🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Nice... and check out those claws! That guy could disrupt a few dribbles!

Kansas Dorm of the Future... • Oct 06, 2014 03:21 PM

Hey...

I replayed the video above and froze it on the first graphic..

"10 Campaign"

"A Campaign To Continue The Legacy"

So I guess that is a marketing theme brought forward by the AD? Examine the rings. 10 rings. It looks like 7 B12 Championship rings, 2 NC Rings and a Runner-up.

Anyone hear of the "10 Campaign" before?

X-Axis Floor Game Net Benefits, or a Great Highschool Trey Is Not Enough • Oct 06, 2014 03:12 PM

If I could go back to my youth right now, taking what I know now, I'd make two fundamental changes:

Learn to play "small ball", x-axis, "bend my knees" basketball from Day 1.
Get onto modern sports nutrition from Day 1. No Gatorade... all the right real nature juicing.... wheat/barley grass, microgreens, sprouts, watermelon juice... the list goes on. These nutrients bolster performance and help you stay healthy.

"Eventually, someone has to dribble!"

That was part of the explanation of what dribbling is and does. The ball makes repetitive contact with the ground. GROUND ZERO! The lowest possible point. Mole territory.

Guys that learn how to play low are always good at disrupting and stealing dribbles. It is almost impossible to stop them from succeeding. And the best opponents to target are guys who aren't bent down enough or all tall players because the ball has a long travel from hand to floor and back. If I was playing against Kansas, I would target players like Brannen.

I look at players like Frank and see insane possibilities. Frank is quick and he has the absolute perfect mole build.

We should be excited to play a team like Kentucky. All that height! They shouldn't be able to put the ball on the floor once without being disrupted and thrown out of their flow.

What a Shame the Season Can't Start a Nanosecond from Now! • Oct 06, 2014 02:43 PM

Let's put ourselves in Kentucky's shoes for a nanosecond.

Pre-season #1. Probably the tallest team in NCAA history. A collection of top-tier All Americans, many who are back for a second season with laser focus on a national title.

What happens if they don't win? The rabid Kentucky fans have already made room for another trophy in their cabinet.

What happens if this young Kansas team watches a tape of last year's NC game and figures it out that "small ball" is the answer in March?

What happens if the focus of this young Kansas team is to take care of the ball, hustle and force TOs on their opponents, while maintaining an underdog attitude to make sure they put out 120% effort all year long?

What happens if Kansas and Kentucky fight it out in the finals? Thomas Robinson, in house for the finals and in the locker room inspiring these guys to not come up short.

What happens if Kansas has to make room for a new trophy?

Let's put the season on hold for another nanosecond while we enjoy that dream and we figure out how to execute the right x-axis strategy of "small ball" that no one can beat.

Here is the first discussion:

The game of basketball is won or loss on the perimeter.

X-Axis Floor Game Net Benefits, or a Great Highschool Trey Is Not Enough • Oct 06, 2014 01:49 AM

I was blessed to play for some fabulous coaches. Coaches that understood the game and the athlete playing.

I bet I heard this a thousand times.... "bend your knees!"

It was my intro into x-axis. Get down low and play the game at the lowest center of gravity where you can be effective. Getting down low gives you more control on lateral movement. Getting down low gives you control of your body and movements.

Brannen Greene (last year) was not an effective player. He played too upright. Guys could easily blow by him, and he really couldn't blow by players. He wasn't involved enough in the game. It's a different game when you come down closer to the floor and focus on lateral play.

I know about this because all of my youth I played too upright. I had the same problems Brannen has now. And it took me believing in a coach to break out of that. It took a lot of effort to strengthen my body right so I could play lower, cut better, and just be in more control.

I know John Lucas gets it. I watched how he helped TT with his game. Most people thought he was just working with TTs long ball. What become apparent to me was Lucas helping TT finish at the rack. And after TT's coaching from Lucas, he became effective with his finishes. He "played small" and he slowed down his drives and picked his spots when and where to finish in the paint. TT got a dose of x-axis and he lifted his game considerably... enough to bring KU to the championship game.

