Best posts made by tis4tim

I’m going to the game tonight and I’m taking my 5-year-old daughter to her first game. I’m so psyched!

Little did I know when I bought these tickets several weeks back that we’d have a chance to wrap up at least a tie for the league title. And I just found out a few days back we’ll be retiring Brandon Rush’s jersey at halftime. It all sets up for a magical night in the Fieldhouse.

I hope the crowd is ridiculously loud as I’ve been trying to explain to my daughter just how crazy the atmosphere is. But, words are an inadequate substitute for actually being there. I’m looking for a high energy performance from the boys to close out #13, with lots of highlight reel plays. Regardless, I hope it’s a night she will never forget!

@drgnslayr said:

I find it unlikely that they will be in our bracket

Oh, but they will be. You just know it. They’ll be there along with Kentucky, Baylor, Bradley, Bucknell, Northern Iowa, Stanford, The Harlem Globetrotters, the other three #1 seeds (a new experiment this season), and a Disney-sponsored team lead by Air Bud.

That will once again give Duke a clear path to the championship, defeating Monmouth in the final game 87-26.

I haven’t rewatched it yet because I’m afraid they won’t come back from that huge deficit the second time.

I think it may have been @approxinfinity during the in-game chat who made a comment to the effect that Josh was 2-3 steps ahead of Baylor in terms of his thought processes on the court. Since I could not watch the game live, I watched it late last night and, in watching Josh operate, he almost seems prescient at times on both offense and defense.

In one sequence in the second-half, he left his man, sliding down from the weak side near the free-throw line to reject a shot by a Baylor player, but it was like he sensed the play a full 5 seconds before the Baylor player even drove to the hoop. The shot-fake from behind the 3-point line where he then drove the baseline for a dunk was the same thing. He knew what he needed to do even before he received the pass. You could almost see he had the whole thing laid out in his mind and had mapped out the path to the basket prior to ever touching the ball. I absolutely love this kid and he has quickly become perhaps my favorite Jayhawk of all-time.

And that defense on the last sequence by Mason was unbelievable. Constant rewinds are usually reserved for dunks and ridiculous offensive plays. I can’t recall ever rewinding to watch a defensive sequence until last night. To buckle down like that after nearly 40 minutes of play … man, Mason looked like he was stalking his prey, playing with it before devouring it.

An entertaining game and a great win.

@justanotherfan said in Mere Chat Room:

I used to be a frequent poster on this website. It was really fun. Around mid 2018 some of the politics and race stuff started getting pretty intense, and I ended up in some pretty heated exchanges with other posters. I realized that I was becoming something I didn’t want to be and took a step back for a while. Blocked some of the more problematic posters (the right decision for me personally). I know I post less as a result of that. But it isn’t just that. I also have had a lot of things in my life change (many of them positive, but some negative) that have taken my time away from this board. I wouldn’t change that now. I used to never miss a KU basketball game. Now I miss two or three a season easily. I haven’t watched every game since probably the 2017-18 season. Life just kind of evolved along the way. Was the politics stuff messy? Yeah. Did it take me away from the board? For a time, yes. But the bigger thing is that my life changed over that span of time just as much, maybe even more. I miss enough games these days that my analysis isn’t very in depth anymore. I used to know all the recruits, all the players, all the matchups. Now I barely know anyone that isn’t on KU’s team, and don’t even know every guy on the team that well. I used to know each guys high school highlights and could compare them easily. Now I see guys once they get into games at KU. It’s just different now, but I am getting some more time freed up and will probably be on here more, though you won’t see me posting about politics anytime soon.

In sum: we got old!

BREAKING NEWS: Coach K going to ask for a do-over of yesterday’s game because he suspects some of the actors involved did not follow the approved script.

@Crimsonorblue22 said in Texas Southern Game Thread:

@BShark don’t wake me up! I watched post game and I’m still sick!

The best remedy for everything is a Duke loss.

Just read Mitch is now the KU record holder for most career wins with 171. Tyrel Reed was the record holder with 132. Sherron Collins has 130. That record might never be broken with the portal becoming a major factor in college sports.

Love Cheick, baby.

I’m pretty sure I saw him on a Bible Buckets board recently with the handle LowInferiorMinor. I assumed it was him as he was arguing that just because God created the heavens and the earth does not mean He is above criticism. He went on to point out that God rested on the seventh day when he should have been developing a strategy to effectively break the press.

Personally, I’ve always thought of “athleticism” as God-given ability. The more speed, strength, stamina, agility, etc. that one possesses, the higher the level of athleticism. That doesn’t guarantee success or suggest there aren’t areas of weakness. It just means someone has all the natural tools to become elite. There are plenty of examples of freakishly athletic individuals who simply didn’t have the work ethic, the motivation or the smarts to succeed. But that’s an entirely different topic.

KU: 150 MSU: 95

Congrats to Jerod Haase.

I’m not going to rehash the game as we all saw what happened. I will say this about the refs: no, it’s not their fault we lost, but I would suggest that the huge disparity in number of calls going against us early really tempered our aggressiveness. When you play worrying about fouling out instead of getting in front of your guy, it does affect what you do. I’m not suggesting we would have won if things had been called more evenly early on, but it certainly would have changed how the guys defended.

As for the bigger picture with this team, my first thought is scheduling. More specifically, the extremely high level of difficulty from the start of non-con all the way through the conference tourney. I understand wanting the guys to be battle-tested and I understand the need to take into account RPI and all that stuff as far as March seeding goes, but I don’t know if I can make the argument that we were better off as a #2 seed. I might have rather been a #3 or maybe even a #4 seed that still had some energy and some working ligaments to make a run.

I don’t want to turn this into a political statement, so please don’t construe this example as my pushing some political agenda, but the economist Arthur Laffer postulated his Laffer curve to show how tax rates affect revenues. Long story short, there is a point of diminishing returns where too much taxation actually results in declining revenues. Carrying this over to KU basketball, is too tough a schedule actually creating a point of diminishing returns? Have we reached a point where the gauntlet is too tough, too demanding and too steep to produce positive results? I’m not saying we need to throttle a bunch of patsies, but the season is grueling and long as it is. It would be nice to catch our collective breaths once in a while with a blow out win against a nobody. So, instead of losing to Temple by 25, we beat up on the Red Hat Society All-Stars, expend less energy, walk out with a W and we don’t get beat up in the process.

My only other major concern is the OAD era. IMO, one of two things has to give here. We either go full bore into it and Self changes his coaching philosophy or we go for 3 and 4 year kids who will be here long enough to learn the complexities of Self’s coaching system. Right now we’ve got two competing ideals butting heads and it’s causing some dissonance.

All in all, I’m still bummed about yesterday and it’ll take me a bit of time to move past the loss as I tend to take these harder than I probably should. I keep telling myself to invest less emotionally during the games, but I’ve continually failed on that front for as long as I can recall. In my real life, I can do something to change my circumstances. As a fan, I’m totally powerless to change anything about the outcome and that’s what gets me the most.

Thanks to all you guys and gals for offering a huge shoulder to cry on and to the creators of this forum for the opportunity to speak freely about all things KU. It truly is good therapy.

Rock Chalk to everyone!

@Bosthawk

I’m not a board “heavyweight” by any stretch, but my feeling is that Perry is a smart kid and he has a good family behind him and they’re exhibiting that intelligence and due diligence by checking out all their options. I, too, get the sense that Perry wants to play his senior year, but I think it would be derelict for him not to talk to those in the know to gauge draft interest and make the most informed decision.

A little part of me, however, thinks that watching him crumple to the floor this season with a knee injury, despite it not being career-ending, perhaps spurred him and his family to check the grass on the other side of the fence a little quicker than anticipated. Kind of a reminder of the fickle nature of fate and how fast everything Perry has worked for could come to a screeching halt at the stomp of a foot.

@Crimsonorblue22 said:

anxious to HEAR your take!

What?

Kidding. We used earplugs!

The entire night was amazing. Yeah, we started out slow again and seeing Josh writhing around on the floor holding his ankle really took the air out of the place for a spell, but watching us systematically dismantle a TCU team that played pretty darn well was great to see. (That Jaylen Fisher kid, BTW, is going to be a menace for the duration of his college career. He was in complete control last night and he’s just a freshman. Very impressed with him.) Bragg was terrific minus a turnover or two and some non-existent help defense, but our whole team had some pretty egregious lapses at times. We shot it pretty well, hit free throws, had some unbelievable blocks and some ridiculous dunks courtesy of one Josh Jackson. Mason was Mason and Devonte stepped up with some timely shooting as well. A very satisfying way to capture #13.

It was also great to see Brandon get his jersey up in the rafters though I admit I didn’t recognize him at first with the hair do. Nice to see Mario and Brady in attendance too. And of course it was a thrill to watch the boys hoist the trophy and don the shirts and caps.

Best of all, it was great to hear my daughter whoop it up in the second half after she got her second wind. A three-hour event is a pretty long deal for a 5-year-old, but she did really well overall aside from an ill-timed bathroom break, but that’s just part of the deal when you take a young child to a sporting event. It was fun hearing her yell “Let’s go, Mason!” on a couple of occasions. I didn’t know she knew any of the players’ names, but it reaffirmed my obviously great parenting skills.

How was your evening?

@wissox

I’ll say it for you: after tonight they’ll be Ore-GONE!

@wissox said: I don’t think he’s won the Oscar for best lead basketball player.

He actually did win an Oscar (Robertson)!

He’s still in the running for the NABC POY, the Bob Cousy PG of the Year Award and the Wooden Award. Hope he makes it a clean sweep!

My non-expert opinion is that anytime DG is in the game, no matter how gassed, he poses a threat to drive, dish, score … whatever. Even if he doesn’t always finish at the rim, sometimes just the threat of his doing something is all that’s needed to keep defenses honest.

As the proverbial head of the snake and the facilitator on offense he attracts undue attention for his triple-threat potential every time he touches the ball. Even when tired, his mere presence is enough of a concern that blowing an assignment on one of our other players becomes a real possibility every time down the floor.

I’m sure it’s also demoralizing for opposing teams to need a blow, watching DG still in the game, still engaged and still grinding. Knowing he’s not coming out while the opposition battles accordion legs has to have some psychological ramifications.

drgnslayr said:

If you find your island maybe I can be your neighbor on a nearby island? We will invest in a big satellite dish together so we can still watch Jayhawk ball!

Better stay clear of Zenger Island or blackout dates may apply. Wait, can I say “blackout” anymore?

dylans said:

@tis4tim PTSD setting in bringing up that name…

I felt filthy just typing it. Too soon. My apologies @dylans. I think I need a shower.

I don’t post as often as most here and I certainly don’t generally start topics because most of you are vastly more knowledgeable about the game of basketball than I.

But, I was thinking this morning about the possibility of sanctions against KU basketball and how that has certainly had an effect on recruiting. Yet, it occurred to me that in a weird way having a few “down” years by KU standards might actually be a blessing in the long run. Now, before you inundate me with the “what are you smoking” replies just hear me out.

This year we have what, by all accounts, amounts to a group of fringe guys, with no true superstars, that Bill Self has been able to mold the way he sees fit. He has taken a non-vintage team and has whipped them into a near 20-win team in one of the toughest conferences in the country, and has them firmly in the running for a #3 or, dare I say #2 seed in the tourney.

Meanwhile, we see Duke and Kentucky, with their hyped up recruiting classes barely keeping their heads above the .500 mark in Duke’s case and a win percentage of 35% in Kentucky’s case.

So, it stands to reason that if Bill Self can take this group of guys and get them to perform reasonably to standards then he is showing the world that he can, in fact, develop talent. Development, it seems, is one thing I’ve heard recruits discuss in regards to coaches and the programs they lead - that they want to go to the NBA and Coach “X” is the guy who can do that. Doesn’t this year and our recent “down” years drive that point home to any potential recruit?

On the other hand, if Coach K and Coach Squid get their usual crops of 5* talent and don’t even sniff the tourney, what does that say about their ability to actually develop talent? To me it shows they have been a product of their recruiting and not their coaching. The fact is, if you start with top talent it’s hard to gauge whether or not there has been improvement during a player’s tenure. Coach Self is showing he can take “inferior” talent and still get them to the promised land and challenge for conference titles amidst a pandemic, no less.

So, my argument here is that the threat of sanctions has actually shown potential recruits that Self can and will develop their talents if they come to KU - as long as they are willing to put in the work.

@wissox said in Non-KU Games:

And down goes Duke!

Of all happy words of tongue or pen the happiest are these “And down goes Duke!”

• John Greenleaf Whittier.

Thanks, everyone. Very enjoyable. Have a great weekend! Go Chiefs!

@Jethro said in Are we happy? UNC?:

What an amazing season. It looked pretty grim numerous times. There is not one person that thought we would be favored in the national championship game earlier in the season. I think Remy and Och and Braun go wild. I think Dave gets his. I think we lock them down. I think we blitz them with our best game of the year.

This is where I am. We get in the flow and stay in the flow. Tonight, it all comes together.

That Remy block was incredible. I finally watched the game again over the weekend and I’d swear Remy jumped even before Caleb Love went up for the shot like he fully anticipated when Love was going to make his move. His prescient timing was a thing of beauty and a key play in securing the victory.

@wrwlumpy

Good to see you on the boards again. I missed all your pre-game posts.

@approxinfinity said in Strong Early Contender For Most Frequently Misspelled Name:

My iphone wants his name to be Macular. I guess if he breaks people down with his d it will be Macular Degeneration. You might say whomever he does it to fails the eye test. I’ll stop now.

That’s some straight up vitreous humor. I’ll show myself out.

Thanks for the link. Why don’t we just call him Coach Andy or something? I can’t quite put my finger on it but something about “Coach K” gives me the willies.

@jayballer73 And you already have the nickname ready: “Jumpin’ Gee Josaphat”

@wissoxfan83, At least you didn’t have Harry Belafonte ringing in your head the whole time as I did.

“6-point … 7-point … 8-point … CHOKE! Big lead come and me give it right back”

Brutal.

My feeling is the KU shirt to school on Friday means Ingram was at the end of his clothes cycle and all his other shirts were in the wash.

I also think the refs step in and send him to Duke.

@nuleafjhawk said:

MOST of the things humans do are wrong.

My dad used to have a coffee cup that said: “I’ve never made a mistake. Once I thought I did, but I was wrong.”

This discussion made me think of that. I figured you might appreciate that humor.

If we eke our way to the championship, I won’t celebrate any less than if we blow every opponent out by 30.

Also, when our goal is to win the championship every year and the goal of the other team is to merely beat KU once a decade somehow, you just have to sit back and smile because it’s great to be a Jayhawk!

Switch on … here we come.

I tend to temper my hopes this time of year because of the sheer number of variables that can affect outcomes and because of past disappointments. However, I’m like most others in that I believe we have the players, the coach, the experience, the chemistry, the pedigree, the toughness, the play-makers and, I think, the drive to win it all this year. In short, we have so many of the things a team needs to negate those variables that anything short of a FF this year would be an honest-to-goodness let down.

That said, I love this team and, whatever the outcome, I will look back fondly on this group of guys as time goes by.

Here’s a bold prediction: I don’t get much work done today or tomorrow.

That’s just awesome. Mason is the epitome of what college basketball is and what all players should aspire to become. Nobody worked harder. Nobody is more deserving. We have witnessed the birth of a legend. Congrats, Frank!

Leave and be a legion. Stay and be a legend.

The kind of kid you want to go to war with. His love of KU is evident every second he’s on the court. Outstanding game today.

kjayhawks said:

Adidas should post that their shoes don’t blow out in the biggest games of the year just to troll Dook lol

Puma already did that last night. They’ve since deleted it, however.

I really enjoyed this game. Not sure if this was already said earlier, but over the years I’ve seen too many times more-talented KU teams get bullied into playing the opponent’s style and pace. This was the first game in a while I really felt we were the aggressors and we were dictating tempo. It was totally fun to watch us have our way with a very good WVU team. They never seemed to find a rhythm or any kind of cohesive offensive scheme.

Yes, we were down at the half, but I never felt like we weren’t going to win this game. And if you had told me before the game we would be up by 20+ on WVU in the waning minutes I would have said you were crazy. But there it was. And if it weren’t for Mr. Game-Of-His-Life hitting a ridiculous 6 threes in the first half, we may have flirted with a 30-point bulge in the second half.

This goes back to conversations lately about the make-up of this team. They may not be the highest ranked guys we’ve ever had, but they all seem to play with a purpose and they are all individually looking to do something positive on the court when they are in the game whether it be scoring, blocks, steals, making the extra pass or some other hustle play. Things can change, of course, but I can’t say enough about how much I’m enjoying watching these guys. To think it will only get better as the season progresses hits me right in the feels.

“We’ll handle that internally,” Coach K said after Tuesday’s 92-52 win over Gardner-Webb University. “We’re already handling it.”"

In other news, I heard that the NCAA just kicked a Cleveland State basketball player off the team. The NCAA says that the removal of the player was harsh, but they hope Duke has learned its lesson.

@benshawks08 said in Bill Self "growth stunter":

I feel like Remy is that guy this year but he’s currently injured. I had hopes that Braun could step up and do it but he hasn’t consistently. We’ve known Och is to cool calm and collected, Dave is too wild, Mitch is too old (jk), and Harris just isn’t it.

I think Pettiford is that guy. Can’t wait to see him run this show.

@rockchalkjayhawk said in IARP - KU seeks alternative resolution:

Negotiated resolutions were not supposed to be an option once a case enters the IARP.

Yes, but my feeling is KU, like the rest of us, are sick to death of the foot-dragging on the part of the NCAA/IARP.

Even murderers and other scofflaws have the right to a fair and speedy trial under the 6th amendment to the Constitution. I would submit this charade has been neither fair, nor speedy and we are being held in a perpetual state of incarceration.

@mayjay can probably chime in more on the legal aspects of this stuff, but from where I sit we are being treated worse than most criminals.

Bill Sr. Is smiling somewhere.

@BeddieKU23 said in Bruth's Last Hurrah Game Thread:

Agree, I have similar concerns. We faced some differing styles in the non-con but for the most part the Big-12 has been the same night in and night out in style.

Hanging a hundred will pretty much beat any style.

Personally, I don’t think Bill gave a whit about the Kentucky game in the bigger picture. He wants to win conference. That game was during a tough five game stretch, right after a difficult Tech win and right before Iowa St. and Baylor. Bill knew a non-con loss to a team like UK would not hurt us in the grand scheme. Considering we are currently projected as a #1 seed, it appears he was right. We went to ISU and won, then curb-stomped Baylor and almost (should have) stole one at Texas. Worked out pretty well, I think.

If we face UK in the tourney, I think the results would be much, much different.

Go UNC!

@BeddieKU23 said in Ochai Agbaji:

Named AP 1st Team All-American.

That’s a rafter spot then, yes?

To opposing teams, Remy is like facing a fastball pitcher the night after dealing with a knuckleballer.