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/