I hope it goes away, but I doubt it will.
jaybate 1.0
10346 posts
Will a team of graduate transfers soon win the national championship in D1 college basketball?
Only a few years ago, most board rats had never even heard of a graduate transfer.
Now, each recruiting season, board rats eagerly await the incoming graduate transfers almost as much as signings of OADs and players expected to have multi-year careers.
Bill Self currently seems both pioneer and master of graduate transfer recruiting.
But is Bill's graduate transfer recruiting WSYWYG, i.e., an strategic end it itself, or is their a grand strategy afoot, as well?
Could Bill Self purposely send players he could recruit as freshman to other programs around the country, in order to get them developed on the floor and graduated academically for three seasons, AND THEN bringing them to KU for a final season in which the graduate transfer can focus entirely on basketball, because he does not have to attend class?
Think about the mad genius of what may be possible here!
Imagine a 7-8 man roster of fully developed graduate transfers that don't have to go to class, that have sewn all their wild oats; that have fathered all the children they want; that have moved beyond smoking pot; that don't have to be tutored and kept eligible; that understand this REALLY IS their one last chance for basketball greatness in college!!!!
Imagine what Self could do with an eight man rotation of guys like that!!!!
Imagine how much they could practice!!!!
Imagine how much of the 1,000 page play book such a team could master!
"Re-imagine all the transfers playing as a team/
You-oooh may say I'm a recruiter/
But I'm not the only one/
I hope some day you will sign up/
And the team will play as one..."
--lyrics by jayJohn Lenbate 1.0, "Re-Imagine," from the digitally remastered analog album "Re-Imagine" put out by City of London-Prime Records, all rights retained by the Bank of International Settlements, Geneva, Switzerland
Ahem.
A truly experienced and fully developed roster of 8 graduate transfers hand picked and placed by Self as freshmen with Okie Baller coaches around the country at lesser schools needing such players to keep their jobs, then passing them on to Self to piece together into one of Self's insanely well drilled, and brilliantly coached teams full of swagger and boot camp esprit d'corp would be unbeatable in the current NCAA slag heap of elite teams composed of OAD children starting as freshman and TAD slow learners finally starting as sophomores.
Imagine Self with a full rotation of true seniors--seasoned, hard nosed, men.
Self could even have Hudy create three-year weight training and diet plans for the freshman recruits placed at other schools with Okie Baller coaches, so that by the time they got to Lawrence, they would all look like Incredible Hulks in adidas, albeit with flexibility, too. Think about THAT!!!! All the mistakes in dietary supplements, and the mistakes in too much weight gain in the wrong body regions, could be made and recovered from during the players first three seasons at other schools, and by the time they got to AFH the kinks would be worked out, the apparent sicknesses from allergic reactions to supplements would be over, the stress fractures/reactions and joint inflammation from the early years of carrying more weight than god intended, would be OVER! Done! Self would just have a bunch of healthy, indestructible studs to coach!
The Basketball Marines aren't looking for the cream of the crop. They are just looking for a few good transfers. The Few. The Proud. The Graduate Transfers.
Semper Fi!
For whatever reason you wish to assign, KU's recruiting and roster are increasingly constrained as follows:
1.) No OAD/5-star point guards;
2.) No OAD/5-star 5s:
3.) 1 OAD/5-star recruit per season that can be a 2, 3, or 4 position player;
4.) Decreasing number of 4-star freshman recruits;
5.) Increasing number of graduate transfers and de-commits to plug holes created from recruiting constraints;
6.) Rotation minutes for project 4s and 5s.
This recruiting pattern has been tolerated by KU fans, because KU has continued to win conference titles, win around 80-84% of its games, be invited and seeded high in the Carney, and go out in the 16, or the 8.
So: what would be the threshold of decline in performance that KU fans stop marveling at Self's ingenious work-arounds and start saying: we've got to find a way to recruit rosters comparable to other elite programs, so that we can make serious runs at championships?
What if, KU's performance declines as follows:
a.) win conference titles 1 out of 4 seasons;
b.) winning 70-75% of games;
c.) Carney seeds 4-10
d.) No runs past the Sweet 16.
The above declines would still constitute seasons to be coveted by most major programs in D1, and maybe even comparable in some respects with other elite programs, but the lack of deep runs and rings would clearly not be comparable with Elite programs.
Would this be okay with KU fans?
If the above scenario would be okay with KU fans, then how far does KU performance have to decline before KU fans start to say KU needs to find a way to change recruiting constraints?
Interesting suggestion.
wissox said:
More eyes mean more fouls called off the ball. Sorry, JB, this idea doesn't fly, pun fully intended.
Of course, you could set the drones to ignore as many fouls as human beings miss, but still achieve similar lack of bias in the fouls that are called.
Or, you could simply let more fouls be called for a few years until the coaches change the way they have their players play, so the number of calls drops sharply over time.
By George, you've got the concept!!!!
There are thirty NBA franchises.
17 players on a roster.
510 Total Roster Spots.
80 percent of players coming through the Power AAU teams reputedly play for Nike sponsored Power AAU teams.
Let's multiply that 80% figure times the 510 roster spots to get an approximate, estimated share of the roster slots that are likely controlled by Nike.
408.
That leaves 102 potential slots for non Nike brand players.
Now, if you are an NBA General Manager and you want to make sure that when you draft a Nike lean player from a Nike contracted school with a Nike contracted D1 coach, that that Nike lean player signs with you, rather than insists on a trade, what kind of players are you apt to want to fill the 20 percent of your slots with? Are you going to want to sign still more Nike players, to show your good faith with the swoosh, or non Nike players, especially if its a wash between the Nike player and the non Nike player?
Well, if its a wash, I'm going to guess you sign Nike players when ever you can to show your loyalty to the Swoosh and so make your team a happy bunch of Nike campers, and so to be confident that you will sign the next high draft choice, rather than see him seek a trade.
But let's say its only a wash about, oh, I don't know, lets be really conservative and say its only a wash about half the time. Let's say the rest of the time the non-Nike player decisively better.
The above set of assumptions means that in any given year, there are really only about 51 NBA slots open for non Nike players and they have to be clearly better than the Nike alternative. A wash, the assumptions indicate, mean the Nike player get the slot.
51 slots divided by 30 franchises indicates an estimated 1.7 roster slots per franchise for non Nike players.
But it doesn't stop there.
I haven't looked lately but Under Armor has reportedly been increasing its cut of the 20 percent that adidas used to dominate. Let's be upbeat and estimate adidas accounts for 3 out of 4 of the non Nike players; that 75%. That means adidas guys can expect to a shot at 1.275 roster slots per franchise.
No wonder KU guys have so much trouble hanging on in the L and no wonder they tend to have to move around frequently in order to stay very long. They might be competing for as few as 1.275 available roster slots/franchise.
Now, I realize that the 1.275 number available to adidas leans could vary some from year to year. It could wiggle up a little when adidas uncorks one of its massive endorsement contracts that temporarily draws more players to sign with adidas. And it could wiggle down when Under Armor does the same.
But however you slice it, it appears to be kind of tiny window of opportunity for non Nike guys.
Unless my assumptions are wildly off the mark, which they could be. I just did them on the back of a virtual bar napkin.
Maybe someone has the percentage breakdown of roster spots by shoe brand handy. If so, I look forward seeing the actual numbers.
Buffer 1
It is phenomenal money either place.
But base salary is just the start. The register starts ringing into another dimension of wealth, when a Number 1 draft choice becomes the marketing face of the NBA and of a petroshoe brand.
Good points. Still, the question is: why would 5 OADs want to play half the time and not? Fishy.
Thanks for the thoughtful response. What do u make of those long stack recruiting classes that occurred for a couple years where U.K. would have a roster of Ten new and former OADs and Duke nine? Or the 2012 UK team with 6 OADs? Why were those OADs willing to sit?
I'm interested in hearing this POV articulated.
Assume NO Power AAU Team's, because no Shoe sponsorship.
Assume no agents, or agent runners.
Assume no coaches or schools with enormous shoe contracts.
Why would recruiting outcomes come out the same?
I recall your skepticism. I am after all these years unable to grasp your persisting doubt, so I try to respect it and try to answer your civil questions with the respect and politeness you richly deserve.
Wiggins was said by some to be the next Lebron. Many that knew the game, the draft, and appearances of agency and the shoe business had to have at least wondered if he sandbagged like crazy at KU. His ROY first season on a weak team, he effortlessly lit up NBA players, after struggling against the likes of Stanford. Naives IMHO claimed a year of maturity triggered the change, choosing to ignore quotes from a handler during his KU season that he could light up college players any time he wanted. It appears to me he sandbagged, but who but he can ever say for sure. And if he were to have sand bagged, who would ever reasonably expect him to admit having done so?
Wiggins was taken first by Cleveland but apparently flushed to Minnesota, when he apparently wouldn't play ball on shoe branding. Had he gone to U.K., signed with WWW, and worn the swoosh, logic suggests he would have stayed in Cleveland with Lebron and GS wouldn't have any titles. Drafting 1 and then shipping the greatest player since Lebron was excellent shoe brand marketing strategy for Nike and Lebron, whether anyone ever can prove that was why Wigs was drafted 1 and shipped, or not. In the age of small Ball, the Cavs never needed Love. They needed Wiggins much more. But drafting and shipping Wigs to the NBA graveyard of Alta St.Paul preserved the Lebron brand; that was way more important than diluting the Lebron brand and winning a string of rings that built Wigs up for adidas.
Next, Embiid was apparently a long term franchise project, but became an unexpected rapid developer who, before the freak injury, was apparently planned by adidas to come out the season after Wigs, so adidas had a chance for two consecutive number 1s; obviously, that would have ramped up adidas revenues enough the next ten years to justify even heavier investment in undermining Nike. But Embiid's injury made it too risky to wait for someone that might become permanently impaired. He apparently jumped early to minimize risk of becoming unmarketable if the injury worsened, before he was truly developed, yet that was the same year the greatest player since Lebron was coming out. adidas probably also factored in the probability of Nike trying to bid up the cost of each one in successive years, along with the injury risk. So: adidas apparently gambled on letting both come out the same year to guaranty at least one stayed with adidas at a cost adidas could afford. 1 and 3 were about the best adidas could hope for from two franchise and potentially great players--one not yet developed and with an injury.
In turn, drafting and shipping Wigs to Minnesota appears to have been the best possible outcome for Nike and Lebron, given the circumstances and apparent adidas strategy.
But what I offer remains intended solely as forensic hypothesis to trigger analysis, as surely as would an explanation relying on pure randomness and no strategic interplay involving an apparent possible shoeco-agency complex be so intended. I do not claim to know anything about this for sure.
Rock Chalk!
!0_1499140730737_IMG_4527.JPG ↗
Goofing off this summer. Mondos Beach, near Ventura, CA.
Going up shortly to Oregon shortly to fish the Rogue and run some crab traps on the Coquille. Hoping to float The Sixes and fish for trout, not sure there will be time.
Looking for an old 22' inboard Calkins Bartenter to restore for going over sandbars in the big water up north. Or else want to find a Greenough 17 to fish kelp beds in SOCAL.
!0_1499141360374_IMG_3956.JPG ↗
That's a Greenough by Anderson of Santa Barbara. Designed for surfinghome on trailing seas.
U r an absolute grey man!!!!
Josh has appeared to pay dearly for coming to the wrong time zone to wear the wrong shoe brand with likely the wrong agency alignment.
He was easily the best player in the draft, but fell to 4.
He had to be the best, because required him to learn D, play out of position at 4, and learn what many argue is a much tougher system.
We have to hope it pays off for him on the second contract, when he shows himself the best of the bunch.
We are talking about a group of professionals that would not knowingly choose to pour urine from a 10 gallon yarmulka, papal pointy hat, Stetson Open Road, or Borsalino fedora.
We are not dealing with the MIT crowd.
They did not pick Paul Pierce first, or Chalmers in the first round.
Many are products of nepotism.
Others are cronies clipping coupons.
Whew!! Thx!
To some extent, Nano drone referees make enormous sense for college basketball. They can fly over and around the action in programmed paths determined by player and ball movements. There could be a dozen of them, or more. Their optical and lidar algorithms could be set to vastly greater precision of depth perception than the human eyes of referees. Further, a computer could in real time sort all views and then select, say, 3 to triangulate a decision on. And then their objective decisions could be appealed to a human review of a separate, secure game camera the checked and judged by a court side tech. This would rid us of on court referee bias and referee bribes. But it would introduce us to a new risk of image and algorithm hacking by Intel/Big Gaming if they are, or when they will, use sports betting to launder black monies, as is reputedly already done in other countries (e.g., Italy) . It's part of surveillance age think, so let's anticipate it and think it through. Do we want the different Deep States of world intervening analog, or digitally? I'm not yet sure. But I suspect automation of refereeing with drones is inevitable unless we organize to oppose it. There is just too much money to be made by the mil-sec complex both in implementation and downstream laundering to resist the migration. As usual, the only way to deter hacking and laundering and exploits of parallel fiber speed differentials will be paper trails to be cummulatively analysed end of each season, or after a suspect incident.
Nano drones with cameras can fly around game action and give us exciting and informative new angles of view of play.
The technology is feasible.
It time for ESPN to get out of the stone age.
I want to watch the weave from the lane!!!!
I want to fly down the floor looking over the shoulder of the point guard.
I want to go to the rim with the driver.
ESPN is not keeping up with the technology.
Wayne :thumbsup: Gotta suspect Wayne finally found a therapy that dialed in his attention span. Congrats.
Ben out? :frowning: OMG!!! Really thought BenMac was a long timer.
Tarik out? Did he get injured, or under perform?
Self will continue to improve, as long as he stays as creative and driven as he appears to have been the last ten years.
in 2008, and 2012, he did not seem to have trouble tightening his team up.
I am skeptical that from 2013 to 2017 he lost his ability to keep his teams loose.
I worry less about Bill unintentionally tightening the team and much more about:
a.) injuries and fatigued starters from too many minutes played because of the apparent embargo's resulting lack of depth;
b.) the apparent asymmetric path engineering taking its toll by the Elite Eight; and
c.) the apparent asymmetric whistles.
I believe apparent asymmetric whistles are perhaps the key triggers of tightness. When a KU team comes on the floor and has to expect asymmetric whistles, it apparently gets tight. The reason for the tightness appears to me to be related to not being able to predict how the asymmetric whistle will be blown. Where and when will the calls come and what will be the contact threshold at which they are blown. Its apparently a great disadvantage.
This map of emerging mega regions shows how to play the spatial marketing and TV game of keeping KU basketball relevant and prospering through the 21st Century. I have posted it before.
KU's future hinges on connecting into Oklahoma City and St. Louis TV markets, whenever possible.
KU long term is part of the Great Lakes Mega Region, unless Kansas/Oklahoma/Texas were to get the regional development acts together, and really push development that turns the Dallas-Kansas City corridor into a mega region in its own right. But Texas won't prioritize that because it has to prioritize the Texas Triangle and Gulf Coast.
So: KU most definitely should move to the Big Ten, but not alone. The best case would be to take both Oklahoma Schools, KSU, ISU, plus ad Wichita State into a single Big Ten division of former Big 12 schools.
If that doesn't work, then KU needs to take the same schools into a conference that overlaps the Big Ten region and the Big 12.
KU owns KC with its games in Sprint. Why not schedule some home games in St. Louis and just take both TV markets away from the Fizzouri!!!
What the hell, let's schedule some home games in whatever arena they actually call home and take Columbia away from them, too!!
Buffer 1
I've been meaning to talk to you about that "fart fire" issue of yours.
Are you taking precautions to have safe "fart fire?"
Buffer 2
Buffer 1
I'm pretty excited. This is the first time I recall getting an upvote for a numbered buffer!!!!!
I would support playing Fizzouruh, if it's official name were changed to the University of Fecal Eating Degenerates.
No.
I wouldn't even then.
But I might say I would just to get them to change their name to that.
Rock Chalk!
Thank god for his ego.
Bill is looking out for KU.
Good for him.
justanotherfan said:
The legislature was hesitant to prevent guns from being carried in state mental hospitals. That's really all you need to know on the topic.
PHOF!
buffer 2
buffer 1
I am not sure what you mean about not being sure about what you believe I mean.
Let me look down my list of leads for thread cracking and disinforming...
Are you serious about what you say your are serious about? Umm, no.
You have apparently not been keeping up. Ummm, no.
Are you full of hot air? Um, no.
At least I try to present some facts. Um, no.
What are you thinking? Um, no.
Hmmmm, lemme see, I've got this site destabilization and disinformation handbook in another window that I want to check. Be patient. Lemmme see, here, uh, what, uh, ah, there it is...
I am not sure what you mean by...
There we go!
I am not sure what you mean by...but I believe you know what I mean, but I could be wrong. Right?
Howling!
Just kidding around!
25 baby.
Let's see, uh, what leeeeetle, teeeeeny, eeeeeeeens, weeensy things happened to Boeheim and Pitino recently?
:-)
"Enabling CC on state campuses creates no risks for students that cannot be managed by my brother's kevlar plate and vest company."
--Kansas state Senator Robert "Bob" Cronyveld representing the ZERO DISTRICT of Kansas located in the hip pocket of the military-industrial complex
@BeddieKU23 and @globaljaybird
Two issues need to be kept straight about recruiting.
A. Self's short-term, annual, shifting tactical brilliance at ad hoc work arounds to apparent recruiting regime dynamics that annually deny him a 5-star/OAD freshman signee at the 1 and 5, and appears to be starting to deny him credible D1 (4-star and higher) freshman signees, so that Self appears to be trending toward producing fewer first round draft choices on average than UK, UNC, and Duke, and perhaps contributing to a possible ceiling of the Elite Eight for KU Carney, er, Tourney runs.
B. Self's and KU's long term, strategic problem of not being able to compete on a level, recruiting playing field with UK, UNC, and Duke, at least at the 1 and 5 positions.
We can laud Coach Self for the genius of his short term tactical work arounds, but we must also continue to call attention to the long term strategic problem, or Self and KU are likely to be inexorably marginalized from competing for first National Titles, and then increasingly for conference championships, after KU is forced into junior member status (with concomitant loss in conference political influence) from a move to another Power conference, like the Big Ten.
It is CRUCIAL that KU NOT MOVE into another Power Conference, especially the legacy-intense Big Ten, alone. If it moves alone, it will be doomed and KU Basketball dominance will within a very short time be consigned to ash heap of D1 history. Why?
Think about what has happened to two dominant basketball school's athletic programs that jumped conferences: Syracuse, Louisville. The move to a new conference leaves them essentially junior members in conferences that will no longer fight to protect them from subversion. The other member schools in the new conference do not NEED the newcomer, no matter how good it is. In fact, the legacy schools are better off if the newcomer is brought down a notch, so as not to upset the legacy alliances and order, as much.
And what immediately befell them? Both were immediately clocked for wrong doing that was, perhaps, kind of a way of life for them elsewhere, and for which they were once apparently enabled due their relatively greater importance in rank at prior conference stops.
Compare what happened to Syracuse and Louisville in their new home--the ACC, with what happened to long-time ACC member UNC. At the rate things appear to be going in the Easygate case, UNC might be handed a middling infraction for compromising a substantial portion of entire degree granting institution of higher education, in, oh, say, about the same century JFK and 9-11 are fully declassified. LIKE MAYBE NEVER!
Loyal, but in my view, perhaps somewhat naive KU fans will probably respond that KU is no Syracuse, or Louisville. KU tries to do it the right way and so has nothing to worry about in a move to, say, the Big Ten. No skeletons in KU's closet, they will think and write. I wish that trying to do it the right way were enough to protect KU basketball from predators after a change of conference. But I strongly doubt that it will be.
Amateurism in college basketball has long made D1 an imperfect sports business, where many that have commented in investigative articles, or books, indicate that it is a place where most bend rules, and the difference between the good guys and the bad guys is probably a matter of who is trying to do it the right way, and who is NOT even trying.
As MSU's Jud Heathcote was reported once to have said after his retirement in a book about basketball recruiting I have mentioned, many times, but which title escapes me this morning, back in Heathcote's career, it used to be routine for veteran coaches to order new, young assistant coaches, to engage in recruiting activity that explicitly broke NCAA rules, as an initiation into the coaching profession, so that the new young assistants were compromised and understood the code of professional silence on rules that were violated routinely by all programs, good, or rogue. There has never been any credible evidence presented that D1 basketball has been systematically cleaned up since Heathcote's time. If anything, recruiting behavior in D1 has probably mutated in the way in which rules are bent and broken, in an era of fantastically more money involved, and it at least appears that the NCAA has loosened, rather than strengthened its policing of recruiting.
So: what am I trying to say?
KU may be the cleanest run program in D1, but the probability is, given the long, sordid history of D1 basketball recruiting, that would merely make KU the lepper with the most fingers, when it moved to a new power conference.
And in a new power conference, KU would be a nice budgetary addition to the new conference's bottom line and some expansion in politic influence in the political alliance regional political economy that sports conferences are analogs of.
But on the level of sports competition, it just wouldn't matter much to the new conference, if KU basketball were successful, or not. KU rarely wins a national championship. KU now appears destined rarely to reach a Final Four, if apparent current recruiting regime dynamics are sustained. Thus, KU's value to, say, the Big Ten, would not reside in KU winning conference titles, displacing legacy members upper level finishes in conference and in NCAA births, and generally remaining a force in college basketball. Mostly KU's value to the Big Ten would be:
a.) cherry picking KU would weaken the Big 12 and leads to its dissolution, thus allowing the Big Ten TV market to expand into the void and up TV revenues for conference members; and
b.) a new junior revenue generator that would be largely powerless politically in the face of the legacy power alliances within the Big Ten; and
c.) enable the Big Ten states regional political economy alliance to extend political economic influence into infrastructure and regulatory issues and votes in the Great Plains.
And there are probably other political chits that I am not insider enough to recognize.
But the point is: the Big Ten doesn't want KU for its basketball program. If KU were to stay dominant in basketball, well, that would just be icing on the cake. As a result, the Big Ten legacy power schools--Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Indiana are NOT going to fall on their swords for KU Basketball...EVER.
If KU moves alone into minority status in a Big Ten division, it will, like Nebraska, be doomed to junior membership in a conference with dominant members strong enough to play last man standing on every significant issue that comes along.
The Big Ten won't be irrationally parochial and mean spirited. They just won't enable KU as much as the Big 12 has, despite its Texas catering.
My idea of a great Big Ten move would be for enough Big 12 teams to jump at once to create one former Big 12 majority division in the Big Ten. That dog would hunt for KU. But going there alone, or with one other member, is like asking to become a permanent pledge in a fraternity house. No thank you.
Rock Chalk!
Based on the negative experiences of many schools major sports teams that have jumped conferences the last 5-10 years, I hope KU can find away to stay in the B12, or merge a large portion of the B12 into a new division in the B10. If KU were to move by itself, or even with KSU, I suspect KU basketball would slide into mediocrity, or worse, as a conference newbie. The long time members of the Big 10 just won't allow KU the same legacy advantages in politics and policy choices KU apparently enjoys in the Big 12.
Nebraska-became just another football program in the B10.
MU-became an SEC doormat.
Syracuse--left Big East for ACC and started losing more and got suspended from post season.
Louisville--once in ACC, it got Hookergate.
And so on.
There appears to be something about staying puts that minimizes the making of new enemies and the likelihood of skeletons coming dancing out of closets.
JayHawkFanToo said:
jaybate 1.0 said:
KU moving to the Big 12 would require a tectonic quake and subduction in the Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas oil and gas basin.
...and all this time I thought KU was already in the Big 12, imagine my surprise, and did no even require a click of the gas pump at my local Quick Trip. :smiley:
Big 12 was a Typo.
I meant Big 14.
Howling!!!!
So: you DO believe Snopes!
Howling!
No, wait! What am I thinking. I'm all hot air. You said it so it has to be true. Holy cow, I'm not worthy. I feel so insecure and submissive. I can't even stop dry washing. I am wracked with self doubt. My anti-perspirant is failing me. I am full of hot air. You said so, so it has to be true. I can barely look at myself in the mirror. Hot air. All is lost. Woe, woe, woe.
Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation
1. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Regardless of what you know, don't discuss it -- especially if you are a public figure, news anchor, etc. If it's not reported, it didn't happen, and you never have to deal with the issues.
2. Become incredulous and indignant. Avoid discussing key issues and instead focus on side issues which can be used to show the topic as being critical of some otherwise sacrosanct group or theme. This is also known as the 'How dare you!' gambit.
3. Create rumor mongers. Avoid discussing issues by describing all charges, regardless of venue or evidence, as mere rumors and wild accusations. Other derogatory terms mutually exclusive of truth may work as well. This method works especially well with a silent press because the only way the public can learn of the facts are through such 'arguable rumors'. If you can associate the material with the Internet, use this fact to certify it a 'wild rumor' from a 'bunch of kids on the Internet' which can have no basis in fact.
4. Use a straw man. Find or create a seeming element of your opponent's argument which you can easily knock down to make yourself look good and the opponent to look bad. Either make up an issue you may safely imply exists based on your interpretation of the opponent/opponent arguments/situation, or select the weakest aspect of the weakest charges. Amplify their significance and destroy them in a way which appears to debunk all the charges, real and fabricated alike, while actually avoiding discussion of the real issues.
5. Sidetrack opponents with name calling and ridicule. This is also known as the primary 'attack the messenger' ploy, though other methods qualify as variants of that approach. Associate opponents with unpopular titles such as 'kooks', 'right-wing', 'liberal', 'left-wing', 'terrorists', 'conspiracy buffs', 'radicals', 'militia', 'racists', 'religious fanatics', 'sexual deviates', and so forth. This makes others shrink from support out of fear of gaining the same label, and you avoid dealing with issues.
6. Hit and Run. In any public forum, make a brief attack of your opponent or the opponent position and then scamper off before an answer can be fielded, or simply ignore any answer. This works extremely well in Internet and letters-to-the-editor environments where a steady stream of new identities can be called upon without having to explain critical reasoning -- simply make an accusation or other attack, never discussing issues, and never answering any subsequent response, for that would dignify the opponent's viewpoint.
7. Question motives. Twist or amplify any fact which could be taken to imply that the opponent operates out of a hidden personal agenda or other bias. This avoids discussing issues and forces the accuser on the defensive.
8. Invoke authority. Claim for yourself or associate yourself with authority and present your argument with enough 'jargon' and 'minutia' to illustrate you are 'one who knows', and simply say it isn't so without discussing issues or demonstrating concretely why or citing sources.
9. Play Dumb. No matter what evidence or logical argument is offered, avoid discussing issues except with denials they have any credibility, make any sense, provide any proof, contain or make a point, have logic, or support a conclusion. Mix well for maximum effect.
10. Associate opponent charges with old news. A derivative of the straw man -- usually, in any large-scale matter of high visibility, someone will make charges early on which can be or were already easily dealt with - a kind of investment for the future should the matter not be so easily contained.) Where it can be foreseen, have your own side raise a straw man issue and have it dealt with early on as part of the initial contingency plans. Subsequent charges, regardless of validity or new ground uncovered, can usually then be associated with the original charge and dismissed as simply being a rehash without need to address current issues -- so much the better where the opponent is or was involved with the original source.
11. Establish and rely upon fall-back positions. Using a minor matter or element of the facts, take the 'high road' and 'confess' with candor that some innocent mistake, in hindsight, was made -- but that opponents have seized on the opportunity to blow it all out of proportion and imply greater criminalities which, 'just aren't so.' Others can reinforce this on your behalf, later, and even publicly 'call for an end to the nonsense' because you have already 'done the right thing.' Done properly, this can garner sympathy and respect for 'coming clean' and 'owning up' to your mistakes without addressing more serious issues.
12. Enigmas have no solution. Drawing upon the overall umbrella of events surrounding the crime and the multitude of players and events, paint the entire affair as too complex to solve. This causes those otherwise following the matter to begin to lose interest more quickly without having to address the actual issues.
13. Alice in Wonderland Logic. Avoid discussion of the issues by reasoning backwards or with an apparent deductive logic which forbears any actual material fact.
14. Demand complete solutions. Avoid the issues by requiring opponents to solve the crime at hand completely, a ploy which works best with issues qualifying for rule 10.
15. Fit the facts to alternate conclusions. This requires creative thinking unless the crime was planned with contingency conclusions in place.
16. Vanish evidence and witnesses. If it does not exist, it is not fact, and you won't have to address the issue.
17. Change the subject. Usually in connection with one of the other ploys listed here, find a way to side-track the discussion with abrasive or controversial comments in hopes of turning attention to a new, more manageable topic. This works especially well with companions who can 'argue' with you over the new topic and polarize the discussion arena in order to avoid discussing more key issues.
18. Emotionalize, Antagonize, and Goad Opponents. If you can't do anything else, chide and taunt your opponents and draw them into emotional responses which will tend to make them look foolish and overly motivated, and generally render their material somewhat less coherent. Not only will you avoid discussing the issues in the first instance, but even if their emotional response addresses the issue, you can further avoid the issues by then focusing on how 'sensitive they are to criticism.'
19. Ignore facts presented, demand impossible proofs. This is perhaps a variant of the 'play dumb' rule. Regardless of what material may be presented by an opponent in public forums, claim the material irrelevant and demand proof that is impossible for the opponent to come by (it may exist, but not be at his disposal, or it may be something which is known to be safely destroyed or withheld, such as a murder weapon.) In order to completely avoid discussing issues, it may be required that you to categorically deny and be critical of media or books as valid sources, deny that witnesses are acceptable, or even deny that statements made by government or other authorities have any meaning or relevance.
20. False evidence. Whenever possible, introduce new facts or clues designed and manufactured to conflict with opponent presentations -- as useful tools to neutralize sensitive issues or impede resolution. This works best when the crime was designed with contingencies for the purpose, and the facts cannot be easily separated from the fabrications.
21. Call a Grand Jury, Special Prosecutor, or other empowered investigative body. Subvert the (process) to your benefit and effectively neutralize all sensitive issues without open discussion. Once convened, the evidence and testimony are required to be secret when properly handled. For instance, if you own the prosecuting attorney, it can insure a Grand Jury hears no useful evidence and that the evidence is sealed an unavailable to subsequent investigators. Once a favorable verdict is achieved, the matter can be considered officially closed. Usually, this technique is applied to find the guilty innocent, but it can also be used to obtain charges when seeking to frame a victim.
22. Manufacture a new truth. Create your own expert(s), group(s), author(s), leader(s) or influence existing ones willing to forge new ground via scientific, investigative, or social research or testimony which concludes favorably. In this way, if you must actually address issues, you can do so authoritatively.
23. Create bigger distractions. If the above does not seem to be working to distract from sensitive issues, or to prevent unwanted media coverage of unstoppable events such as trials, create bigger news stories (or treat them as such) to distract the multitudes.
24. Silence critics. If the above methods do not prevail, consider removing opponents from circulation by some definitive solution so that the need to address issues is removed entirely. This can be by their death, arrest and detention, blackmail or destruction of their character by release of blackmail information, or merely by destroying them financially, emotionally, or severely damaging their health.
25. Vanish. If you are a key holder of secrets or otherwise overly illuminated and you think the heat is getting too hot, to avoid the issues, vacate the kitchen.
Eight Traits of the Disinformationalist
1. Avoidance They never actually discuss issues head-on or provide constructive input, generally avoiding citation of references or credentials. Rather, they merely imply this, that, and the other. Virtually everything about their presentation implies their authority and expert knowledge in the matter without any further justification for credibility.
2. Selectivity They tend to pick and choose opponents carefully, either applying the hit-and-run approach against mere commentators supportive of opponents, or focusing heavier attacks on key opponents who are known to directly address issues. Should a commentator become argumentative with any success, the focus will shift to include the commentator as well.
3. Coincidental They tend to surface suddenly and somewhat coincidentally with a new controversial topic with no clear prior record of participation in general discussions in the particular public arena involved. They likewise tend to vanish once the topic is no longer of general concern. They were likely directed or elected to be there for a reason, and vanish with the reason.
4. Teamwork They tend to operate in self-congratulatory and complementary packs or teams. Of course, this can happen naturally in any public forum, but there will likely be an ongoing pattern of frequent exchanges of this sort where professionals are involved. Sometimes one of the players will infiltrate the opponent camp to become a source for straw man or other tactics designed to dilute opponent presentation strength.
5. Anti-conspiratorial They almost always have disdain for 'conspiracy theorists' and, usually, for those who in any way believe JFK was not killed by LHO. Ask yourself why, if they hold such disdain for conspiracy theorists, do they focus on defending a single topic discussed in a News Group (NG) focusing on conspiracies? One might think they would either be trying to make fools of everyone on every topic, or simply ignore the group they hold in such disdain. Or, one might more rightly conclude they have an ulterior motive for their actions in going out of their way to focus as they do.
6. Artificial Emotions An odd kind of 'artificial' emotionalism and an unusually thick skin -- an ability to persevere and persist even in the face of overwhelming criticism and unacceptance. This likely stems from intelligence community training that, no matter how condemning the evidence, deny everything, and never become emotionally involved or reactive. The net result for a disinfo artist is that emotions can seem artificial. Most people, if responding in anger, for instance, will express their animosity throughout their rebuttal. But disinfo types usually have trouble maintaining the 'image' and are hot and cold with respect to pretended emotions and their usually more calm or unemotional communications style. It's just a job, and they often seem unable to 'act their role in character' as well in a communications medium as they might be able in a real face-to-face conversation/confrontation. You might have outright rage and indignation one moment, ho-hum the next, and more anger later -- an emotional yo-yo. With respect to being thick-skinned, no amount of criticism will deter them from doing their job, and they will generally continue their old disinfo patterns without any adjustments to criticisms of how obvious it is that they play that game -- where a more rational individual who truly cares what others think might seek to improve their communications style, substance, and so forth, or simply give up.
7. Inconsistent There is also a tendency to make mistakes which betray their true self/motives. This may stem from not really knowing their topic, or it may be somewhat 'freudian', so to speak, in that perhaps they really root for the side of truth deep within. I have noted that often, they will simply cite contradictory information which neutralizes itself and the author. For instance, one such player claimed to be a Navy pilot, but blamed his poor communicating skills (spelling, grammar, incoherent style) on having only a grade-school education. I'm not aware of too many Navy pilots who don't have a college degree. Another claimed no knowledge of a particular topic/situation but later claimed first-hand knowledge of it.
8. Time Constant There are three ways this can be seen to work, especially when the government or other empowered player is involved in a cover up operation: ANY NG posting by a targeted proponent for truth can result in an IMMEDIATE response. The government and other empowered players can afford to pay people to sit there and watch for an opportunity to do some damage. SINCE DISINFO IN A NG ONLY WORKS IF THE READER SEES IT - FAST RESPONSE IS CALLED FOR, or the visitor may be swayed towards truth.
--anon.
25 ways, yeah baby!
This is very simple.
The Big Ten can make the most money by adding the Big 12 intact and becoming the Big 20-24.
One annual playoff game between the winner of the Northern conference (old Big Ten champ) and Southern conference (old B12 champ) solves the problem of getting to 4 power conferences easily.
But deep regional political economy issues stand in the way.
So: if the Trump coalition of Exxon-Mercer-KOCH has successfully divided Texas between Exxon-MERCER-KOCH vs. the Bushista-Brit oilers, then KU alone, or an Okie school and KU, could be cherry picked INTO the B10 to increase TRUMP coalition influence in B10 regional political economics.
But how the TRUMP COALITION fares depends on how the Rothschilds, the Vatican and the combined Black Nobility banking with the Rothschilds in London want the Trump coalition to play out. If they want the Trump Coalition to prevail, then what happens to the Texas-Oklahoma-Kansas oil and gas alliance built by the old Anglo-American alliance will follow the preferences of new Exxon-Mercer-Koch alliance. But if theRothschilds just wanted to shake things up a little to get the war for their former gas reserves in Iran back, well standing pat may be most likely.
There is still great clout in keeping the Texas-Oklahoma-Kansas oil and gas alliance in tact.
But man, oh, man, would Exxon-Mercer -Koch like to get their hands on the Great Lakes water and the massive oil and gas reserves under the Great Lakes? I bet yes. Water and oil remain the quest all over the world including USA. If moving KU, or the whole Big 12 into the BIG TEN improves that long term goal, it's a done deal. Not if not.
KU moving to the Big 12 would require a tectonic quake and subduction in the Texas/Oklahoma/Kansas oil and gas basin.
Seriously--a very discouraging turn of legal events.
:-)
Just between you and me, I'm kind of against concealed carry on campus, and on the basketball team, and at AFH.
And I'm really against concealed carry at the Octagon of Cow Pies in Manhattan.
Dang, that is a problem!
Maybe some of the arms and tactical apparel industry firms could lobby to lower the age requirement?
Or maybe they could just lobby for an exception for basketball recruits at the 1 and 5 spots?
(Just kidding.)
One more thought: might KU be able to sign an apparel contract with Tactical apparel firms? I don't recall these firms have ever been tapped into for sponsorship revenues by D1 basketball programs. KU could definitely create a marketing buzz, and up its revenues, if they asked for their uniforms to be made with conceal carry pockets and sport the logo of a tactical apparel maker! They might even start a line of concealed carry coach's sweats.
What the heck!!! KU could sign an endorsement contract with one of the major fire arm manufacturers and it could become the sole, authorized supplier of concealed carry weapons for the KU Jayhawk basketball team, maybe for football, too.
(Just kidding.)
Thanks for the clarification.
Rudeness appears a rising issue across the good old USA.
But this too shall pass.
LOL about the dorm compatible forms.
Actually, the first thing I thought of was that Bruce Pearl down at Florida has to be wishing he had been at a state university of Kansas, when he had that team at UTenn that reputedly got in trouble for firearms. He could have just told them all to get trained and licensed to carry concealed weapons on campus and they probably would have all been super happy. In turn, Bruce's program might not have imploded. Ah, but if ifs and buts were candy and nuts....
(Just kidding.)
Say, I wonder if state universities in Kansas will now have an unfair advantage in attracting coaches and players that like to conceal carry?
(Just kidding.)
The only possible bright spot I can see in all of this is this: there may be a few 5-star/OAD 1s and 5s that like to conceal carry, and maybe they will decided to come to KU regardless of our shoe contract being with adidas. Ya think?!
(Just kidding.)
Rock Chalk!
First, I'm not rude. I'm insecure. I'm self doubting. I"m wringing my hands.
But be all that as it may...
How about the new generation of heat that beats the metal detectors. Are these permitted, or not?
How about camera drones with little CBW capsules mounted on them with release by joy stick? Are they allowed if we train and license those that fly them, too? (Just kidding.)
I wonder if the insoucient powers that were that enabled this "freedom" get any kickbacks on the metal detector bidnesses, or on the upgraded weapon crony contracting for campus security and LPD for game days? (Just kidding.)
I'm jealous. (Just kidding.)
I want in on the action (note: all fiction. No malice.)
There's big bucks to be made off this. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to sell both heat and crimson and blue tipped ammo to returning students, plus plate vests with little Jayhawk emblems to incoming freshmen and to their parents worried about their safety and coming to their first home comings!!! (Just kidding.)
This will condition lots more young weapon buyers in the weapons pipeline. This is better than getting kids to start smoking younger. All good. It will trigger sale of tons more fire arms and tactical flashlights and neck knives and other survivalist bull biscuits to more over a longer span. All good. (Just kidding.)
I am pretty confident we can jump the gun, so to speak, and convince incoming students to opt for more Molle back packs, too. Yo!!! And you know how kids get into retro mil-chic. Let's comb the military surplus outfits for old ALICE frame back packs that we can sew some Jayhawks onto, too. Kids, listen up, these ALICE packs are soooooooooo much more retro cool than the new Molle packs. These ALICE systems keep the load off your back and are the only way to go when fire fights break out, Lawrence gets sealed off, and you've got to back pack to the river to catch some fish just to get some protein. (Just kidding.)
And, you know, kids today would be absolutely intense for some crimson and blue striped hydration bladders with rock chalk KU on them.
ALL GOOD!!!! (Just kidding.)
Surely it will at the very least trigger another generation of crony contracts for lethality upgrades in campus security and LPD arsenals. Gotta be able to out gun the popular brands of CC firearms the kids might be carrying, you know. (Just kidding.)
(Just kidding.)
And private prisons, which reputedly now charge the state for a year of prisoner incarceration about the same amount as Harvard charges for a year of school, have to LOVE this law, or whatever the hell the morons call it!!! (Just kidding.)
What the hell, let's roll the iWatches, iPhones, and iPads into a student deal with Apple to make some iTasers all with crimson and blue Molle kit. (Just kidding.)
Oooooooh, this is 21st Century Real Economiks.
Oh, jeez, oh pete, oh, gaslight me jesus through the goal posts of life. :-)
I am wracked with doubt about whether I should care about kids packing heat a week late.
Howling!!!!!!!
25, baby, 25!!!