🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@approxinfinity I am just a contestant on your game show. It's your call. I am good either way and still on vacation!

@DoubleDD I remember the 150 we put up against Kentucky. That's all I can remember off the top of my head. I don't know if that's the most points we ever scored, but it was quite enjoyable. As far as who scored the most against us? I am not going to try to remember that one.

@drgnslayr I don't believe I have tried Retsina. I may work up my nerve to try it. In-laws laughed when I brought it up. I enjoy Tsipouro with my beer. It is very good when it is served cold. I have to agree with you the Islands are a sight to see. Will definitely go to Crete before this year's trip is over.

@HighEliteMajor Enjoy yourself!

@drgnslayr Eimai Kala. Araxos is just a reference point. It's the small airport that I flew into this time. Kyllini Beach was the destination. I also plan to visit Olympia. I am definitely still in Greece. At least another 4 weeks. Not sure where else I am going to at this point. Always seems to be a celebration going on somewhere. Ya sou! (Spouse is 100% Greek).

@HighEliteMajor Close your eyes. Think deep relaxing thoughts.... That's what I am doing right now. Having the time of my life on vacation. It's going to be alright. Coach Self is my main man! In Self I trust. Gotta go, back to the cold ones! It's basketball. There are no ties. Every game has a winner and a loser. We have won games we should have lost, and we have lost games we should have won. That's what makes it fun, the unknown! I do appreciate your passion. Looking forward to next years journey!!

@HighEliteMajor Too funny! They do feel the World Cup is theirs for the taking. You better believe Coach Self is my favorite Coach. No doubt about that! Thanks!!

@jaybate 1.0 You better believe it! Thanks! Having a wonderful time. Water is very clear and surprisingly warm.

@jaybate 1.0 Hello my friend. Greetings from somewhere near Araxos, Greece. Having a great time watching World Cup Soccer (futbol)! Was in Germany for the USA vs Germany Game. Most Germans were extremely overconfident. Will go to the main square downtown and watch the game near Araxos. Television screens are everywhere outside. Should be a great time. This is how I decompress after the season. I travel, take in the sites, and reflect on life.

I think Coach Self is a top 3 Coach! He is my favorite Coach and he runs a top notch program. Go Jayhawks!!!!

@HighEliteMajor Could it be an old soccer or volleyball injury?

Lead guard: A guard that will demand the ball in times of crisis. A guard that will bail out teammates with a timely pass, rebound, put-back, or KUBucket in the lane or from deep while demonstrating confidence and composure. The best two examples of that, were Collins and Chalmers playing together. The 39 Elijah dropped on ISU is another example. Tharpe's problem was, he played this way about 25% of the time. That just will not get it done.

I think Greene will play this year. With AWIII it appears to be case of buyers remorse. Have no idea why? I thought he was an excellent player.

@JayhawkRock78 Thanks, that was a hard game to watch. One of the best Jayhawk teams ever assembled. A shame they didn't win it all that year.

@JayhawkRock78 The Duke game in Dallas in 1986 is one of the worst officiated games ever!!!! It is posted on YouTube, if you have never seen it. You can also find the box score online. I cannot fault any Jayhawks for that game, we were robbed.

@Crimsonorblue22 Always!! That's me. Positives seem to outweigh the negatives with our basketball program. Thanks!

Players like Cliff Alexander, give teammates confidence. Kind of makes them stick their chest out a little bit. Makes jump shooters less hesitant. Creates more opportunities for other big men due to double teams. He is not laid back. He is an impact player 24/7. Exactly what we need!

Had McCants said something while it was going on, then I would believe him. In my opinion, his career did not go like he expected, and now he is trying to bring a program down with him. I cannot respect that. Robert Smith, a Running Back at Ohio State many years ago, complained that he was missing too much school due to the practice schedule. He was still in school, when he made that statement. McCants should be ashamed. I don't think he will turn in his NCAA Championship Ring out of guilt?

@ralster You nailed it. Merely pointing out that he is an asset to this team. Remember, TRob had a great year 3, and then he was gone.

Wayne's bounce is back after surgery. That's positive news!!! The more I read this thread, the more I am starting to think Perry Ellis should transfer. Year 3 in Coach Self's system, he will be just fine. Looking forward to another great season from the Kansas Jayhawks!

