I'm feeling up!
I'm slurping down my daily green smoothie... which I have to take to keep my blood pressure down. We know why my blood pressure goes up! :-)
drgnslayr
11251 posts
Awesome analytics. Thanks, @Jesse-Newell !
I'm thinking he biggest factor is defending those 3s. I think shooters have more time from the corners and out on top (typically). Both of these spots are the hardest areas to defend (mattering on the defensive set). The corners are always hard to defend, regardless of the defense. If a corner is being defended then someone has to be open somewhere! But we are talking about zone defenses. One strength of a M2M should be that you can defend the corners without leaving a man open somewhere!
I know I was coached to always challenge the 3 shot but not worry about getting the block (you don't want to foul). The idea is to slightly rush the shooter... try to impact his "flow out."
I believe, in general, the corner 3s are the hardest shot to hit because shooters only have the rim as a point of reference (missing the backboard). And there is little chance of getting any help on backboard bounces.
I really like the ISU graphic.. There is clear symmetry on their graphic. They don't have over-sized guards so defense should better impact their shots.
What stands out about the Kansas graphic is our post efficiency (or lack there of). Who would ever guess we'd have a graphic like this?!
Look at how much better efficiency ISU has in the post than us! All of this yack about size... turns out "size doesn't matter!" :-)
There were other places where the body language was worse.
Perry walking back to the huddle with his head down looking at the floor. I saw that twice.
I also mentioned Wayne's expression.
We need our guys to be upbeat, even under harsh conditions. How will they create the energy to compete without being upbeat?
I agree with you guys that we should have gone small in this one since we didn't use our size advantage on offense by attacking in the post.
To be honest, no substitutions were going to fix this game. We didn't have the energy nor the focus to play to our potential. Self said it... our guys weren't running his offense.
We weren't ready to play in Ames. I don't know if Self tried to get these guys ready, or he had this game setup to "throw them to the wolves" so we can be a stronger team later?
I hate it when our guys look like "deer in the headlights." On one camera shot it showed Wayne and it looked like he was crying.
Our visuals are horrible. Bad body language. It's posture, movement, facial expressions... we need to work on this asap!
Total agree... that's why I said "part of me." Another part of me still can't stand Tubbs.
But I love me some Waymon! He was a great person and a big loss to humanity when he left.
Any mention of OU basketball should include Waymon. The shining beacon on a hill!
"Saturday-Monday turn around is great in preparing for the Tournament. I hope Mason is staying hydrated."
Funny you should mention that. I read once that it takes 3 days to completely recover from the effects of dehydration cramping.
!$T2eC16NHJIIE9qTYI1n3BQqHgumfQQ~~60_35.JPG ↗
A certain part of me will always have a soft spot for Sooner basketball... even though they partied one year in AFH and cut down our nets... we did pay them back!
"why you not supporting your teams"
It all starts with the fans believing. The fans have to have faith. That means maybe your team doesn't win, but you still believed in them. Most teams in the Big 12 don't have the fan base that believes. And it is tough for them because Kansas has owned their asses for the last 10 years!
That's why IMHO I think ISU is the biggest threat to us moving forward. They never can recruit like Texas or Baylor but the Mayor is turning that place into a house of worship, and those fans believe! We've owned them, too, for the past 10 years, and their current team isn't as good as last year.... but they believe!
Fan behavior has nothing to do with rational thought. If it was rational, the team would have to prove they are a winner before the fans come. That definitely works. I, personally, like to see it when a team just shows a glimmer of hope and the fans start pouring in. It's best when the fans aren't "fair weather" fans.
It's too much for teams to consistently lay eggs and expect big turnouts. Kansas football is an example. There is only so much of a blood bath fans are willing to accept. And they should turn their backs for a while. That is a sign to administration that it is time to change philosophies... coaches. If Kansas football starts being competitive, Memorial Stadium will fill.
@icthawkfan316 @Crimsonorblue22
I think we are all right. I think it takes both, hard criticism and positive reinforcement to help most players. Too much of either side can make it difficult for a guy to stay motivated. You can't let any mistakes slide. They all have to be addressed by whatever technique works. In that regard, I've never heard of it working to politely tell guys to stop or start doing something. The entire basketball college game is a teaching lesson for young players.
College basketball is a one-shot proposition. For all of us amateurs, it was just a fun game... but I bet all of these scholarship players at Kansas are there thinking they have some kind of career in basketball. This is their one shining moment. Proving grounds. Sink or swim.
I was never near the level of player these guys are at, but I had lots of bros who were. We are all in our 50s now. Every one of those guys says the same thing, "I wish I knew then what I know now!" The same goes for me. I wouldn't have been in the NBA if I knew then what I know now... I wasn't on that level of play. But life could have gone so much smoother. Number one on that list is to do a better job of listening and execute off of that.
When I see guys not listening and executing off of it I see the same mistake I made (and my bros). That's why I get so critical in here. I see these guys that I care about slipping on their one shot!
I'm still glad Perry is a Jayhawk! He has been a plus for Kansas!
My only real complaint on Perry from ISU was his body language. That has to stop... now! He can't be dipping his head down while walking back to the huddle. That does two things: it tears him and his team mates down, while it boasts other teams that they are "finishing the kill."
Body language is very important in all sports.
As a team.... we decided not to hustle and get back on defense. Everyone on this team needs to realize that mistake and how we gifted a victory to ISU.
Why didn't they listen to Self? He was screaming at them to get back on his first time-out, and they never did do it. Why did they refuse to run their offense?
I agree.... I thought Self should have taken Perry out after his 2nd foul, had a brief word with him that he was so very much needed in the game (meaning... watch the fouls) then put back in. That might have even given Perry a bit more motivation to execute. Sometimes players really step it up a notch when a coach gives them that trust. When a coach automatically pulls a player the subliminal message is that he doesn't trust the player to play right.
You are right... and I still had my dig in for Perry.
I am part of the mob that gets down on Perry.
No one was more thrilled than I when he signed with KU. I saw the potential with him in his first year at Wichita Heights.
I stay on Perry for Perry. We haven't seen anything he is capable of doing. He is capable of leading this team to a NC.. but not from the Perry we've experienced. Not even glimpses of his game.
There is so much more in him and how is he ever going to bring it out? How? By everyone patting him on the back and "encouraging" him?
Self has it exactly right. Perry is too nice. He should finish that sentence... Perry is too nice to ever be a top tier talent. He's too nice for the NBA.
I feel for Perry. I don't even see him lasting long in Europe. He's just too nice and will want to be around with his loved ones.
Perry is a great person! But it takes a certain level of selfishness to be a good basketball player. You have to want your own success to eclipse others. That's taking, not giving.
If I could do it, I'd kick his butt. I'd do it for him. Something to make the fire come out. Something to get to him to find that part where he can let the reserved mannerisms out. Something to pull the animal out of him. It would be an awesome sight, and Perry would be able to write his own basketball future. Suddenly, Perry wouldn't be a "tweener" any longer!
Wayne has his own issues. He's in a little different boat, but sometimes it looks to be sinking, too.
I care deeply about all the guys on this team. I wouldn't waste my time commenting either way if I didn't feel that.
We should think back to EJ. He received lots of heat in these discussions. I can't recall a soul that didn't care very deeply for EJ. I think everyone in here still cares deeply for EJ. I know I do. It will be the same when Perry and Wayne and BamBam and all these guys leave Kansas.
We all hope to read about all of these guys making good on their game somewhere.
The bad part is when they leave and we don't continue to read about them. They may be fine, but I think most of us worry about these guys. We feel more like parents. And sometimes parents need to come down hard on their kids. I sure received a bunch of that and am still very grateful for getting yelled at and swatted... because it all helped me find the right path.
I still think a lot about Sherron.... the guy is in my thoughts and prayers constantly!
I've liked our chances of winning Big 12 #11 since our first game. I've liked our chances because as I put it: "Kansas knows how to win it."
I still have my doubts that any other team in this conference knows how to win enough games to secure the crown outright.
But we really missed an opportunity in Ames yesterday. I was expecting a Kansas victory.
ISU is nothing near the team they were one year ago. They are very much over-hyped.
The really sad part of our loss yesterday is that all we had to do is play reasonably well to win it. We were beat by a completely inferior team and we (once again) came unprepared to play.
Before tip-off, Jay Bilas said the key for an ISU victory was to get out and run and score in the open court. Boy was he right! And if Jay knew it, why didn't our coaching staff know it? Why weren't we prepared to run?
Why weren't we prepared to face the screaming fans of an away game?
Perry was ready. He still made mistakes, but when was the last time Perry lead the team with energy? Right...
This is a coaching flaw. There are many things coaches should do to prepare a young team to go into enemy territory for a game, and we clearly did not do the basics. This is very basic coaching.
Here is what coaches are supposed to do to prepare their team for key away games:
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Scout and prepare. You know what they are going to run, and you go over it and over it. With every repetition your players get it engrained in their skulls to come second-nature, while picking up plenty of confidence through the repetition.
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Pregame focus. I always prefer teams to come in on a bus. It's a longer trip and their can be a fatigue factor, but it is an opportunity for "team time" and the players and coaches to gel. This is time to focus on each other. To increase communication skills and focus. This is vital. This is supposed to roll the focus right through the game. It is vital that you have team focus before entering the arena. This is not a time for players to role up with their headphones and zone out!
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Game focus. All of our guys should be in a focus bubble before the game, and they should be taught to focus on each other during the game, and not the hostile environment. It takes some effort and discipline, but this is how you win in a hostile environment.
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Players and coaches talk during the game. This, once again, is vital. You have to have your guys talking to each other, and keeping the focus on the game, their strategy and each other. Players will focus on something, and the last thing you want is for every player to be left on their own because the focus will turn to the crowd. Players should be talking to each other a lot more during these games than their home games. Lots of communication is vital to winning on the road.
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Good body language. We had bad body language. And for the good aspects of Perry's game yesterday, he countered it with bad body language. I often saw his head down. You can't do that! Other players had bad body language, too.
I know this is a young team. But they weren't prepared with the basics. They didn't even run offense. Self said it. They abandoned trying to do what the coaches told them to do... because they were already lost in the sea of ISU fandom.
This is very frustrating to watch, because I see the great bond these players have with each other, and the awesome skills. The pieces are there for #11, but I have more doubts after this game than I had before.
So... it remains, that other teams in this league don't know how to win it.... but do we?
I like your dreams! :-)
I predict a low scoring affair (for these two teams): KU 69 - ISU 63
The game wasn't that close, but ISU came on a bit at the end.
MVP: Oubre pours in 23, Ellis 16, Mason 12, Alexander 10.
Ha... I hear you. But it feels so good to make the 'clones feel like they could have won the game. They shed more tears when the game is close.
Sure we do. Perry or Wayne (obviously they'll have to show up)... maybe our best bet would be Kelly!
What Kansas has to do in Ames:
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Do NOT have one of those "no show" games like we had with Kentucky and Temple. If we lose by 30, don't come home. File for your transfer from a State far from Kansas.
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Play tough defense and disciplined offense. Hustle, hustle, hustle.
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Be close at the end. If we stay close at the end, the Gods will step in and help us out. If you don't believe it, just ask EJ.
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If we do go to overtime, someone has to step up like EJ did and crush the 'clones.
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Don't leave Ames until we make the Mayor, his family, fans and the team cry like little babies!
Go, man, go!
"Now name the guy of those 7 who could most easily be replaced: now that Devonte is back, isn't it Wayne??"
Unfortunately, right now the answer is yes.
I hope it isn't Wayne later on.
I hope he finds out how to tap into what EJ did in Ames and learns to carry that swagger through the rest of the season! Gosh... Wayne leaves so much of his game in the locker room! If he can defeat his mental issues, by himself he can completely flip this team into being a real killer! The game is wide open for him! He has really outstanding opportunities with our offense and with the skills of the rest of our players.
Imagine if he developed some swagger? Started connecting more on 3s (he has been improving) and then realizes how to maintain his control on drives. He gets out of control on his drives. He needs to realize that being an effective driver is to operate in spurts. Put all his energy into a fast first step when the time is right and he has the driving angle. Then, at the right moment slow down. The defender can not make up the ground and get into position. This is the time when he should be regaining his control so he can execute the finish of his drive. There are many possible outcomes at the end of his drive; finish at the rim, pull up jumper, dish to an open player in the post or on the perimeter. But he gets too wound up on his drives. He's out of control at the wrong moment... towards the end of his drive. Then he has to be bailed out of his situation; force a shot, or be stuck in the air without a good outlet to pass to.
I remember when TT learned this lesson. He would always get in trouble on his drives until he hooked up with Lucas and he taught him how to maintain control. That sure made a difference... it was a huge part in leading us to the NC game!
"Julie-san, fighting not good. But if must fight... win."
Amen to that!
I was a big kid as a preteen. Kids started picking on me. Calling me racial slurs. Every time a kid did that, I beat him up! I didn't have to beat up too many kids before they stopped calling me names. From that point forward, I had earned respect and I was rarely challenged. I also stuck up for kids that were teamed up on. Sometimes I felt like a kid cop.
There was one kid that was known as the biggest bully around. He stole my bike, which was his big mistake. Turned out to be the best thing he ever did! What that kid didn't know was that theft represented the 5th time my bike was stolen! I was in no mood to settle for a conversation about getting my bike back.
When I found out the kid had stole my bike, I marched to his house and I kicked the crap out of him! He had never experienced a whooping! His mother saw it all and came out to confront me. I told her the reason I gave him a smack-down was because he stole my bike (as I gathered my bike and left). She didn't say a word and looked on.
Later, at a HS reunion, that kid came up and thanked me. He was a horrible bully until that point, and after his whooping he realized just how bad he was victimizing other kids so he stopped. Actually turned the other direction and started standing up for victims.
Every kid doesn't learn from these experiences... but many do. I had to learn my lessons, too... I was just fortunate enough to learn it early on.
This is an area I target Perry.
The real lesson is that we are all vulnerable. We all have to fight for what we get because others are there to take things away from us if we don't; our stuff, dignity, identity, future and safety! You have to build character inside to stand up to the bullies, even if you get your butt kicked! Know that it is a lesson and will make you stronger. But don't back down! Any push coming my way and I'll push back harder! (exceptions being when someone has a gun!)
"The NCAA tournament is really a crap-shoot; I am as loyal KU fan as there is but KU winning in '88 was a fluke."
I totally agree... that the tourney is a crap-shoot. But we still can't discount it and not consider it until March. Any single game in March is a crap-shoot. However, over time March is not a crap-shoot. When you look at the broad stats over time, March is not a crap-shoot. Kentucky winning all those championships wasn't a crap-shoot, neither are ours.
You have to build enough structure to win in March. That doesn't mean you win every game in March. As you said, it is a crap-shoot. But you need to put yourself into position to win in March. By doing that, over time, you will show positive results. Any fan thinking his team is going to win out in March every year is delusional.
Some of the focus on March has to happen before March. You can't go into March with an inexperienced bench and expect to win. By putting some focus on March before March you open yourself up to better things happening in March. That still doesn't mean it isn't a crap-shoot. It is!
