, they often say things like that. I'm more pissed at OU for not trying to keep him than I am about what he said on his way out...

the_ouskull

Shine · Post by **Shine** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:52 am

Believe the Heupel wrote:and that he wouldn't have to recruit as many JUCOs at IU (which is a bit more serious-if I were Quannas White I'd be looking to beat some Sampson ass right about now.)

2 things here.

1- This was a smart PR move on the part of KS because one issue many IU fans raised over the past day was the perception that OU and KS relied very heavily on JUCO's. Keep in mind IU has gone the JUCO route in the past, to great success at times with the Smart/Garrett combo, but IU fans don't want that to be a key component of recruiting.

2- Instantly after saying he wouldn't have to go the JUCO route as much at IU, he said there's nothing wrong with going the JUCO route.

Shine · Post by **Shine** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:58 am

SunCoastSooner wrote: Kelvin Sampson: "You have the ability to win Champiochips here at Indiana" the tone that he said this in left me with the impression that he was truying to imply you could not at Oklahoma. We have been to the Final Four more times than any other team without a trophy and if hadn't have choked to Mike Davis in 2002 we likely would have a trophy because we would have pasted Maryland, again, for the title.
So you've been to the FF the most times without a trophy, doesn't that somewhat imply it might be easier to win a title somewhere else??

His comments about fan support at Indiana definatly was implying that he didn't get it at OU. This is true to a degree but fans such as myself and you don't deserve that sort of comment. I made it a point to make sure, for the last five years (that is before our FF appearance) to match every dollar that I donated to the football program for the Basketball program. I have seats on the 48 yard line 19 rows up on the East side of Owen Field. You can do the math on skull as I am sure you are aware of what kind of yearly donation that requires. I was also one of about 7,000 fans that attended that FF. And while we were outnumbered nearly 3 to 1 by every school in attendance the 7,000 of us that were there were every bit as loud as the other fans. Those of us that have poured our hearts, time, money, and dedication to the program under his leadership do not deserve such veiled comments indirectly towards them.
So you admit the comments about lack of fan support are true to a degree, and admit at the FF OU was far and way the least represented fanbase. So again, what's the problem???

Their AD also made some comments introducing him concerning pay and fan support that I found to be a tad bit shady as well but I have not a care concerning this. My concern is levied towards an individual who I have vehemently defended at every turn for the last few years to a cavalcade of "Cleti" fans. I am just upset and thought that he would be able to look forward to his new position rather than make veiled comments about an instuition, that while I am not proud of the support it always showed him, gave him his shot at big time college ball and those of us that were behind from the first and until the last days of his tenure. :(

Again, admitting the support wasn't there 100%.

I think you're way off on your feelings SunCoast. I watched the PC and never once felt he was speaking negative toward OU. He said what he needed to say to appease the IU fanbase, which is smart.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:41 am

the_ouskull wrote:...but I also feel like, given the way OU treated him, especially the "fans" here, I don't blame him for feeling a bit hurt himself, and when people feel that way, they often say things like that. I'm more pissed at OU for not trying to keep him than I am about what he said on his way out...

Rack.

When I lived in Lawrence, the KU fans had nothing but praise for Kelvin. I can't tell you how many times I heard comments about how he's one of the best coaches in the country and how OU was lucky to have him, etc. I even heard KU fans say they wouldn't mind having Kelvin in Lawrence, if Roy ever left.

Then I moved back to Norman in 1999, and heard nothing but "Well, he's an OK coach, but he hasn't won anything"

or similar bullshit with that sentiment.

The fans in Lawrence always seemed to have a greater appreciation for him than the fans in Oklahoma, at least from everything I heard.

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:54 am

the_ouskull wrote:I guess if you want to interpret his comments as being wholly negative, that's your right, as a fan, and as a donor. All I've given the program is time.

I respect and appreciate that you have given your time to the program, skull. Thank You and hope you continue your support of the team. I wish I could contribute in that manner. My money will have to do; which I give (unlike in football) without any expectations of purchasing season tickets. I'll admit that it does help out my donor points and is bennificial from the aspect that it helpd me retain my seating at Owen Field but I am not one of the Blue Bloods donating and purchasing two tickets that will only get used three or four times a season. I wish I could be putting two more asses in the seats (my wife is a rabid bball fan) at LNC each game night but alas the Oklahoma economy in my proffession is just not there. There are more people than there is work where as out there, here there is more work than there is people. A colleague of mine who lives in Moore says he can't afford to have any help because the work just isn't there. I have all four trainee positions filled under my name and I have to turn away atleast two five figure jobs a week because we are slammed to the hilt as it is. I'm sure you (and probably everyone else) have noticed how dramatic my posting has dropped since I left my old firm and ventured out on my own this month.