@Wigs2 The only real backup on your list was Owens. All the others started at one time or another in the NFL. I am pretty sure Owen got a start or two as well. Thanks for an enjoyable read. Takes me back to the good ole days!

Tharpe can do whatever he wants. It's his life. It does not matter what you may or may not have missed. I respect the young man's right to say and do as he wishes. If he said he wanted to transfer closer to home because of his daughter, then maybe that's what he was feeling at the time. It's his life, and I wish him well as he transitions into adulthood. Does it really make you feel better to poke holes in his story?

@HighEliteMajor Should Tharpe decide to play basketball overseas, his daughter could very well travel with him. That may bring him closer to her and pay the bills. It's his life and I wish him the best.

Embiid, a potential number one overall pick got hurt. He was a game changer. I think we could have beat Stanford with him. Who knows what would have happened? It didn't, and life goes on. It's a high paced, stressful, and exciting game. Part of the fun is the fact that we could lose. That's what makes it interesting. I love winning, but nothing is going to change the facts after the final buzzer. My disappointment last about two weeks max.

D-1 Basketball is big boy basketball. It's not the end of the world when someone ask to or is asked to transfer. Other than sitting out for one year, in most cases it's best or all parties concerned. Coach Self had an excellent chance for a title last season. Team chemistry was starting to develop. We had an eraser (Embiid) to clean up defensive lapses and then he got hurt. Season was toast from that point, and the effort to win was made. I applaud our team. Had they been healthy, who knows.

Obviously Coach Self was not pleased, so changes have been made to improve this year's team. These changes will prove to be for the better. As a fan, I get upset when my team loses, but life goes on. I am sure the other 300+ D-1 Schools would like to win the whole thing year in and year out as well. It is after all competition. In reality 12 players have a realistic chance to earn playing time. From that group, 8 will get significant playing time. The other 4 are there for practice, scrimmages, injuries, and blowouts. Whether a player will transfer or not is irrelevant due to the fact that Coach Self always has a Plan B and a Plan C. We win every year, top ten every year. That's good enough for me. We have been to the final game twice recently. I don't believe we will have 20 years between titles again.

The reality of recruiting is AWIII, and Landen Lucas are players that signed with Kansas on less than stellar recruiting years. As soon as the recruiting picks up, their usefulness to the program is for spirited practices, limited playing time, the possibility of a transfer, and not much more. We as fans, love the players, appreciate their efforts, and hate to see them go. I believe that when AWIII asked Coach Self where he stood, Coach Self told him the truth. Something along the lines of I love having you here, but if I can do better than you, I will. I cannot promise you anything other than practice time and an education.

Over the past two years, the bar to be one of the 'Great Eight" at Kansas, meaning you will get decent playing time, has been raised quite high. If you look at the top 8 players: Ellis, Oubre, Selden, and Alexander, that's four Mc Donald's All Americans. Conner Frankamp/Brannen Greene (Very well could have been a McDonald's All Americans. Traylor, spent the past 3 years, including one year as a red-shirt learning Coach Self's System, and Mickelson, transfer, with a year learning Coach Self's System. Combine that with two more elite recruits, and there just isn't any room for players such as AWIII and Landen Lucas to get substantial playing time, unless they blow the Coach's socks off and take it. AWIII made the right decision, after trying so hard for two years to earn playing time. It just was not coming. Better to transfer, and earn playing time elsewhere. I am sure he does not regret his decision to come to KU, but I don't think he thought it would end this way either. Landen Lucas on the other hand, took the red-shirt immediately and will eventually get playing time. Maybe not as much as he would like, but playing time nonetheless. He has had two years in Coach Self's system, and was only a Freshman last year.

That's life at KU, one minute Coach Self is scrambling for players, adding a player such as Kevin Young, the next minute he has more talent than he knows what to do with. I love all KU players, I just try not to fall in love with any of them. Because, well, you never know...

We just got a lot better! Competition at every position. Should be another great year. Outstanding recruiting class. Understandable that AWIII and Tharpe left. They were not going to play this year. The fat has been trimmed. We should be solid this year. Now if we can have a little luck come tournament time...

