Anderson Family Football Complex Photos

KU had an open house tonight (Wednesday) of their $31 million dollar football complex, located just outside of Memorial Stadium. It is very impressive and Coach Mangino tells me his new plush office is much nicer than his old office, which was, in his words " a sweatbox". He also said that he doesn't get to enjoy his 60 inch plasma tv in his office that much because he's "got a lot of work to do". All in all, it was a great night and KU fans should be proud of this complex. It is DEFINITELY going to help in recruiting.

Keep Rockin and Chalkin!

-Mic

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=wb94q1i.70t6xinu&x=0&y=dzztzy&localeid=en_US

Want to Turn Around Your College Football Program? Get a Playmaker at QB.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: THE key to a college football team's success starts and ends with the quarterback. I'm not saying coaching, offensive line, defense, special teams, WR's, etc. aren't important, but if you want to get on the college football map, and stay on it, you better have a QB that can make plays. Think about it:

When did K-State really put their stamp on the college football landscape? When they got QBs (Ell Roberson, Michael Bishop, etc.) that could make plays.

When did MU put their stamp on the college football landscape? When they got QBs (Brad Smith, Chase Daniel, etc.) that could make plays.

When did KU finally take that next step and put their stamp on the college football landscape? When they got QBs (Bill Whittemore, Todd Reesing) that could make plays.

The interesting thing is, and this may end up playing out with K-State's Ron Prince too, all of the coaches are criticized by the media and their fan bases until they get that QB. Tons of MU fans wanted Pinkel gone until Chase Daniel started to make plays. Mangino was considered to be on the hot seat until Todd Ressing started making plays all over the place.

So those QB's start making plays and now both Pinkel and Mangino are seen as quality Big 12 coaches..as winners....as Coach of the Year....because they recruited QBs that panned out. So will Josh Freeman start making more plays and become the QB that Ron Prince and KSU Nation thought (are praying) he could be?

The perception of Prince, and perhaps his job, will ride on that answer. If Josh Freeman comes into his own and becomes a consistent playmaker, then suddenly people will talk about KSU's turnaround and how Prince is doing a great job. If Freeman throws a bunch of interceptions and is just an average college QB, then KSU fans and media will think Prince isn't the right guy for the job. (some clearly think that already)

You've heard the saying "It's all about the Benjamins". In college football "It's all about the quarterbacks". Especially for college coaches fighting to save their jobs. Finding the QB that can make plays can mean millions to college coaches and athletic departments. Just ask Mark Mangino. Just ask Lew Perkins. Just ask Gary Pinkel. Just ask Mike Alden. I'm not going to add Ron Prince to this list yet. We have to wait and see how Josh Freeman plays this year before we know whether Ron Prince is the next former KSU coach or the next coaching "genius" (aka the coach that hit the jackpot in recruiting and found a playmaking QB).

Keep Rockin and Chalkin,

Mic

2008 National Champions: Thoughts and Observations

The Kansas Jayhawks are National Champions.

How great does that sound?

I will never get tired of hearing those words. Never. Ever. Never. Ever.

The Kansas Jayhawks are NATIONAL FRIGGIN’ CHAMPIONS!!!!

I could write a book about all of the great moments from this season (hmmm, there’s an idea), but for now I want to share some of the dominant thoughts that run through my mind when I think about this Kansas Jayhawk team and this National Championship season.

--It is difficult to put into words how passionate I am about Kansas Jayhawk basketball. Do you know how your heart jumps when you are in love for the first time? Do you know how excited you get when anticipating that big vacation? Do you know what pure bliss it is to enjoy your favorite food? Add those feelings together, multiply by 100, and you’ll get close to understanding my passion for Kansas Jayhawk basketball. I am happy when the Jayhawks are happy. I hurt when the Jayhawks hurt. After the National Championship game, I hugged my wife and literally broke into tears of unbridled joy. I still get choked up when I think about it.

You could ask my friends and family about how I read nearly every article on the team, how I have regular email conversations about the team, how my home office is overflowing with Jayhawk memorabilia, about every Jayhawk-related Christmas or Birthday present I’ve received, about how I never miss a game, about the hours and hours of time spent debating/discussing with people, and on and on.

Some people say I shouldn’t care so much about a basketball team. Those are typically the same people that are missing passion in their own lives. A true passion takes you to emotional heights you could have never imagined.

The bottom line is this: I can’t help it. It’s in my crimson-and-blue blood. It’s woven into the fabric of who I am. Being a passionate Kansas Jayhawk fan is in my DNA and that will never change.

--Unfortunately this season I only got to attend the Senior Night game vs. Texas Tech and the Big 12 Tournament games. I had tickets to the Final Four, but then my grandfather passed away and his funeral was on the day of the KU-North Carolina game. While I would have given anything to be at that game, the memory I will have for the rest of my life of speaking at my grandfather’s funeral, watching the KU-North Carolina game with most of his grandchildren, and later raising our glasses toasting a Jayhawk victory and my grandfather….well, you just can’t put a price on that. I kept saying, “I know grandpa is going to pull some strings for us up in heaven.” You can believe whatever you want about why the Kansas Jayhawks won the National Championship. I choose to believe it was my grandfather’s final gift to his grandchildren.

--Darnell Jackson: I wrote an article earlier in the year called “Darnell Jackson: I Have A Confession To Make” where I basically told Darnell I have a man-crush on him. After the senior season he put together and the adversity he has overcome in his personal life, I’m not sure I could be more proud of any Jayhawk player. (Darnell: It was a pleasure watching you play and grow as a person. You have been a tremendous role model to thousands of Jayhawk fans, young and old. Best of luck to you in all that you do. I am absolutely certain you will succeed in whatever you do in life.)

--Brandon Rush: I still remember people talking about Brandon Rush before he got to KU and wondering if he’d be selfish and hurt team chemistry with his “one and done” attitude. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Brandon was almost too unselfish during his KU career , but he was better than advertised as a player and as a person. It turns out that tearing his ACL last year before the NBA Draft was a blessing in disguise for him, for his team, and for Jayhawk Nation. A lasting memory I’ll always have of Brandon is his alley-oop-off-the-backboard-dunk during the NCAA Tournament. (Brandon: Good luck to you in the NBA. You deserve it. Just remember to STAY AGGRESSIVE!)

--Rodrick Stewart: Rodrick worked his tail off last summer to get into the best physical condition of his life. It turns out that was critical as he started while Brandon recovered from ACL surgery. Rodrick will always be remembered for working hard, not complaining and summoning the spirit of Archie Marshall to be the team’s inspiration as they drove toward the National Championship.

--Sasha Kaun: Who would have thought that Sasha Kaun would have made the Midwest Regional All Tournament Team? Not known for his offense, Sasha came up with huge plays throughout the tournament in key moments. With as much talent that was on this year’s team, I think it’s going to take time for people to realize just how valuable Sasha’s strength, determination, hustle, work ethic, defense and consistent effort played a key role in the team’s success all year long.

--Russell Robinson: During his freshman year, RussRob turned down Coach Self when Self wanted him to go into a game. Russell was upset with his playing time and later thought about leaving KU. Now he’s a National Champion and was the “glue” for the team. Russell has learned a lot about basketball and about life during his 4 years in Lawrence and will always be remembered for his smile, his competitiveness, his willingness to do what is best for the team even at his own expense, and for epitomizing what it means to be a multiple Mr. Jayhawk award winner.

--Jeremy Case: The last remaining player recruited by the former coach (What was his name again? It’s escaping me.), Jeremy Case was never able to garner significant playing time during his Jayhawk career. We will always remember Jeremy for his smile, his leadership, raining 3-pointers on Senior Night, and being one of the most unselfish players in Jayhawk history. Jeremy was dealt a tough hand and always had a few more players ahead of him, but he didn’t complain, took it like a man, and worked hard to make everyone better. (You’re a class act, Jeremy Case, and will make a terrific head basketball coach one of these days.)

--Sherron Collins: When Coach Self recruited Sherron, he told him he was the missing piece to a National Championship. Sherron’s steal, follow up 3-pointer, and assist to Mario Chalmers on “the shot” in the National Championship game were amazing. Nice call, Coach Self.

--Darrell Arthur: Darrell had a solid season and came up big in the National Championship game, outplaying Joey Dorsey while scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. When I think of DA, I always think of him playing big in big games, but getting in foul trouble and disappearing in other games. Danny Manning says DA doesn’t know how good he can be. I still don’t think he does. Unfortunately for Jayhawk Nation, I’m afraid we’ll have to hope that DA can figure it out in
the NBA next season.

--Mario Chalmers: Mario is KU’s Player of the Year. He was consistently the most aggressive and most clutch player on the team. I don’t think Mario fully realizes how he will forever be immortalized in Lawrence and among Jayhawk Nation for hitting “the shot”. It was the most memorable moment of the tournament and on the biggest stage. Maybe being around Danny Manning gives Mario the sense of how he will be adored by Jayhawk Nation for the rest of his life. I also thought it was interesting that the two key figures in the last two Jayhawk National Championships had their fathers on the KU coaching staff, first Ed Manning and then Ronnie Chalmers.

--Cole Aldrich: The future is very bright for the freshman that had a coming out party like no other, outplaying National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough in the Final Four.

--Henry T’s Bar and Grill: When Bill Self asked the seniors if they planned to get together to talk as a team after a depressing loss to Oklahoma State in Stillwater, OK, the players said they hadn’t planned anything. Self suggested that it would probably be a good idea. So instead of meeting someplace quiet and away from it all, this team decided to meet at Henry T’s Bar and Grill over chicken wings and burgers. Over the years I’ve heard of plenty of teams having “players only” meetings thinking that it would be the key to turning around their season. This time it was. The Jayhawks didn’t lose another game after that meeting at Henry T’s and it was THE turning point of the season. I would like to suggest that all future “players only” meetings at KU should be held at Henry T’s.

--Do you hear that sound? It’s the collective hush created by all of the Bill Self-haters/bashers that punished him waaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too much for two first round NCAA Tournament losses. I hope each and every one of you enjoy helping after helping of crow. You deserve every morsel.

--The circle is complete with Roy Williams. After KU beat Roy and his North Carolina team on its way to the National Championship, most KU fans will put any leftover resentment behind them. Of course Roy got one fan base off his back and immediately put another one (UNC fans) on it as he wore a Jayhawk sticker during the National Championship game. Roy was quoted as saying that, after 5 years, he hopes KU fans will “get over it and move on”. I think Roy needs to have that exact same conversation with the mirror.

--Why did Bill Self stay at Kansas? There are many reasons. How about this one: Bill Self could end up being greatest coach in the history of Kansas basketball. Think about it.

--The Big 12 finally gets a National Champion. Do you think this will finally end some of the media bias on both coasts? Do you think Dick Vitale will finally stop slobbering all over North Carolina and Duke? Yeah, me either.

--I’m not sure the average KU fan understands how much mental and physical toughness it took to beat Cinderella Davidson to get Bill Self his first Final Four, and then beat “mighty” #1 ranked and #1 overall seed North Carolina, and then finally beat a Memphis team that has the most wins in NCAA history and that completely dismantled Big 12 Co-Champion Texas and PAC-10 Champion UCLA. More importantly, I’m not sure people appreciate just how well our team played defensively in those games. It’s going to take time to realize the true greatness of
this team.

--Well, now we know what type of team Bill Self has in mind when trying to build a National Championship-caliber team. I’m sure some KU fans are nervous/excited about next year’s team as we bring in several new players. Coach Self said “we’re going to be pretty good next year”. Anyone here doubting him?

--Anyone else want to make KU an underdog? Pretty please?

--I was in Lawrence for the National Championship game. We watched the game at Jefferson’s and then partied in the streets with 40,000 of our closest friends. I’m not sure I could have more fun in one evening. Well, ok, maybe that’s stretching it. But it was a helluva good time.

--Remember when everyone was worrying, myself included, about our poor free throw shooting at the beginning of the year? KU was 14 of 15 from the free throw line in the National Championship game.

--In what is arguably the most talented Final Four in NCAA Tournament history, with all four #1 seeds, the Kansas Jayhawks were the best of the best.

--The “One Shining Moment” song and video keeps replaying in my head. I hope it never stops.

Keep Rockin’ and Chalkin’,

Mic
www.jaytalkers.com

Self-Realization for the Self-Doubters

Bill Self got his Final Four. I am so happy for him and the players and of course I'm ecstatic about making the trip to San Antonio to support the Jayhawks. This will be my first Final Four and I'm going to soak it all up, even if getting tickets is like getting all of those Jayhawk fans that doubted Self to own up to the fact that they were just plain wrong.

And that leads me to the point of this article. I've had numerous debates over the years, some very heated, with one person in particular (whose name will not be revealed, but who we will call Mr. Self Doubter) about Bill Self and what a great coach he is, what a great representative he is of the University and what a class act he is. But Mr. Self Doubter couldn't get over the first round losses in the NCAA Tournament and nit-picked every little thing Bill Self did. He focused way too much on Self's "failures" and way to little on his successes.

So it is with great joy that I share the following comments with you. You see, Mr. Self Doubter did a complete 180 and finally came around on Bill Self. I wanted to write an article to all of those Jayhawk fans that doubted Bill Self for petty reasons and leftover resentment of Roy's departure. But Mr. Self Doubter beat me to it. Since I'm not big on reinventing the wheel, I wanted to share with you what Mr. Self Doubter had to say.

Without further adieu, below is the actual email I received today from Mr. Self Doubter. It's a beautiful thing when a Jayhawk fan sees the light. Hopefully all of those other Self Doubters out there can learn a thing or two from my recently converted friend, who I can now call Mr. Self Lover.

"Let me say the following which will hopefully bury a lot of hatchets we’ve had going on over the years. I would like to officially exclaim my pure excitement for Bill Self for finally achieving the Final Four that every coach desires. But it didn’t take a Final Four for me to start realizing we have a solid basketball coach at the helm of Kansas basketball.

It is obvious to me that my past disapproval of Self was wrong, and all of my negative comments were nit-picky little things which I would have with any coach (e.g., I had many of those with Roy too). You may remember when my disapproval of Self started. It wasn’t necessarily in his first season, although I had a glint of doubt because of the way Miles/Langford/Lee/Simien didn’t necessarily “mesh” with Self’s system.

The doubts officially began in his 2nd season, when there was obvious rebellion going on within the team, where the freshmen were benched and never saw the light of day, etc., ultimately resulting in a downturning season ending with the Bucknell loss. Immediately after the season, Padgett transferred. Giddens eventually transferred in the off-season. That season’s demise put big doubts in my mind.

This carried over into the next season when we had an extremely young team who struggled from the outset, as most freshmen/sophomore-laden teams do. Guys like CJ Giles were disappointments. Freshmen like Julian Wright were being benched, and memories of the freshmen-benchings from the previous season kept coming up.

The season ultimately ended with the 1st round upset to Bradley. And then Giles transferred in the off-season. Sometime during this 15-month timeframe of events, Mic and I started and continued having our heated arguments about Self. But it is now obvious to me there were reasons for all of these events. The difference now is Self has HIS players, and they are experienced.

That’s what a coach needs to succeed: Players who are adhering to the coach’s set system, and who have the experience and talent to execute the game plan, the offense, the defense, etc. I look back and realize Self didn’t have that before the Bradley loss. In his first 3 seasons, the first 2 were with Roy’s players, and the 3rd was with an extremely inexperienced bunch who have grown into the group they are now, and a group future players can draw from.

A group who wins basketball games at an impressive clip, who wins Big 12 titles (regular season and Conference tourneys), who took us to the Elite 8 last year and now the Final 4 and hopefully beyond this year, a motivated bunch who have accumulated a 35-3 record this year despite some accusations they’re not motivated, a complimentary group who Self deserves credit for building, who will be tough to replace, who I hope will reach the culmination of everything basketball, by winning the National Championship this year.

I wanted to write this e-mail to give you some insight into what I’m now thinking about our coach; that he is an excellent basketball coach and recruiter and a remarkable representative to have at the University of Kansas. Like I said, the light didn’t flip on only because of the Final Four; I’ve been thinking about this for awhile now. Of course the Final Four never hurts though! One of those rare situations in life where you’re absolutely elated you were wrong."

Thank you, Mr. Self Lover. I literally couldn't have said it better myself.

Keep Rockin and Chalkin,

Mic
http://www.jaytalkers.com/

KU-Villanova: Let's hope the refs let 'em play

Not sure if folks have seen this article from ESPN on the Sweet 16 teams. According to the article, KU's biggest problem is FOULING. (I don't agree, by the way. Overzealous officials are more likely to blame. I think KU's at-times inconsistent energy level is their biggest problem)

And Villanova's biggest problem? You guessed it: FOULING.

If this game turns into a foulfest and the refs screw us over like they did A&M in the loss to UCLA, all Jayhawk fans will have a right to be furious. Those officials better let the guys play and not make this game closer than it needs to be by calling 45-50 fouls. And that goes for this game or any game we play the rest of the way. The players and coaches work too hard to let the season end because some officiating crew (Hear that, Curtis Shaw?) thinks the game is more about them than it is the players. Just ask A&M.

IF the officials let them play on Friday night and call a "normal" type of college basketball game with pretty much even foul calls and free throw attempts on both sides, KU will win by at least 12-15.

If it turns into a foulfest with repeated interruptions in the flow/pace of the game, it's a toss up.

Keep Rockin and Chalkin,

Mic

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney08/columns/story?columnist=glockner_andy&id=3306176

Midwest Regional
No. 1 Kansas (Beat No. 16 Portland State 85-61; No. 9 UNLV 75-56)How they got here: The Jayhawks cruised past Portland State and UNLV, not really being challenged in either game. Statistically speaking, that wasn't a surprise. Neither team was close to Kansas' caliber.

Biggest strength: Diversity of quality weapons. Kansas has shown its lethal depth in each of the first two games. The Jayhawks had five players with at least nine points against the Vikings and six with at least eight points against the Rebels. They're also shooting a searing 62-of-111 (55.9 percent) from the floor, including 17-of-38 (44.7 percent) from the arc. This level of performance conforms with Kansas' season-long offensive effectiveness. The Jayhawks had the most efficient offense in the nation at almost 1.19 points per possession and ranked in the top 10 in both 2-point and 3-point shooting. And outside of Darrell Arthur, the rest of the KU rotation players use roughly the same percentage of the team's possessions and take shots at similar rates. Even though Brandon Rush has evolved into the top scoring option, you can't key on any one player.

Biggest weakness: Fouling. The Jayhawks sent UNLV to the line 34 times in the second round. The Rebels made 27 of them, which helped them stay for awhile in a game in which they shot 12-of-45 from the field. KU has a tendency to put teams on the line a decent amount. In the Jayhawks' three losses this season, opponents went to the line 24, 28 and 27 times. None of the three victors (Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma State) shot even 43 percent from the floor in the wins, so the free-throw production was pivotal. Why does this matter? Undersized Sweet 16 foe Villanova shoots 72.7 percent from the line.

No. 12 Villanova (Beat No. 5 Clemson 75-69; No. 13 Siena 84-72)How they got here: The Wildcats rallied from 18 down to take out No. 5 Clemson and then jumped on No. 13 Siena early and confidently closed out the upstart Saints. As it always seems, good guard play has driven the Cats to their third Sweet 16 in four seasons.

Biggest strength: Sweet shooting (for now). For two games, the Wildcats have seared the nets, making an even 50 percent of their shots against Clemson and 53.6 percent against Siena. They've also connected on 13 of 26 3s in the two games. Can it last? This type of shooting is in direct contrast to Villanova's season performance, in which the Wildcats weren't even in the top half of Div. I in either 2-point or 3-point field-goal percentage. They probably can count on leading scorer Scottie Reynolds to carry the scoring load against Kansas, but will the Cats get enough from the supporting cast to threaten the Jayhawks? They'll have to, because this could be a huge mismatch inside with KU's terrific frontcourt depth.

Biggest problem: Fouling. The Wildcats were one of the 20 worst teams in Div. I in terms of defensive free-throw rate (opponents' foul shots as a percentage of field-goal attempts) and it hasn't gone much better in the NCAAs. They put Siena on the foul line a whopping 39 times on Sunday and allowed 23 against Clemson. The Tigers are so bad at the line, that might have been a good thing, and Siena was so far behind most of the day that it didn't really impact the result. KU shoots over 70 percent from the line as a team, so that MO probably won't go over so well on Friday. Fouls also equal foul trouble and the Wildcats don't have the depth, especially in the frontcourt, to deal with Kansas that way.

4 Days at The Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City

Here are a bunch of pics from the last 4 days at the Big 12 Basketball Tournament in Kansas City.

The Sprint Center was great. The KC Live! Entertainment District was awesome.

And of course the Jayhawks are Big 12 Champions.....AGAIN! The senior class has won 4 consecutive Big 12 conference titles and 3 consecutive Big 12 Tournament titles. Simply incredible.

As for the KU-Texas game, Bill Self said it better than I could: "This was one of the greatest games I've ever been a part of."

Keep Rockin and Chalkin,

Mic

Click the link for photos:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=wb94q1i.3bsz1otu&Uy=5mi5br&Ux=0

KU-KSU postgame: Thoughts and Observations

Thoughts and observations after KU’s 88-74 win over K-State in Lawrence on Saturday.

-I call it effort. Bill Self calls it energy. Whatever you want to call it, it has been frustratingly absent in KU’s three losses and even in some of our wins. But you saw Saturday night just how good this KU team can be when they bring it. They can be Big 12 Championship good. They can be National Championship good.

When they don’t bring it, the can be incredibly average. That is why the question I just can’t get out of my head is: “Will they be able to bring a high level of energy/effort consistently?” I want to believe they’ve turned the corner. I really do. But color me cautiously optimistic. Consistent high energy/effort is what separates good teams with potential from great teams with championships.

Of the Jayhawks, Michael Beasley said: "They played with a chip on their shoulders. They played with a vengeance. They just came out and played relentlessly." Hopefully the Jayhawks now finally realize that, if they want to make it to the Final Four and win the National Championship, they will need to play every game with a high level of energy/effort. No exceptions. No excuses. No B-games. There is no margin for error.

All of Jayhawk Nation is hoping and praying that just as the loss to KSU in Manhattan drained this team of its energy, that this win will give the Jayhawks the energy boost they need to start, maintain and finish Big 12 and NCAA Tournament runs in March.

-Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins’ mothers need to be at every game. Amazing how kids perform when mom is watching, isn’t it?

-Brandon Rush played aggressive offensively for (Are you sitting down?) an ENTIRE GAME! Rush’s 21 points and 5 three-pointers were season highs. We all knew Brandon had the “go-to guy” athletic ability and basketball skill-set, and for one night he had what he’s been missing his entire career: The mentality it takes to be the go-to guy.

Brandon said he heard that people were talking about how KSU’s Dominque Sutton shut Rush down for the 2nd half of the game in Manhattan. Not sure that’s entirely accurate as Brandon is usually the one that shuts himself down. At any rate, Rush didn’t like hearing it and it motivated him.

Note to Bill Self: Please tell Brandon before every game that someone shut him down. Tell him in front of the whole team. Make the team watch video of Brandon being shut down. Whatever it takes so that he won’t go back into his non-aggressive offensive shell.

Of his performance, Rush said: “Tonight I think I proved a point. I played both halves.” I’m sorry, Brandon, but the only thing you proved on Saturday night is that you played both halves in ONE game. I’m going on record right now: I don’t think you’ll be able to do it consistently. I don’t think you have it in you. And I stand by my earlier comments that I think your
non-aggressive mentality will prevent you from playing significant minutes in the NBA. I dare you to prove me wrong. And if you do, I’ll happily be the first one to admit it.

-Sasha Kaun played with an aggressiveness and toughness that I don’t recall ever seeing from him, tallying 9 points and 7 rebounds. Sasha: Your playing career at KU is coming to an end. You’ve set a new standard for yourself from an energy/effort standpoint. Keep it up.

-Rebounding: KU had 23 offensive rebounds. That is not a typo. A season-high TWENTY-THREE OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS! They had more offensive rebounds than they did defensive rebounds. If you want to know how it happened, see my previous point about effort/energy.

-Darrell Arthur can score pretty much whenever he wants to. Against KSU, he had 10 points and 5 rebounds, with a couple of gorgeous moves down low. I love watching him back a player down, make a quick move and shoot right over his defender. It’s a thing of beauty and something the Jayhawks better go to a lot more in March.

Unfortunately, Darrell continues to struggle defensively, committing 5 fouls and limiting himself to 23 minutes. Danny Manning has said that Darrell doesn’t know how good he can be. If Shady wants a National Championship ring, he better figure it out soon.

-The real Sherron Collins showed up last night (18 pts, 4 assists, 4 steals, 3-for-7 from 3-pt. range) instead of the injured, hobbled “his legs aren’t firing” Collins we’ve seen for most of the season. Of his play, Sherron said: "Once you get the adrenaline going and flowing, you can get around a lot of stuff, especially injuries. It was just in my head. I felt like nothing was wrong with me."

Sherron: KU’s postseason hopes ride on your ability to get your adrenaline going night in and night out. You can be THE difference maker for this team.

-“Mr. 3-pt. Shot, it’s nice to see you again.” 3-pt. shooting might not have not been THE difference in the game, but it was a huge factor. KU won by 14 points and outscored KSU by 15 points from the 3-pt line. KU not only did a better job of making their 3-pt shots, but more importantly did a much better job of setting guys up for wide open looks. It was really nice to see KU raining 3’s on an opponent instead of vice versa.

--“Hey, Mr. Forced Turnover. Welcome home.” KU had 15 steals in forcing 20 KSU turnovers.

--When did KSU’s primary color become black? We all agree that purple isn’t much better, but KSU’s black road uniforms just don’t make sense.

-BALANCE: How many times have we heard people talk about KU’s balance and depth? This was truly a team win. There were spurts where Arthur was the man, then Darnell, then Rush, then Mario, then Russell, then Sasha, then Collins. 5 players scored in double figures in leading one of the most well-balanced attacks of the season.

-It’s not just KU, folks. The phenomenon in the Big 12 this year where a team looks like world beaters on their home court and then like egg beaters on the road is one of interesting stories of this Big 12 season. Look no further than Texas Tech, who suffered the worst loss in their history against A&M in College Station, TX and then three days later played the best game of their season in beating conference-leading Texas in Lubbock, TX. K-State is another example. They were a shell of the team that beat KU in Manhattan this year.

-“Hi Mr. Zone. You’re looking good.” Bill Self actually let his team play zone and get this: It worked. Coach Self has said “We’re not a zone team. We’re a much better man team.” Coach Self, with all due respect, any intelligent Jayhawk fan knows that. We’re not asking you to be a “zone team”. We love the aggressive man-to-man defense your team is capable of playing. We love the toughness it takes to play man-to-man defense.

But you know that playing zone helps limit dribble penetration, helps protect KU’s big men from foul trouble, makes it tougher for studs like Beasley to score inside, and, at a bare minimum, gives your opponent a different look and something else to prepare for. We know you don’t like it when an opponent “busts” a zone with 3-pt. shots, but that has also happened when your team is playing man-to-man. We’re not asking you to use zone defense as your main weapon. We’re asking you to use it as a compliment to your man-to-man defense.

The zone DID work against KSU and if it helps you win games (which it did and can), then why not continue to use it periodically, particularly when an opponent has a dominant force (Beasley, D.J. Augustin, etc.)? KSU played zone and KU went around 4 minutes without a field goal. The bottom line is this: If zone works AGAINST your team, it can work FOR your team too.

-Stop the debate. Michael Beasley is the best player in the country and is better than Kevin Durant. Some people have talked about Tyler Hansbrough, who is a great player and helped North Carolina tremendously when point guard Ty Lawson went down with an injury. But put Michael Beasley on North Carolina’s team and it’s scary to think just how good he could be. Against KU, Beasley played only 12 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble and still ended up 39 points and 11 rebounds. He wasn’t playing against Colorado. He was playing against KANSAS, one of the best defensive teams in the country with so many McDonald’s All-Americans they could start a franchise. Also, you have to give credit to Beasley for getting 2 fouls early, staying in the game mentally, and ending the game with those same 2 fouls.

-Stop the debate, Part II. Some have said KSU is on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. I disagree. Unless they drop their final two to Colorado and Iowa State (not likely), they are in. Heck, Beasley could probably beat those teams by himself.

-I thought KSU head coach Frank “Psycho” Martin did a great job of squeezing the most he could out of Beasley during his first half foul trouble.

-The Big 12 is proving to be one of the toughest conferences in the nation. I think talk of the Big 12 only getting 4 teams into the NCAA Tournament is ridiculous and yet another example of how very real that east coast bias is towards anyone not in the ACC. Oh, and people are talking about the PAC-10 too as maybe being the toughest conference. KU beat Arizona and USC. K-State beat Cal. Nebraska beat Oregon. Texas beat UCLA. Any questions?

-The Allen Fieldhouse crowd was incredible on Saturday night and during ESPN Gameday festivities. The ESPN Gameday exposure is wonderful for the program and we’re very fortunate that Rece Davis, Hubert Davis, Digger Phelps and Jay Bilas have fallen in love with KU and Allen Fieldhouse and truly appreciate it for what it is.

-The balance of power has been restored to it’s rightful place and KU still has a shot at a 4th consecutive Big 12 Championship. No doubt we will take care of Texas Tech on Senior Night, but the A&M game will be a tough test. Not necessarily because it’s A&M, but because it’s on the road and nothing comes easy on the road in the Big 12. Surely former KU guard Mark Turgeon wouldn’t want to stop his alma mater from getting a 4th straight Big 12 Championship, would he?

Of course Turg’s team went 0-for-16 in the final 12:51 of the first half in their game against Oklahoma, ending the half with an unbelievably pathetic 10 points. I guess Turg probably has bigger issues to worry about.

-As many Jayhawk fans know, this year KU had the 20-year celebration of the 1988 National Championship. Anyone remember how many points KU scored in the win over KSU? Hmmmmmmmm.

Keep Rockin’ and Chalkin’,

Mic
http://www.jaytalkers.com/

Jayhawks Must Become Road Warriors to Win Big XII

As the Kansas Jayhawks prepare to take on Oklahoma State this Saturday in historic Gallagher Iba Arena in Stillwater, OK, one thing is clear.

If this Jayhawk team wants to capture their fourth consecutive Big XII Championship, or at least a share of it, then they must become road warriors.

As an avid Jayhawk fan and follower of this team, I’m confident that the Jayhawks will take care of business in Lawrence against Kansas State and Texas Tech. The Jayhawks inhale energy from the Allen Fieldhouse crowd and play at a higher level at home. And let’s not forget there is a little payback due to our purple brethren to the West, who need to be reminded that the best team in Kansas is still in Lawrence.

It’s the remaining road games that have me a little concerned. I know what Joe KU Fan is saying: “Mic, relax. We’re Kansas. We’ve got so much talent, McDonald’s All Americans. We’ve got an experienced team. Some of our guys are going to be in the NBA next year. We’re loaded!! We have to play Oklahoma State and ISU on the road. Neither team is nearly as talented as we are and they haven’t played very good basketball for most of the season. Texas A&M has been playing better of late, but I think the Jayhawks will remind Mark Turgeon he’s not in Kansas anymore.”

While I want to believe that Joe KU Fan is able to predict the future and knows exactly how the rest of the season will play out, I can’t help but think back to what I saw in the road losses in Manhattan and Austin. I saw a team that played scared at times. I saw a team that allowed their opponent to be more aggressive. I saw an “experienced” team with 5 seniors lose to an “inexperienced” team led by 3 freshmen. I saw our opponent’s guards dribble penetrate and dish to wide open 3-point shooters. I saw those 3-pt shooters sinking shot after shot. I saw the Jayhawks forcing shots. I saw the Jayhawks getting manhandled on the boards. I saw KU forget that the way to win games is to pound the ball into our big men and let them set the tone. I saw us panic when the officials called the game tighter than our Jayhawks were used to. And I saw Bill Self, who I love as the head coach of our proud program, allow our players for much too long to settle for jump shots instead of working the ball into our big men. And I saw Bill Self continue to refuse to switch, even for a few minutes, to a zone defense to give our opponents a different look.

These things must get corrected in order for this team to reach its goals of another Big XII Championship, another Big XII Tournament Championship, and a run to the Final Four and National Championship.

The stretch run of the regular season starts on Saturday in Stillwater, OK. It continues on Wednesday in Ames, IA. Then it’s back to Lawrence for ESPN Gameday vs. K-State, followed by Senior Day against the Bobby Knight-less Texas Tech Red Raiders. Then it ends in College Station for a nationally televised game against Texas A&M.

Ok, Jayhawks, here’s the deal. The Big XII Championship is yours for the taking. You’ve been given “gifts” by a couple of other teams to get you back to this point. Now it’s time to become road warriors and send a defiant message to the rest of the Big XII that you won’t be denied.

Keep Rockin’ and Chalkin’,

Mic
www.jaytalkers.com

Random Thoughts: KU-UT

Some random thoughts after watching KU lose to Texas in Austin....again.

*Bill Self is now 0-for-3 in Austin.

*Notice the continued lack of road poise. I am becoming more convinced that this team is just not that mentally tough. If this team continues to play the way they have of late and make the same kinds of mistakes, my expectations in March will be lowered to a Sweet 16 appearance.

*Still no wins over a Top 20 team.

*Prior to the game I stated: "It doesn't matter what Texas did vs. Colorado or Iowa State. KU will get Texas' best game of the season. Bank on it." 'Nuf said.

*Prior to the game I stated: "Collins played very well against Baylor. I'm not convinced yet that he's "back". I hope he is, but he has a lot of missed 3's and stupid turnovers in the last few games to make up for before I'm going to be convinced that one good game signals his return to being a real, consistent difference maker." Tonight he was 1 for 6 from the field and 0-for-3 from 3-pt range and was mostly inneffective. He did have 4 assists to only 2 TO's, but clearly he's not "back". He "turns it on, and turns it off" just like this team. That should be their motto.

*Prior to this game I stated: "It's definitely starting to feel like it's KU, KSU, Texas and everyone else, but that could all change if KU doesn't take care of business tonight in Austin. Of course KU still has tough challenges at ISU, at OSU, at A&M and vs. KSU at home. I think it's going to be very tough to win all of those games, partcularly again when thinking that "Road Poise" isn't one of this team's strengths currently." I wouldn't be surprised to see KU drop 2 of those 4.

*Prior to this game I stated: "I just hope the game before ours tonight on ESPN doesn't go long AGAIN. When will these people get it right? It pisses me off so much when we're watching the end of a usually non-competitive (or a 5 OT) game in the Big East while we miss the first 5 minutes of our game." We missed about the first 4:30 of our game due to the Georgetown-Villanova game that ended on a bogus call that got me wondering if Ed Hightower put on a wig and mask and called that game.

*Prior to this game I stated: "I am soooooooooooo pumped that March Madness is right around the corner. My only two fears are (1) KU getting beat before the Final Four (2) KSU going farther in either or both the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. If either, or both, happen, I may go into a very deep depression." More than ever, I'm afraid my fears are going to be realized.

*Prior to this game I stated: "I am hoping and praying that tonight's game doesn't have 45 or more fouls called. I'm also hoping and praying that our bigs stay out of foul trouble." Our bigs (except for Arthur with 4) stayed out of foul trouble and there were only 39 fouls called in the game. However 24 of those were against KU and only 15 fouls against Texas. I challenge you to find 5 games in all of Big 12 Conference play this year where only 15 fouls were called on one team. It doesn't happen very often and that was definitely a factor in the game.

*I think KU is going to lose the Big 12 Championship to KSU or Texas.

*Our 3-pt shooting (4 of 17) is atrocious and we are now routinely giving up 8-10 3's a game to our opponents. The 3-pt differential is killing us. And how many wide open 3's did UT hit? It's just sickening to watch.

*Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson were a combined 4-for-16 from the field. Russell scores 22 against Baylor and then has THREE points tonight after going 1 for 6 from the field. Turn it on, turn it off.

*I'm Not Big Time Brandon Rush showed up again with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 4 fouls. NBA stands for No, Brandon Ain't ready.

*DA, DJ, Aldrich and Kaun had only five more rebounds combined than Damian James from UT. Now that's embarrassing.

*Why does this team play with ZERO sense of urgency until there's 20 seconds left in the game?

*I'm sorry, but this season of promise has turned into a season of worry for me. This team is nowhere near as good as their #3 ranking suggests and they are simply not a good road team vs. quality teams. I'm not sure Bill Self has anything left in his bag of tricks to motivate these guys anymore.

*Texas beat us on a night where DJ Augustin was 1 for 13 from the field.

Colorado can't get here soon enough.

Keep Rockin' and Chalkin',

Mic
www.jaytalkers.com

KU Hoops: I've got questions. Anyone got answers?

Hey KU fans, are any of you having the same struggle lately that I am? I saw this KU team play some very good basketball early in the season against some quality competition. I was most impressed by their defense and how KU guards were like annoying gnats on a hot summer day. I knew about all of the McDonald’s All Americans. I knew about all of the guys that might head to the NBA next year. I knew about our depth and experience. I knew we had 5 Seniors that would help lead this team. I knew that Darnell Jackson was playing like a man possessed. I knew all of it. And it felt good.

And then the Jayhawks went to Manhattan (and lost as we all know) and something changed. Their defense, particularly from the guards, wasn’t as intense. The big men looked lost and out of position and were getting whistled for fouls much more frequently. The team had a collective “deer in the headlights” look about them as KSU guards sank 3-pointer after 3-pointer on their way to a season high 12 3-pointers. Our guards looked like matadors letting opposing guards bull their way to the basket virtually uncontested.

I commented to some friends several games ago that our defense had changed. We weren’t playing as aggressive. We were out of position. We were taking stupid chances and getting burned. And the guards were routinely making questionable passes instead of the smart play. You got the sense that practically any guard the opponent brought off the bench could put his head down, dribble hard and dribble right past our guards.

So, as we stand 23-1 (after the win over Baylor), I’m ecstatic about our record, but I can’t help but think about how some of the things I’ve seen from this team recently could get them in serious trouble in the NCAA Tournament. Maybe it’s because we’ve seen great KU teams before look average in the NCAA Tournament and lose well before their time. Maybe it’s because we haven’t won a National Championship in 20 years. Maybe it’s because I so desperately want this team to get to the Final Four and win a National Championship that I don’t want to see them make the kinds of mistakes that can cost them that opportunity.

Let me be clear. I am not down on this Jayhawk team. Not at all. However, I am concerned that some of the things I’m seeing now will carry over to the postseason. I don’t think this team has as much margin for error as they think they do.

So I’ve got some questions and I’m hoping some intelligent Jayhawk fans out there have some answers.