...but I also feel like, given the way OU treated him, especially the "fans" here, I don't blame him for feeling a bit hurt himself, and when people feel that way, they often say things like that. I'm more pissed at OU for not trying to keep him than I am about what he said on his way out...

the_ouskull

I understand what you are saying but making those comments he has alienated people such as myself who have "gone to the mattresses" for him so to speak. This is a step up for him and I understand. It is disappointing enough having lost the best coach in our school's history without having to have him remind me of just how badly our fan base screwed this up.

On a side note I am hearing that Kellen is going to remain at OU as long as the new coach will allow him to remain a walk on. Said that Norman is where his heart is and that he wants to be University of Oklahoma Alumnus.

the_ouskull · Post by **the_ouskull** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:55 am

We'll see if Kellen still feels that way 1) after the new coach gets here, and 2) if Bookout leaves the Norman / OKC area to do his training... they're good friends.

the_ouskull

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:56 am

RadioFan wrote:
the_ouskull wrote:...but I also feel like, given the way OU treated him, especially the "fans" here, I don't blame him for feeling a bit hurt himself, and when people feel that way, they often say things like that. I'm more pissed at OU for not trying to keep him than I am about what he said on his way out...
Rack.

When I lived in Lawrence, the KU fans had nothing but praise for Kelvin. I can't tell you how many times I heard comments about how he's one of the best coaches in the country and how OU was lucky to have him, etc. I even heard KU fans say they wouldn't mind having Kelvin in Lawrence, if Roy ever left.

Then I moved back to Norman in 1999, and heard nothing but "Well, he's an OK coach, but he hasn't won anything" or similar bullshit with that sentiment.

The fans in Lawrence always seemed to have a greater appreciation for him than the fans in Oklahoma, at least from everything I heard.

I'm not one of those fans Radio. Ask BtH or skull as I am sure they have seen the threads on SF where I have beaten the Sampson drum and gone to war with 04 over his ability as a head coach.

OUMO · Post by **OUMO** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:20 am

Maybe Sampson would not have had to recruit so many JUCOs if he did not run off 2 underclassmen every year.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:47 am

SunCoastSooner wrote:I'm not one of those fans Radio.

Never said you were, SCS. You're a gem among the coal that is fickle OU Fan, when it comes to basketball.

To me, it is utterly reprehensible that the Lloyd Noble Center isn't a sellout, ever single night.

Granted, OU Fan doesn't have the history nor tradition of KU Fan, nor any other "basketball school."

And the Manhattan first-round loss, in '95, was a legitimate reason to decry Sampson. Hell, even in Lawrence, where a lot of fans got all jiggy with the Big 8, and later, Big 12, come tournament time (with the possible exception of Mizzou in those parts) ... especially if one of KU's conference rivals was headed, on paper, for a matchup with a truely hated school, such as Duke or a Bob Knight-coached Indiana or Kentucky -- they're down and cheering on OU or ISU or OSU, in a huge way. UNC against a conference rival was and is, perhaps, the exception to that rule, because of the historical connections between KU and UNC, which I've posted recently before.

But what pisses me off is the local OKC and Tulsa sports radio football recruiting shows, for the most part, in the middle of March Madness. It's a combination of callers who don't give a fuck about the NCAA tournament, and radio hosts who let them in. It feeds Utterly Myopic OU football Fan into thinking there is no other sport, other than Football.

Of course, that's a chicken and egg argument ... i.e. is it football myopia that feeds the local radio talk shows or is it radio talk shows that feed the football myopia, at the expense of actually taking the time to learn the difference between a man-to-man defense and a 3-2 zone?

That's why, imo, it's so incredibly important that the Hornets make the playoffs. I thought that notion was pie in the sky at the beginning of the season ... then all of a sudden, it seemed very real, and now it's tenuous, at best. :x

Basketball Fan in Oklahoma, outside of the transplants like myself, is relatively nonexistent. Only many of the "fans" here seem to pride themselves on it. I'm not sure how to put my finger on it, but it pretty much has to do with the myopic syndrome, in the sense that by even talking about basketball, you're somehow neglecting the football team, even in February.

