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On the Phog. Get in a post before it's locked!

https://247sports.com/college/kansas/Board/103719/Contents/Senior-Day-for-Self-129845889/ ↗

I've heard this repeatedly as well and I think its fictional. People think losing the conference was the last straw which is laughable. I only see him leaving if KU gets blasted back to the stone age by the NCAA. It just sounds silly to me

@BShark missed it. Page is already gone.

@dylans !0_1552071614509_0B2EA50F-B30B-4785-9965-3E259FCC5867.jpeg ↗

dylans said:

@BShark missed it. Page is already gone.

ya I missed it too

I've heard countless times IF Coach was to leave the one an only NBA - would be to the Spurs because of the connection he has there and with Pops - -I'd never say never - BUT I just don't think it's happening THIS year. - Although the rumors out there about this - -is for sure not helping recruiting with everything else that's going on also with this and everything else. - -ROCk CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

Bill self is not going to go anywere let's stop Acting like his goning to Leave

JAYHAWKFAN214 said:

Bill self is not going to go anywere let's stop Acting like his goning to Leave

I truly don't believe he will either. But if you leaving in the make believe world that no way no how would he leave then you need to put the pipe down and slowly back away. - To say with THAT kind of confidence that he isn't is just insane.

With the connections he does have with San Antonio - - With this FBI whole Scenario - -with the every day rigors/stress of the constant wear and tear of the recruiting aspect - With him coming out in the past and hinting that he might be interested in Coaching in the NBA - With the struggles/stress he has had this season - -With his Name being prominently mentioned in this FBI sting and paying players or having them be paid

He has NOTHING left to prove at the College level. - - Won Conference championships? - -Check . - - -Winning an NCAA Championship ? - - Check. -- Being names a College Hall of fame Coach/inductee ? - -Check. - -Winning the Big 12 post season Championship ? - -Check.- Being Named Coach of the year ?- - Check. There is NOTHING - - - NOTHING at all for him to accomplish at the College level. -- So to try and make it sound that it is just ridicilious to think he might leave? - -is even crazier . - -Again I'm NOT saying he will - -but I'm not saying it's not a possibility either. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

@Crimsonorblue22 doesn’t seem too controversial

@jayballer73 Any coach trying to "prove something" by moving to the NBA at this late stage in a college career would be the insane one. Self's coaching strategies don't really seem to develop lots of NBA stars. Currently, it is a star-driven league with isolation offense dominating, not something we have seen at KU except with Frank, perhaps. Why would he risk being a failure?

mayjay said:

@jayballer73 Any coach trying to "prove something" by moving to the NBA at this late stage in a college career would be the insane one. Self's coaching strategies don't really seem to develop lots of NBA stars. Currently, it is a star-driven league with isolation offense dominating, not something we have seen at KU except with Frank, perhaps. Why would he risk being a failure?

With the only real exception being San Antonio... I can't deny that he fits their culture and organization exceptionally well.

I do agree that he'd be crazy to go though.

@mayjay basically what he said, gotta know your wheel house.

One other thing to think about is Self has said he doesn't want to be coaching by the time he's coach K's or Roy's age. I'd be shocked if he doesn't retire within the next five seasons. I think he tries to get another NC and pass Phog for wins here before he goes. Obviously baring he gets let go amid major sanctions this summer.

!alt text ↗

:thinking: :thinking: :thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

@BShark Tickets were definitely down this year. My mom works for KU and was able to get $15 tickets through work to every home game except for Nova. Even KSU. I think this is just trying to get people locked in for two seasons so they can focus on filling the rest.

Product isn’t going to be as good the next couple years. One quote by Bill always stood out to me as being a bit odd. When asked about the streak a couple years ago Self said something along the lines of “We’ve always had the players.” Not the players fought for it, or the players developed, just that KU out talented the league. How do you do that every year? Just seemed fishy to me. I always hoped things would get cleaned up, but I never suspected KU would be in the center of the mess! (Rightfully or not that’s where we are)

@dylans I get what he is saying for the most part, I agree that KU has had the most talented teams. a few Texas (07), OSU(05) and maybe Tech teams recently are arguably right there with us. This year we don't have the developed talent without Doke, SDS and Good Vick. Thinking about some of the games we have lost IMO it had more to do with the other teams out hustling us than it did them having more talent, KSU loses in 2014 and 2015 are prime examples of that. It comes back to a saying I told every player I ever coached "Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard" and I 100% buy into it.

kjayhawks said:

“Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard”

Did you really come up with that? That's GOOD stuff man!

