Mario's obvious mile high confidence and red hot shooting really earned him the MVP, but man, if I was handing out a single game MVP for the championship game, definitely want to give it to Julian. I don't think the ESPN announcers stopped talking about him the whole game, and for good reason. And then, for a little icing... those dunks! Wow! I believe the network replayed that steal/breakaway 4 times from every angle... that was fantastic. And he absolutely deserved that 360 dunk... just great. Rock on Julian!

Oh, and guys... I'm gonna be at the Palace Friday anyways... why not put me on the show?

Jared Grillot, Monroe, MI
Class of '98

Observations from the Big “D”

Okay, having never traveled to a conference tournament, it was a big deal when my wife (7 months pregnant) and I decided to head to Dallas from Washington DC to watch the Jayhawks play. As expected, it was well worth the trip. That being said, I thought the Podcasters might be interested in observations from a normal fan traveling to see his first live game of the year.

1. The KU Crowd
On Friday and Saturday I was a little disappointed in the number of KU fans in attendance. I really thought we were going to make a strong showing in Dallas and show that football country what a real basketball program was all about. That being said, the fans that did show up, especially on Sunday were rockin’…you never would have guessed they were out numbered 2:1.

2. The KU Alumni Association
A big thumbs up for the KU Alumni Association. I don’t know if it was just the Dallas Chapter, or the national guys or both, but they did a fantastic job. On Friday when we arrived we walked past the parking lot filled with all the corporate sponsors (ATT, Gillette, Phillips 66) and the 10x10 alumni association booths selling T-shirts from K-State, Okalahoma, OSU, etc. But where is KU? Disappointed, we kept walking and BEHOLD…KU has an entire parking lot to themselves, not only selling T-shirts and beads, but giving away stickers & pom-poms. And get this…a 15’ Jumbotron set up with ESPN on! Fans from all the other schools are crowding around trying to watch. I couldn’t have been more proud to be wearing the Crimson and Blue. And where were the wanna-be’s from Texas? They had to have their pep rally in front of a Texas banner hanging from the front of a restaurant….i was embarrassed for them.

3. Crimson Girls (aka Rock Chalk Dancers)
Okay, don’t mean to bash our girls too hard, but what’s up with those outfits?!? The only thing worse than what they were wearing was the fact that there were only 6 of them! I think Colorado had 8 and the only team that that had less was Nebraska….like they ever thought they would be dancing on Saturday! You girls did a great job, but next time let’s send a few more people so we can look like we are the best basketball team in the conference….which we are.

4. The Spodcasters – MIA
Lastly, I’m not sure if I was just in the wrong places or what, but I was looking high and low for the Spodcasters. I thought at the very least I would run into Andy Sam grabbing a beverage from a street vendor or perhaps bellied up to the bar at Dick’s. No such luck. And I can’t believe you guys didn’t have a table at the KU Alumni tent signing autographs for 10 bucks a pop. =)

And I guess I can’t sign off without commenting on the Jayhawks themselves. Fantastic…these guys are playing hard, playing as a team and having a blast. I can’t tell you how much fun they were to see in person. It’s a special group, can’t wait to watch them play in the NCAA’s. Keep up the good work Spodcasters.

Jason Greenwood
J’95

How Tennessee got a 2 seed and KU a 4 i don't know. Tennessee in the newest poll are 18th, KU 12th, KU has won the Big 12 Tournament, Tennessee didn't win 1 game in theirs. KU lost only 1 game in two months, tennessee lost 4 of there last 6.

KU beats Bradley 84-63

Oh sweet... open practice Thursday night at the Palace. Definitely heading for that one. For once, living in this frozen northern ice cube (yes, snow flurries today) has paid off.

Wanna put me on the show, guys?

Jared Grillot, Monroe, MI
Class of '98

Last year I promised myself that I would not pick KU to go to the Final Four this year. I would be more objective and force myself to use my head and not my heart. That seemed a pretty easy promise to keep watching the hatchling hawks floundering in Maui.

But I think Tom makes a great point about this team. Brandon was clearly the MVP of the pre conference season. Mario was the MVP of the Big 12 conference season. Russell is the heart and soul of this team. In the Big 12 tournament Mario, Sasha, or Julian could have been the MVP.

I guess you would hope for it with such a young team, but it is remarkable that players have emerged as leaders not because another player is a funk so much as they just continue to raise the level of their game more and more. Texas may have been their best game of the year. But now that they have played at that level, there is no reason to think that their best game of the season may still be ahead of them.

Looking around the West bracket, who plays the best defense? Who has the best guards? Who has a bunch of fouls to give in the post? Who has been the hottest team in the past 10 games? Who has the best coach?

My head is saying KU!

Robert Greenwood, Burke, VA
J ‘86