There is a reason why many of the blue blood programs have the most tournament wins. They have more of the pieces in place to win in March. Doesn't mean a blue blood program wins this March. However... it is more likely a blue blood program wins it. For many reasons, including having a certain degree of focus on March before March. That is a big part of UCONN's success. Here is an example of a non-blue blood program piercing through to victories in March. Often times, they can't even win their conference but win out in March. How is that so? This is one of the teams that puts a great deal of focus on March, and it has been an effective strategy to lifting their program all around. It has helped them land top guards, and guards is their focus. That's part of their March strategy.
"Am I the only one that does not have a problem with Jamari's T?"
I see both sides to that coin. He doesn't need to demonstrate the lack of discipline all the time. But what he did was put a rubber stamp on this season that he and Cliff have everyone's back.
We needed that T. We needed someone besides Self having to be the one that shows fight. We need that to soak in to players like Perry. That should have been Perry. But just this once, and perhaps one more time later if the team needs the reinforcement again.
You can't let any opposing player push around one of your players. That sinks in the subconscious. It's the start of a subordinate role, something you never want to get into with your foes, unless it is them caving in!
"You must have been flipping great fun to play with"
Not always. The issues with other players on the team is a huge factor with every team. Sometimes, in my case, it lead to physical fights in locker rooms and parking lots. Sometimes that helped because it allowed players to vent out everything and later come together in a bar over drinks. The guys I fought with most usually turned out being my best friends. At least they had the balls to stand up and fight! This is one way for players to bond as a team. But it doesn't always work. Some guys never get away from the "one upsmanship." Some players hold deep inner resentment.
All the inner workings end up being expressed out on the court during a season. Always.
I see a lot of great things with this team. I do sense a lot of team emotion. These guys defend each other. These guys support each other. The bond is there. I haven't seen this bond since TRob's last season.
No one on this team is selfish. They are all willing to give up their own stats or PT for another guy that can help win games.
There is a lot of desire to win with these guys. That's why we tend to win the close games. And that's why we really stink when we lose. Turns out it is the will of the team that determines our outcomes... as it should be!
The key now is to get the team to focus on the next game. Then the game after that. etc. Be prepared for every game. Play them one at a time. Build momentum over time... organically.
" My feeling was: Win the league; anything beyond is gravy."
" I do take pride and feel a sense of glory in post-season wins, but tend to see the big tournament as a crapshoot"
"he probably has decided to buy into the Kentucky/Duke flow."
Excellent post!
I definitely came from your side of the fence. Over time, I've balanced out with plenty of HEMs views on March.
I think a blend of you and HEM makes the right approach.
Accepting March as only "gravy" creates lots of issues today. Expectations come at college basketball programs from many directions... fans... media... donors... and last (but not least) recruits. There is no way we can stay in a bubble and only focus on conference play. If we do that, we eventually get eaten away by the growing cancer surrounding our failing March performances.
Flipping sides now... but if we don't focus on Big 12 play we lose a big chunk of our real reputation for being a powerhouse and letting it all ride on the "crap shoot" in March. Conference play is our opportunity to really show our dominance (and land high seeds in March). And it is our Big 12 play (with Self) that has lifted Kansas back as one of the top blue bloods again, more than our NC in '08.
Flipping sides now... however.... if we hadn't won back with Danny and back in '08, we also wouldn't be accepted with the same "elitism" we are viewed now.
What I'm getting at is the need for balance. Really... conference and March are both important! We need to fight hard enough in conference not only to win our conference, but to create a margin where we can develop more of our bench for March and also to try other strategies that can help us in March. We can't really sacrifice our standings in the conference to focus on March. That's why it is crucial we build a margin in Big 12 standings and also in games. First things first, and winning conference is first!
I used to hate Vitale. He used to be exclusively ACC... especially Duke. But over the years he has broadened his vision and he talks up teams everywhere. He also raises lots of money for cancer and other foundations, and works very hard at that. So I've softened on him.
I have a very soft spot for the big red head, because I've followed him since UCLA. However... he does go off in crazy directions. When he does that he is taking away from the game. Viewers are there to watch the game (and hear the game)... not listen to his nonsense.
I have the most issues with Bilas. He gets so much of the game right, but in the areas where he blows it, he blows it big, but he has the mind of an attorney so he sounds convincing. Must be the Duke in him.
The other night, he went off on a rampage about college basketball refs calling charges too often, basically giving the charge call away when defenders flop. Yeah... he's right. But this is the guy that supported all the new touch foul calls recently. And what lead all the players to the flop is the touchy fouls, because if you don't flop you are definitely going to get the foul call against you. The game had gone too far in one direction, creating the need to over-compensate in the other direction. At that time, Bilas loved it. He thought he was "cleaning up" college basketball. Truth is... he doesn't understand the physical side of basketball.
Now Bilas is screaming for the charge circle to be extended away further from the basket. Another super dumb move... all in the hopes he removes more contact out of the game. Bilas wants basketball to become a completely non-contact sport... totally ruining the game. All because of his days being a soft player. He couldn't cut it, especially at the pro level because he couldn't handle contact, so he punishes all of college basketball now. He makes Perry look like Chocolate Thunder!
This all falls into my theory of how we win #11.
All we have to do is win the games we are supposed to win, and fight hard in the other games, which will create a few "unexpected" wins.
I can easily see the B12 producing a winner with 4 losses. But I don't, because if we do the right things, we shouldn't lose 4 games. The most we should lose is 3.
We take care of business at home. We take care of business away at the worst teams. And we fight hard in away games with the elite teams from our league.
Kansas is the only team that knows how to win on the road in this league. That's why we have 10 straight titles. All these "elite" teams will blow it many times. Texas will tend to be a better team in the second half. Hopefully by then they already have 4 losses... then, later on, they end up doing us a favor by knocking down teams (besides Kansas) with fewer losses.
I break this season down into sections. We won the first section by going 3-0. We've started section #2... a tough section against 3 of the top teams in our league, two of those games away. We need to win 2 of 3 here to solidify a margin at the top.
Breaking down the season in 3-game sections is a good way to inner-weave enthusiasm. It ties the performance of one game to the next with a degree of focus.
I know we see periods where our offense is out to lunch and that totally frustrates fans. Fans want to see their team having good offense. But Self has it right. Winning our conference is about defense, because you have the opportunity to play good defense every night. It is easier to export good defense on the road more than good offense. It's hard to go into someone's gym and get hot. The usual way to do that is have offense warm up because of the defensive side playing so well and creating TOs and motivating the offense.
I see us grinding out several games on the road. It's the Self way. Not always pretty, but we get more than our share of road wins. We are the ONLY Big 12 team that knows how to win on the road. All our opponents think it is about them winning in AFH... a very tough place for opponents to win. They should first focus on holding court. Stop us from coming in and leaving with a "w."
Last.... we need to stay healthy. It seems like we have lots of depth on the perimeter, but really we don't. Our perimeter depth is guys that can come in off the bench to give positive minutes. But we would be in trouble if we lost someone like Kelly or Frank. No one can come in and make up the difference when playing all those minutes.
"that was after the game,"
Ah yes.... thanks for the correction. My memory fails me.
That's it.
"Someone needs to punch Perry in the face before the game."
I know many people don't get that. But it's true. And if no one will do it, Perry should do it to himself.
If any of you out there are about to get into a fist fight, start the fight off right by punching yourself in the face first. It will only take a second to benefit off the adrenaline.
Imagine what we would have done if EJ had found his magic in March? He would have shifted from a deficit player to a superstar!
I think Cal does everything he can to recruit the best. His entire legacy is about who he has recruited, not how he has coached.
So Nike is part of it. I have become a believer that it matters. The odds go with Nike, and for that reason, Cal is with Nike.
I think it would definitely damage Cal's recruiting if he flipped to Adidas tomorrow. His "supply lines" are Nike. All those AAU coaches talk recruits in the direction of UK. He surely can't effectively go out there and recruit in that many top tier recruits by himself. And though his tongue may sing sweet lullabies to recruits, the # he signs is just too much to give credit to that... Cal has helpers.
If Cal became Adidas, he would suffer with less star recruits. Over time, he would build it up because his total focus is on obtaining quality players. So... maybe they add hot tubs to the player suites, and a "sex clinic" next door. Whatever it takes.
Kansas had too good of reputation after 2008, and we had Danny Manning. We should have owned the post in college basketball. I'm with @jaybate-1.0 on this. It just doesn't add up. Why were we locked out of all those star 5s?
True! Gosh... where did that game come from? I recall EJ had been verbally abused by fans at ISU. I think one even used the "n" word.
Something reached an inner nerve in EJ. Something survival based, because he turned his brain off for that game and played by reflex. He was feeling it and he went off. That was truly one of the best Jayhawk individual performances.
What this really is about is the fact that Kentucky got something like 3 extra weeks of practice this year to play in that tournament. So... is it any wonder they were a lot more polished than us when we played?
I got tons of man love for one Jethro Jayhawk fan! I'm a believer. Sign me up for 20 3 pointers.
I see the outcome of this year as a contest. Not so much between us and other teams. I see this as a contest from within our own team.
I put some players on one side.... the tough side.... Frank, Kelly, Cliff, Devonte, BamBam....
And I put some players on the other side... the side that often plays soft.... Perry, Wayne, sometimes Brannen, Svi and Landen.
I view the outcome of this year as a battle of wills. Which side will win over move support from the other side?
I've been on a lot of teams. And it only takes one or two guys being soft to ruin a team.
Our strategy in this game should be pretty straight forward:
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defensive pressure. Guys making good screen switches and guarding the perimeter... some special attention to Niang
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limit TOs. This game will be won by possessions. And if they steal the ball and score in the open court, it neutralizes all that good defense we need to be playing.
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rebound, rebound, rebound. We have to crash the boards and at least match their rebounding. Like I said above, this game will be won by possessions.
I'm willing to turn my head and discount bad offensive play this game as long as we do the three things above because this is the best method to win this game.
It should be a typical Self "grind game."
