🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Yet one more reason I'm glad I don't participate in game threads live. I am a buffoon during games and will comment buffoonery! lol

The other reasons:

First... I abhor commercials. So the game is taped and I wait long enough to create a buffer so I can cut out commercials. I usually time it about right so I'm about running live by the end of the game.

Second... All my focus is on the game. I usually watch the game with one of my cousins. She rarely peeps a word during the game except maybe piling on with foul language when I bark out an expletive. I'm so "in the zone" if I didn't have some favorite KU gear to wear for voodoo purposes I would watch games naked.

Everyone around me has learned about my tape delay. Not only do they know not to call during games, especially not to call and leave clues on the results. That will earn them a visit by a guy named "Vito" who collects knee caps!

My garden is amuck with grasshoppers... and those jerks have been eating my tomatoes! What is the date of our first open practice? lol

Stay cool, my friends!

@FarmerJayhawk said in Big 12 Expansion:

Cal and Stanford want no part of the Big 12

Aren't they in a bad spot now? To me, some of the old Pac12 teams may be the most vulnerable of the schools left.

I suddenly feel more positive about the Big 12.

First... are we really going to get poached again? Doubtful.

Second... we have a marketing wonk in charge and the future is only about money.

Third... we still get to beat the crap out of the purple kitties every year! lol

"For weeks, it was believed that the so-called “four corners schools” — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah — could be at the top of the Big 12’s wish list if it were to target the Pac-12 for expansion candidates." ~ KUSports.com

So we shuffle in these schools then we split for the Big 10 later? lol This is so f-ed up even alcohol can't ease the pain! lol

How about all D1 schools just join the SEC? Essentially... we let the SEC usurp all powers of the NCAA as they then decide to bail out of it! lol

@FarmerJayhawk said in Big 12 Expansion:

Not so fast my friend! https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/notre-dame-targeting-75-million-annual-media-rights-payout-in-quest-to-remain-independent/ ↗

"Outgoing Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby had not heard anything specific on NBC targeting the Big 12 for additional programming but said such a move "makes sense." "

Wow! Business at this level without communication. Hum. Sounds more like NBC is just using the Big 12 for negotiation cover but not actually interested. Maybe just having Notre Dame is worth more than filling in with the Big 12.

I think Bowlsby should have kept quiet. His comments reflect poorly on the Big 12 and also throw network tv (NBC) under the bus by showing their bluff. Since he's days away from leaving, you would think he would just be a shadow now and not doing anything to impact the Big 12 future.

@bskeet

Sweet! Thanks!

Is Jay-Z coming along for the ride?

This has all become about dollars and cents... I feel like there is more to this.

I'm in my 60s... and changes like this can be challenging. I have over half a century of experiencing Kansas sports and with many of the teams we may be saying goodbye to. It was devastating to me to say goodbye to OU. I've been an OU fan all my life, too. It seems like fanbase demographics are important.

Social changes... are schools or fanbases going to fight it out over Roe or climate change? hmmmm...

If a tornado wipes out half of Lawrence, does other members of our conference and their fanbases give a rat's ass?

Are rivalries now officially dead?

I wonder what my perspective would be if I was 40-years younger? More accepting of these big changes?

My son is 8. He asked me about my financial investments returns over the two Covid years. He showed to me some general returns of Pokemon cards during those two years. "Dad... did your investments return 600% growth like my Pokemon cards did?" So I'm thinking... this genius is onto something. Now that we have NIL... why don't we create college sports cards like the old baseball cards? If no other conference wants us we will make up the $ with sales of very rare Kansas basketball player cards! lol

Thanks to everyone for posting news and ideas... I feel blindsided by most of this! Have a great weekend!

@FarmerJayhawk said in Big 12 Expansion:

Nobody is scheduling a random non-con game in February. The money would be terrible, Self would leave, and the program would effectively die. There would be no incentive for, say, Purdue to play KU in February. You’d have to disrupt the regular league schedule or add a game midweek. Which the conferences just won’t do and 3 games in a week just for fun would be not intelligent scheduling. There are good reasons why the last independent joined a conference in 2016. Go look at NJIT’s schedule that last year. Sometimes they played back to back nights, sometimes it was almost 2 weeks between games. Good luck selling season tickets or recruiting when you have no idea when or who we’re playing until the summer.
And that’s not even going into where you park other sports. Or we just drop all but football, basketball, and women’s rowing to meet Title IX compliance. I know some want to drop football and be Gonzaga of the Big East. Which would involve an almost 90% cut to tv revenue. Good luck keeping Self happy, being competitive with NIL, and keeping facilities upgraded with less than $5m per year coming in from TV.

Good points!

@RockkChalkk

Wow... I'd feel much better about going east than west! Bring these teams into the Big12!

How about we name our new conference "F*CK THE SEC!"

Here is a list of the best remaining teams we can scrap for:

https://www.boardingschoolreview.com/basketball-boarding-school-sports ↗

(sarcasm... as usual)

I'll remain the barking dog... but I appreciate all the opinions here because it educates me on this disgusting topic. Thank you!

Question: Does any of this challenge antitrust laws? Do antitrust laws still exist? I realize conferences represent associations versus buyouts.... but still....

@mayjay

Or even bigger...

"One World Conference!"

Just in case we expand to international partners!

@nuleafjhawk

Gotta love when the kitties fans spend money giving attention to KU! They are thinking about us and if they are thinking about us, they really love us! lol

@jayballer67

Why wouldn't they schedule in a team that would lift their SOS, regardless of the time of year? Their current conference is nothing but a joke anyways. lol

@Crimsonorblue22

Ha... Actually, I knew Lew.

I'm expressing my complete frustration with this entire bs. No amount of money is going to put a shine on this turd.

Can't we bring in some Russian and Chinese teams to our conference? They can draw in millions of viewers and we'll be RICH! lol

This has all the feeling of my son and him collecting Pokemon cards.

What would happen if we ditch football? It's a huge loser for us and why not focus our AD on more productive sports. Then we go independent in basketball with the goal to truly become "America's team."

@Texas-Hawk-10 opened my eyes to our potential hit in academic programs and I do consider that a major consideration.

What happens when we think "outside of the box?" Big 10 inclusion is not going to happen and we waste our time having thoughts like that.

We form a union with the west and what happens (besides playing games late at night with viewership #s down)? If we are desperately seeking the financial strength of a conference... will this bring it to us? All I see is suddenly we are playing a bunch of games out west, when TV viewership drops considerably. Why do we win with that?

What could we be without football? Obviously, we won't be able to join these two super conferences (that aren't asking us anyways). If we didn't have the drain of football on our AD what could we become in many other sports? Since Kansas basketball is a well-known brand... why couldn't we be independent and draw home/away serious with most of the top teams? How would that work financially? Couldn't individual sports join conference memberships independently?

@jayballer67

Why don't we go independent? Our basketball is going to SUFFER making a move like this. We need to hire-in marketing gurus in the AD and go after big independent bucks.... we then share with no one.

We tie in with Pac12 we will take a monster hit. It's such a bad kneejerk reaction. The big money deal is a dream. No one east of Colorado wants to stay awake late at night to watch KU play Washington (beyond KU diehard).

I openly admit to having little knowledge in these conference shakeouts. But my gut says to NOT PANIC and get into death deals. I feel like being part of a super conference is an absolute disaster. No more solid conference home/away round robins stinks. And the answer to split up conference by region is not the answer. I know viewing numbers add up to cash dollars.... but in the long run I like the strength of identity. And though the Big 12 has changed flavors it still has some bones left that connects history and region.

Just look at our rivalry with Mizzou. It was building into one of the top college basketball rivalries before it dissolved. And now that it has been realized how important it was... they are trying to rebuild it. Not such an easy task... though we see the attempt.

The big $$$ in our conference ALWAYS related to rivalries. Am I the only one who remembered when the Big 8 largely controlled college football with NU/OU games? Had we "kept it real" and stuck together through all of this conference shift garbage we would own college sports today, regardless of the viewing numbers because those big games were MONSTER games that attract the entire USA!

I miss those days... and I hate the idea that we become some kind of begging orphan sister to another conference we have ZERO identity with.

Hey.... screw it... let's go independent. Use our football program strictly as a revenue source finding opponents who fill stadiums and wanting an easy win. Stop dreaming like Kansas football is coming back to something real.

Our basketball program can start looking more like the Harlem Globetrotters.... traveling the nation playing ranked teams only. Talk about gaining a recruiting edge... we become the "elite of the elite" by only playing Top 20-25 teams. The money will be outrageous. Our entire schedule will be on ESPN. Our SOS will guarantee us a 1-seed every March... and we won't get stuck playing in stupid conference tournaments before March Madness. We take time to heal and rest before we go into the big tournament to DOMINATE!

If we are going to leave our history/identity behind, then lets really leave it and go for a real cash in! These super conferences are absolutely stupid!

@Jethro said in Reasons to believe in next year’s team:

I just can’t look at this roster and think this team wouldn’t give last year’s team a run for their money.

Sure is easy to feel this possibility. I just hope we have the run of luck we had this past year... a lot of that being with overall health.

Makes me think about our invisible coach... our strength coach. He hasn't received all the attention Hudy received but I've heard whispers he's an upgrade.

Anyone have some knowledge there?

@Texas-Hawk-10

Interesting post. I have always seen it that if a player can get a guaranteed contract, even if it's just for a year, he should consider the jump. It's not strictly about the money, especially now with NIL competing against that. It's more about knowing there is a committed team and structure behind their development.

@rockchalkjayhawk

He's very talented, but definitely shouldn't be an OAD. His body is a ways from being NBA ready and he still needs to learn more of the game.

I'm trying not to put my foot in my mouth throughout the history of this website. lol

I know I tend to soften my thoughts about people over time. And I know others often do this, too.

I remember my youth summers in California and the Wooden era. I remember a lot of anger towards Wooden from others while I defended Wooden. I see things a bit more without colored glasses today... but still appreciate Wooden. Some of my crowd that was so critical back then have lightened up now. I suspect more to lighten up on K.

Okay.... everyone take a deep breath...

Now go backwards! Just a few years back!

Both of these guys were judged to not even become decent college players. Basically overlooked by college recruiters.

So the answer is YES... this draft is very special for us as well as the fellas!

Congratulations to both players and I'm glad both stayed in the draft!

@Texas-Hawk-10

Fascinating posts... thank you! I can get behind growth in academics!

@Texas-Hawk-10

I challenge your view for us to go to the Big 10 but I appreciate your wisdom in this area. It is far deeper than mine. I openly admit to a simplistic view on this topic.

I am skeptical about us having an opportunity to go to the Big 10. And everything else... I've already stated.

I would like to ask you... let's say the Big 10 is a "no go." What is your best outlook for Kansas in the future? Connecting in another conference? Or if we stick it out... can you project a little deeper into the future... beyond dollars and cents?

Question: How many years would it take for Kansas football to lift its reputation as being competitive? 5 years of solid performance? 10 years?

KSU may be a good model to study. They stunk worse than us before turning their program around long ago. How are they valued today, both economically and competitively?

I know this conversation stinks... but realistically... who wants Kansas football today? Even a shelled-out Big 12 has us at the bottom.

@Jethro

Right. I don't see the Big 10 wanting Kansas. Seems more logical they would want KSU before KU. I know that bruises a lot of egos... but football trumps basketball by a mile.

@Texas-Hawk-10

Very interesting post.

@justanotherfan

Where will our kids be making their NIL? Maybe I'm off here... but won't it be for selling carpet in Kansas City? Or BBQ? Won't that be more localized $$$? Like... would Och be making money on his image in Michigan? I am thinking the big $$$ made from moving to the Big10 won't be going to the athletes.

@Crimsonorblue22

I hope he sticks with GS and stays healthy. Give him a little time... GS still looks like a contender for years to come, especially with the young talent they have.

Did you hear the Wigg's interview after the game? He still sounds humble and reasonable. From what I read and heard about this particular GS team... everyone found a high-level of humility and reality because of Clay's recovery situation (plus going back to the couple years the team tanked without him). Even Draymond learned a thing or two because of Clay... and I thought he was incapable of learning anything!

Congrats Wiggs! Better for him that he didn't get Finals MVP. Stay humble and hungry. Earn that extra title in the future when he takes the helm of a team like Curry has.

Awesome to see Clay get another ring, too. I can so relate to his comeback and how much suffering/sacrifice he went through to get back on the big stage.... even having to battle through G league.

@jayballer67

I heavily doubt if the Big 10 wants us... and why would they? It's not good for any conference to add a horrible football team. What does any of their current teams gain by adding us to their schedule? And then we come in on basketball and completely stir the pot.

The Big 10 is a horrible idea for us and for them. Horrible. We are better off as an independent. Why are $s important when we will get murdered every year in football and experience a decline in our basketball program.. all happening while trashing our identity.

We may face some struggle with the Big 12 coming up... let's compare that to the struggle created in some of these super conferences, with so many teams divided and odd unfair schedules... and zero identity because it is all unnatural and without historic significance.

Let's face it... we remain a big nothing burger in football, and will probably always remain that. So we go from a conference where we might win some games or we go to a conference where we may never win another conference game.

From a basketball perspective, I think we lose by going to the Big 10. It's a conference that plays a rough version of basketball. I'd hate to recruit when you have to tell players they'll have to "pad up" before games. It's an identity we simply don't have and goodbye recruiting in the south.

I'm sure Nebraska would love us to join, so they get at least one team they can thrash every year in football!

@Texas-Hawk-10

I can easily agree with everything you said.

But I can also challenge where we were because of the dysfunction down in Austin. The Big 12 also paid a horrible price for bringing in Texas. That, to me, was the beginning to the end of our conference.

I can't just blame Texas... but more of the overall deck-shuffling in college sports.

I remember when the Big 8 sat on top. When the entire nation awaited games like Nebraska/Oklahoma. The Orange Bowl often decided the national champion.

I can already hear the criticism of my post... that was THEN and this is NOW! And it is a valid criticism... however... I still question whether it is smart to jump conferences and become a school with ZERO identity.

Let's look at other Big 12 school departures. How has it worked for Nebraska, Missouri, and Colorado?

Big huge "nothing burgers!"

@justanotherfan

We slipped in football.... at least for now. But maybe the future in football isn't with Texas and OU... maybe it's with Baylor, Houston, TT and others.

The Big 12 is going to have to step up big in football, or it could go like you said... slipping away.

@jayballer67

Right on!

I'm glad to see Texas go. They came in and did a great job of wrecking our conference.

I also think... let's play this out and see what happens.

Wiggins is adapting well to GS basketball. Playing great alpha-ball from a technical/artful perspective and leaving thugball to Drama-Draymond. His athleticism is off the charts but he only uses part of it to make plays while the rest is for self-preservation. I don't blame him. Hard to imagine playing above the rim when a 250-lb opponent mugs you sending you to a crash on the court. I definitely appreciate his talent and his focus for self-preservation. Every once in a while he sees a safe path and then we get to see one of his eye-popping rim smashes.

We have to put our emotions on the side here and look at hard facts. All the numbers on viewership are out there for us to study. Basketball doesn't draw near the crowds that football does, and it is also represented in real numbers in stadiums.

I do remember life before Texas in our conference. We survived. Has our sports lives been enhanced since Texas entered our conference? We've won two basketball titles. Do we thank Texas in any part of that? I know it is painful to even ask those questions. Do I personally give Texas credit? No. I give Self and Brown credit. But these are my thoughts and feelings, and as I said above... we need to tamper emotions on this to think rationally.

I'm not in any hurry to jump to a new conference. It's all fools gold. The Big 12 took an identity hit, but we didn't. We still remain in a conference that has molded and changed while we stay right here with several other schools.

Let's see where this goes! Let's see if our conference learned a lesson from luring in Texas and giving them the keys to the store. No more Longhorn Network dominance. Now we will be 12 schools on similar footings... let's encourage equality to all members. There will be strength in that if we realize it.

@Gorilla72 said in Big 12 Expansion:

With OU & UT leaving, it’s actually back to 12? Took long enough.
Looks like it will hurt conference baseball without OU & UT, though.

Yes. Makes me wonder how many sports will be damaged and will some be helped?

I'm sure someone out there knows.... hope to hear a response.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Team Cohesion:

@drgnslayr With NIL a huge factor in recruiting now, is KU amd Self going to follow Duke’s example and hire a GM to oversee the NIL side of the program?

The more I think about this... it seems crucial for our program and players must be represented properly. It goes beyond just pulling in dollars for players... they'll need guidance and representation for public relations. How bad will it get if players are perceived as only being loyal based on dollars?

What has always been key to fans is the idea that players love their schools and are busting their butts because of that love. Once that is gone, college ball becomes a poorly played version of the NBA.

We didn't lose any players to the transfer port. Pure love for the program? Or respectable $$$ from NIL?

Is "program love" heavily influenced now by NIL $$$?

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Team Cohesion:

With NIL a huge factor in recruiting now, is KU amd Self going to follow Duke’s example and hire a GM to oversee the NIL side of the program?

I hate to think it... but might this be the most-important question moving forward?

@Kcmatt7

I didn't figure in NIL... obvious, it belongs in this discussion.

Is it possible that Self now values team cohesion more? Surely it must create a challenge to keep a team focused on team when you have an OAD or two and all the media swarms them whether they do well or not.

As I reflect on our National Championship team I believe the largest factor in our success was team cohesion. This team didn't allow outside distractions into their team huddle. When JWil made his early-season flub, the team stuck by him and didn't seem impacted. When Remy came onboard and went through his struggles and injury, even though fans often injected doubts of his relationship with Self, the team kept in stride.

Maybe it's just me. But it seems over the past few years our teams have become a tighter bunch. Their perspectives are focused more on the good of the team, instead of their own personal accolades. No one projected that better than Och. He never liked to take personal credit and always kept his views related to the team. When JWil returned to the hardwoods after his mistake, he discovered his perspective started off wrong as he felt he needed more of a singular "step-up" instead of just helping the team.

As I look ahead to this team... I pay close attention to the team vibe. Gradey seems to be right on stride by remaining humble and team focused. Zach is ready to take on the role as team grandpa by teaching from his experiences last season.

Is it possible these attitudes towards team cohesion are also a general positive perspective of our youth today? I ask that because I have a couple of young kiddos and they share so well with others. Sure wasn't typical of kids around me growing up. It was all "me, me, me" back in my kiddo days.

I know players are different today than from players just a few years back. I can sense it.

What are your perspectives on college players and youth today? I notice it's become a sport for old school guys like me to criticize youth today... is that fair, and isn't there positives we can point to with young folks?

Does the transfer portal impact all this? For the positive or negative?

@rockchalkjayhawk said in Reasons to believe in next year’s team:

It’s Lubbock. How pleasant can it be?

It's a football school. I will never understand why anyone would want to go to a football school if they have an option at a basketball school.

We treat our players like Gods... lol

But it goes way beyond their playing days. Any guy who is on the team, including scrubs, will be treated well long beyond their playing days.

@BeddieKU23

I read we will be lead by wings again (like we had with Och and CB). JWil is really a wing, too.

I sure like our offense from last year. Decent ball handlers, 1-4, to finish in the open court and the half court offense depending more on drive and kick versus hi/lo feedbacks for the trey.

Gradey is perfect for filing in this role... great form on the trey, capable and aggressive for driving.

The challenge will be with converting McCullar to this style and have him be effective. But the challenge is on him to improve his shot. His NBA future is at stake.

Anyone know what Self said?

https://247sports.com/college/kansas/Article/KU-basketball-projected-starting-five-roster-breakdown-188263052/ ↗

I think it will be quite a reach to think Gradey shoots 39% from trey. He'll need a well-oiled offense behind him to do that and I don't expect to see that for a while with so many new faces.

I think we need to dampen expectations on Gradey. The kid doesn't need extra pressure on him. He'll come around as he comes around. I feel very confident in his skillset. Just need to show patience with him.

@justanotherfan

Your assessment makes sense to me.