GAME OF THE YEAR ALREADY HAS MY ATRIAL FIB ALL AFLUTTER.
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ESPN’s circled game of the year.
Allen Fieldhouse will play role when Kansas welcomes Kentucky - ESPN https://apple.news/A2f0KPvUgSQaSvbVIfwv51w
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How about a repeat of this? What were you doing 27 years ago?
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A lot of talk about the KU/UK game here and the build up going into the game playing UT at home then in Ames for big Monday and then UK at home. Will KU drop one of those games? Will they go into the UK game with a loss on Ames? If so how does that affect the outcome of the game of the year?
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@Statmachine Just imagine the feeling after winning both games in mid season. I don’t think they would have a letdown for the following game - K State at home.
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I have trouble calling this the game of the year until I know the eligibility situations for each team. If everyone is eligible, then absolutely, this game pits two national title contenders. If not, then it changes things because lacking a impact player probably knocks either of these teams off the national title short list.
Skal is more important to UK than Cheick is to KU, but Cheick’s defense is the big difference to me between KU being on the short list and KU being a possible champ.
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I am going to take this kids approach.
Its the game of the year!!! I WIN!!!
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@wrwlumpy Jeez lump - you had to add the 27 years thing? I CANNOT believe it’s been that long. I listened to that game on the radio ( I believe that was the year we were on “sanctions” and were not televised. I thought Bob and Max were going to have heart attacks calling the game and I thought I was going to have one listening to it!
The most fun I’ve ever had as a listening “spectator”.
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@wrwlumpy I am totally psyched for this game. I havent been this anticipatory for a KU game since the last KU/MU game.
Ive said before that I think the decibel level at that game will break records… I also think KU fans will juice up our team and spot us atleast 5 points. Most of our guys playing now were on that team that got embarrassed by UK a couple years ago. This is a revenge game, pure and simple.
KU wont let Kentucky win in AFH. The fans wont either. And, maybe we might get a tad bit of whistle swallowing from the refs. I hope we do.I also hope Diallo is cleared by then. I think he will be. Either way, I think we can win the game, but it’ll be much easier to do with him on the court. The hype for that game will be Skal vs Diallo, the two winningest teams in college ball right now, Coach Cal vs Coach Self.
We are going to kick their Arse’s back to inbred Kentucky land!!!
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I may be in the minority but I believe Diallo is more important to KU. I mean really if he’s not cleared we are going to be playing the same bigs we cried about all last year. Unless Mick really has turned the corner and will be an everyday contributor, we will have a giant weakness again in an offense/defense that depends on a quality Center in the post. It’s critical that our depth includes Diallo so that we can minimize the minutes Traylor & Lucas have to log. We have a championship squad, but it takes a major nose dive if Diallo isn’t with us…
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@BeddieKU23 KU does not have the same bigs as last year! This guy is pretty good from what my connections are telling me and he has grown an inch or two over the summer.
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But he’s not a 5. Bragg is going to need time to develop and understand how to play in this system. He had a nice head-start in Korea We have to have a consistent presence in the post. Diallo is a game changer in the post especially on defense.
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@BeddieKU23 Last time I checked Diallo was not a 5 either.
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Your right he’s not an ideal 5 if you go by the metrics of a proto-typical size of a 5. But he’s superior athlete in many ways, rebounding, blocking, running the floor, motor. And all those things he can contribute now. Would you not agree that what’s what we need?
I’m not underselling Bragg at all, he’s our future at the PF position if he sticks around. He was an offensive player in High School & played very little defense that Self would accept. Korea showed us that he was still far behind in strength but he tried to make up for it by being a good athlete & scrapping for the ball.
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@BeddieKU23 I can’t wait to see diallo w/that hair flipping dude from ISU!
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Diallo is very important defensively, because he is the only KU big that I can envision being a standout defender. On the offensive end, Diallo is less skilled than Perry, Mick and probably behind Bragg as well, so his absence can be weathered on that end.
But when it comes to shot blocking and rebounding, I don’t think KU has anyone that can replace Cheick. The fact that we can weather the storm on one end makes him less important to KU (IMHO) than Skal is to UK, because UK needs Skal to start and help on both ends. Maybe UK is okay defensively without Skal (depending on the health of Poythress), but I don’t think UK has the depth to survive without him on both ends.
Still, the eligibility of both changes the fortunes of their respective teams. With them, they are both FF and national title ready. Without, literally everything else has to go right.
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I don’t disagree that Skal will be an important player for them. I just believe the talent gap from him to Lee, Poythress & Humphries is not as dire of a situation as it will be for KU without Diallo.
I truly believe the talent disparity from Diallo, Perry, & Bragg to the rest of our bigs is so significant that everything this team can be will be altered if Cheick is sitting.
Of course Mick is the wildcard & Bragg’s development to an extent is as well. We could weather the storm if both are ready to give consistent game to game production but that is such a big assumption to make…
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Of course Mick is the wildcard & Bragg’s development to an extent is as well. We could weather the storm if both are ready to give consistent game to game production but that is such a big assumption to make…
Agreed. I think it’s an even bigger assumption in Bragg’s case. Hunter is a fifth-year senior with two years at KU under his belt. Bragg is a newbie, and when was the last time we had a newbie of his ranking who contributed consistently his first year?
I would like to see Diallo backed up by Hunter, and Perry backed up by Bragg. Bragg would be the fourth big in terms of minutes. Filling that role consistently is already a lot to ask.
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I think Cheick’s hustle will help him fill out a stat sheet.
But I think the biggest loss would be in team energy. Cheick brings huge energy 100% of the time while on the floor. That means a quicker pace and also a different mentality… one of hustle, hustle, hustle and FOR EVERYONE!
I see Cheick and I see Kevin Young x3!
