Advertisement

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Keegan

Keegan: Teahan on top of heap

By Tom Keegan

Advertisement

Hawks sweep Owls, 87-49

A warm reception from the crowd greeted former Jayhawk Rex Walters, now coaching the FAU Owls. The Jayhawk players, though, were less than friendly during the actual game.

Hawks face off against former KU sharpshooter's team

Tonight an old face enters Allen Fieldhouse wearing a new uniform. Former Kansas sharpshooter Rex Walters returns to the Phog as the head coach of the FAU Owls. Kevin Romary has more from the hardwood.

Useless trivia with DJ

Kevin Romary and DJ Whetter play useless fieldhouse trivia.

Photo Gallery

KU vs. FAU

Audio clips

2007-08 Nov. 28 KU-FAU Basketball

KU vs. FAU

The toughest thing about garbage time during a college basketball game is watching the patronizing cheers for walk-ons and the gut-busting by the regulars that takes place on the bench when one of the non-scholarship players scores.

Why laugh at them? If they weren't positively influencing the program in some way, they wouldn't get a uniform.

The best thing about watching garbage time of Kansas University basketball games against ridiculously overmatched opponents, such as Florida Atlantic University, which played the tomato can Wednesday night in Allen Fieldhouse?

Watching Conner Teahan shoot from beyond NBA 3-point range. Between the time he misfired his first 3-point shot as a college player and the time his rainbow from the left corner just in front of the KU bench glanced off the rim with 15 seconds left in KU's 87-49 victory against FAU, here was the result of every 3-pointer Teahan took: Swish. Swish. Swish. Swish. Swish. Swish. Swish. Swish. The freshman from Rockhurst High in Kansas City, Mo., made eight in a row.

Named Mr. Show-Me Basketball by the Missouri Coaches Association, Teahan turned down basketball scholarship offers from several Missouri Valley schools and a football scholarship from Tulsa University.

He came to KU and knew he would have to do more than shoot his way into contention for a spot in the rotation. He has a long way to go defensively and as a ballhandler before he gets the meaningful minutes. Meanwhile, he has been so entertaining firing up shots late in games that it pays to stay until the end of blowouts.

Teahan played nine minutes and scored nine points against FAU, and his points-per-minute rate actually dropped. For the season, he has scored 26 points in 23 minutes.

"He can shoot," coach Bill Self said of Teahan. "Good God he can shoot. And he's not scared to shoot it. Defensively and some other things he's got to tighten up a lot. Usually, in tight games I play the guys I trust the most, and I have to develop that with all our young guys. That's not a knock on him or Cole (Aldrich) or Tyrel (Reed). That's just the way it is."

Reed and Aldrich will get crunch-time minutes before Teahan, but that doesn't mean Teahan always will be a garbage-time sensation.

"I predict that he'll be part of our rotation in some way, shape or form during his time here, I just don't know when that time will be," Self said.

Teahan averaged 25 points a game during his senior year in high school.

"I knew coming in here I could shoot, and I think they knew that, too, but I have so many more aspects of my game I need to work on," Teahan said. "Sooner or later, I think I'll get used to the speed of the game. Defensively is where I need to improve the most, defensively and ballhandling. If I can improve on those things, I think I'll break into the lineup sooner or later."

He has become a late-game favorite for all the right reasons, not in a patronizing way.

"I kind of zone out before I shoot it and while I shoot it, but once it goes in and the crowd goes crazy, you can definitely feel it, and it kind of picks you up," Teahan said.

It's mutual. He sends them home smiling, not laughing.

More like this

Comments

Hawksj (anonymous) says...

Perhaps, Keegan, they're laughing "for" their buddies, not "at" them.

I do hope he gets some meaningful minutes in big games, so that if we ever do need his shooting, he won't freak out. He could be very valuable in certain situations, like against tight zones or at the end of games.

November 29, 2007 at 7:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Shazam (anonymous) says...

As a fan, I cheer for the walk-ons not to patronize them. I recognize that, while they may not make the difference playing in a game, they work just as hard as the starters and contribute to the team's toughness and drive. They're not playing to get into the NBA or to get on Sportscenter, they're plaing because they love this school and this team as much as the fans do. That's why I'll cheer for them every time as a genuine sign of appreciation.

November 29, 2007 at 7:46 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

dsmith84 (anonymous) says...

yeah, I really don't get that patronizing sensation either. We cheer for Witherspoon and Kleinman to come into the games because it means we are beating our opponent bad enough to empty our bench.
I also agree with the two previous posts... I cheer for those guys because they work hard and I respect their work ethic, and I think their teammates laugh and joke when they mess up on the court because by then the game is over, and the game is almost similar to a pick up game on a playground, at least from a spectator standpoint and all of those guys on the bench have just spent the previous day being serious thinking about the game, so I think they deserve to be able to laugh and let loose a little bit.

November 29, 2007 at 8:07 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

quigley (anonymous) says...

Come on Keegan, don't accuse everyone of patronizing our players for shock value. We cheer when our players score. And I can't remember any of the walk-ons not smiling and giving high fives to the players that are laughing it up on the bench when they come out or the game is over. Good message that Teahan is doing great, but don't try to stir crap up.

November 29, 2007 at 8:57 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Studogg (anonymous) says...

I agree. Keegan missed the mark on this one. The guys are smiling and laughing when the walk-ons score because they see how hard they work in practice every day. They are genuinely happy to see them score. What a ridiculous spin on a really cool thing to witness inside AFH at the end of a blow-out. I'm glad people are letting him know that he was wrong this time.

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

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

I agree with the previous posts. The starters aren't laughing because they are making fun of the walkons. They laugh because they are happy for their teammates who run just as hard as they do in practice, and lift just as much, and work just as hard, finally get in the game and get to hear the cheers from 16,000 fans.

As a former high school frontliner turned college walkon (so I've seen both sides) I can tell you that its exciting as a starter to see the guys that have worked hard in practice getting minutes and scoring points. We laughed because we could finally relax. Our day was done and we could just yell for our teammates. As a walkon, you endure the same preseason training and practices that the starters do, so its nice to get a few minutes every so often to hear your name called for the home fans. That's pretty special when you know that you aren't going to get many minutes.

November 29, 2007 at 9:19 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

lalawguy (anonymous) says...

The only "patronizing" I see from the bench is when one of these walk-ons makes a stupid play. Usually, KU is ahead by so much that the team can afford a stupid turn-over or a bad shot, so the coaches and starters just giggle and shake their heads instead of getting upset. It just shows to me that there is no tension among these players and that everybody is comfortable with the team's lead.

November 29, 2007 at 10:48 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Lebowski (anonymous) says...

For once, we all agree! I like the subject of the article... and the fact it gave some insight to what it's going to take before Teahan can be a factor in crunch-time. But Keegan makes it sound like we dress our walk-ons up like circus freaks and parade them around at the end of the game for sheer amusement.

Our starters are generally glad to be in that situation. I believe they are laughing and smiling over there because their work is done for the day and it feels good.

November 29, 2007 at 12:05 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KUFan90 (anonymous) says...

I think this articale is a disservice to all the hard work the walk ons put in and a disservice to the fans who are showing genuine appreciation and support. If I were a walk on reading this article I'd feel pretty crappy. This one needed a little more thought Keegan.

November 29, 2007 at 2:37 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayViking (anonymous) says...

Definitely Lebowski. They are enjoying seeing the walk-ons get out there and play well because they see them day in and day out working just as hard.

Being a walk-on basketball player at KU is certainly no traditional walk-on position. It's a prestigious spot that was earned with hard work (not to mention you still have to be good at basketball!). It's great to see those kids get out there and play.

November 29, 2007 at 2:51 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

bdku (anonymous) says...

great guy to have in for the last possession of the first half.

November 29, 2007 at 2:52 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

93jayhawk (anonymous) says...

Psychologically speaking, people often criticize or admonish others as a reflection of their own shortcomings. Perhaps Mr. Keegan would benefit from a little introspection into why he perceives this "patronizing" attitude from the players and/or fans.

Huzzahs for Connor and the rest of the walk-ons and the Pine Riders.

November 29, 2007 at 3:09 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

fan408785 (anonymous) says...

If the frontliners are "patronizing" the walk-ons, then why do they ALL jump off the bench when a walk-on scores, makes a stop, steal, etc. ?

November 29, 2007 at 6:18 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

I think you guys are being WAY too nice on Keegan--and it's kind of funny to say that given how often he gets extremely critical comments. I often don't agree with the harsh criticism Keegan gets, but I believe this is the single most clueless thing I've ever read in a newspaper. It is an absolutely idiotic, ridiculous, comment (or I should say they are idiotic, ridiculous comments, since I'm talking about both his "patronizing" comment and his incredibly insulting remark about "gut-busting by the regulars").

I doubt that there's a single college in the entire country--at any level--where those things would be true. Why would any fans be patronizing to the walk-ons??? Walk-ons come from the same general population as the fans, and have had to work extremely hard to make the team, and there's no reason why the fans wouldn't appreciate them MORE than the regulars in a lot of cases. And as for the walk-ons' teammates??? Other than perhaps the rare prima-donnas who are just in it for themselves (which have been extremely rare at KU), I can't imagine why a player wouldn't love to see one of his teammates out there on the court who rarely gets to play.

Keegan, you owe an apology to the KU players and the fans, not to mention another article talking about the great tradition KU has of popular walk-ons, from T.J. Watkins to Christian Moody to Brad Witherspoon and countless others.

November 30, 2007 at 4:07 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

Here's all that matters: swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.

every team needs a great shooter!!!!

Conner Teahan is a great shooter now.

Every coach and every player on that team should be working night and day to help him learn to play enough defense to get him on the floor 10 minutes per game by seasons end.

Alas, it probably won't happen this season, because defense takes time and KU has a ton of experience at guard ahead of him.

But if Conner Teahan can learn to play defense at D1 speeds, KU's worries about zones the next few years are over.

Almost every championship team has a guard/forward who can (and does) kill you from downtown, when you have to overplay the stars. From Lefty Lynn Shackleford with Kareem Jabbar back in the UCLA mists to that two guard on Florida the last two years, NCAA champions have them. They don't have to be narrow talents, likethe two mentioned, either. But they often are.

And as an aside, a guy like this is worth his weight in gold over the course of the season just in practice. There is nothing like getting beaten at horse regularly by a guy on the bench to keep your starters from getting big heads. Hell, I'd give Teahan a scholarship for that alone.

November 30, 2007 at 6:11 a.m. ( | suggest removal )