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Saturday, August 30, 2008

Keegan

Keegan: Still no respect for KU

By Tom Keegan

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The best measure of the respect level a nation of college football fans has for any given school can be found in Las Vegas, where oddsmakers offer action on all sorts of propositions.

Only one conclusion can be reached based on a number offered in one revealing proposition and that is that America still doesn't respect Kansas University football. America still thinks Kansas is a basketball school coming off a fluke of a 12-1 football season.

Don't blame it on the oddsmakers. They determine the right number that will inspire action on both sides. They read bettors and they read them well and bettors on a national scale don't think much of Kansas, which lost four key players to the NFL Draft, a fact no doubt overblown by casual observers of the program. They overlook that Todd Reesing, the single player most responsible for pulling out close victories, returns and again has talented receivers to find downfield.

The proposition: Over/under for regular-season victories. A popular number in Las Vegas for KU: 7.5.

Sure, Kansas plays a far tougher schedule, but it's not as if coming out of Boulder, College Station and Stillwater with victories required little more than showing up on time for the kickoff. Nobody doubted Virginia Tech was a national power and look what Kansas did to the Hokies in the Orange Bowl.

True, James McClinton, Anthony Collins, Brandon McAnderson, Marcus Henry, Derek Fine and Scott Webb are gone, but the hunger remains - the hunger for respect.

While stewing over that lack of respect and killing time as the clock crawls toward tonight's 6 p.m. kickoff against Florida International, take a look at KU's 12 games, ranked from toughest to easiest:

1. Oklahoma: It's tough to project Kansas putting much heat on Sam Bradford and keeping the Sooners from putting consistent heat on Reesing.

2. Vs. Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium: The Chiefs' home stadium seems to bring out the absolute worst in the Jayhawks.

3. Texas: Colt McCoy is bound to have a better season for the Longhorns, but looking at it now, why shouldn't Kansas beat Texas this time?

4. At South Florida: Tough, tough test for early in the season, especially in the area of protecting Reesing with inexperienced tackles going against a fast, strong, experienced defensive line.

5. Texas Tech: Graham Harrell and Reesing lighting up the sky on the same field. Great theater.

6. At Nebraska: When playing in Lincoln is the sixth-toughest game, that says it all about the strength of schedule.

7. Colorado: Never forget, the Buffs beat Oklahoma last season.

8. At Iowa State: The improving Cyclones still don't have the muscle or speed to match up with KU.

9. Kansas State: Ron Prince knows how to get his team up for one big game a season. There isn't a bigger game than Kansas this season. Still ...

10. Louisiana Tech: This program on the rise took Hawaii to overtime last season and finished 4-4 in the WAC.

11. Florida International: Kansas 59, FIU 14.

12. Sam Houston State: Rhett Bomar, who transferred from Oklahoma, returns at quarterback for the Bearkats.

Comments

njjayhawk (anonymous) says...

Tom, I almost went to sleep reading your rambling column today about Las Vegas and KU. When will you arrive in the world of reality? It takes more than ONE spectacular winning season in Div I college football to be considered in the same breath with the "bigs" of college football who have been ranked many consecutive years in the Top 20 in the nation and who routinely win major bowl games. KU is not YET in that company - don't you get it?! Couple that with KU kicking off this year vs. FIU, why would there be much interest re KU outside Lawrence among the pundits who write about weekend college gridiron matches? You will have a point, if after six or seven weeks from now KU is 6-0 or 7-0 and drawing little attention nationally.

I suggest you come to your senses and give the boys in Vegas some slack - wait a month or so, and if KU is riding high, then blast them if they still think KU is not worthy of attention.

August 30, 2008 at 6:45 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

troutsee (anonymous) says...

I am with you on this one, Keegan. Your observations are correct. We are not getting the respect we deserve. The few players we lost were good players but their loss is not going to sink the program. In fact, this team will probably be better than last year's team. The problem is that the so-called national pundits are not close to the program. Those of us close to the program know that Mangino teams are always prepared to play, play as a team, and for the first time in school history appear to have plenty of quality depth in all areas except for the kicking game. Some of the national pundits continue to say we are way overrated and should not be in the top 25. Those of us close to the program just smile. As the season unfolds, the pundits will reaize that this year's KU team is going to be a powerhouse.

August 30, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

mvjayhawk (anonymous) says...

the key to the season, and to the "respect" factor, is the South Florida game. 2 of 3 ESPN game day pundits picked the Bulls to win the Big East. it's on the road, with the Friday night ESPN hype. a win there, would probably be the Big 12's best out of conference victory this year. A huge game, and a KU win there, and the "respect" will come no doubt. But let's get it down the next couple of weeks....all of our focus now is on Florida International.

August 30, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

kufb8686 (anonymous) says...

Enough talk - let's let the play speak for itself today.

Anyone know where to get the game on the internet?

August 30, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

chuckberry32 (anonymous) says...

forget the over / under, bet on the 30-1 Reesing for the heisman!

August 30, 2008 at 9:46 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

AzHawk97 (anonymous) says...

Not to piss in the punch today, but I'd take the under. If I'm right then I'm counting my money, and if I'm wrong, well then I am a pleasantly suprised Jayhawk fan who is watching his team go bowling back-to-back for the first time ever.

August 30, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

wissoxfan83 (anonymous) says...

The schedule is much tougher, and we've lost some talent. Without a proven running back the pressure's on Reesing and the receivers, and the D will miss Talib (or whatever his name was.)
Lack of respect? Who cares, earn it on the field, just like every other program is trying to do.

August 30, 2008 at 1:28 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

LAJayhawk (anonymous) says...

Well, the over 7.5 bet, at sportsbook, currently pays at -160 as opposed to the +130 on the under. So clearly more people are betting on the over at this point. There's more respect out there than people let on.

August 30, 2008 at 4:43 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KGphoto (anonymous) says...

Ah, gambling. How interesting.

August 30, 2008 at 7 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

klineisanazi (anonymous) says...

Keegan contradicts himself. No respect he says--then points out the hits from graduation and the much tougher schedule. Add to that the fact that KU has never gone bowling back-to-back years, even with the relatively ease of getting to a bowl in a major conference, and the oddsmakers have it right, or at least have a very reasonable basis for their expectations.
Using Keegan's rankings of KU's opponents, KU would have to beat Tech at home, South Florida at their place, and Nebraska at Lincoln to get to 8 wins. A good football team might not be able to do that...KU will have to be very good to pull it off. And KSU and Colorado are very much wild cards, but apparently Keegan thinks they are in the bag.
KU might well exceed the Vegas expectations. But they will have to prove it on the field. Basketball school ? Absolutely. KU's 2007 football season a fluke? No. KU winning 8 games this year? Unlikely.

August 31, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayViking (anonymous) says...

7.5 sound reasonable to me. Look at that schedule.

September 2, 2008 at 6:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )