I wish I could hit the like button a few million times!
Gosh... you even found a rat that dyed his hair black, too. Wowwie!
Bravo!
drgnslayr
11251 posts
Charles is a great back... but he has the reputation for fumbling.
I was already screaming at Reid when he blew the TO that helped setup the next play for Denver... a touchdown pass. Right when they called that TO I said, "we are going to need that TO after Denver ties it up." All we did was give Denver more time to call the right play.
There are several factors that should have gone into the decision to take a knee.
First... field position. We were not in a safe place on the field if we did lose the ball. Denver already kicked a 54 yd FG. That guy can really kick. A FG beats us just as much as a TD.
Second... since we blew our other TO, we were down to 1 TO. Smith is the worst long-ball passer in the league. Not a single TD to WRs last year. That should say plenty. It wasn't impossible, but improbable that we move it quick enough to get into FG range with so little time. Not worth the risk when considering WHERE the ball was.
Third.... Denver's defense was playing for the strip. And why shouldn't they? They risked nothing by tackling the ball at the end.
Fourth... Charles is known to fumble too much. High risk.
The entire situation fit poorly in KCs hands. They don't typically move the ball quickly down field. So few seconds left with only one TO means they had to play outside their comfort zone in order to gamble on a victory. The situation changes in OT and they don't have to play against the clock.
Denver and Manning are great at moving the ball with just a few seconds left. We should have known to avoid any extra attempts in that scenario.
"A “prevent” defense in any sport is a cop out."
I agree. It is an action showing how little confidence they have in the play that got them into a winning position.
Regardless what defense is played... if a team blows a lead the coach will get criticized for not playing it the other way. That is what I'm doing here with my complaint about not taking a knee.
I did it all to make a point about knowing when to "play by the book" and when to play creative ball. Yes, it is easy to drive from the back seat in retrospect. But I will go on record to play the knee or throw down the field far enough for it to almost be like a punt. And quite playing that awful prevent defense. It is a sure way to lose.
Your post gave me an idea....
Why don't we swap stadiums with the Chiefs? After their debacle they will be lucky to fill Memorial Stadium. KU, on the other hand, is about to someday finally win another game which will EXPLODE positive energy from fans creating a vortex of fans draining into a stadium in hopes they can experience the rare treat for themselves.
It's the do-gooder way of masking obvious negative fault on one side. So... Denver pulled off a miraculous comeback. Right... right... 11 of us in here could have held onto that game for OT. I'm old, but I can still bend over and snap you the ball so you can fall to one knee.
I'd like to know the success rate of these late game "pass prevent" defenses? They always seem to give away offense more than just playing the same defense that got them into a winning position.
Everyone and their dog knew that as soon as we scored that touchdown Manning would drive down the field in just a few seconds.
Blitzing was the only decent defense against Manning. He's old and he doesn't want to get hit. That forces him into rushing his passes. Going to a prevent just gives him time to hit his targets. We could put 20 guys back and it wouldn't make any difference as long as Manning has time.
I agree that it shouldn't have come down to that last few seconds. But we still would have had a chance to win in OT had he done the right thing.
Reid often blows it in the details. He should have played that end by the book and take his chances in OT.
You can bet he won't make that same blunder again. If he does, he will definitely be OUT!
Chiefs lose to arch-nemesis while providing major lessons to all sports team everywhere:
IF YOU THINK YOU ARE ABOVE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE GAME, YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!
Last night's late game blunder by the Chiefs is EASILY the worst coaching blunder I have ever seen in the game. The Chiefs seemed to beg for a blunder to blow the game within regulation time.... and they were successful.
Coach Andy Reid. Sometimes he seems to be on another planet, instead of staying within the reality of NFL coaching.
This article seems to explain it okay:
Chiefs absolutely blow it, as Broncos steal a miracle win at Arrowhead ↗
...except for the last line - "It's just in the Chiefs' DNA to play it safe. It ruined them on Thursday night." No... they definitely DID NOT play it safe when they should have... and it cost them... perhaps a season. This is the tone they wake up with today.
Kansas basketball needs to realize... we are not above fundamentals of the game. There are reasons why they are there. The Chiefs have PROVEN it again. There were two REAL options at the end of the game. To either go for broke, and pass long hoping for a catch or penalty and then a FG, or play it safe and have the quarterback take a knee. Charles is a great running back, but he is known for his fumbles, including in this game. The chances he could break open a run and score or get in FG range is probably less than 1%. Far greater was the risk he would fumble.
Andy Reid has some explaining to do. Big time. I hope we don't experience a situation like this where Bill Self has to explain why he didn't follow fundamental protocol when the circumstances beg for protocol.
Last... here is a spot to really gripe about this outcome.
From what little I understand of these two players, I think I like our situation better. With Cheick, it is all about WHEN he gets cleared. Skal? Who knows... maybe his handler took out a loan? ;)
You mean, who is our next signed recruit to get stuck in bureaucratic red tape?
Or....
Will Snacks put down the Cheetos and get off the couch and go sign someone?
"And who is that little PG in the salmon top? "
That's our new women's basketball recruit. In KU inches she is 6'7" and a post player.
Actually... there should be less possessions because we all know there are few 5-sec calls. Now you will apply pressure and it won't matter because one guy will hold the ball on a pivot and it won't pay to pressure him.
I think the thought is to (once again) favor the offensive side of the ball thinking this change will add extra points to the final score. BigShoe wants more baskets, so the entire game gets prostituted out so these criminal cartels can have their way.
There is nothing innocent in D1. It's as filthy as a Tijuana brothel.
Yeah... I don't get why they are stopping that rule. It was helpful in making offense keep the ball moving. It really takes away a key benefit of traps and high pressure defense as a whole. I'm not sure why they dropped it, but it was a big mistake.
There are WIFI speakers mounted in the Jayhawk grills.
Thanks... for keeping it positive!
I like the info you provided on Beaty. It gave us some hope that he isn't just another coach in Lawrence there for a paycheck.
If he is the future Snyder, do you see him sticking it out in Lawrence for a few decades? You know... it will probably take that kind of commitment to really turn the program around. Much of the benefit he can help us with won't be available for many years... when we have established prolonged stability in the program.
When was the last time we could connect the phrase "prolonged stability" with Kansas football?
Wouldn't that be something!
True.
While we are busy using cliches I hope this one is a good reply to that: "Rome wasn't built in a day!"
By the looks of all of Self's complexities, perhaps comparing him to Rome is spot on!
Right on about Snyder. I'm not fond of the purple kittens but I have the utmost respect for Snyder and what he did.
Put that on our "KU Football Bucket List" - Hire the next Snyder! Get the one that knows it isn't just about recruiting a few star kids or running a fancy play here and there. It is about changing the tone; get administration, fans and supporters on board; make all kinds of positive changes that separate your current program from the past program... etc. etc. etc.
"In the bad news category, it looks like he’s been recruited by ISU for a long time and I can’t blame them. He looks like a perfect replacement for Georges Niang."
All the reason to steal him away.
Pretty impressive video... though we know those can be misleading. He sure seems to play like he's a lot bigger than 6.9". I'm sure he has something like a 7'4" reach. One thing we can offer him..... FREE "KU inches!" We must be one of the leading D1 schools when it comes to "rounding up" on the height measurement! I'm 100% positive Malou will be considered at least 6'11" if he chooses to wear crimson and blue.... and if we are willing to say 6'11", why not bump him to a rounded 7' and save all that valuable ink used in printing our game programs?
"I think last season (and the WUG) has got Self thinking a bit differently. Self said he learned a lot this summer, referring to the offensive freedom he gave his players. That’s good. It had always been system, system, system."
B I N G O ! Perhaps our biggest take away from WUG was not the experience received by our players, but the experience Self received. Let's hope he has learned to trust his guys more and be more open minded. In the very least, it should remove some of the "system, system, system" frozen structure we always take into March. Isn't this perhaps the big reason why we don't perform up to our capabilities in March?
I don't care if Self wants to run the hi/lo or whatever. I just want him to become RESPONSIVE to what is happening in the game. When 3/4s of a game has been played and our hi/lo isn't cutting it, he has to try other things. Tweaks for sure, but maybe something more substantial. You do what you need to do to win... especially in March. One loss and adios!
"I don’t like being ranked that high, I would rather be ranked lower and have our guys play with a chip on their shoulder."
I'm right on with you!
"It should be a fun and interesting season!!"
Heck yes! We'll all be primed up after the Royals win the WS!
"With all the coaching & roster turmoil its hard to expect any QB to be successful in this program until stability & development are in place."
This is a big part of why I have my doubts about Kansas football.
I know we need a coach around long enough to get their system going and have their own recruits. But why wouldn't a star recruit look at our track record and see we typically go through changes every few years and there will be a great chance his college days will end up under another coach and another "rebuild." Why would even a 4-star recruit put himself through this?
I think we are all living in a pipe dream. Our "Orange Bowl year" was a fluke, a fluke that even Mangino would likely not reproduce. We had everything go our way that year... like, if I'm not mistaken, did we even play OU that year? I think we had an easier schedule because we couldn't play everyone when we had more teams in our league.
It may seem like I'm "giving up on football." But the truth is that I'm not just floating along with another false dream. I'm not throwing my support blindly into thinking our new coach will fix what our past coaches did. I think Beaty has an impossible task.
I want to be DEMANDING OF RESULTS. I want to know the details on HOW we are going to turn this program around. So far, I just see blowing a lot more money and getting the same result.
Maybe, in reality, I'm the one who hasn't "given up on football" and other supporters have. Which fans have given up? The ones who just idly let the future happen in the same losing pattern? Or the ones who DEMAND a REAL PLAN to make us respectable... and it has a REAL CHANCE to work... not just hiring a new coach.
I am starting to think the Orange Bowl year is doing us more harm than good. It has put out real "fools gold" making us think a new coach can get us back there. I see it like the chance of that happening being even more of a fluke than our Orange Bowl year. We have to have the perfect scheduling, have to recruit in enough talent that can even compete, have to have the right coaching and game plans, get plenty of luck concerning lack of injuries and TOs going our way at key times. And with all of that... it only gets us to the Orange Bowl ONCE again! It doesn't mean our program is turned around and we'll be making regular appearances to major bowls (like some of the B12 teams do on a regular basis).
Think of me as your banker. The guy you have to go to and ask for yet MORE money to finance your losing business. Why will loaning you more money fix your business? It didn't seem to work last time, or the time before that, etc.... I'm willing to bet still that football really isn't in the black. It just gets earmarked fundraising capital to put it there.... money that could go to other programs. I'd like to see the real numbers on football; gate receipts, vending, TV contracts, licensing revenue... all those sources that are specific just to football... and match that up with the expenses. And some of those expenses would still exist even if we did ditch football, like stadium maintenance. It might be more of a financial disaster to STOP football!
I'm suddenly feeling better about Kansas football... if it is true they are actually in the black. Zenger didn't indicate that to me, but then, he was out to raise more money at the time.
For me, this does get into politics. I'm a fiscal conservative and I don't like to see anything in the red!
Thanks to everyone for trying to uplift me on this.
"Is it possible to be a fair weather KU football fan while being a hoops fanatic?"
For sure. I was a fair weather Royals fan until last year while being a hoops nut. Now I'm a Royals nut and a Jayhawks basketball nut. I could easily be converted back into a Jayhawks football fan... but I've put them on "if" status at the moment. I want to see their "ifs" come true first and then I'll return to my old football nut self again!
I appreciated your post above. Thanks for covering my tail but also your point is correct.
At a certain point, fans continuing to show support for a 0-100 program are just being enablers and helping them stay without a win. Sometimes it takes a real earthshaking move to get the REAL CHANGE needed. I know it would temporarily be a bad thing... but if Kansas fans boycotted the remainder of the season after we go to 0-5, the message will be sent... the message is: "MAKE THE BIG CHANGES NECESSARY TO MAKE FOOTBALL A SUCCESS!"
Maybe we need a beautiful new football stadium that holds more fans than the other stadiums in the B12. Why? Because it is the first part of the message about turning things around.
How about we build luxury dorms for our football team? I know those dorms are going to be great for the basketball team and a few others. But doesn't it also infer how inferior our football program is to our basketball program?
If we decide we aren't going to be a losing program any longer, then making investments will pay off. If we invest in things just to keep the blame associated with losing moving onto someone else...
The fans are surely the last ones to blame in all of this. We've tolerated stuff for most of our lives and we are still calling ourselves Kansas football fans..... barely!
Really liked your last post. Right... it does take time to turn a program around. I just want to know we aren't being hoodwinked again.
Is there somewhere we can see the bottom line on football? I'd feel a bit more relaxed if it is actually making money. I'd like to know that things like the fundraiser I went to (which was Self and ALL basketball in attendance) isn't putting all that money into football to help build that $5 of $6 million.
There is specific opportunities for the AD to raise money that only comes through football sources. But my thoughts have been that Self and Company has been pulling a big chunk of the football revenue through their efforts.
I've attended Jayhawk football games for about 48 years. I hardly give up quickly on football. I definitely will not be one of the early ones to come down on Beaty.
I want to believe... I still believe in tooth fairies and Santa Claus. But I want someone to give me hard facts on WHY Kansas football should still exist? It's a piss poor investment where those funds could help all other remaining sports. Football is a big drain, especially when your program is considered about the worst in D1.
I take plenty of pride... but not in that. It is easy to blame coaches... but at our level it clearly goes way, way, way beyond coaching.
I'd like nothing better than to continue football and have it grow into a respectable program. I just don't see how that is possible without cheating and ending up on probation.
I want to know how we can compete with the big boys. Not the "ifs"... I'm sick and tired of the "ifs." Why would a 5-star recruit come to Kansas to play football? And then how do we convince 30 or so to come to Kansas?
I say either DITCH football, or go ALL IN, and spend whatever it takes to guarantee it will turn around. It will take more than buying a big name coach. There is nothing in between. We've played that suckers bet for way too long. It just takes a toll on all other sports and football has become a real downer for the students and diehards that remain.
BTW: Over those 48 years (or so) when attendance was so low you could take the entire crowd out for free beer afterwards and not break the bank, I was one of those in attendance. I've heard all the promises a million times.
I'm "in" for Jamari being used in situations.
Otherwise... I like the potential of Mick producing NOW.
And, of course, I want to see Carlton get as much PT as possible. His PT is an investment not only in him, but in Kansas basketball! Jamari has had plenty of investment minutes thrown his way in the past. It is time for him to step aside for the potential coming up.
The dorms came through private funding, not directly through the AD. I'm thinking the new rules building is also privately funded.
I attended one of the many AD fundraisers last year and spoke both with Self and Zenger directly. Zenger spoke about his concerns about Kansas football, and the financial hardship it creates for the rest of Kansas sports. This was a fundraiser that used Self to get a crowd, but the money was needed mostly for football.
I don't see anyway possible the football program could be anywhere near profitability. I'd like to know exactly how many millions it loses every year. It must be huge.
Now... if someone can show me concrete proof that the football program makes money, I'll back down and we'll "take the check" in silence.
Kansas has so many great sports that could use a financial stimulus shot. Track and field, baseball, volleyball... golf and swimming. We have all kinds of potential in these areas to really build success.
I'd like to see us put on a full-court sales press to get a commitment from Udoka this weekend!
He has no other visits scheduled and his mentor seems to understand Self's offense generating out of the post.
I hope we aren't playing him against other recruits.... always trying to find a "better deal" out there. Udoka has amazing potential to be a force that is nowhere else in college basketball, and only a couple of NBA post guys have his girth and force.
What is really great is we should have him for at least 2 years. He is worth the investment and he will provide one more example of how Kansas develops bigs.
This is the guy we need to sign FIRST! Self knows he needs 3 bigs and so is pressing harder for bigs to sign. That is great news except if he signs a bunch of secondary targets first. Then we will be like we usually are... circling the airport at the last second trying to sign an uber talent.
Udoka continues to grow on my want list and is quickly passing up EVERYONE! I haven't had this much enthusiasm for a big since we signed Embiid!
Udoka is raw, but he has gifts FEW or NO other bigs out there have. His size and power is over the top. And he has plenty of athleticism to go with his size. He has great springs for a guy weighing 260!
Udoka needs more offensive development, but why won't he still dominate immediately? Stick him down low and lob the ball in and let him do his thing. No one can stop him. No one!
I just don't see Kansas football turning around. Yes, it COULD happen, COULD.
For me, it is largely about the money and the drain our football program is having on our entire athletic department.
Put Kansas football on shark tank and watch them get laughed off of TV. It just isn't a good investment. We are throwing away valuable resources on a COULD.
I won't change my attitude until I hear a COMPELLING reason WHY Kansas football will turn around? WHY will we start stealing top recruits away from OU, UT, KSU... etc.
The only thing I would support now is if we can find a situation that gives us an opportunity to build something like KSU did, from their horrid past into what they are today. Where is our version of Snyder?
"Coulda, woulda, shoulda" is a bad investment strategy.
Perhaps we need to keep football around because the B12 might collapse. Or is it better to scrap it to remove a negative?
I've had plenty of patience, but it is running thin. Seems we get a new coach every few years and have to rob our entire athletic program to pay off the old coaches' contracts. Football isn't a feasible sport at Kansas... unless they can start winning.
I still don't see anything compelling to explain WHY we will improve? I remember all the dream reasons people had when we brought in Charley. We need some kind of monumental change to make Kansas competitive in the B12. I now look back at Mangino and our Orange Bowl year and see it as a fluke and nothing he could continue to keep going. I see "fools gold."
What should be our goal? To win a couple of pre-conference games and then tank the conference schedule? I don't really see what we can achieve playing football in the B12 except to be every other teams' automatic win on their schedules. How do we get top recruits away from other teams in the B12?
The whole topic drives me crazy. I always keep watch on KU football, and when possible, I attend games. Always will... because it matches one of my favorite sports to my favorite university! But there is only so much I can take. We are draining most of our resources from our basketball program to keep football alive... and for what?
Self spends a bunch of time raising money for KU football. That is time and energy away from Kansas basketball. And let's not forget MONEY!
Good post.
I don't count on Jamari figuring out the Xs and Os anytime soon (or ever). What I didn't mention in my post is how much of basketball IQ comes through players' own natural instincts and can't be taught. While that is true, especially for some of the really great players, someone like Jamari could improve himself by "studying" the game off-court enough to come out and execute better game without thinking too much while playing (building some instinctual responses).
I like Jamari, and want only the best for him. But my feelings towards him doesn't change the circumstances. You can review footage from last year and I doubt you will find more than one game in a row where he doesn't make a bonehead play and then gesture his bonehead, knowing he made a basketball IQ flub up. That's the kind of situation where we can lose a NC down the stretch because our opposition attacks his lack of bball IQ.
But you hit the nail on the head. There are times when he can produce for us, and in those moments, he should get as much PT to match his productivity. When he isn't being productive, we need to give minutes to guys with more potential in the game and in the future.
I just found this -
!dennis-smith-146-e1438187122525.jpg ↗
Is Andrew Wiggins okay with Team Loaded pimping out his name?
BTW: That is #1 PG Dennis Smith Jr.... who recently announced he would be attending NC State over UNC, Kentucky, Louisville and Wake Forest. Good for him... though I wouldn't have minded him teaming up with DM at Wake.
There really is just one excuse for this team...... ZERO defense!
Hopefully, they'll figure it out a little bit better during the year. I hate to think of a team like OU crushing us by 150 points!
What is the D1 record for worst loss?
I think if this coach can't make us respectable we should junk football. If we need to leave the B12 to do so, then fine. Let's be an independent. I'm sick of this bad joke.
We could put an inflatable dome over Memorial Stadium and start hosting regional NCAA March Madness.
One of the few things I still remember from my college classes came from an entrepreneurship class. Our guest speaker said, "focus on what you are good at."
I trust what Self said about Mick.... it was his "coming out party" similar to Cole's "coming out" in the Final Four in '08.
Whether any of us like it or not, Jamari will be getting some minutes this year. Self sees him as a "utility post player" sort of like how Self likes to recruit "utility guards."
I hope Jamari spent most of his off-season in the video room and reading textbooks on the game of basketball. His biggest weakness is clearly his lack of basketball IQ. It just isn't enough to bring "energy" into the game without knowing how to use it for the benefit of the team. His "energy" was often spent committing really bad fouls, over-shooting his rebound positioning directly under the basket, or making various assortments of TOs.
I'd much rather have him more knowledgeable about the game than have him slightly improve his shot form. He'll always be a big liability until he gets "head smart."
I miss Jack Hartman.
I miss KSU being a real rival, capable of showing a bit of class now and then and actually playing good basketball.
These team selections are always hard because it is important to know more than just picking 5 guys.
Are we picking 5 guys to go out on the court TODAY and win? If so, I think I would build it from mostly contemporary players.
As great as the legends were, I'm not sure their game translates to modern times... modern athleticism... and modern individual and team play.
The legends were great because they dominated in their day. The contemporary stars are great because they dominated in their day.
"Duke Dynasty Transgressions"
D D T
How appropriate...
Please show some patience. The NCAA has very little time left to allocate for clearances because they are busy all day cashing royalty checks.
They'll get to us when they get to us!
;)
"In fact, I feel pity for these people. They don’t have enough of a base mentality to realize they are only hurting themselves. These are the kind of people that if you move their dinner plate 6-inches away, they will starve to death."
Even their president fits into this description. Pity the fool.... continuing to demean himself, the band, and the university.
If he would have stayed alive he may have matched his NBA point totals with conquests...
He's already passed all the academic hurdles along with the other players who attended the same prep school.
Most of them have been cleared now.
The delay in Cheick clearing is the NCAA now digging through other sources trying to prolong the agony because he's at Kansas.
I wish, for once, we'd get some of that "Duke preferential treatment."
(comedy only)
I would like to see convicted perpetrators receive a prison sentence AND a retribution fee (and prison rent) that must be paid in full to the victimized parties (and the State) before being released from prison. If these people want to ever walk free in our society, they have to "pay" their dues. They harm so many people and aren't held accountable for the damage they cause. Prison time is like vacation for many of these people. Free food and digs. Often luxuries they didn't have on the streets. Most are professional criminals that game the system. (my generalization doesn't consider the thousands upon thousands of those convicted on simple drug possessions... a huge travesty in our system!)
They should receive a wage for their efforts with most of the proceeds going to those who were damaged and the State for their "rent."
You can't teach individuals without enforcing accountability. The entire system now is a "free lunch" for criminals with all of us "paying the ticket."
We don't need a brutal system... that just raises the brutal mentality. It should be fair, but it should be strict and realistic to the harm these people cause others and society.
It takes accountability if you want to teach responsibility.
"Why, oh why did I ever mention COBOL???"
I was thinking that question, too. Reminds me of my "computer days" at university... hanging around the IBM mainframe room at night instead of going out on the town with my friends.
The university had to give me my own secured storage space for all my reader card scripts. Boxes and boxes.... and more boxes.
My first storage space was in another building.... had my own 2-wheeler to take the boxes over to run my scripts and one time got nailed in a rain storm. Didn't think I had an issue, perhaps it was just the humidity.... but my cards jammed the machine and I then had to store them in a dehumidified room. One petition later I had my storage space moved into the same building as the mainframe. Hooray!
Those were the days.... I was never so excited as when we received our first CRT screens! There was an overwhelming demand for use of those screens. You had to reserve your seat time and you couldn't tie up a CRT for more than a few hours.
Looks like there is at least one wildcat fan that can also write beyond "GO, WILDCATS, GO!"
Why did Memphis cancel Calipari tribute? Heartbreak and cowardice ↗
Enjoyed the comments. And the fans supporting Cal seem to all be from Kentucky. Imagine that. Must be quite a chore... going out there and defending your coach all the time....
YES! And you are right... too bad he has to go and stand beside Cal. The contrast in their ethics is greater than their contrast in skin color.
Amazing... isn't it? Can you think of any other coach in America that would get smacked down by a university over his/her induction into the HOF?
Whazzup? Have they started an additional renovation to Graceland?
For whatever reason, in pre-March B12 teams seem to play non-conf opponents tough. Then comes the big stage and B12 teams (sometimes Kansas) collapses into failure.
This needs to be studied. Why is this trend existing?
My theory... we are a football conference. A similar comparison can probably be made with the SEC, another football conference. Their Kentucky is our Kansas. Florida's b2b wins and 2014 FF appearance seem more like an anomaly. Let's see what they do moving forward with new coach Michael White. I expect them to disappear. Maybe I'm wrong. LSU can help break this comparison. They made it to the FF in 2006 and look like a contender this year.
I just don't think the fan frenzy is there for basketball in these football conferences. The exceptions are at Kansas and Kentucky... where the fan bases are supercharged.
I've got to hand it to ISU fans for bringing on big enthusiasm in Ames and also in the Sprint Center in KC, where they now seem to bring more fans than Kansas. If looking just at fan support it seems that ISU is the next in line to advance in March. Obviously, there is more to the game than fan support, but it does make a huge difference.
Compare ISU to UT. If UT is about to play in the Elite 8 you would expect their fans to go nuts in hopes they make a FF appearance. Not so much. The focus is still football and basketball enthusiasm still falls behind their football, even if they are playing for a FF spot.