Hield and Woodard combine for 70+ and add to that the ten point swing from Higgins and Co. in the first half, winning this game was Battle of Midway’esque. Guaran-damn-tee this is planned for in the trip to Norman (lame as it is).

D’vonte Graham has to have his shit together for us to cut down nets. If this wasn’t evident in the first half of this last game, I have nothing to say to you.

Perry is gonna go out like a true warrior. Every time I think I have never been more impressed by him, he surprises me. Tonight will be very hard to top.

C5 still an enigma. It made great plays when you didn’t expect, and biffed it when you thought it would close out the game. Maybe not playing POY Hield will help, but damn,

The chemistry, and solidarity between Graham Mason and Selden will be what decides this season fro KU. Perry Ellis will be the beneficiary of their due diligence.

I have been an avid lurker of this site for a while, but when I saw this thread I felt like I had to post. Hopefully this provides some insight into how I think and feel about the team.

To preface what I am about to say, I never grew up a Jayhawks fan as I wasn’t originally from Kansas, and for the first half of my life, I couldn’t call myself much of a fan of any sport. That changed when I transferred to the University of Kansas from Wichita State. After watching Wayne Simien’s first exhibition game with a few of my friends and roommates. it was easy to see why the sport was so popular in Lawrence, and I was hooked. That said, it wasn’t until conference play started in Spring semester that i really understood what it meant to be a fan of the program. My emotions towards the shortfalls and successes of the program certainly intensified, and as such a short lived fan of the program at that time, I had no way to qualify or quantify why they did. It just happened.

As I have gotten older, I’ve been able to put things into perspective much better than when I was a young college student. The highs aren’t quite as high, but the lows don’t hurt that bad like they did when I was at school. Even with this new found outlook on KU hoops, conference season still manages to get me red in the face, jump off my sofa, fist pump in the living room, yell profanities at the TV, and consume alcohol on work nights when I probably shouldn’t. Familiarity breeds contempt, and even if as an adult, I can mask that contempt, it’s definitely there…

So right now, conference season means the following to me:

1. Enjoying every conference win more than the non-con games, unless it’s a win over the likes of UK, Duke, Michigan St, Arizona etc…
2. Absolutely dreading the losses. Losing to teams in conference is the worst. It’s a lot harder to avoid the alumni at work and where I live after a conference loss.
3. Driving coworkers and friends that attended KSU crazy by not even bringing up a win over their program. Nothing pisses off little brother more than not giving a rat’s if little brother even exists.
4. Keeping the liquor supply stocked to cope with the inevitable court storming.
5. Watching some of the games with the television muted, as the sound of KSU and ISU fans being happy grieves me. Obviously MIzzou used to fall into this bucket as well.

Since I have been a fan my favorite conference moments have been:

1. Drew Gooden spiking the ball on ISU’s court in 2002 to the chagrin of Clowns nation.
2. Miles and Hinrich hitting those improbable three pointers at the end of the game in Methsewery in 2003.
3. Julian Wright’s 360 dunk on UT for the Big XII ship, and his miserable dunk fail the next year against the Buffs.
4. The Brady Morningstar free throw.
5. Tyshawn Taylor putting it all together in 2012 just in time for conference season.
6. The come back from -19 against MU.
7. EJ dunking the ball at the end of OT in Ames.

Sorry for the lengthy first post, but figured this thread was the best way to introduce myself. Looking forward to talking hoops with everyone here.

I don’t think it’s fair to conflate analysis and hard truth with pessimism. I’m not accusing anyone in particular of doing this, I just think it’s human nature to read harsh criticism of something or someone your care for, and react defensively to it. I know from experience, cuz I do it all the time.

I love this site because I can come here to read posts from people that know way more about hoop than I do, and get the truth, or at least some very keen analysis. Having access to this knowledge and insight has allowed me to watch Jayhawk games with a much better understanding of what is happening on the hardwood, and what might happen in future games.

On the flip side, I don’t think it’s fair to accuse anyone that might be defensive over harsh criticism as being guilty of “blind homerism”. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and believe that they know where flaws with the team exist, and that they have faith they will be worked out on time, they just might not want to hear about it.

It would be a damn shame if this website became a bastion for one sided discussion, which I do not think it is in danger of becoming.

For anyone that might see our team’s future as bleak for the 2016 season, I liken the WVU game to a turning point in my personal fandom of the team. This turning point was the away game at Gallagher - Iba in 2008. To me, and I am sure for the rest of us, our hopes for KU hoops that year was National Champs or bust. The team was just stacked, and I expected them to win every game they played. I knew the game at UT would be tough because they were a legit opponent, and I knew some shenanigans would happen in Craphatten due to the Michael Beasly hype. However, I was apoplectic after the OSU game. I couldn’t believe KU lost, as the Jayhawks out talented OSU in hoops like Daniel Day Lewis out talents Tommy Wiseau at acting. I logged online and wrote all sorts of vitriol about the coaching staff and the players after the game was over, under an anonymous screen name back when ESPN let you do that. I was ready to give up cheering for the team after I felt disrespected by their effort.

On April 7th, 2008, I realized what a true moron I was for being so fickle.

I think that WVU loss can be tantamount to the loss at OSU in 2008. If KU can fix some of the problems that have been accurately addressed on this site, there is no reason not to believe the sky is the limit. The team has two choices right now, to stay the same and lose almost every road game or neutral court game to championship caliber opponents, or to get better and collect the inevitable hardware that a team this talented should collect.

I read the article, and while Kief doesn’t do himself any favors, some comments on the FB section mention that Kief was told he would be playing with his brother this season, and took a deal accordingly only to see Marcus get traded. If any of that is true, Kief is understandably upset, and it’s just another example of how a man’s word, more often than not, isn’t worth much at all.

Now the Suns have a business to run, and they will do what they think is best for them, but I get the feeling there is more than just the Suns’ side to this story. Good thing is Marcus has made the best out of a bad situation in Detroit, and I’m happy to see him thrive.

@nwhawkfan What a terrible Valentine’s Day that was. I don’t know what was worse? Being dateless like damn near every other Valentine’s Day, or having to hear the announcers for the game say the name of the worst arena nickname in all of sport over and over and over… “The Octagon of Doom”.

K-State should build a new hoops arena as a testament to Bruce Weber’s time there, and call it the Rhombus of Regression. It sounds just as dumb, but at least it’s appropriate.

@brooksmd said:

@cragarhawk KU fans showing class by giving Buddy a hand after his interview on ESPN.

K-State fan after that game gets tazed… bro.

@JayHawkFanToo Definitely good points. I just got a little excited to take any chance I get to point out how awful that arena nickname is, and my disdain for KSU after last season histrionics form the fans certainly clouds my better judgement.

At this point though, I feel like Weber’s success against the Hawks will be on a downward trend. Weber caught KU in the midst of its two worst years under Self, and I’m seeing much bluer skies in the future. Which is good because when KU lost to KSU when Martin was at the helm, I could at least be ok with it since I had respect for Martin. Weber on the other hand is a smarmy little punk.

Ugh, Hunter!!! Gotta have two points there!

@wrwlumpy I think it would be cool if it did happen, because I imagine the outcome of the game this year would be way different. Maybe someone can destroy Fred’s beak while they are at.

@JayHawkFanToo Imagine that… the rules changes, when actually enforced, drastically affecting teams like Huggy Bear’s. Makes one think back to the 2007 game against the Salukis when the internet was awash in tears of people claiming the Jayhawks had the favorable whistle that game. Maybe I should add hand checking to my signature?

TCU winning any games helps the Jayhawks on the quest for XII straight.

@JayHawkFanToo Amazing the difference a single year can make in terms of perception. A Final Four run this year for KU likely removes the bitter taste from many a mouth for a few years. A NCAA championship for KU this year, and sculptors will be submitting bids to the university to work on the Bill Self statue.

I don’t even want to contemplate the aftermath of something else at this point because I have enough other BS to be upset about.

@tis4tim Here is the obligatory BWAHAHAHAHAHA for ya.

I’d expect this meme to apply to every home game this year, except for UK, which will be full of people from BBN.

I don’t think it’s fair to conflate analysis and hard truth with pessimism. I’m not accusing anyone in particular of doing this, I just think it’s human nature to read harsh criticism of something or someone your care for, and react defensively to it. I know from experience, cuz I do it all the time.

I love this site because I can come here to read posts from people that know way more about hoop than I do, and get the truth, or at least some very keen analysis. Having access to this knowledge and insight has allowed me to watch Jayhawk games with a much better understanding of what is happening on the hardwood, and what might happen in future games.

On the flip side, I don’t think it’s fair to accuse anyone that might be defensive over harsh criticism as being guilty of “blind homerism”. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and believe that they know where flaws with the team exist, and that they have faith they will be worked out on time, they just might not want to hear about it.

It would be a damn shame if this website became a bastion for one sided discussion, which I do not think it is in danger of becoming.

For anyone that might see our team’s future as bleak for the 2016 season, I liken the WVU game to a turning point in my personal fandom of the team. This turning point was the away game at Gallagher - Iba in 2008. To me, and I am sure for the rest of us, our hopes for KU hoops that year was National Champs or bust. The team was just stacked, and I expected them to win every game they played. I knew the game at UT would be tough because they were a legit opponent, and I knew some shenanigans would happen in Craphatten due to the Michael Beasly hype. However, I was apoplectic after the OSU game. I couldn’t believe KU lost, as the Jayhawks out talented OSU in hoops like Daniel Day Lewis out talents Tommy Wiseau at acting. I logged online and wrote all sorts of vitriol about the coaching staff and the players after the game was over, under an anonymous screen name back when ESPN let you do that. I was ready to give up cheering for the team after I felt disrespected by their effort.

On April 7th, 2008, I realized what a true moron I was for being so fickle.

I think that WVU loss can be tantamount to the loss at OSU in 2008. If KU can fix some of the problems that have been accurately addressed on this site, there is no reason not to believe the sky is the limit. The team has two choices right now, to stay the same and lose almost every road game or neutral court game to championship caliber opponents, or to get better and collect the inevitable hardware that a team this talented should collect.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said:

@drgnslayr It was Ellis. Without his efforts tonight, KU loses this game by 25 at least. He wanted redemption for last year and he absolutely played like a man tonight. For all the crap he’s gotten the previous 3 years for being softer than Charmin, Perry Ellis has grown up this year.

This is why I love having seniors on the team. Not because it always translates to more wins, and fewer losses, but because it’s fun to watch players mature (or not in some cases) over four years. Thus far, this season, I am very proud of Perry, and will definitely miss seeing him in crimson and blue. Seeing the players get better over the years, observing the changes in their demeanor and attitude towards the game of basketball and the program can really take the sting out of some bad losses.

Perry’s play tonight is perhaps the only positive from the game, and I’m thankful that we at least have one positive to look at.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said:

KU is simply playing undisciplined basketball right now. Ellis is the only one playing under control right now. Everyone else is playing really sped up right now.

And KU is letting one mistake lead to another. Not only is Perry the only guy with a sense of discipline on the court in blue, he is the only guy with confidence. Anyone else gets their hands on the ball there is no fluidity, no plan.

@KUSTEVE said:

how many f*cking times are we going to hear “they’re not intimidated”…

Or the new buzzword for Fran, deflection?

@jaybate-1.0 said:

Svi has got to make some shots!

If I hear about his “potential” the rest of the season, I will have to fight the urge to vomit. What in creation leads anyone to think this guy would be drafted this year?

Perry Ellis is the only thing working offensively in the half court. WVU has no reason to play honest defense on anyone except the ball handler at the moment, and even on the possessions where the ball doesn’t stick, and KU has an open shot, it’s brick city.

Kansas has looked better than last year breaking the press, but they somehow look worse once they have crossed the time line.

I like the giant Jayhawk because KU has a very unique mascot. The Kansas Jayhawk is never confused with any other school’s mascot, hence it makes a great image four Naismith Court.

If it were to be changed to anything, I could stomach a silhouette of the KU campus skyline, since the campus is gorgeous, and the image of Fraser Hall is easily recognized.

The color scheme obviously needs to be worked out, but I love the image of the imposing Fraser Hall.

@DinarHawk said:

@HighEliteMajor actually, after re watching part of Duke vs Butler again, it appears Thomas started at the 4 with Singlar at the 3. The three guards, Smith, Scheyer, and Singlar, really carried the load offensively for that team.

Question for ya… after watching the Duke - Butler game, did it appear Zoubeck was getting away with every damn thing? My memory tells me the officials would absolutely not call fouls on that kid, and he was mauling anyone in a black jersey, but I might be wrong.