'Beyond the Phog' excerpt: Sherron Collins on Brandon Rush

"Beyond the Phog" book.

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"Beyond the Phog" book.

The following is an excerpt from "Beyond the Phog - Untold Stories from Kansas Basketball's Most Dominant Decade." Compiled by Jason King of Yahoo! Sports and Lawrence Journal-World sportswriter Jesse Newell, the 400-page book includes interviews with 40 players and coaches from the most successful era in Jayhawks history. "Beyond the Phog" will be available in stores Sept. 30. For more information or to pre-order the book, check out kubook.net. KUSports.com will run excerpts from the book throughout the next few weeks.

In Sherron Collins' words ...

BRANDON RUSH

B-Rush is one of the goofiest guys I know. When you were around him, you couldn’t help but laugh. Every day in practice, B-Rush had something about going left baseline. Seriously, he wanted to go left baseline every time. Instead of shooting a pull-up jumper or an open jumper, he’d put the ball on the floor and go left. ...

[Coach Self] kept making fun of him for it, too, because Brandon has that short arm that he broke when he was little. Coach Self used to mimic him by walking around with his arm dangling all crooked-like, just like Brandon. He’d say, “Here’s what you do. You get the ball, and you put it down on the floor with your little short-ass arm, and then you go to the lane.” Coach Self got so frustrated that he set up a treadmill on the baseline especially for B-Rush. Every time he passed up a jump shot and went baseline … before he ever made it to the basket, Coach Self had blown his whistle and said, “Treadmill!” B-Rush would have to run.

I’ve never seen B-Rush get into an argument with a teammate. As a matter of fact, I’ve never seen B-Rush get into an argument with anyone on the court, not even an opponent. He probably never said anything back to Coach Self. B-Rush is just laid back all the time. He really didn’t have any problems. He’s always in a good mood.

B-Rush could turn a bad situation into a good one on the court without even trying. Coach Self would be hollerin’ at everyone, but then he’d look over at B-Rush, and he’d have this stupid look on his face. Then Coach Self would start laughing, too. He couldn’t get serious. He’d be like, “What, Brandon?” B-Rush would say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just listening.”

The other thing about B-Rush is that he never lied. Coach Self would be like, “Did everyone make curfew last night? If you didn’t make curfew, raise your hand.” All of us that broke curfew kept our hands down — except B-Rush. He’d raise his hand and tell on himself. Coach Self would ask him why he didn’t make curfew and he’d say, “Because the club was crackin’!” Everyone would laugh and he’d make B-Rush run a little bit.

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Funhawk 1 year, 7 months ago

Some of the goofiest KU players have been some of the best. Maybe that's what makes them smooth and loose on the court. B-Rush is fun.

100 1 year, 7 months ago

Who will wear #25 this year?

texashawk10 1 year, 7 months ago

Jordan Juenemann will be putting on the #25 jersey for the Jayhawks this upcoming season.

ahpersecoachingexperience 1 year, 7 months ago

Please tell me the story of Sherron and the elevator is in this book.

kustrong 1 year, 7 months ago

You attended KU, you should already know.

Rock Chalk

KEITHMILES05 1 year, 7 months ago

LMAO, now that'd be really good!

79ictjhawk 1 year, 7 months ago

Oh no, that's a new low for you a$$perhole. You could of atleast put a "gigitty" after it!

ahpersecoachingexperience 1 year, 7 months ago

Imagine how many copies my book would sell:

Dirty Birds Untold stories from Lester Earl's Tahoe to Lew's basement.

(not hate'n disclosure)

79ictjhawk 1 year, 7 months ago

A chapter for your book: Ridding shotgun with Brady.

Yahweh 1 year, 7 months ago

I love B-Rush, but I'm so surprised no one has gone with this thread yet:

Sublime - Smoke Two Joints by Scottie Lauer

CaramelMacchMan 1 year, 7 months ago

Because the club was crackin!! haha

jaybate 1 year, 7 months ago

Brandon Rush is an all-timer.

It was his team: the KC Kool Jazz Quintet.

They were the best.

He was the best of their best.

And now we know why Brandon had a weak left.

I never noticed that arm.

That's why I'm in the cheap seats.

jaybate 1 year, 7 months ago

Brandon Rush is an all-timer.

It was his team: the KC Kool Jazz Quintet.

They were the best.

He was the best of their best.

And now we know why Brandon had a weak left.

I never noticed that arm.

That's why I'm in the cheap seats.

jhawk7782 1 year, 7 months ago

B Rush came in with all the labels.. arrogant selfish showboat one and done, and so on BUT none of them stuck Instead he left w/other labels teamate defensive player humble champion

REHawk 1 year, 7 months ago

How about Jayhawk Kool Jazz Quintet? I like it!

REHawk 1 year, 7 months ago

I really wish Sherron was available and in the States for this game. Talk about a 21st century Jayhawk legend!

RCJhawks 1 year, 7 months ago

Who cares if it's well written? It was a fun read. Go check out some Hemingway if you want good writing.

soswalt4 1 year, 7 months ago

Debbie Downer

IlBastardo 1 year, 7 months ago

Or perhaps have a look at Jaybate. It seems until he finds himself a diary this board will have to serve as his virtual toilet paper, so you may as well make the best of it.

jaybate 1 year, 7 months ago

Dang! I can't not take no dingus beatin' praise lahk that there, illBistardo!

But ewe know whut?

That Jack Kerouac, he done writ his On the Pavement, er, Macadam, er Tarmac, er, no, it wuz called "On the Road," yep, he writ that on a roll uh Charmin, if'n I recall correct like. No, lemme think. That he writ on a roll uh teletype paper. It were Desolation Angels, er sumthin' else that he writ on a roll uh Charmin.

Make no never mind no how.

You're rahght. I gaht no die-reee.

Jist liddle ol' KUSports.com. :-)

P.S.: And ah ay-pologizes tuh manginor 4 not writin' this good lahk he/she/it likes.

jaybate 1 year, 7 months ago

See here, illBistardo,

Ah wuz raht!

Check this here link.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Kerouac_ontheroad_scroll.jpg

If ewe look close ewe will seez the oe-riginal manuscript of jack's very entertaining' book.

Jayhawkfanalum 1 year, 7 months ago

manginorh00lz,

"This story wasn't written. Well?"

How clever of you!

I'm assuming that your text editor somehow stripped out the punctuation when you cut and pasted it into the comment box, as, most obviously, this story wasn't WRITTEN, it was TOLD, and then transcribed by a journalist. There's a bit of a clue to this in the title, as in "....Untold Stories...." Thus, it retains the cadence of a SPOKEN vignette, as opposed to a composed and reworked WRITTEN story.

How keen of you pick up on this and make a wry joke.

As a spoken story, however, it was cogent, it conveyed a truth about Brandon Rush and HCBS and how the team functioned during the championship year, and was funny to boot.

Make_Ur_Free_Throws 1 year, 7 months ago

Well then, keep practicing on your writing and you'll pretty soon you'll be posting just like all the other awesome K.U. fans here! Getting down on yourself for poor writing really does nothing to improve your posting, it just makes you feel bad about yourself! I know you can do it . . . just keep trying and pretty soon you'll look back and say "I was so silly to think my post wasn't written very well!"

Best of luck to you!

Rock Chalk!

jaybate 1 year, 7 months ago

manginor,

I believe what you mean to write was:

That weren't wrote right. :-)

kranny 1 year, 7 months ago

The second greatest play and shot in KU history: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8CEP7...

MartyrMangino 1 year, 7 months ago

We are a proud program, we don't need a book like this ginning up gossip like a People magazine. Especially in light of the recent atmosphere surrounding our athletic department. Count me as one who thinks this book does more harm than good. How are coach Self and the players supposed to trust each other and pull in the same direction if they know down the road, things said in confidence and privacy will become People magazine gossip fodder?

As the twig bends, so inclines the tree.

oldalum 1 year, 7 months ago

I think you are underestimating the relationships these guys had with each other and their coach. They aren't going to hang out any dirty laundry. Can't you tell from the excerpts we've seen so far that they are choosing funny or flattering things to relate?

clevelandjayhawker 1 year, 7 months ago

Brandon is a great guy, he must have been "seeing" this girl that lived in my apt complex so I ran into him a few times. He always had a smile even with his injury. Seriously kusports.com is doing a great job of teasing me with this book...unless its like $50 im buying it the day it comes out.

RCJhawks 1 year, 7 months ago

agreed

mvjayhawk 1 year, 7 months ago

i can believe what Sherron says. i remember the game at CU, Brandon's frosh year....and there was point in the 2nd half...on a timeout...and of course, the camera is in the KU huddle.

and Self is just ripping into Brandon....Self's face was getting red, it was all at Brandon...and he just looked right at him, said nothing, and wasn't really reacting at all....just taking it....it was 30 plus seconds.

and then, Brandon goes out, starts being more aggressive....as does the team, and we win the game by 10 or 12. Sounds like it was typical BRush.....classic.

holidaysmore 1 year, 7 months ago

I can't remember or not but was that the same game that he drove down the baseline and threw down a one handed jam. That was about the only time I can remember BR getting 'pissed' in a game. I remember whatever game that was someone on the other team said something from the bench and then the next possession down, bam B took off and crushed it.

