🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@Texas-Hawk-10 @DoubleDD I am late getting back to this. It is a good point made regarding the offensive line. Power blocking is different than finesse blocking. What I mean is that if you have a lighter offensive line -- meaning you don't have the run blocking "road graters" as they are referred to -- you get your offensive line mobile to block. You pull, you trap, you cross, you get the smaller guys doing something other than power blocking. Pass blocking is much different than run blocking (which is a different topic that power vs. finesse, but is linked because power running is usually best with bigger o-lines). Different skill set. Different footwork. But if .. and I say "if" ... you have size issues, you can scheme your runs in a way to capitalize on the attributes of your line.

We may actually be one player away. The stud quarterback. But we haven't had one since Reesing, and if we get one, then we're just an injury away from having none. Beatty hasn't landed one. I have no hope there.

You did not suggest a reason why going with an offense that 95% of teams don't run wouldn't be advantageous. It's because it is advantageous. Of course, against top teams it won't matter. But controlling the clock, keeping other offenses off the field, and making them prep for something they rarely see is a tried and true football formula.

There has to be some big Juco hack that we could plug in for 8-10 a game if this situation goes south. Somewhere. We could get him a car or something.

So, by consequence, when Self doesn't mention IQ regarding a recruit, we will assume the opposite perhaps.

@BShark I'm in the camp of those that think there is a non-zero chance. I recall Brandon Rush being a no doubt, for sure OAD. I'd say a 20% chance Newman is back. I also thought there was a 20% (or so) chance that Newman would turn pro after his redshirt year. You just never know. It's worth some consideration, just not a lot -- no doubt he's highly, highly likely to be gone.

But he doesn't look like a pro to me.

With Preston, I don't recall there being "financial questions" regarding another player's vehicle in the Bill Self era at least. Certainly not missing a game. Following missing a game for missing curfew and missing class. I agree with @REHawk. Actually show up and play, since that is what you are getting compensated for (full scholarship, etc).

Harsh, harsh reality. This team could lose in the first round. Awesome, awesome reality. This team could win the national championship. This is a team that will have more ups and downs I think. I'd mentioned that a few weeks ago. It will be an interesting ride. But make not mistake, regardless of early observations based on a poor shooting night (and a long athletic opponent), we are a national championship contender. A very serious one. As mentioned by others above, add Preston and De Sousa? Good grief.

A little time to gel, please.

Here's Lunardi's less than positive take:

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/21417598/what-duke-blue-devils-kansas-jayhawks-michigan-state-spartans-kentucky-wildcats-look-come-march ↗

We hit two more threes are we really worried? UK is top 10 good. Better to win ugly than not win and still be ugly. Don't fret. Don't stew.

@Texas-Hawk-10 We don't have one QB capable of running the air raid crap, nor do we have the skill players to execute at other spots. It is much easier to stock the players for a more ground based attack. You don't need as many talented skill guys on offense.

@FarmerJayhawk Who'd you ask?

@jayballer54 The powerful Big 12 flexing its early season muscle.

Medcalf is a race-baiting chump. Clueless. Yes.

How in the world does anyone outside of Lexinton have Rupp as a better venue than AFH or Cameron? That's just devoid of clue.

@StLJhawk Thanks for the graphic ... maybe south of the ink hole then?

@BShark Why do you think Cunliffe is a non-factor? Just because he appears to be pretty weak right now? I do get that. But he's a body that will be in Self's system for nearly two years come Oct/2018. How about he's a "consideration." That might be better until proven otherwise.

On Newman, don't be so sure he's gone. We know odd things have happened. Players we think are leaving, don't. What if Newman isn't showing up on GM's draft sheets as highly as desired? I agree, it is very likely he's gone. But I'd would say that is over 70%. There's still a reasonable window there.

Just playing a little "what if" here.

We're going to get Grimes, I think. But stranger things have happened. No doubt there.

@justanotherfan So, do you expect improvement then in 2018? Year four? You thus must believe that Beaty will provide us say four wins next season? Four wins in year four? I just don't see the foundation being there in year three.

I acknowledge that you make very good points. I was there about late September.

But the real question is "do we have the right coach?" Otherwise, we'll be in the same spot this time next year, and year behind another attempted rebuild. What evidence can you show me that we have the right coach? I've changed on that. I see flailing.