I'd love to build a 5-foot ceiling and put it over the court in AFH. Make the guys play under that ceiling. Guard and penetrate under that ceiling. Pass and open their vision... under that ceiling. Realize what you can do when you "play small."

There is a time to play like a tree... skying for rebounds and blocked shots and slam dunks. Those are all moments setup after playing effective "small ball." The guys that really know how to drive, bend their knees and get small until they know where to come up for air... then they go up and slam dunk... they go up and block shots... they go up and snatch rebounds.

Brannen has some flaws in his game. I hope he works out his bugs because he has incredible potential. He's got a great basketball body, superior shooting range and he has great instinct for the game. But if he doesn't get parts of his game in order, he's going no where.

Maybe it would be better to put some football pads on him and send him over for a practice session with the football team. He'd get clocked instantly being so upright.

I believe the guy that gets what I'm talking about is Wayne Selden. If he can stay healthy this year he's going to explode with some big numbers! Wayne should probably be a football player. He definitely bends his knees.

Frank needs to play as low to the ground as he can get. If he plays right, he can shred the twins at Kentucky.

Does KU Actually Have a Guard on the Roster that Can Stay on His Lines? • Oct 06, 2014 01:25 AM

"Can Frank really stay on his line?"

Sure he can. He just has to lower his center of gravity.

Frank has to be the "mole" and he needs to squat down and run through players' ankles. Guys that can do that are unstoppable. If he plays right he'll be able to stay on a better line than Sherron did.

If he tries to play "big" then he'll be swallowed up by big guards.

It is almost impossible to foul a guy's ankles... think about it.

The Secret Weapon...aka Andrea Hudy uses Science to enhance performance. Rock Chalk • Oct 05, 2014 07:32 PM

I haven't heard anything about modern sports nutrition science. They've probably had an old-school nutritionist around for years.

If they were practicing modern nutrition, we'd surely hear about it, almost as much as what Hudy is doing in sports training. These guys are still drinking Gatorade. Big no-no.

Kansas Dorm of the Future... • Oct 05, 2014 05:59 PM

The future is almost here!

[link text](

All I can say is WOW! Looks outstanding.... I'd only add in a few extras:

Spa - they should have a spa where the guys can go for a hot soak. A sauna would be nice, too. And last, a Turkish heat stone and bath would be the final touch. There should be a few massage tables, too. It could even have a small swim pool for therapy and fun.

Solarium - perfect for a study area or to just grab some winter sun. It helps give energy, vitamin D and light to fight off winter depression.

Nutritional Garden - in the kitchen area there should be a small inside garden area to grow sprouts, wheat/barley grass, micro-greens and other necessary nutrients. A sports nutritionist should be integrated to manage and teach.

Add in those features and we'd never have to worry about another school making a better dorm.

The Secret Weapon...aka Andrea Hudy uses Science to enhance performance. Rock Chalk • Oct 05, 2014 05:40 PM

Now if we can make the next leap in performance enhancement.... nutrition!

Who will be this year's DSC? • Oct 05, 2014 05:38 PM

@HighEliteMajor

I really like how you broke out differences in shot blockers.

"I am betting that Mickelson's shot blocking isn't near 1/2 "rim protector." Just a hunch."

That is exactly how I thought of Hunter last year. But if the stories are true, and he has increased his vertical 6", then I've suddenly opened my mind to thinking he may fit more in the Embiid/Withey category.

It really isn't the 6" vertical increase that has me buzzing.... it is the inference that if he had that kind of vertical increase, he must have even more of an increase in lateral movement!

Your description of Withey and Embiid guarding the block is only possible because both of those guys could move well laterally. Lateral speed is what it takes to leave your man and go after another man's shot. You have to be quick to get over and you have to have the quickness to retreat if the pass goes to the man you left.

A huge part of making a shot blocker like a Withey or Embiid is lateral speed and agility.

Who will be this year's DSC? • Oct 05, 2014 05:27 PM

I like your idea of redshirting Brannen. That makes sense. We have too much talent around the positions he should play, and he's a guy that another year of pure development could turn his game from being a marginal contributor to a major contributor.

We should be willing to invest in Brannen. He is a guy that is worth focusing on. He is a guy worth keeping around an extra year. He is a guy that could be a major example of how we can develop players.

Brannen is a guy that needs more time to really buy in to Self's philosophy. He is kind of like TT... imagine if we had TT around another year?

Brannen needs to add strength and he needs to adapt his mind into playing with more physicality. He's a guy that needs to learn to bend his knees. He plays too upright. I believe that guys that play too upright do so for two reasons; their bodies need to be strengthened and stretched for flexibility and they need to work on mentally getting deeper into the game.... more focus.

If Brannen can make that leap he is a guy that could definitely become a lottery pick. The assets are there.

Big 12 projected to be top conference for second year in a row... • Oct 05, 2014 05:01 PM

I think it is important for the B12 to make a better showing in March. In recent years, our RPI as a conference is very strong. If it wasn't for mathematical tools used to computing RPIs I'm pretty sure we would be under-appreciated as a conference.

The one big area of focus for our conference should be to show better in March. Last year we had misfortune. It was a big blow when we lost Embiid, and when ISU lost Niang. Hard to say the outcome if those two guys would have stayed healthy.

Who will be this year's DSC? • Oct 04, 2014 07:59 AM

Let's not forget that BamBam was half of the "Bruise Brothers" last year.

Why wouldn't we find an energy connection this year running BamBam with Cliff?

Those guys should form a high-energy, muscle-bound synergistic force in the post. It shouldn't matter how tall our competition is. These guys should rule the paint.

Think real estate and think about two bruisers who should be able to own real estate with their thighs and butts.

Refs are still stuck on last year.... they are looking to call fouls with the hands and arms. The Bruise Brothers should use their thighs and butts and force the competition to use their hands and arms to fight for position. Advantage: Bruise Brothers. And they should be drawing a lot of fouls!

Self Admits To Negatively Affecting Shooters, And More • Oct 04, 2014 06:35 AM

I might as well be his dad. I've watched him play for years now. I know what that kid is made of... and it's all the right stuff!

Self Admits To Negatively Affecting Shooters, And More • Oct 04, 2014 06:30 AM

@HighEliteMajor

My goodness.... you are clearly on your game HEM! We haven't even hit Late Night and you've sketched quite an assessment!

I agree that he admitted Conner had too much pressure to hit the shot last year. I do believe his hook works too fast and he should give guys time to settle into the flow... especially if their big asset is shooting the trey. I've been a believer that he pulls the young guys too quick from all spots on the floor.

But... I see what he is doing. He is trying to instill in the young guys just how valuable those minutes are on the floor, so they better be giving it their all.

And for Conner... Self really called him out on what it will take for him to really contribute at Kansas. Conner has two choices. First, to just be a shooter. He'll get some limited minutes when we need to see if he's hot and can pull defenses out more. Second, to be an all-around player and earn more minutes. And by doing so he will have a better opportunity to get into the flow of a game, get relaxed, and become a more-effective shooter. Self framed it right for Conner. That's what it is going to take for him to contribute. It isn't all about becoming stronger. It's more about being able to contribute in other ways besides hit the long ball. Obviously, getting stronger is a key to being a contributor in other ways. Self is very cleaver how he did this.

No one on this team is a bigger competitor than Conner. No one. That guy lives to compete. He did not commit to Kansas to ride the bench. Conner will figure it out... he'll find his way to contribute and he will. He proved that in March last year. He was nothing but a skinny, weak kid but he kept us together after Naadir fell apart. That confirmed to me, right then, that Conner would find a way to contribute to this team and will ride out of here a decorated senior someday.

Self laid out the road map for Conner. The rest is up to him. I'm not worried about it. He'll get there. He'll build more strength, but most likely, it won't be the key factor that will earn him PT. What will earn him PT is his brain. He'll figure out how to help this team... make other players better... hit shots... and figure out what to do at the right time. He did it last year in prime time and he barely played all year. The kid is a competitor supreme. I love him already.

