Winter storm musings
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Well, we were supposed to drive back to Louisiana from Chicago today, but sleet, freezing rain, wind, and storms stretching all the way back to LA means we have an extra day.
IHAVENOTHINGTODO
So here goes.
If basketball were an outdoor sport, and they played in any weather, those guys would be really cold today. It might make for some great TV viewing though.
I saw three terrific DI prospects playing Saturday at the Proviso West tournament. I had no idea walking into the gym that there were DI prospects playing that morning and afternoon, but it was evident the minute they walked on the floor. Particularly stunning was a kid from top ranked Morgan Park named Charlie Moore. He scored 27. He’s only 5’11", but ranked 88th in the country and going to Memphis.
Nick Rakocevic is a 6’11" center (duh) from St. Joseph. He nearly had a triple double against the wonderfully named Mighty Men of Dunbar, an inner city school from the south side. 16 points, 15 boards and 8 blocks, and zero fouls. I really wouldn’t mind seeing him in a Jayhawk uniform. He’s only a junior. St. Joseph’s HS is coached by Gene Pingatore, a 79 year old! He’s most famous for Hoop Dreams and was also Isiah Thomas’ coach.
The third player I saw was a nice player who is being recruited heavily by Iowa from Larkin HS. He was really good too.
The tournament program has a list of the all tourney teams from each year. I noticed 1977 had Mark Aguirre, Isaiah Thomas, and Glen Rivers. And Mark Aguirre was teammates with Eddie Johnson who played a long time in the league, Eddie didn’t make the all tournament team.
If we got paid by the word to post here (we should) I’d type more inane stuff than I already am.
Marcus Morris threw his towel at Suns coach Jeff Hornacek whom I watched play as a Cyclone in the mid 1980’s. Marcus is having a rough year and appears on his way out in Phoenix. By the way Hornacek’s dad is a basketball official whom I’ve seen officiate at the aforementioned Proviso West tournament.
I mentioned somewhere else that I bumped into a Jayhawk outfit at the tournament Saturday, caught his eye, he gave me a Rock Chalk, then introduced himself has Sherron’s HS coach. He wishes Sherron had kept his weight down while at KU, thinks we didn’t get him at his best. He was a very nice man and I enjoyed talking hoops with him.
I was thinking that the Jayhawk Missouri rivalry has got to be the only sports rivalry that crosses the boundary between sports and real life. I mean Bears fans invade Packer territory every summer, but to spend money and enjoy the beautiful outdoors there, and not ransack Oshkosh or Palwaukee.
And I still think that rivalry needs to be renewed. It appears that it was the only thing Misery kept its basketball team relevant for. But it would be a circle the date type of game every year that I would enjoy. I certainly think it’d be more entertaining than playing our next opponent.
I wonder if I could write more than @jaybate-1.0 ? Even on a snowy wintry day at my inlaws with nothing to do? Naw, not going to think about it.
If I could analyze hoops like @HighEliteMajor, @ralster, @BeddieKU23 (is that the year he graduated KU?) @drgnslayr and many others, I would try to determine if this team has enough else going on to survive a NCAA tournament game where our 3’s don’t drop.
If I was a drinker, I’d ask @brooksmd for advice on what to have on a wintry day with nothing to do.
As a career teacher, I don’t know how I’d handle it if I had a job where the boss made me work those two weeks surrounding the holidays.
I’m going to make the family leave early tomorrow morning so we can be home in time for the KU game at 8. That means we leave at 6AM. The Badgers play at 6PM against Purdue, which I’ll just have to miss because i’m not leaving at 4AM, I wouldn’t even do that for a KU game!
I wonder if Cindy got Bill a new watch for Christmas?
Do KU players get Bill Christmas presents and vice versa?
I got to watch the SDSU game with my KU roommate which was a lot of fun. Usually it’s just me watching and my family giving me weird looks.
That same roomie will be in AFH tomorrow night for the first time since we graduated together in 1988.
If memorial stadium hosted a relevant football team that made lots of TV appearances, it would be famous for it’s beautiful setting with the hill and the campanile at the top.
LSU hosts Oklahoma the same day KU plays Kentucky. I’m really hoping I can see Okie in person and also be home to watch the KU game. The time hasn’t been posted for our game yet.
My former KU players in the pros index:
Good Wiggins, Darrell, Kirk (considering his age, he is a valuable member of the Bulls), Paul, and Nick, BRush
OK. Mario, had 1 great game with Memphis. BMAC, TROB, Marcus, Kelly, (I think he’ll be a pretty good pro someday)
Uh, not OK. Cole, Tarik, Kieff, Cliff, Drew, Sasha, Joel
It just seems like KU is not a great producer of NBA players who are extremely good NBA players.
If we could just get together and talk about all this stuff would we end up disliking each other, or just really thinking this was the coolest group of guys and gals anywhere?
Happy Jayhawking and see you tomorrow night from Louisiana!
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@wissoxfan83
I think you pulled a Bill Self with the Morris throwing his towel at his coach.
It was Markieff but as Self would say back in the day,your both in trouble because I can’t tell the difference!!!
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@wissoxfan83 nice! Kieff threw the towel, Marcus is at Detroit doing well.
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@wissoxfan83
Great read!
“If I was a drinker, I’d ask @brooksmd for advice on what to have on a wintry day with nothing to do.”
I’m not a big drinker. Used to hold my own quite well in my youth. This holiday season was extremely “social” for me… attending more gatherings than the past. In my little world, Crown Royal Regal Apple really exploded onto the scene this year. So Saturday night I tried a mixer of sprite and Crown Apple. Quite tasty. A great drink for those who really don’t like the taste of traditional booze.
And you get a green cloth baggy with it instead of purple.
Yippee!
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@drgnslayr @globaljaybird is also an expert, ya know birds(Jayhawks) of a feather…
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I consider myself an expert ONLY on knowing myself.
My wife has challenged that and claims to know me better than I know myself.
So…
Hmmmmm… one of those apple drinks sounds pretty good right about now!
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@drgnslayr I’m just guessing your wife is right, ya know, birds of a feather…
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Also tried Agavero for the first time.
It is a tequila-derived “licor” from Mexico. Very smooth straight on ice. A bit sweet.
Something I liked because I used to be a tequila drinker. Still the taste, but very easy to stomach.
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@drgnslayr for not being a big drinker, sounds like a lot of experimenting. Jk
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For me, it was a big time drinking Christmas… I had TWO hard liquor drinks. Ha…
All the socializing… everyone insisted I have a drink. Perhaps to make their stories more interesting.
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@wissoxfan83
A couple of thought. Markieff has been having a tough time with Hornacek but it will be a dead heat on who leaves Phoenix first. Hornacek is in a really hot seat and the Suns did not pick up his option for next year, so there is a very good chance that he will not be back next year; he has decimated the Suns who are not doing well at all. If Markieff is still with the Suns at the end of the season, chances are he will stay in Phoenix with the new coach. There is the legal issue with Markieff and Marcus that could change things though.
My brother lives in the Washington DC area and is a wizards fan; he tells me that most fans like Gooden and think he should be playing more and also think that Oubre will be a really good player, once he get more experience…
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@drgnslayr I haven’t had any booze of any kind since 1988.
I get to be designated driver. A lot.
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@nuleafjhawk Ah. Reminds me of my friend Jim who, while snowbirding in S. TX a couple of years ago, got stopped for speeding late one night in radar-treacherous Los Fresnos, near South Padre. Officer asked, Have you been drinking? No, sir, I haven’t touched a drop since 1988! Jim got off with a warning to cut back on the throttle. Nowadays, he limits himself to two beers when he goes dancing.
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@BeddieKU23 I always got them mixed up!
@JayHawkFanToo Gooden was playing quite a bit at the beginning of the season appearing to still have a viable game. Oubre made the most of 32 minutes of playing time the other night and had decent numbers. He’s still just a kid so I think the future is brighter for him.
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@wissoxfan83 Hmmm, sitting in front of a nice fire, feet up on an ottoman, tootsies wrapped in thick wool socks and a nice warm glass of mulled wine, preferably a merlot or malbec, and watching the snow fall. All the while conversing face to face with a group of friendly bucketeers. Heaven, I’d be in heaven.
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@brooksmd I can see it!
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@drgnslayr I can’t believe you contaminated CR Apple with Sprite.
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@wissoxfan83 @globaljaybird on the other hand, would most likely be sitting next to me with a warm glass of Hennessy or Christian Brothers, depending on who was buying.
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@brooksmd and crims would be there w/iced tea!
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@brooksmd That’s an Amen from my corner !
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