🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Okay... if it wasn't enough to blow the WVU home opener... we then proceeded to choke on Houston at home. Meltdown 1 and 2.

Okay... if that wasn't enough... we blow a 21-point lead at Baylor, a team decimated with injuries and horrible play this year.

How do we do it? How do we blow leads? How do we manage to play solid one minute, then the next minute look incapable of beating an under-6-foot team?

We've all vented our frustrations already. Self... blah blah blah!

At this point, I think we need to adjust our perspective. For one thing, by now, I think we've all adjusted our expectations, but I'm about to go behind that.

Is this just about our guys playing great one moment, then completely sucking the next moment?

Seems like some of us want to put all the blame on our guys instead of giving some credit to our opponents. Is that fair?

Sports are not about being fair. Period. Sometimes, teams go cold, and others are hot. And it isn't just about attitude, preparedness, or game coaching. That answer doesn't help you if you have your pitchfork out and feel like jabbing Self right now... or a player or two. Sports will always have some level of randomness. That's a big reason why we play the game.

I'm not letting our guys off this easy! Get out the BBQ sauce and prepare to eat!

Players also have to take responsibility for the outcome of a game. "Going cold" should not be enough of an excuse to blow a 21-point lead. Several things had to happen to lose a deficit like that.

Look at our remaining schedule. I can see us going 5-5. Is a 21-11 record good enough to guarantee a tournament selection or must we prove our worth in the B12 tourney?

Ya , not worried about making tourney. If we ended with a 21-11 record we would be in still, taking into consideration of our schedule Duke , N Carolina , Michigan St, Houston , Iowa St -wouldn't mean we would get past our first game - -no not first weekend- -our first game. I could see us as a seven seed even maybe an eight,- this team is pitiful

Plenty of blame for every one. You have a Coach who I think has lost it, lost this team a lot because of his favoritism -He is going to play those three no matte how bad they play. WHY ? - -because he says he TRUSTS them the most, TRUSTS them for what? -- to Screw the Pooch- - CHECK.

I think his actions this Season has cost him probably our MVP on this roster going forward-- that being Flory, I sincerely do not think he will be back NOW. When we first started the Season yes I thought he would be but now- - - -NOPE can't see it, you can see how the way Flory was progressing, growing, learning, but he sure the hell can't grow when you got a Coach who has his ass plastered on the bench almost if not the entire second half. Was Bill afraid Flory would screw things up even worse then they were ? -No , that wasn't it , he cemented Flory's ass in the second half because Coach had the players on the floor that he TRUSTED the most.

Moving on from Bill -- then you have players that wanna pout have attitudes because they think they need to be playing more, even though in the limited times they have seen the floor it turns into a Barnimen"s Bailey Circus - -a total cluster F - - -. but yet they think they need to be on the floor

Fair ? - - Fair ? - Life is not fair .it's a cold hard world out there and if you don't watch it will chew up and spit you out.-- -if they think the truth/critism is not fair and it hurts their feelings then I don't know what to tell them, maybe how about stand up and act like you got a pair.

That's a lot of the problem , we keep making up excuses as to why this happened or why that happened and it's time to quit trying to cover their screwups-- could be they just play lousy a lot of times I mean at the basic things of Basket ball 101, dribbling the ball , just simply making ridiculous passing , not being able to get positioning for rebounds , no defending, do the ol classic - Ol-Lay defense - there are so many things.

For this to be the most experienced team in all of College Basketball-- - Why can't we see it ?- -Why can't they show it ? - -Where is the Leadership on this team ? -- Where is the Dog on this team ? - -WHY ? - Because we have no Dog.

Have we seen one complete game from this team this year ?- -maybe possibly other then the UCF game at their place and not real sure that was a complete game.- No lead is safe with this team-- -TWENTY ONE POINT and you can't close ? Come on , what does that say about this team ? -- Houston down six with what seventeen seconds to end and you can't close ?

Sorry just really frustrated and it boiled over after last night, yet yes we can still make the tourney even with a twenty one and eleven but that's it. We are sure not doing squat in the tourney unless things change drastically soon , like as in yesterday. - Really tired of hearing well- - These guys are still trying to find an identity --who the hell hid it and where is it ? - -Jamica ? - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG

@drgnslayr said in Meltdown 3.0:

Okay... if it wasn't enough to blow the WVU home opener... we then proceeded to choke on Houston at home. Meltdown 1 and 2.