Self needs Conner to be more than a shooter. It would have hurt Conner's development had he hit more shots last year and we gave him more minutes only because he was hot. This has all worked out just right. Self knows it, too. It made Conner realize that just being a volume shooter wasn't going to work at KU. He was going to have to contribute in other ways. His cold shooting was a blessing to expose that in his game.

Think back to '08 and our dynamic perimeter trio of Mario, RRob and Sherron. Conner will (one day) be one of those perimeter guys with others and we'll become a real tough out in March!

In some ways he has some of the spirit of a young Sherron. He may not have his athleticism, but he has his heart and desire. And without that we didn't win in '08. It wasn't Sherron's size, strength or athleticism that created his magical steal and seconds later his 3 that was a big part of our comeback that created the opportunity for Mario to hit his magic shot. It was Sherron's heart and desire. Conner has that some magic going for him. He's going to perform magic at some point in his career at Kansas. May even be this year.... who knows.

I worry about Conner the least on this team. You could chop off his legs and he'll still find a way to contribute!

The Secret Weapon...aka Andrea Hudy uses Science to enhance performance. Rock Chalk • Oct 04, 2014 01:35 AM

Wow! That Wayne is really a football player that somehow found basketball. Glad he did!

Who will be this year's DSC? • Oct 03, 2014 11:15 PM

It seems like Self and staff are working harder in recruiting now than in any other year. We are on every big recruit's list, and we've pursued most of them.

Hard to believe we are doing that just to fill one spot. But can we count on Kelly and Cliff going OAD? And if they do... think we are stopping at 3 new recruits coming in?

I'm kind of thinking we might create one or two DSC's this year. But who would that be? What if all the guys are happy, even if they don't get much PT?

Kind of seems like Greene was a guy last year that could have been unhappy with his PT... but he seems pretty happy right now. Someone on this talented team is not going to get the minutes they think they should (or would get somewhere else).

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 11:08 PM

@JayhawkRock78

Ha... nice!

So I guess those are monitors, right?

You think they show a highlight reel of each player on their own monitor? If not, it seems like the next step. Imagine recruits seeing that!

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 07:04 PM

@globaljaybird

Awesome! I started on dirt and then went towards hybrids and street bikes. I currently have a Triumph Speed Triple, but I'm ready to sell it and get a vintage cafe bike. Something that doesn't go as fast but feels like it. I'd also like to own a good road BMW road bike.

I miss having a rat bike. Sold my last one when I left Europe. It was an old Suzuki 750 from the 80s. I bought a guy dinner in trade for his two Suzuki 750s that were rusting in his backyard. Together they made one good bike that I painted flat black.

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 06:41 PM

@globaljaybird

Nice! I used to have an appetite for Cuban cigars when I lived abroad. Europe doesn't have an embargo on Cuba. I think it has been about 10 years since I've had one of those. They gave me a nasty morning cough. I also liked to smoke Sobranie "Black Russian" cigarettes back before the company sold out to using standard tobaccos. Their original imperial tobacco was amazing and they were really the premiere smoke out there at that time.

On occasion I still go for the cognac. The euro way is after a big meal to enhance the experience with an espresso and cognac. You definitely have to get used to caffeine intake around the clock over there.

I've been back on Kansas soil for 5 years now. Funny... but now I can't really do coffee after around 4pm.

I'm a bit envious of your setup. But now I'm a family man with wife, baby, and one on the way. So my smoking days are over. I'm okay with that as long as I can keep riding motorbikes! I've owned a motorcycle continuously for the last 41 years! (a streak even Bill Self can't touch!)

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 06:29 PM

@globaljaybird

That's where we deferred responsibilities of our main brain by claiming we have a second brain... lower on our anatomy!

@Crimsonorblue22 .... Give me a heads-up before I dig my way to China!

@JayHawkFanToo .... I've come to realize that, though it helps tether me from being even worse in here!

Big Month For 2015 Recruiting • Oct 03, 2014 06:25 PM

Hey.... thanks for those links.

It looks like UA will have to make some room on their roster. But still... did they have to publicly opt out on Bragg? Wouldn't they be in close communication with the guys they have offered?

Kansas Basketball Media Day • Oct 03, 2014 06:21 PM

I'm polling because for some reason I chose Jamari first. Not sure why. Maybe I think he'll become a strong leader for this team.

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 05:37 PM

Not really.... my wife, our friends and family... they all know my identity on here!

Big Month For 2015 Recruiting • Oct 03, 2014 05:35 PM

I find it strange that Arizona publicly opted out on Bragg.

It doesn't feel like a positive thing with Arizona. Do we publicly opt out on players? We seem to support all players and we accept players talking about coming to Kansas even when we aren't recruiting them. Players connected to top schools does impact their reputation. We've seen that before.

Could it be that Arizona knew it was beat and thought it would help their own rep by opting out?

We don't do that. And we miss on plenty of players. But we always make it seem like we are aggressively still pursuing players that we aren't because it helps keep the image around those players positive.

It feels like Arizona doesn't care if they damage a player's status (even if it is just a little bit).

If Arizona has another guy they are interested in, they can tell him in confidence they aren't still recruiting Bragg. Maybe Miller isn't trusted enough to do it like Self does.

Kansas Basketball Media Day • Oct 03, 2014 05:25 PM

@Statmachine

Thanks for the link.

I'd like to take a little poll in here.

What player's link did you click first?

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 04:54 PM

I'm going to need a bigger shovel now to dig out of this!

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 04:53 PM

"There is a reason why most of us were blessed with two eyes, two ears and one mouth...."

I don't know how many times I've heard that throughout my life and it does hold some truth.

It gives us the ratio for how we should use our tools.... watch and listen twice as much as talk. I talk a lot in here because of the safety of distance. In real life, I'm careful what I say and do. That's a fortunate thing, because I have two hands!

Then you realize why you were given two feet!

Too bad we only have one brain!

Bill Self will answer questions for 30 minutes • Oct 03, 2014 04:28 PM

"Anyone think there's a negative vib about Conner and Hunter?"

I didn't really pick up on that.

I would have liked to hear Coach say that Conner has strengthened up quite a bit over the summer. I think he nailed Conner's issues concerning becoming a top-notch college player. He has to be more than a shooter. I think he is such a competitor that he'll do whatever it takes to find a way to contribute to this team. Look what he did down the stretch last year. You can bet he will be more capable this year, and so I'd expect him to find a way to contribute to this team.

It sounds like Devonte will be hard to keep out of the lineup... great! He must be very talented if he gets the nod so early on in his career.

I picked up a positive on Hunter. Self said he is definitely our best shot blocker and pointed out that he had better numbers than JoJo did last year (when he was at Arkansas). We've all heard he has improved his vertical something like 6 inches. I kind of expect him to be another Cole... who was a nobody until he showed up in the NCAA tournament. I just think Hunter will show up a long time before March!

I kind of think Self wants to keep Hunter under wraps mostly until later. These young kids need to learn how to play defense, and the motivation is there when they can't count on being bailed out by a shot blocker. Last year... everyone played soft and a part of that was because they knew JoJo was around to clean up their mess. It is wise to keep Hunter on the bench for the early part of this season while this team forms it's identity.

The identity of this team needs to be "scrappy." That is the last identity I would give last year's team. We've got so many tough, athletic kids now. We should be able to become a scrappy defensive team. That will help us gain more possessions.... hopefully enough to counter if we don't rebound as well as previous teams. But if we are true scrappers, we'll own a nice rebounding margin, too.

Last year was a strange year. The NCAA played with these kids' heads with their rule enforcement mods that went over the top early on. The allowance to play physical ball was constantly tinkered with by refs mixing up how they call games. I think they did a great job of throwing a monkey wrench into the works for all coaches who count strictly on a M2M defense. We are one of those teams.

So let's all hope this year doesn't start with the NCAA trying to re-educate everyone on a new philosophy. I know I'm not expecting that. I know the old strong defensive armbar is gone from the college game, and that's okay. But what isn't cool is the NCAA trying to educate everyone by having refs call ticky-tack touches to prove a point.

