@JayHawkFanToo First Matt, then Bob.
HighEliteMajor
5416 posts
@Ralster I'm a big 3-4 fan, but it puts huge pressure on your OLBs. Houston is a stud. But the other side has been horribly weak. It also creates more pressure on your DTs at the point of attack, particularly when one side is compromised. Also, in the 4-3, it's a little easier to walk a safety up than a 3-4 as well , and I think Berry handled that really well (in the 3-4) because he was so good. With a weaker safety, it's some big recovery (or you don't chance walking them up in the first plance), which compromises the run. Ugh.
What ya call a guy with no arms and no legs? Or the same guy in the ocean?
(Just taking a break)
I heard the same thing, secret sources. We all know the ruling is coming at any minute.
Sources say that today is the day, and a decision could be coming at any minute.
@Ralster Meanwhile, Bob Sutton is still the D coordinator. That would be a nice change if it were to happen.
@JayHawkFanToo What's interesting, look at Zobrist's stats ... Merrifield I think was better. I definitely wanted to sign Zobrist instead. Moore got sentimental.
@Kcmatt7 Definitely agree with you. Good third basemen translate great to first. History of the game tells us that.
@mayjay Cuthbert or Dozier. Which contract do you think is a stretch? Of course, we could just keep Moose at third. I'd love to re-sign him.
@JayHawkFanToo Unfortunately, I don't think he's marketable at all. We would have to pick up most of his yearly salary. I could see a team taking him and pay $2 million per year of the salary with upward contingencies, but the guy was horrible. Would you trade for him and want to pay him anything?
@KUSTEVE Sorry, no deal. Free ... your ... mind.
@mayjay Let's assume you can't have both. You would agree that from a cost benefit analysis, at first base, if you could have Moose for say 4 years, $70 million vs. Hosmer at 7 years, $140+ that has been discussed, Moose is a better choice (assuming he'd move to first and say play at a middle of the pack level of competence at first)?
@KUSTEVE You are clearly trying to create personal conflict when there is none. Perhaps you have a difficult time when your thought process is challenged. Perhaps you view yourself as the pristine defender of KU basketball and Bill Self. Perhaps you just have an issue with me. All of which is fine. But whatever it is, it just comes off as petty -- particularly when your reply is for no other purpose that to create confrontation.
I am interested, if you actually have facts ... point out to me where I have run down the team or the coach. I understand that I won't fit your little tunnel of acceptability, but I am open to understanding if I've acted irrationally.
@Kcmatt7 -- "Alex was great for KC, and as far as I’m concerned he should go in the Chiefs HOF. But it is time to hand the reigns over."
Completely agree. I want more, and I'm willing to risk having less.
@Bosthawk - Good memory. Here is the link. /topic/5506
On national champions and defensive efficiency, here's a portion of that post from just before the tourney last season -
- Defensive Efficiency: If there is a big negative for KU’s chances of an NCAA title, it’s defensive efficiency. Kansas sits at 99th in defensive efficiency. Since Self has been the coach at KU, no team that has won the NCAA title has been worse than 74th. So we’re 25 spots away from that bottom-dweller position. Here is are the numbers for NCAA title winners for defensive efficiency, with Kansas shown for 2017.
-2004: UConn 6
-2005: UNC 19
-2006: Florida 19 (KU was 1)
-2007: Florida 16 (KU was 1)
-2008: Kansas 4
-2009: UNC 39
-2010: Duke 9
-2011: UConn 75
-2012: Kentucky 9
-2013: Louisville 3
-2014: UConn 19
-2015: Duke 63
-2016: Villanova 14
-2017: Kansas 99
- KenPom Defensive Efficiency: Using a different metric, KenPom’s efficiency ratings, the news doesn’t get any better. No NCAA title winner since 2004 has been worse than 21 in at the KenPom ratings regarding defensive efficiency. KU is now at 30.