That's like T-shirt or banner material there.

Good stuff

@nuleafjhawk it's not an original but I cant remember where it came from.

@dylans I remember that quote. I always thought it was Self's way of deflecting credit for the streak from himself to the players. Interesting twist you have suggested.

kjayhawks said:

@dylans I get what he is saying for the most part, I agree that KU has had the most talented teams. a few Texas (07), OSU(05) and maybe Tech teams recently are arguably right there with us. This year we don't have the developed talent without Doke, SDS and Good Vick. Thinking about some of the games we have lost IMO it had more to do with the other teams out hustling us than it did them having more talent, KSU loses in 2014 and 2015 are prime examples of that. It comes back to a saying I told every player I ever coached "Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard" and I 100% buy into it.

OSU's Final Four was in 2004 and that team was definitely better than KU, but I don't know if they were more talented though. That was Self's first year and those guys were still adjusting to Self.

I don't know that I would call the KD Texas team better than KU. The only team I would call better than KU during the streak was Oklahoma in 2009 and the only reason the streak got to 14 instead of streaks of 4 and 9 is because Blake Griffin had a concussion and missed the Kansas game that year. A healthy Blake Griffin against Kansas and OU wins the Big 12 in 2009.

@Texas-Hawk-10 I meant to put 04 on OSU but yes I agree for the most part we have had the better teams and coach for that matter.

Some yahoo is saying Self to the Bulls is done.

@BShark If that's true, would that be worse than when Roy left?

@nuleafjhawk yes

BShark said:

Some yahoo is saying Self to the Bulls is done.

was that on Yahoo sports?

@Crimsonorblue22 Why? Would you hate his guts like I did Roy's for a few years until I grew up. Mostly.

Depends on how dirty he really is. If we ever find out that information

@jayballer73 I searched Yahoo Sports and came up with zip.

Did you mean Yahoo Sports or some yahoo put there. Rumors are always around but it is the truth that will set you free. Bill isn't going anywhere.

HypedJhawk said:

Did you mean Yahoo Sports or some yahoo put there. Rumors are always around but it is the truth that will set you free. Bill isn't going anywhere.

I meant the slang definition of yahoo or something like that. The guy that put it out there runs a shady sports gambling website. So yeaaaah

nuleafjhawk said:

@jayballer73 I searched Yahoo Sports and came up with zip.

ya I did too - - -I didn't see anything

Self isn’t going anywhere. Full stop.

Some guy named Brandon Lang who does gambling shows. Says he has a source.

🐦 View Tweet?s=12

Everyone has a source.

I read from a trustworthy source that Self is not going anywhere.

[post #243752]

Bill to Bulls rumor here. I'll take your rumor and raise it by 10. https://sports.yahoo.com/rumor-bill-self-coach-bulls-233355524.html ↗

Self and Hoiberg are close friends and Hoiberg could give Self plenty of insider info on the Bulls.

But I agree that I don't see any merit to this one. The guy who's claiming this says he wants to be like Adam Schefter, but Schefter has quality insiders.

I have a friend - - that has a friend - - that has a friend - - that has a dad -- -who has a daughter - -who's boyfriend - -that has a source - -that say Coach Self for sure going to the Bulls - -we might as well shut the program down. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

@jayballer73 I have a cousin, who has a second cousin, who has a guy, who knows a girl, who has a dad, who has a brother, who has a co-worker, who has a bus driver that says Self's hair is real.

Fightsongwriter said:

@jayballer73 I have a cousin, who has a second cousin, who has a guy, who knows a girl, who has a dad, who has a brother, who has a co-worker, who has a bus driver that says Self's hair is real.

lmao - - -now that's what I call an inside source - -hot tips - -I'll be asking you for recruiting news for sure lol. - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

Pretty strong quotes in here from Bill.

I’m certainly not motivated to be anywhere else than right here, especially during these time.

I wouldn’t run from that at all. ( talking about FBI)

This is what I have said and always thought. While he obviously could be saying the right things to say them I just don’t see him leaving KU high and dry. If anything I think this will motivate him more than ever to win another title.

@Woodrow sounds like he wants to stay even longer! Glad someone asked him.