We should all be glad that players like Marcus Smart were around last year to experience the "experimental year" in college basketball. His flops accentuated how games were being called too tightly and how the focus was on calling strict on the defensive player while letting the offensive player do anything. I'm positive that the mockery created by players like Smart helped kick the NCAA into a bit fairer medium. If they didn't do that, March would have been a huge mess with everyone screaming at how games were called and how refs decided the National Champion.

Bill Self will answer questions for 30 minutes • Oct 03, 2014 03:33 PM

Basketball is here! Heck, I'm still pulling tomatoes and peppers from my garden.

Svi better shorten his name or grow a broader chest to make it easier for the embroiderer.

What popped out on me was Self's praise of Landen... saying he'll compete head-to-head with Cliff for minutes. I know, I know... it's Self talking... maybe it means he's trying to motivate Cliff to distinguish his game. Or... maybe Landen really improved his game as much as Self has inferred. I'm hoping for the second.. and so far, Landen has made major leaps each year. If he improved over the summer as much as he did last year, he will earn some minutes.

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 03, 2014 02:35 PM

I used to think that... but as I've aged I've learned to appreciate older women and they continue to improve with age. The body may change but they develop other qualities that easily compensate for the wrinkles that come... and as an old guy, your focus goes towards other things.

There... I hope I haven't dug myself into too deep a hole!

Why I believe in pressing • Oct 02, 2014 05:06 PM

I agree.... but don't you think the chaos around it also piled on to the struggle? I remember all the "what is Kansas going to do now?" media stream.

So we lost our big guy and we also were smeared with over-the-top attention when we needed to adapt our game. Tharpe seemed to be devastated by the pressure... as well as all of our young guys.

Look at who won it all. UCONN... with seasoned guards and bad record, making them the perfect sleeper team. Their execution was remarkable when considering their talent level and having to beat the all stars at Kentucky.

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 02, 2014 04:58 PM

@nuleafjhawk

"Older is usually better"

I've always held on to that one pertaining to wine. I've since been educated on that and informed most wine deteriorates beyond a certain age (beyond it's prime time).

So I guess I'm down to just relating it to good whiskeys... unless someone in here knows more and is prepared to burst my bubble!

Why I believe in pressing • Oct 02, 2014 04:40 PM

I think the main reason we lost to Stanford was the injury to Embiid.

It wasn't the fact that he was out of the lineup. It was the chaos circling his injury and it was the big news of the tournament.

A big part of why we lost was the chaos that surrounded that super young team. Remember back to all the media.

First... there was Wiggins. He seemed to never achieve enough for most people. And would he become the #1 pick? Let's not forget the Wiggins/Parker/Randle comparisons.

Then... Embiid. Blah blah blah... look at how much he has improved and his stock is skyrocketing. Oh no... he's injured. Will he play in March? What does that do to his lottery position? Will he come back for another year? Wiggins and Embiid... 1 and 2?

There was too much chaos around this team. Same thing happened at Duke. Parker this and Parker that.

I'm still amazed Kentucky got as far as they did... but let's face facts, they had as much talent as any two other teams combined.

The pressure... the chaos... the energy... it's all too much on these kids, especially when they are only 19 years old.

Just one more reason to support @jaybate-1.0 and his press. Keep these kids in a gauntlet of heavy lifting so they can do nothing but focus on execution. I believe we've been backing off the kids too much as March approaches. It seems logical that it would help them execute in March, but I don't think that is the way it works. That study involving Hudy is revealing what works. These kids need to be pushed the right way in order to perform best in March. We have to figure in all the chaotic media because that is a part of Kansas basketball.

So how do we keep these kids focused on ball and not on Sports Illustrated covers? I know what worked in my day. Players were thrown in a dungeon of heavy lifting with unreachable goals to keep their focus on ball. But who knows exactly what works best. I believe we will learn a great deal with the continued efforts in that study.

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 02, 2014 04:24 PM

Excellent idea! I'm on board!

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 02, 2014 04:21 PM

I hear you... and I do think the upgrade is remarkable. I want all that stuff in my man cave.

