jayballer73 said:
you seem to forget, there comes a time when ANY Coach just flat ass gets tired of the NCAA'S BULLSHIT constantly screwin around.
I totally agree with this statement!
Here is the best info I found on Self/San Antonio:
https://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/bill-self-shoots-down-rumors-spurs-head-coach/531286 ↗
Great read!
I'm with you on Devon being the key to our defensive end. It always starts at point and without solid pressure on the ball teams are allowed to run whatever they want to run. I wouldn't grade Devon as a great defender yet... but he will continue to improve. He has the speed and the desire, just lacking experience.
I'm kind of surprised more aren't noticing Doke's improvements on defense. His body transformation over the summer really lifted his defense. The big fella moves his feet so much better than before. Until this year, he really wasn't a threat to anyone bringing the ball into the paint. That definitely has changed! And he isn't fouling much while defending much better. Definite sign of being coached, moving his feet to be in position and not reaching like he did.
This team has a chance to become a very special defensive team, perhaps the best Self has ever had, but they have a ways to go, including from their bench.
I'm hoping to see everyone improve on defense between now and April, but I'm keeping a special eye on Devon, Ochai and Christian. These three have lots of room for improvements and it's stuff they can improve on now. Within reach.
I could see us make a real stab at a NC if these 3 bump up their defense like I know they can!
We have a long, fast athletic team and players who have bought in to playing defense. We also have a catalyst in Marcus.
I'm not ready to give them a defensive trophy yet. They still have a ways to go. They still don't smother like a Nova team. If they did that, no one in this country could beat us or even come close because they wouldn't score more than 40 pts.
To get to that level, we still need to bump it up a gear. I hope we get there by March.
Last night was more of a show of where ISU is this year. A weak team up to now. That explains winning at a 50% clip.
This team will definitely expose all opponents who are weak. I think we get a bump because other teams respect us a bit too much. And to the naked eye, we just look flat out amazing from a size and athletic view. But take last night for example... ISU still launched up plenty of trey shots that didn't fall and weren't contested. This is where we received too much respect. Those shooters were thinking less about netting the shot and more about a KU defender coming in from blind side to smoke their shots.
I don't want to appear negative, because I'm not. I'm happy where we are in January but I'm realistic to think we still aren't a Final Four team yet not only because of offense having kinks. Let's just hope we continue to improve at this rate. We will get there!
Tshiebwe was a 4-star recruit. It appears we mildly recruited him. That guy is a beast and not a 5-star. Wish he was a Jayhawk.
It really is all about having an eye for talent and not just floating on rankings. High rankings do work against us in several ways. It tends to create distraction often because the press surround them. It creates some natural separation within the team because elite-ranked players receive different treatment. We have elites only one year and that makes it tough every year to replace them and we can only get so far with them in that one year. We get "our moneys worth" when players come and stay a while. When their rankings are lower it makes it tough for them to leave too early.
There is an easy resolution here for Devon. He should go bring us home a trophy in April to reassure this year is the best time for him to move on to the league. That will solve any question on if he is ready.
What has to be considered with Devon and whether he should go.... a big part of his game is like Frank Mason... finishing at the hole. That takes a toll on his body and Devon isn't built as thick as Frank. I wonder how many times a game Devon ends a play on the floor? It would be interesting to get a "floor count" on Devon every game. That would give us additional perspective concerning his risk.
Let's say Devon stays all 4 years and continues to increase his aggression to the hole. Won't he have a good chance of getting hurt?
In memory of the once-crowned "King of the Shoecos"... Jaybate deserves a rosary of shoes, knotted together by lace, and distasteful to remind us all about what greed has done to sport.
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I never try to speak for Self, but it seems he has thought Devon will be gone after this year and he felt that right after Devon decided to return.
We have been experiencing chinks in Devon's armor... and it mostly relates to his esteem. I think he will have a much easier path to making it in the league if he goes in there with a 100% killer mentality, robust with confidence. Anything short of that and there are dozens of quality, speedy ball handlers who are several inches taller.
Devon needs to take a page from VanVleet. Go in the league and start beating players down like you own them. Truly, it is the size of the fight in the dog instead of the size of the dog in the fight. Devon doesn't have the girth of a VanVleet... but he is quicker. So he better stay quicker and learn to fight like a thicker dog. No Boys Allowed!
