Thursday, September 20, 2007

Hoops schedule grades out well

Rush rehab progressing nicely

By Gary Bedore

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Kansas University's football strength of schedule has been widely discussed this nonconference season.

What about the 2007-08 hoops slate?

ESPN's Andy Katz was the first national pundit to weigh in on the schedule Wednesday, giving the Jayhawks' overall schedule a grade of B.

"Playing three true road games at all high majors, even if Boston College is rebuilding, is still pretty good," Katz wrote in his column at ESPN.com.

The Jayhawks travel to Boston College on Jan. 5, Southern Cal on Dec. 2 and Georgia Tech on Dec. 18.

The toughest home games are against Arizona (Nov. 25), DePaul (Dec. 8) and Ohio (Dec. 15 at Sprint Center).

"The tournament, outside of Arizona, is rather weak (Jayhawk Invitational also includes Washburn, UMKC and Northern Arizona). The road games will challenge the Jayhawks. The Big 12 isn't as deep top to bottom, though," Katz wrote.

¢ Recruiting: Willie Warren, a 6-foot-3 senior from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., originally out of Fort Worth, Texas, has a final list of KU, Oklahoma, UConn and Cincinnati, according to Rivals.com.

It's possible Warren will visit KU the weekend of Oct. 5 and Oklahoma for Midnight Madness, Rivals notes. ... J'Mison Morgan, 6-10 from Dallas, will visit UCLA this weekend following last weekend's trip to KU. He also has LSU, Alabama, Kentucky and Louisville on his list.

¢ More on Rush: KU junior Brandon Rush repeated to Katz what has been reported in the local media: He's starting to do some cutting as well as running as he continues rehab from June 1 ACL surgery.

Rush told Katz sophomore forward Darrell Arthur has been great this semester in pick-up action. He said Arthur "is just dunking on people. He has that mentality that no one can stop him."

Comments

okjhok (anonymous) says...

That's right, DA! It's your world this year.

September 20, 2007 at 8:19 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

dbegert (anonymous) says...

Willie Warren and J'Mison Morgan could both be Jayhawks by November.

Add Travis Releford, and maybe Terrance Henry and the Morris twins to that, and Bill Self will have done it again.

September 20, 2007 at 8:45 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...

Stay away, far away from Silly Willie, Coach!!!! That guy is cancer!!!!

September 20, 2007 at 8:55 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

According to who?

September 20, 2007 at 9:06 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

I think you mean 'whom.'

September 20, 2007 at 9:24 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

hobrauer (anonymous) says...

jayhawkinatl - why don't you let Self do his job? I'm thinking he knows just a little bit more than you do. There is a reason he is head coach at The University of Kansas and you aren't...

September 20, 2007 at 9:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jaydub (anonymous) says...

I want to see Willie in Crimson and Blue. a team player with swagger and confidence, is contagious not cancerous.

I admit I don't know the kid, but like his game highlights and confidence.

September 20, 2007 at 9:27 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

hobrauer- just like you assume that jayhawkinatl doesn't know what Self knows, I'd suspect you don't know what he (jayhawkinatl) knows. So, let's keep the chattel to a minimum if we can and just focus on what we, as individuals, know. You know?

September 20, 2007 at 9:34 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jaydub (anonymous) says...

Willie could be a Aqib Talib type.

September 20, 2007 at 9:34 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

I like Willie Warren's game. He has a ton of talent. I think everyone can agree on that. Whether or not he's a quality guy is a question that I can't answer. You can't determine that from game film, or even from reading interviews and quotes in a newspaper or on a blog. Willie may be the kind of guy with tons of confidence who just wants to win. He also may be the type that doesn't care about the team as long as he "gets his." He could be somewhere in between. I don't really know, but I do know that he can play basketball and that, unless he is truly a jerk, he will get around quality guys and grow as a person. After all, that's what college is for.

I do think a Warren-Releford-Collins trio on the floor with J'Mison Morgan and Cole Aldrich would be nice. Imagine that for a second, and feel good about the Hawks.

September 20, 2007 at 9:54 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

hobrauer (anonymous) says...