The reality is, in my opinion, as pathetic as we are, we should scrap the "air raid" BS that everyone does, and shift non-conventional (which is away from what everyone else does). For example, Georgia Tech and Navy running variations of the option, flexbone, etc. We are in a position where we need scheme to favor us, and put pressure on the other teams' preparation. It is also much easier to adapt lesser players to this sort of offensive system. We're desperate.

So you're Grimes. You see that Vick might return. Newman could stay. Garrett started. Cunliffe in the wings. Langford has KU in final three with one non-basketball school (Vandy).

Self made a special trip to see him.

I've said this before in other situations- Do we guarantee Grimes that we won't take Langford if Vick or Newman stays? Logically, that is the only apparent hold up.

If Vick or Newman stayed, there is a chance Grimes could be #5 on the wing of Langford picks KU in the spring.

Ok, if he picks KU, he's awesome, well grounded, wise beyond his years, a team player, up for any challenge, and everything good in the world. If he picks Texas, he's a fool, afraid of competition, not interested in improving, selfish, being paid by Nike, weak minded, and generally everything horrible about CBB and recruiting.

Amazing what one decision will tell us ( not necessarily "us" on this site, but in many corners of Jayhawks nation). Or so it always seems.

@JayHawkFanToo Where is the rear end on a squid? North of the ink hole?

Let's hope Shaka doesn't pull a shaka. If he does, they might finish .500 in the Big 12.

If it weren't for Bill Self and the belief in his character, I'd actually be surprised if payoffs didn't happen regarding Kansas, on that dusty, sweaty continent.

Kentucky started five freshmen yesterday, did I read that right?

There is no way that we should lose this game. No way.

@wrwlumpy My wife walked by as I was scrolling and said, "Enjoying yourself? -- right as I was at the cheerleaders' pictures.

@JayHawkFanToo Completely agree.

Ah, looks like various sensitivities have been aroused, not matter how irrational.

I've never thrown like a girl. Thankfully.

We make it three straight against UK. 81-75.

@BShark I'm a bit torn on whether he stays 4/1. Obviously if Preston gets going, that might change things. But having that change-up off the bench is great, too -- either way. I recall @jaybate-1-0 mentioning that with a thin front court, maybe 4/1 is best so as not to put our two main bigs at risk foul wise, together. Here's the nice thing - we have a coach who has created a fast, attack oriented 4/1 offense AND who is the master of the 3/2 hi/lo. We're clearly spending more time on the 4/1 stuff. But I tend to think that we're adaptable. If we catch a team that we need to exploit inside, I think our 4/1 can do that quite easily. How much trouble did teams have stopping ISU inside when they were all spread out? And we've shown we can do it. If needed, we can go 3/2 (which I still think Self would prefer).

Also wanted to point out that Newman apparently gave Garrett some encouragement last night, telling him "not to overthink it, just go relax and play." Nice to hear.

Self was talking about playing faster and the guys delivered. This is obviously a very fast team, and we can run teams out of the gym. Garrett is a guy that is going to chop wood. Nice, consistent effort. Does things that are easily repeatable. He gets boards because he gives the effort and he is fundamental in his approach. And while I agree that @JayHawkFanToo said he'd be the steal of the class, someone is going to have clue me in on the meaning of that odd emoji. Is that a cat with a surprised expression? I need help.

1. Doke the Debounder - @jaybate-1-0's new term (my auto correct kept changing to debunker) will be coach-speak in a few years. 6? six? IV? IIIIII? No matter how you say it, that's low, as @KUSTEVE mentioned above. A guy that big should just walk into 10 a night. He had 12 in the Duke game last season, but never more than 7. Interesting to watch. He had a great multi-pivot move midway through the first half, and seems natural with the ball in his hands, but to really run those points up, he needs some east O-boards and put-backs. Only had two O-boards last night.

2. Billy the Bonehead - Immaturity ebbs and flows. But being a bonehead lasts a lifetime. Hard for us to fathom a guy in Preston's spot missing a class and missing curfew with this much in front of him. Is it immaturity, or is it boneheadedness? Only one condition can really improve.

3. Graham the Leader - Graham is not Mason. One game told us that. You can look back at Mason from last season and you won't see a line like that -- Mason never had double digit assists. Mason was a scorer first. Great team player, too. The best. Can't hold anyone to that lofty standard. But Graham demonstrated a big, big thing in my mind last night -- he's a point guard. He did not press and try to score, to prove he's the man. He was confident in his own skin, dishing so other's benefitted. I was worried a bit about that. That demonstrated great leadership and a temperament that will greatly benefit this team. Don't know if everyone saw what he said to Garrett before the game, "stay calm and live in the moment." Great advice.

4. Vick the Alpha Dog - I don't see much deferring here. And in his spot, that's exactly what we need. He's a high flier, looks like his shot is continuing to improve, and he seems to hustle and work hard. I recall us being hot and heavy after Tevin Mack, I think. We got Vick and I think some were thinking he was a consolation prize An "either/or" deal. Am I recalling that correctly? Anyway, I'm glad it worked out this way.

5. Newman the Enigma - Not stated as a negative, just demonstrating my ignorance of his game. I just don't know what he is, or what he will be. He doesn't seem to bounce out to me on the court. He is fast with the ball. I guess I say 'enigma" because we'll need some time to fully grasp his game. I like how he gets to the rim in the open court. Does not strike me as a deliverer of the ball. Although he was 2-4 from 3, seems like a 36%er from behind the arc. Will he be ok if he's not starting?

Lucas played like Lucas that game. If we had a better player in the middle than Lucas, sure, we might have won. If Doke would have been there for that game, it might have been totally different. But Lucas didn't underperform vs. Oregon. That's how I look at it. So I'd have to agree with @Texas-Hawk-10 -- Lucas didn't lose us that game. Our go-to guy this season was our biggest underperformer (DG). Other issues too. But today's our opener. A new day before us.

3rd scorer? No doubt in my mind it's Doke.

As much as I like Garrett, I really, really like the ball going in the hoop. So there's a balance there. Talking about shots not going down, remember the epic rim outs that Ellis had his freshman season? Finally broke out vs. ISU in the Big 12 tourney. Mason made us cringe. I remember him just driving straight into players near the rim (at Florida is a big recollection there). It would not be surprising to me if Garrett was just weak most of the season offensively. One of the those guys that if we get some decent offense, we're just fat and happy.

D. --- I incorporate all prior arguments and discussions.

The article we don't want to see ... "Grimes to wait until spring to decide"

All excellent comments and observations. We need our full compliment of 8 players. I think all get major PT, with Mitch being the guy who might be in 10-12 and the 5th perimeter guy might range that low. Could be game to game.

Newman is fine. Just a streaky player. I don't know enough about him yet to have any worry. He was good in Italy I thought, as @Crimsonorblue22 mentioned. He's just seems streaky. It's good to have guys like that. EJ was like that. One game he'll be our high scorer. The next, he might score 5 and not contribute a lot. Looks like his freshman season was much the same. That's probably the type of player he is. But we can handle that.

I think Svi is not much different than last season. Complimentary. An impression is that he's underwhelmed with the three ball after all the talk of him being the best shooter in practice for years. But he has shot 40% the last two seasons. 40%. That's good. I won't fall in the trap of assuming Garrett really vaults these guys -- I don't think anyone is assuming that. But I don't think Self will be shy about playing the lineup he thinks is best, regardless of Newman being the big time transfer, or Svi being a senior -- he never has been hesitant. Garrett is just very easy to be comfortable having on the court.

Much like the Duke game during Mason freshman season gave us some good insight into Self's thoughts on Mason, the UK game might be the same for Garrett.

Svi was bad defensively, as @BShark mentioned. It was pretty stark. We know Bill Self, don't we? That's why this Garrett thing has me so intrigued. It is very hard not to love defense. And when Self gets t'eed off at the team, he'll go with the defense. When Svi makes his shots, all is right in the world. Some matador stuff becomes less important. But when he's 0-5 at the 15 minute mark in the 2nd half, I bet he's done for the night with what we have.

We should just be very excited about this perimeter. We just came off a season with Mason and JJ, and now we get this? It's unreal, really. I said we had the best perimeter in the game last year. This season? Maybe. Vick and Graham should give us offense every night, and solid performances. They're our solid top two on the perimeter.

Billy Preston might be the real X factor. Needed post presence to bolster Doke. Preston needs to do what the coach says. Go full boar, full effort, kick a** mode. Sometimes that's hard to create, when the player hasn't ever had to do that. In the end, that may define our season.

