Criticizing with the benefit of hindsight is one of the laziest forms of sports commentary. Dumb decisions sometimes produce good outcomes. Smart calls can still go poorly. Such is the nature of probability. Knowing how to distinguish between the processes and the outcomes separates smart analysis from knee-jerk bitching.
When a team plays three consecutive games like the ones that the Oklahoma Sooners just completed, though, the head coach’s decisions are going to come under more scrutiny than usual. OU’s win over the Texas Longhorns last weekend followed a disturbingly consistent pattern of Lincoln Riley’s team collapsing in the second half of games.