🏀 KuBuckets Archive

I thought I would just take a moment and see the glass half full regarding this team with no credible front court yes--this half a team.

What other coach in the United States of D1 could possibly be 7-2 and ranked as high as 2 in the country with half a team?

Think about it.

This may, despite all our collective fears and disappointments, turn out to be Self's greatest coaching job yet!!!!

What would Roy's record be with this team right now? He would have lost to Washington and ASU for sure. But can you imagine Roy beating UK, or Syracuse, with one project big man recovering from a serious injury that is essentially playing his first season? And no other big men? I really think Roy would have have lost to the 4 majors and would have split with the mid majors. Roy just can't coach a lick without clear matchup advantage inside; that much we know for sure. Let's say 3-6,

How Cal? 0-9 almost certainly. Cal might no even show up for half the games hoping to get the season over quicker.

Coach K? Every time Coach K has had an off season, he has gone about .500. But Coach K's offseasons have always had a full roster of D1 grade players. He just lost one or two key players and didn't have a great player. Coach K always had at least two big men he could rotate. Self doesn't have that. So: if Coach K were coaching this team, he would really be comfortable with the great outside shooters we have, but he would shoot blanks because he too would not know what to do without at least two post men. Let's say Coach K would be 4-5 with this team.

When you look at the season through the lens of comparing where we would be with Cal, Roy and Coach K with this squad, your spirits just soar and you go, ah, so what if we're 7-2 and looking shaky. We're doing great compared to where we would be with those guys.

And as always, imagine where we would be this season without the apparent petroshoeco-agency complex recruiting embargo these past several years.

As Ed Ames used to sing in that mellifluous voice of his:

"My cup runneth over....".

Rock Chalk!

My glass is feeling half empty right now.

According to Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer:
"Since that Washington game counts as a home game for Kansas, there are a few stats that come into play. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Kansas hadn’t lost consecutive home games under Bill Self before this week. In fact, the last time it happened was in February 1989, in Roy Williams’ first season as Kansas’ coach. The Jayhawks also had never lost consecutive home games as a ranked team."

Houston, we have a problem.

nuleafjhawk said:

Houston, we have a problem.

Yeah the Sprint Center. I hate playing there, but they need to figure it out before we get more “home” NCAA games.

@dylans can we get some practice time at Sprint Center?

@nuleafjhawk The glass is always full. It's 50% water, and 50% air.

"These are times that try mens souls". Maybe separating ourselves from the massive expectations , and the team separating itself from that pressure will allow them to play with a free mind, and end up going further than some of our teams in the past in the tourney. At least, that's my hope. Either way, I still love them more than any other team I've ever followed. So, thick or thin, I'm in.

@approxinfinity

I suggested before that KU should require as a condition to playing at the Sprint Center, it is made available for 2 or 3 practices before the game. I imagine it would be very difficult because they would have to set up and remove the court floor in between events/concerts.

KU has lost the last 3 official games it has played at the Sprint Center and I read KU players don't like playing there.

@JayHawkFanToo I don’t like the players playing there either. The crowd doesn’t positively impact the game.

I’d rather KU played in front of a rowdy road crowd than an easily panicked KC crowd. The crowds frayed nerves seemingly destroys the players confidence.

If it’s supposed to be a home game; bus in the students. Give KU an advantage in KC. Make that sucker like a home game!!!

@jaybate-1.0 truth

@jaybate-1-0 Is Bill Self God? Or a god? The god of "_____"?

He may be a great coach, but he sure let his roster deteriorate to the point that we've got a real situation on our hands now! I'm still perplexed why we have a team with one competent big. I know, Billy was supposed to be playing, but even having two bigs isn't enough.

@wissox this years dearth of talent allows for next years surplus (hopefully).

@HighEliteMajor yeah I mean its kind of silly. Izzo, Calipari, K and a host of others have had some good years and tourney runs with talent that is typically below their standard. Self is good, but honestly he is not better or more impressive than any of the coaches I just named.

@wissox don't you know? Self had ZERO IDEA that Whitman and Dwight would leave. Allegedly, he was in the dark. That and those two thought they would be behind Mitch Lightfoot, at least according to posters here.

@HawkChamp @wissox The buck stops with Self. His program. He picks the players. He judges character, reliability, commitment, etc. Things CEOs do all the time. Heck, we lost Evan Maxwell, too. Three bodies for this season down the drain. Even with Preston, three bigs? Do we really count Mitch as a "big"? Never have we been this thin. Ever. In 2012 we had two bigs better than any that we have now (TRob and Withey), and a pretty sweet sub (KY).

My view is that Bill Self is the best coach in CBB. I wouldn't trade him for any other coach. But like every other human on this earth, he ain't perfect. The roster prep and composition here in the post was one of his worst moments. We'll see how we look on Jan. 15.

Ayton $$$ would be nice or Preston $$$ :( , but KU would still be dangerously thin. Just not down a man like now.

@HawkChamp True story, but an ivy leaguer (I think?) Whitman and Coleby don't exactly make me salivate over how great we'd be if they were playing.