Friday, February 15, 2008

Mayer

Mayer: Jayhawks: Embrace heritage

By Bill Mayer

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Jayhawks back on top

The Kansas State men's basketball team apparently has no interest in staying atop the Big 12 standings. For the second time this season, the Wildcats take the first-place spot from Kansas only to give in back 48 hours later.

6Sports video: Self's squad eager for reunion

Clyde Lovellette -- that's who head coach Bill Self says he's looking forward to meeting the most when more than 200 former players, coaches and staff members return to Lawrence this weekend to celebrate 110 years of Kansas basketball.

This Kansas basketball team is in desperate need of a powerful battery recharge. It won't find a better source to plug into for renewed passion, pride, thrust and proper respect for its rich heritage than the people at this weekend's 110th celebration of the sport at KU. Meet 'em, listen to 'em, try to honor what they have done.

Mid-day last Monday, Jayhawk faithful were talking about the virtual certainty of a No. 1 seeding for the 2008 NCAA Tournament. After getting unhinged at Texas, KU again is on even ground with Kansas State and Texas. Some fear KU, with its maddening lapses in intensity, may not even win a conference title and postseason tournament, let alone grab the national brass ring.

This is a great weekend for the Jayhawks to recognize they're drifting like a ship without a rudder and to start measuring up to their potential. They need to note the Crimson and Blue legacy they represent and bust loose - to honor the guys who got the program to the admirable level it enjoys. So, '08 fans think their darlings are that good? Time to prove it!

Sad thing is, the Jayhawks who have gone before can't rectify that they fell short now and then. The beauty is that this '08 gang, for all its drift and self-doubt, still can get on track to Big 12 dominance and impact in NCAA play. If they're starved for incentive, they can vow to honor those who set the stage for more big-time achievements.

Kansas has been to the NCAA finals seven times and has a 2-5 record there. The '52 and '88 championship teams aren't hurting for appreciation and glory. But how about "getting even" for the other five finalists, particularly the 1953 and 1957 teams, which each fell short by a single point? (It's hard to realize that of the seven Jayhawks who played in that '57 heartbreaker against North Carolina, only Ron Loneski is still alive!). Honor, too, the '40, '91 and '03 finalists.

The '08 Jayhawks can pay the great '43 team a huge tribute. KU was good enough to win the NCAA title that Wyoming did - except that a fabulous KU squad had been scattered to the four winds of World War II two days after the regular season ended.

How about those KU teams of the 1931-43 period who won seven league titles, forged four ties, finished second once and third another time? Until 1939 there was no NCAA Tournament glory to be had. KU reached the finals in '40 and was 2-1 in '42 regional play (T.P. Hunter, '42, later died in Pacific combat). Then the unbeaten league champs of '43 got derailed by WW II.

Of the '40 starters, only attorney Howard Engleman of Salina survives. If the current players can't draw inspiration from this academic genius, war hero, All-American and short-term KU coach, as sharp and witty as ever, they're beyond help.

There was the brilliant '66 Kansas team that would have won the national title if it hadn't been shafted by a bad call against Texas Western, eventual champ, in Lubbock. Win a few for them, '08 guys. There are countless Jayhawks who deserved better than fate dealt them. The best way to remedy that is for the current players to recognize how they must perform to avoid the kind of pain I saw in that '57 locker room after the three overtimes with Carolina.

The '08 Jayhawks should be inspired by association with the guys who got them to the big-time picnic grounds. If they don't realize by now where the program came from and how it got where it is, they sure-in-hell should.

Comments

jackhawk (anonymous) says...

This team is "drifting like a ship without a rudder"? We say that after losing a one possession game on the floor of the 11th ranked team in the nation? What a bunch of dribble.

February 15, 2008 at 7:49 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KUbsee69 (anonymous) says...

Let's go out there and win one for the gipper ... er, I mean Wilt.

February 15, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

leikness (anonymous) says...

Agreed...I think every informed fan understands that you put the best team together you can, get them the best coach and see how far they can go. There's no way of predicting what is going to happen in March whether you're talking about the Big XII or the NCAAs. You can talk about specifics in what you like that they're doing or what you don't like, but taking the time to doubt whether they're going to win or lose either is a waste. Anything can happen on any given day. Especially that time of year. I give this team as good or better chance than anybody in the field of 65 of pulling it off. Anyone who was at KSU understands that for the hawks to win that game would have been 1 in 10. It was just that kind of atmosphere. As for Monday. Jack said it best above.

February 15, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

njjayhawk (anonymous) says...

Bill, your run down memory lane is much appreciated. I remember many of the past Jayhawk teams you note, and as a fanatical Jayhawk fan, starting as a young kid growing up in small town Kansas, relish the memories of sitting near the radio with my dad and listening to the Jayhawks play, often times keeping score in a homemade scorebook (in Wilt's days, I reserved two lines in my scorebook to capture his 'game line') .

This year's Jayhawk edition can take a prominent spot in Jayhawk lore: Big 12 Champions, Big 12 Tournament Champions, Final Four, National Champions...it's all there for the taking.

February 15, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Studogg (anonymous) says...

I think Mayer is partly right. And I think jack is partly right. We did have a bad night, but the same thing happened at KSU. Is that enough to identify a trend? I'm not sure, but the good news is, is that it's correctable at this point. KSU has failed to capitalize both times after sliding into first place. The whole thing is there for the taking. But it's going to take some heart, some passion, some desire that's visible on the court to achieve true greatness.
I didn't think the '03 team would make it to the title game when the tournament started that year. But guess what, we had two guys that made the decision that no matter what happened, they were NOT going down without a fight. And that's why Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich will probably always be two of my most favorite Jayhawks of all time. I mean, 33 and 16 for Nick against Duke!! Are you kidding me? That's heart. That's passion. That's desire manifesting itself for all 40 minutes on the hardwood.
Yes, KU could take some lessons from the ones who've gone before, but ultimately they're going to have to do this thing becuase THEY want it; Not because of what happened 40 or 50 years ago, as sad as that may have been. If they're going to win a national title, it'll be because they have decided to MAKE it happen through their own HARD WORK, HEART, and HUSTLE.

February 15, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

bangaranggerg (anonymous) says...

Great Article!

February 15, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

Not to say that current teams cannot appreciate those that came before them, but much of the appreciation, at least for me, is due to the fact that I've been a fan. And although I can't say I was around for the '57 title game, I was for the '88 'ship and the subsequent final four runs of the '90s and '00s. It's doubtful many of the current guys were Jayhawk supporters growing up, and thus, their appreciation of those that came before them probably isn't as great. Do they admire the past greats? Probably, but not as much as you or I would, and for that reason Mario, Sherron, Shady and Sasha might prefer to be at The Wheel Sat night, not at a banquet.

February 15, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jacobpaul81 (anonymous) says...

Studogg, you're not Dickie V are you? =P

I still think KU's greatest team was the 86 team that made it to the Final Four, and I'm glad to see so many of them returning for this weekend. I'd love to see Kellogg and Thompson shoot again.

February 15, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Studogg (anonymous) says...

Good angle, okjhok. I hadn't thought of that. But Saturday night hopefully will make an impression on them, even if a few of them aren't thrilled to be there (which is just speculation, of course).

February 15, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Studogg (anonymous) says...

No, but now as I read my post again, I guess I can see where you might get that. Ha, Ha, good one.

February 15, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

I just hope we can stop prefacing our statements about past (potential) glory with blown calls and bad breaks and missed opportunities (such as bad free throw shooting) and finally snatch the proverbial brass ring. If for no other reason than to satisfy our own sense of what is right and 'just' in the world... but perhaps to also silence the countless nay-sayers that relish every opportunity to belittle the terrific program and history that IS KU basketball.

RCJHGKU~

February 15, 2008 at 10:58 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

There's such a monumental difference between having two titles (Cincinnati, Oklahoma St. (nee A&M), Florida, et al.) and three or more titles (only UCLA, Kentucky, Indiana, UNC and Duke) that it's a never-ending source of frustration that KU hasn't managed to win another one. It would sure make a difference in our claim to "greatest tradition" if KU could move into the upper tier of title winners.

February 15, 2008 at 8:56 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

BCRavenJHawkfan (anonymous) says...

I am watching the NBA Rookies vs. Sophomores, uh where is J. Wright?
Oh, no where to be seen. Guess that speaks volumes.

February 15, 2008 at 9:24 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Johann Ross) says...

BCRAVEN...

Hes not on the roster. Julian kinda came out half-baked, and hes not really getting a chance to play a lot of minutes down in Nawlins. All the more reason why both Brandon and Darrell should come back next year. im sure they are keeping track of his progress in the NBA...

February 15, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

FlaHawk (anonymous) says...

No one on KU team will be seen in a future NBA Rookies vs Sophomore game. Get real. They are good to great in college, but don;t have a NBA star bone in them.

NCAA is NOT NBA and don't confuse the two games!

February 15, 2008 at 9:53 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

BCRavenJHawkfan (anonymous) says...

jross,

On target and well stated. Especially considering Luis Scola made the squad.
I know these guys make the move to get the money, some out of necessity, but just once can't there be someone that wants to make a name for themself.
Uh, and if he was at KU, all the better.

February 15, 2008 at 9:54 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

BCRavenJHawkfan (anonymous) says...

The point was not to compare the two games. The point is one would hope they would think beyond the immediate self gratification of the $$$.

February 15, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. ( | suggest removal )