@approxinfinity said in 2026 Transfer Portal Chaos/Madness Thread:

In all seriousness i stopped in ames when i drove across the country after college. Met some kids at a bar, hung out at their place, played guitar with them, slept on their couch and headed on my way in the morning. Ames is alright in my book.

Now that @approxinfinity has opened that can of worms ... i'll share my cross country story about Chattanooga, Tennessee.

After my sophomore year at KU (during the Danny era), me and my friends from the East Coast decided to all get summer jobs on the Hilton Head island golf courses and have a fun summer.

I packed up my tiny car, a Triumph Spitfire if that rings a bell to anybody, and headed East. I made it as far as Chattanooga, and my car speedometer and tachometer both hit zero, in the middle of rush hour. Then they instantly went back up to normal. I'm thinking...ok, that's weird. A few miles later, same thing. BAM! both went back to zero, and some smoke started coming out of my hood. This can't be good!

I pulled over as quickly as i could, thankfully near a highway exit, and frantically tossed all my stuff out of the car onto a hillside as my car was engulfed in flames!

This was all pre cell phone days, so i stuck out my thumb and hoped somebody would give me a ride to a pay phone. Soon enough, a young University of Tennessee college kid my age stopped and drove me over to a 7-11 down the hill. I called 911, told em where i was and what was happening, and about 10 seconds later heard and saw sirens above me on the freeway.

Long story short, he was kind enough to see i was screwed in every way possible, so he said f*ck it, come stay with me and my roommates this weekend. We'll hit all the parties we can, get all liquored up and have a good time!

I'll forever be grateful for the kindness shown at the University of Tennessee.

Yea, like with many others, it’s been a rough year with loss and family tears.

Just lost my poor mom.

Not fully paying attention to the world outside my immediate focus, but still attempting to track roster construction.

Hoping by the time my misery clears, we’ll have a full team of players to discuss.

Cheers to all.

A friend had an alternate theory on DP that I hadn’t heard.

He’s simply bored with college ball.

Yahoo team ranking story says this about the Chiefs:

15 — The overreaction to the Chiefs’ season will be fierce. People have been dying to dunk on the NFL’s current dynasty, and now is their chance. No, the Chiefs don’t need a full rebuild. They just haven’t won close games. Kansas City is still the No. 7 team in DVOA this season after Sunday’s loss, ahead of teams like Denver, Buffalo, Philadelphia and New England. Haters will get in their licks now. Level-headed people will understand it’s just an unlucky season for a team that’s still good.

And we’re down to 32!! Exciting.

There are a few crazy hard bracket pairings, and a few easier paths to the next round.

Germany and France could face each other with a win. Same with Spain and Portugal.

I admit I know squat about Bosnia-Herzegovina. Will have to study up. Go USA!

P.S.: that Algeria game was fun! Anybody rooting for them as they are training in Lawrence?

I'm seeing Flory mentioned more and more in mock drafts this year.
Good for him. I still think he's way undersized (no freaking way he's 6-10), and needs more offensive game to have a consistent NBA career.
we can dream, right?

Oh, and way to go, Trump. A little motivation goes a long way

After the final whistle blew, Belgium soccer's official X account published a post with an image of their players celebrating alongside a two-word caption: "Overturn this."

Yea, i listened to some of that Dickie V / Barkley game. Honestly, it's not about the game to them. They toss out a generic phrase about a player here and there, but generally not great to listen to. Dickie V is past tense as a broadcaster IMO.

@crimsonblu22 said in 2026 Transfer Portal Chaos/Madness Thread:

@rockchalkjayhawk is there a rest of the story?

Ha, for sure. Left out lots during and after!

I think the next day i somehow caught a flight down to south carolina, but how i got all my belongings there is a distant memory.

One of my buddies picked me up at the airport and took me to our rented condo (with cable we stole from the unit next door). they were bummed about my car, because it would have been one of our main means of transportation for the summer.

A few days later we simply walked into the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club and asked for jobs. As luck would have it, they needed greenskeepers and general workers for the golf courses they had. Three if i recall. We mowed the greens every day, cleaned up the bunkers, cut trees, you name it. There was one hole you had to be very careful when mowing the greens and grass ... there was a cranky alligator in the greenside pond!

After we worked under the hot sun all day, we'd hit the condo pool area and drink and nap for a few hours, then head out on the town. Rinse, repeat all summer. Fun.

At the end of the summer, i didn't have a way back to KU, so me and a buddy or two rented a car and drove up the East Coast toward our families. BTW, it's not easy to rent a car when you're 18-19 years old. I can't even remember the hoops we had to jump through. We stopped in Virginia to drop off one guy, and his mom was kind enough to cook us a great Southern meal. My first time eating a twice-backed potato. mmm.

Ended up at my family home, and a week later had to hop a flight back to KU.

Coulda made a movie of that summer i think.

Looks like the USA got a great group draw.

Paraguay, Australia and the winner of a three-team playoff.

The Australians aren’t a pushover, but all our games are winnable.

I hear others saying England is in the group of death, but I don’t see any really crazy groups.

Don't forget you can look up to the very first post in this thread to track the continually updated roster

With any road game, the goal is to walk away with a win. Done.

I’d have preferred a much prettier win, as there were signs of regression in some areas, but oh well.

Take the win, hope to improve.

A few signs of concern though:

— weird defensive performance. Kind of a bend but don’t break approach. And they bent a lot!

— I heard Benson’s name called more than a few times: “And xxx just zipped around Benson.”

— I think the Dolphins gave up the most sacks before today. Not much pressure from our guys.

@FarmerJayhawk said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

Chatter is picking up on the Trey Kauffman-Renn front

Free-for-all!

May the best man (college hoops program) win.

This is why i don't believe any discussion about how KU has no money to spend...Trey No. 1 is back, Trey No. 2 in the grocery cart.

Does this guy play center or PF?

@MN-Hawk said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

I’m intrigued to see how Tre and Tyran interact. Will it be a competition for the limelight, or a mentoring relationship? On a team basis, Tre brings some outside shooting and tough defense that were recognized shortfalls for the team, but I also worry if he’ll disrupt the chemistry that was already building. Self is going to have to do a masterful coaching job to get this team up to their potential. I hope that job includes expanding the late season roster to 9 or 10 guys rather than the 7 we’ve seen of late.

@BeddieKU23 said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

If we are starting Kinney that's tough. He's got a lot to prove.

I'd like to see this combo

Blyden
White
Stokes
Dawes
Mbiya

Kohl, Kinney, Reeves, Parker, Adkins. An intriguing mix of depth. On paper its much better then we've had.

It’s interesting that everywhere I look most think Kinney, even though he’s a 5-star recruit, needs some time and won’t start. I don’t know any better, but that’s rare for a 5-star, right? Weird.

I’m honestly mixed about Tre returning. Good player, but he was part of last year’s awful chemistry. How will he fit in with Stokes after the DP weirdness? I just recall him pouting at times.

I think Kohl and Dennis Parker gotta be steamed Tre is back. Limits their minutes, especially when Self trims the rotation to 7!

I wonder how open Self has been with them this summer about this.

@JAYHAWKFAN214 said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

Tre white is official back st kansas

Ugh, this could get ugly with more court stuff to follow.

I hope we don't become some sort of poster child mid season.

@drgnslayr said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

The hell with it... time to bring science into D1. For next year... each team is allowed two robots (height restricted to 7'). Each team is allowed two legacy players, including DNA-built guys who already died but now reanimated. Finally, I get to see Wilt play for Kansas!

I like it! But Sadly The NCAA will want to limit who the robots can be programmed like. Only one Danny Manning per roster!

@BeddieKU23 said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

Tre White was granted a preliminary injunction for a 5th year. Along with many others such as Jayden Dawson, Tamin Lipsey, Riley Kugel, Malik Reneau of note to KU Fans.

The circus continues.

ha. wouldn't that be crazy if after all this NCAA lawsuit garbage, the only guy Self brought back was Jayden Dawson!!!???

@approxinfinity said in Jayhawks in London:

The team almost looks functional. We remain cautiously pessimistic.

Taunting, teasing, tormenting ...

Or in Haiku form:

Kansas is driving!
They are on the two yard line!
Oh wait, turnover.

Ugh, I woke up still steamed over that punt! Pretty much a downward spiral of classic KU football from there.

I can only guess, as a former golfer and soccer player, that it was a classic double cross.

Going for a slice, and ended up with a hook or straight ball.

And when you’re aiming left, and miss, now you’re in the water hazard!

We suck.