Well, he sure shot from the hip. Love the line about wanting to coach for a long time and hope this is all from the heart.

The rumor is hot among some KU donors, particularly after a gambling expert — the one Matthew McConaughey played in a movie! — reported it. Which was weird, but it happened, so we thought Self should be able to address it.

“The Bulls thing is as far-fetched ...” he told the Star on Monday. “I don’t know where that came from. I’ve never talked to anybody from the Bulls about any employment opportunities. They have a coach and I’m not a candidate for that position and will not be.”

The next question, then: Are you 100 percent sure you’ll be at Kansas next season?

“I don’t think you can ever say that, because if they decide to go a different direction I guess I won’t be,” Self said. “So I can’t say 100 percent. But here’s what I can say. I’m certainly not at all motivated to be anywhere else than right here, especially during these times.”

By “these times,” he means the NCAA’s pending investigation related to a federal probe into corruption in college basketball recruiting.

“I wouldn’t run from that at all,” he said. “Not at all. And I look forward to visiting (with the NCAA) and certainly the conclusion (of the investigation), and seeing it through. You can quote that.”

This has been a rough season at KU. The 14-year conference championship streak ended, Udoka Azubuike suffered a season-ending injury, Silvio De Sousa was suspended by the NCAA, and Lagerald Vick left the team in February to address personal matters.

But when Self answered the phone on Monday, he seemed eager to not just shoot down the Bulls rumor but to quiet any other potential talk of an NBA job or the NCAA investigation driving him out.

“My motivation is as strong as ever to be the Kansas coach, to further this program, and to see the situation with the NCAA through,” Self said. “Totally through. Never say never, because you don’t know how both parties may feel, but that is my stance and I look forward to being here for a long time.

“I want to add something else, too. I said years ago that I didn’t know if I wanted to coach forever. But this past year has motivated me to remain in this business for a long time. I want it on record that I want to coach for a long time.”

Bill Self is THE DUDE.

He almost sounds pissed!... sounds he wants to take on the ncaa, who cowardly threw desousa under the bus. He wants to work hard to recruit the right guys despite the Nike stranglehold on top recruits. ( is the ncaa investigating Zion’s dad ?? His conversations with any Nike people?. Nope .. do not touch the cash cow that is duke and the golden boy Zion) Self is more committed than ever to win with this program. He loves coaching these young guys, which is why he gave the apparently troubled Vick a second chance.

I always fall back to "I couldn't give a shit right now for north carolina" and memories of brown leaving in 88 has me feeling a new regime is a brewin.

wonder what happened or is happening with the Appeal of Silvio - -Man all talk of that sure the hell faded of - -been REAL quiet

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/bill-self-may-midst-best-coaching-job-kansas-193250813--ncaab.html ↗

@HighEliteMajor nice article, bunch of of jealous comments.

jayballer73 said:

wonder what happened or is happening with the Appeal of Silvio - -Man all talk of that sure the hell faded of - -been REAL quiet He still won't be able to play next year

@HighEliteMajor

Yikes the comment section seems to be a common theme. They believe Self is a cheat. Not something you ever shake once people believe that.

@BeddieKU23 You might remember I started a thread a year ago just after the tournament where I had a conversation with a man who used to play college ball back in the day who told me Self/KU is one of the dirtiest programs out there.

I asked the question "is Bill Self dirty?". I about had my head taken off by some, but others agreed just a little bit. I don't want to say or believe he's dirty because he's our coach and I don't want to be let down with evidence that he is, if such evidence exists. If nothing else the next year promises to be interesting.

The relationship between Larry Brown and Bill Self has always given me positive vibes about Coach Self staying here a long time. Who else to advise Bill that the pro game and/or any other level of coaching isnt as good as being the man at Kansas? Larry has been everywhere and ALWAYS comes back to Kansas.

@BeddieKU23 That's just jealously. How can somebody be that good for that long? He must have cheated! No logic there, or evidence. Just bitterness.

@wissox

A lot of fan bases thought he was dirty before the whole Adidas Trial. Recruitment's such as Mario Chalmers, Darrel Arthur, Cliff Alexander, Josh Jackson, Silvio De Sousa are among the most prominent that have a lot of fans from other programs believing Self is dirty. Dollar ($) Bill is among the most prominent slang used on him. The Adidas trial headlines were maligned in such a manner that it connected more dots for people. People will throw stones regardless.

I'm not going to say with 100% certainty Self and his program have done everything by the book over the years. I've held hope we have, I believe in Self's character and I believe he has a real set of values that would keep him from being directly involved. But we know now that Adidas was dirty. All of the shoe companies are dirty. There isn't a program that is recruiting at a high level that is doing things without bending or breaking laws. They are still happening now even with the spotlight on the sport. Of course its just my opinion.

@tundrahok

It's not like I'm taking any of those comments seriously. Every fan base is guilty of accusing others of something. I'm sure there are thousands of people that do believe Self is dirty whether they have actual evidence or not. Negative headlines create negative opinions.

@BeddieKU23 Just like Calipari. There's no evidence he's dirty. But the last 2 schools he left had to vacate Final 4 appearances. I'm sure that's just coincidence.

@tundrahok Memphis and Umass aren’t Kentucky...

@bmensch1 DUDE!
I was feeling all encouraged and stoked until you brought that Roy Williams quote up............

When reading a statement like Self's there's a number of ways to interpret it. Let's consider it from a legal perspective, perhaps -- a possible hidden meaning.

Self took great pains to modify his prior statement about how long he wanted to coach. He stated that he intended to coach a long time, to coach here, to see this through, and said he wanted things "on the record."

So, if Self were terminated for cause, with his long contract sitting there, putting it on the record regarding his intentions deflects a legal argument that he wouldn't coach the length of his contract anyway and that the possible money owed to Self might be less than the contract. It could be setting up a negotiating point.

I know, a twisted way to look at things. Just one possible interpretation outside of the obvious, straightforward intepretations.

Why does it have to be something sinister? Insecure fan base twisting things?

dylans said:

@tundrahok Memphis and Umass aren’t Kentucky...

cheating , is -- - cheating , is- - -Cheating. - -Doesn't matte if it's a Blueblood school - - just a normal P-5 school - - to Division 2 - - -to NAIA - - -to Juco - -if you smell you smell -- Calapari - - SMELLS - -like was mentioned -both schools after he left got hit - -you can take the school out of the guy - - BUT you can't take the guy out of the school - -he is Dirt -you know it - -I know it - -we all know it - - - it just boils down to who the NCAA wants to protect/pamper - -see if they can't bury their nose up further in that ass - -have that bind eye.

So just because he is Kentucky - -doesn't mean he doesn't smell - he is dirty - and his time is coming believe that. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

What if Kentucky or Duke isn't dirty? I've brought this up before. Our athletic department, as badgered as we've been by the NCAA would certainly be pointing out to the NCAA the dirt on the other programs. It's human nature. We get caught in something and say 'what about them, they were doing it too?'.

We like to say the NCAA is going to protect their premier programs. I'd like to say we are one of the premier programs. We're college hoops royalty. We're evidence to a lot of fans around the country that the NCAA will go after the big dogs. So part of me says if other blue bloods are dirty the NCAA would be going after them too. But they're not. So I conclude maybe they're not dirty.

@wissox I don't understand why people think it is so easy to just accuse the other programs of wrongdoing.

So what if KU says so and so is cheating? Do we have proof? Is there a paper trail? Is there video evidence? A phone recording? You're forgetting that the NCAA doesn't have subeona power and basically had no way of proving any of the things that have come out since the FBI became involved. Coaches and players could have easily just lied and there was nothing the NCAA could do from there. So the choice was not to tell on someone. It was either lose out on a player because someone is paying them, or pay them yourself.

To think that at least a dozen other schools have been caught in pay for play schemes, yet the two teams that are dominating the recruiting trail are doing it cleanly? Does that not sound preposterous? What do those two schools have to offer that KU didn't? UCLA? Indiana? All historic programs. Solid academic programs. Attracting some of the top coaches in the country. Top tier facilities. Yet they aren't close to even sniffing UK or Duke's jock.

It doesn't make any sense.

Especially not once you add in all of the other things that have surrounded the programs. I mean, Zion has had his rumors. Anthony Davis. Bam Abedeyo. John Wall. Boogie Cousins. Xavier Henry. Derryck Thornton. Marvin Bagley. Trevon Duval. Harry Giles. Frank Jackson.

All of these guys had sketchy ass recruitments. Two of them were assumed to be major academic risks. Yet somehow they were cleared to play at one of the top academic institutions in the country?

What about head to head recruiting battles between KU, Duke and UK? They happen yearly. And if we are willing to pay...

I mean there are just so many dang signs that point to pretty much no D1 basketball program being truly clean. Whether they are directly complicit in it? Different story.

@jayballer73 No. I’m saying he won’t get in trouble. Not that he’s clean.

All politicians lie. The smart ones just don't get caught.

Everybody cheats on their taxes. Taxpayers with the best accountants just don't get caught.

Everybody speeds. Wary drivers on the lookout for cops and cameras just don't get caught.

I don't know if any of those things are actually true, but it's the same argument for top basketball programs. Adidas just wasn't as good at cheating as Nike. They got caught, and we're suffering for it.

Or maybe not.

@wissox I laughed so hard I nearly crapped my pants. Everyone's dirty my friend, remember the leaked texts from Self and Gassonola "Thats how it works at UNC and Duke, Kentucky too" awfully inconvenient for those schools to have that said in a text that they had no idea was being watched. As @Kcmatt7, it's not what you know, it's what you can prove. I know for a fact the Michael Beasley was paid at KSU along with Wally Judge and Bill Walker. I know Martin Gramatica's (spelled wrong) whole family was living in Manhattan for free while he was kicking at KSU (His dad was drunken idiot I'm told). I had some family connections into KSU programs for awhile and have some close friends that have good connections to boosters there. Now can I actually prove it maybe if they can look at some of my text messages from a decade and a half ago or had a bug on me during some conversations that I wasn't aware of but I'm gonna go with a no. Also does anyone honestly believe that Zion decided to play for free? There are the recorded phone calls of what he "supposedly wanted", once again sounds inconvenient for what ever school he ended up at. That would be grounds for an investigation in most cases, I'm sure nothing will come of it because it's Dook. Looking at how much better Dook and UK's classes are than our in the average year says a lot as well. Are we paying for guys in the 100s like DTG, Mason. Traylor and Tharpe? Yes we have had some highly rated guys but no where near as many as Dook or UK, I'm willing to bet these players that are on twitter trying to get each other to the same program and playing all these all star games/ AAU tournaments together prob talk a little bit. Anyone capable of logical thinking prob believes they are all dirty, doesn't mean its can be proved but I'd bet my life most D1 football and Basketball programs are guilty of something.

My favorite is Marvin Bagley, who went from a C in Algebra 1 to A's in 2 other math courses plus finishing a HS diploma in like a year all while playing travel ball almost full-time. Then graduated early and got into dook. Like come on.

There were strong rumors he wasn't going to qualify if he was in the class of 2018, let alone 2017. The dirty little (well, not so little anymore) is that every single program skirts the rules. All of them. Full stop. Some are obviously worse than others, like Coach Gottfried paying Dennis Smith like $60k and Sean Miller's crowd breaking every rule under the sun (and some federal laws), but basketball is super dirty. And the scary part is football makes look like a bastion of virtue.

@FarmerJayhawk Sounds pretty Shady to me.

@Kcmatt7 "I mean there are just so many dang signs that point to pretty much no D1 basketball program being truly clean"

Truer words were never spoken.

I've heard that Dean Wade's family received 100 head of cattle to land him at K-State.... Ya just never know.

@kjayhawks @Kcmatt7 OK, Glad I made you laugh! If everyone is dirty, why are they just picking on us? I know technically they're not just picking on us, AZ is under fire and others, but why are they just picking on us? If the shoe scumbags do that with other schools, why did the NCAA just rule our guy ineligible and why do we expect worse sanctions to come in the next year or so? Wouldn't they be doing the same? Believe me I want it to come down on Duke and Kentucky and UNC as much as all of ya'll, but can you answer my question?

By the way, it seems like you all just think they're picking on KU.

They aren't picking on Kansas. They just don't have anything on Duke or UK because the guys they picked to surveil weren't involved with those schools. There are tons of bag men around the sport.

But...I mean...KU was offering "whatever it takes" to get Zion and he picks Duke while his low income parents end up with a new house in a nice area. 1+1=?

@wissox Nike is smarter than Adidas, and didn't get caught.

@tundrahok Nike is richer than Adidas so heads turned the other way

@tundrahok Arizona is Nike tbf. It's the guys that they picked and who they were connected to. Though I would venture a guess that Coach K perhaps isn't directly connected to anyone, Capel is 100% a bag man. No surprise that Pitt is making huge inroads and cleaning up in recruiting these days. Calipari otoh has pretty well documented connection and has fled jobs twice. He's likely more shielded at a big program like UK.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories usually but what if Nike contacted the FBI and said we know these guys are dirty, they used to work for us, Nike writes a check to the FBI director. Heck how many FBI directors have been in trouble for lying the passed few years? Who's to say Coach K isn't in with Nike and paying someone to make AZ Nike's fall guy so it doesn't look like they are all clean. @BShark Capel is dirty and it's funny how he left Dook as soon as this stuff came up hoping it wouldn't follow him.

@BShark You're proving my point. You're saying Duke is guilty. How do you know and the NCAA doesn't? That makes no sense to me.

Common sense mostly, like I said there is no way Zion is going to Duke for free if KU is offering 200k+. I outlined many cases of KU being dirty earlier around the time this was all first announced and noted that we should be thankful this investigation didn't happen earlier.

If you are wanting more insight just go to an AAU tournament, things were discussed pretty openly, though I don't know if things changed a little bit post FBI hubbub. Lots of sleaze hanging around those events.

One last thing on it, I know for an absolute fact that payment occurs at the NAIA level so it would take a fairly large leap of faith on my part to think it isn't going on the higher you go up the chain.

@BShark I have little doubt about what you said that it goes on at a lot of places.

I also mostly think the NCAA doesn't WANT to know anything officially. The NCAA after all is just all the schools together and the way things work is good for all of them. The NCAAT and football are both huge money makers.

So you really have to screw the pooch or piss somebody off to be outed. In this case there was a big federal investigation which is something that has never really happened before.

@BShark One of my Best friends was a QB at the NAIA level and got his grades taken care of and his rent paid for 2 years. Another buddy of mine played CBB at a Juco and said guys got cars, older used toyotas but still cars. If that stuff is happening in the smaller markets where not much money is to be made what does a person think is happening at the higher levels where millions are at stake.

@wissox Do you believe that Zion is playing for free at Dook? as @BShark said common sense says he is, he went to the highest bidder I'd say.

@kjayhawks IDK. I don't follow it as closely as some who know as a matter of fact that Duke cheated to get him.

wissox said:

@kjayhawks IDK. I don't follow it as closely as some who know as a matter of fact that Duke cheated to get him.

They are so certain, they must have the serial numbers of the bills. I demand to see the evidence!

@BShark
But…I mean…KU was offering “whatever it takes” to get Zion and he picks Duke while his low income parents end up with a new house in a nice area. 1+1=?

Really.. I didn’t know that. Makes perfect sense...and was thinking that someone should at least look into zions dad... and yes dook and Kentucky and all of them are playing the game. Of course they are.

But - back to Self . His recent comments can certainly be taken as a hedge against KU deciding to ask him to leave in the wake of what may be coming as to more ncaa investigation, (okie state will be salivating...) but they also can be taken on the face of it.. he states that his passion has been renewed, he wants to coach a looong time, he has said that he is very excited about the team right now, (this is not veiled “coach-speak,” he truly is pumped) and frankly to me he sounds so confident -“I welcome the ncaa investigation”- that he must know the ncaa has squat.

@Bosthawk It could be that this investigation and what not has re-invigorated him.

I know his presence on the recruiting trail hasn't been what it once was but I'm sure Andrew Slater knows where all the bodies are buried. He's been directly and indirectly calling out the business for years now.

When KU was recruiting Zion in earnest they were making moves to entice the family either on their own or through Adidas. Dotson played with him in a tourney in Vegas when Dot was a pretty strong lean to KU coming out of the summer. This was manufactured together.. There was some buzz KU could sign Zion at that time. It was well documented by Slater that Adidas was doing all they could to keep him and who knows maybe they would have succeeded without the FBI thing popping up. As soon as that stuff broke in the news the balloon popped on Keeping Zion in the Adidas Family.

It could be getting knocked off the mountaintop is what BIll needed. Break the cycle- Win a conference title, earn a top seed, advance at least to the sweet 16. It probably seemed easy to him It’s also likely a bit frustrating that he was inches away so many times with only one championship. However, once knocked off that mountaintop all you want to do is get back up there. I think this is what will ultimately make him a better coach.

@dylans That should be what every KU fan is hoping for ... a Bill Self that is truly reinvigorated and highly motivated to take what he believes is his.