Read the article. Meh. I just don't care about Mizzou.
The more talk about the topic, the more Mizzou gains. (Nice ploy to try to stay relevant... and it's not lost on me that their best path to relevancy is to grab the coat-tails of KU.)
I'm not giving energy to the dolts at that so-called institution of learning.
Next subject.
Being a part of the Great Lakes Mega Region underscores the historical and cultural connection that Kansas City shares with Chicago and the affinity Kansas has with the northern midwestern states.
What's interesting to me is that KC/Lawrence/Topeka are about equally geographically distant from the Texas Triangle as from the Great Lakes MR.. And not that much more distant from the Piedmont Atlantic region.. A bit farther from the Front Range. It's geographically detached, yet it is not left unlinked from a region as is Little Rock, Lexington, Charleston SC, Syracuse, Des Moines, Omaha and Wichita.
Despite it's geographic proximity to multiple regions, it has been linked to the Great Lakes MR enough to be a part of that region which suggests there are deep connections in that direction and KU needs to follow that direction.
So I totally agree this is more evidence to reinforce the hypothesis that the best direction for KU is toward the Big Ten.
@JayHawkFanToo Totally agree. That was pretty amazing to see.
The site is a treasure trove of trivia and 'did-you-know' surprises.
This fact stunned me: Danny Manning played in more games than Kirk Hinrich.
I'm pulling for them both!
This wasn't about a single election.. But I'm not sure I can convince you of that despite my attempts to reference events during the last 60 years.
(BTW, the Senate was designed to give people in smaller, less populated states better representation. The electoral college was actually designed to ensure that a qualified candidate was elected due to the fear that a tyrant could manipulate public opinion and come to power. The smallest states get an advantageous representation of electoral votes to population, but this is based on the number of votes in congress which are given 2 for senators and 1 for representatives. And the fact that most states have decided to use a 'winner-takes-all' approach to casting electoral votes is an advantage the most populated states. The Electoral College has one job and that is to take the power out of the hands of the populace. It is a feckless vestige of the founding fathers' original plan.)
So, my original assertion is that the system and process for electing representatives has been perverted to the point that it is a key contributor to dysfunction in our governing system.
I think you believe I have some agenda or political beef.
I don't.
Since we seem to be on the topic...I will assert that it is possible to be a proponent for change and for fiscal conservatism, and not be a fan of Trump.
I will give you my opinion of Donald Trump -- the human being, and the man who is in the most important position on the planet and represents me, as a citizen of this country and as the supposed leader of the free world:
Trump is autocratic, impetuous, infantile, petty, supercilious and narcissistic. His comments are reckless and often inaccurate. He is the antithesis of a leader.
He is a bad man even without considering his qualifications based on his life experience (which includes a broad spectrum of evidence from business management that leads to bankruptcies to imperiously walking into the dressing rooms of Miss Teen USA contestants as they are changing). His bravado and entitlement will inevitably lead to some decision that will either shame or harm this country.
Somehow, the system allowed a flawed individual into the most important position on the planet. It is the same system that allowed Nixon and Clinton into the same position and probably a few others who were also ill-fit for the role.
I do not believe this is about politics. I'm not talking about the Paris accord or any other titillating topic that the White House or Media want to occupy us with. Please don't paint a political agenda around me.
If you believe the US electoral process is functioning swimmingly, please enlighten me with some evidence. My argument is that it is FUBAR.
Your response sounds rather fatalistic at the end -- that the system is what it is and we might as well just accept it.
I see no reason for resignation. The country was founded on ideals and higher standards and I think it's very American to examine what isn't working and strive to make tomorrow better than today.
The current dysfunction in the electoral system is bipartisan, so I would hope it would be less political and more philosophical.
I appreciate the appeal of Trump as a change agent. But I am concerned he is more like a stick of dynamite rather than a shovel in a sandbox. Both are going to move the sand, but with one, it's a bit more predictable where the sand will land.
As for the similarities between Trump, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, I see very few... Although it is clear that they are all 1-
percenters, which is not a quality that should be considered as an advantage (or disadvantage) for presidential candidates.
If there were a list of qualities that should be considered for presidential candidates, I'm pretty sure Bill Gates and Warren Buffet would come out well ahead of Trump. So might Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook and dozens of other corporate leaders.
But great candidates don't have be corporate leaders. They could be leaders from other fields.
What should matter is the individual's ability to perform the job.
And that seems to be the thing that gets the least focus when we elect.
@DoubleDD I'm not advocating for any particular party or candidate. I'm advocating for a system of electing leaders that have competencies that translate to the role for which they are elected. The skills and capabilities that win elections have nothing to do with whether the person can perform the job.
A typical hiring process for a chief executive would evaluate candidates based on their demonstrated competency in basic executive functions and would look at relevant aspects of their history to determine which candidate was best fit for the responsibilities of the role.
^ This is not a description of our current process for selecting the Chief Executive of the United States.
The national election process /hiring process does the following:
* Parties and primaries that operate like 2 powerful hiring agencies that focus on putting forth only one candidate each
* The candidates represent dramatically different philosophies and spend most time on fringe interests that have little to do with the majority of the job they will be doing.
* The candidates don't make a case for why they are best; they smear the other candidate. Discussion about topics germane to the job are overshadowed by provocative statements, innuendo and scandalous accusations.
I don't think any rational voter would advocate that the best and most qualified candidate for chief executive of the United States is one who has filed for bankruptcy multiple times and demonstrated pattern of managing enterprises into dissolution.
But Trump wasn't elected for his executive acumen. His (in)abilities and (in)competencies were rendered irrelevant by the current process of evaluating and selecting candidates.
I'm not comparing Trump to Obama or Clinton or any other particular person. Rather, I'm saying we should hold a presidential candidate up to the standard demanded by the job.
Is this really the best person we could find to fill this position? I don't think even Melania would answer yes to that question.
Maybe he's the better of the two choices we were given (or maybe not depending on your view), but let's not delude ourselves into believing that he's the best person (e.g. person with the best qualifications) we could hire for the job.
Our hiring process is broken. And the stakes are pretty high with this job.
Oregon was juiced to play KU. KU did not look as juiced to play Oregon...
In the press release, Self seemed to go out of his way to gush about Coleby. I'd say he's leaving on the best terms I've seen in a long time.
Sorry I missed you- was out to dinner here..
Great idea! I'm in for the next event provided I'm available..
approxinfinity said:
So we rally behind people who say they are going to do that, take it back, because they know that's how we feel, but they don't take it back. They take the vote and run to Washington and do what they really want to do because elections are posturing and their reality is something that happens in between.
One of the problems is that the skills that are needed to win elections has very little correlation with the skills needed to perform the job of the elected position.
If the election process were set up so that the populace would actually evaluate and make decisions based the qualifications of the candidates -- that is, the candidate's ability to actually perform the requirements of the job -- it would be a start.
It's been a popularity contest since Kennedy / Nixon.
KUSTEVE said:
1- SEC - 22
2- ACC - 19
3- Pac 12 - 17
4- Big Ten - 11
5- Big East - 8
6-Big 12 - 7
I drew the line in your the list to make it easier to see the "Battle for the fourth Super Conference."
Two below the line will become Mid-majors. Big 12 leads the race to the mid-major position.
When the B10 picks up a couple of cherries from the Big East, it will pop.. and that will be the end.
KU needs to get out of this sinking ship at the right time, in the right way.
Much easier said than done.
I am one with the force, and the force is with me.
2nd round pick, is my guess. Around the middle.. However I think he should be a late first rounder.
@JayHawkFanToo Yep. Seems like a long shot.. but never know. He has the right attributes on paper..
Would he come back here? Or would he be loyal to Roy?.. Maybe assist Roy and then come here? Would be hard to imagine a guy better suited to recruiting the coasts-- having grown up in So Cal and then becoming a legend in Boston..
Oh, and if I need to pick someone who will be under 50 in 10 years, I would focus on Tarik Black, Connor Teahan, Cole Aldrich, Frank Mason.
I think Jacque Vaughn will get a long look and might be the pick.
I hope we don't find out for a long time.
Ok.. I'm trying a few out. Yeti seems to be subtly more legible from the default ("Paper"). Text is a bit bigger and higher contrast.
@approxinfinity said:
I'd like 5 Masons 6 Jacksons and 4 Udokas.
I though you meant free masons and five jacksons...
@HawkChamp said:
they get better with age. Wooden and Roy are examples of that.
I wish this were true... because Kevin Ollie is quite the exception. Billy Donovan too.
All I know is that my main thought this evening is what @chriz said: Why does Roy start winning titles after he leaves...?
Zero in 15 years at KU; three in 14 years at UNC. Painful disparity.
Sadly, it was a dud of a game. The fouls were part of the story, but so was the poor shooting, slow pace, etc. A forgettable National Championship for everyone except UNC.
There is a certain kind of intelligence in just knowing who you are and what you care about. It's hard to measure, yet might be the most important kind.
@dylans said:
Devonte needs to pick up his game
Devonte was spectacular at times, but inconsistent (the final game really highlighted this). His challenge (should he choose to accept it as a senior) is to become as consistent as Frank Mason.
DG is taller and may have more athletic talent than FM, and definitely burns hotter when he is on (recall the WV comeback) than anyone else on the team.
It would be great to see him take that final step next year.
Q: How many Naismith HOF coaches do we have now?
A: Phog Allen, Larry Brown, Roy Williams and Bill Self. Naismith probably counts too,
Total number of coaches in history: Eight
5/8 is a pretty good percentage. Kansas = University of HOF Coaches
We witnessed a historic year in Kansas Basketball. It didn't end exactly the way we wanted, but we'll look back on this year as a watershed moment -- HC Bill Self named to the HOF, Frank Mason III named POY (first in KU history), tying the NCAA record for consecutive conference championships (13) and setting the NCAA record for consecutive appearances in the Tournament (28), among other things.
I believe next year will be tough for us because expectations have been set at an extremely high level - without achieving the FF/NC goals.
In particular, our PG next year (and for many years to come) will be compared to Frank. Whoever takes over the PG role next year will be in a tough position. We now know great PG play when we see it. Anything less will be disappointing but less is almost certain.
So this is just a precautionary note to manage those 'sky-is-falling' feelings next year when they come. It will feel natural to pick apart the guard play and backcourt, but that's because 2016-17 was the new benchmark for excellence.
@jayballer54 I think i found it.. Was it this interview: http://www.espn.com/core/video/iframe?id=19053194 ↗
@jayballer54 where did you see the interview? Would love a link to see it
@LighteningLou said:
Gee thanks loads Spell Check for spitting out Bucknell replacing it with Buck Ellen, which sounds like the name of a prostitute in the 1850’s Old West, who had a heart of gold.
When I read that, I thought it was a really clever way to not say the name of those who we hate to mention... I immediately thought you had restrained from going to the next step: Buck-Nellen (or BuckNaked). Then I realized it was too hard to come up with anything for the others... Badly, No Thorn Was and Villain over.
Total speculation, but I think Self's weakness is his assistants. He may not have the right people to consistently reinforce the tone and culture. They are also responsible for preparation. This is hard to mess with because of the "family" thing... He cares deeply for each of them, but he needs to keep mixing things up. Danny and Dooley were big losses for the program.
@kjayhawks Totally agree that beating all three of the Champions Classic teams in the same season was remarkable!
In some ways, these amazing achievements throughout the season leads us to feel empty from the final outcome.
