Self proves point by elevating Morningstar in practice

Coach Self can be so positively creative. Having a suspended player practice with the 1's in order to make a point to the rest of the team. Too bad he's such an athletic liability that he'll never see the court for any extended minutes, or at least not if we have any hope of winning many games in March.

...

Wait, scratch that, sarcasm just doesn't come across in blogs.

November 24, 2009 at 1:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

‘Robin’ to rescue

Congratulations ladies. Nice win.

November 24, 2009 at 1:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Game balls and gassers

Rojas deserves a game ball for the half tackle on the punt return. Most punters don't even get a hand on the guy, tho Branstetter would have body slammed him :-)

November 22, 2009 at 5:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Game balls and gassers

While we're at it, how about another hindsight gasser for Coach. This time for using Rell Lewis late in the game (looked good even if just against UT's 2 string), but not earlier in the year when Jake was injured and he instead chose to run/work Tobin to the point of exhaustion.

November 22, 2009 at 5:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Game balls and gassers

It might be considered piling on this week, but I think a gasser needs to go to Mangino all the more for calling for an onside kick early in the Texas game when he wouldn't even attempt it in a very appropriate situation weeaks ago - and then defended his call by blaming his kicker. Is it the kicker's fault for attempting the play that was called/not called, or the coach's for calling it?

November 22, 2009 at 5:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Wright’s role clarified

It was interesting to watch the higlights of the ND vs UConn game in light of all that is happening with KU FB. Edsell (?) seems like a real quality coach, and the program has become quite respectible in just a decade or so of D1 play. It would seem to me that Lew is also capable of replicating that at KU.

It would also be interesting to find out if all KU coaches have the same language in their contracts; the language being used to try to remove Coach Mangino withut a buyout.

My guess is that others do not include that language, but that it was added in this case because there was a history of these incidents. I also seem to recall reading comments about Coach being warned in the past similar about incidents, so it's not like this is coming out of the blue for Coach Mangino. Sorry that I don't have the journalistic integrity (or interest) to retain or document the previously noted references.

BayArea - Sorry to hear about the strained relationships of your gramps and uncles. I agree with their view of donations, tho unfortunately w/o the $ to have it make much difference. After seeing all the buildings, fields, courts, water fountains, ..., named after some benefactor, I dreamt of winning enough $ to be able to give one of those $MM gifts with the stipulation that a building be built/scholarship offered and not named after my family. Maybe someday, and we'll call it "Nick".

Along those lines, I wonder if Reid got any royalties to the naming rights to Tech's QB?

November 22, 2009 at 5:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

On target

Soobawls (and a few others)

All the recent talk on the FB part of this board concerning Mangino has reminded me of a message delivered by a division manager I worked for 20 yrs ago.

He returned a public relations memo I had written with his review comments on it. Before handing it to me tho, he said while it was factually correct in its original form, he wanted me to make the changes. He said there are always 2 ways of stating anything - a positive and a negative way. "We always want to choose the positive approach to communicating." I'm still not good at it, especially when situations get intense, but it is still a goal to work towards, because it helps people relate better.

IMO, this is the downfall of Coach Mangino as well, and robably the biggest difference with Coach Self. There are plent of accounts of CM being a great FB mind, but if your communication skills hinder peole from hearing what you are trying to say, it is really no benefit to anyone.

ps
The glass isn't half full or half empty.
The glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

November 22, 2009 at 4:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

On target

Is T playing the 2 this year?

I realize that traditionally, players' relative heights correspond to their position (1's being the shortest on the team up to 5's being the tallest), but it seems to me that Coach Self has TT playing the 1 and SC playing the 2. That would also make sense in a lot of ways, especially this early in the season.

- Sherron is the better scorer/perimeter shooter
- TT playing the 1 takes pressure off of SC, which is beneficial over the long haul of a game and season
- Coach Self is grooming another team leader, which can only help in case SC gets injured, foul trouble, cramps, or TT stays for next year. Notice I said grooming, with no indication of any current sense of competance, tho the summer stuff was mostly encouraging.
- It's best to teach the new person while you still have a more than capable "back-up".
- Ultimately, it is better for the development of TT long term/league.

It would seem that this adds a bit of pressure to TT's game, which makes the first few games very bearable. It's also good to remember that while we are a fairly experienced team, we're also very young. If you throw out the outliers (SC & X) we still only have 1 yr / player of significant D1 experience. That just shows that all the players have plenty of room to grow individually and as a team.

It's a long season, and we're not a finished product - yet.

November 22, 2009 at 4:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Gary Bedore’s Kansas basketball notebook

oljhwk says... Gary, when are you gointg to start "ranking" the players like you did last season?

Keegan has been ranking the players all year. This link:
http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/keeg...
is off to the side of the BB page, and contains links rankings to the other games.

November 21, 2009 at 1:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Collins edged out for top spot in ratings

There is and has been an asterisk next to CJ's name, which is noted below the list.

* — Note: C.J. Henry, though he is a walk-on, will be included in the Keegan ratings.

November 21, 2009 at 1:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )