@nuleafjhawk
"How do you think we'd do without him?"
Based upon what I heard on the radio last nite (note.....heard, not saw - thanks Zenger), I would have to say that should you give Diallo the thumbs down vote........at least you would some company to occupy your attention after you turn the game off before halftime.
So if the NCAA decides to give you either the deciding vote on Diallo's situation or the help arranging the bikini clad cheering section option.........which one are you choosing?
FWIW KU has gained a lot of ground in the Bolden Crystal Ball in the last 6 hours.....went from 29% to 41%.
Duke had been at 80% forever.....down to 53% now.
Usually middle of the pack in the MIAA. Typically a blue-collar team that works hard with average talent.
Finished 4th in conference last year, but they got on a roll and won the conference tournament.
@Eric
Agreed.
How about when Hosmer made the error in game 5 on a high degree of difficulty play and America was lectured on how the gold glover should have played that.
And then Murphy is coddled because there was a lot of side spin on his oops and a much slower made to order dp ball!
@Crimsonorblue22 said:
@SoftballDad2011 looks like KU fans could watch at your house too!
If I subscribed to cable we could. As both of the local cable providers include a special channel for KU events in their digital package.
But after my divorce this summer I cut cable and ordered Sling TV and the Watch ESPN app to save some $.....so I am blacked out. Thanks Zenger!
The Royals put a lot of balls in play in games one, four and five when Familia was out there.
Yes, we'll never know.
I just got sick of the east coast media jumping to the conclusion and reporting that the Mets gave the game away when they sent Harvey out for the 9th..
Bob seemed kind of giddy when he dropped the hint......but I don't want to read too much in to it and get my hopes up.
I guess if nothing else, good or bad, at least there has been some movement.
:smile: Bob Davis just stated Bill Self was unavailable to tape a pre-game interview b/c he was working on an Eligibility issue......and Bob said he was unable to comment further at this time
@JayHawkFanToo and @HighEliteMajor
I missed getting my reply to @wissoxfan83 in that post.........
.......and to that end my point was I didn't think simply pulling Harvey would have won the game after our success against Familia.
I agree with your assessment.
I also believe that fan support is largely driven by expectations .
When winning is new, it is easy to feel and show the love.
When you win 83% of your games the bar is raised and the prevailing expectation becomes disappointment if you don't win the last game of the season.......regardless of how many games you won earlier in the season.
While that is normal, I just hope the annual expectations for KU BBall don't ever cause us to forget how good we have it.
Always ok to hope for more, just don't let it tarnish the perception of what you already have.
I am not enough of an X and O guy to understand, but does the wider lane we played with in the WUG make the weave more effective?
Reason I ask is that in one of our early pool games, Selden took a hand off on the weave, drove the lane and flushed it home......about fell out of my chair because that was the first time I had ever seen successful dribble drive out of the weave.
I believe that is true.
But I wonder if we as KU fans do just what the Mets fans did?
I wondered if it was something as simple as Self using the media - who you know is being read by current KU players - to remind his team that as juniors and seniors they should be experienced enough to know it's Self's way or it's the bench. Don't question it, just do what I say.
I know that pulling Harvey would have won the game for the Mets is the prevailing school of thought.......but the Royals had lit Familia up like a Christmas tree in his two prior outings (even without Murphy's error in game 4 they still strung together a lot of hits) and did so again when he did come in for Harvey in game 5..
The Royals just didn't seem like a good match up for Familia.....so I don't know that it is a given that they wouldn't have gotten to him too if he had started the 9th inning in game 5.......despite what the east coast experts and media who always have to have a goat to pin it on have to say.
The thing I love about KC fans is exactly what we saw last year after we lost game 7 and this year after we won game 5......we love our team in good and bad.
While it is nothing new, I thought the way the NY media vilanized Murphy, Harvey, Cespedes......after they carried the Mets to the World Series ........was in poor taste.
Found this quote from HCBS pretty interesting.
“I told our guys the other day, ‘Hey, as a freshman, you’re learning. As a sophomore, you’re stubborn. As a junior, well, you just don’t get it.’ I’m not talking about Brannen. I’m talking about anybody in general. So if you’re still fighting certain things as a junior or senior, then it’s not stubbornness, you just don’t get it.”
Good to know. I had presumed that since scrimmages are unofficial games that he would be able to play.
Thanks for the heads up.
Is Cheick able to play in the Pitt State and FHSU scrimmages since they are not official games?
I presumed he did because Bill Self said they had requested academic information from Africa and he referenced the logistics in getting stuff to here from there.
Was that not the case?
Diallo did not arrive in Lawrence until late June / early July (after Self and Team had left for the WUG)
It is my recollection that Bill Self said at the time that he was completing "paperwork" in June and that the prevailing school of thought was that he was taking additional high school course work as a preventative attempt to fulfill the required NCAA elibilty center requirements that had been raised as potential concern (note Self's quote concerning Diallo being told after already completing 3 1/2 years at the school and nearing graduation that there could be potential problems).
If true, that summer school coursework would have bearing on the NCAA decision.
It is my further understanding that after he arrived in Lawrence that he enrolled in collegiate coursework, which would not have a bearing on the NCAA decision.......although it could be used to argue Cheick had met the University of Kansas' academic admission standards and performed acceptably in collegiate course work.
As a KU fan I am biased. And I fully realize that as a prospective student athlete that it is incumbent upon that recruit to ensure his i's are dotted and his t's are crossed as it relates to the NCAA Eligibilty Center..
That being said I would also point out that the point of a regimented clearing process that includes the completion of specific coursework and a qualifying score on a standardized examination such as the SAT or ACT is to ensure that a student athlete has a reasonable likelihood of academic success in a course of study that allows him/her to progress toward the completion of a degree.........thus preventing a university from bringing in amazingly talented athletes who lack the interest and/or the proven track record of academic success to suggest a reasonable likelihood of success in progressing toward a degree.........keeps hired guns from creating an uneven playing field.
I can't believe it is the intent of these regulations to keep kids that are too smart from competing in collegiate athletics though.
Just my $0.02 here, but I fail to see why completion of a semester of a freshman curriculum for a high school in Africa should preclude NCAA athletic eligibility....... IF all other facets of the transcript and standardized testing have been fulfilled.
If he can speak four languages, successfully graduated from an accredited high school while completing the pre-requisite course work required by the NCAA, performed acceptably on his standardized college entrance exam, was approved for admission by the University of Kansas and is in good standing on completed coursework while there.............then I think there are a multitude of mitigating factors in existence that certainly evidence more than a reasonable likelihood that Cheick is well suited for the rigors of a post-secondary education.
Free Cheick Diallo.
Good thoughts.
My guess is that he Self would have to have Diallo's iron clad guarantee that he will return for another year in his pocket before he would consider such an approach with the NCAA.
And even then I think Coach knows that this could be a magical year and would want Diallo available this year if at all possible for a deep tournament run.
Wonder if our friend @statmachine has any insight for us.......at last "Cheick" he was predicting a 50/50 chance and drama that could stretch in to December.
As for me, I want Diallo to play for KU this year......and next year too........just sayin'!
Bo Knows Fools Gold
If you are too old for lighten up phrases, I would have expected you to be old enough to pick up on a classic movie reference!......and a reference to a classic at that!.......lol.
I was curious about that as well. I suspect a third party was helpful after Mitch re-opened his recruitment (after decommitting from NM to insulate from tampering charges), but I was surprised it went from the athlete to his AAU coach to an industry analyst to the prospective school. I'd be interested in hearing more about this process as well.
Everything I saw made me think this was a kid that would get one of those phantom scholarships that play out like- "yes you can have a scholarship if three of the five people we want ahead you tell us no,.......so we'll call again this spring."
So I was surprised he got a deal that quickly.
So, whether Coach saw something in this kid that makes him think he can develop him quickly.........whether he is a high character kid with size and a great work ethic who is perfect to serve as a 4 year sparring partner to make our five star recruit better on and off the court..........or somewhere in between - if Coach decided we need him, then I'm glad we got him.
I have not been "wowed" by his tape either........but got to admit that this has me wondering what I have missed.
Norm and HCBS know a lot more about what to look for and about what they want/need for their program than I do.
And I trust them.
http://m.kusports.com/news/2015/oct/25/second-thought-arizona-prep-mitch-lightfoot-taps-k/ ↗
Ortega said that, after speaking with Lightfoot, he phoned recruiting analyst Jerry Mullen, who contacted KU about Lightfoot’s interest.
“Forty minutes later, I get a call, and coach Roberts (Norm, KU) is asking about our practice times. They were going to take a private jet to see a workout. That was a Monday. On Wednesday, coach Roberts saw Mitch work out and was blown away by the workout. Two days later, coach (Bill) Self called to offer him. Mitch came over and said, ‘Kansas just offered.’ It was a dream-come-true-type moment,’” Ortega said.
If they saw something that piqued their interest that quickly then I am glad they got their man.
Welcome to the Jayhawk Family, Mitch.
@Crimsonorblue22 said:
@SoftballDad2011 do u get the longhorn network? Or maybe espn3 since it's not on Jayhawk network?
I don't have Longhorn Network. It's not part of Sling TV's sports tier.....every other ESPN channel including SEC Network is, but not the Longhorn Network.
Was trying to watch ESPN 3 through the WatchESPN app.......but that is what was blacked out
I think they have only lost four sets in 18 games.
Win tonite and then take on the #2 ranked Longhorns Friday.
It's not cool.
.......could maybe be to the Hutch area in two 1/2 hours......
........will just have to watch the replay later I guess.
Noticed that KU volleyball was on Watch ESPN vs OU tonite. Had a rare free evening and thought I would watch the 7th ranked and undefeated Jayhawks.......until I clicked "WATCH" and learned it was blacked-out .
Go ahead and take away public access from a program truly deserving of some public attention.
so I switched to ESPN U.......only to see KState volleyball playing live for a national television audience against Texas.
Can I at least blame Zenger for this one too?
@drgnslayr said:
"Thinks about it…why would I contribute to and AD that goes out of it way to block me from watching the sports I really want to watch?"
True... but also... would you contribute to a program that is the complete laughing stock of D1 football?
I had heard lots of donors had stepped up in recent years and wrote big checks..........unfortunately all of those contributions (and then some) went toward the early buyout of three head coaches!
@HighEliteMajor said:
@jaybate-1.0 That is really the only reasonable explanation as to why Cliff didn't play ahead of Traylor and Lucas. The other attempted explanations collapse under the weight of Cliff's per minute contributions."
I too believe jaybate's hypothesis carries validity.
in regard to the per minute contributions, which unquestionably favored Cliff, I have come to believe that Bill Self relies on another indices.........% of potential..
Meaning that when no one has emerged as the clear cut man, Self will reward the player who is producing at a level closet to their ceiling........Especially early in the season.........in an effort to motivate the underperforming blue chip.recruit.
In this case Traylor and Licas were producing at a higher level relative to the potential they possesd at the time..
Self will also tolerate mistakes made with effort over mistakes made from passivity or apathy.
Cliff clearly had more ability and impact - even when playing at half capacity - and I believe his ceiling would have risen with increased playing time and repetition.
But right or wrong Coach refuses to reward a player who is not getting the most out of their skill set.......unless there are no other viable opyions.
Cliff's playing time was also hindered by a low BB IQ, slow reactionary thought process and by inconsistent effort.
Regardless of the per minute stats on offense, Cliff was lacking in terms of his understanding his job.
Low basketball IQ, slow thought process, matador defense, quick fouls, inconsistent play, poor attitude and lack of consistent intensity are thing that typically land freshman on the pine on Bill Self teams. And Cliff possessed several of those attributes.
So did Oubre, but once he figured it out......he played.
I agree
But consider we had 2 scholarships available for awhile after Diallo signed and before Vick and Colesby (sp?) signed.
By the time Diallo signed the options were scarce and there weren't many - if any - desirable bigs left in this year's class so we had resorted to looking for transfer Bigs (Charlotte guy and the 7'2" guy from Providence.....neither of whom could have played this year eithe)..
There were a few Wings/guards left in this year's class......but we didn't need any more of them.....especially after Vick signed and before Colesby sigbed.
So the question then becomes, what quality big man that would have contributed immediately did Diallo's signing cost us?
I have pondered it, but I couldn't come up with one.......especially one that makes me feel as though signing Diallo was a mistake.
Just my opinion. And it is completely subjective.
Recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer had mentioned ineligibility as a possibiltly this spring befor Diallo signed with us due to problems other graduates of that HS had encountered with the NCAA. Meyer mentioned his thought that Cheick mite play overseas for a year instead of college because of it.
Am certain that KU and other schools recruiting him knew of the risk, but that didn't stop any of us from pursuing him.
The benefit to signing him? If he clears he is on the court for US.. And if he doesn't clear the NCAA he isn't playing for anyone......but assuming he signed an actual letter of intent (not a grant in aid paper), we control his future as it relates to NCAA DI basketball. We would have to release him from the NLI for him to play elsewhere.
This is especially relevant since as we know from the McClemore/Traylor/Anderson story that even if Cheick is cleared by the NCAA he could still be declared a partial qualifier by the Big 12.......meaning while he might not play for us, he could still be playing for a team outside the Big 12 if the NCAA ok'd him and their conference had less stringent standards. (Note that Anderson was eligible immediately for the school in California he went to instead - was it Fresno?)
I would rather pursue and land him - as we did with McClemore - than pass on him and end up competing against him when he is playing for Calipari.
Any ineligibility on his part is in no way a bad reflection on us, unless we play him when we shouldn't have. It is a reflection of his HS's ability to provide him with the credentials he needed for eligibility at the school of his choosing. We can't control that. And we shouldn't shy away from a game-changing recruit on a "might" or a "maybe" unless it is a moral or corruption issue..
Our only downside is if he signed with us and us then being out of scholarships kept us from signing someone else who could have contributed.
If he has to sit this year and plays for us next year, I think it is still worth the risk.
If he sits this year and heads to the NBA next year, then you have to decide whether signing him despite the possibility of ineligibility (and keeping someone else from getting him) was worth losing someone else that could have contributed. That is a difficult argument because it is all based on could would shoulda with no facts to consider.
Just my $0.02.
When I read Fox's comment, my interpretation was that Fox was saying I will only be a Jayhawk if Mason is gone.
Could certainly be wrong, but intuitively I think this interpretation is more likely than Mason leaving early for the NBA.
It's fun watching them just play basketball.
No AP ranking or Big 12 streak on the line. Just playing basketball and it's fun to see.
Been a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of playing in this event.
After seeing two games, the only downside I can see is the risk of serious injury.
Otherwise this is a major advantage.
Been some discussion as to how the rest of the team will integrate, but I think Diallo is the only one who will be left out........and a high energy game should fit in just fine. Effort and a prolific shot blocker always find a home in Self's line-up, even if they make miscues.
Graham and Svi already have built chemistry and Colesby sits out this year anyway.
Bragg and Vick walked in to the perfect storm.....a full month of practice and games with their college team and college coach before they even start the fall term. They'll hit the ground running and be light years ahead of the typical freshman in the Self system.
I am glad we are playing and proud we are doing USA proud!
nice! Can't beat a dumb and dumber reference!
Not the best choice of a headline photo by the KC Star.....but's let's have some fun at Tyler's expense!
will show my age with an old beer commercial tag line.........but here it goes.
"I Love You, Man"
The play was when the Brazilian drove the lane but slipped, had his feet go out from under him, slid under the basket and was called for traveling.
Perry was airborne and came down. Announcer mentioned Perry as being 6'8" 225 at the time.
Looked like on the initial replay that Perry escaped damage by straddling the Brazilian player when he landed, but while they were mopping up the court they did a quick fade away to the KU bench as Perry was gimpy and walking very slowly.
The announcers mentioned nothing at the time.
You attribute the absence of retaliation to Traylor's maturity.....I hope that was part of it, but it sure helped that the dumb@$$ was already at mid-court by the time Traylor figured out what was going on!
If the kid had stayed for a staring contest after the body check, it could have gotten ugly real quickly. And I wouldn't have blamed Traylor at all.
I want him to be a Jayhawk, but if that doesn't work out, I hope he goes to St. John's (not Kentucky).
Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling that Calipari has already sealed the deal on him.........
@Statmachine as always, thanks for all the good info and hard work.
I saw a tweet today that said St. John's was slipping because of some recent developments, but no details were given. Wondering if you had any intel on that.
Ingram seems to be giving the ACC the last word on his recruitment.
Is your social media intel program capturing any trends this afternoon?
been a bunch of "analysts" in the crystal ball panel jump in today with KU and UK picks, which has pulled St. Johns' back to the pack.
Can't recall for sure, but think St. Johns was at 44% and KU was at 19% when I checked yesterday. That's a pretty big jump in one day.
Last time I had checked, St John's had built a sizeable lead in the composite.........but KU is now gaining traction. Hopefully an announcement is forthcoming soon. This roller coaster is starting to make me nauseous!
@Lulufulu That's a good point. I guess it is all relative, but they were all early commits / signees before the luster faded from Cal's grand plan.
Pretty good chance they whiff on Brown, Ingram, Maker, Diallo........and they already whiffed on Zimmerman, Thorne, Bryant, Rabb.
That many misses is uncharted territory for Kentucky in recent years,
Hate that we are missing out on these guys, but the silver lining is that UK and our conference are missing on them too.
Self is in a difficult situation.
If OAD expresses interest in Kansas, he can't just pass on him (unless there is too much baggage). And if we land him and he is only here for a year.....that is still better than having had to play against them.
The other thing that forces us to stay in the OAD game is that if pass completely, we are going to have an air pocket in our roster until he gets the 20-100 ranked signees on campus and gives them their two-three years to get up to speed. And those could be a rough couple of years.
And let's be honest.......if our fan base is in an uproar about a 9 loss season (against the toughest SOS in the nation) that had numerous wins over top 25 teams, a conference championship, undefeated home season and appearance in the big dance.....how are we going to feel if we are a sub .500 team lose several games by double digits and miss the dance?
IMO the best thing that happens is that the OAD stacking phenomena fizzles out, order is restored in the recruiting process (e.g. stockpiling of multiple OAD goes by the wayside b/c coaches realize the concept rarely works and is not worth the high maintenance recruiting that it takes.....so recruiting becomes more equally disbursed as it once was) and we move back to focusing on core roster guys and augmenting them with supreme talent on occasion, but not being reliant on it.
Funny thing is that we had that system down pat......and the mantra then was that Self can't land the big time recruits.....he's got to figure out how to get that done.
But we are stuck on this carnival ride for now and until we can safely jump-off this moving merry-go-round, we obligated to stay on our current path,.......unless we are willing to accept mediocrity for a few years until we can work through the implications of a change in our business model.