Let's recap the resume:
1. Qualified for the tournament for NCAA-record 28th straight year.
2. Earned Big 12 Regular season championship for the 13th straight year, tying the NCAA record
3. Ranked #1 in both polls at least once during the season
4. Beat numerous top 20, top 10 and top 5 opponents throughout the year
5. Incredible come-from-behind victory over #9 West Virginia (Sweet Sixteen team)
6. Beat #4 Kentucky at Rupp arena
7. Beat #1 Duke in MSG
8. Beat Michigan State in Tulsa [NCAA round of 32]
9. Beat first 3 NCAA tournament opponents by 30 and averaged 96 pts in each game
10. POY candidate and best one-and-done at KU and HOF nomination for Coach Self.
Without question, lots to celebrate this season, and that is why FF -- DNQ just doesn't seem right.
Good summary. I'll add another highlight-- the incredible come-from-behind victory over West Virginia.
From 64-50 at the 2:58 mark to 71-all after 40 minutes -- this team earned a spot in basketball history:
@Texas-Hawk-10 Yeah I wouldn't trade Self for anyone... yet the results in terms of FF and NC are disappointing.
NCAA record 28 straight years in the tournament and just 1 NC. That feels cursed.
I think it will be NC and Gonzaga in the final. Like anyone really cares any more...
Oh, and good luck to the NCAA on this FF market bonanza: the pacific northwest and the the carolinas. Enjoy.
I don't know what the deal was, but Oregon was juiced and we looked drained. No evidence of why, but it's an inauspicious end to the season that was plagued by distractions from player-off-court issues. Maybe it's better this way. There's no FF to vacate. We don't lose anything of value but don't gain anything either.
In reflection, I find myself pondering whether the 2017 edition was fatally flawed and it finally caught up with them or just unlucky again.
Poor KState: Not one but two former KSU coaches taking teams to the Final Four.
Thanks everyone for the well wishes and positive thoughts! Giving you a virtual handshake and one=armed hug and back-pat.
@brooksmd thanks man!
awaiting Jaybate's analysis of Flagship Nike vs Flagship Adidas.
Nike always wins.. Can't blame it on the refs. Just the Green Men who were juiced and loaded for bear. Typical Kansas opponent who goes batshit crazy statistically..
Prayers to your sister-in-law.
I was diagnosed with stage IV in November...Fortunately prostate is a different kind of cancer than liver and pancreatic and people live years and years with it. But I'm an outlier at my age... so I am counting on living years and years.
We don't get to choose how and when and we sure don't know why.
All season, I've been riding the wave a hope with the hawks this season. I got my radiation treatment plan lined up on Wednesday to start in mid-April. I thought the timing was a sign that I would be very busy through April 3.
I was planning to go into treatment with a headwind from a FF run and maybe an NC. Damn it.
Listening to this now, seems like that game is a distant memory. I wonder what happened to that team of cheetahs and pterodactyls?
nice... 👍
Two words that define KU before games, during games and after games:
Stay classy!
I will be attending the SJ games and will have to catch the KU game from the SAP Arena on some remote screen. I'm trusting all of you to fill my void in front of a proper screen.
@wissox The replay made it look like MSU player's hand was in the cylinder... but agree, there were Jayhawk hands all around. 95/100 times that is a no-call... Yes it could have gone either way, but it didn't really interfere with the basket and it seemed ref-indulgent to me.
On Vick's play: I agree it was stupid on his part to stare and say something. I think that behavior gets a T about 50% of the time or a little less. Totally the refs' prerogative, but it didn't look like Vick was provoking or taunting, from my comfy couch :wink:
Anyway, I also agree that the refs are trying to do the best they can, but sometimes it seems like they insert themselves more than they need to (well-intentioned, i'm sure)... and when they do, it's usually at the expense of one of the teams.
@CRH107 Thank you for posting.. I watched it 5 times. Smiling wider every time!