Favorite BR story. My friend is driving us to the Hawk and we are right by the library. There are some kids playing some game on the front lawn. Well one of them gets close to the street and BR puts his head out the window and barks like a dog real loud. Scares the absolute **** out of that kid. Was the funniest thing I have ever seen.

ralster 1 year, 7 months ago

holidaysmore, Yeah, I remember B.Rush going right down a gaping OkieState lane for a thunderous jam. One of the most authoritative dunks I'd seen him do. I think DJax did another one on OkieState and did gorilla chest thumps after. Goose bumps...

CaramelMacchMan 1 year, 7 months ago

Ha!!! This book is making noise already.

Check this out.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Being-8216-an-absolute-jerk-8217-cost-Kris-H?urn=ncaab-wp4959

jayhawkinnc 1 year, 7 months ago

I recall reading an article during Final Four week in '08 when the Jayhawks were practicing and preparing for the North Carolina game. I think it was Russell Robinson who said B-Rush was barking/yelling at teammates during practice to run a certain play in practice the right way. Russ Rob said he'd never seen Brandon speak up like that in practice or a game before. Russ Rob said at that point, he knew Rush would have a good game and they were going to spank UNC. As a result, Rush had 25 points and KU won by 18.

Funhawk 1 year, 7 months ago

Maybe B-Rush wanted to beat Roy for publically dumping his brother. Worked out well for us Hawk fans.

kufankam 1 year, 7 months ago

his brother deserved to be dumped... jaron's arrogance make kris kardashian humphries look tame...

wissoxfan83 1 year, 7 months ago

The excerpts from the last few days were compelling. This one, boring. Hopefully there's more compelling than boring in the book.

TheGiftedOne 1 year, 7 months ago

So what you're telling me is that Brandon Rush smoked alot of bud?

ralster 1 year, 7 months ago

Ahem! Uh...Rush enjoyed the Phog.

jaybate 1 year, 7 months ago

Brandon?

He didn't barbecue seed! He didn't gum leaf. He didn't huff huna. He didn't marry mari. He didn't light up Texas tea. He didn't smoke Airplane. He didn't vacuum astro turf. He didn't bowl load Aunt Mary. He didn't smoke Black Bart. He didn't do Boom. He didn't deep breath Charge. He didn't channel the Chiba chiba. He didn't like Chunky. He didn't roll Dagga. He didn't like Dank. He didn't buy Dinkie dow. He didn't mouth breath Endo. He didn't rebreath the Ganja. He didn't like Haircut. He didn't burn Hay. He didn't cure the Herb. He didn't clip Mary Jane, He didn't reach for the Matchbox. He didn't Zippo the Sezz. He didn't sail on the Yellow submarine. He didn't bong rip Weed. He didn't rebreath Zambi.

Even recent pot slang is sooooooo 20th Century :-)

ralster 1 year, 7 months ago

I will say this about B.Rush. Kid could play. Perfect team fit. Recently saw a tape of a frosh game of his--> Brandon was all over the place making plays, getting steals, hitting 3s. He was good for 5-6rpg, also.

He apparently took the criticism so hard about "no left", that he practiced intensely, as the later-arriving Sherron notes above.

Well, Brandon, you cemented yourself a place in the KU legacy with your performance in the Final4. No spinchter tightening under the big lights, BRush was a PTP'er--who needed another year at KU to put it all together after the UCLA miss-a-bunny show. The freak knee injury was too fateful. But B.Rush continued to restore the lustre to the Rush name, a process Kareem began a few yrs prior. B.Rush dropping 25 on UNC did more to elevate his stock than anything (in addition to outflying 6'9 psychoT to the rim), and dogging CDR all over the court in the champ game.

And in the champ game, Rush did indeed shake&bake CDR out by the trey stripe and drove left to finish at the rim x 2. The only footnote to that game was Brandon Rush missing the very first KU free throw...after which KU went 14 for 15 from the FT line.

jaybate 1 year, 7 months ago

Danny Manning and Brandon Rush are my two all-time KU players.

They got it done.

Any time I was asked to start building a team, I would look around at the spare parts. Whether I chose Danny, or Brandon, first would depend on the spare parts.

Brandon was way better than anyone in the modern KU era but Danny and Paul.

And Paul didn't get it done.

Brandon and Danny did.

I want to say Mario Chalmers belongs even with them, but then I remember who had to go lock down who's man, when either Mario, or Brandon, had trouble with an opponent.

When Mario had a problem, Self sent Brandon and the problem ceased.

When Brandon had a problem, Self stuck with Brandon and eventually the problem ceased.

Brandon was the greatest perimeter defensive player that ever put on a KU uniform. He could guard anyone. Period.

I want to say Jo Jo White was the greatest, but Jo Jo couldn't guard the big 3s and Brandon could guard the guys Jo Jo locked down.

Brandon was a great, great, great basketball player, but some more time will have to pass before he is truly, madly, deeply appreciated.

ejlumus 1 year, 7 months ago

Not to start an argument, but did you see Jo Jo play. Maybe I was young and dumb but jo Jo was better. Brandon was my favorite player in the 2000s.

1950s Wilt

1960s Jo jo

1970s Bud

1980s Danny

1990s Raef

2000s Brandon

ralster 1 year, 7 months ago

Thinking of the '08Champs, consider just how many "monkeys" they shot off everyone's backs: KU choking at the FT line in 03. Rush and Chalmers missing bunnies (vs UCLA). Self's Final4 monkey. Rush's "only goes right" monkey. KU just not quite getting the UNC-level athletes (until Self arrived) monkey.

Those guys also helped "change" alot of the Roy-lovers, I think. I thought Roy was great for KU while he was here, but his entire system rarely produced a 95%+ team with depth. Self's did. The Roy-lovers saw the systems play each other with 'equal' athletes, but KU's depth prevailed (8 starters, basically). KU's defense prevailed. Roy's UNC squad had weaknesses, Self's squad had zero (as in zero) weaknesses, and he went right at UNC's problem areas. KU's versatile halfcourt sets and 5 guys capable of scoring basically wore UNC out. UNC was no longer the super-man program--a bitter reality that existed from the Dean Smith era. Sure, KU people can beat the tradition drum, but UNC players were always the "ballers". Now KU equals or surpasses any such benchmark. The Roy-lovers got to see Roy wear a Jayhawk one last time on Apr.7, 2008, courtesy your 2008 Kansas Jayhawks and coach Bill Self. As he told them in the locker room so famously: "You came to Kansas to play in this game...". Those players performed under the big lights. PTP'ers, a phrase I'd like to keep shoving back in DickieV's face, especially since it involves KU flaming out the Tarheels.

RCJH!

ralster 1 year, 7 months ago

KU/Memphis was basically a matchup of athletes. Again 2 different systems: lassez-faire approach (Calipari) vs. total system and practice of all phases of the game (Self). As it was, it came down to KU missing shots in the second half, creating the setup for the last 2min of heroics, along with setting up Memphis with enough pressure to cause key mistakes (Dorsey fouling out, Memphis missing FT's, not fouling Sherron). It did reveal alot of "heart" present in Self's team...princeton-shminceton...

April 7, 2008 so far is as close to basketball nirvana as it gets for me. The Bulls championships with MJ (1st one and the last one) are special, but not quite as special as KU'08.

wissoxfan83 1 year, 7 months ago

88 was the dream come true for me. I was a senior on campus, the only years of my life I've been in Kansas. Doesn't get much better for me. Part of it too I think were the games. Except for the incredible finish, 08 was an excruciating game to watch while 88 was an orgy of fantastic offense and skill all the way through. It's nice to have memories of more than one however, isn't it?

REHawk 1 year, 7 months ago

That 2008 UNC game will always generate grins from the rabid Jayhawk Nation. Good ol' raw Minnesota Cole popping off the bench to bewilder PsychoT, then joining BRush and DJax at the postgame press conference, Rush grinning and gazing almost as bewildered as the mic focused on Aldrich. Whooeeee! Super wins don't show up in packages wrapped with much more appeal than those final two victories in '08.

Orangedog87 1 year, 7 months ago

08 - I remenber before the UNC game a writer here wrote that KU had a long walk to the floor and came to the entrance only to find UNC giving some chant which KU laughed about and joined in singing with them. The writer went on to say BR had a competitive look in his eye and the reporter knew KU would win because of KUs laid back manor and the look in BR's eye. That is one of my favorite stories about KU.

Another 2008 story of my own. I had a UNC friend and I never boasted about KUBB to friends. But the Friday night before KU played the cinderella team whose name I cannot remember, I told my friend that if KU won and went to the F4 to play UNC that KU woudl kick their a$$. It came true and I loved it ....

Gotta love BR

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