For graduating! Makes me just as proud as success on the court.

So I was at my local watering hole the other night watching my Bears and sat by one of my good friends who happens to be a KSU fan, but all around super dude.

Anyway, turns out he’s a regular golfing buddy with one KJ Adams. And he just raved and raved about how good a dude he is and how down to earth he is. Apparently his girlfriend is going to be a PT and also really has it together. He sucks at golf but can hit it a mile lol.

It’s nothing super groundbreaking but it’s good this time of year to hear some feel good stories about our guys.

I went to the Red Lyon for a brew and to watch some ball and talked with the rando next to me. Turns out he was the executive chef for the Dallas Cowboys at one point and is in town planning the menu for… a new restaurant in Allen Fieldhouse. It’ll be mostly a big donor spot but he told me the menu was going to be super high end and Kansas themed. Smoked meats at AFH for everyone! @approxinfinity i nominate it for the KU Buckets holiday party

We good.

Seriously, folks. This team is really, really good. Took some elite level weirdness to lose each game so far. First the inexplicable 28 TO’s against dook without Moss then our dude Marcus goes down early against Nova followed by Dot’s brain fart. First against KenPom #1 dook and then KenPom #19 at their place, and we lost by a total of 3 points. The Dayton win is really good. Our freshmen will only get better, just look at the games Braun and Enaruna had today. Marcus will be back. Silvio will eventually find his sea legs. Self’s teams always get significantly better over break with the increased practice time.

The other thing we have in spades is defense, and it will travel. We’re the KenPom #5 defense, essentially tied for 4th. The offense will come around. I’m certainly an optimist by nature so ignore me if you want to see things on the downside. But!

We good.

https://twitter.com/chasenscott/status/1374211304446103553?s=21

https://twitter.com/jifhawk/status/1374211437250351106?s=21

Incredible Jayhawk. He didn’t always play in situations that were the best for him, but he always played his ass off. He’s going to make life hell for a lot of good pros. Godspeed, Marcus. Jayhawk nation loves you.

It’s easy to sit behind a keyboard and say “player X sucks get him out of here” but stories like Juan’s are why college sports are so great. A kid in Juan’s position wouldn’t sniff a place like KU without sports. The guy in the jersey matters. A lot.

Heard from a KU source today they think they got Tucker

I’m in DC right now to see friends and was at the Kansas Society annual banquet last night where Self was honored as Kansan of the Year. It was a really cool event. Self told the story of how Rep. Yoder and Sen. Moran were instrumental in getting Doke’s mom to the states for the Final Four in 2018. She went from not having a passport or transportation to the airport to Texas in about a week. The event was sold out for the first time in a very long time. The list of attendees was absurd: the entire Congressional delegation, FCC Chair Ajit Pai (from Parsons), Sec. Pompeo, a DC circuit judge whose name escapes me, AD Long, and of course Self.

I spoke to Self and Long for just a bit. I didn’t ask about any player in particular since it was just a cocktail reception and dinner, so just told Self I loved the look of the team, and he “thinks they have a chance to be pretty good.” I told Long I was as excited for KU football as I’ve been in about a decade and he loved hearing that from an alum.

Maybe it’s my background in comms and dealing with press for a living, but am I the only one who doesn’t give a rats ass what the media says about KU and thinks KU shouldn’t take their opinions into account AT ALL when deciding punishment? Sure there’s that out of context photo, but the video is much less damning if people would just watch it (https://imgur.com/a/5znZHdo). ESPN doesn’t run KU. CBS doesn’t run KU. Twitter doesn’t run KU. The state of Kansas runs KU. Tell the press they can shove it with their hot takes and we’ll run the show like adults. Yes, there will obviously be consequences for dumbassery. But suggesting this is the end for Silvio and whatnot is absolutely without merit IMO. Would break all precedent from previous dumbassery and wouldn’t serve anyone but the press’s appetite for blood.

K losing his last regular season, ACCT, and tournament game would be amazing

Some good news on the Billy Eugene front https://x.com/goodmanhoops/status/1953846054996099519?s=46&t=c0LiaNrxev6XfT7LIH8dAQ

There will be two big scheme changes that are JD (and most QBs) friendly under Z/Lubick. First, attacking the middle of the field more. There was a stark contrast in Kotelnicki vs. Grimes in how they called the passing game. Also having a better receiving TE in Hanika will help. Next is the option game. JD can be lethal in the option game as we saw in 22. Lots of that was Lubick’s brainchild. Grimes barely called any (and sometimes forgot #4 existed). So those changes will be big, along with a more talented WR corps. The old trio were great, but Grimm was really the only guy that could consistently get separation. Henderson and Pickett both have burst and suddenness to win 1 on 1 and turn a slant into 6.

Bill has taken a similarly talented group to a natty appearance so just my view, but it’s too early to say.

Calderon is going to look good in unstructured scrimmages from just being crazy athletic but he was downright bad in OTE ball.

The whole is going to be better than the sum of its parts IMO. Early reports are the young guys look really good. I think it’s going to be hard to keep Rosario out of the starting lineup come league play.

@bskeet parenting done right!

@nuleafjhawk sure thing! As a general recommendation for everyone, give a stop downtown on game days. The fine local establishments will appreciate your business for KU’s return to Lawrence. A place that’s a little off the beaten path that has very good food (best wings in town) hit up R Bar on Florida between 6th and 7th, right around the corner from Louise’s West, another of Lawrence’s finest watering holes and a game day staple.

I think I agree entirely with @wissox except for Arizona. They seem to be in a bad spot. 10 wins is attainable which would put us in contention for a trip to Arlington.

@SlimShaddy54 it’ll be like 10-15 rows. Keeping somewhat of a view from the hill is a huge priority for donors and the university. The administration really, really wants to keep the walking down the hill for graduation tradition going

@nuleafjhawk park downtown and take the shuttle to and from Memorial. It’s $1 each way plus you can hang out on Mass before and after. Also if you get to the game early enough street parking in the neighborhood north of the stadium is free. Anywhere below 9th and between Missouri and Mississippi Streets are your best bet. I also believe there’s a shuttle that runs from the lot across from Allen. People also sell parking passes on the secondary market. So lots of options.

Edit: lots of good info here https://parking.ku.edu/football-game-day