This will be a test on the toughness of this team. ISU just lost to Baylor. They aren't going to want to lose two in a row, especially at home. I can see this getting very emotional and rough. Hope our guys play as tough as they look.
Perry does face some doubles.
He's known this for some time.
So why does he freeze when he catches the ball in the post?
He has practiced many of his post moves his entire life. Why don't they come second-nature to him so when he catches the ball he should be immediately making his move?
He seems to lack rhythm.... it's part of timing.
And he isn't always doubled. Many of his post moves are poorly designed, not protecting the ball by creating the right scoring space. He either needs to take it right into the body of the defender to freeze his motion and prevent him from gating his arms to swat the ball, or he needs to protect the ball by putting his body between the ball and the defender, and he needs to use the backboard properly, often finding a quick shot off the glass to beat the defender.
Perry has pretty moves. And they are gorgeous to defenders anxious to swat them!
Another aspect is his footwork. The closest thing he has to footwork is his spin move, Everyone knows that move now.
I kind of wonder... Perry is graceful. But I'm wondering if any aspect of that gracefulness was natural? Or was it all manufactured through repetition?
At some point, a player has to create. Is Perry capable of creating? Or does all of his moves have to be canned and preplanned? Is that why he freezes when he catches the ball?
Good question... who will offer more in March, Selden or Svi?
Selden has become the EJ enigma.
Ha... true.
I'd have Perry "manned-up" in a week, if he visited my "Slayr's Camp For The Swaggerless."
He would have a few bumps and bruises, and he would thank me for the rest of his life!
Bingo! There is a balance. Some players, like BamBam, can easily get too much adrenaline going, while players like Perry don't ever show any of the signs of adrenaline.
I saw the Duke/Miami game and it was a lesson in my x-axis "small ball." Those two tiny guards chewed Duke up like a dog chews through a rawhide. Gosh.. they must have had 10 steals together, and many were converted to baskets in the open court.
Duke, once again, got their hometown referees... can anyone believe that wasn't an intentional foul? That was sick. And only Duke gets those BS calls. That's why most of America hates Duke.... the special treatment they receive by refs and committees assigning tournament seeding.
Miami is a dangerous team. A team that could put it together and get hot in March and go all the way to the FF as the sleeper. Angel has a lot of fight in him. Glad he's not a purple kitty anymore!
" I think a lot of us would like to see some of this attitude in the Validictorian from Witchita."
I know I would.
Perry's softness is really starting to hold this TEAM back!
We have a team with a lot of "Chicago-tough" guys. Cliff, BamBam, Frank, Kelly, sometimes Wayne. Perry has become the odd-man-out. Imagine what the psyche of this team would be if Perry was another stud?
All these guys I mentioned.... think about it... what other team in the country could win a street fight against us? Kentucky? ha.. they are a joke. I know basketball isn't street fighting, but actually it is. It is about swagger, toughness and will.
No doubt, Perry is a quality person. I could see him become a priest. I know he focuses on his faith.
But basketball takes a different personality. It's not a game of "turn the other cheek"... it's a game of "hit them back!"
Exactly right. I've never seen a KU big get his shots blocked half as much as Perry does. He seems to get 3 to 5 shots blocked every single game, regardless of the height of our competition. That's because his shot always worked in "theoretical basketball." The real world, not so much.
Right on.
Ford really blew it. He should have been giving Forte some breathers throughout the first half. I've never seen Forte so spent. But Forte really came into this game with too much desire to do too much too fast.
We sort of played "rope a dope"... having Forte expend all his energy in the first half and then be nothing in the second half.
I wonder if we intentionally overheated the gym. I heard it was really hot. I bet that had a factor in this game, too. Lots of sweat in this one.
I'm sure glad we had Devonte back... or the outcome last night might have been different. He definitely gives us another set of fast fresh legs.
"I watched Jaleel White, aka Steve Urkel, in a celebrity basketball match and he was nothing like his TV persona, he was actually a pretty decent player. "
Ha.... all proving my point about the effectiveness of x-axis basketball.
I squinted my eyes and it looked like the Duke/Miami game... except this was only a one-point victory!
Anyone else see that? See what a couple of little fast guards did to Duke at home?!
I'd like to take that game footage into the video room at KU and spend a couple of hours with Frank and Devonte. This is how it is done!
True.
I think the argument made now comparing Kentucky vs other blue blood programs is about development. I have to hand it to Cal... instead of polishing his reputation as a non-developer he pursued a different angle; to fill two squads with top tier talent and by having them practice together every day, the argument is that they will improve the most in this environment over another blue blood with a quality developmental coach.
The reality isn't as important as the perception.
But I do think Cal took a huge risk with the platoon system. I know I'd like to be a coach recruiting a top tier player with the argument that the player would see plenty of game minutes in my program versus a platoon system.
How many guys at Kentucky right now are showcasing their talents? Any of them? They all sort of get washed away in the over abundance of talent. I look at a player like Towns... he would be swiping plenty of headlines had he gone somewhere else... say... Kansas (for example). Instead, I read more about WCS.