Okay... if that wasn't enough... we blow a 21-point lead at Baylor, a team decimated with injuries and horrible play this year.

How do we do it? How do we blow leads? How do we manage to play solid one minute, then the next minute look incapable of beating an under-6-foot team?

We've all vented our frustrations already. Self... blah blah blah!

At this point, I think we need to adjust our perspective. For one thing, by now, I think we've all adjusted our expectations, but I'm about to go behind that.

Is this just about our guys playing great one moment, then completely sucking the next moment?

Seems like some of us want to put all the blame on our guys instead of giving some credit to our opponents. Is that fair?

Sports are not about being fair. Period. Sometimes, teams go cold, and others are hot. And it isn't just about attitude, preparedness, or game coaching. That answer doesn't help you if you have your pitchfork out and feel like jabbing Self right now... or a player or two. Sports will always have some level of randomness. That's a big reason why we play the game.

I'm not letting our guys off this easy! Get out the BBQ sauce and prepare to eat!

Players also have to take responsibility for the outcome of a game. "Going cold" should not be enough of an excuse to blow a 21-point lead. Several things had to happen to lose a deficit like that.

Look at our remaining schedule. I can see us going 5-5. Is a 21-11 record good enough to guarantee a tournament selection or must we prove our worth in the B12 tourney?

KU will be in the tournament. This might finally be the beat that KU isn't a top 4 seed under Self though

In the eyes of the selection committee, KU doesn't have a "bad" loss with all of the teams KU has lost to being teams currently in the field. The Big 12 could end up with anywhere from 5-10 teams in the tournament with ISU, Houston, Kansas, Texas Tech, and Arizona pretty much being locks and WVU, Baylor, UCF, Arizona St., and BYU being bubble teams right now.

I think the trouble with this team starts with coaching and effort. Watch that WV game and with a straight face say they didn’t come in there and out hustle us in every way possible. The Houston game was just lack of coaching and situational awareness from the oldest team in CBB this season. Baylor I put a 100% of that loss on Self. Build a 21 point lead with a group of guys that are playing well together….. set 2 or 3 of those guys on the bench for most of the second half. As I said on the game thread, they had guys with 4 fouls. Think maybe we could go at them guys and try to get them out of the game? Nope no in the slightest. I’ve been involved with basketball in some light for over 30 years (playing, coaching and officiating) and up until this year or last I would’ve said Self has forgotten more about the game than I’ll ever know. Now I honestly worry if something is going on health wise with him. The stuff that gets done is laughable from a basketball IQ standpoint. Just like him trying 3 bigs against UCF. Anyone with basketball knowledge could’ve told you that wouldn’t work in that game as I did in the game chat. I know I’m a negative asshole but most of what I’ve said the last two years has came into fruition. I’m seriously worried about Selfs mental health at this point.

@kjayhawks

In some ways, I consider Bill a distant friend. We've met many times throughout the years and talk basketball. Surely he could pick me out of a police lineup and he'd tell them I'm okay. lol

I do have to say the past couple of years have been different. I've never given him high marks in some areas of basketball... like... his lack of ability to get his guys fired up before a game, or during a game. But now, I feel lost on some of the moves with this team.

I guess I should have expected this... KJ feels better then immediately replaces most of Flory's minutes. Seems like Flory gets punished for going out there and hustling.

I do think the minutes distribution on this team is a problem. Seniority is preferred over firepower. This was the perfect opportunity to put KJ in his place... as a sparkplug off the bench! It's a role he is built for! Not a 31+ minute player.

AJ deserves more minutes, too. He is starting to produce, somewhat. Instead of building a penal institution team, how about we reward progress, instead of just punish mistakes?

I'm at least happy Rylan is getting more minutes. And he is the answer to our perimeter shooting. His defense is so-so, but make sure and set him up on offense to counter anything bad he does on defense.

In that Baylor game... Hunter should have scored 50 points. He was unstoppable in the low paint and they didn't know how to keep him out of there. Why wouldn't we take those gifts every single possession?

@drgnslayr very solid points my friend, I said this earlier before KJ returned. Please don’t put him back in for 25-30 minutes

@kjayhawks but uh uh did you see us out there??? Dog gone if kj hadn’t been out there they’d put up 90 instead of 60 in that half. You clearly saw those games kj was out because we couldn’t defend like at all guys! I mean did you uh uh see him filling it up with 3 huge buckets for the entire game!!! No way I can sit a guy like that he’s Ochai 2.0 guys uh uh I mean come on!

