Jeff Capel can coach
Mar 28, 2009
Jason Whitlock is an idiot. It is now in print - does that make it true? Probably not. But to say that Jeff Capel, the Oklahoma Sooner bench boss, simply can't coach is idiotic. Understand that in writing this, I am not trying to make a name for myself or stir up a controversy that gets me nationally known; that is just not what I am into. However, I am getting tired of columnists writing whatever they want and it just goes unchecked, worse than that some people actually buy it. This is what the Internet age brings or so it appears. I also know that I am giving the exact reaction that Jason Whitlock wants.
The Kansas City Star Telegram/Fox sports.com columnist who gets paid for his opinion (good for him) wrote a column about the upcoming tournament and stated that Jeff Capel simply cannot coach. Is this based on sitting in his home watching TV or actually getting out and watching Jeff Capel coach?
I covered Capel at his first head coaching job with the VCU Rams and actually watched him conduct practice and coach his team in a game. It seemed to me he has a firm grasp on this coaching thing. I watched this man take a team into the NCAA tournament and almost pull and upset of a Chris Paul-lead Wake Forest team in the 2004 "Madness. Does Mr. Whitlock think it was one of Capel's players that did it all and the coach just stood on the sidelines?
After watching Capel’s Sooners dismantle Jim Boeheim’s Syracuse Orange and the vaunted 2-3 zone Friday with good offensive ball movement, I can say the guy can coach. Mr. Whitlock caught on that the Sooners give the ball to Blake Griffin a lot, but it is Griffin that does everything, the Sooners just pray he gets the job done. Although watching Friday, I noticed that there was spacing involved with getting the ball to the Sooners top player, I guess they just figured it out on their own. Coaching has a lot to do with it people and maybe it is the mid-major background I have, I kept an eye on Capel's Sooner team the one he inherited that was bankrupted by Kelvin Samson and he coached his tail off.
Of course I haven’t been published on national websites, or played big-time college sports. Nope I just broke down video tape for a NHL coaching staff my senior year of college, a team that won a division, won a playoff round and saw it’s coach get fired that same year after that. I am sure just writing columns for years and playing mid-major college sports gives you insight unlike any other. Although my experience is what gives me my perspective on coaching, knowing exactly how tough that job is, and it is not just showing up and relying on one player. Sometimes it is tougher to coach a team when you have one spectacular player, ask N.C. State’s Sidney Lowe.
That could be why it is rare for me to hammer a coach and make no mistake there are some coaches out there that deserve it. In case he hasn’t noticed, Oklahoma is one game away from the Final Four, bad coaches don’t get this far. Ask around.
I am sure Mr. Whitlock, by watching all those Oklahoma practices and seeing them in person all those times…oh wait a second. Again it is his opinion, but seeing that the Sooners are close to playing in a Final Four I can see why he is right; I mean Blake Griffin has scored every point in this tournament for OU…oh wait. Well I am sure that all the coaches in the Big 12 called him and told him that...ehhh, probably not.
Raleigh, why should you care about this column? Well, imagine if this was written about Roy Williams, he doesn’t coach it is all Ty Lawson or Tyler Hansbrough…or Coach K doesn’t coach, the Devils don’t run an offense Mike Krzyzewski has just been relying all these years on Grant Hill, Jay Williams, Elton Brand and Kyle Singler people would dismiss Whitlocks column as idiocy.
It has become far too easy to just say these things, throw out your opinion and say, “I am right because I have covered sports for this long”. Also a lot of so people in this profession today are trying to get a reaction. If Capel acknowledges this column guess who wins? It gives Whitlock credibility, and this is part of this guys M.O., this coach is terrible broad reason why, and if the coach reacts that is exactly what the columnists want. Anyone with a platform of the people’s ear or eyes can do this now and folks that is dangerous. Because the pen, or in this case the keyboard is still mightier than the sword.
To say that Jeff Capel simply can't coach, is simply wrong.