And can I say, can we all say, Self has transformed into an offensive coach? Not a lot of complaining anymore from this poster. Self has evolved. He's adapted. No rigid dogma now. Ah, for the good ole days.

Personally, I think you saw Self's preferred lineup to start the second half - Graham, Vick, Garrett, Preston, Doke. That's what I think he sees as our best lineup. We've seen that before some, when he goes with a lineup out of the locker room.

Marcus Garrett over Newman and Svi? Watch the first two minutes of the second half. Garrett starts the half with a disruption steal where the ball intended for his man goes out of bounds, then in the third possession, gets another steal by intercepting the pass from his man. He also gets a sweet defensive rebound with a textbook block out (which @drgnslayr would love). Then he converts an assist off an inbound look for an easy hoop. Two minutes, four distinct actions by Garrett that win coach's (especially Self's) affection.

I think we should watch this very closely. Preston gives us two bigs, and regardless of all of this 4 out/1 in stuff, we know Self prefers going conventional. We also played markedly better as a team in this stretch. Self may start Newman and Svi, but the way the PT develops will be very interesting. Garrett played 23 minutes to Newman's 22 and Svi's 24.

Garrett's the kind of guy that chops wood for you. His contributions are dead consistent. His defense is very solid.

And the beauty of this is that we can play with two bigs and we can play with four guards -- not a simplistic, thrown together four out/one in deal that was so horrible in 2014-15. Self has got this mastered.

I suspect this team will lose some head scratchers. But if we can avoid an injury to Doke and Preston, so Trayl ... er, Lightfoot can remain in the role of 3rd big, I think we trend strongly heading into March.

@HawkChamp Thanks for the reminder there ... the biggest difference in my mind is in the post. This season we have Doke, who Self was starting over Lucas. If you want some idea of value, that's a pretty good guide. We also have Preston over Bragg -- and Bragg was diminishing to the point he didn't play vs Oregon. While we don't have Mason/JJ, we do have a team that may be built a bit better for March. Not sure who would win head to head, but I'm such a Frank Mason fan it's hard for me to be impartial.

@jaybate-1-0 You are directly on point. I think that the ball going in the hole masks other deficiencies. Self sees Newman and Svi, I believe, as lacking in other areas. If they aren't scoring, then they have diminished utility. We've seen that with Svi. It's why Vick is a better player. I love the "debounding" thing. You need a trademark. Rebounding under expectations. Doke should just dominate.

The desire to minimize the Border War is interesting. Tickets sold out almost immediately. So I'm not sure WSU would have sold theirs out faster than MU. KCTV said MU sold theirs out in 2 minutes. KC Star said 16 minutes. Whatever. Really almost immediately.

What's interesting is the arguments that WSU would sell out (on both ends), I guess, would mean in this alternative reality of logic that we shouldn't play WSU? That there is no interest in playing WSU?

Let's play WSU. Every year. Home and Home. I can do without the University of Texas El Chapo, or whatever.

@DanR Isn't your comment applicable to all threads? Makes me wonder ...

Here's a guy who says he's used substances since he was in 7th grade, made his way to the pros, and it all caught up with him (@jaybate-1-0 ). No mental illness, depression, etc. was noted. (@justanotherfan).

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21318161/josh-gordon-cleveland-browns-admits-use-drugs-alcohol-every-game ↗

What WILL we do??? Could we actually play MU … again? NBC's first bracket above creates a disturbing possibility. A Baker's dozen of questions that are racing through my mind:

1) If we played MU in the second round, would that "do anything for us?"

2) Could we get the NCAA to change the bracket because MU is just trash to the east?

3) Can we opt for the NIT instead, claiming an obscure morality clause in the University by-laws?

4) Any possibility that adidas would pay off MU's bus driver so they head the opposite direction, and miss the start of the game?

5) Would the NCAA "do us a solid" (street lingo there) and "engineer" the outcomes so we didn't have to play mean old MU?

6) Would Bill Self commandeer the embarrassing Civil War uniforms from our flag football team to inspire violent protests against MU because MU has the audacity to still have soil in their state where slaves worked?

7) On that theme, could we demand reparations from MU for their inhumanity?

8) Might we petition to play Davidson, or Utah, or Georgia instead, citing precedent?

9) If the chancellor declared a "Day of Prayer" to seek the Lord's help on behalf of the Badgers, would the aethist MU-phobes break down and say, "What the he**, it can't hurt"?