This program has a 1 and 4 problem. The issue is the coach never recruited over them because he thought they are great players. Turns out all the couch potatoes with minimal basketball knowledge can correctly identify talent compared to dolla bill.

What’s worse is he continues to defend them to the death that they are wonderful players and the reason we win so much (sarcasm as dolla bill clearly hasn’t looked at our record these last two years doing his most losing ever)

I’m 100% on board with wanting dolla bill gone

He will start Elmarko, coit and dp next year over a stud pg and pf transfers we pull because “they aren’t getting it” in practice

He constantly played lesser talent to the detriment of the program while racking up wins in the WAC 12 with the best home court in any sport to face plant year of year

We have to be rated #1 in the preseason a ton compared to titles delivered (both took serious free throw miracles and injury bug for our path to open up)

Bill sucks and honestly he needs to retire before he completely efff’s up next year. When he does though at least all of KU will be on board begging him to retire

@kuballin10 I was telling my dad (who's lived in Austin, TX in for the past 40 years) about the displeasure of KU fans with Bill Self.

He said "send the sonofabitch down here. We could stand to win a few Conference and National Championships.

There's probably a lot of teams that feel that way. Coaches need to coach, but players need to play too.

@nuleafjhawk He went out and hand picked his roster 2 years in a row and it is a complete disaster because he can’t fit the pieces

I’d send him down there to Texas real quick and watch him struggle just like Cal is doing

@nuleafjhawk somebody asked CB which players he'd play and he said the ones that play for the name on the front on their jerseys.

@nuleafjhawk he ain’t doing neither up here anytime soon so go right on ahead

@nuleafjhawk Your dad's a wise man.

@kjayhawks I bet Bill Self wins a conference title sometime soon.

@Crimsonorblue22 Well that leaves Storr out then for sure

@Jhawk69 he ain’t this season

@kuballin10 I have got a serious question for you. Has life dealt you a rough hand ? -- You just seem bitter/hateful , are you ever happy ? I'm worried about you.

The only answers I can give you advice would be , if your so miserable and disappointed with KU Basketball - -if you have such a dislike for Coach Self , then the answer I would think would be pretty simple and obvious. Just do yourself a favor , just go and cheer for ANOTHER team. Nobody gonna be mad at ya if you start to cheer for another School. - -Do yourself a favor I think what there is like over 300 Schools you can cheer for right ?

Should be asy to pick ONE out of over three hundred.-- Would be really beneficial for you , cause you less stress , help your blood pressure, Seems pretty simple, I mean your obviously stressed beyond infinity- -your dis-like for Coach Self is off the charts. -Why would ANYBODY want to live that way must be terrible.-- -Do yourself a favor--- - GO be happy, relax enjoy. Hell you can even drop us a post card every now and then tell how good your new team is doing , you can refresh us all how much you can't stand Coach Self- - It'll be fun - - - HEY got a great School would love to have you -- go cheer for Niagra they will love to have your cheery attitude--- probably even let you tell the Coach how to run their Grand Scheme --- - ya that's it- -life will have a MUCH better look when you find your new NCAA Champ-- - just sayin.

How many NCAA titles has Calipari won with ALL that talent - - all those Five Stars he has had when at Kentucky ?- -What is Calipari's record THIS year with all the talent he has ?-- just asking for a friend

Not sure but MAYBE-- just Maybe he has had some rotation problems with who should be on the floor and should be playing more minutes -- Doesn't seem to be enough Basketballs to go around.

Self has done more while at KU with four stars- -players ranked from the upper teens though fifty developing , then /Calipari ever has with kids who are # 1- --on through ### 10 in the Nation - -just saying for a friend

!alt text ↗

@SlimShaddy54 I’m a complete 180 in life lol. For my sports teams I’m negative and have always been. The good Lord has blessed me more than I’d ever deserved but sure it isn’t with out trial - that’s the fallen world we live in

Believed in the royals in 14-15

Believed in the chiefs that 2019-2020 season but have doubted them these other titles

Hawks had me legitimately depressed in the vcu loss….havent ever gotten over that one