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:15 pm

Shine wrote:
SunCoastSooner wrote: Kelvin Sampson: "You have the ability to win Champiochips here at Indiana" the tone that he said this in left me with the impression that he was truying to imply you could not at Oklahoma. We have been to the Final Four more times than any other team without a trophy and if hadn't have choked to Mike Davis in 2002 we likely would have a trophy because we would have pasted Maryland, again, for the title.
So you've been to the FF the most times without a trophy, doesn't that somewhat imply it might be easier to win a title somewhere else??

His comments about fan support at Indiana definatly was implying that he didn't get it at OU. This is true to a degree but fans such as myself and you don't deserve that sort of comment. I made it a point to make sure, for the last five years (that is before our FF appearance) to match every dollar that I donated to the football program for the Basketball program. I have seats on the 48 yard line 19 rows up on the East side of Owen Field. You can do the math on skull as I am sure you are aware of what kind of yearly donation that requires. I was also one of about 7,000 fans that attended that FF. And while we were outnumbered nearly 3 to 1 by every school in attendance the 7,000 of us that were there were every bit as loud as the other fans. Those of us that have poured our hearts, time, money, and dedication to the program under his leadership do not deserve such veiled comments indirectly towards them.
So you admit the comments about lack of fan support are true to a degree, and admit at the FF OU was far and way the least represented fanbase. So again, what's the problem???

Their AD also made some comments introducing him concerning pay and fan support that I found to be a tad bit shady as well but I have not a care concerning this. My concern is levied towards an individual who I have vehemently defended at every turn for the last few years to a cavalcade of "Cleti" fans. I am just upset and thought that he would be able to look forward to his new position rather than make veiled comments about an instuition, that while I am not proud of the support it always showed him, gave him his shot at big time college ball and those of us that were behind from the first and until the last days of his tenure. :(
Again, admitting the support wasn't there 100%.

I think you're way off on your feelings SunCoast. I watched the PC and never once felt he was speaking negative toward OU. He said what he needed to say to appease the IU fanbase, which is smart.

Ofcourse you didn't Shine. You haven't lived the roller coaster ridethta is OU basketball for the last 12 years.You are not as intimatly familiar with the situation as the Sooners here. You were able to watch as almost a sort of third party to the comments. I'm not the only only Sooner who feels this way. Heck despite he straw poll here by reading the boards I would tend to think I am in the majority in my feelings, even amongst the KS sunshine pumpers which I am still proud to say I was a party too.

Congrats on your new coach. He is a Good 'un and you will be successful again. I won't blow smoke up your ass and tell you that you are going to be in the FF every other year but with IU's resources and fan support behind one of the best minds in college bball today you will definatly have your oppertunities provided your fans don't make the same mistake as ours did and run off the coach. :( Based on the Presser yesterday in Bloomington there is no doubt in my mind that fan support and not money or probation was the driving force behind this move for Kelvin. If KS intended on using us as stepping stone from the beggining he would be at NC State today and not either OU or IU.

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:21 pm

RadioFan wrote:
SunCoastSooner wrote:I'm not one of those fans Radio.
Never said you were, SCS. You're a gem among the coal that is fickle OU Fan, when it comes to basketball.

To me, it is utterly reprehensible that the Lloyd Noble Center isn't a sellout, ever single night.

Granted, OU Fan doesn't have the history nor tradition of KU Fan, nor any other "basketball school."

And the Manhattan first-round loss, in '95, was a legitimate reason to decry Sampson. Hell, even in Lawrence, where a lot of fans got all jiggy with the Big 8, and later, Big 12, come tournament time (with the possible exception of Mizzou in those parts) ... especially if one of KU's conference rivals was headed, on paper, for a matchup with a truely hated school, such as Duke or a Bob Knight-coached Indiana or Kentucky -- they're down and cheering on OU or ISU or OSU, in a huge way. UNC against a conference rival was and is, perhaps, the exception to that rule, because of the historical connections between KU and UNC, which I've posted recently before.

But what pisses me off is the local OKC and Tulsa sports radio football recruiting shows, for the most part, in the middle of March Madness. It's a combination of callers who don't give a fuck about the NCAA tournament, and radio hosts who let them in. It feeds Utterly Myopic OU football Fan into thinking there is no other sport, other than Football.

Of course, that's a chicken and egg argument ... i.e. is it football myopia that feeds the local radio talk shows or is it radio talk shows that feed the football myopia, at the expense of actually taking the time to learn the difference between a man-to-man defense and a 3-2 zone?

That's why, imo, it's so incredibly important that the Hornets make the playoffs. I thought that notion was pie in the sky at the beginning of the season ... then all of a sudden, it seemed very real, and now it's tenuous, at best. :x

Basketball Fan in Oklahoma, outside of the transplants like myself, is relatively nonexistent. Only many of the "fans" here seem to pride themselves on it. I'm not sure how to put my finger on it, but it pretty much has to do with the myopic syndrome, in the sense that by even talking about basketball, you're somehow neglecting the football team, even in February.

RACK. You are 5,000% correct.

War Stoops · Post by **War Stoops** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:41 pm

Radio / Suncoast:

This post isn't so much directed at you as it is in response to the points you make, which are also being made by the hacks in the local media. First of all, of course Oklahoma football is going to dominate every aspect of the local media. Not only is football a much more beloved sport in the state, but Oklahoma is one of the five best programs in the country. I can pretty much guarantee that North Carolina football has been largely ignored on the Charlotte airwaves, even when Mack Brown had them winning. This has everything to do with love of football and little or nothing to do with disdain for basketball.

More importantly, I'm so fucking tired of the blanket statements that are automatically made about anyone who didn't worship Sampson. I love basketball. I played at the top of Radio’s 3-2 zone for four years in high school. Yet somehow my non-Cleti ass still dislikes Sampson.

Look, there's no doubt KS is a solid coach. The proof is in the record. But he has several rather glaring flaws that, in my mind, outweigh his favorable attributes. First, he flat-out can't coach offense. Period. Before you start characterizing me as one of the fans who cares more about scoring than winning, save it. I'll take 50-49 over 99-100 any day. But Kelvin's squads lost many a close game because in crunch time he was unable to draw up anything resembling a play resulting in an open look. The close games they did win were won largely because of the athleticism of players like Nolan Johnson and Terrell Everett.

Second, he was unable to develop players and keep star players happy. I can't think of many players who were better when they left OU than they were when they got there. I know there are some, but there are more examples of players who stagnated or regressed. Ryan Minor, Kevin Bookout, Victor Avila, Taj Gray, Aaron McGee, Ebe Ere, and many others either regressed or fell well short of their potential. Kelvin also ran off some of his most talented players because he was either too stubborn to give them a little freedom or too incompetent to build an offense around them. Ryan Humphrey, DeAngelo Alexander, Drew Lavender, and Lawrence McKenzie all come to mind.

Third, and most importantly, KS has sucked gigantic donkey balls in the NCAA Tourney. Take away the Junior and Senior years of the great Hollis Price, and Kelvin's record in the tournament is 4-10 with losses to Manhattan, Indiana State, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and (post-Majeras) Utah. I know the tournament is difficult but I don't think it’s too much to ask for a coach such as Sampson to leverage his regular season success to make regular runs to the Sweet 16. When I hear OU fans point to regular season wins as a defense against tournament failures, it reminds me of OSU football fan who is happily willing to accept mediocrity.

The bottom line is this…You can disagree with my opinion and have your own that says Kelvin is super duper. But don’t lump me and others like me with the overall-wearing, football-practice-going, “Cleti” crowd.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:13 pm

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:51 pm

War Stoops wrote:Radio / Suncoast:

This post isn't so much directed at you as it is in response to the points you make, which are also being made by the hacks in the local media. First of all, of course Oklahoma football is going to dominate every aspect of the local media. Not only is football a much more beloved sport in the state, but Oklahoma is one of the five best programs in the country. I can pretty much guarantee that North Carolina football has been largely ignored on the Charlotte airwaves, even when Mack Brown had them winning. This has everything to do with love of football and little or nothing to do with disdain for basketball.

Charlotte is a Clemson town War and football is pretty damn revered there. Your point is taken but it is not an excuse. Raliegh or Durham would have been choices as a city to compare to. Even so if we want to looked and treated as winners then we need to act like it as well.

More importantly, I'm so fucking tired of the blanket statements that are automatically made about anyone who didn't worship Sampson. I love basketball. I played at the top of Radio’s 3-2 zone for four years in high school. Yet somehow my non-Cleti ass still dislikes Sampson.

Look, there's no doubt KS is a solid coach. The proof is in the record. But he has several rather glaring flaws that, in my mind, outweigh his favorable attributes. First, he flat-out can't coach offense. Period. Before you start characterizing me as one of the fans who cares more about scoring than winning, save it. I'll take 50-49 over 99-100 any day. But Kelvin's squads lost many a close game because in crunch time he was unable to draw up anything resembling a play resulting in an open look. The close games they did win were won largely because of the athleticism of players like Nolan Johnson and Terrell Everett.

We knew what he was when we hired him. Just like Arizona knew what Mike Stoops was when the hired him and are now complaining about the best atheletes being defense. If we didn't want his brand of basketball and Ws we shouldn't have hired him to begin with. Ws are more important than points scored. Larry Brown has lost many a game because he not a very good offensive coach but they won an NBA title because of defense.

Second, he was unable to develop players and keep star players happy. I can't think of many players who were better when they left OU than they were when they got there. I know there are some, but there are more examples of players who stagnated or regressed. Ryan Minor, Kevin Bookout, Victor Avila, Taj Gray, Aaron McGee, Ebe Ere, and many others either regressed or fell well short of their potential. Kelvin also ran off some of his most talented players because he was either too stubborn to give them a little freedom or too incompetent to build an offense around them. Ryan Humphrey, DeAngelo Alexander, Drew Lavender, and Lawrence McKenzie all come to mind.

Star players refused to attend class and insisted on doing things such as cheat on papers, exams, and smoking pot on a regular basis in front of God and country. If you going to smoke some herb cool but atleast be discreet about it. I smoked more than a little during my time in Norman and never once had the cops called on yet it seems to be a yearly occurance in Norman. What are they blowing elbows daily through 5 packs of Phillies? If by keeping them happy you mean not making them play defense, go to class, or atleast make an attempt to appear as though you are a law abiding citizen then you got me there. We didn't provide them with enough pot or enough term papers off the internet.

Third, and most importantly, KS has sucked gigantic donkey balls in the NCAA Tourney. Take away the Junior and Senior years of the great Hollis Price, and Kelvin's record in the tournament is 4-10 with losses to Manhattan, Indiana State, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and (post-Majeras) Utah. I know the tournament is difficult but I don't think it’s too much to ask for a coach such as Sampson to leverage his regular season success to make regular runs to the Sweet 16. When I hear OU fans point to regular season wins as a defense against tournament failures, it reminds me of OSU football fan who is happily willing to accept mediocrity.

Take away 87 and 88 and just what did Billy ubbs ever do? Take away 1939 and 1947 and Bruce Drake did nothing. We just eliminated every really successful season Oklahoma has ever had no matter who the coach was o the style of play. It wasn't as though after Bruce and Before Billy we were lucky to be invited to either the NCAA or NIT once or twice a decade and they are the only coaches in school history to advane to the second round in any post season National Tournament.

Oklahoma also has more Big 12 Tourny titles than any other school in the conference.

Accept Mediocrity? Hell this has been the only twnety year stretch in school history that we weren't the definition of terrible much less mediocre. And if being the THIRD WINNINGEST program over the last decade is mediocre then UNC, Kentucky, Indiana, UCLA, and Kansas all have some serious freaking explaining to do to their fans much more so that Kelvin does to ours. But being the third winningest team in college basketball over a ten year stretch is obviously mediocre to a school that previously could only in their wet dreams think of the NCAA tourny.

The bottom line is this…You can disagree with my opinion and have your own that says Kelvin is super duper. But don’t lump me and others like me with the overall-wearing, football-practice-going, “Cleti” crowd.

I won't lump you in with them as long as you can admit that you would rather have a p[ersonality than Ws cause that is what your argument is from my perspective and based on what you just said..

War Stoops · Post by **War Stoops** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:05 am

Like I said, Suncoast, my post wasn't directed at you. I'm mostly just sick of Traber, Eschbach, etc. who shout down anyone who dares question the greatness of Kelvin Sampson.

That being said, you make an incorrect assumption when you bring up the coaches prior to Sampson. Nowhere did I say that we were better off before Sampson was hired. I do happen to think that Billy was a better coach but that's beside the point. My point is that losing Sampson is not the crushing blow that some would have you believe. If (God forbid) I was Joe C. would I have fired KS? Nope. But do I think that OU is lost without him? Hell no. The Sooners can do better...and by better I mean regular season conference crowns and NCAA tournament wins.

BTW, winning the Conference Tourney and $0.99 will get you a song on iTunes...or a memorable night with Vito's boyfriend.

Kelvin Sampson to Indiana?

Kelvin Sampson to Indiana?

Re: Kelvin Sampson to Indiana?