"Why shouldn't he be the first $100 Million/year coach?"
Heck... make him the Governor of Texas! His first job... since Texas can't deport anyone (and I'm not just talking about Mexican people)... he can at least RECRUIT some 5-star residents for the State! Doctors, scientists, skilled workers...
I'm the guy who DOES care about conference titles! Remember... I'm the guy who wouldn't trade our streak for a NC!
"Marshall meeting with alabama..oh boyy"
Suddenly... he doesn't seem to like being a Shocker! I guess they sold lots of tshirts marking their victory over KU down in Wichita. Better get them shirts now because it might be another 50 years before playing and beating Kansas again!
Here is a question no one is asking yet:
Who will get the job at WSU? Their coaching door gets more action than a door at a Nevada brothel!
"Man, that Izzo is a scrapper! Longhorns should forget about Shaka and Marshall, offer 6 million per year to Izzo."
Please... don't give those cowboys any ideas! Izzo to Texas would solidify a new Jayhawk conference streak.... longest drought period for Kansas!
I am under the opinion that Hoiberg is supposed to undergo another operation soon and the outcome will determine if he has potential to go to the NBA.
Self needs to make sure the kids we have that are going to leave, please decide quickly. Late decisions put us out of the running of a lot of talent we could sign.
Here's a story Kelly Oubre (and Wayne) should read:
NBA's D-League a study in humility, perseverance ↗
He should be scared of ending up here. Let's see... play another year in Lawrence and still be on everyone's radar screen while developing game? Or vanish into obscurity in D-league, holding onto dreams of one day accomplishing a $29,000 pay check for a 10-day contract in the league?
The highest paid salary in D-league is a whopping $25,000 for a 50-game season. You can make more money flipping burgers at McDonald's.
These kids sure don't seem to mind throwing the dice.
I love Wayne. But if he tries to jump to the league now, he'll be the "Bride of Frankenstein." You know.. those women who just want to marry anyone quickly before the groom realizes what he has done. The league simply doesn't except players who are a head case unless they play like Jordan. Wayne doesn't play like Jordan. Here is what the NBA thinks of guys who can't escape their own minds:
It's THEIR WAY or the HIGHWAY... and their low tolerance of head cases not only keeps the herd cleansed but also has done more good than any Sigmund Freud... It's "SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT!"
Barnes is a nice guy. And there is something inside of nice guys always wanting to be accepted by other people. When you do what you are supposed to do in sports, you aren't supposed to be liked by everyone. You should be respected by everyone. Two totally different things. Barnes might be respected for his kindness... but he wasn't respected for his ability to coach competitively. He is definitely in a profession where nice guys finish last.
I feel sorry for Myles Turner. He is his own worst enemy. He made a complete blunder by picking Texas... and then he doubled-down by declaring for the draft. The kid ought to transfer to Kansas. Sitting a year will only help him mature. He's like a Jeff Withey who has some offense. His athleticism just isn't at a level to play pro yet. The kid can barely run. Am I the only one who notices how he lumbers to get down court? If running down court is a chore, then you aren't ready for the league. He's a kid that should take every moment possible before entering his hat in the draft to work on his game and body. This kids are in such a rush for a paycheck... So this kid is willing to trade a couple hundred thousand for a real shot at a career in the league. Pathetic. And he is jumping in a draft that will have lots of bigs.
"Oh he has plenty of orange ties to take to Tennessee too!"
Hilarious!
Thanks for posting the rules. Players are still free to hit the gym on their own. Perhaps it can't be mandated by coaches. But in the end, players with the best performance get the PT (or should). Players working on their own can received guidance along the way, but it will come out of their coached minutes. At least.. this is the way it has always been. You'll never advance your college game if you don't get away and work on your game. Coached practices are team practices.
It is a good idea to have rules. Coaches can't be slave drivers. But the game is competitive. I know if I was recruiting players I'd want to know who the work horses were. Who are the guys that love ball so much they'd give up their Friday night out on the town to hit the gym and go to work on a new move.
Interesting read.... especially about Lucas. I posted on him as my dream hire as a Self assistant, but pay him big league money and people didn't take me serious. I guess Lucas is interested in getting into college ball. Sure, it's Texas and that may mean something. But money talks and BS walks. If Texas doesn't grab him up, we should. He'll also bring Maker with him... but then... he'll basically bring any recruit we could ever want with him.
