The End is Near!
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Ha… I’m not going to put you all through another one of my doomsday scenarios. Not a word about how we under-develop players (oops, except here).
I’m just sitting here thinking how few games we have remaining. Obviously… we will decide how many games we do play.
Whatever…
But the end is near! Another great year for Jayhawk fans. So many quality games and wins.
I’m already starting to miss this team. I know most guys will be back, but adding and subtracting, even a few, makes a different team.
I have become very fond of this group. They have managed to do well (up to now) and without the monster shot blocker/rebounder we are used to having in the post. It has been fun to meet that challenge, and we’ve had to play some tall teams this year.
How many in here expected us to win #11?
I have to admit that all the negative press weighed on me, but I remained hopeful because of who we are and who we have as our coach (and who our competitors have coaching them, too!)
Even with all that, in my cloudy subconscious I had us at 50/50.
I am avoiding giving a prediction for March. I know it is a crazy concept thinking I (or anyone else) could jinx this team… but I have many decades of proof how I’ve made predictions far inflated from the results. However… that doesn’t stop me from asking any of you to predict the future.
Are we a Sweet 16 team this year? Elite 8? Final 4?
Or is this going to be like many years where we under-perform and get swept under the rug by a sleeper?
Speaking of sleepers… which teams do you all fear the most on a Kansas match-up?
I know one of mine… it was Miami… but it appears they may be NIT bound.
Big shout out to our team for giving me a basketball season full of excitement and another conference trophy at the end!
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well said… this has been so far a wild wooly weird season!!.. in my 20 years of following KU basketball, I’ve never been more happy to win the B12… obviously, prior years we were expected to win easily, but this year is markedly unique and different… gone apparently are the days of first half light scheduling for Coach Self, so my nerves are shot watching this team this particular year… yikes… Self is going to kiil me I swear ( my kids now sort of understand that my screaming at the TV is not cause for calling 911)
ironically I’ve never been this non-interested in the B12 tournament - usually it’s an icing-on-the-cake thing for me, a love-hate thing (if we expend too much energy winning the tournament, are we compromising our Big Dance chances??.. if we lose in the B12 tourney, is that a bad sign of things to come?? etc)… kinda glad I just don’t care this year… although i am TIRED of playing WVU… lets hope UK or Dookie get them in their bracket and see how THEY like being relentlessly hounded like a pack of hyenas…
my prediction - I hope their toughness carries them to the 2nd weekend of the dance, then lets just hope for some good shooting and a bit of luck…
no one here will be surprised if our boys exit early or go to the final weekend… it’s that kind of unique season… I love em though…
( and the WORST part of losing in the dance… no hoops til next Nov :(… AHHHHHH!!! )
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Don’t forget!!
Kansas Team USA for World Games Updated: June 17, 2014, 5:07 PM ET Associated Press 2K343COMMENTS253EMAILPRINT LAWRENCE, Kan. – Everyone figures to become a fan of Kansas basketball next summer.
Even the folks who follow bitter rival Missouri.
The Jayhawks have been chosen to represent the U.S. at the World University Games in Gwangju, Korea. The event in July 2015 will match the Jayhawks – ahem, Team USA – against nations from around the world, most of which will be putting together All-Star teams for the tournament.
That was the practice of the U.S. in the past. But after a disappointing showing last year and with some unique scheduling issues for next year’s event, the U.S. International University Sports Federation decided it would choose a single program to represent the country.
Kansas was chosen over a list of undisclosed candidates.
Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press
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thanks Crimsonoblue22 for the reminder about team USA!! … just mdae my day knowing there will KU basketball in my life sooner than the fall
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Latest Fox Sports Power Rankings.
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It’s a cool honor, but I fear injury.
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Thanks for posting that… especially loved the Mizzou dig! Ha! I’m sure some of the Antlers are waking up right now from a long night of crystal meth use and pooping in their already-soiled britches.
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@wissoxfan83 stop worrying, it’s all gravy!
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Depends on how you look at things.
If you look at how we play on the road as an indication on how they will perform in March than we are probably on upset alert in the 2nd round.
Will we have Ellis healthy? Will Cliff be back or suspended? Will we be playing in Omaha or farther away from home? Will we be coming off a loss in the Big 12 tourney? Will we run through the Big 12 tourney and go into the Big Dance on the upswing? Still a lot of questions to be answered.
One of the things that sucks about whatever Region we will be in is the possibility of playing somebody we have already played. And do we want to get matched up against past demons like VCU, UNI. Suddenly the list is close to 15 or so teams. Hopefully wherever we get placed is favorable and possible to overachieve if that’s how we are viewed. Of course we can win the whole thing but we will need some help and for Mason/Ellis to carry this team on their backs.
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@drgnslayr If the Hawks can channel the grit from that WVU win and shoot 15+ threes a game (without going, ahem, 0-15) in the Big Dance, I like them for the Elite 8. If they can play with grit and shoot 20+ threes a game, I could see them getting on a roll and gutting their way to the Final Four.
Never thought I’d say that this year. That tough, ugly WV win was eye-opening, but we all know they need some easy offense to advance in March. Getting clobbered in the post over and over again isn’t it.
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@BeddieKU23 I doubt UNI will be a low enough seed for us to play them in the second round. But the VCU game is a definite possibility. Although I like our chances since we have played WVU twice and know what to expect with pressure.
It might have been a gift to go on such a severe shooting slump. We have proven we can win without it.
Interesting stat. We lose to WVU hitting 11 trey balls and shooting 50%, Ellis has a great game, and we lose. We lose Perry after a terrible first half from him, don’t hit a 3, and win. I know their two seniors were out, but basketball is such a fickle game. No loyality to one scheme. Which is why I love it! Rock Chalk!
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@JhawkAlum just info, UNI’s coach is mvc coach of year. Sorry Gregg!!!
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@Crimsonorblue22 Preach it!
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@Crimsonorblue22 Way to go with the scoop on the WU Games. Self won’t get much down time this year, & buckets rats may not either. I swear, some people’s worry lists are just way too long !!
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@drgnslayr I don’t know if you caught this Tue nite or not, but on ESPN right after the WVU game was over, Jay Williams and Seth Greenberg were discussing what a great accomplishment 11 consecutive Big 12 titles was and what a great coach Self is. As the show was ending and they were cutting away, Jay Williams asked Seth Greenberg, “do you think Kansas can go deep in the tournament?” And Greenbergs response was “No way” Also, a week ago, they had Joe Lunardi on during the game talking about seeding, and he was asked if Kansas might move up to a 1 seed if they won out. His answer was “No, they just don’t pass the eye test”
None of these guys are KU haters, so I can’t just blow off their opinions as anti-KU bias. And if I take off my crimson and blue glasses, the only game I remember when KU really played fantastic for 40 min. was the first UT game. It’s usually one good half and one bad, letting inferior teams hang around and then we pull out a narrow victory at the end. Thats not a good formula for success in the tournament. I may get criticized for being negative, but I just don’t see KU getting to the FF this year. Sweet 16 might be more likely. Nevertheless, 11 straight Big 12 titles is a hell of a feat regardless of how far we go in the tournament.
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@drgnslayr My prediction for March. It does not matter!! I will be back next year regardless. I love the Kansas Jayhawks! A loss does nothing to my love of KU Basketball, absolutely nothing. I love the fact that we are a model of consistency, 11 Straight Big XII Championships. The NCAA Tournament is fun to watch, but it is not a best of the best tournament. It is the complete opposite of the current NCAA Football Championship, where only the best teams get in. My opinion, everyone can have theirs, not changing my mind.
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FWIW. Even well into conference play, Greenberg did not think KU would win the conference…show how much he knows.
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@oldhwkfan said:
“do you think Kansas can go deep in the tournament?” And Greenbergs response was “No way” Also, a week ago, they had Joe Lunardi on during the game talking about seeding, and he was asked if Kansas might move up to a 1 seed if they won out. His answer was “No, they just don’t pass the eye test”
This is a good thing for this team. They can operate under the radar a bit.
We have many characteristics you need to go deep in the tournament.
- Good coach
- tournament experience
- solid guards
- 3pt shooting
- not dependent on one superstar (scoring threats at every position)
- free throw shooting
- deep enough bench
- legitimate athleticism
- toughness
We struggle with:
- consistency
- blow-out wins
- rebounding
- passing
- scoring at the rim
We could get booted early, but more likely we’ll get to the Elite 8, plus or minus one game.
When this team plays loose and free they do much better. For example, the pass that Selden made to Traylor in OT for the emphatic Jam. And what to make of Frank’s drives to rim repeatedly in OT… Suddenly they played with some freedom and the ball started to drop.
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@drgnslayr “How many in here expected us to win #11?” We’re Kansas and we always expect to win. That’s why we don’t storm the court. And besides, everybody knows to win the psuedo Big 12 Conference Championship you first have to go through Lawrence. And good luck with that.
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@JhawkAlum We only lost to WVU because the rec center refs can’t count past 2, otherwise they would’ve called Staten for traveling.
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@globaljaybird Some of us board rats won’t get any downtime cause spring training
has started. Rock Chalk Royals.
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@brooksmd doing well too!
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“And do we want to get matched up against past demons like VCU, UNI. Suddenly the list is close to 15 or so teams.”
Heck yes! We DO want to get a rematch shot at VCU and UNI and any other ghost from our past. Self will dust off the old videotape from our previous loss and get out guys jacked. I believe these guys make a very capable team but they always need to play for something. Self has to find a way to push their buttons. Avenging some of our past dark moments in March is the perfect recipe for this team! Plus… would we all like to see that!
"If the Hawks can channel the grit from that WVU win and shoot 15+ threes a game (without going, ahem, 0-15) in the Big Dance, I like them for the Elite 8. If they can play with grit and shoot 20+ threes a game, I could see them getting on a roll and gutting their way to the Final Four. "
Love your spirit!
I consider Greenberg to be one of the better commentator analysts… I just don’t think he has the depth of knowledge any of us have for Kansas basketball. He has to have the scoop on so many teams there is no way he can know enough to give a straight up view.
I’m not sure we need 40 minutes of perfect basketball to win most games in March. Maybe some… like against Kentucky. Look back at most of our March losses. We usually play poorly for most of those games and lose by a bucket or two. Most times, it comes down to executing for victory in the last 2 minutes. We’ve won many of those types of games this year. That is a big part of why we have such a good record this year with such a young team.
Right on! I like your analysis. I think the key will be toughness. I like how you put that on the plus side. I hope they keep it up. If we do, then I don’t know why we won’t do well.
“We’re Kansas and we always expect to win.”
That is true… but many of us in here love to speculate and make it challenging.
Someday we are bound to lose this streak. It has to be. It has to be… well… ha… NO… WE CAN CONTINUE TO WIN IT THROUGH PERPETUITY! WE’LL SHOW THE WORLD WHAT A REAL STREAK IS… Anyone know how I make the infinity sign on my keyboard? ~
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Like this ∞?
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@drgnslayr Simple, like this ∞
What OS you using slayr? If Apple it’s just press and hold Option then hit 5.
Anything else go here.
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True, could be 2008 Final 4 all over again when we played North Carolina and just blitzed the pants out of them in the first half. I’m sure the hype surrounding either an UNI or VCU rematch would hopefully put some fight into these kids.
We all hope that Self finds the edge to keep these guys winning. And more importantly the players find that edge in themselves. The good thing about this great tournament extravaganza is that a team like KU which had ups + downs can transform into an unstoppable machine. Uconn & UK were perfect examples of teams that just found themselves in March. The regular season didn’t matter anymore and KU certainly has that chance.
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@oldhwkfan In 1988, the moniker for our team was " Danny and the Miracles ".
If we win more than two or three games in this year’s tournament - THAT will be a miracle. But who knows? The stupid RPI (which I have great faith in) says we have played the toughest teams in America and, for the most part, come out on top. But we’ve been SO dang inconsistent. We’ve blown HUGE leads and hung on to win, or have come back to win. But we’ve also been blown clear out of the water - once by a really good team and once by …a not so great team.
Like you, I’m happy for " Number 11 " and I’ll just keep my fingers crossed and see what happens.
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@brooksmd Eh, we can’t put that loss on the refs. Maybe give up JUST 20 offensive rebounds instead of 23? As laughable as that is.
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@JhawkAlum I agree, it was the poor play for 39 minutes and 45 seconds that put them in that position, but the fact remains the refs blew an obvious call in the last 15 seconds.
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I posted a video of the last play and it looks like Staten goes the length of the court bouncing the ball just few times and it is obvious that he took a lot more than the allowable steps just before scoring. There is ZERO doubt that it was a walk.
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I totally agree. But I believe we made FAR more mistakes than the refs did that game. It was just an inexcusable effort and execution.
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@bskeet Maybe Greenberg and Lunardi are right. KU may not be the typical team from the past that passes “the eye test.” Whatever the hell that means. Lunardi is full of crap and himself sometimes. I think he’s been doing his job far too long, that he fools even himself at times with his own BS.
However, who thought KU would win the B12 yet again an 11th straight time? NO, KU may not look or even play better than other teams that pass Lunardi’s “eye test,” but they can however, become the hunter rather than the hunted. I like the fact we are in a 2-3 seed position. I’d like to see KU hunt some teams and beat them. I’m a little tired of being the ranked team (ala, UK), undefeated, best team in conference, only to be bounced Sweet 16 or Elite 8. I want to be a team that can play and win at any time. This team has done just the opposite of the genius bracketologist, Lunardi claim. They’ve in fact passed the eye test after a brutal season in a brutal conference.
We came back against a tough WVU team. We played without our all-american Perry Ellis. We sat our top freshman recruit CA. I think we’ve passed the ‘eye test’ and I have no idea what Lunardi is saying. We didn’t dominate our weak conference as UK. Interestingly, LSU, UG, and MissStU, all gave UK their best shot. These teams aren’t the strongest of teams either. The SEC has 1 or maybe 3 at most teams that are competitive. I can look around and say the same for Gonzaga too. Forget about the Pac12, it’s a joke. The ACC would be the only other competitive conference, but it’s no B12 either. The B10 only has 1-3 teams too. They have Wisconsin, like SEC has UK. Each of the B12 teams are solid. We had a slow start in the noncon season, but right now, who wants to play KU let alone the B12 in the tourney?I don’t respect Lunardi. I don’t agree with Greenberg. I’m not counting this team out until they bow out. These experts have no idea until it happens. I’ll laugh my head off when UK goes undefeated in the SEC, and then turns around and gets bounced in Sweet 16 or Elite 8. It happens, KU should know. We’ve had similar seasons, thinking we would dominate. UK will get the wrong team on the wrong night, and it will be over.
NO, I think KU is dangerous. I think they will make the most of the tourney. I don’t want the B12 tourney. I wish it was optional. I’d focus on the NCAA tourney. Forget the consolation prize and lets move on to the Big Dance.
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I like the “option” of skipping the Big 12 tourney. We could cite injuries and focus on the big dance. But it won’t happen.
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“I don’t respect Lunardi.”
Me, either. What does this guy know about basketball? He didn’t even play basketball in his youth and we are supposed to trust his “eye test?”
His background is marketing… how appropriate!
He is proof how news media has the depth of ant poop!
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I think by the ‘eye test,’ they mean that Kansas just doesn’t ‘look’ that good. And I’d have to agree. To get to the Final Four, you have to play 4 good games in a row. I don’t Kansas has even played 4 good halves in a row. And certainly not against tournament quality teams.
Even the West Virginia win doesn’t look so great in hindsight. Without their best player on the floor, it reminds me of the Florida game. Great comeback, but it begs the question–How did you end up 18 down to this team in your own house? That just doesn’t ‘look’ that good.
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@KUinLA I know what Lunardi is implying by the “eye test” and it means nothing in March. Opinions are free to express. I’ll say this to you and every other skeptic. Looks can be deceiving. This last game against WVU was HUGE. I think it gave this team some much needed confidence, under some extremely diverse circumstances. DO YOU HEAR WHAT YOU’RE SAYING? Look at what this team just accomplished without Ellis or Alex. I find that extraordinary to say the least. The core of this team needed that game and to win under those circumstances are enormous.
We all know Ellis, Alex, and Oubre. Just think who won that game against WVU, to win the B12 OUTRIGHT. Incredible to me that many are automatically doubting a team that just won 11 straight titles.
You and others can doubt this team all you want. As I said, Lunardi and Greenberg may be right, BUT, they weren’t suppose to win another B12 conference title either…still got doubt? Don’t watch them play in the post-season.
Read the piece where all the ESPN analyst ate their crow with KU winning their 11th B12 title and admitted to doubting KU. I also understand a B12 title and a NC are two different titles. But, to say KU survived a brutal precon and conf schedule, only to fail an “eye test” is absurd and a bit condescending, and frankly disrespectful. It’s the classical over done “glass half empty” crap, negative.
If you’re a KU fan, you’ll take all the hope and results you can get. This was huge and may be the beginning of a deep run. Who thought Napier would lead UConn? Maybe this will be the beginning of something special. Who thought Danny Manning would lead the 1988 team? How many loses did they have? They looked like this team at times and maybe worse, 1987–88 record 27–11 (9–5 Big 8 8). So, my point is, anything is possible. Let’s wait until the Fat Lady sings. It’s not over till it’s over.
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UCONN didn’t pass many peoples’ eye test last year.
