ORUTerry Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I logged on to the Champions web-site and they show that the NCAA League scheduled for this summer has been cancelled. I assume they could not get enough interest from area players to participate. Or maybe the coaches decided that the league was not worth the effort - or risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 That's probably the best. I'm gona have to get access to the AC again so I can see the guys play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieoru Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Oh dang champions was nice because you had schedules of when you could see the teams and the players play. By any chance do they have a schedule or anything of when the players will be up at the AC that would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weatherdemon Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I believe Wojik didn't like what he heard about Champions and told the TU players they couldn't play out there. That's 8-10 players not going which was probably enough to cancel the summer league. It seems the quality of play and number of players has declined there the last couple of years anyway. Probably in a large part due to the TU players not being as good as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EagleBackr Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I believe Wojik didn't like what he heard about Champions and told the TU players they couldn't play out there. That's 8-10 players not going which was probably enough to cancel the summer league. It seems the quality of play and number of players has declined there the last couple of years anyway. Probably in a large part due to the TU players not being as good as normal. Is there ANYTHING that TU has done in the past that Wojik doesn't like?!? Hardly a month has gone by since he's rolled into town that I haven't heard a story about him saying, basically, "this ___________ is rinky-dink, it's not the way we did it at Navy/Notre Dame/North Carolina/Michigan State". And I'm hearing this from TU people - some of whom work in athletics there. Nothing is safe, right down to the color of paint in the offices! Reminds of Howard Schnellenberger changing everything he could get his hands on at OU. All I know is this - he better win, or all those toes he stepped on in the process will come right back at him, aimed at his posterior... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weatherdemon Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 You're right backr, he has had a serious problem with prett much everything. It seems he really dislikes the small time approach TU takes while looking for big time type of results. It's like they want to be big time but want to keep the small private univerisity look and feel. It actually reminds me of how the city of Tulsa and some voters are. They want immediate change and improvement but want to do it in cheap, small, baby step increments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EagleBackr Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 You're right backr, he has had a serious problem with prett much everything. It seems he really dislikes the small time approach TU takes while looking for big time type of results. It's like they want to be big time but want to keep the small private univerisity look and feel. It actually reminds me of how the city of Tulsa and some voters are. They want immediate change and improvement but want to do it in cheap, small, baby step increments. But isn't there something to be said for those who can do more with less? Nolan, Bill Self, Tubby, etc. seemed to manage OK with the more inferior resources at TU. Nolan recruited guys to the CONVENTION CENTER, for cryin' out loud! Have you ever heard Steve Kragthorpe complain ONCE about Skelly Stadium?!? No - he's too busy WINNING to worry about that!! And my grandmother could go at least .500 with the resources at Notre Dame/North Carolina/Michigan State. Guys who always feel like they must "have more to do more" get on my nerves - whether it's on the court or in the business arena. QUIT BITCHIN' ABOUT THE SALT ON THE POPCORN AND JUST WIN, BABY!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold* Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Is there ANYTHING that TU has done in the past that Wojik doesn't like?!? Hardly a month has gone by since he's rolled into town that I haven't heard a story about him saying, basically, "this ___________ is rinky-dink, it's not the way we did it at Navy/Notre Dame/North Carolina/Michigan State". And I'm hearing this from TU people - some of whom work in athletics there. Nothing is safe, right down to the color of paint in the offices! Reminds of Howard Schnellenberger changing everything he could get his hands on at OU. All I know is this - he better win, or all those toes he stepped on in the process will come right back at him, aimed at his posterior... Wojcik inherited a program with a lot of issues, largely stemming from some bizarre recruiting decisions like Yusef Baker. I've been pleased as fan with some of the changes, ranging from pep rallies to Wojcik being very aggressive in recruiting and talking to the media. And if that includes making the offices nicer -- that's great, they needed it. When your former head coach was happy with the office at Edison High School, you can imagine a disconnect between TU and how other programs work. I haven't really heard much compare/contrast from Wojcik on TU vs. the programs listed -- I've heard a lot of comparisons, but haven't heard where he faulted TU, other than to say it was quiet compared to Michigan State and UNC. I've heard Wojcik compare midtown Tulsa to Chapel Hill, heard him compare TU to Wake Forest, and so on. I'm sure there are things he doesn't like about TU -- heck, there are a lot of things I'd change about the place -- but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with wanting TU to aim a little higher. I'm not sure how your Schnellie comparison works. I haven't heard Wojcik say that they will make moves about TU, guarantee a national championship, or show up drunk at practice -- heck, he seems to have control of most bodily functions, which is a major step up from Schnellie. There are always critics. I was standing on the Reynolds Center court last fall after Wojcik's pep rally the night before the OU game. Someone asked my thoughts and I said that I thought he was at least very exciting, willing to take alternate paths to create interest and reach out to the students, which was way better than JP. A guy in the group I'm talking to glares at me and says, "ACTUALLY, Coach Phillips was my old high school coach, so you can take that back." We're standing on the floor of the Reynolds Center and YOU'RE TELLING ME that JP is somehow without fault?!! Do you like competitive basketball? Your point is well taken, that Wojcik could press to far and rub folks the wrong way. But if we win some games next year, no one will care -- in the same way that few remember how ugly TU was during Self's first season and the same way that few remember how Kragthorpe's game decisions cost us a major upset against Boise State the year before we won the Liberty Bowl. I know I'm pumped about next season and I wish I got an early look at all the newcomers at Champions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I think it only comes back to bite you in the arse if you're a new coach going into an established program (ie Matt D. at UNC). Matt went in to the Chapel Hill Basketball Offices and in one summer changed what had been established over a decade in the Dean Smith era. When Matt started losing, he had allready burned whatever established bridges were left in that office that could have saved his job. TU's program was in shambles when Wojik took over, and everything in that office probably had an association (to him) with the faulty way the program was run in the JP era. I probably would have gone in and done the same thing if it were me. When you're starting from scratch like he is, you have got to start at the foundation. If he loses after his thumbprint is on the program, like Matt did in his sencond year, it won't be half as bad because it wasn't like they were used to winning recently. I think he bought himself some more time by taking the TU job, than if he would have gone to an established program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EagleBackr Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 The references to Schnellenberger were SPECIFICALLY regarding the superficial changes Howard made to things like the uniforms and water breaks at practices, instead of focusing on things like the offense, defense, kicking game, and recruiting. And the references to Wojik are SPECIFICALLY referring to about a half-dozen stories I have heard about him getting testy with Golden Hurricane Club board members and athletic department personnel, regarding superficial things involving TU athletics, where he consistantly played the "that's not the way we did it at Navy/Notre Dame/North Carolina/Michigan State" card. And I can say that, to a person, his attitude didn't go over well with the recipients. Almost all seemed to feel insulted that he had little or no regard for what TU had managed to achieve with much less resources the past 25+ years, the last 3-4 years notwithstanding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold* Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 The references to Schnellenberger were SPECIFICALLY regarding the superficial changes Howard made to things like the uniforms and water breaks at practices, instead of focusing on things like the offense, defense, kicking game, and recruiting. And the references to Wojik are SPECIFICALLY referring to about a half-dozen stories I have heard about him getting testy with Golden Hurricane Club board members and athletic department personnel, regarding superficial things involving TU athletics, where he consistantly played the "that's not the way we did it at Navy/Notre Dame/North Carolina/Michigan State" card. And I can say that, to a person, his attitude didn't go over well with the recipients. Almost all seemed to feel insulted that he had little or no regard for what TU had managed to achieve with much less resources the past 25+ years, the last 3-4 years notwithstanding... In case you didn't notice, the one thing that Wojcik does well is coach DEFENSE. Holy moly, our team didn't have much going for it, other than crazy, "put the guy on his butt" defense last year. After defense, he's got an eye for talent. It's gravy if he cares about the little details. Schnellie never did anything related to strategy well. Remember Gary Nord? That hasn't happened at TU, as far as I can tell. Heck, Schnellie couldn't talk RW into going to OU... Personally, I think the Golden Hurricane Club needs to be pushed. Many of the members are the same folks who got JP hired... and why the heck is it an issue for the GHC if Wojcik wants to put plasma screen TVs and pictures of old coaching legends in HIS office? Geez -- let the man do his job and design how his office is set up. And speaking of the pictures of past TU greats -- Perhaps you may have good info, but every time that I've spoken with Wojcik or heard him speak, he's been nothing but complimentary of TU and its tradition. Heck, those butt ugly tie-dye shirts that the students wore were a big shout-out to Nolan Richardson. And, I've heard the man say that he had spoken with Tubby and Self, quoting both of them as saying that they loved the TU job. Maybe it's all to save face, but whenever I've met the guy, he gets me pumped. He seems genuine -- that's the one consistent theme from Walls, Uzoh, and McLean -- and very honest. Now, there are members of his staff who might not like Tulsa, but I also know for a fact a lot of that has to do with the fact they don't have much time to enjoy the city, as they are constantly recruiting and working their butts off. And like I said above, if Wojcik wins some games this year, no one will care if they got their feathers ruffled -- like Self and Kragthorpe in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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