10) Would it be wrong to engage Andrew Wiggins to begin a conversation now, with Michael Porter, about saving himself for the NBA?

11) If Bill Self is clucking and lurching around AFH, mentally unable to coach, can we get some sort of relief there?

12) Is there a "hurt feelings" exception in the NCAA rules that we could invoke?

13) If we threw the first round game on purpose, would the increasingly minuscule group of anus pained anti-Border War KU fans that are still in existence explain that such actions were "in KU's best interests"?

Don't be mad. I'm just curious. That's all. Truly, no malice.

You lost me.

@BShark I'm buyin' what you're sellin'.

@wissox The only reason I thought '03 because I was at both games where Simien hurt his shoulder -- one vs. UMKC and then late vs. Texas A&M. There was just a feeling after the Texas A&M game that the season was done with Simien gone -- which helped make Jeff Graves one of my favorite Jayhawks. Hated losing the NC game, and we should have won.

Hmmm … we used the "no pressure, no diamonds" phrase here. Remember? The point being that until you give players game action, where there is real pressure, they can't develop fully, thus compromising their ability to be fully ready for March (er, Diallo). You can't get the diamond without the pressure. Nice to see KU/Self adopting it.

@jayballer54 Gotta ask, and curious, why do you think Lightfoot has the "heart of a lion"?

Dotson, Grimes, McCormack, De Sousa -- one of Self's best classes, not a presumed OAD to be found. Just need Grimes to join the party.

@mayjay Point well taken. Can you imagine the rush for game worn unis?

@mayjay A sold out stadium is an awesome revenue source, agreed?

Curious, how does KU make $ off of dumb ""civil war" unis?

Now even more embarrassing that we are talking about stupid informs. I've said this in past years --- WIN. Then get giddy about the stupid uniforms. KSU just won at TT with their same old unis and helmet. Imagine that.

@BShark What seasons would you say are "special" w/o the NC? I could go with '91 and '93 based on expectations. Maybe '03 and '12 too.

@justanotherfan Ok … I'm not understanding how someone can see more evidence of something when no evidence of something exists. Could it be a mental health issue? Again, sure. But even in what you say the only real evidence is substance abuse. How many people looked happy and are happy?

@mayjay Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Makes sense though.

@justanotherfan I acknowledge it could very well be depression. However, when I talk about speculating on the biggest piece of the pie, I'm talking about using facts that we know. What information do you have at the moment that it is depression? There literally is none. Not to say that it might not be that, or that the speculation you suggest isn't reasonable. I'm just talking the items we know. We do know a bong was found in his room. We do have significant chatter on the pot use. We do have a decline in performance. We do know that Self cut him loose (or, uh .. he chose to leave).

We've heard no chatter about him being depressed, wanting to return to home, etc. I would speculate that a depressed individual might want to go closer to home (Ohio), not farther (ASU). On other hand, home might be the issue. We don't know.

The reality is, as someone else mentioned, the answer is probably a combo of things. At the moment, as you mentioned, we're guessing. My pie chart is just based on the bread crumbs we have so far.

Regardless, we can all hope he's ok and bounces back as good as ever.

@jaybate-1-0 This is really pretty easy. Think of it as a pie chart. When speculating on what is the reason for him taking a leave of absence, the biggest slice of pie on the chart is marijuana issues. It's the info that we have. It's much like investigating a crime. There may be additional info that flows our way. You ask, "Could pot dependence not be Bragg’s problem at all?" Of course. It could be something completely unrelated, as mentioned before. It could be a drug or drugs more significant. It's all speculation. The speculative conclusions, again, are based on the info at hand. The speculation that it is something else has no facts to support that conclusion at this moment.

Is it even disputed that folks that are potheads, alcoholics, addicted to meth, etc., as a group, are likely to have lower achievement that those that aren't?

@RockChalkRedlock There is a big difference between smoking (or drinking) and abuse/dependence. Your assumption is because it is not an issue for some, it might not be an issue for a few. Wildly simplistic. So Y'all need to chill on the irrelevant topic stuff.

@justanotherfan You know what's weird, I have complete faith that even if we lose any one player .. even Graham or Doke .. we still win 25. One reason. Bill Self. We stayed healthy in 2012 being shorthanded. I think we are pristine this season.