I would offer him Self-like money to come here with all kinds of extras to build camps in Lawrence. It would benefit him more by just being an assistant coach than a head coach. Lucas should be focused on the big picture... which for him is about being THE all-time best developing coach the game has ever experienced! We could give him that opportunity, and in doing so, we could put a virtual lock on the success of Kansas basketball for decades to come... long after Self retires.
We would OWN college basketball! OWN it! Kentucky would vanish off the screen. They have no reputation for developing players. In fact.. of their current stock, many have been developed by Lucas. Of course, he will continue to develop other players besides Jayhawks... but we have his talents all through the college basketball season. And we have an easy avenue for Kansas players to all get special coaching every summer. Perhaps it means Lucas can't directly instruct Jayhawk players... but he'll have his own staff to handle that.
"Not sure what you see in Lee, he's a shot-blocking, put-back dunk, lob player. Nothing else about his game says he'd be the feature player in any offense."
Guess I focus in on Lee because I see potential in him and he's not getting it. He was as a freshman like a senior Withey. I'd like to have Withey where he is now and 4 years of him!
Lee would have started this year for Kansas! We have a pretty good reputation for putting bigs in the league.
All those guys won't be going in the draft. There are a lot of good players entering their hat this year and Kentucky won't completely own the top picks. If guys go out in the second round, they really messed up and should have stayed in school.
It seems crazy... we can't get a big to start and be "the man" in our hi/lo, even though we have a great reputation for putting bigs in the league, but Kentucky has plenty quality bigs to ride their pine and smile about it?
I still think Stein stays. He is still way too rough for the league. But maybe you are right and he is seen in a better light by the league.
When a coach is never challenged for his job, many will go soft. I'm always glad when some people speak up loud enough to question if we have the right coach. It seems natural, and the best way to push coaches to find a better way. Clearly... we need to find a better way.
I'm like a lot of people in here... often butting heads with Self. But I look at his strengths and there is so much to like about him and what he has done for Jayhawk basketball. Then I get frustrated because I want more! I just hope he becomes a bit more open minded to trying other things. He did some of that in recruiting and landed some top prospects. Maybe he can take the next step which is carefully picking top recruits and find ways where we actually get a benefit by signing them.
Kelly Oubre is major talent. But he has no business going to the league this summer. No business. I bet he leaves. I think that is a reflection of our coaching more than anything else. Kelly is a pretty bright kid. I believe if he thought he could advance his game considerably by staying, he would.
If we spent half the energy we spend on recruiting and used it on development... these kids would stay an extra year and would become monster players. I'm trying to think how good Kelly could be next year if he really received development help from now until next season.
I'm always in shock at Kansas recruiting.
We spend more money in recruiting than any other D1 school. We are a blue blood program. We've sent a bunch of players to the league. Yet... we seem to either get the 1 and 3 pick in the draft in one year... or we go almost without a thing. We seem to always count on getting a last second guy from somewhere. Why do we struggle so much at recruiting? I'm pretty sure ALL our assistant coaches were picked because they had recruiting capabilities.
I didn't understand last year and why we left a scholarship unused? Why didn't we throw it on a footer somewhere? Seems like half the schools in D1 have a footer. In the least we get a footer for guys to practice scoring on. In the most, he has some developmental potential and helps us out. But...at least we are no longer caught without anything. Sometimes.. just having a footer picking his nose in the lane is enough to deter some offenses. Obviously... we should be able to land a guy better than that!
I am a big Landen Lucas fan. He has improved every year and it is always hard not to like a kid who puts a lot of effort into fundamentals. But... but... he needs strength. He's been with us a couple of years now and I haven't seen him build his base much. Maybe it will come. He can never be a big authority big man unless he puts on some muscle. Imagine what a guy like Towns would do to Landen? He should take on the same attitude the twins took on when they hated losing in the spring so went right to Hudy and got serious about getting stronger.
Yes... there is a good chance we get in real trouble in the post in two years... more trouble than we have now. Big Man U without a big. What also seems strange... we put so much into recruiting and we play the hi/lo that puts the spotlight on interior players. Yet.. we can't recruit one? Maybe the reality is that there are not many big men left that want to play "back to the basket" ball.. at least... not for 40 consecutive minutes. Take Frank and Wisconsin. He'll go down low in the post. Then, he'll go out to the top of the key. Can our 5 do that often? Wouldn't it be better to stick our 4 out high, especially is he can bomb the 3?
Yes... it feels like they need to rename the tournament, "Champions Classic + KU"
"Speaking of Cliff, is there really no news on him? My assumption is that it is just a matter of days until he declares for the NBA..."
He is probably shopping for an agent.
"... still think he meant oubre and Cliff are the reality, they weren't mentioned, Perry either."
Hope you are right!
One huge reason to sign Cheick Diallo:
I swiped this from the MSU Spartan Basketball site:
"MSU's M.A.S.H. Unit
Michigan State has dealt with injury issues for much of the season. Freshman Javon Bess underwent surgery in late October on a broken bone in his right foot. After missing the first 10 games, he made his debut against Eastern Michigan. He played in the next 12 games but has since been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Sophomore Alvin Ellis III suffered a severe sprained right ankle after just three minutes against Navy and did not return to action until playing five minutes against Notre Dame. Junior Bryn Forbes did not miss any time, but he played with a brace on his left (non-shooting) hand while recovering from a broken bone for the first 10 games. Senior Branden Dawson missed MSU's game vs. Santa Clara with the flu, which also limited his minutes at the Orlando Classic. Against Eastern Michigan, he suffered a wrist injury that kept him out of action for two games. In the home finale vs. Purdue, Dawson took an elbow to the face and was limited to just nine minutes against the Boilermakers, and missed the following game at Indiana. In total, MSU has lost 29 games due to illness and injury for its rotation players. "
MSU has lost 29 games due to illness and injury for its rotation players.
Branden Dawson suffered a stable, non-displaced fracture on his left wrist after taking a hard fall in the Dec. 17 contest vs. Eastern Michigan.
So THEY are in the Final Four while we've been making injury excuses for two weeks because we couldn't make it to the Sweet 16.
"We have close gritty wins. But something changed, we lost the identity of the team, got banged up and tired out from the grind and bailed out because of it."
I think that sums up our year pretty well.
We should get stronger when we get banged up, not weaker. That's when the toughness goes into effect. That is hallmark Izzo. He always has to survive injuries playing in the Big 10. That conference is a heck of a lot rougher play than the Big 12. Huggy is the only guy in our league that plays a version of Big 10 basketball... and he had a small team this year.
I think the key to beating Kentucky is to have a 5 that will not get pushed back when Towns gets the ball in the low post.
I hope Frank can weather that storm. I hope he practices drawing charges on those plays when Towns lowers his body and pushes back.
Come on, Badgers!
I guess I challenge our ability to coach toughness.
I was watching the MSU/UL game yesterday... it was in the second half and Louisville had the lead, and many would have thought they would be favored to get the win. I had little doubt that MSU would pull it out. They thrive on just staying close in a game and then hammering down at the end, closing out the right way.
Two guys, Costello and Schilling, had fouled out and they stuck it to Louisville in OT!
Those guys are tough and I can't wait for their game with rat face!
I'm glad we didn't play ND... they would have smoked us like a cheap cigar!
We had what... 4 McDs AAs? Okay... one was not eligible for March. Shouldn't we have had enough talent to at least make it to the Sweet 16?
Gosh... how many of our players were Top 100? All maybe?
I keep blasting our coaches for not developing players well enough (or fast enough).
Maybe they just can't keep up with the media's perception of where the players are. Like I said earlier... Kelly's first decent game and the media had him gone. Kelly has progressed nicely this year, but anyone think he is ready for the NBA?
***I'm thinking I (and many of you) need to sign up for comments on some of these sites and BLAST the writers who are so quick to call Kansas freshmen gone to the league.
I used to think that the best strategy was for us to recruit the guys just below the OADs, and then sprinkle perhaps a couple of OADs, too.
Not so sure now. It just doesn't seem like you can develop the true "team concept" when you have a couple of players just biding their time waiting for draft day.
I really enjoyed Wigs. We didn't use him the right way but he did what he could do to blend in. He still couldn't blend in. The TV cameras and the media circus didn't help our team. And when it came down to play, he was given a different set of rules with Self. Our other players would stand around when Wigs got the ball so it was 1 on 5 with Wigs asked to push it to the rim.
We should have been playing offense like ND did. Wigs drive the ball and feed another slasher cutting to the rim at a different angle. It was really fun watching ND play. If the officiating had been fair on the play of the 5s, they would be a FF team.
Here is the roster for MSU... a nice blend of players from FR to SR...
!Screen Shot 2015-03-30 at 12.06.29 PM.png ↗
Not a single OAD on that team. In fact... have they ever had an OAD at MSU?
I was under the impression that Rush was the only one ready to bolt the year before, but the ACL changed that.
Yes... they deserve minutes together. But Devonte needs to lead the team. He's the PG. I hope that kid sticks around in Lawrence. I'm more psyched up about him than any other player or prospect!
He needs to get tons of minutes at PG this summer! We might just be surprised what he does this coming year!
I like keeping our schedule as tough as possible. We need to start thinking like Izzo. If you really want to build tough, then you play everyone in those early tough games. Stop worrying about winning them all. Izzo could care less. Look at the FF... 1-seed... 1-seed... 1-seed... 7-seed!
Izzo does the right things to prepare his boys for March. He wants them to struggle all year so they continue to fight to improve.
If we really want to contend in March, we have to be willing to lose in November. Play everyone and make everyone accountable. We couldn't make Hunter accountable this year in March. The guy hardly played all year. What a pity! Why? So we could win a dumb game in November? Does anyone really think we have to put that much effort into qualifying to be in March Madness?
The Spartans record is 27-11... 11 losses! Anyone question their toughness? They don't have a team full of NBA guys but they are playing every bit to their potential!
It isn't enough to play tough games in the non-conf. You have to be willing to lose them. Make every player responsible and give them all minutes.
Very frustrated.. and with the attitude that it's all about the players. If we aren't good enough we just have to recruit over our existing players. We have tons of talent on this team and just need a solid 5.
Would Self really throw Devonte and Frank to the curb? What... for players with more height? Frank fits the role of utility player except for his height. Devonte should be developed into the TOP PG in the country by the time he is a senior! We should be a true FF threat... maybe even by next year... definitely in two years and in Devonte's senior year. Having the best PG in the country will do that for you. It took a team like WSU and made them a contender even though they had no height and little athleticism.
I've really started questioning our coaches and their ability to spot talent and potential (and develop it). I've never resolved the Buddy Hield recruiting mistake. Devonte is the REAL DEAL!
"Finally, Myles Turner tweeted out this morning that he was not coming back to UT and was headed to the draft."
I wonder if Turner has some second thoughts about his decision to go to Texas? Seems he did it to be popular with his HS friends. I don't think the results of his year was what he had imagined. The kid has tons of potential. Not sure he is ready to play big boy ball. He'll have to get the right break in the right situation.
B I N G O !!! I might think Frank is a better 2 and Devonte at point. I know we are supposed to have a 6'5"+ 2-guard... but Frank could really do well back at his old position... he was a volume scorer in HS. Imagine him not straddled with running the team? Give him minutes at 1 and 2. Devonte has LEADER written all over him! He may be our first really TRUE PG in the Self era! That's right... he could surpass the greats like Mario and Sherron. He's a player and he is the most socially outgoing player we've ever had. His enthusiasm is off the charts, and he is pure alpha dog. HE HAS EVERYTHING YOU COULD EVER WANT IN A GUY AT POINT!
"My guess is HCBS is about to over recruit the guards he already has. Meaning some will be unhappy and feel betrayed. Hence transferring."
I'm afraid of that, too. It points to the real issue with our program... the inability to coach up players. If you have that ability, then you just need a kid with plenty of upside and a good attitude for learning. Take Devonte... we going to dump him because he doesn't have enough height?
Sorry... I've had a weekend of Izzo ball. That gives me an edge. It makes me look back at our program and see us as a Kentucky wannabe.
"The reality of that happening is not great."
Self constantly speaks French to us and we all need a translator... but I thought this was as clear as "voilà!" Maybe its Self speaking in "Riverboat Gambler" language. Think he's talking bluff?!
He really needs 2 years. Even though he has issues with his game, the potential is there for him.
"Would you trade a Jr for a Freshman if that Freshman was a scoring phenom?"
Let's see... half the season for him to get used to the speed and size of D1, and the other half of the season where he has to get used to (and learn) Self ball... I guess that leaves perhaps a couple of decent scoring games in there. And let's not forget that we don't build offense around individual players. It is believed in our camp that if a player is a stud, the other 4 guys just stand on the other side and watch him score... 1 on 5... the Wiggin's way.
I think the only shoe-in for us in taking on a freshman and making him "the man" on offense is to get a guy like Towns (Kentucky) who knows how to dominate from 5 ft out. Got to hand it to Calipari for figuring out that one. He is going to live through Towns for the rest of the tournament. Hopefully... they are preparing for their last game!
Sorry... I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning! I awoke with the taste of "broken record insanity" in my mouth!
At this point I'd like us to get guys that stay at least 2 years. But I understand that things change... and guys that are not projected as OAD can end up that way.
I put a lot of blame on the media. For example, Kelly is no more ready for the league than I am. It is ridiculous that after his first decent game as a Jayhawk all the media buzz was about him leaving. He scored a mere 333 pts as a Jayhawk. Hardly the contribution we need from players. Now we have a hole to fill... with another freshman, no doubt.
The only way this system works is if you do get 9 or 10 McDs AAs. I might as well spend my time watching the NBA... or Michigan State and Wisconsin basketball (I already do that). At least both my non-Jayhawk teams made it to the FF. Would love to see a MSU vs UW final!
Funny.. there are two teams from the Big 10 in the FF. I've heard very little media chatter about that. It's the roughest conference to play in and none of these teams are crying about playing injured (note to Kansas).
Self recently stated...
“Depending who returns, we could have more of a veteran team. Hopefully that could play to our favor a little bit (in handling a difficult schedule),” he said. “You stop and think about it ... Svi (Mykhailiuk) is a year older, Devonté (Graham) and Frank (Mason III) a year older and Wayne (Selden Jr.) a year older. If everybody stayed and would be a year older, that’d be a pretty experienced and talented team coming back. The reality of that happening is not great. We’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out."
Seriously? You mean we may just stay being one of the youngest teams in America? How do we get off this broken record!
Svi, Devonte, Frank and Wayne... not all of these guys stay? Seriously? I guess maybe Wayne thinks he is ready for the NBA with his 9.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.05 TOpg?
Is it that unpleasant to play at Kansas?
I put a question mark on Marshall succeeding at Texas because he won't have his underdog chip to play. But... if I had to guess, I'd say he would be a vast improvement over Barnes.
He might also have some cultural issues in Texas. Barnes is part of the "good ol' boy" network, and I would never underestimate the value of that. Marshall seems a bit elusive and can come across a bit elitist in his attitude. Maybe he isn't that way, but perceptions are what counts. I'm not sure that attitude will fly at Texas.
What counts in Texas is being able to rub elbows with donors. Marshall does a great job coaching players... but can he rub elbows successfully with some of the cattlemen and oilmen down south? I'm not sure about that...
Dem sum purdy lade back boyz in Austin!
"You want to believe Marcus Lee doesn't want to be apart of a 40-0 season instead of playing at another school where he's probably already in the off-season. And his exposure playing for UK is higher than anywhere in the country. He's probably on NBA radar's for that alone, not including his limited actual game."
I think the question is.... does he develop enough just practicing with a bunch of studs and then getting only a few minutes in games compared to being an integral part of a team where he is counted on for production?
College is where players develop... not the d league. His chance at development is passing him up.
How many alpha dogs are on that team? Towns?
Here is the box score:
Name POS MIN FG 3P FT OREB REB AST ST BLK TO PF PTS
Dakari Johnson C 8 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 2 0 0 3 0 2 0
K.A. Towns F 25 10-13 0-0 5-6 1 5 4 2 1 3 4 25
Trey Lyles F 25 4-10 0-0 1-2 3 5 0 1 2 5 2 9
W. Cauley-Stein F 33 3-5 0-0 0-0 2 4 0 0 2 0 1 6
Marcus Lee F 2 1-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
Aaron Harrison G 27 2-7 1-3 1-2 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 6
Devin Booker G 27 4-6 2-3 0-0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 10
And. Harrison G 29 0-2 0-1 7-8 1 3 2 1 0 2 2 7
Tyler Ulis G 24 1-3 1-1 0-0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 3
How many McDs AAs did basically nothing in that game? Marcus Lee, 2 pts in 2 minutes of game action? Do you think that helped his draft position? Do you think he is seasoning for the NBA? I have seen no improvement in his game this year... but then... he stopped getting his half-minutes down the stretch.
I believe most of these guys are coming back, whether they win it or not, because they have no draft position. Towns is gone.. maybe Lyles and Cauley-Stein. Dakari Johnson? Booker is a guy who most likely would be gone this year... but he doesn't have enough of a stat sheet to go too high in the draft. And what about Ulis? The Harrison brothers? I think the Harrison brothers and Cauley-Stein were smart to come back and they went through some pretty major development in the off season. They may not be at the top of the draft, but they are definitely ticking upward.
There are only so many quality minutes to be played in a game by one team. There are only so many players that can really be counted on for production. The dilution of talent at Kentucky has made it messy and there is only pressure to produce on a few players. The rest just coast and by coasting they are giving up their precious development and opportunity for the bright lights. Yes... every NBA scout watches their games... but they don't know how to judge a player that gets only 2 minutes of action. If a guy can only get 2 minutes of action on the D1 level, how much action will he get in the NBA? Right.... none!
"Perhaps this NCAA rule applied only to boosters, not to coaches, in this current case of Dean Smith's thoughtful generosity?"
Dean was no longer their coach and was no classified as a booster.
Technically... this is an infraction. Otherwise... you just make a deal with a recruit to benefit them after their playing days.
I'm curious if the NCAA will do or say something about this. What if a bunch of boosters start giving benefits away to ex-players? Even though this was a small thing and a very classy gesture you can see how this can be abused moving forward.
"I'd hate to be in a foxhole with some of these guys and find out we went to different high schools."
Not sure where that one came from but enjoyed it!
It's about 12 hours, half a day, past the ND vs UK game and I still don't have my voice back.
I have the reputation for talking to the big screens during games. Yesterday was more like a shouting match.
I'm starting to notice a strategy in the way UK games are being called. Call it a WWW directive, or whatever.
Here it is:
No early fouls on UK blocks. If you recall from last night's game, a ND player drove it to the hole in the opening minutes and was rejected. You could see the foul from distant galaxies. The angle of the slap made it so incredibly obvious that it was not a block but a complete hack. The network replayed the play in slo-mo and showed it, but the announcers were busy not doing their jobs and said nothing. This strategy is there to intimidate opponents from the word go. Create the mindset that taking it to the rim against Kentucky won't work.
Protect Karl-Anthony Towns from foul trouble. Towns is the biggest hacker in college basketball. It isn't even close. His back-to-the-basket, lower the body and smash backwards is a foul 100% of the time, regardless of what the defender is doing. It is the same type of play when a driver lowers his shoulder. Anytime a player lowers his body and aggressively smashes the defender, it is a foul, regardless of what the defender does. Towns had at least 8 fouls last night. Kentucky isn't squat without Towns. And by flipping calls that should be on him to the defender, it puts the defender in foul trouble. Even the announcers caught on to this last night.
Throw in some tick-tack fouls on the perimeter. This is a strategy that does several things. First, it pushes Kentucky into the bonus sooner. Opponents have to back off the aggressiveness or put UK on the line. Second, it helps players like the twins establish their drive... the only other offense they really have besides Towns in the low box.
I figure the refs were responsible for following this strategy between 5 and 10 times last night. Consider this... Towns should have fouled out midway through the second half, and Zach Auguste only committed 3 fouls in this game, and if Towns would have been called properly, it is doubtful he would have had 3 fouls guarding someone else.
The tables are tilted... towards Lexington.
Go Badgers!
I'm every bit as frustrated as you are in our March performance... and I'm lost on if we are going in the right direction. It shouldn't be that way.
I have to admit I'm an Izzo fan. At least the fans at MSU know the direction of their team. Izzo would probably like to get more 5-star players but he hasn't sold his soul out to do it. I'm mixed on Self... if he has sold out for the OAD. I don't know what kind of pressure he is under. We all can see the fan base is unhappy about March... but one can only wonder what pressures he faces behind closed doors.
I really hope we aren't following the Kentucky blueprint, but all indications point that way. Calipari is now reaching his goal of "perfection" and the ultimate prize for taking his strategy of bringing in the best players possible at 9 or more positions. I'm sure he'd like to recruit 12 McDs AAs for the ultimate "perfection." None of that is what college basketball is about. Recruiting is important, but like all things in life.... too much of a good thing turns something into bad.
On record... Calipari can complete "perfection" and go down in the records as matching the '75-'76 Indiana Hoosiers season of undefeated and a NC. But there is no comparison to those teams. Knight had 3 AAs... not anything near the team of 9 McDs AAs that Calipari has. Most likely, Cals boys would put the stomp on that Hoosiers team. And they would do it with their marginal effort. But when I define "perfection" Calipari and this Kentucky team won't be anywhere on that page... this Hoosiers team will be at the top! They had some talent, but it was their team effort and execution that made them special. 7 of the guys went on to the NBA, a few having long careers. May and Buckner received a few extra accolades in the NBA but Cal's boys really shine at the next level and I doubt it will be much comparison later.
The real threat with Cal isn't this team. The real threat is that this team is merely the blueprint for his future teams. Does anyone really think this is it for Kentucky? Are people thinking all 9 of those McDs AAs are entering the draft? Cal will lose maybe 3 or 4... maybe 5. All of those will be replaced with similar talent and he may even go beyond 9 next year.
The day Kansas signs 9 McDs AAs is the day I turn off Kansas basketball from my life.
Thanks for stating your honest opinion... in what can now be considered "anti-Marshall" territory.
I've respected Marshall through his efforts at WSU. I like good basketball, and I seriously doubt he does anything illegal or unethical when he turned pumpkins into princes.
What turned my stomach about Marshall was how he handled the Alabama rumors. I do believe that was felt by his troops. There is a sort of typical response a coach makes when put in that situation and Marshall didn't make it. He should have said this isn't the time for that and he is more than happy at WSU and he loves his players... yada yada yada. But instead, his response was he would consider it. I do believe this is the reason WSU lost to ND. The Shocks have another gear they kick into, and they didn't. I have to admit, not sure I would kick into 110% mode if I played for him and he came out with a horrible reaction like he had. I suddenly felt like a sucker for believing in the guy. At that point, he lost all my respect.
The book is still out on Calipari. It may takes years, but it is very possible that something will be exposed. How he is able to sign 9 McDs AAs and have them all happy-like while sitting half the game on the bench and no one shows an ounce of alpha-dog goes way way way beyond logic. If it is just Calipari's salesmanship that is able to do that, it still doesn't make it right. Those kids should all be spread out playing for other teams and playing a major role right now in March. I look at a kid like Marcus Lee and I see nothing but a waste of talent. He could have had a couple of years of full-time play and development and converted into some level of alpha-dog had he done the right thing and gone somewhere else. Calipari is exploiting these kids to the max. And so they all get a gold ring out of it... big deal. If they don't win it all, they will all be the biggest laughing stocks ever to set foot on a college basketball court. That is their "chip"... trying to prevent the entire nation from laughing at them!
What Calipari has done is create hatred by the entire college basketball nation outside of Kentucky. If they run through the tournament and win it all, and trash another great team in the finals... was that entertaining basketball to watch? Really? Then lets put these Kentucky clowns up against an NBA all-star team and watch them get pummeled by 50. Wow... how exciting!
Even if Cal is not doing anything illegal... is it ethical to have such an approach to basketball? He has way beyond depth. And in order to get that depth he had to convince some 5-star talent that playing half a game would be the best thing for their careers. Most of the clowns on that team I will never respect. They are cowards for teaming up like that and doing that to college basketball. Gutless wimps. Cowards without an ounce of man in them to venture out and have to really fight for a championship. Total cowards.
I'm saying all of this... but I'm not making excuses for Self's performance. In reality... I believe the only team he has had that really overachieved was 2012. Not a single McDs AA and we made it to runner up. I don't want to take anything away from our 2008 team, but seriously... they should have won! We were the stacked team in that tournament, and it still took a miraculous comeback to win it all. That was awesome, and I love those guys.... but I think I put the achievement of TRob's boys ahead of them. That was truly over-achievement.
So Self has been to the tourney how many times now? And even if you want to say 2008 was an over-achieving team.... that is only 2 teams he has had that has overachieved in March. Not a great record. And this isn't just because us fans expect too much.
Too bad Wigs can't come back to represent Kansas (USA) this summer. He would be my choice to bring back.
I can already hear the Big Blue Nation throwing a fit why Kentucky wasn't chosen as the Nation's team! All I can say to them is represented in a one-finger gesture!
Yes they should! But the NCAA refuses to vacate titles... they wouldn't ban UKs title in the 50s in the year they were nailed in the NY point shaving scheme.
"Not to mention, Oswald's feat of two well-aimed shots out of three in 9 seconds was not miraculous and totally in the realm of possibility for any average Marine rifleman."
The accuracy is very plausible. I know several sportsmen that could probably be successful 3 out of 3 with a similar firearm and with stock sights.
You should publish your thoughts on Kennedy. I'll buy a copy!
But you have to pick.... Duke or UK... who is it going to be?
I'll take rat face over the squid any day of the week!