Yes.... I think part of the recruiting of Zim is to educate him on being a 2 yr college player. See if he gets it. His stock will be high after one year, but will skyrocket after 2 years. He seems to be a fast learner, and regardless who enters the draft his second year, it is hard to imagine him not being selected in the top 3.
Love the art!
Now... just put a mallet in Self's hands. He needs to whack on all of these guys!
""furiously committed Trappist monk""
Ha! That describes him well... as does "the designer." No one questions Perry's overall drive. I bet he has worked harder in the gym to get where he is more than any other player. But... he spent too much of his developmental years in gyms by himself or playing with inferior, short players. Clearly, he never had to fight for his game... something that happens when playing players at a higher level (and with height), and other players with swagger. Perry has absolutely no swagger. I've never seen a player with no swagger before. None.
Perry needs playground basketball in a tough neighborhood. These guys would push Perry. Kick him around. And Perry could never get his shot off in those games. ALL of his shots would get blocked! Even on the little guys. He would be made fun off, pushed around and beat up. Everything he needs to get him out of his current comfortable existence. He needs to have his manhood questioned. He needs to go home crying, having been beat down and look hard in a mirror. He missed this opportunity in his youth. The part where he has to go out and prove to himself who he is. He doesn't have that. He's soft and mushy. The wrong personality for a pro career in basketball and the wrong personality to lead a D1 team.
One way or another... we will be signing a 5. There is no way Self will settle for another year without a shot blocker and more post presence on offense.
Everyone gets excited about Thon. He's one of those guys that won't really perform to his talents for another several years, when his body fills out and a smart coach realizes how to take advantage of his skills. I believe Self wants him because there is a good chance he becomes a "legacy recruit"... meaning.... if he becomes a star in the NBA, he'll always be a Jayhawk, and will offer plenty of goodwill to the program.
I love to watch Thon play, too... just not sure what he can do for us. I don't want to go through another year where we completely flip our offense around to accommodate one player (wigs). But who knows... maybe Thon eats a ton of hormone meat between now and D1.
The real catch for us is Zim... a guy who could do some real damage in a hi/lo. I would be hopeful we could have him for 2 years. In his second year, he could be Self's most prolific hi/lo post player in his years at Kansas. Easily.
Imagine Zim in the post his second year, and Frank our senior PG?! I'm sure we would fill in the blanks in between with great talent, but these two alone would give us an excellent chance at a NC!
True dat.
Northern Europeans are a bit more reserved than Americans, especially Americans in the Midwest. I've probably had 20 Northern European visitors come over to Kansas to visit me, and they all love Kansas! Some even cried when they left! They couldn't believe that you might strike up a conversation at the grocery store. People in Kansas (in general) are extremely friendly, and socially capable enough to exercise their jaws just about anywhere!
Here is a nice one. Part of our Kansas culture is to greet someone with a "how you doing?" They don't do that over there. So when you do that people are sort of shocked, often pleasantly, because it appears you care about how they are doing. They aren't used to that, and often, instead of receiving your typical Kansas response "I'm fine, how about you?" they will talk to you for hours about how they are doing. WARNING TO KANSANS GOING ABROAD!
We look at people like the French and we think they are unfriendly. Nonsense. It's a cultural thing. You go to Paris and you don't speak French... no problem. Just start your conversation with an apology for not speaking French and ask them politely if they speak English. Chances are they speak a little and will be happy to try it with you. Problem is... we go over there and just start speaking English. Imagine if they came to Kansas and just started speaking French? Right. So the French have some pride, good for them! I was always treated like a King in France. I can talk for hours about how French people went completely out of their way to help me.
I remember all the UK trolls. Those guys used to go everywhere on the net.
Back a few years ago, before UK won another NC (at our expense) they were feeling a bit inferior and felt like they needed to defend themselves and defend Calipari.
I guess they feel superior now. So they don't waste their time defending themselves to low life fans from other schools. Aaargh!
I miss Oak. I miss his lists. I'm not sure why he stays "over there." Maybe change is hard for him. His humor was appreciated by everyone over here. Once in a while I'll breeze through the posts "over there" and I don't see much of Oak any longer. I noticed he didn't seem to put a lot of energy into his lists, and eventually he just stopped (or reduced) posting. Such a shame. Stardom awaits him here!
Nice post on the Germans.
I have quite a bit of experience from living in Germany. Many Germans have the same infatuation many other cultures have with parts of America. They consider it the "wild west." Everything from lax gun laws to lax business regulations. And the attraction roots back to cowboys and Native Americans. They loveeee Native Americans. Some of the world's biggest powwows are in Germany. I have a few ounces of Native American blood and I got to know a Native American guy over there. He made a fortune with his horse doing shows and he begged me to join him. He even offered me one of his horses. He wanted to expand his show.
If you go on vacation anywhere in the world where there are beaches... you will always know if Germans are present. They dig holes. I learned this while living on Crete. An English bloke mentioned it to me one evening when we were walking on a beach and seeing holes dug everywhere... "this is German territory!" The Germans dig holes on the beach. And it makes sense... even on vacation, Germans like to work and build!
This game with OSU was just what we needed.
The Cowboys aren't big dogs in a fight. They are small dogs bringing a big fight. The pushing, scratching, barking, running... all scrappy effort by the little dogs with big fight. This game gave us the most we could hope for just before we go play three tough conference games where we need to show some results. We need to find a way to win 2 of the next 3 games. The only way that is going to happen is if we toughen up.
This game with OSU was just what we needed.
Self has plenty of ammo to shoot at this team between now and Saturday. In order to win at least 2 of the next 3 games, the best strategy we have is to put everything we have into a victory in Ames. Win this game, and it becomes easier to go 1 out of 2 in the next two games.
This game with OSU was just what we needed.
Look at the areas that were exposed in this game. Our guys got sucked in to the emotion from Nash, and we let it impact the rest of our game. Players like BamBam collapsed into a chaotic swill of adrenaline. Perry, once again, proved to us that he will not lead his team of youth with his leadership. Wayne... Wayne. Brannen... rust already?
This game with OSU was just what we needed.
Self mentioned our lack of poise at halftime. What players maintained poise in this game? Frank, Kelly, and a bit from Devonte. 2 of the 3 are freshmen. We might as well be considered the youngest team in college basketball.
Now we have to go to Ames. Where the fans lack class and will scream nasty names at our guys and probably throw trash on the court. Now we go play the Cyclones... that bring a different philosophy to basketball. They make you think about what you are doing, and the only way to beat them is to make adjustments. Our only chance of victory is to maintain poise. Poise we are lacking from most of our guys, especially our veteran players.
Our only hope in this game is that we get a solid performance from Perry and Wayne. Two guys that don't have a grip on their games yet.
Someone needs to buy Perry a pair of boxing gloves. Before each game, Perry needs to put the gloves on, and smack himself in the head and face about 50 or 100 times with a lot of intensity. This is what boxers do before entering the ring. The term "smack some sense into your head" comes from this preparation. It works. It builds adrenaline and the survival instincts kick in. Perry needs to come ready to play "man ball" and leave "theoretical ball" back in the locker room.
Wayne... the thinker... the next EJ... needs to give EJ a call on the phone. I'm betting EJ could help Wayne out right now more than anyone. He's had time to "think" about what he did wrong.... how he over-thought the game and his mind gave him paralysis during games. Wayne is on target to be the next EJ. And I feel for him, just like I felt for EJ. But the facts are the facts.
Self needs to spend these coming days chewing out some big time arse. Beat these guys, make them realize how they lack toughness... mental toughness. How they lost composure playing the Cowboys. How they let adrenaline rule their game, so when the clock stopped, and their hearts were stroking out, they couldn't hit FTs. How they let adrenaline remove the flow from their perimeter shots. How they let adrenaline create chaos in the game so they couldn't follow Self's plan. There was a reason why Self's face turned purple.
Suck it up, boys. It's time to become men. Perry... go get your boxing gloves.
I'm an old guy. I'd love to have another crack at my youth and basketball.
Perry is right there... real time... and I hate to see him tarnish his future.
He doesn't have to be a tweener. He's a tweener because he plays soft.
Charles Barkley was shorter, and he wasn't a tweener.
I wish he could hear us. I wish there was a way to wake him up into being the player he is capable of being.
But... there have been some good moments this season, and all we can do is hope he has more of those moments where he is pushing hard.
I have to admit that between my wife and I... Perry gets the most verbal abuse during a game. We both despise soft play. I don't like to call Perry names... but my wife calls him a wuss.
I'm here until game time or dinner is ready... whichever happens first!
I'm bad at the online real time chats because when something goes wrong, I don't want to filter my outbursts! ha!
"As I mentioned before, the Vegas lines (and I am on the records saying that I like them a lot) are not predictor of outcome, they are set to make sure bets are evenly spread and they are tweaked, not based on any sports criteria, but uniquely to ensure even betting and profit for the house on the vig."
That's it. That's how the line works in Vegas. Because their money-making model is to reduce their risk to nothing while taking 10% fees from the losing side. The Vegas line is a measurement of how the betting world sees the game outcome at that very moment. That's why lines change over time, even if most (or all) the real factors involved in the game remain the same, because bets come in and start changing the scales of dollar amounts on each side.
We can criticize computer prediction models all we want... because they only offer their results off the limited information they have.
If you want to put it to the ultimate test... try to have a computer predict specific player match ups. Well... if I wanted a machine to accurately predict results I'd want match up info in there and I'd want it to be accurate. How can that work?
Computer results tend to be really wild early in the year because there isn't enough data yet.
Let's all put ourselves in the shoes of these computers. Imagine a season where you didn't see a single game. No visuals. And you don't read blogs and news that give other information. The only thing you have to go off of is a stat book. Now you predict the future! We blast computer interpretations, but this is how a computer has to deal with it all, with some additional programmable formulas developed by someone... Whoever is the person (or people) writing the formulas and codes... there is nothing in this for them to develop inaccurate results. The big prize for them is to develop something that has a higher accuracy over time.
There will be improvements as we move forward, just like the fact that we will see improvements in all areas of computing. I saw a nerdy friend wearing this:
The only sure thing in life is:
Death
Taxes
Software Updates