Congrats to our beloved Jayhawks for not only bringing home the gold. Yet also playing together playing tough and becoming the team in such a short time. The sad part is now you’ve stroked my addiction (as I am a KU junkie) and will be sitting around with the shakes and my mind and heart swirling waiting for the season to start. Maybe I should seek help?

The WUG’s was quite the experience for not only the players but it’s fans too. Getting up in the middle of the night or the crack of dawn to watch a game was new one on me. I’m kind of glad that stuff is over. I was quite disappointed in the media coverage of the WUG’s. Now I wasn’t expecting full blown coverage or anything, but come on a fan should be able to find out when the game starts and what the finally score was. Not to mention a little analysis could’ve added to the experience. After all it was USA basketball. No wonder Espn is losing money. Their east coast basis may in the end cost them everything they accomplished. As technology advances and makes it easier and cheaper for fans to connect to their teams, the old tried and true broadcasting methods become obsolete. No Espn not everybody wants to watch the Red Soxs and Yankees play. NO REALLY.

It seems even HCBS has learned a thing or two in this WUG’s. He was able to see all his players get playing time against decent to pretty good teams. Bragg and Vick got much needed practice and playing time to help further their development for the college game. In fact these WUG’s may have helped Bragg and Vick the most. When the college season starts they should be able to hit the ground running. Wish Diallo could’ve been there.

However the most intriguing lesson I believe HCBS learned was letting his players play. HCBS is a system guy to the very core of who he is. We’ve all seen him call a timeout when play seemed to get wild and loose? When every KU fan hears the term high/low visions of HCBS fill the head. Though HCBS is the best at in game adjustments there is. He never really varies from the system. He just makes you think he has. However the WUG’s was just as much an experince for the coaches at KU as it was the players and fans. With the shortened play clock all the way around, and the different substitution format. HCBS had to adjust, he had to adjust his game plan, he had to trust in his players and let them play. Sure HCBS still looked and wanted to go inside, but there wasn’t enough time to really just pound the ball inside. HCBS was forced to let his players play. Now KU and HCBS will gain a few more seconds on the play clock as the college game starts, but I’m not sure the lesson that HCBS and the KU players learned about themselves and as a team in a faraway land will be forgotten as some passing memory. I believe that KU fans though not aware at first began to sense the change in how KU was handling business too, and you know what you liked it.

HCBS is a system guy and will always be, but the game is changing and he knows it. HCBS was always good about finding talent and forming, molding that talent. Yet the WUG’s taught him when you have the best talent, sometimes you just let them play.

Is this the beginning of the End? I don’t know, but something happened over there in the WUG’s that could change everything.

Sometimes we KU fans can be selfish? We expect our Jayhawks to run rough shot all that enter the Phog. However we really miss and disrespect the old Field House.

You see the Phog Allen Field House is a place of history, a place of scared ground, a Mecca of Basketball. Not even the New York Garden compares. No not even the 30’000 seat coporate arenas the Kentucky Wildcats or Lousiville Cardinals play in compare.

You see the old Field House is legendary all on it’s own. It’s a place of history. It captures the true essence of the game of basketball.

Even the Sleazy Coach Cal has paid homage to it’s greatness. Telling the media and his players you’ll never experience anything like your going to experience playing in the Phog. One of UK’s star studded players that show cased his skills admitted with a fervor that he had never seen anything like it, or played in such a wonderful environment. Somewhere the great Lebron (the King) is showing his envy.

Yes KU is supposed to win. Yet understand opposing players and teams want to rise to the occasion. Just like the Roman Collsiuem. They want to show their greatness on the greatest hard wood floor in the world. They want to rise to the occasion of folklore. For you see playing in the old Fieldhouse is a crowning achievement for Jayhawks and foes.

So I’m not as seasoned as some of KU fans that post on KUBuckets. However in my life time I have witnessed two KU national Championships.

How many times have we seen a KU superior team enter the tournament only to be upset? Whether HCRW or HCBS it seems a KU top notch team falls apart and loses. For some reason these team find their kryptonite no matter how good they are. Whether a strange team shooting lights out from three, or a bad call from the refs. KU’s best teams go home.

Yet KU’s least best teams seem to do quite well in the tournament. 2011/2012 wasn’t the best KU team yet they played for the championship. The Danny and the Miracles were far from being the best yet they cut down the nets. In 2008 KU went into the final 4 as the weakest #1 seed and yet they cut down the nets in the only final 4 to present 4 #1’s seeds.

