I'm a fairly competitive old geezer whose skeleton bears the nicks and ravages of impacts received decades ago in the sport of high school football. As a parent, early on I secretly hoped that my offspring might find different avenues to satisfy their own competitive instincts. In my youth, basketball appeared to be more of a finesse game, relatively safe from the blows to be expected on the gridiron. Today, the word FINESSE is almost laughable in terms of labeling collegiate basketball. The game has grown brutal, what with the speed and power generated by today's training techniques. I look at all the wrapped knees, the players sidelined by significant skeletal injuries, the jabs and blows above the shoulders. Holy Moly!
REHawk
1583 posts
Call forth coaches from this season's final AP Top 20 teams, and ask them to compile listings of all blows to their players' faces/heads during 2014-15...with film to illustrate the incident. Attempt to unearth all available game film of the incident. Study that film intricately, and match the incidents to referee calls/no calls as well as to specific teams and individual perpetrators. I've a feeling that the results of such a study would be shocking. (If such a study should encompass too wide a span, then limit it to play in this year's NCAA Tourney.)
If Snacks should happen to move on, I would hope that Self can unearth and unleash a wizard with a great mind for offense.
Speaking of the World University Games, I wonder if it is permitted for Self to bring in players from other programs to compete alongside our Jayhawks. And if so, will he go that route? Perhaps a big man who does not declare for the June draft?
I'd say that Self's having been chosen to take his Jayhawks to Korea this summer to represent our nation in the World University Games is indicative of his being looked at as a future candidate for USA coaching...at some level. Whether he would choose to become involved in such an opportunity remains to be seen. One thing seems certain to me: unless he brings back some eligible pro players, or is able to lure at least a pair of former Under 18 stars to his program, the Jayhawks are in for a thrashing in the World U. Games. No Alexander, no Oubre, and a core of mending walking wounded. Most probably, no systematic inclusion of Fools' Gold....
SI.com reports that Bill Self called Cliff's one year at Kansas "interesting and educational." Oops! I just read the LJW account in which Self said, "CLIFF had a very interesting and educational year."
@Lulufulu I'd like to see him as a lottery pick, too. But i just read one updated report which listed him at 16. He has been in the 8-12 category for several weeks.
Maybe I am a skeptic, but now that the collegiate season has ended, I look to see Kelly fall out of the lottery. Marcus Morris came within a breath of losing out on that 3 year guaranteed money. Simien fell way back after his splendid career. Arthur faced a nightmare on draft night. Chalmers and Collins took big hits. TRob was stunned. For a player who is not considered a lock for the top half dozen lottery slots, that June draft night can easily turn into a real downer. Maybe our coaching staff nudged him to make a quick decision? Customarily, it seems that Self spends considerable time in counsel after weighing his players' NBA futures before the decision is reached.
Although Kelly has been listed as a late lottery selection in most recent mock drafts, I have a feeling that he will fall out of that category by the time this June's NBA draft shakes out. In another post drgnslyr declared that Kelly's decision to announce for the draft was "a monster gamble." Regarding his quick decision to move on, I am left wondering about Kelly's reasoning. A driving need for hopeful early dream fulfillment?
Fear that staying at KU might turn his knees into the jeopardy of Wayne's, Perry's, Frank's? His back, into Cliff's? His playing minutes slipping somewhat to Svi or Brannen? The possibility of Self's bringing in another talented guard, like Brown or Newman, instilling a backlog at the 1,2,3 positions? In essence, which might be the lesser of two gambles for a talented young player with the body and potential to adjust well, over time, to professional play? Going or staying? I certainly wish him well, and feel that he will land a first round berth. His growth and experience (and potential) will be dearly missed at KU, 2015-16. He appeared to be a good kid who always said the right stuff, strived to adjust to complicated system play.
Back to Zimmerman, wasn't it his mom who declared that her son would not sign the standard Div. 1 scholarship contract, a la Kentucky's ex-Brandon Knight?
Saturday April 11, ESPN2 at 2 pm central time. Half dozen Kansas recruits to be showcased.
Post-game on TBS, Kentucky coach and players come to the interview table first; an inordinate amount of time spent with the asking and answering of inane questions. Eventually, Wisconsin came to the table, and the interview was cut quickly. I suppose that viewers of the championship game will still have to bear with airing of more Kentucky bullhockey.... Hall of Fame coaching inductee. And just look at what he, in past jobs, has been most FAMOUS for! And this season, 9 McDees, and Cal can't move past a semifinal team with none.
@jaybate-1.0 jb, I was under the impression that Wisconsin fielded a no-stack regarding McDs players. And that it was MSU with the one-stack. Whatever, it was an ultimate semi-final joy, watching that 10-stack topple. No platoon, no glory, no handshake class.
Interesting to me that Cal chose the twins and WCS to sit at the press table with him, esp. knowing, as he must have, that those three had avoided the handshake line. I've come to cool my criticism of his coaching these past two seasons, but I still see him as an in-your-face personality whose natural bent borders on classless. He seems to fit well with UK basketball.
@HighEliteMajor In this matter, the words GREED and POTENTIAL are my two middle names.
@HighEliteMajor Based on what I saw last season, I would trade either Greene or Selden for Jaylen Brown, even if he were to stay one year. And I would trade them both for that big Australian kid who picked LSU...if he would commit to 2 years in Lawrence.
@Statmachine I'll say this for such a rule change: It would sure as hell balance the current OAD situation faced by Division 1 schools, what with early OAD exits! Leave NBA teams holding the bag, post-lottery night.
@Statmachine Naw. No joke. Perhaps I read this rule change as merely a future possibility. But it does stick somewhere in my memory bank.
@nuleafjhawk HA! I feel much the same way as you. Enjoyed the GOTCHA!
I am still in a twist over the recruiting of One and Doners. Teams can still move into the Final Four without them, I am pleased to note.
Of the 18 mcDs kids playing in the current Final Four, 17 belong to Kentucky and Duke. None, Wisconsin. I'd love to see Wisconsin and Michigan State in the Final. Probably would not put a damper on any school's recruiting of top 10 talent, but would make some kind of statement. Bill Self must not be sleeping well, trying to survive and advance with such conflicted recruiting decisions to make. His style does not lend itself to OAD. But he appears to feel that he needs them aboard. And he must be promising major minutes.
@nuleafjhawk Shucks, leaf you have already forgotten Xavier!
My assumption is that Kansas is tied in knots over the legal process involving Cliff. To cut his scholarship at this juncture might toss KU into a lawsuit possibly now facing the NCAA? Perhaps when the season officially ends after the Championship contest, Bill Self will be freed to talk and take action. The current silence over the DECISION must pose a crucial impediment to recruiting. Gotta hope that available big men stay patient before announcing schools. Good to see the air cleared over Oubre's decision (although, as I understand the new ruling, he can return if he is not drafted as high as anticipated).
If I were Kelly, I would be very concerned about my draft number. Looks as though he could easily slip out of this June's lottery.
@jaybate-1.0 Gone, gone, gone. Today, he announced...and Self responded.
@jaybate-1.0 "Brannen can always bail out over the summer if no elite big man shows up." Or, with Oubre now gone, if Self recruits a TopTier OAD at the 3.
My top two current concerns: Will Greene's presence become a distraction? Will Mason's legs hold up to another 35 minutes of season-long pounding? Peripherally: Does Self KNOW if Alexander is likely to return; and, if not, WHAT A RECRUITING DILEMMA!
A 12th consecutive league title certainly DOES define greatness! Most folks won't remember that Final Four after a few seasons. But those 12 conference titles will be remembered and revered for decades. I'm for #1, slayr.
Now word breaks that Travis Ford's job might be in jeopardy. Does that Okie oil man plan to sweeten the pot for Gregg Marshall? Maybe he is toying with Koch Bros. Or toying with Bill Self!
@ralster Hell, now you've pitched me into deep introspection of what I declared! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the matter.
@approxinfinity Man, that Izzo is a scrapper! Longhorns should forget about Shaka and Marshall, offer 6 million per year to Izzo.
Well, this thread opened with focus on Rick Barnes. I read today that he actually has been offered the Tennessee job and that contract negotiations are underway. Best of luck to one of the good guys in the profession. Maybe too nice a guy for top level Div. 1 coaching, but apparently a good guy, nevertheless. I hope that he is able to secure positions for all his assistants. Noble thing, his Longhorn assistants volunteering to move on, but Barnes' refusal to honor that condition to his staying. Straightening out that Tennessee program ain't gonna be an easy gig.
World University Games: July. Not much time for R+R. Or surgeries, healings.
Frank and Wayne with the beat up legs. Too many minutes of hard practices and tough schedule?
@jaybate-1.0 Self did not mention Greene. Svi, yes, but not Greene. Maybe he was just focusing primarily on the 1 and 2 positions; but it seems like an interesting omission.
@jaybate-1.0 On further review, I do rather enjoy your thesis. Heck, Longhorns could easily offer Cal a measly 20 million per, guaranteed for 10 years, and probably snag his signature within seconds of the offering. City of Austin could erect a huge arch at north end of the burg announcing WELCOME TO NIKEtown USA!
@jaybate-1.0 No matter whom the Longhorns do hire (and I think it will be Marshall), it will be interesting to see if they up the stingy salary which they were paying Barnes. Richest athletic program in the league shelling out peanuts, comparatively, for a coach. Kind of a laugh. Actually, my not so humble opinion is that most head coaches are way overpaid. $5,000,000+ is socially insane. But I suppose that if the Longhorns are willing to cough up only half the amount paid to the Kansas coach, then they will continue to sail at half mast.
@jaybate-1.0 Uh-oh! Did you say, "Fool's Gold?" Feller, this ain't football! Game plan??????
@HighEliteMajor "I'll take my chances with developed talent." HEM, how about 3rd year player Brannen Greene? Knowing Bill Self's system as we do, at this stage of his KU coaching tenure, will/should Bill take his chances with Greene, say an optimistic 20 minutes per game in 2015-16?
@nuleafjhawk And yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, nuleaf, you are bound to declare that poor ol' limping Perry will have to come mow my yard ONE MORE TIME!
@drgnslayr I just upvoted your post. This Smith Gratuity brings up an interesting point. What, technically, defines a BOOSTER? Actually, I have never been copacetic with the handling of the Darnell Jackson case. If Perry Ellis had mowed my yard for several of his public school years, and I had never contributed a dime to support Kansas athletics, can I, a devoted but unaffiliated Jayhawk follower, send him a $200 check at the time of his graduation? (Without threat of NCAA sanctions against KU....)
Do any of you remember a Jayhawk donor incident at the time Simien, Miles, Langford and Co. graduated? After their final season, a thoughtful and kindly lady, Mrs. Edwards, gave $50 checks to our graduating hoopsters. Was ruled a violation. As I recall, in her own defense, Mrs. Edwards claimed that she was merely intending to help basketball graduates purchase attire for their final ceremony. I recall reading, at the time, that no gratuities could be offered to departing athletes, even years after their playing years, without the threat of institutional violation. Perhaps this NCAA rule applied only to boosters, not to coaches, in this current case of Dean Smith's thoughtful generosity?
@DanR I wager that the Texas job will be filled by Tuesday night, probably sooner. Gregg Marshall has got to be at or near the top of those being considered. Longhorns should become a power house with a guy like that.
@jaybate-1.0 Would be intriguing to sit down for a beer with Larry Brown, catch him "off the record" for an opinion on this matter. I am certain that, over his extended career, he has developed a FEEL for such possibly corrupt happenings.
@HighEliteMajor Speaking of Self's "pieces for his system," I notice that he is looking at a tall graduating player who retains a year of transfer eligibility. Unless this Alexander Eligibility Issue is quickly and finally resolved, I look to see KU head into another season w/o optimum pieces in the fold.
@nuleafjhawk She smokes, too.
@nuleafjhawk Heck, leaf, you were "playing" probably 24/7. Absolutely no time on the clock, back then, for your body to break down to injury. But how about now? Betcha you are a bit like my feisty redhaired younger sis. She never worried about skin cancers, 'cause, shucks, she kept her body tanned 52 weeks of the year. Then about age 60 she started a longlasting series of treatments with a kindly bright-eyed dermatologist whose practice absolutely flourishes with an array of former 24/7 tanning specimens.
@REHawk Oops! Sorry, I did not realize that the Texas thing had been addressed on another thread.
Last night I heard a commentator predict that Barnes would leave TX for the Tennessee opening. Barnes' wife is a Tennessee grad? If that should transpire, I wonder if Marshall might be lured to Austin....
Well, hell, if we are to peer into conspiracy theories, what about the TIMING of NCAA investigations and subsequent effects of news releases of rule violations? Actually, our very own 2015 Jayhawk collapse appears to have hinged more than somewhat on the Alexander Issue. Our league opponents are probably squealing, "Yeah, yeah, the NCAA held off announcing that info until after Bill Self and KU had pretty much nailed down that 11th consecutive conference crown!"
@nuleafjhawk ...and there are lots of ways to do it...or stop it...or NOT!