C'mon Picker . . .

Yes, the crowd should be better. That's nothing new. They are inconsistent, pouty, and often not helpful. This has been going on for years.

At the end of that game, they woke up. You know that.

The fan your paper called out is a great fan that made a comment he probably shouldn't have.

Just like the comments about the crowd that Wojcik shouldn't have made.

If we're going to talk TU hoops, let's get it all on the table: 22 turnovers and you expect to beat Memphis? And you blame the crowd? There wasn't much to cheer about from the beginning of the game.

Woj is right, the crowd should help the players more and get them going. I've said it for years. You know that.

But, let's not leave the blame with the fans. It's year four and we don't have a point guard. Uzoh is a great player -- maybe the best since Seals -- but he can't do it all himself. If we had a marginal point guard, like Shawn Williams, we would have won last night. You know that.

Recruiting is a big part of this and in year four, we still don't have a point guard on a team coached by four former college point guards. We signed two point guards in the offseason and both left the team before the first semester was over. One of those point guards didn't start for his JUCO team. You know that?

Analyze that. Put all the cards on table. Until you do that, this discussion we've had for years will go nowhere. You know that.

Would the smelling salts help recruit a point guard? Let's put all the cards on table.

You must have been asleep the last five minutes of the game and needed the smelling salts.

You know I'm not defending the crowd. I think Kiss Cam is the worst promotion going, short of the Simon Says thing they do at the half. THey were playing George Thurgood during the last timeout -- which would have pumped up in the crowd in 1973.

There are a lot of factors to discuss. Don't be like Wojcik and only blame the fans.

At the very least, mention the guy shooting 58% from the line taking the technicals.

Put all the cards on the table or table the discussion.

The team no doubt tried, but the talent level might not be there, especially at the guard positions. You can try all you want, you have to be able to pass, run, and shoot. Uzoh had ZERO assists. He's your starting point guard.

I don't take much of what Gottlieb says very seriously. That said, and as I noted below, the crowd should be better.

But it's not the biggest issue or the only issue. Why does TU recruit point guards who don't appear to be good enough to make it the whole year?

Why does Wojcik get a free pass from the local media on this issue? You guys get to go to the press conferences, ask the hard questions.

When Wojcik blames the crowd energy -- and I'm not disagreeing, it should be better -- I think he should also note that our guard play isn't good enough for the big time.

TU is an incomplete team, lacking talent at what should be the easiest spot for a school like TU to recruit. Until we address that issue and ask those questions, the discussion isn't complete.

This blog regularly calls out the homers in the local media. You become a homer if you don't ask all the questions.

What did Doug do early in the game to get the crowd into it? It is a two way street for sure. Certainly he learned last year that the Tulsa sports audience was fickle, but he hasn't adjusted to it in any way. Still just complaining about it.

I've read no media criticism of any of the coaching decisions that actually cost us that game. Reading your reports one would think Tulsa was forced to spot Memphis some points for lackluster crowd noise. The game is ultimately played on the court; we failed to prepare for the press, failed to have any set plays for in bounds or for offense, and ran our typical burn the clock and throw it up offense.

And, pop quiz, you have shooters on the court ranging from a near 80% free throw shooter to a 58% shooter. Who takes shots for a T? My secretary got that one right, our head coach didn't. Not THE mistake, one of many mistakes.

Certainly such things had as much to do with Tulsa's loss as the crowd. Then again, an abstraction like "the crowd" can't make your life difficult, the coach could actually be a hard target.

C'mon Picker . . .

I didn't call for his job. I like Doug and hope he sticks around. But I feel like we don't get all the facts from him.

It's a two way street. Want the crowd to be louder? Play better. Commit fewer turnovers.

Want better recruits? Get the resources so we can really recruit nationally and let the fans know about what they can do.

More than anything, just talk to us honestly.

You guys at the World have the access. Ask the tough questions.

Like with OU, only the idiots are calling for the coach's job. Everyone who matters knows TU is better and that Doug can coach. If someone is calling for Doug's job, they are clueless.

But it's time to turn the corner. We don't have a point guard. Our shooters are average at best. Why did the only two point guards on the team quit?

You guys need to ask all the questions, not just put all the weight on the fans. It's a lot more complicated and the fans don't need to be kicked when they're down.

Quit having coffee with Sittler.

Artie, Artie, Artie, Artie, Artie, Artie.....

Through Out. (Okay, I hired The Pickers' proof reader.)

I came home last night hoarse as were the people standing behind me.
However, there was a row of fuddy duddies that really should have stayed home and watched it on tv. There are too many of them that stare at those of us that are getting excited and willing the team to win.

If TU would EVER figure out how to manage a game with their music etc and get rid of that OBNOXIOUS guy that stands down near the tunnel ...the "screamer" they might get some organic, crowd initiated cheering going on.

We tried and everytime we did the band or the canned tunes would fire up.

Idea: maybe we can get Cherokee Casino to sponsor a bingo game for the bluehairs. That might get them out of their seats occaisionally. Then we change our point guard's name to "Bingo Uzoh" so the players think they are being cheered.

Beats the heck out of the subliminal advertising of table games to youngsters.

Fact: Tulsa is a mediocre sports town at best..... Unless the US opens rolls in and people from around the state are flocking to come catch a view or OU and OSU are playing in town......

Maybe we should look down the turnpike for how to support teams.

Redhawks draw more than the drillers and hold AAA attendance records.... Check
The blazers avg 3K more a game than the oilers and again hold AA hockey attendance records... Check
The Womens College Softball World Series and Olympic Trials set all time records.... Check
Big 12 b-ball is a sell out the mens games and shatters womens records...Check
NBA Thunder ranks in the top 12 of NBA attendance at 17K a game... Check
Big 12 Baseball Tournament attendance record held in OKC.... Check
NCAA Wrestling Championships sold out in OKC... Check
Womens NCAA B-Ball regionals consistenly sell out and they are hosting a regional final this year...Check
Men NCAA B-Ball 1st & 2nd round sell out consistently... Check
Senior PGA Championship draws record attendance.... Check
X-Games extremes sports on the river draw 20K last may... Check
Olympic rowing time trials draw 15k in one day on the OK river.... Check

Mute point... Tulsa has a long way to go in terms of being a decent sports town.

JDG78 is pretty close to right, you HAVE to win in this town.

The style of play being a negative is pretty goofy. You win them all 50-49, you pack the place. Doesn't defense still win championships?

It can be a long way back from a depression. Ask Notre Dame.

The point of the blog was and is, when somebody on national television says, repeatedly, the crowd stinks, it is absolutely a situation that needs to be addressed.