But it does feel funny when you are old school... and I'm definitely that. There is a certain charm and sentiment for the old dingy gyms, locker rooms, etc. But I don't think kids today relate to that. I think they relate better to the eye candy above.

Sometimes us old timers need to be pushed along with progress!

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Oct 02, 2014 07:09 AM

@JayhawkRock78

"now I think the good lord gave me a large glass to boot."

I still have my big glass boot from Europe. I believe it holds around 64 ounces. Enough to get me through a half of Jayhawk football!

KU Basketball Locker room remodel is impressive; Wilt is honored by a U.S. stamp (remember those) • Oct 02, 2014 07:03 AM

Okay... okay.... where do I sign?!

I'm definitely getting man cave ideas from the photos.

Let's get serious for a second. And I know I'm sticking my neck out here because many in here (including myself) don't really have any bro love for the squid....

How much of this is driven by Calipari?

The men's locker room... the new state-of-the-art sports dorm... what's next, free "personal assistants" for the players? It is obvious we'll have to make sure Drake visits Lawrence now...

We seem to be in an arm's race with the squid. I know the stories about him... Presidential Rolex watches... you name it. But clearly John Calipari knows how to recruit 18 year old kids. Now that he has the bankroll of the Big Blue Nation behind him, he has been putting it out there to entice more recruits. Obviously, we've jumped on the bandwagon. You can bet many other schools are making their plans to do the same.

Calipari may not be an X's and O's guy, but he does have a NC under his belt and he's locking down his share of top talent.

Part of my gut wants to send my dinner up and all over my home hardwood floors. But another part of me is enjoying the ride and I'm glad to see some of the revenue brought in by the players go back into giving them a dynamic experience while at Kansas. So I guess I sort of threw up in my mouth and swallowed it.

I know I want a big white KANSAS on the ceiling of my man cave over a monstrous Jayhawk carpet!

Anything with Wilt on it will become a big seller. He is appreciated everywhere in the world. Count me in on the stamps. It will help pass the time while I wait for my KANSAS letters to arrive!

Big Month For 2015 Recruiting • Oct 02, 2014 02:00 AM

I'm curious how this goes.

So does Self do what airlines do and "oversell seats?"

What if 3 of these guys want to sign this fall?

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Oct 02, 2014 01:57 AM

My thoughts and prayers are going out to the Mayor. He's a true competitor and great coach... very very good for the Big 12!

Definitely a shining star in our league!

Why I believe in pressing • Oct 01, 2014 10:42 PM

"...but w/out black we couldn't score!"

That's why we need to reduce some of our "team offense" concept and start looking at NBA-style isos and plays where one of our best scorers has a match-up advantage and we offer up something else to score from besides our set "team" offense.

I don't care who we play, or if we are all healthy or not. At some point these rigid team offenses go south and you need a backup when it does. Better yet... don't consider running isos (etc.) just as a backup. Mix them into the regular offense to keep defenses off-guard. The predictability factor drops off and teams will have a much harder time preparing to play us if we run more variations.

We never really successfully ran effective isos with Wiggins. First... he wasn't really a good ball handler and he had trouble with his finishes. Remember how the ball always slid through his hands without being fouled?

He should have focused on a couple of key midrange pull up areas on the floor. Quickly master scoring from there and then run off that to create other opportunities. It should have been very basic and simple. Something he could pick up quickly. He had the athleticism to get the shot off even if teams scouted it out.

Instead... he was either forcing 3s or forcing drives to the hole. It was clear he had ball handling issues... even more than that, he had anxiety issues driving it all the way to the hole. That's why his focus wasn't clear and he lost the ball almost every time. He wouldn't have done that if his move was to set up a midrange jumper... something with little risk of injury and body bashing. We just asked too much from a young Andrew and we didn't focus on what he could really bring on offense.

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Oct 01, 2014 10:10 PM

@BeddieKU23

I see your red flag.

But until I watch some games, I'm not going to get worked up.

We have an idea of what Mason and Frankamp bring from last year, though both surely improved a lot over the summer months.

If Graham gets the starting nod then he obviously brings enough potential with him for Self to discount the experience of Mason and Frankamp to second fiddles.

