Gary Bedore's notebook: Bill Self says Charlie Spoonhour will be missed

Kansas head coach Bill Self yells at an official during the first half on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at Allen Fieldhouse.

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KU vs. Oklahoma

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KU coach Bill Self

Kansas coach Bill Self talks to reporters following the Jayhawks' 84-62 victory over Oklahoma on Feb. 1, 2012.

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Kansas defeated Oklahoma, 84-62, on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU vs. OU

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Former Missouri State and Saint Louis coach Charlie Spoonhour died Wednesday at the age of 72.

“He was a great person, a great coach and a great guy,” Kansas University coach Bill Self said. “He was as well-liked as anybody in the business. He had a dynamic personality. Nobody could hold court in a room better than him. Coaches would gather around to listen to him talk. What a great guy ... he will be missed.”

Two Jayhawks honored: The McDonald’s All-America Game committee has named KU’s Danny Manning and Paul Pierce two of the 35 greatest participants in the annual high school all-star game. The team was named in conjunction of this year’s 35th-annual McDonald’s Game, set for March 28 at Chicago’s United Center. Game organizers did not rank the 35, though ESPN did.

Manning was tapped No. 13 overall, while Pierce was No. 23. Kevin Garnett was No. 1, followed by LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning, Magic Johnson, Clark Kellogg, Ralph Sampson, Jason Kidd, Patrick Ewing, Isaih Thomas, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Durant, James Worthy, Manning, Glenn Robinson, Dwight Howard, Dominique Wilkins, Carmelo Anthony, Larry Johnson, Jerry Stackhouse, Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Pierce, Grant Hill and Vince Carter. ESPN ranked the players based only on their high school accomplishments.

The anthem: KU’s students did not sing “Home of the Chiefs” or perform the tomahawk chop at the end of the national anthem Wednesday. The KU Youth Chorus, a collection of youngsters, performed the anthem. “Home of the Brave” flashed on the videoboard as the anthem concluded. Self recently told the Journal-World he wished the students would sing the correct words to the anthem.

Stats, facts: KU extended its homecourt win streak to 18 games. ... KU has won nine in a row versus OU. ... KU’s 53 second-half points against the Sooners marked the fourth time the Jayhawks scored 50 points or more in a half this season. ... KU made its first 10 field-goal attempts of the second half. KU shot 71.4 percent in the second half (20-of-28), which was its highest single-half percentage of the season. It was the highest percentage in a half since KU shot 79.3 percent in the first half at Baylor last season. ... Oklahoma’s 75 percent three-point shooting (3-for-4) was the highest in a conference game against KU since the 1988-89 season. It was the best three-point field goal percentage since UMass shot 77.8 percent (7-for-9) on Dec. 10, 1997. .. OU’s four three-point field goal attempts tied for the fewest three-point attempts in a conference game (Missouri, 1991). It was the fewest overall by a Kansas opponent since Wichita State attempted two on Jan. 8, 1992.

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mojayhawk 1 year, 3 months ago

I hope Mizzou sets another record and shoots 100% 3's against us Saturday: 1 for 1.

mpann1818 1 year, 3 months ago

I see Jeff graves in that pic behind Bill. What's he up to these days?

Home of the brave...welcome back.

Send Mizzou a message fellas as they depart the league. Message should be that they were and forever will be KU's door mat in hoops.

memhawk 1 year, 3 months ago

Graves is up to...about 240, possibly.

Would love to beat Mizz., have some other movement in the top 10 resulting in KU switching rankings with Mizz next week. it could happen!

plasticJHawk 1 year, 3 months ago

he was probably 240 when he played at KU. Is he still playing semi-pro basketball?

jhox 1 year, 3 months ago

Spoon was from my home town and my Mom baby sat him as a child (she's now 91 and still living.) I recall he was nearly offered the KU job when Roy Williams was hired. I remember he was leaving on vacation and either KU wasn't done interviewing, but Spoon wanted them to make an immediate decision before he left, or if it was the other way around with KU offering to Spoon, and wanting an immediate response from him. In any event, it all worked out well for KU. Even though we were coming off of a National Championship, that didn't really look to be sustainable, yet Roy made the program the most consistently strong program in college basketball.

RIP Coach Spoonhour.

jaybate 1 year, 3 months ago

Terrific recollection.

I had no idea Spoon was ever even considered!

Would have been a great fit.

But as you say, Roy was a great fit, too.

And Spoon may have been a little too sane to take all the crazy expectations at KU. :-)

ccarp 1 year, 3 months ago

I'll be in the Paige on Saturday. I'd like nothing more than be able to launch into the Rock Chalk with 2:00 to go. Let's close this rivalry out and let the tigers know our bball programs have never been in the same league!

raprichard 1 year, 3 months ago

This would be the perfect place for a link to Soren Petro's famous KU/MU rant, if anyone knows how to get that. That was one of my all time favorite radio moments. "KU is your daddy!!" "They own you!"

If someone with more tech savvy than me knows how to find that link, please post it for everyone to enjoy leading up to this game.

RCJH!!!

terpoortenl 1 year, 3 months ago

Soren Petro's "Pimp" Rant on the KU/MU rivalry by TomLight01

jayhawkjim80 1 year, 3 months ago

Well if all it took to stop the home of the chiefs chant was to have Bill make a comment, let's have him say something about stopping the "rip his @#$%ing head off" at football games!

In more important news, let's take out the Tigggers on Sat! Rock Chalk!!

kustrong 1 year, 3 months ago

I'm sure HCCW could get that done at the football games.

Rock Chalk

terpoortenl 1 year, 3 months ago

Soren Petro's "Pimp" Rant on the KU/MU rivalry by TomLight01

memhawk 1 year, 3 months ago

"..Fur Coats, big hats, rings...." My new favorite analogy!

mikendal 1 year, 3 months ago

Love that audio rant! Very classic!

Yahweh 1 year, 3 months ago

I noticed the lack of "home of the Chiefs" last night at the game, though I'm not sure it's due to anything Self said. The kids singing it were pretty cute/hilarious as one of them said a wrong word near the end and had about 1/4 of the fieldhouse (at least around where I was sitting) chuckling.

Fun game, even though I was sitting next to the only vocal OU fan in the entire building and he kept yelling "Boomer" as loud as he could when we were shooting free throws. Ugh.

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