Reality check from the land of Trust in Bill Self
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Bragg was pretty overrated as it turns out. I admit I was very wrong about him I thought he would be a good player. But at this point, he looks like he should transfer to a team in the MVC. Probably best for Bragg and KU. I wish him the best if he transfers.
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@BShark He is a PERFECT fit at the 4 for the Hi Low. His back to the basket moves are lagging and we went 4 out this year so that hurt. Then the off court stuff…
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Found this kind of interesting. - - It was said, Yes Bill Self is 2-5 in the elite 8 - -that means we as in KU has made the elite 8 50% of the time since Coach Self has been here, Also said that they bet chances are all but a few of the 351 other Coaches would rally like to be in this position. - -Hmmmmm., this from a Coach that is getting questioned for making adjustments.
Also read: Self has lost twice in the 1st round: - -Bucknell - - - & Bradley.- - Three times in the 2nd round: - - Northern Iowa - - -Stanford - - -& Wichita State. - - -Twice in the Sweet Sixteen- - Michigan State & Michigan. Five times in the elite 8: - - Georgia Tech - - UCLA - - VCU - - Villanova - - & Oregon - -Once in the Title - -Kentucky. Well hmmm, let’s see is it because Self didn’t make adjustments OR was it that on this particular night that the other team might of just been better? - - A lot of things go into a win. - -BUT let’s look at this another way.
Bill Self is 12-2 in the 1st round - - - -Bill Self is 9-3 in the 2nd round - - -Bill self is 7-2 in the sweet sixteen - - -bill self is yes 2-5 in the elite 8 - - But Bill Self is 2-0 in the Semi’s - - -&- - -1-1 in the Title game.- - - -He is 33-13 in the NCAA tourney games - - let me say that again - - Bill Self is 33-13 in the NCAA tourney games - - that is a 71 .7 winning %- - - now I’m kind of curious - -I wonder for a guy that can’t or won’t make ajustments I wonder about ALL these other games - Coach didn’t make adjustments at any point in any other all these other games? - -Kind of odd, so ONLY in the elite 8 games he won’t make adjustments? - -I find that kind of odd. - -In all these other games even the ones he has won in the NCAA that he made no adjustments in any of them things tha t make you go hummmm.
Only two other coaches have been to more elite 8’s then Coach- – Calipari with 9 - -three of those with Memphis - - -Williams with 8. - - One other thought - -you do realize that since 1979 ONLY 25% of the # 1 seeds have made it to the final 4 – Let me say that again. Since 1979 - -only 25 % of the # 1 seeds have made it to the final 4 - - -25 % - - hmmmm. - -Wonder why they didn’t make it any more then that? -was it because their coach couldn’t/wouldn’t make adjustments? - -OR maybe just maybe - -the shots just wasn’t falling -maybe it was just that the other team was just a little better on that particular night? - -Someone please tell me if we were to play a best out of 7 against Oregon who you think would take that series? - you know - -I know - -would it be because we are truly the better team? Anything can happen in a one game scenario - - such as shoots just not falling, not being in proper defensive position, not getting that key rebound - -So in this 7 game series that we know we would win - -Coach Self not making any adjustments OR are we hitting those same shots, better defensive position, getting key rebounds? - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@jayballer54 How dare you look at the big picture!
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@BigBad LOL, Ya I know lol, - - - I’m sorry- - - -my bad - -
- - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@jayballer54 If you are a member of the kusports posters, or @Texas-Hawk-10 I think I see your name pop up over there sometimes…
Maybe we should have some investigative journalism and interview players from all elite eight teams that lost, and maybe even the ones that didn’t lose and see if there is a common theme that can be discovered.
It doesn’t look like Jesse Newell is on here any more. Maybe somebody here knows Keegan, or Tait. Maybe a good piece to work on in the offseason.
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2004: No. 3 Georgia Tech 79, No. 4 Kansas 71 - Roy’s boys coached by Self. Giddens was horrible on D, miles couldn’t shoot. Jarret jack went off. Played to our seed
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2007: No. 2 UCLA 68, No. 1 Kansas 55 - Kansas full of young talent and ran into a talented UCLA squad in San Jose
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2008: No. 1 Kansas 59, No. 10 Davidson 57 - Self’s most complete squad squeaked out win against Stephen Curry
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2011: No. 11 VCU 71, No. 1 Kansas 61 - Sorry but I myself believe Kansas had a flawed roster. Selby not developing and relying on Morningstar and Reed from the outside is meh…team couldnt shoot that day.
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2012: No. 2 Kansas 80, No. 1 North Carolina 67 - Maybe we get lucky because UNC was missing their starting PG
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2016: No. 2 Villanova 64, No. 1 Kansas 59 - Wayne Selden lays goose egg from outside
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2017: No. 3 Oregon 74, No. 1 Kansas 60 - Devonte Graham lays goose egg from outside
I was most disappointed in 07 and 16, the rest were flawed rosters that were finally exposed.
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@Blown that would be an interesting idea, now see once again I learn something from here like most days -I never knew that Jesse Newell was on here. - -Wish someone could - -take a lot of work lol. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@kjayhawks saw your tag line. Maybe somebody needs to send a #BIFM shirt to Frank Martin?
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@kjayhawks And don’t forget that North Carolina coach couldn’t win a title at KU. I’d be interested to see this same chart with KU’s previous 14 appearances. We are at 28 in a row, right?
To me North Carolina is the only record on that list I would trade for ours. Those 13 conference titles aren’t nothing and missing the tournament seems absolutely unacceptable (UF, and UConn). Yeah, Duke has an extra title but they get sent home early more often than we do!
Also how about the fact that KU has more conference titles than UNC and Duke combined!
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Now my friends I will say this. - - I know there are people here disappointed about getting knocked out, and rightfully so, you/we all have that right to be. It’s called passion - - passion for the game - -passion for OUR team, and that’s awesome. I know there are one’s that feel Bill should/could do better at times and that’s fine I have no problems there, everyone has their take/opinion and to tell the truth this is one of the reasons I do enjoy coming in. Yes we can and have got into some heated exchanges but it’s all good everyone entitled to their own opinion. Now having said that brings me to this.
Like I said we all here have our opinions - - Then I go to other KU boards specifically the phog, I’m sorry but you have some on there that are just past moronic idiotic.Just totally off the wall - way over the fence in left field. This one for example kills me: - - Total embarrassment stating that he had never been so embarrassed as a fan - -How he was embarrassed felt ashamed to be a KU fan - -It’s statements such as this that really chap my a - - . I mean people such as this we have no need for as a KU fan base -your embarrassed? - - REALLY SERIOUSLY? - -how about this - -you embarrass us. - - I truly believe that some people have no comprehension no idea, no clue they just let words spew out their mouth before they make these kind of statements.
You don’t think realize that the players don’t rad these type of things made from the public? - -How do you think this makes these kids feel? - - You seriously don’t feel these players don’t give it their 100% you think they purposely go out and dog it during the games? - You think these kinds of statement from classless people such as yourself makes these kids feel proud to be a member of Jayhawk Nation? - -My response o idiots such as this are your embarrassed? - -YOUR EMBARRASSED? how about this - why don’t YOU KICK ROCKS, that way we/ Jayhawk Nation won’t be embarrassed by the likes of you - -get the hell out of here with that crap. - -We/Jayhawk Nation, the Ku team do not need fair weather closet bandwagon fans such as yourself pander. - -I mean JUMPIN - - GEE - -HOSSA - -FATS - - did you seriously go to school for 17 yrs to be so self educated ? to make such statements such as that? -The same applies to another individual that tried to insinuate that Devonte THREW the game - -OMG Now tell me to what purpose would it benefit Devonte to throw this game? - -come on - step away from the pipe and slowly back away - -Holy crap.
So just wanted to say guys & gals seeing as I never know who is who guys or gals here as I am still even after this time am new at certain things, I just want to say that even though we have our exchanges/debates this room gets for sure my props, a lot of very well versed individuals here even though we might not agree all the time - -I have yet to EVER EVER see such bull sh- - come out of anyone’s mouth such as off the phog’s - -you people are my Hawks and Hawkette’s or bud’s and Budette’s however you wanna put it - -so it’s time to just keep on rockin on - - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@HighEliteMajor I didn’t think our guys knew how to attack them. I don’t think we caught on until 30 minutes into the game, and then we couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. We need a Dooley sitting by Bill’s side, imo.
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Is it me or is the local media making the KU loss to be way worse than it really was?
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@jayballer54 Anyone saying they were embarrassed is an egotistical SOB who has confabulated their self worth with the fortunes of a basketball team.
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@KUSTEVE Exactly. - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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What this shows to me is how much we were really screwed out of a Final Four appearance last year. Calling Graham for the foul late in the game was one of the worst pieces of officiating I can ever recall. We may have lost in the championship to NC last year, but I’m confident we would have made the championship game. Had we been allowed to finish that game and win it, our E8 record looks a lot better.
This year, we were beat by a super hot and more talented team that played defense against us the right way.
We should all keep in mind that E8 is still “elite”, and I think we can be somewhat satisfied with our performance his year.
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@Eric-san As a retired coach in public I would take the blame for 90% of our losses. Never once did I blame a player or team for the loss. The other 10% were bad nights, bad breaks.
To me what happened Saturday was just that a bad night. Especially after the past three games came soneasily. Once you hit that bump in the road it just adds added pressure to the situation.
Last year KU won by around 18 points a game before losing to Nova. This year they were winning by around 30.
So when everything is falling and the ball bounces your way wow the feeling of ease makes the game easy.
When the shots aren’t falling or the ball bounces out of your hands into the opponents you seem to push the issue a little more adding pressure.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 So the defensive intesity the improved in the second have just happened! That wasn’t an adjustment made by the coaches?
I feel like you are asking to hear a story about Bill Self in the under 12 timeout telling jokes are pointing out a celebrity in the crowd ala Joe Montana in smthe suoer bowl pointing out John Candy innthebhuddle before the 49ers went on a game winning drive?
Different people handle pressure differently. Maybe Frank put so much pressure on himself to carry the entire team it affected him? How does Coach Self stop that? Bench him?
As a coach you can prepare prepare and teach and talk about it. But once the flame of the game is lit. Things change.
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@FarNrthJHwk You’re looking at this in a micro perspective and on a micro perspective, sure it was a bad night. Zoom out to the macro view though and you see bad nights like this happen like clockwork for Bill Self in the E8. Why do bad nights like this for Bill Self teams regularly happen in the exact same round (E8) for the exact same reason (lowest offensive scoring game of the season). That’s what I’m trying to wrap my head around and come up with theories.
Something happening once or twice in that many games can be chalked up to bad nights and worth investing time in. That’s not what’s happening though. This is now the 6th time in 9 games overall and 5th in 7 games at KU where Self’s team has had their worst offensive game in E8. That’s beyond coincidence and is a pattern that’s worth analyzing to see if there’s something Self does differently for the E8 than any other game that makes his teams have their worst games of the season.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 I understand that point of view and wanting to know.
Sat in a coaching clinic in very early 1990s and listened to football coach Tom osborn talk about his issues in bowl games and against Oklahoma. And how fans were always on him and wanted him fired or to change what he was doing the weeks leading up to those big games. How he’d go home and try and to think of ways to make those changes. From personell, to different coaches to going to a different school to coach. It weighed on him. He then decided that if he stood his ground good things would happen.
Wishing a few years he played for 4 national titles in 5 years and won three. Now he is known as one of the greatest college football coaches.
Not saying Coach Self can’t change things but what in your opinion does he need to change from Sweet 16 to Elite 8 in 48 hours?
Maybe his scouting of the other team? Manning. Dooley and a few others have left and they did scouting. They moved on so maybe that’s not it?
Maybe his philosophy? There are so many coaches in college basketball that the goal each season is to make the final 4. Not to win it all. They just want that chance in the Final 4. So the pressure starts on day 1 for some of these teams to reach that milestone of the Final 4.
There are an infinite number of reasons why something doesn’t work or doesn’t happen. Sometimes in life and in sports we just need to accept we can’t fix it or figure it out and just keep pushing forward.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 There you go with the notion that if something happens 6 out of 9 times it cannot be a coincidence. Why not? The numbers are not overwhelmingly unlikely.
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@KUSTEVE said:
@jayballer54 Anyone saying they were embarrassed is an egotistical SOB who has confabulated their self worth with the fortunes of a basketball team.
And, unjustifiably doing so since anyone disowning the team in defeat deserves no hint of the team’s success.
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@mayjay 6 out of 9 in a specific round of the NCAA tournament is a not a small sample size. Once you get that big of a sample size with the same result over an extended period of time, I don’t believe that’s a coincidence any longer. That’s a pattern or a trend to me.
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@FarNrthJHwk Without being able to observe routines firsthand or have accounts out there from former or current players/assistant coaches in regards to differences on Self’s preparation, scouting, demeanor, or other potential culprits makes it nearly impossible to anything other than speculate amd hypothesize.
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Most NCAA tourney wins since 2000: 1. Roy 54 2. K 44 3. Izzo 43 4. Self 42 5. Calipari 40
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@betterfireE The way our offense was operating during that game when the Graham foul occurred there’s not guarantee we come back and win that game. I think we were down 3 at the time. That call, cost us a 50/50 chance of winning that game. Didn’t cost us the game.
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@wissox So it didn’t cost us 100% of the game, just 50% of the game. I kid, but we will never know our chances because as you said, that opportunity was taken from us.
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@jayballer54 Arguably your best post all year … count agree with your stats and big-picture logic more.
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@Bosthawk Well Thanks - - - have you ever heard that saying the sun has to shine on a dogs a - - sometimes lol, that be me. - -Once in a blue moon I come up with something decent so I think anyways, Were all Jayhawks , most everyone here for sure have real passion - -just wants whats best for the team. -Can’t say as much for other sites and as always - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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I thought this was Bill Self’s best year ever. Yes… even better than '08!
Bill is now “not a young man” but he has shown a lot of the abilities of a young man by being open-minded to adapting his game.
As long as we have THIS Bill Self, we are bound to improve because Bill is improving, too.
This loss really caught me off guard. Why? Because I thought we were better prepared this March than any previous March. Bill did what he could to rest his guys even though we had a short bench.
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@mayjay Thank you for this post. I’m really sick of people bashing Bill and the team after Saturday. I even turned my phone off for most of the day Sunday. HCBS is the man period. Sure his record could be better but there’s no other coach alive on earth that i’d want to helm our beloved Jayhawks!
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@HawkInMizery Thank you!
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Our bracket was filled with teams loaded with height and bullies. We knocked off MSU (bullies on the court) and Purdue (plenty of height). There fan bases have to be pissed about losing to Kansas. The one thing I take away from not advancing in this year’s tournament is that before we left, we took a few teams with us.
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Been thinking about this for a couple days now. Why Self gets stuck in the Elite 8.
Had it been a regular season game and JJ picks up 2 fouls before the 1st TV time out, would Self even bother bringing JJ back in the game? Especially when they were only down a point in the 1st half? I think we can all agree JJ was pretty ineffective the first half. Virtually losing a position player for a half. Maybe this could be 1 example of Self doing something different in the E8?
I read a quote from Vick saying he’ll remember this Elite 8 all the way to next year. Is that really the smart thing to do? Automatically set yourself up for that pressure before next season begins?
I’m probably just overthinking this now.
See ya around in the Royals GDTs!
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@jayballer54 said:
I’m just curious as to how many schools/fans would wet themselves to have the opportunity to have 7 chances at the elite 8? win or lose?
Yes - BUT they aren’t KANSAS fans!
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@nuleafjhawk Right cause they aren’t spoiled - - - Did you happened to noticed where I posted that since 1979 only 25 % of # 1 seeds reach the final 4? - - That’s not very good odds over the years, I imagine there are ALOT and I mean ALOT of schools that would love to be in the position we are --a lot of elements go into making the final four, a we have seen it only takes ONE bad night and your done, doesn’t mean your season is a waste or disaster - -doesn’t mean your season has been a failure/loss. Many of really good teams have failed to make it to the final four - - -ask umm Duke - -Kentucky - -Michigan State - - Ucla - - Arizona, a lot involved to get there. - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Right on man. Have I told you that your writing has noticeably improved a lot? more often than not you’re making really compelling arguments that I can get behind. Enjoying what you’re laying down. Keep it up!
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We should compare ourselves and our achievements to the other blue blood programs, and to the other elite programs of the day (meaning more recent history – UConn, Florida, Louisville, etc) – that will help us determine if we’re performing reasonably.
I love the graphic from @kjayhawks There’s your guide. Since '04, slotting us in at around 5th or 6th spot is pretty fair. If you weight conference titles more, or tourney appearances, then perhaps we skip over a couple.
No way that I am satisfied with that.
We are not the top program since 2004. That’s why I’m not satisfied. I don’t care one iota as to whether other crap schools would be happy with our record. I’m sure they would be. It’s irrelevant in my mind.
We are Kansas, as @nuleafjhawk said.
The difference here is just one – one national title. That would add an additional title game and an additional final four. The entire narrative and discussion changes with another title. I’ve said that now going on 7 seasons – since the UNI debacle. One … more … title.
Root for Gonzaga, or SC, or even Oregon … because if Roy gets another, our mountain is steeper. Though, if someone had to be King other than Self, I’m glad it might be Roy.
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@kjayhawks Its just coincidence but I did notice 12 of 13 titles were won by Eastern Time Zone Teams. 42 of 47, or something has been won by eastern time zone schools since ESPN became televised. Just a coincidence, I’m sure. But still noteworthy. With this much data, it would mean it is an exception to the rule when a team west of the Mississippi wins it.
Arkansas, UCLA, Kansas, UNLV, & Arizona–I believe are those exceptions
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@HighEliteMajor said:
Root for Gonzaga, or SC, or even Oregon … because if Roy gets another, our mountain is steeper. Though, if someone had to be King other than Self, I’m glad it might be Roy.
Right now, I have some strange man crush on Frank Martin. I’d be less perturbed if South Carolina won it. (Less perturbed since KU isn’t there…)
It wouldn’t kill me if Ol Roy won it again. He’s had nothing but great things to say about KU - I personally was ticked at him for about 5 years after he left, but hey - he did what was right for him and his family. I’m over it now. (I’d like him a lot more if he’d trash those God-awful checkered jackets…
)There is no scenario on earth that permits me to root for Oregon or Gonzaga. That’s all I’ll say.
As my sweet (female) friend who lives in South Carolina loves to say - GO 'COCKS!!
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@Blown Shhhhhh … @jaybate-1.0 may be listening.
@nuleafjhawk Seriously … is the SC basketball team the lady 'cocks?
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@HighEliteMajor OK - I don’t ever literally LOL - but I did just now!
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@Blown You are right. Kansas was the last team west of the Mississippi in 2008. While Arizona in 1997 was the last team west if the Rockies to win it all.
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@nuleafjhawk If the OSU ladies are that Cowgirls … the SC girls would be the … ?
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@approxinfinity Hey well thanks for that, greatly appreciated. - - I guess like so many other things it just like taking the rigors of war, being battle tested from and along in this site. I will tell you this, I have learned so much from everyone here some good, some maybe not so good. Even with saying that I can tell and feel the passion in the room for our Ku Jayhawks. I love coming here, reading the different post, peoples thoughts and input.
Does that mean as individuals we have to agree with everything that everyone says or thinks in here? NO absolutely not, nor does it mean we have to disagree with everything either. This is actually one of the things that I actually like about this room, sometimes you may get 40 different opinions from 40 different people - - AND? what’s so wrong with that right? For the most part everyone here is very level headed - - -sure at times things might get a little heated - - a little over the top - - but that’s ok -I know that I can go off the deep end sometimes - -sometimes way off the deep end and for that I am truthfully sorry. - At the time if you were to ask me if I was wrong I’d would more likely then not just tell you to shut the hell up step the f- - - back up off me and find someone else - -that’s me again I’m sorry.
However you know what? - - I’s people like yourself and many others in here that I have grown to know, that I have come to realize are just pretty good folks. Like I said earlier it’s ok if we al don’t agree - -it’s kind of like in a way there is this example, let me share and I’m sorry if I get off track but please try and follow with me ok? - -here is an example:
We were talking at work one day about relationships and arguing. One young guy and I mean young like 20 or so made the comment OH me and my woman NEVER argue. - - The rest of us almost at the same time, stood there for a moment and said - -REALLY? - -REALLY? then we preceded to tell him it’s like this if your in a relationship with someone and you never argue - - -well guess what - - -you don’t have a relationship. Because if your in a relationship no mater how great that relationship is and you never argue - -then that means someone is kissing someone’s ass - -and that’s NOT relationship. So anyways with me saying all that, that’s kind of like the way this room is. This group is in kind of a relationship with the other people here - -and there are going to be disagreements and that’s ok because people are entitled to their opinion - -WHY? - -because it’s THEIR opinion doesn’t mean we have to agree with it - -like it - -even understand it - -that’s fine, but that’s what great about this room.
In the end we work it out - -we have that one goal - -to dissect, evaluate, and give our view. It’s people like you that make this room special for me, so thanks again I appreciate what you had to say, & i’ll try to keep working maybe some day I’ll be able to achieve even better - -thanks my friend and as always - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@jayballer54 hear hear!
we’re the anti-Fakebook.
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In hospital jargon, we call the process (“to dissect, evaluate, and give our view”) the ‘blameless autopsy’…when things go terribly wrong (as they so often do in life), it is a great experience to step back from the histrionics and emotional arguments and take a deep dive into causation. What we inevitably discover is that most situations are multifactorial (many symptoms, few root causes) . What I most appreciate about this board is that this dynamic is occurring independently and interactively (without benefit of a facilitator) and 99% of the time the comments (even those at odds) are very insightful and respectful. What a wonderful ‘learning lab’ @approxinfinity has created for all of us along with contributors so willing to share.
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Here’s my take.
Self is a tremendous coach. He’s one of several truly great coaches in the country. If we imagine our coach as a superhero, Self is a superhero while Bruce Weber is the guy that gets out of the cab to watch the superhero and supervillian fight, then runs down the street screaming.
But what do all superheroes have? They all have a flaw or weakness.
Self’s is that he tightens up in certain situations, at which point he can become predictable and rigid, which exposes him to being outcoached simply because everything is telegraphed. Of course, when the scheme you are rigid to has resulted in over 600 victories against fewer than 200 defeats, you earn the right to be a bit stubborn.
Before this year, it was always a challenge to get Self to break away from the high-low. That was his thing, and he always wanted to run it, even when his best players were perimeter guys.
This year, Self finally broke away from that. I thought he had finally slain the beast. But there’s still a dragon lurking inside. Self still tightens up, and rather than be fluid and flexible, he becomes rigid and predictable. That helps a lot in a two day turnaround.
Think about Self’s most frustrating tournament losses - UNI in 2010, Stanford in 2014, Wichita State in 2015, VCU in 2011, Villanova last year, Oregon this season. The common thread is that they were all that second day of the turnaround.
It’s easy to prepare when you know if the game gets tight, Self will revert to a predictable pattern. Your goal is to set out a close game, then hope you make plays when you know the fastball is coming.
Self needed to make a change on Saturday night. He needed to be flexible rather than rigidly adhere to the system. The process works, but Self needed to, in that moment, get outside the box. diagnose the problem and fix it.
The problem - Bell was killing us. His quickness and shotblocking was cutting off our attack of the lane. Since we couldn’t finish in the paint, our drives weren’t collapsing the defense, meaning we couldn’t get good looks on threes. Even later in the game when we did get some good looks, we didn’t convert because our shots were rushed.
Okay, so what’s the fix.
Simple - the five out lineup that we ultimately finished the game with. Only problem is, Self went to it with three minutes left when he should have played that lineup from the under 8 timeout through the end of the game. The season is on the line. That was our only hope.
Jackson, Svi, Vick, Graham, Mason. Oregon counters with their best lineup (Bell, Brooks, Ennis, Dorsey, Pritchard). Defensively, KU puts JJ on Bell (Bell is taller, but JJ is quicker and doesn’t give up much weight here), Vick on Brooks (Vick has the athleticism edge even though Brook is a bit bigger), Graham on Dorsey (to counter his size), Svi on Ennis (the lesser scorer) and Mason on Pritchard.
Oregon doesn’t post Bell up much, so Josh doesn’t have to worry about direct post ups and just has to focus on keeping Bell off the glass.
Offensively, Bell can no longer just stand in the paint because he has to guard someone away from the basket. This opens up driving lanes and makes the defense have to rotate. A rotating defense is a shooter’s best friend because you can see shots develop as the ball is swung and the defense is scrambling. We never made Oregon scramble Saturday night because every time we drove, Oregon just waited on Bell to turn us away.
Self finally recognized the adjustment, but it was too late. KU was at a point of needing to shoot threes by then. Given a bit more time and the option of driving to the basket, things may have turned out differently, although it may not have considering we didn’t make shots.
But again, making the defense rotate would have been huge because that gives our shooters a chance to get their feet set and ready to release rather than trying to get away from a defender to set up a shot.
I think this season helped Self grow as a coach. Moving away from the high lo and traditional two post game to a game that suited his team’s best personnel was a big step for him. I was hoping it would make him more flexible in game as well, but that is still something to work towards.
But still, the man is 623-192 over his career. He has found things that work at every stop. I’m not off the band wagon. I just want to swing it in for a quick tuneup.
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I was a sophomore when Roy left. I was sick for a week. I could not stop thinking about how there was no possible way our next coach could outperform, or even match what he did. 14 years later, here we are and Bills best tournament days are ahead of him. He won the gold medal. he’s been to two straight elite eights. Let’s hope he sticks around another 5 years and gets another ring, or two. He deserves it.