*How did the Jayhawks lose in Manhattan, basically to 3 freshmen?
*How have Russell Robinson and Brandon Rush, in the last 2 weeks, fouled out for the first time in their careers?
*Why did Sherron Collins start turning the ball over so much? (NOTE: He did a much better job vs. Baylor)
*While I’m thrilled that we hit the century mark vs. Baylor, I’m DEEPLY concerned that we gave up 90 points. AT HOME. The 90 points is the MOST points given up in a game by KU this year and the MOST POINTS A BILL SELF-COACHED TEAM AT KU HAS EVER GIVEN UP. How does a Bill Self team, especially THIS team with all of its talent and experience, give up 90 points at home? And 30 points to Baylor guard Curtis Jerrells? And 23 points to Baylor’s LaceDarius Dunn OFF THE BENCH? If you’re a Jayhawk fan and that doesn’t concern you as March nears, then I don’t know what will.
*In order for Brandon Rush to be consistently aggressive on offense, why did Bill Self have to call him out in the media and have Brandon’s mom call him and tell him to start taking the ball to the hole? (Brandon was aggressive in taking 12 shots vs. Baylor, but wasn’t effective, hitting only 4 of them.)
*Why has Bill Self had to call out his guards recently in the media because they haven’t been guarding the way they are capable of?
*How frustrating do you think it is for Bill Self when he watches an opponents guards routinely drive right by KU’s guards? I know it drives me crazy. I can’t imagine how Coach Self feels.
*Has this team, or at least members of this team, started to believe the hype they are getting in the national media?
*How did this team, with all of its talent, depth and experience, play to a tie at half vs. Colorado?
*How did Baylor get 16 offensive rebounds and equal KU in overall rebounds at 39? And how did Baylor have a 9-0 rebounding edge early in the game?
*Why does Bill Self rarely play zone? Wouldn’t it be worthwhile to give your opponent some different looks defensively once in awhile?
*Does anyone else think that the absolute best way for opponents to beat/compete with KU is to (A) not turn the ball over and (B) have your guards penetrate and dish to wide open guards who can hit the 3? The latter brings back some very bad memories of NCAA Tournaments past. Throw in a couple of bad officials and you’ve got the recipe for an early NCAA Tournament upset.
*How did KU’s free throw shooting suddenly improve over the last 4 games? (They Jayhawks hit 36-of-46 vs. Baylor and had TWENTY-EIGHT (28) more FT attempts. Russell Robinson had 15 FT attempts by himself (hitting 14...way to go, Russell) while Baylor’s TEAM had 18 FT attempts.)
*Danny Manning has said of Darrell Arthur that he “doesn’t know how good he can be”. Does anyone think DA will figure it out before he’s getting paid to play next year? (He had 23 pts. And 10 rebounds vs. Baylor, marking his first double-double in nearly 2 months.) I get the feeling with DA that he can consistently take over games. I’m hoping he builds off the Baylor game and starts to shoulder more of the load.
*With Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins in the backcourt, how does KU not make a 3-pointer against Baylor? The Jayhawks were outscored, THIRTY-SIX (36) to ZERO (0) from 3-pt range. It was the first time in 271 games that KU didn’t hit a 3. Again, remembering NCAA Tournaments past, if that doesn’t concern you heading into March, then I don’t know what will.
*How can Sasha Kaun do the following in the same game? (A) Horribly brick two free throws and throw up at least two touch-less shots at the rim, and (B) Nail two free throws and make a couple of sweet, fluid low-post moves for points.

If the Jayhawks want to be one of the last four standing at the end of this college basketball season and eventually cut down the nets, these questions are going to have to get answered. And from where this Jayhawk fan is sitting, the sooner the better.

Keep Rockin’ and Chalkin’,

Mic
http://www.jaytalkers.com/

Note to Brandon Rush, Jayhawks: There are no "B" games.

Brandon Rush: “I’m surprised it (Self calling him out in the media about his lack of offensive aggressiveness) became a big deal in a little ‘B-game’ we played the other day."

I'm sorry, Brandon, but what did you just say?

Do you think it's a coincidence that you (and presumably some of your teammates) looked at Loyola as a B-game and then came out with significantly less than your A-game? Did you forget already that it was a 5 point game with 4 minutes to go in the first half?

The majority of KU fans can understand when a player has an off night, but there is no excuse for changing the level of effort and intensity based on how worthy you think the opponent is. That is what loses NCAA tournament games, Brandon, or have you already forgotten about a couple of other B-games (Bradley and Bucknell)?

Have you watched the tape of the Loyola game yet, Brandon? One play in particular stood out to me. There were FOUR Jayhawks and ONE Loyola player in the lane when a Loyola shot went up. Who do you think came away with the rebound? If you answered "a Jayhawk", you'd be wrong. NO ONE put a body on the one little Loyola player and he scooted right in the middle of the four Jayhawks and got the rebound. Not bad for a guy playing in a B-game. Of course I'm assuming it wasn't a B-game to HIM.

Are the Jayhawks getting a little too comfortable? Did they get a little too fat and happy over the holidays and as they breezed through a less-than-difficult non-conference season?

Brandon is making comments about a "B-game". Other players, and even Bill Self, are making comments about a lack of respect from the national media. Are these guys just running out of things to talk about before playing the 6 or 7 A-games they have circled on their schedule this season?

In my opinion, this shows a lack of focus/execution. As we've learned over the years, a slight lack of focus/execution now can come back to bite you with a slight lack of focus/execution later in the NCAA Tournament. In the NCAA Tournament all you need is one focused team (like an underdog that has nothing to lose) and one team with a slight lack of focus (like maybe the one that missed 19 layups and dunks last year vs. UCLA) to create an upset.

And yes, I did think UCLA’s win in last year’s NCAA Tournament was an upset because I firmly believe that KU had the better team. If the Jayhawks hit half of those layups and dunks, they win by double-digits. Of course it also might have helped if the NCAA didn’t put a #1 seed in a #2 seed’s backyard.

But I digress.

For the first time in a long time, the KU Basketball team needs to take a page out of the KU Football team’s playbook: Respect EVERY opponent. Approach EVERY game with the same focus and intensity. Oh, and did I say respect EVERY opponent? I know that is a lot to ask of a bunch of young college kids that think they've got it all figured out, but THAT is what championship teams do. That is what National Champions do.

Keeping this team consistently focused and motivated is Bill Self's biggest coaching challenge this season. It will be the key to winning the Big 12 Conference and the Big 12 Conference Tournament. It will be the difference between going to the Final Four or exiting the NCAA Tournament early.

The choice is yours, Brandon. You can listen to the coaches that are trying to get you to maximize your potential, get you to the Final Four, get you a National Championship ring, and get you drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Or you can keep telling yourself that you know which games are A, B or C games. If you do the latter, we just might see you back in Lawrence next year.

Please do yourself and Jayhawk Nation a favor. The next time you and your teammates think you have a B-game coming up, think about the national media (yes, the same media you are worried about not giving you enough respect now) talking about how a team with so much talent lost again in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament.

Keep Rockin and Chalkin,

Mic
www.jaytalkers.com

KU HOOPS: At 15-0, What Do We Know?

The Jayhawks wrapped up the non-conference schedule with a spotless 15-0 record and an average scoring margin around 25 points a game. Included in the 15 were solid wins over Arizona, Georgia Tech, DePaul, USC and Boston College. Now it’s on to Season 2, the Big 12 Conference season. With that in mind, what do we know so far about the 2007-2008 Kansas Jayhawks?

*Bill Self knows what he’s doing. You want to know the kind of team and players Bill Self imagines when he thinks about putting a group together than can go far in March? It’s this one. Multiple combo-guards, a rotation of 4 quality big men, a nice blend of youth and experience, having players at all 5 positions that can score AND defend, and a team that is so well conditioned that they can run all game long. It still amazes me that there are people out there that complain about Bill Self. He has the highest winning percentage in his first five years than any other coach in KU history. He’s won 80% of his games at KU. He has two Elite 8’s and a Sweet 16 in 5 years. His teams have won three consecutive Big 12 Championships and are going for their third consecutive Big 12 Tournament Championship. He’s won 48 of his last 52 games. He is well respected throughout college basketball. He’s a loving father and husband. He gives back to the community. He’s a near-flawless representative of The University of Kansas. And he’s generally just a really nice guy. Yet there are still people that aren’t happy with him. That just blows my mind.

*Russell Robinson is the most quiet and consistent performer on this Jayhawk team. He does his job (running the team, playing excellent defense, scoring when he needs to) night in and night out with very little fanfare. This team isn’t the same without his confident, calm leadership on the court. Russell is the guy that convinces the rest of the team that, no matter what, things are going to be alright.

*Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson, Brandon Rush and Sherron Collins make up the best backcourt foursome in college basketball.

*Sherron Collins is The Human Sparkplug. Bill Self keeps saying that Sherron’s legs aren’t “firing” fully after returning from knee surgery. Sherron’s been playing well since he came back, but whenever his leg muscles start completely “firing” again, look out. It sounds like he’s getting close: “I’m getting strength back in my left quad. My quad is firing. Before it felt like rubber. It’s solid now.”

*When this Jayhawk team needs a big bucket, it can come from any number of players. Most likely, though, it will be Sherron Collins, Brandon Rush or Mario Chalmers with the ball in their hands when the game hangs in the balance.

*What a luxury for Bill Self that his BENCH is made up of Sasha Kaun, Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich, Tyrel Reed and Rodrick Stewart. That five could win a lot of Big 12 games in their own right. All KU fans need to seriously enjoy this depth while we have it because it’s going to be exactly the opposite next year.

*How far this team will go in the NCAA Tournament is directly related to Brandon Rush being consistently more aggressive on offense. Bill Self rarely calls a player out in the media. He did so recently with Brandon and I think that speaks volumes about the level of frustration Self has with Brandon’s “turn it on, turn it off” nature on offense. This has been an issue with Brandon since he arrived in Lawrence. Personally, I don’t think it’s in Brandon’s nature to be aggressive and it translates directly to his play on the court. He is currently KU’s 4th leading scorer. If that doesn’t change in conference play, Brandon may be back in Lawrence for another year instead of going to the NBA. And this time it won’t be because of an injury.

*Sometimes I think Darrell Arthur and Brandon Rush drink from the same cup. Darrell can be a Player of the Year candidate if he starts consistently playing aggressive on both ends of the court. Even though he disappears for stretches in the game, he still leads the team in scoring and is second in rebounding.

*Conner Teahan should be brought in for at least 5 minutes every game solely to shoot 3-pointers.

*At the end of the non-conference season, Darnell Jackson get my vote for MVP and MIP (Most Improved Player). I have never seen a player at KU improve more from one season to the next. It couldn’t have happened to a better kid.

*Sasha Kaun is much better off the bench than he is as a starter. He currently leads the team in field goal percentage at 73%. Unfortunately, he also leads the team in free throw attempts and is shooting only 56%. He has done better of late so hopefully that will continue.

*This Jayhawk team may have more (I’m inventing a new word here) ALLEYOOPABILITY than any Jayhawk team in history. It seems like every guard can throw the alley and every big man can convert
the oop.

*This team has everything it needs to make a run to the Final Four and National Championship. Knowing that makes it very hard for me to remain grounded. With that in mind, I want to offer assistance to those KU fans that EXPECT a Final Four/National Championship merely because our team has so much talent. In college basketball, if you EXPECT a Final Four/National Championship, you are setting yourself up to be disappointed the majority of the time. There are too many things that can happen, such as: (1) An officiating crew that blows too many whistles. A less talented team can stay in a game with KU when officials take away KU’s ability to be aggressive defensively, get turnovers and get points in transition. (2) Something happens that is out of character and unexplainable (i.e. missing 19 layups and dunks in last year’s NCAA Tournament loss to UCLA). (3) An over-reliance on perimeter shooting combined with a failure to consistently get the ball to KU’s big men. (4) Missed free throws. (5) Injuries. (6) A “career” night by an opponent’s player (i.e. one player hitting well above his average) or a several players (i.e. a team shooting well above its season average from 3-pt. range.)

*A friend of mine sent me this stat and I thought it was very interesting. KU’s first Big 12 Conference game is against Nebraska. Last year, against Nebraska, the scores were: 76 – 56 (in Lincoln) and 92 – 39 (in Lawrence). Last year, in Lawrence, the football score was: 76 – 39. Does that mean that KU will beat Nebraska this year 92-56? Let’s hope so.

*Even after a solid performance against Loyola-MD, I’m convinced that Jeremy Case will go down as the “Best Three Point Shooter In Practice” in KU history. That being said, he’s been a great teammate and representative for KU even though consistent playing time never materialized for him.

*The Jayhawks must become a more consistent free throw shooting and rebounding team.

*Cole Aldrich and Tyrel Reed are going to be a very good players for the Jayhawks. Once they leap over the “I’m not a freshman anymore” wall, they will help the Jayhawks this season and in the future.

*This group plays great team defense. If you ever see this Jayhawk team get into serious foul trouble, it’s not their fault and you have every right to blame the officials. KU has only had 3 players foul out in the first 15 games.

I’m ecstatic about what I’ve learned about the 2007-2008 Jayhawks thus far. They have all of the pieces it takes to make a run to the Final Four. I’m going to enjoy the ride one game at a time and hope and pray that this is the year that the college basketball gods bless KU with the National Championship.

Keep Rockin’ and Chalkin’,

Mic
www.jaytalkers.com

Thank You Coach Mangino, KU Football Team

TO: KU Football Head Coach Mark Mangino and the entire KU Football team

FROM: Jayhawk Nation (courtesy of Mic Johnson, Jayhawk Blogger extraordinaire)

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

…for making oranges my new favorite food. I will NEVER eat another one without thinking of this season.
…for 12 wins for the first time. Ever.
…for all of your hard work, determination and resolve.
…for all of the hours spent making yourselves better when no one was watching.
…for believing that you could take the mess that Terry Allen left behind and turn KU Football into something special.
…for representing my alma mater with class and dignity.
…for not listening to the “experts” (hear that, Mark May, Lee Corso, Chris Fowler of ESPN?) who said that you didn’t play anyone and that you couldn’t beat Virginia Tech.
…for taking a knee at the 2 yard line to end the Orange Bowl out of respect for Virginia Tech and their coach Frank Beamer.
…for making KU fans care about football again.
…for beating K-State for the first time in Manhattan since 1989.
…for making up for, in one game, years of humiliating losses to Nebraska.
…for quietly and respectfully flipping the bird to all of the “perfect people” who made fun of Coach Mangino’s weight.
…for reminding people that it’s more important to play as a TEAM than to highlight any individual.
…for taking this program, in just six years, to a level no one except you could have imagined.
…for making the right changes so that KU can routinely compete for the best high school recruits in the country.
…for ending the season ranked higher than any other school in the Big 12.
…for making sure that MU had to share the spotlight with KU all season long and, for most of the year, give up that spotlight to the rival they are too proud to admit they envy.
…for laying claim to the title of “Best College Football Team in The State of Kansas”.
…for winning the Orange Bowl so that we can talk about you for the rest of our lives.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

As a wise Jayhawk fan I know was fond of saying: “Every day is a great day to be a Jayhawk. But some days are just a little better.”

Keep Rockin and Chalkin,

Mic
www.jaytalkers.com