Home is where Capel's heart is
Published: 4/13/2008 1:23 PM
Last Modified: 4/13/2008 1:23 PM
Remember last Nov. 2, when the Oklahoma basketball team played Fayetteville State in an exhibition game? Here's a really cool backstory to that, courtesy of the Fayetteville Observer's Michael Graff:
"Jeff Capel III remembers cramming into Lilly Gymnasium to watch his father coach Fayetteville State’s basketball team. He remembers being much younger, running onto the football field during a Broncos game to see his grandfather. He remembers the homecomings. He remembers the band. He remembers Fayetteville State. No matter where else he goes.
"So, when he became Oklahoma’s coach last year, he then wanted to invite Fayetteville State out for an exhibition basketball game. Call it the latest in a line of contributions to Fayetteville State from the Cape Fear region’s most prominent basketball family.
"'We have a lot of love for Fayetteville State,' said Capel, whose grandfather is Felton J. Capel, for whom the Broncos’ basketball arena is named. 'We have a lot of fond memories.'
"Capel got the idea from his predecessor at Oklahoma, Kelvin Sampson. Two years ago, Sampson invited his alma mater, UNC-Pembroke, to Norman for an exhibition. Sampson left for Indiana the following spring, and Capel was hired from Virginia Commonwealth. Realizing his alma mater, Duke, would never make such a trip for an exhibition, Capel went with the next-best option.
"'It’s a chance for them to come to a part of the country that they haven’t seen before,' Capel said. 'I know I never stepped foot in Oklahoma until I came to my press conference.'"
Consider it the latest reason OU is extremely fortunate to have signed its young coach to a recent contract extension.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