I think Devon has taken a little hit on his confidence lately. Let's hope this is the worst of his "dip." Even knowing that, at times he still manages to drive to the rim and he is a solid finisher for his size and age.
I don't think we go anywhere in March without Devon leading this team. Marcus is capable of being a pg, but he is more dangerous playing off the ball and attacking through certain sets. If we put Devon on the pine and replace with Marcus over an entire game I think it will be evident why both players are so important and at their current positions, with Marcus only sometimes stepping in for Devon or playing that second PG position when we need another ball handler in the backcourt.
There is a reason why little Devon is receiving looks from all the NBA scouts. As of now, unless we bring a trophy home in April, I still see Devon needing to come back another year. He just needs seasoning. He needs to play PG and lead a team at least one more year to better establish his footing. If he leaves too soon and gets shuffled around, he could always be a close miss in the league because he just hasn't had the rock enough to workout his rough edges and still lacks that killer confidence needed in the league to run a team at PG.
Or not.... you do know I have a way of jinxing everything. Ha. But seriously, Braun isn't going to be taken down by a jinx. He is definitely showing he has a solid basketball IQ, especially since he is just a freshman. And how do you like that outside shot of his? I'm expecting him to develop into a 40%+ shooter from trey sometime in his KU career. And a player with ice in his veins.
I think Braun is showing us he will be a key to our success at a late run.
Self was looking for toughness in his players against WV. We can use the PT as an indication of who he thinks is the toughest and who he thinks needs to be the toughest moving forward.
Right now... I see Marcus as our toughest, and I might give the second spot to Braun. This is how he was praised prior to receiving PT. Contrary to what some think, I think Braun is nowhere near reaching his potential.
Devon is also a tough cookie but gets a bit rattled still and needs to settle down and keep his poise steady. Still... I can't complain about where he is as a sophomore.
I am enthused to see us come on in the second half. It's good to see us knocked down and then stand back up. I don't think we can expect the same result from WV in Morgantown. WV played tired the second half. I think the stress and effort caught up with this young team on the road. We will have to deal with a team that will likely look like they did the first half but the entire game. We will have to do a much better job of sealing the boards.
I hear you and agree with you. And I didn't mean we don't prepare for end game situations... I just don't believe we do it at the level Nova does it. Definitely not this early in the year and it showed.
You know me... I always complain about players being under-coached. It must be built in to my DNA!
Happy New Year!
I know I will anger some in here. But I can't think of a reason why I would put any coach ahead of Wright in college basketball. He never has the creme recruits and he produces some startling results. His teams swarm on defense and when he draws up a specific defense, they do it. His players are well-coached not only for individual play, but also for team play and for game play.
Look at Wright's interview after our game with them. And his PG, who mentioned that they always work on end game scenarios after every practice. Well it certainly paid off against us. We were lost. And then Self and players mention that they are now talking about end game scenarios. Talking means little. Practicing... that's where you make gains. End of game practice should be required in D1. It's ridiculous to think we aren't doing this. Ridiculous. Go back through any season and see how many games end close. And then add in games that could be close, like an 8 to 10 pt conclusion. These are the games where end game scenarios are crucial. Crucial.
I have to admit I was shocked after hearing Wright and players talk about this, and then listen to our side and how we had a discussion about end of game strategy.
I'm a big Self fan.... but we really need our guys to be coached up in other areas. The basics are still important. I'm not going to go off complaining again because everyone in here that has read my posts over the years knows what my gripes are.
I could be wrong on the rules of medical red shirt, but what I found:
Jalen qualifies for a MRS. If he comes back and enters a game, he loses this option. There may even be exceptions possible by filing a challenge with the NCAA.
Unless we lose several other players, I don't see a scenario where Jalen comes back this season. Even if he was up to full speed (he won't) he will have not be up to speed with the team.
I think it is important for him to keep this year of eligibility moving forward. I know I really appreciate 5th year seniors. Regardless of how many minutes they actually play, they provide needed leadership to young players, too. And almost regardless of their individual talent level, they are typically needed on the court at times because they know what to do, they know what Self wants.
jayballer73 said:
-AGAIN he has NOTHING to prove here - already done it -
I don't agree with that.
Right now... Self is a "one hit wonder." You know... like music groups that only pump out one hit. Guess we can say another version of one and done.
Self' should want his legacy to read that he sits on the top line in D1 coaching. He's not there yet. The conference streak was a huge help. But he needs national championships because there exists a pile of coaches that own more than one.
Winning one of anything sounds like a fluke.
Look around. Most of the basketball world puts Roy ahead of Bill. Roy?!!! Mr. Run and Gun. And I like Roy.... but... is he one of the greats ever to coach D1? It's like putting Cal in that group... Mr. Recruiter. Luckily, Cal hasn't won more. Yet.
Gosh.... receiving a RS should feel like a blessing for all players except the obvious OADs. It's an opportunity to be in a system for an extra year, just minus game time. Perfect opportunity to level out your school work and then hammer down on your personal development. I'm always amazed to see players who get that year and only show marginal improvements. At KU, every scholarship player has the desire to make a living at basketball one day. You don't get this time back later. No redo. And though the college experience is a very special time for youth it is something that must largely be sacrificed by those who really want to maximize their career after KU.
I'm still in a bit of shock on Silvio. He almost seems to have gone backwards. I know the pace of our game has picked up and he hasn't made the adjustment.... but a guy like that... with a body and strength like that... Was he just left on his own for a year? Man.... if that was me I would have been in dance lessons, developing my footwork and I'd have walked out this past November and performed the most polished spin moves ever to show in AFH. Am I missing something here? Do these kids realize the opportunity in front of them? Not only NBA. Heck... play in Israel for 3 million a year....
BeddieKU23 said:
Moss getting 17 in this offense is a lot different then Dave getting 17.
Think you are right.
I'm thinking Moss gets his off less possessions since most or all would be treys.
But Dave may be a few offensive rebound putbacks.
I would think Dave's points are a safer bet happening more consistently, but who knows.
As others mention, Moss should create scoring space for our bigs, but that didn't really seem to be the case at Stanford. Doke had 2?
Our bigs should create scoring space for our guys on the trey line.
Maybe it's a good thing that one game we pump in big points from trey, next game our points come from the paint. How will teams scout us then?
It's been nice to see we can get a bunch of points from almost any player with significant minutes. Doke, Devon, Moss, Big Mac, even Marcus. We have a lot of weapons and that makes us tough to scout!
What is bothering me is we aren't maximizing points off the drive.
We need to be sure that we have many games where we score big points off the drive. Then we have 3 scary weapons... points off the drive, from trey and in the paint. That covers it all, except points off of runouts. I'd like to see us get more of those, too!
We know Devon can take anyone to the hole. So the question is why he doesn't. It helps to run sets for him. Clear out a side of the post for him to drive. Spread the floor for a driving lane. Create something off the ball for him.
I'd like to see us run more offense specifically for Devon though I wonder if Self is thinking that he needs to protect him from injury or wearing down in the year. We can think back to guys like Frank, Sherron, who were overused and then banged up by March.
I'm just thinking Devon needs something to build his confidence.
My prediction about Devon was off. I expected he would explode in this game, but instead, still looked like he was in retreat mode. Had he been on stride, this would have been a 40-pt blow out.
Nice to see Moss become a factor. And we got some good minutes out of our freshmen. Going to need them down the stretch.
Our length and athleticism bothers teams. Even on their open jumpers.
I usually understand your posts. But on this one, if Moss doesn't put up some numbers for us this year how is he going to spread the floor for us? I think he has to earn cred before teams build a defensive strategy around him being a threat.
I hope I'm not wrong... and I hope I'm not jinxing the team.
I'm predicting a sound KU win. I'm thinking we will show some growth after the Nova loss, just as we did after the Duke loss. Self has been cheerleading all week. He's been pushing the guys after their finals to now and it will show. Devon is about to explode out of his skin after giving away that Nova game. I'm expecting him to finish at the rim plenty of times.
Tape... by the time I was 20 the lower half of my calves couldn't grow hair anymore. I had bald ankles from all the hair pulling out from tape. It felt like it completely limited my mobility but it was insurance against another ankle blowout. Never went down again. Tape should be the last resort unless it's a big guy who never had mobility in the first place.
A nice compromise is the stretch wrap. It is almost an art form. You can pull it so tight that it creates the rigidity like tape, or your can go loser and gain some movement with a slight loss to safety.
It sounds stupid but I question how many people are out there that really knows how to stretch wrap. I would have Marcus in a stretch wrap and as his ankle strengthens I would gradually lighten up on the tension of his wrap. Go back through sports history and you will find many many situations where guys would rewrap during games depending if their ankles were feeling stronger and less pain or tightening up.
I remember seeing the video on Moss where he scored something like 16 points in like 2 minutes.
From that and some other clips I thought he would be a "natural scorer." Those players are a huge help because they fill stat sheets. Often they are not the best athletes but just have a knack for scoring and have the killer instinct to go get their points.
That is what I was expecting from Moss. I imagined a guy who would be a double-digit scorer.. perhaps around 14 to 16ppg or so. Not all from trey. He's going to have to do a lot more than pump the long ball. He's going to have to penetrate some... use shot fakes and draw fouls.. drive and pull up... sometimes finish at the rim. That really defines a natural scorer. They get their points however they can but usually where the defense can't stop them.
I still haven't given up hope in him becoming what I imagined. Still tend to think he just isn't clicking with the team yet and maybe having a confidence dip. I expect to see Self drawing up more plays to utilize Moss. It will be good for his confidence and should bump up his points some.
Things will shake out in January, when we start league play. Our best player this year may be Self... showing his chip from the bench.
If we are going to be a FF team this year then I expect to see us grow through every loss. I can honestly say that I haven't always seen that in years past. That's a reflection of coaches as much as players. I do think we have several players on this team that really can't stand losing. Like the Duke loss I see the Nova loss as something positive for our growth.
I hope he doesn't become the next Q.... where it requires a feeling of being the top player to get him to stay plugged in.
So if his shot isn't dropping does he pull back on the rest of his game?
Not trying to say this is definitely the case... it's too early to tell. He seemed to make some pretty big goofs in the Nova game. Maybe he's not used to that level of defense. Maybe something else.
I think Braun is a real mystery moving forward. He seemed to have a breakout game in Philly. I'm thinking he's going to start showing us more of what we experienced in this game.
Then... is it possible he has other breakout games raising his play even higher this year?
I think we've all heard plenty of stories about his athleticism, his scrappy play and his head for the game. All that said, he caught me off guard in Philly. He's starting to look like a guy that will be earning spots on SportsCenter clips.
I don't know if Moss is 100% or not, but what I see is a guy who is still playing at a bit different frequency than the rest of the team. In some ways, I see him having some of the same issues as Silvio. Just not quite clicking with the crew enough. I think Silvio was more effective right when he came to Kansas because his frequency was more similar to that team.
There are signs that Silvio is starting to figure it out. I expect Moss to do the same. Moss has to be more than a guy who just pops a few treys a game.
We can expect most (or all) of our players to go through streaks throughout the season. Let's just hope we have a few guys step up every game and the bad streaks don't stick long for anyone.
I could be wrong... but even without another injury I expect the minutes for PT to change quite a bit moving forward. I expect to see a freshman or two stepping up more and earning some time. I expect Self to use PT as a tool to keep things fresh. We can't have players falling in a comfort zone and we need to keep our opponents second guessing which players will be a threat.
A very special "Happy Holidays" to everyone in here! Thanks to all for contributing to the Jayhawk Nation!
In this special time of year, I want to give a direct "shout out" to Holly Rowe! Throughout her cancer struggle she has been an inspiration to so many (including myself). In her words, "in a weird way, I began to feel almost grateful for the cancer because it forced me to be so much more intentional about living."
Holly is mentioned in the new article about Doke, where it became evident she has mothered the big fella to handle himself better in media situations. No doubt, she has helped him prioritize other important things, too.
https://www.cancertodaymag.org/Pages/Summer2019/Still-in-the-Game.aspx ↗
Jay has a track record of getting his guys amped against us where they really move their feet.
Should be quite a show. Self will want to feed Doke, Jay will want to double down on Doke. So the focus will be on Doke.
However... I'd like to see this game won by Devon driving the ball and nailing treys and creating havoc that Nova can't deal with. It's always been my idea that you beat Jay from the PG position.
HighEliteMajor said:
If the NCAA goes away, what replaces it? An NCAA by another name?
Hate to say it.... but probably some form of government. There exists organizational forms now that are somewhat governmental in power while remaining private corporations. My guess.
Our government will play a tighter role because it has to. The world of education is so broad and touches too many in our society. That means governmental involvement.
I'm not someone who likes to give government more authority (in general), but the NCAA has proven the need for more federal laws and there has to be the structure to monitor those laws.
It sucks for me to be the one to admit that because I'm not a big government guy.
Thinking like the true free market guy... it would be great if a structure could be formed where there are laws governing it all but it was specialized with many private interests involved. Naaaa..... I can already see a problem with that!
I break it down on a very personal level. "Struggle" is a necessary part of life that should help us get stronger and move in the right direction. Works for us as individuals, but also for organizations. I think things came too easy for the NCAA for way too long. They used to just threaten people and institutions.
Today things are different. The biggest change is in the legal system, which has shown the NCAA to be quite vulnerable. And since they had a long run of not really being challenged (struggle) they are weak.
Today there are so many different areas that have become a challenge for the NCAA. Had more of the struggle happened earlier, it wouldn't be such a situation where they have to deal with so much all at once. Part of this is just the times we live in. It's a good thing to have the internet and more sources of information. Information that lets the public know that the NCAA doesn't have formal policies on sexual misconduct concerning student athletes.
I bet they have formal policies concerning sexual misconduct within their organization. At least, you would think that exists because surely they have faced issues (struggles) already. Surely. Or....
I think one thing is obvious... Townsend won't be sent packing and then Self makes his exit a public dispute. That won't happen. I don't see Townsend being separated from Self, but if he was we would never know the details. It would be something handled behind closed doors. And then we would be given one of those "happy endings" type of reasons why.
I don't see Danny returning unless it is a situation where he will eventually step in to the HC job. Danny may have his struggles at WF but he is a guy that has done nothing but build his reputation in the D1 world as a quality coach. Let's face it... it's no bowl of cherries coaching WF basketball. It is a worse scenario than coaching KU football. It's a power conference and it's a team that has continually taken a beating.
What Danny could use is an opportunity at a school where it isn't the whipping post for decades. Those opportunities are rarely available.
Would Danny be offered the job of HC at Kansas if Self disappeared? I'm not sure.
2nd lowest shooting totals yet leading in %. That says we are selective from trey.
You can read between the lines and say we favor going inside and defenses try to stop our inside play so our treys are more open.
And since we are not a team full of famed trey shooters it does imply we are disciplined in our offense.
I expect our trey numbers to climb as the year progresses. We are just now starting to see us run some offense. We have so many scoring options and over the season we will scheme out ways to exploit what every opponent gives us.
"The NCAA, which cracks down on athletes who accept cash or a free meal, get bad grades or smoke marijuana, outlines no specific penalties for athletes who commit sexual assault. "
The NCAA is a farce, a sham, a mockery. How much longer can this idiotic "organization" survive?
I think it is time America take out a class-action lawsuit representing 327 million people. We've all been ripped off by these clowns who hide behind the curtains like the Wizard of Oz.
Self is good to his players because he really feels it deep inside. Self was a real player himself... not some bench warmer who later took up coaching.
He has done a lot more for players than will ever be exposed in media. I know this to be fact. He isn't doing it just because it makes him look good.
By the time these players make it to college... and especially 4 and 5-star players.. they have been "played" by so many coaches and wannabees. Self has a solid rep with recruits.
HighEliteMajor said:
I have to disagree. You can play great defense vs. a drive by sagging off multiple feet. Gives significant time to react.
Historically, you are right on. But today, and also with refs preferring to eliminate almost all contact, it's harder for defenders to stop those drives. The drivers also realize their advantage, plus they are becoming more aggressive how they drive. Marcus drives aggressively. And he realizes he doesn't have to finish right at the rim. He often does a "drive by." Where he just has to finish in the lane and use the backboard, even from some distance.
More players are (finally) realizing they don't have to finish right at the rim. Driving by and using the backboard at the proper angle almost guarantees a score. Meanwhile, defenders are often trying to guard the rim and thinking they can maybe catch up at the rim.
Marcus is a cleaver player. A lot more cleaver than people give him credit for being.
Back to history... in the past, I always felt like it is best to give a player space to start his drive. I've changed my mind with the changes in officiating and drivers being swift of foot to slightly change their directions.
Self has masterfully taught our guys how to use a "curl drive" where they curl into a driving lane. This has been one of his big time achievements and I feel like in years ahead he will be recognized for this as much as the chop.
Teams are learning they can't just back off Marcus because he'll pick up speed and drive to the rim. And without pressure on him he can make very precise passes.
Every once in a while he'll try the trey, and well he should. Sometimes.
I'd like to see him become a better shooter as the year progresses.
Hey, we are Jayhawks! We have no time to go backwards second guessing ex-players and bashing them. Let's just look forward to our great season!
We see a kid like Grimes, and that body, and we think "man"... he was young, he is still young. Something didn't rub him right and he was a kid. I tend to give kids quite a bit of slack. I was a kid once... back when dinosaurs roamed the great plains.
Anyways, Q... good luck and go make yourself a career!
Devonte is smoking the league. He's like a magician. The real test for him will be next year or maybe even by the end of this year. Teams are just starting to realize him as a threat and spending the time doing deep scouting. All his tricks will be learned and he'll have to adjust to being figured out.
But here is the thing... I think Devonte is the guy that truly has some magic! He will continue to go to his hat and pull out new tricks. He reminds me of Andy Reid at the Chiefs. Every year teams think they finally have him figured out and then he rebrands his offense with new plays.
Not a bad idea. What we need is our assistant coaches to spend time with Lucas. Learn how to teach our players better.
It all feeds into my concept of having the best developmental program in America! Let that be our recruiting card. Then when we hit the recruiting trail, let recruits know their game has a long ways to go and Kansas is the place to get them there. That should help weed out some of the headcases thinking their poop doesn't stink while helping us land the smart players that have a grip on the game and where they stand and desire to get better.
I've watched him at Houston. I can't even recognize his game from what he was here. He's hustling and using that body everyone always boasted about.
I think he just wanted to be a star. He doesn't want to share the spotlight with anyone, and if pushed, he backs down. My guess anyways. He backed down at Kansas.
It just goes to show that you can't always tell about players. They are all unique individuals and some fit well on a team and others don't. It speaks volumes for team chemistry and when you get a team where everyone is on the same page, it shows up on the final score and in March.
I know one thing... I like our current team, a lot! I'm not seeing the problem player that weighs down on everyone. I'm seeing a team of guys that all want to just be a part of making the team better. If we go far in March, this will be the reason why, much more than just having the guns. We've had plenty of teams full of guns.
There is a good write-up on Marcus at KUSports.
Is there still fans out there thinking Marcus doesn't deserve playing time or when we play Marcus we are eventually doomed?
It seems that many voices against Marcus started to die down last year, before Marcus was hurt when he drove to the basket with ease. Marcus started to show us he can be an offensive threat.
Does Marcus have potential at the next level? I think he does. He's doing an excellent job in the areas of the game that are hard to coach up players on. When he leaves Kansas, he will have a lot more time to work on his game, on his jump shot, on his handles. He will have access to specialty coaches who can help polish his game. I know most people don't look at the NBA as a place where defense is valued. But defense counts, especially in June.
Self is open in praising Marcus and how he loves to coach him. That says something we should all listen to. And I bet it will carry some weight at the next level.
Marcus is the perfect candidate to take a trip next summer to hook up with someone like a John Lucas who can guide him through his shooting mechanics, and also help polish his finishes at the rim.
Marcus is a team guy. He makes other players look better. He makes defense look better and he's a good passer who sees the game well. He fills in some areas on the stat line to help the team look better. I bet his time on the court shows a positive gain on the scoreboard.
If we go far in March this year we will have Marcus to thank for that. He's a glue guy who makes the team better.
College sports has grown to be such big business that you need a figurehead that can pass the political mustard.
I feel that Self is the best speaker we have ever had in the position of head basketball coach.
I can think back to coaches like Roy and Larry and I can point to times where they said the wrong thing.
Self doesn't put his foot in his mouth. And though it looks like Self and Townsend made a goof by communicating directly with Adidas, those snippets appear to be all that is against them. I'm thinking they are a dream for a good attorney to battle on their innocence.
Time passes and it works in Self's favor. Emotions settle and reality emerges that the NCAA has little to base their case on directly relating to our coaching staff. In fact, their accusations now look more like bait, trying to get Self to flinch and blow it. He hasn't blown it. And with every day passing, the NCAA looks more like gestapo and Self/Townsend look more like victims.
I know I have my crimson/blue glasses on... but my thoughts are that Self will receive a fat extension after this NCAA stuff. They may go ahead and extend him during the process.
So far every part of KU has been very supportive of Self and staff and fighting the NCAA. This bond goes back from the early days of Self at Kansas and we have been the beneficiary of a lot more than just winning games. Look around on campus... The Self/KU relationship has been the best thing that ever happened to KU!
Hard to point to many in college sports that will leave such a successful legacy as Self has.
I don't understand why anyone would trade a blue blood college coaching career for the horrific lifestyle of a NBA coach. 100+ games, front office gigs... and hundreds of interviews. I doubt Self wants that lifestyle.
I think Moss has good health now... but it is mentioned for the reason why he is starting to perform better. I don't know... I think he's just feeling more integrated into the team now and is feeling more comfortable.
I thought our defense did a great job of crowding passing lanes and stealing the ball. 9! Pretty good number!
Then take a look at their stat line... 11 steals!
We need to consider the overall net result. I'm not saying our steals were a waste, but that they ended up not being sufficient to cover our giveaways on the other end.
We need to take pride in taking care of the ball. And we need to look at the turnover stat line on every game and compare.
Did we win that line? NO!
For all that effort we put into creating steals, we turn around and effortlessly give the ball back.
That is not satisfactory and you can bet Self will be focusing on it this week!
It really gives me a buzz to read how others understand sealing off the same as me. I thought I was losing my mind and imagining what I used to do and thinking it was a dream... ;)
It's become such a rarity in college basketball I'm not sure the refs understand it and they will call a foul on someone for using their butt. So much of the physicality has been removed from the game. I liked it better when it was played more like a combination of football and ballet. Now it's just ballet.
Sounds like the difference in offense is we have Doke!
That's how it appears. That is how it always appears for players who try to resolve the game while playing. Self calls it "over-thinking the game."
If he does his mental work ahead of the game, the game will slow down and he'll be able to play like he should play; playing loose and free!
Silvio is another guy who could really use this. Actually... all our guys could improve considerably by training with visualization.
For Doke.... rebounding is like free throws. He needs better emotional control in games (hence, mental control). This is the way he will slow the game down so he can do the right things.
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/sports/olympics/olympians-use-imagery-as-mental-training.html ↗
Doke should imagine himself at the line, calm, collected, and focusing on the back of the rim. Releasing the ball with perfect form. He should practice FTs in the shower probably more than on the court, though developing muscle memory will help him, too.
He should study game tape. He should study his own mind... dreaming back through past games to better see the game. Go back and learn from his mistakes. See where he was emotionally during games. Conquer that now. It's not like he should be without emotion. He should maintain high emotion that is focused. This isn't something Doke can be taught from coaches. Doke needs to teach Doke.
Effort has never been Doke's problem. If anything... he could stand to learn where he can conserve his energy within a game in places... then spend wildly in other areas. He's a guy who could use visualization to change his game, if he puts his energy into it... like he put his energy into creating his new body. Doke has so much power in areas that really count. I just hope he takes on that last hurdle to receive his ultimate payoff at the finish line.
Notice Self screaming about Colorado coming to town? What good is it to climb in the polls if we lay a turd with Colorado?
It's one test to stand up and fight hard with opponents who really challenge us, it's another test to fight past the mediocre teams and not fall in their mediocrity trap!
I hope I reverse jinx them and we come out and thrash Colo.