So here is my point. Is this the season? Everybody is down on KU (even I), yet is it that moment? Is this that moment where KU plays out of their minds. Whether they play Bad Ball as Jaybate has been claiming for weeks, or hitting the three as Hem has been saying for weeks. Does KU climb above the abnormal and claim greatness?

My fellow KU fans. I love to break down how a team plays, as much as the next guy, However sometimes in the tournament a team comes along that you can’t make sense of. Last year it was UConn. Is this the year of the KU Jayhawks.?

I believe in the law of averages and karma. So many times KU has entered the tournament as a team to be reckoned with, yet only went home early. Yet this year KU enters the tournament as a team not favored and is expected to lose early. Does KU rise to the challenge? Does KU claim their spot in history?

I’m starting to believe.

@Jayrawks1

Doesn’t matter slimy Cal can’t coach 10 mickeyD’s past a tough homegrown good coaching program like the BADGERS. This is the game changer. Slimy Cal had every thing he wanted and needed, yet he couldn’t deliver.

That is all that matters. The Badgers saved College Basketball today. Hell I’m going to have a tee-shirt made. It will say the Badgers saved college basketball 2015. ")

Look the OU slash KU game was the greatest. One that won’t be forgotten for a long time. Espn is happy, the Big 12 is happy, and college basketball fans in general are happy. Yet should KU fans be happy? Yes we should that was a hard fought game and KU was indeed the hunted in that game and they stood their ground. Yes KU faithful the Big 12 regular season conference championship still runs through KU land. All is good or is it?

No I’m not worried about OU or any other team. I worried about Coach. The first half Coach was playing the new found style of play. Coach was going to the bench, KU was pushing the pace, shooting the 3 ball and well just playing like they have been. Yet in the later part of the second half Coach decided to tighten the reins. There was no more going to the bench? Coach for his reasons decides to run with Traylor and Lucas. Hey I’m not against playing those kids, they’ve paid their dues.

Yet I noticed something. When Coach decided to run with Traylor and Lucas the open 3’s disappeared and bad ball appeared. No longer were treys on the menu. I’m not sure but it was at this moment when Coach decided to run with Traylor and Lucas that OU started playing their best defense. All of the sudden the open 3 dried up as Lon had his boys just sit on the trey line, and double teamed Ellis in the paint. Thank God Coach countered with getting Ellis the ball at the top of the key before the double team could come. Allowing Ellis to do some driving.

It was indeed a great game and I don’t blame Coach for doing what he did. KU won and we fans are indeed quite happy. Yet should we be? Did Lon and OU expose a truth about KU and Coach? When the game is tight will coach give up on the new found offense scheme and go back to Bad Ball?

I don’t know? I just noticed when Coach went with Traylor and Lucas strictly the trey ball disappeared.

As KU fans we are quite blessed. Every year our beloved Jayhawks are ranked in the top 10 and mostly top 5 of the preseason rankings. Just like leaves turning colors and falling from their host tree. KU is perceived a final four team. Oh KU may not bring in the star studded classes like Kentucky or Duke but Coach gets what he wants. It’s good to be a Jayhawk fan.

Yet this year is different, or is it? After last years near miss trip to the final four to the eventual champions Villanova. The players, program, Coach and the fans are pretty pumped for this year. Sure losing and replacing like Selden, and Ellis is no easy task, yet neither were really superstars. Besides Coach always gets what he needs in recruiting. Steps in Josh and Doka. Josh a superstar that plays like a junkyard dog, and Doka a towering man child that loves to block and dunk.

Except for blip in the Indiana game, everything seemed primed and ready for the long march to another conference championship, and possibly a brass ring. Sadly as it happens in sports injuries can change the course of destiny of a team. KU’s big bad Doka was injured and is now lost for the season. Leaving behind more questions than answers.

Talk and perception has already begun to change. For sure KU is still the favorite to win the Big 12 conference. Yet with the loss of Doka it appears that West Virginia and Baylor have picked up ground on KU, or at the very least have moved into the conversation as legit teams to upset KU"s conference winning streak. KU is still the favorite among most to win the Big 12 conference again. Yet is it because they have the best team this year?, or is it because you have to pick KU until someone knocks them off?

Again KU is a favorite to make the tournament and make a run. However some are starting to whisper their doubts that KU can make a deep run or make the final 4 without a true rim protector that Doka was.

Myself I have a problem with all this. First losing Doka hurts, but lets be honest us KU fans really didn’t know what we had with Doka. Lets not forget at the beginning of the year the consensus was that Doka would be hard pressed to get any serious playing time as he would be in foul trouble. I’m not sure many thought or dreamed he would be a starter as quickly as he did?

Losing Doka really hurts because we all got see what he could become. We got a taste of what was to become. It’s like sugar on top, or getting your cake and eating it too. Doka was a surprise and just added fuel to an already highly rated and star studded team with big expectations. With Doka coming along so quickly it confirmed KU fans perceptions. That this was a KU team truly of destiny.

So what has truly changed? Nothing. KU is still the star studded team with high expectations it had before Doka. Nothing has changed.

Besides we have Coach manning the clipboard and calling the shots. Sure he hasn’t won as many championships as we think he should of. Yet lets not forget we are the fan base lucky enough to be in the conversation year after year.

Sometimes in life it’s about the next man up. It’s not always about us and what we think, or feel. I mean after all we all experts right ???

Enters Mitch Lightfoot. Oh listen to the arguments right now. He’s to light, needs to gain some weight. He’s a project player, he’ll be good as a junior. He’ll foul to much (like Doka was supposed to do). Well you know what Coach recruited this kid for a reason. He seen something in Mitch that coach said I want this kid. Sure Coach would rather take his time and bring Mitch along slowly. However as life circumstances change. The one thing that doesn’t change is Coach seen something in Mitch to give a place on his team, in his program.

I have know doubt that Mitch can never be Doka. Yet maybe Mitch can be Mitch, or like the Diallo we never got to see. All I’m saying is go easy on the kid. Give him a chance. Lets not break this kid before he ever really gets a chance. Who knows what could happen. Next year we could be talking about how sic our front court will be with Mitch and Doka?

Just a couple of pennies I found today.

What can one say? This years KU team are Devil dogs. It’s a term to call marines in the second WW. It Dosen’t matter on style points. This team just finds a way to win. They’ll go into the most hostile environment. Out numbered, battered, and bruised. Yet they refuse to concede defeat. Their general is a mad man. He pushes his soldiers to the brink of madness. Yet when you think they will break they rise to the challenge.

I don’t care what your ranking is. I don’t what style of play you play. I don’t care how many great players you have. When you play KU you better strap it on, and be prepared for war. Because this years KU team are devil dogs.

This years team might be Coaches Mona Lisa/master piece.

Ok I worked late tonight, had to DVR the game.

Let me just say before I give out this new nickname. I love this kid and wouldn’t trade him for any of UK"s OAD’s. I believe we need this kid to overcome and stake his claim. Kind of like Travis Releford.

I love you Perry Ellis but you are (wait for it)

Wait for it

Wait for it.

Butterfingers.

I’m not pointing fingers or accusing.

However after watching the last two KU games. One a loss and one a win. I’m not sure the refs are calling a fair game? Ok I know I’m playing a the ref card, but man come on. In the Iowa St game it took 30 minutes before KU actually shot a free throw. Really?

Maybe I’m reaching but it seems KU has to get mugged before a foul is called and if they so much as breath on the opposing player they are going to the line. Just my two cents worth.

Am I crazy or do you agree?

KU played it the whole game against a crappy Kstate team and we lost. Hey I got an idea lets keeping doing it. Not only we will lose the conference championship but we’ll be an early out in the tournament.

Spare me the hey we missed the 3’s we took. KU hardly shot any threes the whole game but like clock work HCBS wants guys to hit threes when they haven’t been shooting them the whole game. Go figure.

Lol

Yea thought so

In fact found that Americans rights were stepped on

@approxinfinity what does Fox News have to do with a phony dossier? That was investigated by the FBI and found funny.

@approxinfinity really? Do tell

@approxinfinity

You mean like the false dossier, and impeachment?

Hey you got complete control of our government what is the plan? Paris accord agreement where we pay China? The biggest pollution country in the world?

Don’t worry I’ll be respectful, I always am

No you didn’t have a problem with Dem rioters not wearing masks. You backed them.

If not kick me now, save you the headache