Who is Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk? A member of the Human Race.

Andrew White III got two years of practice time and experience as a member of the Kansas Jayhawks. He gave maximum effort and has nothing to feel bad about. He asked the coach where he stood and got an honest answer. He has decided to take his talents elsewhere and I applaud him for it. Andrew White III will find a new school and showcase his skills. This is the ebb and flow of recruiting. In some years he would have been a great fit, in others not so much. I wish him nothing but the best. This is further proof of how hard it is to get minutes at the University of Kansas at the current time.

@Crimsonorblue22 Without Embiid? Not very far. We really missed our dynamic rim protector. As far as zone defense and another coach? I will respectfully decline comment.

Question. How far would this year's KU Team have gone in the tourney with Napier instead of Tharpe?

@HighEliteMajor Kansas/Duke 1986 by far. I looked at the box score from that game the other day and I am still shaking my head. The worst officiated game I ever witnessed. Take a look at the box score if you get the chance.

Thanks to Naadir Tharpe and best wishes. Addition by subtraction as far as guard play goes. This should free up minutes for deserving players to get an opportunity to contribute. The cupboard is never bare at the University of Kansas!

Myles Turner appears happy with his choice. I am happy with our Jayhawks. We will have another fantastic season. Great time to be a Kansas Jayhawk. Great job recruiting Coach Self. Alexander and Oubre were great additions to an excellent team. I am very excited!

With age comes maturity. Thanks to everyone that shared memories of there youth. Mine was pretty much the same. I have no wishes to be young again.

@Hawk8086 On point! That's the beautiful thing about Kansas Basketball!

Another great day for Kansas! Always great to be considered. Best wishes to Myles Turner. He will be a fun player to watch next season. Lots of great programs to consider. Looks like it will be another exciting season of NCAA Basketball. Looking forward to supporting the Kansas Jayhawks!

Sad story all the way around. I feel bad for everyone. An 80+ year old man gets banned from a team he owns, for life. The message is clear. This type of behavior will not be tolerated. Adam Silver acted quickly and probably in the best interest of the league. I was impressed. Is it too late to rehabilitate an 80+ year old man? What happens to Sterling?

@truehawk93 Could not have said it any better, thanks!

@Crimsonorblue22 He would be a nice addition to a great program.

@icthawkfan316 Not directed at you. My opinion.

@HighEliteMajor Are you referring to my last post? That is not addressed to anyone? You appear to be upset by something? You said right before Wiggins made his decision to attend KU, that you did not want him. Please don't twist it now. You said it, own it. I don't have a problem, I have an opinion. Refusal to comprehend is laughable. I know exactly what I read, and I have the right to form my opinions and express them. I do not feel the need to twist your words. I feel the need to speak my mind. You know exactly where I am coming from. I don't understand the tone you appear to have taken? You mad bro?

To refer to 18 - 22 year olds as incompetent is not cool with me. These are young student athletes trying the best that they can. If I were a young man on this team, and a fan referred to me and/or my teammates as incompetent, which is pretty much an insult to their effort and intelligence, I would tell the fan that they were the incompetent one. Must be easy to sit back from the armchair and criticize this group of young men? I wonder what the players think of us?

@HighEliteMajor Coach Self has lost in March the same way that Coach K, Coach Donovan (4 straight Elite 8's, zero titles), Coach Izzo, Coach Calipari, Coach Williams, and numerous top level coaches have lost. The other team had more points at the end of the game. It is a game of will, skill, and luck. Coach Self fields an excellent team each and every year. As I have said before, the tournament format is flawed and not designed to determine the best team in Division I Basketball. It is a business designed to generate interest and revenue. It's big box office. Winning the NCAA Tournament feels great, losing it in this particular format is understandable.

In the past 10 years in your opinion, if it were a 32 team tournament, how many championships would Kansas have?

I do understand your frustration. I respect you right to have your opinion. I learn a lot from reading your thoughts and I am glad you take the time to express your opinions/concerns in this forum. I think you hold on to the losses too long. They hurt, they all hurt. We have a lot look forward to. I think Coach Self is back to recruiting aggressive players. Players that will kick your heart out!

@HighEliteMajor No need to spin it. You described their play using the words "so incompetent". I described your comments as "so disrespectful". No confusion. I am not falling back on missed shots. You said no one could make an argument for Coach Self? I disagree.

Incompetent? Green, young, nervous, inexperienced, etc..would better describe a team that replaced 5 starters. Incompetent? So disrespectful. I am proud of this young group. Who knows how far they could have gone with a lucky bounce or two and Embiid in the lineup. All of the sudden, defense gets a lot better.

@HighEliteMajor What is the easiest shot to make in the game of basketball? A layup or a dunk. Last I checked 2 missed bunnies would equal 4 points. We lost the game by 3 points. The game tying shot was in the air. Selden scored 2 points. Isn't he a starter and a 5 Star recruit. Perry Ellis scored 9 Points. Isn't he a starter and a 5 star recruit. Black had a great game with 18, but he fouled out with 5 minutes remaining in the game. Not much he could offer Coach Self in crunch time? Yet, you continue to focus on Wiggins and Self. This is a successful basketball team. A team that I support, good or bad, win or lose. To refer to my beloved Jayhawks as "so incompetent"? Really? No excuse for that. They are transitioning from boy to men. A process that I thoroughly enjoy watching. You say "Dawkins kicked Self's Ass". Again, 3 point game, tying shot in the air. Never saw a 3 point Ass Kicking.

No one is giving Coach Self a free pass. I see effort every year from Coach Self. Winning the Conference 10 years in a row is a special feat. I am sure he is more upset about losing in the tournament than I could ever be. Does it do anyone any good to complain about lack of a zone defense in late April? I doubt it. By now Coach Self has moved on to next year's team like he should. It is afterall his job to Coach the Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Team. If you are not on the bench, in the heat of battle, it is Arm Chair Quarterbacking.

"Of Course UK was young too"! I thought with you, it was Championship or Bust? Which is it? UK lost, they did the same thing our 2012 team did. Made it to the Championship game based on a lot of late game heroics, but in the end they lost. I will take my chances with a Bill Self coached team. I like the program he has built here at Kansas. I think we will have another exciting ride and I am looking forward to it. Feel free to cheer for all the other teams you speak so glowingly of.

@HighEliteMajor I'll dispute it for you. Stanford 0-9 from 3 point range. Zero percent. Could Coach Self's defense possibly do any better than that? By the way, we knocked down 5. Andrew Wiggins did try to get involved. 4 turnovers, and I believe they were all traveling violations. He scored on at least one of those, basket disallowed however. That's another potential 12 points of offense right there. The quick whistle stifled him, not Stanford defense. 58 shot attempts and only 18 Free Throw attempts for Kansas, 47 shot attempts and 26 Free Throw attempts for Stanford. We missed a lot of layups. How is that Coach Self's fault? I am sure this team has worked on layups all season long. It happens? 15 fouls for Stanford, 22 for Kansas. Was the game called evenly? I was there, and I don't think so. Every single time KU tried to get something going, a whistle changed the momentum. Now, keep in mind that when Coach Self makes decisions in the heat of battle, with thousands of screaming fans, that has an immediate impact on the game. He is not afforded the opportunity to go grab a beer, or a shot while complaining to his significant other about the state of Kansas Basketball and what needs to happen. His life is not that easy. He is the Coach of the Kansas Jayhawks and does a damn good job at it. Switching to a zone defense? If it was that simple...

@HighEliteMajor I believe he shows up to the press conferences after every game. Win or lose. It starts with the Head Coach. Now, for my question. Is it right to say "I don't want Wiggins", and then say "forget everything bad I said about Wiggins", only to flip again when the end result is not realized? That's not cool. But somehow, I am sure that is Coach Self's fault for recruiting a one and done?

@ralster Thank you! That sums up my thoughts. Very well said. I think there are some that want to fix what ain't broke. Looking forward to next season!

@HighEliteMajor you asked a question on successes. Next you import strategy, scheme, and leadership? It was a yes or no question? Right?

@HighEliteMajor Yes, he put the team together. There was some luck involved in the 2008 title run. Davidson had the game winning shot in the air.