Sports on the Fly-January 5, 2016 Sooners/Jayhawks; Thunder; Alabama/Clemson; Trevor Knight

Oklahoma/Kansas Basketball Game:  Best college game I have viewed for a many a year.  The college fan was treated by two teams at the highest level of play. An up-tempo, exciting contest with the best college players available.  A far cry from what we have had to endure the past years in Division One.  Give it up to coaches Bill Self and Lon Kruger.  They allow their players to run the floor when needed, teach them the art of defense, and put on the floor an exciting brand of basketball.  Buddy Hield is the best college ball player in the country. OU and KU have teams that will contend for the national championship.  Thanks Jayhawks and Sooners for putting on a first class show.  And I will say that KU is number one but OU is number one A.

Oklahoma City Thunder:  For only the third time in seven years I was ready to leave the Peak before the game was over.  Disgusted with the coaching of the Thunder staff and dismayed with the play of the team on the court, this was a bummer for the home fans.  After watching OKC come out in the first eight plus minutes and run the Sacramento Kings into the ground (31-14), the game went south for OKC.  Thunder Coach Billy Donavan substituted in his second group (except Westbrook) while King’s Coach George Karl kept with DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo, his point guard and star center.  Karl had already brought in two subs for ineffective starters (a nice idea) a few minutes eariler.  In the next three minutes and forty eight seconds the Kings went on a 17 point run with starter Cousins dominating the Thunder inside with eight points and three boards.   The Kings were playing with their best players, the Thunder with their bench.  Losing a lead like that is not acceptable because of a substitute pattern.  Donavan had not a clue and Karl ate his lunch when to pull players.  That, was in the long of it, the ball game.  Yes, Sacramento was dominate for much of the game after that comeback and ran the Thunder out in the 4th quarter.  Donavan needs to understand that  you do not pull effective (Morrow was on fire) players when they are kicking the other team.  When they start to slip, then pull them.

Alabama/Clemson:  Everyone thinks that the Tide will win this one and are favored to take the National Title.  Having the other two teams in this game, I will stay the course and say we will be in store for a close defensive game.  If any team in the country besides Ole Miss can match up with the superior lines of Alabama, it would be Clemson.    In a tight squeeze, Clemson 24 and the Tide 20.

Trevor Knight to aTm:  The Aggies are dealing with a declining football program and if Knight does start next year, look for a long year in the SEC for them.  The fact of the matter is that Knight makes game killing mistakes.

Kevin Durant’s sore toe:  The Thunder are 3-4 when Durant doesn’t play and he won’t tomorrow night against Memphis.  I think the Thunder will bounce back and take this important game.  Look for a big game by Westbrook.  And please Coach, don’t pull your players to soon.  You had Sacramento on the ropes and let them off.