Guess what I'm trying to say is look at it through a glass that is half full!

Regardless... I'm having a hard time believing we will be worse off at point over last year. I'm not slamming Naa... but this year we will have two guys in Mason and Frankamp that bring some game, and now they bring another year of experience with them, and age.

Graham is a total mystery.... something we can only imagine for now. He's making it hard to keep patience before basketball season. Same goes for Svi. I'm dreaming of him being a penetration expert who realizes how easy it is to score points from midrange. That could setup other people, too... like Oubre and Selden.... even Alexander.

And what about Selden? Word is out that he will lead this team. The guy is healthy and likely to rip up everyone this year. Yeah... bring on Kentucky!

I feel like I'm waiting for my chess match with Bobby Fischer... what will be his first move? Self is quite the chess player... and head coach. He certainly knows how to maximize the value of his spoken word. Who knows if he is speaking out to motivate, or to confuse, or both, or neither.

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Oct 01, 2014 01:47 PM

We do need to stay flexible, both in body and mind.

ISU has certainly become a thorn in our side every since the Mayor joined on there. The guy can coach. I can't believe the NBA hasn't been pounding on his door because he brings NBA hoops to college. He focuses on match-ups and how to exploit every opponent based on how he thinks he can exploit his advantages while masking his weaknesses. He is flexible, and an example we need to learn from.

I admire Coach Self and the strategy he brings to the game... I just wish he would bring a bit more flexibility in on a per game basis like the Mayor. Teach his guys to be opportunists a bit more and just a bit less of team ball. Team ball is great, but eventually, someone will have to take his man to the hole.

It starts in recruiting. The Mayor goes after some different players. Guys that are used to carrying all the weight on their backs and then he teaches them to share just enough to win. Self wants to see how many assisted baskets we can have every game and we usually rank highly in that category. That is not a strategy that looks for a match-up advantage and then giving it to the guy to take his man.

I think it is one thing to think CHANGE and another thing to coach it. Self will be the first guy to tell you he is still picking up new coaching knowledge all the time. He does seem to have gained a lot of knowledge while at Kansas.

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Oct 01, 2014 01:30 AM

Amen to that!

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Sep 30, 2014 10:49 PM

I'll start coaching in about 5 more years... when my boy is ready for biddy basketball!

But you can bet I'll work him over on the fundamentals of the game that happen from a height of 6' on down.... where the actual game is played.

He's a big kid. Might have picked up some height from his Serbian mother. Most of those people are tall and athletic. I care most about him gaining height for dating and less about basketball. He'll just have to learn how to play the game and not count on height writing him a scholarship somewhere. He'll have to work on his hops.... and build muscle for power and speed. I'd rather he be shorter and broader and play physical ball. Take it up and stuff it on a big pretzel post player and fold him like a cheap suitcase!

Pretty obvious I was a big Charles Barkley fan. His kind of game dominated everything from the playground to the NBA.

I'm not sure when the rest of the basketball world will understand x-axis basketball. The NBA is still glued on old Magic Johnson VCR tapes. So far, UCONN is the only basketball team that seems to get it (for the most part). You could restrict them from recruiting players over 6'6" and they'd still win titles at a rapid rate.

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Sep 30, 2014 10:42 PM

"...he has increased his vertical jump by 6 inches..."

If that is true then he will be a completely different player, most-likely, much improved.

Back in my day, I had a big developmental year where I picked up probably 3 inches in vertical and it transformed my game completely. A 6 inch increase is insane!

The vertical increase is just one form of measurement used to indicate "athleticism."

So imagine if Hunter increased his vertical by 6 inches.... what did his new body do for his lateral movement? Straight-line speed? Perhaps he is quicker off his feet? Perhaps his timing has improved because his movements are quicker?

I'm thinking he is a completely different player than he was at Arkansas.

He'll be one more fine example of how Kansas can develop players.

Is it any wonder that even NBA KU alums come back to Lawrence in the summer... not only because it is an awesome place to hang, but also a great place to train!

Bill Stirs the PG pot.... • Sep 30, 2014 04:17 PM