Idk the more I’ve deep dived Self the more I’m not impressed because we don’t peak for the title we get upset or lose “to the champ” which just shows we didn’t reach the ultimate goal. This little 12 streak is shown that once real teams came in there is no chance we do that again. Great we were the Gonzaga of the little 12 and go figure just like the zags we fall short in March so that doesn’t do it for me and shouldn’t be paraded like some awesome accomplishment. We have the best home court advantage in all of sports imo…..well until juan, kj and Hunter got here thst is

He’s had some great rosters and he’s had the pick of the litter in the portal with Hunter and aj and rylen ect and for us to roll out the same 1 and 4 and go figure he can’t make the pieces work but “it’s the players fault” not the guy who said - “never happening again” after last year and it is happening again this year

He’s the problem and he isn’t winning another title even if he has the best roster.

FYI uconn about to be peaking after their Marquette win….anyone want to see who goes further in the tourney? Their coach is a complete tool but he’s adapted his schemes and Bill’s playing 3 bigs because he’s truly a stubborn mule

@Jhawk69 not the ultimate goal and won’t be this year

What's sad is if not for Houston and Baylor meltdowns we are probably front runners in Big 12 race right now

@kuballin10

I understand the frustration. The last two years we start off strong then fizzle.

At Kansas, we take our coaches to a different level. That's why we don't have a revolving door policy at head coach. Just look at the pathetic purple kitties.

Dumping Bill doesn't solve any problems and only opens up new ones. Who would replace him? Like I said, we look for longevity in our head coach.

Take a moment, breathe deep, and think about the details. If we let go of Bill right now there would be a whole lot of ticked off Jayhawk fans that don't want that. I bet it would be about 90% of the base right now.

So it would be a very controversial situation, and I'm guessing Bill isn't ready to go. Bill is the type of guy who will gladly leave when the time is right, and knowing him, he would work with the AD for a smooth transition.

Just take a look at WSU. Of course, they aren't KU. But they are in seriously sh*tty shape and it starts from a long time back with Marsha... his firing raised heat. Then because it was a sudden move, hiring his assistant, Brown, was a problem. Then dumping Brown was a problem. All that baggage has made it a mountain for their current coach, who is already on the hot seat. They are stuck. If they dump on Miles there is no way they recruit a decent coach again, let alone, talented players.

Bill still is gifted enough to bring in a good recruit class for next year. He still has a lot more pluses than negatives, especially when you look broadly at the situation.

One of Self's mentors, Leonard Hamilton announced he is retiring at the end of this season. FSU has struggled in the NIL era after being a consistent Sweet 16 caliber team pre-Covid.

@kuballin10 I get just as hot, depressed , as anyone else. I've learned that I let my immediate reactions to really hamper in the over all grnd scheme of things, it's taken away from the true joy of the game for me some. I HAVE found out that there is life after College sports , there are a lot of things that can be enjoyed. I think people can't understand well as for me anyways what a joy it is to be able to just sit back and watch a really god College Baketball game.

Houston is good- - really good for example but it's not a team I could ever root for, Calvin Sampson way of playing just isn't for me- -to defensive ugly games --What I actually prefer is a team that can get out and RUN -- RUN - -RUN and yes Coach self really doesn't do that as much for my liking either - - I love the free flow - -Run Baby run -outscore us, may not be the winning way but just what i like.
You know or should know my biggest complaint is Dickinson, I think he is just not a fit at all. He is to slow, way to slow, the only time he can get really good outputs when he comes up against smaller posts. You match him up with equal size and talent he is a no show.- Huge liability on defense. You constantly ragging on KJ & Juan I duplicate on Hunter.

I'll agree with you to A POINT on Coach Self-- he does seem to favor saying it's who he trusts , but I'm not going to be a Coach Basher and sys oh fire Bill, the Blame is for sure not all Bill. These cuddled kids have got to step up and take accountability, I'm so tired of people making up excuses all the time for players- - they have to execute

The Streak that Coach Self and teams accomplished your right will NEVER be done again by any team--- any conference, Whole different time frame-- -whole diffeent Era- -Talent to spread out-- - NIL-/ Portal.

Like I said earlier game time I get to wrapped up honestly, don't think logically , more even tempered -- I react , spout off-- make an ass out of myself with remarks sometimes-- of Course my Drinks might have something to do with that lol.-- you just got to chill man, your wish will probably come to reality in a year or two --not by the University doing but Coach Self himself.-- I will always respect Coach Self-- love himor hate him I'll always respect him

@Jhawk69 we completely gave away WV, Baylor and Houston games or we are in the catbird seat right now. I’m honestly wondering if we can even go 5-5 in our last 10 games at this point.

