• For helping Frank become the finest college player in America.
• For helping Frank get a 4 year degree.
• For helping Frank become a good man and father to his kid.
• For helping Landen develop into a quality big with a solid post move and best FG% in the B12.
• For never giving up or saying one defeatist thing when Udoka went down.
• For giving an interview after a heartbreaking loss and conducting yourself with dignity, throwing no one under the bus, appreciating the efforts put forth on the other side, and helping me to get a grip and accept it.
• For bringing Tyler on board these 4 years so that you could work your ass for this program and still help your son know you better and be close to you.
• For recruiting likeable guys every year. Guys we can look forward to getting to know even when the finest KU point guard of this generation now must move on.
• For being open minded enough to, out of necessity, turn your offensive philosophies on their head this year and allow the guards to be great. It is your ability to mask our weaknesses that make us all see our team as an unbeatable juggernaut each March.

Rick Pitino, you are a trifling egomaniac. Come on man. I thought you were better than this.

At UNC down at the half, Pitino got irate and had to “be restrained” yelling at a fan whom ESPN reported to have told Pitino “Pitino, you S-U-C-K” as he made his way to the locker room. At least that’s how ESPN reported it, gun-shy about saying the word “suck”, and opting to spell it instead like the profanest of words. Pitino in his post game, called the fan a coward for turning his back on him. The fan was ejected. Are you f’n kidding me? If I got ejected from a front row seat for telling the opposing coach that he sucks I would lose my sh**!

And so Rick, you get my COWARD OF THE WEEK award. How sweet it must be for your entitled lily white butt to point at a passionate fan and have him ejected from his own home court.

Shame on you UNC, for turning the Dean Smith Center into King Pitino’s personal safe space.

And seriously, you can’t say “you suck”, you have to S-P-E-L-L it O-U-T on ESPN at 10:30 pm, but you can play trailers for horror movies at noon on a Saturday when little kids are actually watching?

Another one in the books… Another fun season. The ride this year was pretty great. Glad to share it with you guys.

I’m sure some people will peel off. Before you do just wanted to say it’s been fun!

Run! Run! Run!

This team had me at Diallo.

And not because Cheick was great in his debut, which he was. Because it was at that point forward that Self relaxed, with his full complement of talent. Since then, it’s been like a dream for us Bucketeers. Self’s decision-making and our thoughts have been pretty much completely in lock step: Mick’s got the run he has deserved, we’ve been playing to our strengths (shooting, running), and Self has come out and said as much. It feels like love.

I’m riveted. Goosebumps flush my arms. The 20-2 runs that absolutely bury competitive teams have me on cloud 9. Disruptive defense from guards and bigs, the outlet passes from Mick, Cheick and Bragg, the breakneck push down the floor from Frank, and Devonte, the spread wings ready to bury threes, and the smart decisions that fill the space between these elements. It feels like love!

But to me, it doesn’t start with the 3. It starts with pushing the ball, and that means good outlets to Frank and Devonte, with Selden, Perry [and Svi/Green] rolling to the wings with the green light to bomb in transition. That’s the stuff that makes 20-2 runs, and championships are made of.

Don’t break my heart Bill. Let these Hawks run! What’s a 3rd side? Never heard of it.

Run! Run! Run!

@jaybate-1-0 is a wonderful writer, capable of turning over rocks and tapping untapped wells of thought and emotions in places you might assume to be all tapped out, by always going a little bit further, lingering a little bit longer, savoring a thought, and turning it once more until it sparkles in the light. I miss the guy deeply.

I’ve come to understand that some people didn’t appreciate him as much as I do, that he did not resonate with them as much as he does me. But I ask those people to at least see how different and thoughtful he is, even if it doesn’t float your boat, and even if you do not see him as a friend.

Tough loss. Our shortcomings were on display today, and they were numerous.

Doke is not enough in the post, even if he stays out of foul trouble, and plays his best. He has tremendous strength, but also serious weaknesses. He does not high point the ball on rebounds, nor does he get up quickly. He does not have a great vertical, but has great length. He does not secure rebounds by getting his hand on the other side of it. He does not shoot beyond bunnies. He will be exposed by quick athletic bigs. Some issues can be corrected, others can be smoothed over, but smoothing over takes time. Probably another season. We need DeSousa and Preston. We just do.

Lightfoot is more agile than Doke, but strength is still an issue and will be. This too will take time, and probably another season to really address.

Malik is a bit of a headcase right now on O. I think he could learn a lot from watching video of Frank in transition. Remember Frank got swatted repeatedly early on. Sherron too. Should watch before and after Tyshawn tape too.

Vick did his best, but he looked tremendously uncomfortable at the foul like for 2/3 of the game. Every shot looked a little different, like he just didn’t know what a 10 footer should feel like. If he’s expected to be that guy against the 2-3, he needs to practice that shot over and over. And over and over.

We need to get the ball moving against the zone. This sitting around while the ball goes into the high post to an out-of-sorts Lagerald for the shot every single play is mind numbing. Our guys were standing around on the perimeter when they should have been getting open for the kick.I’m pretty sure Self knew that he was playing with PlayDoh and the other side had modeling clay about half way through the first. He partially owned the loss in his postgame, and I think thats fair. We were flat and our gameplan uninspired. Also, with a non-elite rebounder who lacks quick twitch hops / mobility, options are pretty limited passing to the interior.

Svi’s shot from the corner was just not going to fall tonight. Devonte seemed to not know what he was supposed to do besides passing in to Vick. Garrett looked lost for a 3rd game.

By the end of the game, we could not run or did not run with Washington. Very likely we were gased and shellshocked. Our lateral quickness was either timid or slow and got torched, and they dictated pace to ice the game. At one point Devonte (?) waited for Doke to get down the floor so he could throw an errant lob as the defense recovered.

The good news is, we exposed a lot of weaknesses at once. Plenty of motivation to work our asses off in practice. The bad news is, some of this stuff can be corrected over the course of the next month, and some of it can’t be with this personnel and lack of bodies.

Billy Preston probably would have been useful at the high post tonight. DeSouza probably would have been useful in the rebounding department.

I really hope we get them this year, otherwise I’m tempering my expectations on being competitive to win the Big-12, and hoping to make it to the Sweet 16, with the certainty that some team lurking beyond that can exploit our weaknesses.

I’ve had some time to think about the banning/blocking thing and here’s my take. I think of this site as a community. That means that we do our best to hear and respect everyones voice.

I think of the gamechats as a home. We are there to enjoy the company. Think of crowding around a tv in a single room. Now think of someone talking negatively, loudly after every single play about your coach, your best players, and the lack of talent on your team. No one in their right mind would invite that guy back if he cant tone it down.

So thats the policy. With the gamechats in particular i reserve the right to ban someone who is excessively annoying too many people and off the rails. I plan to then reinstate them after the game and i hope that this is only extenuating circumstances. I remain committed to the enjoyment for the greatest number and a sense of good will, creativity, and community. I also appreciate that people have bad days, but a blatant disregard for other peoples enjoyment will be a problem. Finally, i still believe he who governs best governs least, and i do this only due to perceived necessity. I dont want anyone to feel they have to tread lightly. It goes back to our first and possibly only basic rule, written somewhere and pinned i think: dont be a dick.

As always, if anyone feels like something doesnt sit right, Im available to talk about it.

Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving.

I appreciate you all and look forward to hitting the boards with you.

Havent tested this out, but i turned on a post queue for new users. Hopefully this means you guys dont need to see bot garbage going forward.

Frank Mason take no prisoners farewell tour is already in full swing. Ripping out hearts, one team at a time!

I’d take the last 4 years of Frank over any other guard options Self could have pursued in 2012. You done good, Bill.

Silvio is coming to toooown…

Merry Christmas all my fellow KU basketball addicts! I have a deep and pervading affection for all your affectations! Thank you for being you!

I’ve been voraciously reading Beyond the Streak. Great stuff! Would love to start a book club thread with a spoiler alert disclaimer to discuss some of the things that they address. Let me know who has it / is getting it. I’m on page 40. That is right about the 2005-06 Big 12 championship revenge game against Texas. It’s slow going because I find myself reflecting on every game or event they discuss, and then what it has meant for every subsequent generation of Jayhawks and our perceptions, recruiting, Self’s philosophies, etc. It’s like reading this board except where @jaybate-1-0 has turned into Stephen Vinson, @HighEliteMajor has turned into Matt Kleinmann, @Crimsonorblue22 has turned into RussRob and @wrwlumpy has turned into Mario Chalmers.

Anyway… merry Christmas and remember, the streak survived Aldridge, Daniel Gibson, AJ Abrams and PJ Tucker when we had Vinson, Moody, Hawkins, Kleinmann and a bunch of freshmen and sophomores! Buckle up guys, it’s going to be a hell of a ride.

@Crimsonorblue22 lol theyll be best frienemies for life. My older 2 are 18 months apart. Congrats!

I love this team. Lets never not have a bench full of ballers again.

Seahawks look like the juice has worn off.

@DCHawker im not unhappy seeing Passmore and Shak get more minutes.

Dajuan is lethal around the rim.

Late whistle

So i missed the flory injury. What did he do?

Love me some Juan layups

I need to watch first half. Wasnt at the house. Excited! Will report back.

@dylans oh dont be modest, you can tell us you are a master at peg solitaire