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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Rush’s court date moved

By Gary Bedore

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Collins to be tested on the court and in class

KU sophomore Sherron Collins not only has to worry about finals week on the hill, but also about the durability of his injured foot when he hits the court this Saturday against Ohio.

KU recruit Releford leads Bishop Meige in tourney

Future KU guard Travis Releford was in action at the Metro Prep Classic in Bonner Springs.

Reader poll

Who do you consider to be KU's best dunker?

  • Darrell Arthur 19% 402 votes
  • Darnell Jackson 29% 596 votes
  • Sasha Kaun 4% 98 votes
  • Rodrick Stewart 25% 527 votes
  • Brandon Rush 18% 381 votes
  • Someone else 2% 47 votes

2051 total votes.

A case in Lawrence Municipal Court against Kansas University basketball player Brandon Rush has been continued to April 11 - after the season is over.

Rush, a junior from Kansas City, Mo., was supposed to appear in court Wednesday morning on charges of failing to appear in court on two other occasions for traffic violations.

Instead, Rush's appearance in court Wednesday was entered by his attorney, David Brown, according to the city prosecutor's office. His case was rescheduled before Judge Randy McGrath for 7 a.m., April 11, four days after the NCAA title game.

Rush was arrested last week on two warrants for failure to appear. McGrath ordered him to be transported to the Douglas County Jail, where he posted $500 bond and was released.

Rush had been cited on Oct. 19 for speeding and in December 2006 for driving on the left of a road and not having proof of insurance.

"I needed some more information. We needed to push it back a little bit. A week wasn't enough time," Rush said Wednesday. "It's after the season so I don't have to worry about it at all."

Of the continuation, KU coach Bill Self said: "That is between Brandon and his attorney. That's what was done. He'll be responsible and take care of it whenever it needs to be taken care of."

Back to basketball, Self said Rush would return to the starting lineup for Saturday's game against Ohio, set for a 4 p.m. tipoff at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

"He's earned it," Self said Rush, who has come off the bench in seven games as he recovers from June 1 ACL surgery.

"Physically, I see signs every day he's getting closer to being the old Brandon," Self said, noting he now believes Rush will not need a full year to return to his old form.

"He is so farther along than people envisioned him being back when they performed the surgery. He's done remarkably well. Whether or not he can put it all together where he's 100 percent, I don't know. Maybe 98 percent, 99 percent, but he's going to get real close."

Rush agrees: "My explosiveness and first step ... they are coming back. Around Big 12 play, I should be 100 percent."

"I'll be back to my old self by January or February. Getting there and battling with big dudes, trying to rebound over everybody ... it's still in my mind, but starting to fade away," Rush said of being tentative.

Meanwhile, Rodrick Stewart, who has started seven games, will be used off the bench.

"Being real candid, yes," Self said, asked if Stewart's minutes will decrease with Rush healthy and Sherron Collins recovered from a stress fracture. "I (also) told Russell (Robinson) and Mario (Chalmers) their minutes are going to go down. I think everybody's minutes will go down if we play to our strength, which is getting out, pressuring and playing fast."

Self noted Stewart, who averages 20 minutes per contest, still figured to play between 15 and 20 minutes a game.

¢ Collins getting stronger: Collins, who played 13 minutes against DePaul on Saturday, will likely go longer than that against Ohio.

"His weight is good. His conditioning is not. It's a gradual process where it's getting better daily," Self said. "He's not far off. I don't know if he'll be 100 percent by Saturday, but he won't be far off."

¢ Old ankles: Tyrel Reed has been practicing as he recovers from a pair of sprained ankles.

"He's sore. He said yesterday he felt like an old man getting out of bed walking around. I said, 'Welcome to my world,''' Self said. "He's not quite 100 percent. He's doing fine. He just has some bum ankles. Those are things you play with."

¢ Tough league: The Big 12 Conference is currently ranked second nationally in the RPI ratings behind the ACC.

"We need to solidify that to make sure we don't have (just) four teams in the NCAA Tournament again," Self said, adding, "we can't underestimate the importance and value of young talent. We have young talented guys in our league leading their teams in ways we didn't envision they could."

¢ Finals: KU's players have been both practicing and taking final exams this week.

"Our practice Monday ranked up there as one of the top 10 worst ever," Self said. "Yesterday was average to above average. If I go back over time it's always that way over finals week. Guys don't sleep or shouldn't. If they are sleeping they aren't studying hard enough."

What was wrong Monday? "I think we tried hard. Our minds were somewhere else. Everybody was yawning," soph guard Collins said. "We are getting used to it now," he added of finals week.

¢ Solid B: Self said he's give his team a grade of B for its work first semester.

"Attitude and effort and unselfishness and those things I give a pretty high grade," Self said. "Execution, paying attention to detail have been average. Toughness can get better."

Mike Belt of the Journal-World contributed to this report.

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Comments

txrockchalk (anonymous) says...

Granted, Maryland is not exactly setting the world on fire so far this season, but it looks like we may want to take these 'Cats from Ohio seriously on Saturday...

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/recap?g...

December 13, 2007 at 8:01 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

April 11 court date? Must be a very crowded docket...or is the judge a KU grad?

December 13, 2007 at 9:01 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ku98 (anonymous) says...

Why are we even talking about this?

December 13, 2007 at 9:07 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ChicagoJHawk (anonymous) says...

Very good point, txrockchalk. I think if we've learned anything over the last few seasons it's to not underestimate any of our opponents. I think we've done that a lot in the past which was part of the reason we lost some games that we shouldn't have, like Oral Roberts. We'll be fine though, definitely not worried by any means. It's good to see that Rush will start on Saturday, can't wait! Rock Chalk!!!

December 13, 2007 at 9:07 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkjim80 (anonymous) says...

Agree txrock, I was thinking the same thing after I saw the highlights this morning of Ohio's win at Maryland. Big road win at an ACC school. They are 6-2 and both losses are by two points each at Temple and Holy Cross. Granted the Terps also lost to the Tigggers earlier this year also.

Saturday is the first game for us at the Sprint Center. Fans, you need to come strong and help make this venue our new home court advantage in KC. The Big 12 Tourney in March and the CBE Tourney next fall are also KC games in the future.

By the way, why do we still have tickets left for the Orange Bowl? I know it's not for a title, but come on KU fans, this is a great opportunity. Rock Chalk!!

December 13, 2007 at 9:29 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

I would guess because it's in freakin' Miami, about as far away from L-town as you can get in the contiguous U.S. And it's over the holidays, when people make other plans. Seems pretty clear to me.

December 13, 2007 at 9:49 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

Ohio = Oral Roberts? Richmond? DePaul? Bradley? Bucknell? Ball State? UTEP? Rhode Island?

It would be inexcusable for this team to lose to a team like Ohio. It would say more about the gaps in the KU structure than the accomplishments of Ohio's play.

We can not overlook this opponent. Everyone is a threat and must dealt with accordingly in order for KU to fulfill its dream of another NatChamp.

How come Saturday is still so far away?

December 13, 2007 at 10:06 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

bmcmich1 (anonymous) says...

And despite all those reasons, we've still sold more than VTech.

December 13, 2007 at 10:07 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

speedy (anonymous) says...

from topekas old airport by a straight line--string--it was10 miles further to san francisco than miami. airport to airport.

December 13, 2007 at 10:09 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

moorobs5 (anonymous) says...

Where did you find that much string?!

December 13, 2007 at 10:16 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jman18562 (anonymous) says...

Why isn't Sherron Collins an option in the Best Dunker Poll? I guess because I don't think I have ever seen him dunk in a KU uniform. I have no clue why not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSicFi...

December 13, 2007 at 11:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

Remember how lacadaisical we played at Kemper last year against Toledo in December. I hope we play with a little more fire. First game in the new Sprint Center!

December 13, 2007 at 1 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

...wish I could go. :(

December 13, 2007 at 1:20 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Lebowski (anonymous) says...

I personally want to hear more about Rush's court date. I've just now come down from all the excitement surrounding what to do with Anna Nicole's body, and when you've seen one public shooting, you've pretty much seen them all!

So, I desperately needed another juicy scandal or controversy to consume my thoughts. Thank you Brandon for being a thug who doesn't pay his fines on time! Have you seen his tattoos? He got those in prison.... shortly after he beat a teenage girl into his gang.... the same girl he was pimping out and selling crack with. Where was he in the mid 90's? I'll be HE killed OJ's wife... he was only like 8 or 9 years old, but you know he's got big hands, the glove might have fit. Didn't he make a video with R.Kelly, too? I could have sworn I read something about that... The girls weren't a day over 14, too. I heard he lives at the Health Department so he can get that "stuff" cleared up... it's a differnent std every day of the week. No wonder Self won't let him date his daughter.

This whole "knee injury" thing is a big cover up, too. He's been incarcerated this entire time, and now they have him wear the brace to hide the little ankle bracelet because he's on house arrest. Now he'll have to skip all remaining road games, and the NCAA's, because leaving Lawrence would violate the terms of his parole.

Man, if he didn't have such a sweet jump shot, I'd wonder why Self even recruited him.

December 13, 2007 at 2:52 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

digitalkookie (anonymous) says...

nice lebowski...very entertaining...

December 13, 2007 at 3:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...

sherron is an awesome dunker

December 13, 2007 at 3:13 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rockchalkAZ (anonymous) says...

sherron is a great dunker because he's small. everyone loves a small guy who dunks

December 13, 2007 at 3:18 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

cscher (anonymous) says...

Lebowski...that's pretty funny!!!

December 13, 2007 at 3:58 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

scootja32 (anonymous) says...

i prefer the term slam to dunk and slammer to dunker.
i think we need to eliminate this dunk and move on to the slam. it has an unlimited potential of metaphors and it hits you harder when you hear it.

try screaming these

slam!!!!

dunk!!!!

see

December 13, 2007 at 4:46 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...

Dunk you very much...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=v7qPTYzicC8

December 13, 2007 at 6:19 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

Lebowski, that has got to be the most insightful (and funny) social commentary/mockery I've read in a long time.

The only thing missing was the part where the police arrested him because of the threat that he poses to society and that they almost shot him when he brandished his wallet (to pay the fine) because they thought it was a gun.

Stellar work... keep it up!

December 13, 2007 at 7:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

I still thinkt he funniest part of all this is the judge pushing his court date out beyond March Madness. Now THAT's FUNNY!!!!!

December 13, 2007 at 9:52 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...

Jaybate...

Hey friend! Cole Aldrich shoulda been a part of this dance off, no?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiV8ES...

December 13, 2007 at 10:12 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

Proof that not all of any subset of homo sapiens can dance.

But Shaqenstein, now, he can shake the stinger. He gets my vote for nimblest 300 pounder ever!

Thanks for the link.

December 13, 2007 at 11:13 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Superheated (anonymous) says...

Hey I have a Ku Basketball signed by
Roy Williams, Bill Self, Danny Manning and Paul Peirce...

Larry Brown is next..what do you guys think its worth? Its not for sale but just curious...Who else should i have sign it? Wish Wilt was Alive.

RenegadeBanker@yahoo.com

December 14, 2007 at 12:13 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Lebowski (anonymous) says...

Great ball, super... very nice start on it.

If it's not for sale.. and will never be for sale, then I think whoever you want is all that's important.

Personally, I'd have to have Kirk's on it... and especially anyone else who's moved on and represented KU well at the next level. If it was something I was keeping, I'd probably just stick to players from the era I have been able to watch, so at least I could have my own memory to associate with each signature.

If it's resale value you seek, better go earlier and get more of the older guys. I'm not a good historian, someone else will have to tell you whose would be worth the most.

December 14, 2007 at 9:18 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

I have a ball signed by all 20,000 women claimed to have been intimate with. What's it worth?

December 14, 2007 at 10:27 p.m. ( | suggest removal )