HawkFanEddie (anonymous) says...

'Wow, is he the KU guy?' It was impressive. He's fast, athletic. There's a reason he is at KU."

Classic statement. That's awesome. Good job recruiting Coach Self.

July 17, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

dlshaw74 (anonymous) says...

"What KU lost in Mario (Chalmers) they got right back in Tyshawn," Cool your jets buddy. Lets not just start labeling a kid coming into KU as the next Mario. Have you ever heard of earning it. I hope and pray that Tyshawn is the next Mario. Give it time man. Mario right now is playing for the NBA's Miami Heat and some are saying he could be the steal of the draft.

July 17, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

tis4tim (anonymous) says...

If he comes with Mario's icy veins we may have something here.

July 17, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Timmay97 (anonymous) says...

I would find it hard to believe that KU will have a player of Mario's stature, whether it's Tyshawn Taylor or whoever. To me, Mario was one of the best defensive guards I have seen at the college level. Granted, I'm biased, but still.....he had great instincts and could anticipate where the ball was going. On top of that, he shot over 40% from three and was good free throw shooter. Mario was the complete package and I think Miami truly did get a steal acquiring him.

Having said the above, I do like what I hear about Tyshawn Taylor. If anything else, he will be to Collins, what Collins was to Chalmers and Robinson. The greatest feeling in the world last year was knowing that when one came out, you were comfortable with who came in as a ball handler, player, etc......we are totally fine at the guard spot for this year.

I just hope that Markieff (whom there is little talk about) ends up being like a Darnell Jackson. Darnell wasn't talked about much and just up and tore it up last year.

I hope that they surprise all of us and come out like gangbusters. They are going to be tested against Tennessee, Arizona, Michigan State, and of course OU and Texas. I have total confidence in Bill Self and as long as they can all be coached.....we will be singing praises to Self once again come NEXT year.

July 17, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

txrockchalk (anonymous) says...

It's amazing that the recruitment of Tyshawn Taylor almost seemed like a last minute thing, or an afterthought, and he may be one of the best players we have coming in. 17 rebounds as a guard?!

July 17, 2008 at 9:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

geniusmannumber1 (anonymous) says...

Let's not overreact here. These Kansas City ProAm games are pretty much pickup games with refs. Similarly, NBA summer league games are pickup games with refs and mostly borderline NBA talent. Am I glad that KU recruited a player that can theoretically toss up 40+ points? Sure. Can you tell from this how good a player he'll be in college? Not even a little bit. Am I glad Chalmers is playing well in the summer league? Absolutely. Can you tell from these performances whether he's ready to start in the NBA? Not at all. (Though I would argue that he's shown that he should at least be on an NBA roster).

July 17, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lebowski (anonymous) says...

I'm totally with geniusman#1.

The only thing that does excite me about it is that it shows the mentality or attitude (to take over or be a go-to scorer) is there. The ability or aptitude is what we'll have to wait to see.

A ProAm game has nothing to do with it, I believe he'll have that ability and the ability to be a great defender because Self recruited him. He's already established what he expects out of guards.... and that alone leads me to believe a little bit of the hype surrounding Taylor atm.

July 17, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

kushaw (anonymous) says...

geniusman1: Funny post! I also agree with you, but I thought I was reading something from a Seinfeld episode with all the questions followed by your own answer. Pretty funny!

July 17, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

afilmer (anonymous) says...

hey guys -
does anyone know anything about the twins eligibility? i haven't heard anything in a while other than, "we fully expect them to be eligible." well ---
anyone?

July 17, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Nutflush21 (anonymous) says...

Ive seen Tyshawn play in person and he is the real deal. He will compete for major minutes and a spot in the starting lineup. As for him being the next Mario, well is wearing #15.

July 17, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

Summer league games showcase raw ability. That is it. It doesn't necessarily show in game ability, basketball IQ, etc. because the games are so loose, the ebb and flow is erratic, the talent is all over the map and the relative focus of the teams and players is hit and miss.

That said, the fact that Mario is playing well in the summer league at least gives Miami a reason to look long and hard at him as their PG of the future, maybe even their PG of the right now. Trust me, if he were not playing well, Miami would be burning up the phone lines with veteran PGs. Heck, they still may sign a vet. But Mario's strong showing at least gives them something to think about.

With Tyshawn, it's much the same. He may not start at KU right off the bat, but his strong play suggests that he will make it tough to keep him out of the lineup. He gives the coaching staff something else to think about. Instead of being just a distributor, he can come in and score, too. It's a nice dimension to add. I don't think he's going to come in next year and drop 25 a game, but if he gives us 18 on the road at Arizona when we need it, or a 12 point outburst in the second half against Oklahoma, that is enough.

July 17, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

It's just a pick-up game. BUT.......how many of US (posters) have the ability to drop 47 and 17 in a pick-up game with our peers? The kid can score. He's got that gritty east coast game we loved from Russ Rob. I can't wait to see these new players!

July 17, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

hawk316 (anonymous) says...

Txrockchalk, you're right! Tyshawn may turn out to be the jewel of the class. And by the way, thanks for your great e-mail.

July 17, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

txrockchalk (anonymous) says...

You are quite welcome, hawk316.

There are a lot of great points in the posts on this article today. I think we can all agree it is going to be exciting to see how Tyshawn develops as a player at KU, and how Coach Self molds and utilizes his talents.

July 17, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

imnotpaulpierce (anonymous) says...

Before everyone starts singing the praises of this class and how they are going to come out like 'gangbusters', we all need to look back three seasons ago when Rush, Chalmers, and Wright were all freshman.

Those three players were more highly touted than any of the recruits coming in right now and they certainly experienced growing pains.

This is not a slam in any way. But these guys are still freshman (or juco rookies) and will most likely take awhile to adapt to D1 basketball. Be patient and enjoy the relatively pressure-free season.

Anything beyond the second round will be a blessing and a surprise this year.

July 17, 2008 at 1:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

KUFan90 (anonymous) says...

Jeremy Case could score 47 in a Pro Am game.

July 17, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Strikewso (anonymous) says...

geniusman#1, do you like asking rhetorical questions? Yes.

Case could score 70.

July 17, 2008 at 2 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

txrockchalk (anonymous) says...

Here's an interesting article on high school phenom, Brandon Jennings.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/83...

July 17, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

HawkSC (anonymous) says...

Would u recommend going 2 these games???? Since KU is well represented, I'm willing as is my wife.

Jim

July 17, 2008 at 3:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jhawk7782 (anonymous) says...

"Sure. Can you tell from this how good a player he'll be in college? Not even a little bit."

Well, he is playing against other players who are at or near the college level. Obviously, I'm not stating that he will be scoring 40 plus points every night, but you can read a lot more into his performance then what you've stated.

July 17, 2008 at 3:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

Gary,

I know journalists are bound to certain styles (AP style, etc.), but I would like it if the LJW writers could drop "former KU player Darrell Arthur, because it is laborious to read through, especially when you have to repeat "former" for several previous KU players in a row. Instead, I would prefer an abbreviation like "KUx," as in "KUx Darrell Arthur scored 14 points." It is faster to write, faster to read, and it just looks more contemporary. KU is an abbreviation of University of Kansas. Why can't "ex-KU player," or "former player" be abbreviated to KUx? Its potentially iconographic, too, just as KU has become. I'm open to other suggestions, also. But my eyes are tired of "former KU player..." An adjective modifying a noun stack is too lugubrious.

July 17, 2008 at 5:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

Also, 47 pts. and 17 rebounds even in a pick up game on an outdoor court in Mullinville is darned good.

July 17, 2008 at 6:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

King_Kaun (anonymous) says...

WOW!!! 47 points and 17 boards?!?!?!

that's amazing...

July 17, 2008 at 10:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

garybedore (Gary Bedore) says...

Hi Jaybate, you said:
"I know journalists are bound to certain styles (AP style, etc.), but I would like it if the LJW writers could drop "former KU player Darrell Arthur, because it is laborious to read through, especially when you have to repeat "former" for several previous KU players in a row. Instead, I would prefer an abbreviation like "KUx," as in "KUx Darrell Arthur scored 14 points." It is faster to write, faster to read, and it just looks more contemporary. KU is an abbreviation of University of Kansas. Why can't "ex-KU player," or "former player" be abbreviated to KUx? Its potentially iconographic, too, just as KU has become. I'm open to other suggestions, also. But my eyes are tired of "former KU player..." An adjective modifying a noun stack is too lugubrious."

-- Your suggestion is great, except editors would never allow it.
As far as former KU player ... I actually took notice of some of your posts on here expressing displeasure that I call former KU players "ex Jayhawks."
Somebody pointed out that "former Jayhawks" sounded better, so I did take that suggestion and have been putting former Jayhawks.
There has to be some sort of designation to let people know they aren't on the current team.
I guess we could assume anybody reading the story is an avid KU fan and just call every KU player past or present Jayhawk, but you are not supposed to assume that.
KUx is kind of neat IMO, but it won't fly.

