KU’s Self not fazed by Memphis ruling

Gail Mealman of Overland Park got her visor autographed by KU men's basketball coach Bill Self on Friday at the Kansas Football Kickoff.

Photo by Kevin Anderson

Kansas University women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson was on hand to rally the crowd at the Kansas Football Kickoff in Prairie Village.

Photo by Kevin Anderson

Kansas football coach Mark Mangino signs autographs for fans. Mangino spoke to fans at the KU Football Kickoff on Friday in Prairie Village.

Prairie Village — A day after the NCAA ruled to vacate each of the Memphis men’s basketball team’s 38 victories during the 2007-08 season due to the use of an ineligible player, Kansas University coach Bill Self offered his take on the ordeal during Friday’s KU Football Kickoff at Corinth Square.

Speaking publicly about the matter for the first time, Self — whose team beat Memphis in the ’08 national title game — insisted the ruling has no effect on the Jayhawks or how they view their championship season.

“There were some teams within their league (and) some teams throughout the tournament that didn’t advance because Memphis did, but I don’t know enough about those details to really comment and have a strong opinion about it,” Self said. “I may feel differently if the outcome of the (2008 NCAA title) game was different, but I don’t feel differently.

“The bottom line is, when you get to that level, your kids want to play against the very best,” he added. “And we had the chance to play against an unbelievably talented Memphis team. And fortunately for us, we were able to come out on top.”

• Ten wins and no excuses?: After some stringent preseason research, Self said Friday that he’s confident he knows what to expect from this year’s Kansas football team.

“I’ve looked at their schedule, and I’ve studied it pretty good,” said Self, still sporting his new-look facial hair. “And I think this could be a double-figure-win season for us.”

“Some things probably have to go right,” he added. “But I know that the staff is very excited about the caliber of athlete they have. And it just seems like, to me, since I’ve been here, it just gets a little bit better each and every year.”

Of course, when Self took the stage a few minutes later to introduce KU football coach Mark Mangino, he told the fans on hand that, based on the team’s top-notch quarterback and coaching staff, an undefeated season might not be out of the question, either.

• Mangino encouraged by fan interest: Upon his arrival at Friday’s pep rally, Mangino seemed pleasantly surprised by the number of fans that had gathered for the event.

“You can see there are a lot of Jayhawk fans that are excited about the football program,” said Mangino, set to begin his eighth season in Lawrence. “... There was a time when there wasn’t a lot of people excited about KU football. And that has really changed.”

• Goodrich eager to go for KU women: Nearly a year after an ACL injury spoiled what would have been her freshman season with KU’s women’s basketball team, point guard Angel Goodrich is ready to pick up where she left off, coach Bonnie Henrickson said Friday.

“She’s bugging everybody to get out of her brace,” said Henrickson, who last week signed a three-year contract extension after leading KU to the WNIT title game last season. “A lot of times, the last piece of that is mental and really not that much physical. So that’s up to the doctors, that’s not up to me. But she plays full speed, from what I understand, in pickup. And she’s not limited at all; she does everything the rest of the kids do.”

Goodrich, considered the most high-profile recruit in Henrickson’s tenure at Kansas, will supplement a roster that features four returning starters, including all-Big 12 guard/forward Danielle McCray.

More like this

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KU women's basketball point guard Goodrich out for season 25 comments / October 21, 2008
August anticipation 3 comments / August 18, 2007

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Muska (anonymous) says...

Mike, nice

August 22, 2009 at 7:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

memhawk (anonymous) says...

Ok, somebody's got to go there....I'll jump!

How's Bills hair looking in this great profile to everybody?

If a LJW reporter had any balls, one of them should ask the "question" in a press conference, with a degree of levity. All he can do is say yes, no or no comment. That at least puts the subject on the table and he can address it in his time and manner.

If it is real, he shouldn't hesitate. If not, at least he does look better than a lot of coaches and other men who need one. Ie. Gene Keady, Denny Crum and Donald Trump. The fact that this subject keeps coming up proves that it is debatable, which means it's not a bad thing to wear one that looks good. It's just you want to know that your favorite coach doesn't let vanity become more important than his fans' admiration of his talent and abilities. Vanity can be a good thing until it goes too far. Example: Digger Phelps having to be holding a highlighter marker that matches his shirt/tie, etc. That's when it has crossed the line!

August 22, 2009 at 8:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

yates33333 (anonymous) says...

I don't usually pay that much attention to football at KU, but with the coach we have who seems to really be on top of the game I have started noticing the "other sport." How is Mangino's health? He is really big.

August 22, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

KoolKeithFreeze (anonymous) says...

The subject keeps coming up? Only when goofballs like you bring it up. He wears a hair piece. Who cares? Lay it to rest.

