I'm not able to follow the WUG like I'd like



  • My summers are spent in a home where there is no tv except digital rabbit ears and no internet. I have no smart phone. I get internet at the library for a few minutes a day. I really don’t even want to spend time reading all of the game threads and peoples comments. But for this weekend I am in a home with working internet.

    So, here’s what I’m looking for:

    Your views on how our team is looking. How does the competition look? How are the rookies playing? What underclassman is ready to step up? Any hope for players like Landon, Hunter to be a major contributor next season?

    Thanks for your input. I really wish I could watch the games like normal, but summer is not the time for it!



  • @wissoxfan83 As concise as I can make it.

    Some pretty good competition. Most of the opponents are older and have played professional ball for years.

    WAYNE FREAKING SELDEN. Been the best player in the tourney hands down.

    Hunter has been super solid. Coming out party honestly.

    Frank has been Frank.

    Freshmen:

    • Bragg looks decent for a freshmen who has practiced with the team for 3 or 4 weeks. Obviously needs to get stronger.
    • Vick clearly looks like he will be a stud down the road. Can hit the 3 and has been athletic.

    Lando: Sucks. Been awful. And thats being nice I think.



  • @wissoxfan83

    Everything posted above is pretty spot on. Selden leads the tourney in scoring, to say hes improved is really not giving him credit. He has been the main cog.

    Hunter has played himself into the lineup

    The freshman are talented, vick has made more shots, Bragg does a good job of diving for balls.

    Competition has been good, Serbia was a good team, Brazil and turkey were physical. Chile and switz were overmatched.



  • @wissoxfan83 Coaches got the chance to sit and watch our next opponent, Lithuania, so in my mind that is huge, given that we knew nothing about first one, Turkey. Our last game vs Switzerland the starters got to rest and needed it. Wayne has his bounce back and the team is focused. Lucky to have Moore and DeBose. Landon has been a disappointment but hope he gets his mindset back on the right track. Hunter is having the time of his life and loving every minute. Every player has played and Tyler canned a 3 right in front of his Dad last game! The games can be found on ESPN Watch App under the WUG tab. You really need to watch the “final moment” video I posted under the @jaybate-1.0 article about how we won by 1 I think it was called. A heart stopper for sure!

    Now that I’m on a real computer (posted earlier on my Nook), I found the link for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8KB5eE-I94g



  • @wissoxfan83 YOU HAVE NO SMART PHONE?

    You are no longer welcome on this site. Or this planet.

    Actually - you just zoomed to the top of my favorites list! I have a land line (for those of you under 30, it’s the equivalent of a television with no remote - they really did exist - oh never mind…) and when we travel, my wife has a pay as you go flip phone. That is a real head turner these days.



  • @nuleafjhawk I don’t own a cell/smart phone NOR do I have cable/satellite or any kind of tv other than the free channels. I do have internet access at my home paid for by my boss! I have a land line that I pay for but I also have the separate additional land line that had to be installed for the computer that my boss bought me the computer for that occasional time when I must do work from home on a weekend. I’ve worked with him for 33 years and have the best of both worlds.



  • @RockChalkinTexas OK - Major kudos for the lack of phones and the free internet. You WOULD have catapulted to the very top of the list if you hadn’t mentioned the part about no cable or satellite - that’s just weird. Lol.

    I know we’re all outcasts, but one of the few things that actually, truly scares me is how dependent our society has become on technology. It definitely has it’s place, but like most things we take it to extremes and then let it control us. I can’t tell you how many people per day I see texting and driving. All these smart phones still can’t keep us from being stupid.



  • @nuleafjhawk But with the internet you can pretty much watch any show you want what with Hulu, etc. and all the sites that broadcast their own shows. Don’t miss HBO one bit. PBS is what I watch the most and then when I want I can catch things on The History Channel site or ESPN. I’m more an outdoor person anyways - not stuck inside watching tv. Plus I’m not paying for 150+ channels that I don’t really want.

    Recently Austin passed a No Texting While Driving ban and it has made a big impact on my drive home. You still have the ones who still do it but it is a lot safer now that everyone is NOT doing it. Our Gov. didn’t have the cajones to sign a law for it statewide. During the first week of the ban, they issued 750 tickets just inside the city limits. It was way out of hand.



  • @RockChalkinTexas I’m just messing with you on the TV thing. We’d all be better off without it, for the most part. I always tell people I want to move to a deserted island with no outside interference.

    Except for air conditioning and some way to watch KU basketball.



  • @RockChalkinTexas Since you have internet provided, have you looked into Magic Jack for your personal landline? It’s been awhile since I’ve paid the bill as I usually do the 5 yr subscription and the last time I think it was $135 for 5 yr. That’s for local and long distance. It uses your broadband internet.



  • @brooksmd

    I recently moved 4 phone “land” lines from my internet/cable provider to Voice Over IP (VOIP). My internet/cable provider was using VOIP anyway and now i have better features for a fraction of the cost. You can also use Google Voice and just have the calls directed to your cell phone or get an internet phone or adapter and local and long distance calls (national) are free.



  • @JayHawkFanToo sounds easy!😳



  • @Crimsonorblue22

    Everything is easy when you know what you are doing… or you have done it before and learned from your mistakes…



  • @Brooksmd, @nuleafjhawk, @Crimsonorblue22, @RockChalkinTexas Thanks for filling me in on the technology or lack thereof in your home, but I really wanted to know what you thought of our team!!!



  • @wissoxfan83

    Same m2m defense with guys that get it now and play it well. Everyone knows how to help but the frosh.

    Bad Ball only one game, when they couldn’t hit and then only for a quarter.

    Lots of Spread out high low offense with Perry floating to 4 out frequently.

    Posts running longer diagonal rotations because of wider lane.

    Not much third side passing on perimeter.

    Mostly two passes and shoot, or drive.

    Chop and pick and roll used infrequently, but shown.

    Nic Moore a helluva player, despite short, stocky size. Long strong legs and cuts off opponents.

    Frank and Nic play super together in tandem and solo.

    Selden much better at 3.

    Selden has been super with maybe only one minute of the old Wayne in all games combined.

    Perry struggling some.

    Landen in a weird place and not fitting into flow well but every other game putting up big rebound numbers. Still no b2b game. Still too weak to go up in a crowd and dunk.

    Hunter fits international ball well running tirelessly, keeping ball alive with tipping, and picking up lots of put backs. Still struggles with post defense on ball. Seems to fit well with these perimeter players. Not much b2b presence. But a hyper active horizontal player that makes the team play better when in.

    Traylor incrementally better, but still no b2b game. Guarding post well. Shoots FGs and FTs better. But no offensive feel yet.

    Bragg = sushi, but looks like a player downstream, probably next year. Moxie playing with broken nose. Lots to learn. But a shooting touch.

    Julian Debose a defensive specialist who doesn’t stand out by improves team defense when in.

    Vick = big potential and able to contribute in short spurts. Just needs footwork and speed adjustment. Playing very well for a high school senior that jumped a year early.

    Experienced team that fits together freakishly well and has good chemistry.

    Everyone plays every game because of daily games.

    Self doesn’t get to coach much in games, which seems to frustrate him and liberate his players. Everyone is playing and only a few look over at the bench warily.

    Sad part is that Nic will go back to SMU and Debose back to FIU and this fine chemistry will be no more. Talent will improve, but you can’t improve on this chemistry. Nick and Frank and Wayne are one of those rare perfect fits, like Chalmers, Sherron and Rush, or Chalmers, RR and Rush. Frank and Nic let Wayne be Wayne. It is amazing to watch.

    We are witnessing magic.

    Self is doing a brilliant job of enabling the magic.

    But you can see that he is very pent up and wanting to fix all the flaws rather than let them play.

    But to his great credit, he is stifling and letting the team can be what it can be, which is quite good for this unusual circumstance.

    All in all an unexpected delight.

    But unlike others here I don’t see a carry over to the D1 season.

    This is a unique team Self has created by adding Nic and Debose.

    We are watching “the miracle on wood” on a much smaller stage.

    Herb Brooks, meet Bill Self.

    Shit happens.

    But so does magic.

    Savor this moment.

    Our D1 team will have more talent, but not the savvy and experience and amazing dwarf tandem of Frank and Nic. It’s a one off deal that doesn’t duplicate with Devonte and Svi and Green. And Debose’s defensive glue will not duplicate either.

    The D1 team can be better or worse, but it can’t play the same.

    And the 30 second clock may be just enough longer to prevent this quick, go get a basket kind of play.

    Everyone has learned how to take a step back and shoot it.

    It is so beautiful after Bad Ball I almost cried in the Lithuania game.

    Once again a small group of young men have saved the game and knocked the callous off my heart.

    I am ready for a 24 second clock and full embrace of international rules. It’s a better game.

    Rock Chalk!



  • @wissoxfan83 I don’t know what to think. It’s hard to follow them with no technology…



  • @jaybate-1.0

    Interesting take on the shot clock. I’m not in favor of a shorter shot clock but you made a good case for it.



  • @jaybate-1.0 – You said, “Nic Moore a helluva player, despite short, stocky size. Long strong legs and cuts off opponents.”

    My first thought was Naadir Tharpe and the short legs thing.

    I think this 6-0 run is one of the those deals that falls directly at Self’s doorstep. Short prep time, melding some new guys, getting the most of certain guys in certain situations, terrific in-game management.

    One of the interesting topics from last night is the increased marginalizing of Traylor – 5 minutes (and no rebounds/points; one TO). Bragg played twice as much.

    I’ll pound the drum now … there is no reason why Traylor should ever see the floor ahead of Bragg. Just suck it up, play him, get him experience, and the reward will come when it really counts. Or, alternatively, play Traylor and get what you know you’re going to get. Traylor should be, at the absolute best, the 5th post guy.



  • @HighEliteMajor

    Re Nic: yes, he has short torso and longer stronger legs and that rare combo of powerful legs and leg/hip socket flexibility. He can stretch his foot way out to deny a player one direction and still have the leg strength and upper body strength to body AND drop step/slide the other direction. Nic plays taller than he is outside. He is vulnerable if they can get him inside or post him, but there he just shoves like hell. One of those rare short players that can play with the big guys and ALSO CAUSE QUICKNESS PROBLEMS for them.

    I am not sure Bragg’s brain development is advanced enough to benefit from trial by fire; that’s a judgement call, but at some point he is going to be a very good big. I predict next year, but Self is clearly trying to see if he could be readied for this year for reasons you ascribe.

    Everything depends on his ability to guard the post and hedge defend, both of which Traylor can do, despite his weakness in other areas. If Bragg can get to where he can guard the post and hedge, then he offers more offense and rebounding promise. But it’s a big if.



  • @wissoxfan83

    I was against the shorter clock, too, but the wider lane, shorter clock, and reduced skill of college players seem to loosen the congestion of D1 style dense packing, and make unlikely the NBA-ization of D1. Plus we need to get on the same page with the rest of the world. I suspect that if D1 had international rules, the percentage of foreign players in the NBAwould fall in half. Our American boys deserve an even break!!!

    Rock Chalk!



  • What I like most about Nick More is calm, demeanor and quiet leadership. He gets bounced around like a steel ball in an old school pin ball machine and he keeps his calm. At the end of the first half when he got up from the floor after a push one of the Lithuanian tall players patted him on the head, which I thought was disrespectful…although I am not sure it was meant that way; he calmly walked away. I respect that.



  • @jaybate-1.0

    Any chance Bo Ryan called it quits after next year because of the shot clock change? I’m not saying he just automatically lets no one shoot until 34.5 seconds are gone, but part of his offensive efficiency is to wear down the defense for the whole shot clock and wait for a mistake and pounce on it. He gets neutered a bit from the shorter clock I think.



  • @wissoxfan83

    Its possible, but after his candor about Duke’s rent-a-players I vote for Bo finally getting sick of being on the adidas short end of the recruiting stick and not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel on stacking. I mean the guy is a proven terrific coach and no matter what he does, no matter how much he develops his players, no matter how far they go, no matter what clothes he wears, and no matter how many times UW goes deep, he still can’t get a reasonable share of 5 stars. I am pretty confident that if Self were Bo’s age, he would call it quits, too. He might even call it a career, when Tyler is done. Self is up against the same problem. .82 w&L plus 10 conference titles and a ring and he can only attract one 5-star and that is a guy from Africa? Self has to be thinking, well, if the system is so asymmetric that no rings like Stumpy Miller and .550 guys like Johnny Jones and Cuonzo can get long stacks, what is the flipping point? I really think the only reason Pitino is still coaching is to make sure his son Richard has a place to come to if he flames out at UMinn, as most coaches have, or if he does well at UMinn and UL can justify father to son succession. The whole stacking situation is disgraceful and you can bet our bottom dollar that every coach in the profession knows and understands full well what is going on. They are all just trying to milk the cow for their retirement and children’s inheritance (there can never be too much inheritance) and hope things change in the stacking game. But someone like Bo? He is old school. He still believes in retiring and going fishing. He has been at it a long time and he didn’t get to UW till after a long apprenticeship in the minors. He probably just decided that it was time to exit on an up beat and let younger guys like Self and those younger than Self deal with this mess in their profession.



  • @wissoxfan83 Finally some real good publicity. This was posted on CBT abt an hour ago…RCJH !! http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/07/12/kansasusa-defeats-russia-to-advance-to-world-university-games-gold-medal-game/



  • We made the ESPN scroll this morning.


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