-2004: UConn 5
-2005: UNC 7
-2006: Florida 7
-2007: Florida 15
-2008: Kansas 1
-2009: UNC 21
-2010: Duke 5
-2011: UConn 15
-2012: Kentucky 8
-2013: Louisville 1
-2014: UConn 10
-2015: Duke 12
-2016: Villanova 5
-2017: Kansas 30
@Ralster A couple of interesting bits of info that tell us what we need to know on Alex Smith. The two killers regarding Smith is that he can't throw into tight spaces, or won't. It happens every so often. below is stat that shows the separation between receiver and defender at the release of the football. Smith was way above the league average. The huge difference between KC and the next team is amazing. Second, got to @kent_swanson on twitter. I saw a video he posted about Smith's panic on the 3rd and 9 play. Smith just panics, leaves the pocket for now reason, and doesn't even try to reestablish his position in the pocket. He looks down at the ground, and flat panics. No real pressure. I'm done with that. Go to @RealMNchiefsfan. He breaks down multiple plays.
Alex Smith had a top 5 defense here a few years ago. He couldn't get to a Super Bowl. I hope it's over. I am willing to gamble that Mahomes is a bust, and risk multiple bad seasons. Smith has proven his playoff value, or lack thereof. It's not all his fault. But this last loss was the final straw for me. Mahomes made three throws vs. Denver that Smith can only dream about. It's why we drafted the guy.
This could be different. Lots of buzz. Decision coming any minute.
@KUSTEVE I'm curious, why do you think the goal was to win exerting as little effort as possible?
I just don't think the evidence adds up here. Graham played 38 minutes, Doke 35, Svi 36, and Vick 36. If exerting as little effort was the goal, then cult hero Mitch Slap would have played more than 5 measly minutes (and the kid had a great block in his short time in the game). And Sam would have surely played more than 2 minutes (how did everyone enjoy the quick hook after the stupid foul -- but Self got him back in pretty quickly).
Help me understand.
But I do think your premise is incorrect. I do not think for one minute that "amping" is a correct or reasonable consideration in games that really means something. And I think it's really a major stretch in our first home game after a loss, with two home losses already under our belts, with a dogfight of a Big 12 race and NCAA seeding in the balance. This game was no gimme regardless.
So I think the evidence adds up to the contrary.
But theories are theories.
@JayHawkFanToo Baby steps. I'll continue to take "more" efficient as we move forward.
@BShark What was Petro's take?
And by the way, sorry, I'm hearing that the decision on our benched duo is coming now any minute.
That’s the guy we gotta have. I love the fact that Self started him the second half. His energy level was really terrifIc.
@drgnslayr This is what I've called OAD drama. The Preston drama is sickening. I rather I never heard of him. That's different than the Wiggins drama. Good kid, lots of national distractions. Kind of the same as Cliff. A bit like Diallo. JJ, though, was about perfect, but for the car/female issue (which is a bit different). Of course, non-OADs can have the same stuff go on. But the difference is that we expect immediate impact from presumed OADs, and their impact is presumed to be great, and lost games come in the player's only season.
As mentioned, I wish I'd never heard of Preston. If he helps us to a national title, my opinion will have been changed. I'll happily be excited for him to play nonetheless prior to March. I very much enjoyed the perfect OAD (JJ), but that seems the exception.
@nuleafjhawk ... and, as composed, they are capable of winning 6 in a row come March.
@benshawks08 I just heard that it is any minute now.
You never know .. could be as simple as girlfriend problems. I would wonder why an injury would not have been discussed by Self as he mentioned Doke's back and Newman's foot (though I think this was really a bit of cover for the lineup change to Garrett). But they are selectively close to the vest on that stuff.
I am not concerned about Vick from a performance or ability standpoint. He seemed more into things last game, and really, I'd bet on 20 tonight.
@chriz You said, "But what if he has been this whole time and the price has been paid? I would think that’s the likelihood and that he’s MORE than paid his time. The only reason he’s not playing now is the NCAA dragging their feet."
I understand the sentiment.
But look at this way. If there are 10 donuts lined up. They all look really good. But you know one is poison and will kill you. And two others will make you throw up, do you take the chance and just grab one and eat it? Sure, you have 70% odds of being right, but the risk/reward isn't there.
Couple that with the fact that Self and KU have the info. And they are not willing to risk it now. Meaning they know more about the donuts than you would in the scenario I'm suggesting.
But we all get your frustration. It's months of this baloney.
@BShark - "Newman going off would be huge"
Is there anything really more tied to the success of this team, other than the .. uh .. saga .., than Newman getting it going?
Every day is the day, if it is not not the day.
It appears that a decision is coming at any minute.
I just heard there will be news tomorrow. Can’t give you my source.
A decision is coming any minute.
@JayHawkFanToo Come on, teams opt out of recruiting players all the time. "No teams" is wild and unfounded speculation. You don't know whether teams would pass on Preston. Coaches avoid players that aren't a fit. Beilein avoids OADs. Izzo is selective and is famous for finding guys that fit. You don't know what they knew or didn't know.
@BeddieKU23 Careful ... you said Self is responsible.
We know Self's approach, which is to just get the facts on the table. I recalled him being irritated in the Cliff situation -- found this quote: “The bottom line is, I just wish everybody would get together, talk it out,” Self said, “If there’s a problem, deal with the problem, but don’t run from it.”
@JayHawkFanToo I'm not one that thinks that the NCAA has something against Kansas. I'm one that thinks we have brought on our own problems. Don't compare this to an obscure school. Compare what we have dealt with, with other power 5 schools. These situations have been created by the players we have brought in. The term "players" includes family of players.
@approxinfinity And the two big free throws — he hasn’t been shooting well from the line but hit those. When you watch him play, he’s a Self type guy.
And we should have decisions any minute on on our MIA bigs ... any minute. Should be ready to go by WVU.
@Texas-Hawk-10 I don’t expect it. TRob’s block rate was .037, Marcus .018, Traylor .059, for example. However, I think Mitch is a more skilled blocker than all three. Hope you’re right.
@REHawk My only issue raised with Mitch is that he is not yet a good player relative to CBB, and would just not be playing if Self’s intended plan were to have come to pass. He had Whitman and Preston lined up. Even Coleby. I made a pretty strong case that we need four year guys like Mitch, and felt his
greatest value would be in his JR and SR
seasons, preferably after a redshirt.
You can’t replicate game experience for development.
We have to be measured, though. Mitch’s prior two games (TX & TT) were pretty bad. He really did nothing and
couldn’t find a rebound. If he can have
games like this one out of every three,
he is well worth playing — but we have
little choice either way. It was fun watching him last night.
But this game changes nothing regarding Mitch, his role, or reasonable expectations. Or that we’d be better playjng better players than Mitch right now, just like Self intended.
The Mitch cheering section was oddly silent after the TX and TT games. Truthfully, he’s a developing player that we should all just be patient with. I think we’ll all be very happy with the product.
The redshirt idea for Mitch, or anyone, is based on opportunity. This year of course it would have made no sense. If we had Preston, Maxwell, Coleby, and Whitman (or three of them with Doke), it would have made great sense.
If we have four players in front of him, then it seems like a perfect situation.
All depends on where he sits in Bill Self's eyes related to playing time.
@cragarhawk Ah, you’re having late game nightmares flashing back to the 2013 Michigan game, where on two final possessions (end of game and OT), Self did not shine.
@StLJhawk Good observations on Sam. He’s just a bit stiff laterally is all I think. Not BG stiff, though. Newman did appear to be working hard early on the defensive end. His box score is puzzling. 15 minutes, 4 fouls, a turnover and nothing much else. We need Newman to get going, but I do wonder if Sam will end up the better option.
DG is channeling some Frank, getting to the line. This is the new and improved DG. This is a team finding what works best (at the direction of the coach).
@Kubie .. Withey’s block rate through his first 1.5 seasons was .120 per minute played, 25 blocks/207 minutes. Embiid was .111 in his one season, 72/647.
Mitch’s just a touch higher than Withey and a good bit higher than Embiid, at .121, 39/120.
Blocking without fouling is a significant skill, and some are more naturally inclined. This is impressive.
Obviously his rate will decrease at the 4 but it’s something major in his toolbox.
Obviously the awesomeness is not for Chiefs fans. Ugh
Day after reaction. 1) Smith is a good QB. He’s safe. And had a very good year but in his beat year ever, here we are. I am ready to gamble and chance it. Let’s go with the kid. 2) The call stopping play on the Derrick Johnson sack was horrible. But something tells me Tennessee wins anyway, even if they don’t get the field goal there. They would have kicked their extra points instead of the two missed 2 Pt conversation attempts assuming the game plays out the same way. We were on our heels all second half. 3) More than anything, I want Marcus Peters gone. Get whatever we can and be done with that punk. Rarely is there an athlete I flat despise so much that I don’t care if losing him cost us wins. He’s it. 4) How do we get outcoached so thoroughly?
@jaybate-1-0 — Michel de Jaybatstradamus. And Zero turnovers. Zero. Breakout game indeed.
”We couldn’t have won the game without Mitch,” Self said.
Texas-Hawk-10 You are exactly right. Ali was the first loudmouth, really. But I think there was a gap there. Ali was kind like this unique, special, one of a kind loudmouth. While it is clear the that elements of the American black culture has been the major catalyst for this deterioration in sportsmanship, humility, and civility on the athletic fields and arenas, a significant player was Ric Flair. There was a large gap between Ali and what we saw in the 90s. If you saw the 30 for 30, they quoted the hip hop industry and Snoop Dog as seeing Flair as somewhat of a hero. Of course, that wasn't real sports. But here are some interesting links on the topics.
https://theundefeated.com/features/ric-flair-and-black-fandom-in-wrestling/ ↗
http://www.complex.com/sports/how-legendary-ric-flair-became-hip-hops-favorite-wrestler ↗
A Snoop Dog quote from the first article, with Flair first linking Ali and Flair -
“I mean, why did people like Ali?” Flair asks in the documentary. “No one has marketed themselves in boxing like Ali.” Moments later, rapper Snoop Dogg appears on the screen and explains how Flair pulled from and was an inspiration of the early roots of hip-hop and black culture. “As a kid growing up watching Ric Flair, he was very inspirational to myself and a lot of other hip-hop artists because he represented what we wanted to be,” Snoop Dogg said. “We wanted to be Ric Flair; we wanted to be flamboyant and the ‘kiss-stealin, wheelin-and-dealin,’ we wanted to be all of that. He was a part of our culture and our life. That’s why we love him and we cherish him. We’ve always held him high in the black community, because Ric is one of us.”
When I mention "elements of American black culture", the KU dichotomy is the clearest example -- Chris Harris and Aqib Talib. Harris is an amazing guy. Talib is a thug. The latter is the type of garbage that has undeniably been glorified in elements of the black community, led by the hip-hop industry.
@mayjay I am sorry, did you say something?
I’m not sure with this team we will ever feel completely confident. But we could do exactly what we did at Texas. This team can beat any team in the country in any environment. The floor is just lower and we see big swings.
@drgnslayr It's who can be the loudest bigmouth. It's just part of our overall cultural decline. It's chest pounding, screaming, "look at me" garbage that has spread like a cancer since it began back in the 90s. Now we see these idiots pounding their chests and screaming because they make a routine tackle. It's a joke. And it's proliferated with the disease that is social media.
@Fightsongwriter I do lack confidence right now in Newman with the ball. I bet most everyone does. Driving and taking a bad shot that gets blocked, when an open player is waiting for the dish isn’t a turnover. But we lose a possession. He does seem surprisingly shaky with the ball. Choking on the press, where the turnover leads to an easy basket. Like the combo guard that ain’t totally a combo — meaning the PG part is lacking.
With Newman, it’s all made worse by his ranking and our expectations of having a potential conference player of the year, or something just short of that.
For me. I don’t see him contributing greatly to team success on the court yet. But man, we need him to flip the switch. As critical as anything right now.
@KUSTEVE You’re proudly a blue pill guy. That’s cool.
@KUSTEVE Why act like that? Just kidding around.
Lightfoot is actually our turnover machine. He turns it over 4.0 times per 40 minutes played, with limited touches. DG, the point guard, is a 3.0. Malik is next at 2.4.
Frank was 2.6 at the PG, JJ 3.6 last season.
@KUSTEVE Really? Even if they lose you’ll still be a KU fan? You won’t just abandon them? I really admire you. The rest of us are out of here if they lose.