July 17, 2008 at 11:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

Yes, I've worked with editors before. They have a hard job. How do you keep the language that reports a sport from the midwest intelligible to wire service editors everywhere? As the gate keepers of the language of history in a hurry, I respect them. But one day, they too will join you in becoming more interactive than they are today. Here is why.

These boards generate too many column-pixel inches for the already overworked editors to edit. It is all they can do just to keep the most egregious slurs out of them and they have to automate flagging of most of that. As a result, I can write KUx, you can write KUx in your responses, and if enough others were to adopt it (or something else in its stead), it would de facto become the new standard style on the board, regardless of whatever style editors adhered to in your stories. The boards create a faster, more frequent feedback loop in how the readers actually think, speak, read and write than existed in print media. In time, media consultants will begin to be brought in to try to capitalize on this feedback loop. The idea will be to try to alter the language you use in order to systematically strengthen the bond between you and your readers and to increase the number of readers. The media consultants and editors will begin to try to tailor the language of the stories to the reader base that posts, because the reader base that posts will become the measurable sample criterion of how the reader base communicates. The very technologies that allow editors to imposed standardized spelling, word choice and syntax on readers can also be turned around to specialize spelling, word choice and syntax of writers to enhance the link of the writer's style with the posters style. The stories on the one hand, and the column-pixel inches posted on the other, then become a linguistic feed back loop, each modifying the other in search of click optimization and in turn ad revenue optimization. Language in either the story, or the posts, that correlates highly with increased clicks is noted and then encouraged by changes in the automated editing systems and in the editors and interactive reporters themselves. There will be successes and failures with this system, just as there are successes and failures with the system of broadly standardized AP style, etc. But over time, the measurable tendancy of dynamically managed language to strengthen ties to readers and to broaden readership and increase clicks will make the interactive technology wag the dog of contemporary language in web communities.

July 18, 2008 at 5:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

Just as information wants to get free, so to does style.

Just as the interactive sports reporter will become the new approach to sports writing, the interactive sports editor will also become the new approach to sports editing.

If the sports editors make the change to interactive sports editing, they will become more indispensible to the process and expand their role, and so increase the likelihood they will retain their jobs, just as you are doing by becoming an interactive sports writer.

If sports editors insist on sticking with static, highly standardized styles, their jobs will be automated with editing software and they will go the way of the itinerant hand type setter.

If sports editors (and news editors) move toward becoming managers of the interactivity of language that the network technology enables, then interactive sports editors and interactive sports writers will be with us for a long time.

Dynamic feedback systems, like the kind I describe emerging between stories and posts require a lot of human input to manage and assess the software used to drive the results of increased reader loyalty and increased number of readers in network communities, that will generate increased clicks and increased ad revenues.

Managing information systems is not a zero sum game. Expand the information and the way in which it is expressed to heighten loyalty and numbers and clicks and you expand the pie. Expanding the pie allows for more overhead to manage it.

Thanks for interacting with me on KUx. Ha! I bet they don't edit KUx out of my post, or of your response to it. :-)

July 18, 2008 at 5:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

Careful, guys, Jaybate is on one of his rampages. Watch out below-ow-ow-ow-ow!

Seriously, props to Jaybate for his use of the word "lugubrious," which has always been one of my favorite words.

"He is a basketball player."

Say what you will about the other compliments re Tyshawn Taylor, but to me that one is the best. It's short, simple and to the point, and sums up exactly the type of player Bill Self is looking for: tough, strong-minded, and solid in all aspects of the game.

With Tyshawn, Tyrel and Tyrone, I can't wait to see all the references this year to a "three-way Ty." Throw in Travis, Thomas and Teahan, and there should also be some references to KU "T-ing it up." Okay, you are now free to call the "bad pun" police.

July 18, 2008 at 5:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

garybedore (Gary Bedore) says...

KUx sounds good to me. You may be on to something there.
However some people were mighty mad about me calling 'em ex-Jayhawks.
So how do we account for that anger in putting KUx.
Nice job, though. I like it.

July 18, 2008 at 11:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jbrownjib (anonymous) says...

Does anyone know who TT is competing against in this summer league. Are these Big 12 caliber guys? I am encouraged but not giddy.

July 19, 2008 at 12:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jerhawk (anonymous) says...

sweet, reloaded

August 6, 2008 at 5:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )