Jeff Capel fired as Oklahoma men’s basketball coach
What do you think of the Sooners firing men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel? A source told The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel: “We just felt we couldn’t afford to sit here and wait another season.” Do you agree?
Who would you like to see Oklahoma go after to replace Capel? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Comments
Bring Dean Smith out of retirement. I have no idea of who could recruit and make the team better for next year. I think a first year coach is likely to have a mediocre year, and that it will take a good two more years for the team to become competitive. Maybe he just was not that good of a recruiter.
I’d like to see Castiglione open the checkbook and go after Mark Few, but I doubt he’d leave the Zags for OU. He’s a longshot, but would be fantastic.
I like San Diego State’s coach (Steve Fisher), but he’s no spring chicken and why would anyone ever want to live in Norman (no offense) over the most beautiful place in the world- San Diego.
Butler’s coach (Brad Stevens) would be a great choice b/c he’s young, has had a great deal of success and understands team oriented basketball.
Billy Donovan, assuming he’s sobered up, intrigues me too. It’s just a matter of time before that guy resurfaces.
The fact of the matter is that we need someone who can recruit minimum 4 star talent as well as coach if we’re ever going to compete w/ the likes of KU, UT, KSU, Mizzou, etc.
Doug Wojcik from Tulsa. He’s a good coach and has Tulsa playing well with subpar talent. He’s 46 so he’s not really too young or too old, he’s kinda just the right age. Hire him and bring him down the turnpike, Joe C.
Forget Gillespie. He has been stumbling drunk in Norman on several occasions after his problems at Kentucky. Don’t think Joe C. isn’t aware of that.
We don’t necessarily need a big name guy. We need a young enthusiastic individual who can represent in a positive light all the good things that O.U. has to offer. Jeff Capel seemed to be a real decent guy, but the few times i was around him he was a bit quiet and reserved. While not a bad thing personally, it does not bode well for recruiting when we must go beyond state lines to get enough quality talent. Mr. Castiglione is a sharp guy and i believe he will make the appropriate moves to get the program back on track.
Look for a young guy at an up and coming mid-major that made this year’s big dance. Also, I would think an emphasis on recruiting very smart players would be in order. OU is never going to out-talent schools like Texas, Ohio State, Kansas, UNC, etc. Also, talent is going to go to “cool” schools like Florida, USC, etc. So, OU needs to recognize the ways that Duke and Syracuse, etc. are good every year. They recruit really smart players. Great, but not flashy athletes, who really play well. OU has to recruit that kind of smarts. Ryan Minor and Hollis Price types. Guys that will stay 4 years, because they aren’t specimens that will be wooed by the NBA (sure, take those when you can get ‘em, e.g. Griffin, but don’t rely on it.).
See what Billy Tubbs is doing now. It does not matter who we get to coach, OU is a football school. I would trade 10 BB natl. champs. for 1 Football National Championship and I feel like most OU fans are like me. Its nice to have a good BB team but its just icing on the cake. OU money/support does and should go to the Football team. Dance with the one who brought you. Boomer Sooner.
I suspect/hope they will go after a top assistant from a big time program. No elite coach can realistically view this program as it currently stands (low on talent, low on attendance, possible sanctions) as a step up in their career. Two years ago, maybe, but this program is circling the drain right now. At least they pulled the plug before it got any worse.
With the program under scrutiny from the NCAA, they absolutely do not need anyone that is going to be carrying any baggage. Bill Self would be an excellent choice but there is no way that will happen. A young up and coming coach with an outgoing personality is definitely needed. Try Buzz Williams at Marquette or Mark Few at Gonzaga although I agree he is not necessarly an up and coming coach.
I agree with the Terry Evans suggestion. He has succeeded at every level so far, and he would have good connections for recruiting in Oklahoma.
Anyone got an argument against him?
I don’t care who it is as long as he can put a team on the court that can shoot the ball. Heck I’d take one that could coach em to make free throws. OU is a football school and BB is just a bridge to spring practice. So the BB team had better be entertaining. No more 55-50 slog fests. BORING…I’d rather loose 90-95 than win 50-48..
Hire Johnny Jones from North Texas. He likes an up-tempo game and he’s won a lot without much to work with.
http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=67779
Brad Stevens will end up coaching at Indiana or Purdue. Why bring him here just to lose him if he does well for a couple years?
Terry Evans has AAU connections here, as well as all the top high schools. If Evans landed the top players from Millwood, Douglas and MWC each year, that would be better than the team Capel threw together in 2009 or 2010.
Would Terry Stotts have any interest? OU Alum, assitant coach for several years and interim head coach in NBA (currently with Dallas Mavericks)
Coach Capel is a stand up guy and this gig just did not work out for him. I do think that he will be a good hire because he does have a great blood line (Duke) and he knows basketball. I wish he and his family the best of luck and look forward to following his carrer.
While Sooners had an awful year, Capel had lesser talent playing with more heart than the McDonald’s knuckleheads from last year. In other words, I think he’d earned one more year. My thought is this may have more to do with NCAA investigation into Talifero and Tiny Gallon payment connection and maybe – just maybe – OU needed to make the first move and distance themselves from Capel. Will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
I also like Terry Evans very much. Forget Gillespie (drinking problems), Tubbs (too old and slow. The Sooners need a young coach with Oklahoma ties – Evans.
I would like to see Terry Evans be the new OU men’s basketball coach. He would be a great representation for the university and an good example for his players. He has a great work ethic!! He gets my vote!
Y’all need to give Charlie Sheen his stash back if you think Oklahoma talent alone is going to win in the Big 12. Your tolerance for Tiger Blood is way low these days.
Comment by paul crowell on March 14, 2011 @ 1:52 pm
We don’t necessarily need a big name guy. We need a young enthusiastic individual who can represent in a positive light all the good things that O.U. has to offer.”
Oh, and wasn’t Capel supposed to be exactly that young enthusiastic individual?????
Big names probably will not come to OU. But get a great coach with Oklahoma connections=Terry Evans!
Tubbs has Oklahoma ties. And he knows how to get teams to the tourney. You say he plays too slow…that’s because he coaches and demands good defense. But he has had some great offense to go along with defense…and you HAVE to have defense if you want to get through the NCAA tourney and conference play. He loved Oklahoma when he coached (and did a great job) at Tulsa and still has a lot of ties here. Her has recruited Oklahoma over the years and plucked a few great players while at Kentucky.
Terry Evans may or may not do well on the Division I level. Joe C can’t take another chance on a young guy that has “potentil” to be a great coach.
Please not another Duke alum – Amaker,Snyder,Capel not much of a track record.
An off the wall suggestion – former Trailbalzers GM Kevin Pritchard – a respected talent evaluator with ties to the area (Tulsa Edison) and the conference(KU).
Not necessarily a suggestion, just a thought for consideration.
How about promote from within? Brian Goodman has done his time and knows basketball very well. And he is an Oklhaoma native!!! READ THIS JOE C.!
I think Bery Tramble would be an excellent choice. He has been a sportswriter for over 10 years so that makes him a genius. Bery are you going to full court press or play a 1-2-2 zone.
you’d rather lose exciting than win boring? Doug Gottlieb! One thing for certain, he is never boring. (And he knows the words to Boomer-Sooner)
I like Terry Evans, but you can’t hire former players because it’s too hard to get rid of them if need be. It’s like having to fire a relative or friend.
I don’t get excited by losing. Winning slow is more exciting to me than losing at anything!
JUST WIN BABY!!!!
How about Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson? Or maybe we could get Larry Bird. If we had some hot chicks in the athletic department to hit on Isah Thomas may want the job. I just thought I would throw stupid names out there since people are suggesting women’s hoops coaches and long shots like Tubby Smith and Bill Self.
I don’t think we will try and hire Tubby Smith, but you think Minnesota is a better job than OU. Give me a break.
Why don’t we just hire a high school coach and pay about $80,000.00 per year. Then it wouldn’t matter if any tickets are sold.
We could lease out Lloyd Noble center to the Thunder for a practice facility to make money.
Better yet, just quit playing basketball since some people think football is only thing that matters.
Doug Woljick from Tulsa is a man of character has performed well as a coach who inherited less than great talent. He would be a good choice, if he is a proven recruiter. He is from the Big 12 neighborhood and not unfamiliar with young players available from our traditional recruiting territory.
I have been a big time ou fan since I was old enough to know what sports were. I can’t believe all the “sooner fans” that don’t seem to care if the basketball team wins as long as it’s exciting, just a time passer untill spring football. Give me a break. That is ridiculous. We have, can and should win big in both sports. The fan apathy towards basketball maybe one of the reasons we can’t get or keep big time coaches. Let me go on record as saying I want OU to win in every sport they play. Boomer Sooner. As for the new bb coach. Just get someone like Sampson that can get the most from his players.