August 22, 2009 at 10:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

rawkhawk (anonymous) says...

It's cool to see the two coaches supporting each other.

I saw Mangino this summer. He's slimmed down some. Like Self's new beard.

I'm still processing the Memphis consequence. It begs the question if Calipari knew about the hit the program was going to take in jumping to Kentucky. It's also odd to me that the NCAA could retroactively deny a school's wins like that. Regardless, I'm glad we beat them fair and square when we had the chance. It would have felt much more cheap if we could only now buy KU championship memorabilia after this fiasco.

Looking forward to both football and basketball this year. Rock Chalk!

August 22, 2009 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

kugrampy (anonymous) says...

rawkhawk, from what I understand KU would not have been given the 2008 championship if we had lost. There would have been one big, bad chicken scratch throughout basketball history for the final game of the 2007/8 season.

August 22, 2009 at 11:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

route66 (anonymous) says...

Dynomite....I disagree with you about Calipari. There are better coach's than him that have not made the final four yet. He's not that good....he's just always had a lot of talent to work with...some legal and some not legal.
But I do get that it was a joke.

August 22, 2009 at 11:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

100 (anonymous) says...

From what I understand, Memphis will challenge this NCAA ruling.

Which means more than likely Memphis will actually prepare for the hearing in Indianapolis this time. They have no one to "protect" this time around. Which means, this time the NCAA & Memphis need this to happen during this final hearing:

1. Make Calipari actually show up at the hearing this time.
2. Talk about November 7th. Who were they trying to kid that Calipari had no information that the NCAA had both contacted Memphis AND Rose separately about the questionable SAT test taken in Detroit out of all places? While they're at it talk about Jan 2008, another reported contact time with Memphis about Rose's SAT.
3. Bring in Wes Anderson, the man who made sure Rose got to Calipari. A man also convieniently located in Detroit. A man who knew Rose couldn't be delivered to Memphis without getting his older brother involved, with trips, hotel rooms, games, etc, that any other team in the NCAA wouldn't have allowed. Make Calipari & Wes talk in the same room. Quiz them separately -- see if their stories match up (lets keep in mind, if there's lying going on, this Rose situation with Calipari & Wes began when Rose was 15 years old).

Essentially Memphis needs to take this serious now. Calipari not only had his hand in this, he was the driving force along with Wes -- in short he knew much more than he let on in his "phone call" from Japan (or China wherever he was last time).

Calipari has much more than $300,000 to lose if Memphis is found guilty this time around. Memphis should still have to lose their 38 wins, that's fair. But since the driving force of this took off for a $20 million pay raise & avoided probation, as well as grabbing the recruits who would've been on probation, the 3 year probation should not hit Memphis. It should hit Calipari, the driver, in many more ways than one.

In some way, Wes Anderson needs to be publicly called out on this, at the bare minimum -- right now he is laughing at the NCAA & Memphis all the way to the bank.

An ESPN writer put it best the other day -- make Calipari sit out a year.

August 22, 2009 at 12:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

emillasap (anonymous) says...

I wonder, when one begs the question does the question give out money?

August 22, 2009 at 12:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

LAJayhawk (anonymous) says...

"The fact that this subject keeps coming up proves that it is debatable..."

Ah, yes. The guy who brings something up is then the one who tells us the subject keeps coming up. Classic. Especially when the post starts off with:

"Ok, somebody's got to go there....I'll jump!"

Thanks for the laugh memhawk. And, no, I'm not laughing with you........

August 22, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

jaybate news service: Princeton Institute for Advanced Hair Studies Posits New Hair Inversion Theory--Self Referred to

A recent study funded by the National Scientific Foundation finds a significant correlation between male pattern baldness, rugs and beards during the phase of a persons life when they are about ready to quit wearing their rugs.

According to Professor Huang von Follicle, the son of not one but two award winning hair scientists, China Insitute of Hair Technology's Madame Leung, and Doktor Eberhard von Follicle of the Deutsche Institute of Ectoprotein, Coach Self participated in a five-year long study of the transitional phases in a male's life between rug concealment and rug admission and rug disposal.

Professor von Follicle indicates that if Coach Self's current team reaches the Final Four, he is 90% confident that Coach Self will hold a press conference to announce his rug in his usual charming and irresistable and professional mannner.

Should KU win the ring this year, von Follicle says he is 95 percent certain that Self will make the announcement.

And in a surprise statement unsupported by the data of his research, "Based simply on the fact that Coach Self is the best college basketball coach in the world, and the man in his coaching generation most likely to advance the way the game is played to a new level of excellence, and is otherwise a perfect fit for KU basketball, and a human being doing enormous community good with some of the largesse with which he has had the good fortune to be blessed, I am 99.9999% confident that if Coach Self's team goes undefeated and wins the ring this season, Coach Self will publicly strip off his rug during a motorcade parade down Massachussetts Street and never wear it again."

Professor von Follicle said, "Coach Self is a man's man and a woman's man and player's coach and KU is darned lucky to have him with or without hair."

Professor von Follicle, by the way, is completely and unapologetically bald.

"It will help Coach Self work through this life phase to have his beloved and shaven-bald assistant coach, the great Daniel Manning, to provide moral support and perspective on this right of passage for men," concluded von Follicle. "And I can assure Coach Self, personally...Be Bold...Be Bald...Be Beautiful...and as his Jayhawk Nation likes to say...Rock Chalk Coach Self!!!"

August 22, 2009 at 12:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

HighEliteMajor (anonymous) says...

Would coach Self have gotten the job had he actually been bald? Would Jeff Van Gundy have grabbed an opposing player by the ankles during a brawl if he hadn't been bald? Do bald guys powder their head? What type of sunblock goes on a bald head? Why do bald guys do the cueball coverup? When the cueball coverup gets caught in the wind, does it act like a rudder or does have not directional effect? Does hair make a man? Do men like bald women (the answer is yes and no .. if you know what I mean).

As for Self's hair, I really don't care.

August 22, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

kvskubball (anonymous) says...

I find it humorous that some people have expressed the opinion that Coach Self needs this rug that some say he wears, and which I have no idea whether he does or not, for "image purposes". Yet our football coach doesn't have one...and as mentioned above Danny Manning seems to get along with a shiney-top, just fine.

Just like the facial hair he is currently sporting, I think that if Self is balding, he could definitely be bald with style!!!! I think he's got 'it', he has a great sense of 'presentation' and has great charisma, with or without facial, with or without follicles on top of his pate! Be proud, be true, be crimson and blue, and if you're bald, shine up and play it up! Just my opinion....

August 22, 2009 at 2:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jayhawkerjoel (anonymous) says...

I think Richard Milhous Calipari will eventually get caught – he’s a crook and everyone knows where there’s vacated final fours, there’s fire. There is just too much money, pressure, and temptation in Kentucky for Cal to play it clean. Their fans don’t care if they cheat, not with their history. It is long and sordid. He will get caught soon enough and the UK faithful will be cryin’ once again about how unfair the NCAA is to them.

August 22, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

jayhawkerjoel,

Richard Milhaus Calipari is absolutely a Digital Classic!!!!!

It is perfect!

I had a hard time typing this post, because I was laughing so hard I couldn't keep my fingers on the keys!

August 22, 2009 at 8:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

hewn (anonymous) says...

OK. Seriously. Everybody wants to point out a flaw in Coach Self. But not really. He's an awesome coach, right? At least an awesome recruiter, and obviously develops his recruits better than Ol' Roy. So if we can't really point out a flaw in his coaching let's say he has a hairpiece.

I, for one, don't buy it. Just glancing at the picture in this article, whatever real or fake hair he has on his head, it has receding corners. Or corners that appear to be receding. Why get a hairpiece that looks like a receding hairline? Huh? Kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it? Maybe he wants to look forever 35. Old enough to command the respect of his players but not so old that he appears out of touch.

But I doubt it.

If you want to pick on something, how about his stutter?

Honestly, though. Coach Self is the sh!t.

August 22, 2009 at 9:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jchief40 (anonymous) says...

Dynomite that was a great post lmao

August 22, 2009 at 9:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Rivethead (anonymous) says...

Jeezus.....more comments on a basketball coach's hair than there are on the real reason he was in public: KU's football Kick off.

You people have issues. Seriously.

August 22, 2009 at 9:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

I refuse to write about KU football on the basketball page, but I will move on from the hair thing and say:

I want Danny Manning to pursue a Ph.D. in something. I want to call him Dr. D.

I also have a thought for music to be played at this year's Late Night. The lyrics go like this:

Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair!
Shoulder length, longer (hair!)
Here baby, there mama, Everywhere daddy daddy

chorus:
Hair! (hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair)
Flow it, Show it;
Long as God can grow it, My Hair!

Oops, I regressed onto the hair thing again. :-)

August 23, 2009 at 12:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

gardenjay (anonymous) says...

rawkhawk - Glad to hear Mangino has slimmed down some. Jaybate, you are staying up too late again...

August 23, 2009 at 1:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Clydecito (anonymous) says...

Jb: Thanks for the Hair lyrics, forgotten that tune. Personally, I'm jonesing for some hi/low.

August 23, 2009 at 10:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )