Mourning our loss
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This really is awful. All year we watched, with anticipation, of a great ending to this season. Had a few ups and downs along the way, but many more ups than downs, a 16 game win streak and counting, the marvelous engineering of a dunking machine named Dok, the lightning quick wizardry of the best closing at the rim guard we’ve had in a long time (anyone better?), and an iron curtain defenseman who will rank among the all time greats at a program that appreciates all time greats on defense.
Every season in my KU memory except 97 and 03 we’ve entered March with question marks. I really thought those two seasons were our years. But this year in my mind was a 97 and 03 type of season. KU was going to win it this year. And then they didn’t.
We can’t blame anyone. Can’t blame weak 3 point defense, or the lack of a surefire three point shooter. Can’t lament Dok shooting 3 of 12 at the line in the most crucial of times. No finger pointing at a relatively thin bench. Can’t even shrug and say, wow, that Glen Robinson got super hot and there’s not much we could do to stop him. There’s no one to blame.
In fact we can’t even properly mourn this loss because it would be in very bad form. An epidemic that is unprecedented in our lifetimes, at least here in the US, creates a new form of March Madness. Social distancing is the word of the year. A week ago I doubt anyone knew what this meant. It’s a term that inserted itself into March Madness in many ways.
In Illinois where I attended school as a child it cost my high school a trip to state for the first time since I was in HS 40 years ago. In fact tonight as I write I would have been in Peoria cheering on the Red and White. (did I just say I was in HS 40 years ago?)
For the brother in law of my daughter it cost a chance to wrestle at DI nationals as a top 8 ranked 197 pounder at Virginia.
My favorite time of year, Players championship and the island green, Selection Sunday, First weekend, final four, opening day of the greatest use of grass since Abner Doubleday devised his little game, the splendor of the Masters. All in one month. All cancelled, or postponed in a few cases, but the Masters without Azaleas will be just a little less special.
My half marathon might get cancelled. I’ve trained for months, likely I’ll never attempt one again.
My daughters wedding in a month. A little up in the air right now, but will happen one way or another.
And we can’t complain. Nor should we. My elderly parents are scared even if they’re putting a brave face on it. So are some of yours. My recovering from Leukemia nephew suddenly has a new threat. How can we complain about a loss of a tournament?
There’s going to be some regret. But LORD willing in a month or two we’ll be able to collectively pat ourselves on the back and say thanks. Your sacrificing the chance at a championship saved someones life, one of those cases where you won’t even know whose lives were saved because they weren’t infected.
I like the version from the good book that the Byrds put to song 3000 years later.
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
How many days til Late Night?
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@wissox Very nice. My wife says that now there is a time to paint, too. Sigh…
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@mayjay Yeah, I’ve got a two week break and I may do the same.
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Great post - thanks
Man this whole thing is a kick in the berries on so many levels. A year When we had THIS TEAM. Gimme a break. I’ve always known that the tourney is a wild wild thing, and in any given game crazy stuff can easily happen no matter how good you are, but still… REALLY??? coach Self getting these bunch of guys thru all the obstacles, all the transfers, and scandals and trying to compete with the Nike power schools for recruits, and still building this particular team to be consensus number 1, then this??? damn virus couldn’t have waited to blow up say one lousy month or two later??
This one weird year we will all NEVER forget… but, I can tell you, the best cure will be to go on and win a ncaa championship or two or three. I hope to be alive to see THAT.
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@wissox sweet! Hope the wedding works out!
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@wissox very well said. Loved the Ecclesiastes verses. There are many other that apply as well.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Hundreds of scripture to help us through times like this.
But I sure would like to be watching some basketball right now.
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Great post.
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So, @jayballer73, since you follow other school’s boards… Is the Silo Tech fanbase celebrating the coronavirus because it managed to do something KSt couldn’t do…beat KU?
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@mayjay I have heard them say, in person, they are big12 champs. Lol purps are funny
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@BeddieKU23 thanks! A little perspective always helps me through these things.
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@mayjay said in Mourning our loss:
So, @jayballer73, since you follow other school’s boards… Is the Silo Tech fanbase celebrating the coronavirus because it managed to do something KSt couldn’t do…beat KU?
lol haven’t bothered with Brucie yet - -just been to the board of Arrogance
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@jayballer73 said in Mourning our loss:
@mayjay said in Mourning our loss:
So, @jayballer73, since you follow other school’s boards… Is the Silo Tech fanbase celebrating the coronavirus because it managed to do something KSt couldn’t do…beat KU?
- -just been to the board of Arrogance
Is that us (KU fans have been accused of worse)?
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@dylans said in Mourning our loss:
@jayballer73 said in Mourning our loss:
@mayjay said in Mourning our loss:
So, @jayballer73, since you follow other school’s boards… Is the Silo Tech fanbase celebrating the coronavirus because it managed to do something KSt couldn’t do…beat KU?
- -just been to the board of Arrogance
Is that us (KU fans have been accused of worse)?
Umm well let me just say , and say with all bias aside. For those people that are calling us worse - - then they really step outside their selves and take some time and actually read thse boards and post over sometime. NOT just a day - or two days. I’m talking for a month or so , you can then really justify if they think that’s truly the case or not. -I mean you don’t have to engulf yourself - -even just browse - -hell you don’t even have to open the thread on some of these , the title of the thread it’self pretty well can tell you what you need to know , pretty easy to get the jest of where it’s leading.
Others that I have taken the time to read -just solidifies my stance. So for someone who wants to try and compare the two fane base and coming that we are worse or even in the same ball park simply has NO IDEA what the hell they’re talking about, whether that be you, (not saying it is, but if it were ) or whoever they might want to check facts a little better before throwing that out.
Actually I feel that their fan base has a true fear , paranoia of KU Example ? - -perfect case scenario , when this whole Corona Virus thing came out , and then came the point in time where they canceled . So I thought I would check out other boards and see what they had to say about things being shut down , so went to UK board and opened it up and BAM instead of conversation of the Corona and the effect on the basketball season. Thread is talk about -WELL we only lost like 3 games in all times wins to KU with this, they can’t gain anymore , referring to the Virus being a blessing. - Other of these idiots responding and , and , and they gonna get stripped of wins blah , blah , blah - throwing in all the basic idiot name calling. This is just a very small portion of what they throw out about us on their board daily.
I really don’t see the Kentucky focus -well not nearly as much anyways as they have on a daily bases , they just seem overwhelmed , entranced by KU - sometimes I have to check and make sure I’m on the right Board - thinking to myself ,I thought I was on the UK board - - this looks like another KU board. - - through my experience it sure seemswith things said on that Board no WAY compares to our boards with them, - just un-deniable aggorance
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Snob hill, arrogant, wine and cheese crowd, cheaters… we’ve been accused of a lot of things and called worse. - F**k KU chant, GayU, Fly over U etc. KU gets its fair share of hatred my friend. But the arrogance accusations are probably not too far off. It’s not unearned, but definitely unbecoming.
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@dylans I cannot possibly be arrogant. I was raised better than that.
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@wissox said in Mourning our loss:
@BeddieKU23 thanks! A little perspective always helps me through these things.
It helped 0.1% so thanks. This has hurt more then losses
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Just looked this up and the differential this year between KU’s shooting % and opponents was on par with our best teams under Bill 08, 10, 11.
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I’ve actually been largely ok with the way this season ended, minus a few moments of self pity for the guys. Whether we were forced or not, it’s a noble thing to put aside personal aspirations for the greater good and we got to do that. I think it’s a good lesson for everyone and we are better for it.
Now if we could get the messaging right about social distancing before everyone infects everyone else anyway, and make our sacrifice for naught…
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@dylans said in Mourning our loss:
Snob hill, arrogant, wine and cheese crowd, cheaters… we’ve been accused of a lot of things and called worse. - F**k KU chant, GayU, Fly over U etc. KU gets its fair share of hatred my friend. But the arrogance accusations are probably not too far off. It’s not unearned, but definitely unbecoming.
check they’re board
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@approxinfinity said in Mourning our loss:
Now if we could get the messaging right about social distancing before everyone infects everyone else
So, to be clear, we are all coming together for a common purpose and agreeing to stay apart!
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Nunes on Fox telling everyone to go out to restaurants and eat. John Deere tractor in background. I was not watching Fox! I repeat, not watching
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@jayballer73 said in Mourning our loss:
@dylans said in Mourning our loss:
Snob hill, arrogant, wine and cheese crowd, cheaters… we’ve been accused of a lot of things and called worse. - F**k KU chant, GayU, Fly over U etc. KU gets its fair share of hatred my friend. But the arrogance accusations are probably not too far off. It’s not unearned, but definitely unbecoming.
check they’re board
I don’t mean us. We could never be arrogant that’s below us. I mean the fan base in general has been accused of it. Don’t kill the messenger (you’re not), but that was the reason I was asking who the board of arrogance is. It could apply to many fan bases.
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@dylans said in Mourning our loss:
@jayballer73 said in Mourning our loss:
@dylans said in Mourning our loss:
Snob hill, arrogant, wine and cheese crowd, cheaters… we’ve been accused of a lot of things and called worse. - F**k KU chant, GayU, Fly over U etc. KU gets its fair share of hatred my friend. But the arrogance accusations are probably not too far off. It’s not unearned, but definitely unbecoming.
check they’re board
I don’t mean us. We could never be arrogant that’s below us. I mean the fan base in general has been accused of it. Don’t kill the messenger (you’re not), but that was the reason I was asking who the board of arrogance is. It could apply to many fan bases.
Any mainstream sports website like Bleacher Report, CBS back in the day and places like that where it’s mostly T-shirt fans of every program that gather and give everyone a bad name. Most people that actually went to those schools are reasonable, level headed fans that are fun to converse with.
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Daughters wedding looking very iffy since CDC made the gatherings of 50 or less proclamation.
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Was supposed to fly back to KC next month for a HS reunion. Looks like that’s off too.
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I made a fucking mistake and went to the Wichita VA a couple weeks ago (I know, real smart) - they come from all over the state - am now sicker than a pig in summer.
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@Marco oof. Does it seem like CORONA?
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@BShark I hope not. Went to the hospital today. They game me a shot and some zpac and some other stuff.
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@BShark self-quarantining though, just to be safe. I was told to stay home, and not go to work - using vacation time. They couldn’t test me.
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@Marco fever?
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Respiratory symptoms?
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Wow, take care Marco.
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Zpac doesn’t help a virus. Wonder if the shot was a steroid of some kind.
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@marco We are pulling for you to get better!
Lack of tests is so frustrating.
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@Crimsonorblue22 unfortunately, yeah.
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@bskeet I’ll be okay.
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Be safe Coach Marco
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I’m so lucky, DVR’d the KU-Texas Tech game (haven’t watched it yet). Going to watch it tomorrow.
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@Crimsonorblue22 said in Mourning our loss:
Zpac doesn’t help a virus. Wonder if the shot was a steroid of some kind.
They might have just been covering the bases to treat possible strep or bacterial pneumonia, either of which are easier to get when you have a viral respiratory disease. I love Zpac! (allergic to penicillin)
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@mayjay They gave me that, a shot and some amoxicillin. Strong like bull!
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2 antibiotics?
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@Crimsonorblue22 yeah.
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The last three time I used a zpack it did nothing and ultimately had to use amoxicillin. I’m glad they didn’t mess around and gave you both @Marco
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Man, these are strange times… Obviously anyone can be beaten on any given night when it comes to the tournament, but our guys really had a chance. If KU was on its A-game how many teams could have matched up with us?
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@Marco said in Mourning our loss:
Man, these are strange times… Obviously anyone can be beaten on any given night when it comes to the tournament, but our guys really had a chance. If KU was on its A-game how many teams could have matched up with us?
if we were on - - not many , as can’t count how many times and have to agree, w ha the best 1-2 combo in Americas. I mean seriously if Doke got position down low - - it was over. who could stop what he brought? - Put those 2 together and then our Ace in the hole of Defensive specialists Marcus - -just hard to beat
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Self on Scott VanPelt’s podcast. 11/10 worth a listen. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-need-more-fruit/id1494246435?i=1000468825593
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@dylans It’s not arrogance - we just deserve honor because we are Blue Blood ROYALTY.
Something like that.
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Man seeing all the memories the last couple of days on social media and having nothing this year sucks
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"For of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been.’
- John Greenleaf Whittier