Jayceph my point is that Self is in his position for a reason and we, as individuals, should trust his judgment. You know?

September 20, 2007 at 9:55 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Baha (anonymous) says...

Your right, a Warren-Releford-Collins trio on the floor with J'Mison Morgan and Cole Aldrich would be nice. Imagine that for a second, and feel good about the Hawks. BUT the longer J'Mison is out there visiting other powerhouse schools I begin to wonder how we really stand with him... What once seemed like a 90% done deal now apears to be maybe 50/50... Maybe... Also don't foget about Q Thomas, a 6'8 forward from NJ. The big thing is he'll be here more than a year or two, unlike Morgan or the other big Goof from the Bijou who slips my brain at this time (sorry). They could both very easily be one and done players... I believe Q. Thomas would be a great get for Coach...

September 20, 2007 at 10:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

hobrauer~ I understand your sentiment and, worded in that way, makes complete sense. I'll trust Self as long as he doesn't give me any reason not to (regardless of other peoples' posts and opinions).

That doesn't stop me from having reservations about Willie Warning. But like justanotherfan, I'll have to wait and see how that all pans out. Hopefully for the greater good.

Nice chattin' with you~

September 20, 2007 at 10:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

billiken_hawk (anonymous) says...

personally, i hope we DONT get warren. not because of personality issues or anything, but because i would rather have X. Henry next year instead of WW. it will be a lot easier to get henry without warren in a KU jersey. im not saying it cant be done, but i think it would be easier without him....

September 20, 2007 at 10:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

bmkjayhawk (anonymous) says...

If Morgan was as impressed with KU as he was reported to be, and if he is as close to Darrell Arthur as he is reported to be, then I still like KU's chances to be better than 50/50. He might just be taking in all the information that he needs to so he can make an informed decision.

September 20, 2007 at 10:59 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

billiken,

Remember, by the time X Henry is on his way, we will have lost everyone in the backcourt who is there now except maybe Sherron, Brady and Tyrel. Releford is the only other big wing guy we have for sure. X. Henry is a big wing, as opposed to WW, who is only about 6-3 or 6-4. And if Sherron leaves after his junior year, then it'll be Brady, Tyrel and Releford. Point being, I don't think landing WW will keep Xavier from coming to KU if he wants to wear the crimson and blue.

2009-10 squad (wish list)
G Sherron Collins *
G/F Travis Releford *
G Brady Morningstar
G Tyrel Reed
G Willie Warren *
G/F Xavier Henry
G/F Mario Little
F Quintrell Thomas
F Marcus Morris
F Markeiff Morris
F J'Mison Morgan *
C Cole Aldrich *
* for starters. X and Little could be versitile enough to back up any of the guards, and Q could back up the big guys, along with the Morrises.

And we would still have one more scholie. That's not half bad. Not a lot of size, so we would need one more big guy, but not too shabby.

September 20, 2007 at 11:06 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

billiken_hawk (anonymous) says...

it would be interesting if we land the morris twins, with regard to the jerseys... marc. morris and mark morris....

i guess i see your point. ill take what we can get.

September 20, 2007 at 11:10 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

bmkjayhawk (anonymous) says...

100% selfishness coming out here, but I really wish the announcements for some of these guys would happen sooner. I find myself checking every single source I can for any lead as to whether they'll end up at KU, over and over. Kind of like when Brandon Rush was in limbo in August of 2005. It's a little nerve-racking. I probably should get a hobby.

But let's keep crossing our fingers for these guys to make the right choice (in our eyes)....

September 20, 2007 at 11:20 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

kunomu (anonymous) says...

How many of us thought that Brandon Rush was a cancer? How many people thought that he was a ball hog and totally selfish when he signed at Kansas. Well all of us have been wrong. All of you Willie Warren bashers just need to shut up. Put yourself in his shoes, when you were 17-18 years old and you had every coach in the world calling you telling you how great you were you would probably be pretty excited too. The kid made mistakes but lets not forget he is only 18 years old. Cut the kid some slack.

Come on down Willie we would love to have you in a KU uniform.

September 20, 2007 at 11:25 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Royaljayhwk (anonymous) says...

I just keep getting more and more excited about this year. D A is going to be huge. He's going to step up and be a player on this team that wants to score and we need one of those. B Rush will get his points in moderation and when he needs it, but we need a guy that is going to put up 20 every night out and I think D A will do it. Rock-Chalk Jayhawk.

September 20, 2007 at 11:29 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

tis4tim (anonymous) says...

Let's not forget that Self has done a fairly good job ridding this team of past 'problems'.

If Warren pulled any crap, I'm sure the same fate would befall him like Giddens, Giles, et. al.

If he's talented, and he seems to have his head on straight, let's get him in here. I trust Self with the call.

September 20, 2007 at 11:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jaydub (anonymous) says...

justanotherfan,

I like that wish list.
Don't forget CJ Henry, he would be a walk on because of an education agreement is in his baseball contract. CJ would be a very mature freshman.

Also, if it's a wish list I would add Greg Monroe. Monroe is listed as a Forward and J'Mison Morgan is listed as a Center, that's a dominant front court. It's fun to wish!

September 20, 2007 at 1:10 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

I didn't forget CJ Henry. I was looking at scholarship guys and, since he wouldn't count towards that number, I didn't include him. He'd be a nice addition, though.

It would be awesome to get Monroe, but the more the recruiting goes on, the less likely it seems that he will come here (partly because I think he sees KU as the front runner for Morgan). He was on some of my earlier wish lists, but it seems likely that he will stay in SEC country.

September 20, 2007 at 2:09 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

jayceph,
no, I meant what I wrote, but thanks for the grammar lesson...give me a break...maybe one day I too will be counted among the elitist posters such as yourself.

September 20, 2007 at 2:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

or is it amongst???

September 20, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

kerbyd (anonymous) says...

Monroe has also fallen alot in terms of his abilities. From what I have read he has focused only improving away from the basket and has ignored working with his back to the basket. Anybody else heard anything like that?

September 20, 2007 at 2:34 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

okjhok- the grammar lesson was at 9:24 this morning.

You're just now getting around to being indignant to my playful remark? I think it is you who needs to give me (and all the other readers) a break.

Don't take yourself or your vapid musings so seriously.

September 20, 2007 at 3:17 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jaydub (anonymous) says...

Kerbyd, I also read something like that. I can't remember the source. Regardless, he will make some university very happy.

Justanotherfan, I'm hoping that since they play different positions we could get both Monroe and Morgan (pipe dream, maybe). I do realize that PF and Center positions are somewhat interchangeable. I'm still wishing for him.

September 20, 2007 at 3:38 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

Hey dude, it was your correcting post that started the whole thing. You could have left well enough alone, but you didn't. I just didn't think the comment was necessary. That's all. Don't worry, I won't lose any sleep. BTW, do you use a thesaurus for your posts?

September 20, 2007 at 3:57 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

No, no thesaurus. However, I was wondering if there was another word for 'synonym.'

How come 'monosyllabic' is such a long word?

You're right, the comment wasn't necessary. It was, by definition, pointless and playful. It was never intended to rankle your ire. So, my apologies if my *giggle* wasn't heard over the ether.

Go 'Hawks~

September 20, 2007 at 4:22 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

Roger that. Until next time...

September 20, 2007 at 4:27 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Haefele (anonymous) says...

Here is an interesting article on ESPN about how the expectations for Kansas this post-season are exceedingly high:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/st...

September 21, 2007 at 8:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

ralsterKUMed95 (anonymous) says...

Im excited to see an explosive DArthur (unencumbered by having to split time with Ju), and a freed-up-to-slash BRush (ball not in Ju's hands in midcourt), which together should easily surpass the points Ju gave us. Team should look more decisive and aggressive also, as when Ju had the ball, oftentimes, other players were "not quite sure what he was going to do" (quoting RRobinson). Let our s-t-e-l-l-a-r guards have it and turn loose Arthur+Rush, then add Jackson, Kaun, Aldrich and see what shakes out by seasons end...Im stoked!!

September 27, 2007 at 10:40 a.m. ( | suggest removal )