Coach Self will be here next season and I’m okay with that on most levels. He is only 3 years removed from a national title. Serious question is it time to make some staff changes?

Well here is facts you just can't hide, was listening to the pod cast this afternoon ( Could be Wrong ) is the name of it. Group of four that's deals wiwth Ku one is pretty tight intel. Couple of things, one stated and you think about it seems fair pretty true

We all love KJ but one guy said & makes sense. He said it's not that KJ does a lot of Negative things but it's just offset from his lack of positive things. Prett solid.

Another thing that was aid, and I agree and that was IF- -IF it does come down to a point where it's next year or the year after or five years When Coach leaves it needs to be on his terms --Not being fired but Coach just calling it quits, not him going some where else but hm leaving for Golf -I Agree, the guy has done so much with our program.

Then they brought out and there is no hiding facts when they staring you right in the face and that is as far as KJ goes , Kj when he shoots mid range jumper , anything out side the paint- -- - - -is three for twenty three, THAT'S NEEDLESS TO SAY IS not good,- -KJ in the paint or at the rim- ----twewlve out of nineteen , doesn't knock your socks off either.-- facts don't lie , KJ is just really limited offensively.

Another streak probably coming to an end tonight:- - KU is 48--- -1 in all time Big Monday games - - & KU is 37- -- -0 with Coach Self-- -more streaks more likely then not that will be broken tonight

Lets not get crazy now. Until it happens it hasnt.

I can see us winning the next five games. Every game I have seen a path to a win and feel perplexed when it doesn't happen. Just if this thing or that will happen and I hope this thing or that doesn't happen. You coach between games and coach during games to support your strategy. It's up to players after that.

What are the odds Self got on here and read what I said? Haha literally did everything I said he should…. Or am I secretly Bill Self 😉

@kjayhawks i think unless he lives under a rock he has been hearing things from a lot of places recently

Why would he listen to u guys🤣 Gurley talked about being on social media listening to all the "coaches" that know more than a hofer! 🤩🤣

For me the flory minutes are the hardest part of KU to take. He has shown that with a full 25-30 minutes of run he can be a guy that gets close to a double double and will add in a handful of blocks as well.

With KU fans it baffles me how for so long the conversation was about how self only cared about the big 12 and didn’t prepare guys to play their best in March. “Would you trade the streak for a title?” Was the constant question. Well we aren’t winning the conference anymore. Does it feel like you hoped it would? lol.

I think this team lacks toughness. I don’t think that’s a hot take. And so self is going to play the guys that know how to show toughness until the others figure it out. Do I think flory was one of those guys? Yes. But clearly self thinks there is more flory can be giving when he’s out there and until he sees it, he’s gonna play the guys he KNOWS have toughness.

People say Remy saved self and got him a title, but self also had an impact on the way Remy played in March. Remy was a better overall player during that run than he ever was at Arizona state. I like to think it’s because self made him earn it. So that when he was finally ready to let Remy be Remy, Remy knew how to do so without hurting the rest of the team in the process.

The optimist in me still thinks there’s hope for that type of development with this team. Self is letting this team struggle even forcing them to struggle so that they will be better prepared for adversity down the line.

That or he’s completely lost the team and they’ll never come back.

@benshawks08 Tarik was tough. He just wasnt at talented as Embiid. Tarik got his cup of coffee from the NBA, will KJ?

As for the other guys, with Remy as a comp… did Remy get the quick hook on or two bad possessions like these transfers? I cannot remember tbh.

Not sure Remy is a good comp either because he was a one year rental. It culminated in a postseason and then out. There was a finish line.

When trying to develop multi year transfers, Im not sure Self has much success besides Withey? What about guards? And adding into the equation that they no longer sit year one, I think something is broken with the formula.

I think Rylan is the closest we have to a Remy comp. And Remy DEFINITELY got the quick hook and then also had weird injury stuff.

I don’t think kj has any nba potential. What would he even do on an nba team?

There’s also the old conspiracy that self is holding stuff back for when it really matters. Like maybe he has all of these plays drawn up to get Rylan shots and flory dunks but doesn’t want to show it too early.