Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Kansas basketball notebook

By Gary Bedore

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Jayhawks sweep border showdown

The KU men's basketball team took both games against the Missouri Tigers this year with their win Monday night in Allen Fieldhouse.

Useless trivia with DJ

DJ Whetter and Kevin Romary play useless fieldhouse trivia.

6Sports video: Aldrich steps up against Mizzou

KU center Cole Aldrich came up big against the Missouri Tigers on Monday.

Photo Gallery

KU vs. Missouri

Audio clips

2007-08 Feb. 4 KU-Mizzou Hoops

Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self was saddened to learn of Texas Tech coach Bob Knight's retirement on Monday.

"I'm disappointed for selfish reasons," Self said. "He is great for our league. From a selfish standpoint, I'd like him to come here one more time (for KU-Texas Tech game on March 3). I felt the same way when Barry Sanders retired. How can he do that with so much left? I'm happy for Coach; still, I feel it takes away from the interest level in our league. I'm happy for Pat (Knight, replacement) and know he will do a great job. And I'm happy for Coach. Whatever he wants to do, he has a right to do that."

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Faces in crowd: San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, the father of KU baseball pitcher Brett, attended and sat with former big-league pitcher Rick Sutcliffe. ... Former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson sat behind the Missouri bench to support his former assistant, MU coach Mike Anderson.

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Bowl celebration: KU's football team was honored at halftime. Coach Mark Mangino stood between Chancellor Robert Hemenway and athletic director Lew Perkins for presentation of the Orange Bowl trophy after a highlight video was shown.

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Perkins comments on TV time: Athletic director Perkins, who was shown on international TV numerous times while sitting in the Gatorade suite in the row below Peyton Manning at Sunday's Super Bowl, was back in time for Monday's game.

Perkins said he received about 50 text messages during and after the game from friends stunned to see the KU leader on TV.

"It was crazy, all the texts, the calls," Perkins said.

So which team was he rooting for? New York or New England?

"I wanted either team to win," he said. "I have ties to both teams (friends either in front offices or coaching staffs). I actually grew up a Giants fan because the Patriots weren't there yet," noted Perkins, who grew up in Massachusetts.

Perkins' wife, Gwen, who also received a lot of TV time at the Super Bowl and is a Giants fan, Perkins said.

Manning, by the way, tried to avoid the cameras at the bowl, which was played in Glendale, Ariz.

"He said to me before the game he was sitting in the back row so he wouldn't be noticed. He was there supporting his brother (Eli, Giants quarterback)," Perkins said.

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Majok to visit: Ater Majok, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound high school senior center who attends the American International School in Carlingford, Australia, will make official recruiting trips to KU and Connecticut sometime in March, according to Rivals.com. Majok, 20, a native of Sudan who has played for Heat Basketball Academy in Virginia, has also heard from West Virginia, Baylor, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgetown, St. John's and others.

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Appleton update: Texas is trying to schedule an official visit with Tyrone Appleton, a 6-3 guard from Midland (Texas) College, who recently visited Kansas. Appleton told Rivals.com his final list consists of KU, Kentucky, Iowa State, Texas and Indiana. The Gary, Ind., native is averaging 12.5 points, 5.5 assists and 1.8 steals a game. He has cited immediate playing time as his main factor in picking a school.

KU vs. MU

Comments

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

Nolan Richardson sure does follow Anderson around a lot. What's that about? It seems like he is just a big 'hanger-on' and has lost his relevancy.

Is he barred from coaching or something? Why doesn't he try to run his own program instead of shadowing the Mizz-whovians?

February 5, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

architect (anonymous) says...

Nolan is getting a $3 million payout for not coaching from Arkansas. Something like $500,000 a year since being fired. Anderson was his long time assistant while at Arkansas and I believe he played for Nolan at Tulsa. For a half a million bucks a year I believe I could make all of the KU games. What a cush job!

February 5, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

astrofunk (anonymous) says...

If I'm not mistaken, Richardson has been coaching the Mexican National team. I don't see anything wrong with him showing support for a former assistant, and I doubt Mike Anderson does either.

February 5, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ralsterKUMed95 (anonymous) says...

Yeah, if thats true about the $500,000 per year to not coach, then who would fault him for takin' it easy?

February 5, 2008 at 11:11 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

Wow, I never knew there were so many that supported the Mizz bench. Good on yuh~

Richardson just strikes me as a guy that got canned and now is looking to imbue some element of influence somewhere, some how, regardless of how it comes across.

I don't fault a guy for making that kind of money. Good for him. I guess I am just tired of seeing HIM whenever I happen to see a Mizz-game (which is hard enough to stomach as is). Isn't Anderson supposed to be the coach?

February 5, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

Is anyone concerned that Appleton cited immediate playing time as the main factor in his choice of schools? I know he's just a high school kid and perhaps it was taken out of context, but that doesn't sound like the type of team-first attitude that KU has now.

February 5, 2008 at 1:44 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

txrockchalk (anonymous) says...

actorman -

I believe Appleton is a sophomore at Midland (Texas) College. He is also rated as the # 3 juco prospect. Given those items, his concern is probably a valid one.

February 5, 2008 at 2:24 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

TtownHawk (anonymous) says...

txrockchalk is right. i can't say i blame him. being the number 3 juco player allows him to do this. he's good enough to play pretty much anywhere and he's letting schools that want him know that he wants to play.

February 5, 2008 at 2:49 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

ralsterKUMed95 (anonymous) says...

Hard for a juco player to transfer and then sit on the bench, I guess, depending on the type of player he is and what he brings to a team: Role player or starter?
Look at a player like Rod Stewart on our own team: a role player and somewhat disappointing career if you look just at minutes and production, BUT would be a starter on almost any other team...I think it is fair advertising for a juco player to put out what he wants and try to find a fit..

February 5, 2008 at 2:53 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Strikewso (anonymous) says...

Richardson did not graduate a single player during is tenure at Arkansas. I didn't know that until he quit, and it pissed me off. I actually rooted for him when he was at the Final 4 rambling about how black coaches don't get enough respect, and all the while he didn't even care if any of his players got an education.

February 5, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

didjabuti (anonymous) says...

Really? Not a single one? I didn't think you could do that if you tried. Of course if you don't try at all......

February 5, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

Do we really still care what color people are (including coaches)?

MLKjr is vomiting in his grave...

February 5, 2008 at 7 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

I stand (somewhat) corrected on Appleton. I hadn't connected to the fact that he's a juco player, so playing time is certainly a legitimate concern for him. And I did preface my comments by saying his words could have been taken out of context. But if it's truly his MAIN factor in choosing a school, I still worry about that a little.

If it's true that Richardson didn't graduate a single player, that is really nauseating. I seem to recall that was also the case with Dana Kirk at Memphis (then Memphis State) a while back. And I think Bob Huggins had a horrible graduation rate at Cincinnati. I'm glad that at least schools can now be penalized for not educating their students, although I would guess the types of places we're talking about will now just graduate their players to avoid penalties, even if the players haven't actually learned anything.

February 6, 2008 at 4 p.m. ( | suggest removal )