I wish Coach Capel all the best. He is a good person and I think that he tries to live his life in a good and moral way.
That said, he and his family should have a picture of Blake Griffin on the wall and should kiss it everyday to thank him for the contract extension he no doubt would never had gotten if Blake didn’t play for him! 2 to 3 million dollars to say bye-bye is nothing to sneeze at. Good luck Coach Capel!!
I have no idea if he would leave Vegas for Norman (OU would pay more) but I think Lon Kruger would be perfect. Has experience coaching in the Midwest and is an excellent coach.
If possible i would go after Maurice Cheecks, asst for the Thunder. Dont know if he would be interested in college or not but he sure knows his basketball.
If not him i would go after Mr Woljick from Tulsa.
I think that Capel should have gotten another year. I would go for a young coach with a desire for ou first and then to build a program.. ou is not a basketball school so get someone young. Go after stevens at butler makes a lot of sense to me. kg
How about J. Traber. He’ll tell you he knows more about what a coach should do to become successful than any 10 coach’s around. Throw in the missing link, Al, and the staff is complete. You can get JT cheap.
If you really want a winning coach quickly, my pick would be Bill Self, but you would have to really open the checkbook.
How about Scott Hastings, former player with the LA Lakers?
Want to be a “WINNER” get Charlie Sheen….. lol just kidding. I would like to see Tuby Smith, he did a fantastic job at Tulsa and has Oklahoma ties.
Nobody has mentioned this name yet, but don’t be surprised if Fran Fraschilla becomes a serious candidate. He is good friends with Joe C and has said how much he likes Oklahoma. But I have a feeling Buzz Williams will be the top candidate. Wishful thinking would be Brad Steven or Mark Few. And if Bill Self will turn down his alma mater at OSU, he sure wouldn’t even consider Oklahoma.
Really, the best thing we can do is, hire Terry Evans, Josh Pastner, or Tubby Smith. I have known Terry Evans personally since he was in High School. He was a GREAT player an d he is a GREAT coach at UCO and he has more ties to Oklahoma athletes than I have ever seen. Pastner, is a damn good young coach. Tubby Smith is a damn good experienced coach and he has won no matter where he has gone. He is winning at Minnesota, wow..
Hope JC remembers what he says during his presser, it can come back to haunt him. Last time he shopped for a coach his statements were,”money is no object”, “we are after the best”. Week later everybody was saying, “who the heck is Jeff Capel”. JC ate some crow on his last pick. He burned all the fans and press.
Pat Knight would certainly bring in a young talent who doesn’t carry any excess baggage. Doubt if he could tolerate wishy-washy, whiney, fairweather sooner fans.
I like the thought of Stevens (Butler) or Tubby Smith as the next OU coach, but along with them, bring in Mark Price as an assistant. Classy guy with coaching in his genes.
Just don’t touch my KU or KSU for that matter! (not an ulum, just a native Kansan). They have a good coach and are doing well.
Pat Knight, the young guy (I can’t remember his name) who was let go a couple of years ago at Missouri was a good coach as well.
It is not ridiculous to mention Sherri Coales. Why is it OK for Geno to coach UCONN girls but not have Sherri coach the OU guys? Her offensive schemes are much more exciting and effective than Capel or Sampson. Besides OU should be a trend setter in BBall just like Football.
I hate to see any coach get fired, but I believe it was in the best interest of both parties that Coach Capel was released from his contract.
Today it’s all about recruiting and putting “rear ends” in seats. There was no way for the staff to know of the character flaws with Gallon, Warren, and Mason-Griffith but that’s what happens when you deal with 18 year old prima donnas who aren’t used to the business side of basketball.
My vote for the next coach would be (in no particular order) 1. Mark Few-Gonzaga, proven winner, never had a losing record and obviously can recruit since he gets good players to come to a private university. 2. John Thompson III, another proven winner (G-town and Princeton), recruits well throughout the country and has the name recognition needed. 3. Paul Hewett-formerly Georgia Tech, won while there, is a proven commodity and can recruit. Didn’t have the best of luck in the end at G-Tech but a new start might be in the cards. Just my humble opinion.
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I say we go after Billy Gillespie. The dude knows his basketball. If he can stay away from getting arrested (LOL) we have ourselves a winner!