@drgnslayr I'm expecting a breakout game. We have 11 games under our belt so the guys are getting to know what to expect from one another (like the no-look pass to Selden for the jam last game). Players are settling into their roles and the chemistry is good. And now they have had some real practice time, and time to rest and heal.
Suddenly I feel sorry for Toledo.
Rock chalk jayhawk!!
@wissoxfan83 Arizona in 97. I'm still hurting.
@drgnslayr I would like to give you some push back since you say it helps move the conversation along. But I just can't. As I read your post I felt a great sense of hope for the season (which hasn't been overwhelming yet). You make good points and do it with style and substance. Thanks for posting.
@KirkIsMyHinrich I can't provide any factual basis for it, but I have to nominate the Big 10 (with Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin). But overall I think the Big 12 is as good as any of them
My general assessment is that the pre-season has gone just about as we all expected. I seem to remember some early posters saying that the Hawks would lose three to four games in the pre-season and, voila, here we are. However, KU could easily have won either or both of the Colorado and Villanova games. So all in all, I count the pre-season as a success for our young team.
Oklahoma State is also about where I would have expected. Baylor has exceeded my predictions because I didn't expect much. Iowa State seems pretty dangerous also.
I'm a little surprised at Texas but they deserved the win against North Carolina (and the loss to Michigan State. Not much shame there).
I think the jury is still out on Kansas State, but the Gonzaga win did impressed me. I can't say much about Oklahoma and the rest of the conference. They seem likely to lose to the top teams and beat up on each other.
So, can KU beat each of the top four teams twice (for a total of eight wins)? I wish I could say yes but I can't. And I expect we will lose one (maybe two) more to teams in the bottom half of the conference. This won't be one of the best years for the won/loss record. And if it is, kudos to Coach Self and the fast-maturing young players.
Also, there is a nice round-up of Saturday's games over at USA Today ↗, including this tidbit:
Kansas: For all the emphasis on Andrew Wiggins, we're starting to realize the Jayhawks' frontcourt is mighty impressive. That was clear in an 86-64 victory against Georgetown, with Memphis transfer Tarik Black battling for 17 points to complement star freshman Joel Embiid's also-sound 17-point performance. Kansas had 46 free throw attempts against Georgetown, tied for its most in a game over the last 15 seasons. Another kicker for KU: The Jayhawks seemed to have found a point guard in Naadir Tharpe, who's playing much better under poise and had 10 points in the win.
I see that Oklahoma State beat Colorado 78-73 in Las Vegas last night and I got to wondering what the pre-season results say about the quality of the Big 12 basketball. I hope some of the better basketball minds will shed some light on the question.
Strenght of schedule This seems like the best indicator to me. It's a good place to start, anyway. Perhaps some one can help with the formatting.
RPI School Record SOS from CBSSPORTS.com
1 KU 8-3 .6818
7 Baylor 7-1 .6248
35 Texas 10-2 .6199
45 OKS 11-1 .5659
67 Iowa St 8-0 .5534
114 OK 11-1 .5286
168 TX Tech 7-5 .5029
187 KSU 8-3 .4935
264 TCU 7-3 .4579
WV I couldn't find one for this season--probably my lack of skill
(FYI, Colorado beat KU and lost to OKS.
The Buffs have an RPI rank of 31, 10-2 record, and SOS of .6178. Between Baylor and TX)
So KU has the most losses but the highest RPI rating, not only in the conference but nationally. Pretty good, I think.
What say you?
@approxinfinity Thanks for posting this interview with Travis Releford.
Listening to Travis talk reminded me of something about Perry Ellis. I have seen Perry interviewed a few time after a game and , as much as I respect his basketball skills, his skill at verbal communication is low. Especially for someone who was valedictatorian of his senior class. As a graduate of the Speech Communications program at KU, I hope there is a speech coach as good as Coach Hudy to help him improve his verbal skills.
And another thought along this line. I have also seen and heard Tarik Black interviewed and have been quite impressed by his presence and communication skills. Many posters question Tarik's value on the court (and I can't disagree) but I think he brings great intangible strengths to the locker room. Tarik is what young athletes should (and do, I think) aspire to be--a confident person who knows his strengths and his place in the world.
We should recognize and praise personal qualities that contribute to a high-quality and well rounded person, not just skills on the court. Does a leader have to play to lead? I would say no. As much as I like sports and think it can contribute greatly to a person's life, it is only one part of a multi-faceted personality. Sports ability will inevitably decline over time but self-confidence and a sense of self-worth can last a lifetime.
One of my concerns about one-and-done players is that they miss the opportunity and time to develop themselves in early adult life. Staying in school for several years gives a player a chance to develop into a person like Tarik Black. Perhaps that growth and development can be done as a professional athlete, but I think it would be much harder.
@approxinfinity Joel is fine with me! Maybe Saturday's game will give more material.
@drgnslayr I may be wrong about this but my recollection of the Florida game is more about our turn-overs. How many times did we lose possession without even putting up a shot in the first half? Way too many!!
Floriday picked up our ball handlers in back court and pressed them far beyond the three point line. For some reason, KU didn't attack early in the shot clock (i.e., by getting it down court before the defense got set).
There is plenty of room for improvement, for sure.
@truehawk93 I agree with your sentiment. It's time for the Hawks to show what they are made of. Still, there are other teams who are not losing (and looking bad while doing it). So our ranking is deserved IMHO. Now, when we start winning and others start losing, watch out!
@approxinfinity and @vailhawh. I don't like to dis Tarik Black but I can't help but laugh. You guys are funny!
@kansascomet thanks for the level-headed comment to help settle me down. I like your idea that the challenge for this year is for Coach Self to adapt to 10 starters. It's a new perspective for me. I'll bet Coach Self will meet and exceed the goal!!
@dragnslayr When I read your first post I thought of Jabate and now even more so. I've lived about as long as you and see the same progression. Pretty soon there won't be any one left who remembers pre MTV era.
In the post-game interview, Coach Self said the second team played better than the first team. I hope that is a wake-up call, but I also wonder if some of the first team are sick (something else that Coach Self mentioned). Either way I'm glad the first game is out of the way and look forward to better play tomorrow against Villanova.
I watched some of the first half of Iowa vs Xavier. Both teams seem energetic and play together as a team.
@yellowbeaks Favourite, you
@rockchalkintexas The Tyshawn bump was on ESPN Sports Center this morning, including Jason Kidd saying "Bump me" just before it. Tyshawn takes another one for the team.
@approxinfinity I posted the article from Bloggersodear.com and put an entry in at the top. Hope this is OK
The comments about KU in the article seem right on target so maybe the rest of it is too. I'm still reading it.
@crimsonorblue22 What time is dinner? I'm all in!!
@justanotherfan Very clear and informative explanation of the difference between KenPom and Sagarin. Stiff I never knew, anyway. Thanks
HEM, great analysis, as usual. One question on No 5. If both Tharpe and Mason are part of the 'Sure Six', then what does it matter who starts? And does it have to 50/50 or could it vary over time as needed? Inquiring minds want to know, at least mine does.
@jesse newell As a Topeka resident, I'm thrilled to have you on board. Great article even for those of us like me who are over exposed to KU basketball coverage.
While this is a documentary about the rules of basketball, I was most struck by the back-story of a fan, Josh Swade, who dedicated himself to a quest and stuck with it against immense odds. Kudos to David Booth for putting up the money, but the real credit should go to the KU fan who hounded him into doing it.
Josh Swade had no money or connections or really any business playing at this level. But he had determination and moxie to call up people he didn't know and ask them to help. And when it looked like it wasn't going to happen, he refused to give up.
I guarantee no KU fan can watch this without a tear in the eye and a cheer in the heart.
@nuleafjhawk LMAO--Khaki bib-shorts!!!
@ralster "new chunk of Masonry" Nice turn of phrase!!
@civilhawk If I had heroes, you could possibly be one of them
@globaljaybird I also thought the comments on KUSports were of exceptionally poor quality. I guess using real names doesn't prevent trolls
@highelitemajor You are right--we do need to Oakville over here. I always enjoy his posts.
Here's hoping for a great game tonight!
@virgil_caine Say did you drive on the Danville train the night they drove old Dixie down? I thought your name seemed familiar. Welcome aboard!
Oops, looks like @neuleafjhawk and I are both genuises
@danr Brother, that's a little harsh but a little funny at the same time. That said, I see that the Wildcats lost to Georgetown in the second round of the Puerto Rico Tip-off. I wish them well most of the time. Too bad this is starting to look like a down year for them
@wishawk I can't believe no one has complimented you for posting this. It's great!
@iowajayhawk2005 Great post! PHOF in my eyes. You nailed it in every respect.
@jayhawkfantoo Thanks for correcting my error. I probably thought he made a mistake in not going pro for all the reasons cited. That last season was a magic one, wasn't it?
I love your thinking here but I would have a hard time giving up 2.9 million even for 12 or 15 a year later. A bird in the hand, you know. Besides, how much more money does a person need? It would be wonderful if it plays out like you suggest!
@jayhawkfantoo Thanks for the info. That's about what I expected. I think those games deserve an asterisk--like wind assisted long jumps
According to the story ↗, "Taylor etched his name in the record books again by shooting 35-of-70 from the field, including 24-of-48 from three-point range. He made 15-of-17 free-throw attempts to finish with 109 points, the third-most in NCAA history."
I can't even imagine how a player puts up enough shots in the course of a game to score this much, even if there isn't much defense being played. Is this a one-man Globetrotters show?
@iowajayhawk2005 This is a tough issue with lots of gray areas.
I remember defending Danny Manning's decision to leave college early for the money he could make in the pros. I knew the university would welcome him back after his pro career so he could finish his degree if he wanted too. And he could get injured and his future career would be in danger. So why defer the income for another year? Today I still think he made a good decision.
I feel differently about today's OAD players. The money issue is still valid but I don't think most of these players have the physical and emotional maturity to succeed immediately and they would be better served by staying in college for two or three years.
Would it be possible for the pro teams to sign players to an option and put some money aside in a trust (maybe)? Doesn't major league baseball do something like this? Just askin'
Thanks for having the courage to share with us. I'm not a very spiritual person but I will be pulling for you. And we will celebrate your return in a few months. Rock Chalk, you!
@approxinfinity Here's a thought about the photos. I have set my wife's computer to randomly display a photo from her 'favorites' folder as wallpaper, and to change it every 20 seconds or so. Her computer screen shows something interesting all the time now.
Could this work for this site? Just askin'
@tundrahok I too liked the 'bit of text' on the Unread items but I always clicked on the text any way so I'm not sure how much it added. I do like the poster's icon and the time since the comment was made. The other info included in the listing of each item is useful too.
A wonderful win and KU looked good doing it. Rock Chalk!!
We won't know if this was the turning point for KU Football for some time, but it certainly could be. The players and staff have been working hard without much to show for it, so some success could be
--dumb luck (but this was an convincing win)
--the other team self-destructed (maybe a little)
--a reasonable outcome given our preparation and effort (my personal opinion)
--an epic reversal of past futility (only time will tell)
We could win next week at Iowa State which would make this season a success IMHO. If so, I think the program is making sufficient progress and we can have some optimism for next year.
@bskeet You need to post here so I can give you a Favourite click!
Not trying to be mean, but KUSports needs some good posters like HEM. The comment sections are anemic, to say the least.
I'm still mad about losing Jaybate, tho.
@approxinfinity Here a thought...
When I click on the reply button after the Favourite button, could @approxinfinity appear automatically in the reply box? Would save me some time, maybe.
Also is the reply box anchored in place for a reason? Sometimes I would like to move it aside but can't. I do like that the reply box stays in place when I go to another article. Makes it easy to check spelling and facts.
Keep up the good work, dude. You're the MAN!!
@approxinfinity The Unread section looks different. Let me see if I understand how it works now.
I can click on the item name on the left and go to the start of the article as in the past.
To go the latest comment (at the bottom of the article) I click on the word Replied on the far right.
Does that sound right?
@approxinfinity Coming to this site is almost like opening Xmas presents every day--it's exciting to see the improvements and new developments.
The changes I see here are bold and I'm OK with them. They are way better than the new Weather Channel color scheme.
I can't give any advice from a color or design perspective. I only know what I like when I see it.
@parishawk I hope you are just kidding. We would miss you.
@Case I'm tipping my hat to you, Case, for posting this insightful article on Bleacher Report. I felt a little sorry for Perry last year and I'm happy to see him getting paid back with some recognition this year.
It is a commentary on the state of OAD basketball that a sophomore is now considered a grizzled veteran. I'm a little saddened by that.
Thanks for posting a wonderful photo. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Going to a game in Allen Fieldhouse is a special experience for a fan and maybe a little intimidating for everyone else. I think you caught a piece of the essence of the Phog!
@aproxinfinity Thanks for reminding me that watching Sesame Street was one of my favorite parts of having kids.
Thanks for the explanation. It's not a big problem since I am such a forgiving guy. More like an annoyance. For my wife OTOH... Careful, you!
I agree that Parker grazed Andrews left arm--not much of a foul IMHO. I think the replay also shows a surprised Wiggins saying "I got fouled??? I got a laugh out of that!
I puzzled over this for a long time myself before the light finally dawned. Should have asked like you did.