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The Sideline Report with Brady Morningstar

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By Jesse Newell

January 21, 2009

Do yourself a favor sometime and just watch Brady Morningstar defend.Two possessions against Texas A&M, I did that, ignoring everything else as I followed him while he was shadowing Josh Carter around the court.It's amazing, really. It looks effortless.Morningstar fought through screens and mazes of Aggies and somehow always managed to find himself right next to Carter, who came in as A&M's top scorer.Morningstar's not overly quick, either. He just gets it. He knows how to maneuver around picks. He knows how shooters have gotten open in the past. He seems to anticipate where his man is going before he does.He reminds me of the little brother that used to invade your grade-school pickup games — you know, the one that didn't know that he wasn't supposed to play defense. The one that was always next to you defensively. The one that frustrated you because it never seemed like you could get a shot off.I'm as amazed as anyone about Morningstar's progression this season into a lock-down defender.Judging by this poll, KU fans have been pretty impressed as well.The Sideline Report with Brady MorningstarImageJesse Newell: What’s your first Kansas basketball memory?Brady Morningstar: I don’t have a very good memory. I don’t think I can think that far back. Steve Woodberry hit a shot against K-State — I think it was to win it or to go into overtime — in the corner here at Allen Fieldhouse. I remember that, sitting as a kid in the stands watching that. I remember Steve Woodberry hitting a three.ImageJN: Was he one of your favorites then?BM: Yeah, he was always a funny guy. He was one of my favorite players.JN: Did you get to meet him then?BM: Yeah. I know him pretty well. He used to coach my AAU team, and now he coaches over at Missouri State.JN: I read that you like mowing lawns. Is that true?BM: I do like mowing lawns.JN: What do you like about that?BM: I don’t know. When my dad owned Sport 2 Sport (athletic facility) out there on Clinton Parkway, there was a whole bunch of grass that needed to be mowed. And I had a John Deere riding mower. I liked to make a little money in the summer. I used to mow the fields and all the grass. It used to take me, like, a half a day, but it was something I liked to do, and it was fun. Image[Editor's note: This is not, in fact, Brady's riding lawn mower. It's a mower used for illustration purposes. I'm sure his mower was a lot like this one.]JN: What did you do while you were mowing lawns? What did you think about?BM: I put earphones in. It’s relaxing. It’s time to sit out there and just look around. If it’s a nice day out, wear a little cutoff, get a little tan, because I always need a tan. (smiles)JN: Did you volunteer to do that for your dad, then?BM: He asked me if I wanted to. Or I’d ask him, ‘Hey, is the grass long enough to mow? Because I need to make a little money.’ I like riding on a lawn mower.JN: I saw you like Kirk Hinrich. What do you remember most about him?BM: Just the style he played and how hard he played and how good he was. I like his game.JN: If you were Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, what would you do? How would you help that organization?ImageBM: I would get Conner Teahan back there under the gun, have him be my quarterback and see how things go.JN: How would he be a good quarterback?BM: Teahan? I don’t know. They say he was good in high school. I never saw him play. I’m just going off what he says. If he says he’s that good, I’ll try him over (Tyler) Thigpen. JN: One-on-one who would win: Brady Morningstar or Roger Morningstar?ImageBM: Brady Morningstar. All day, every day.JN: Can he still take you to school or not?BM: He’s never taken me to school. JN: Ever?BM: Ever. He always had a bad back, so I never got to play him. I beat him in HORSE, though. JN: Give me a time you’ve really respected coach Self.ImageBM: Coach Self’s one of the smartest guys I’ve been around. Numbers-wise, he always jokes around about that, because he always tries to (give) these percentages off the top of his head if he’s doing something. It’s kind of funny.

Everything he says makes perfect sense. As long as people listen to what he’s talking about, they’re going to be OK, because he knows exactly what he’s talking about.

JN: What do you think makes you such a good defender?ImageBM: It’s all mind-set. If you want to guard and you want to guard someone, you can do it. I think I have to have that every night because physically I’m not the most gifted person on the court: strength-wise, height-wise, athletic-ability-wise. But if you’ve got some heart and a little bit of toughness, you can match up on most anybody. JN: What do you think you’ve proved this season?BM: I don’t know if I’ve proved anything to myself or to coaches or teammates, but to people in the stands that maybe didn’t think I was ready to play at this level or that I could play at this level, I’ve proven I can come out and I can compete against these guys. That's all.

Comments

d_prowess (anonymous) says...

Bucking Frillant! This is the first thing I click on at KUSports.com when it is put up on the site. Keep it up!

January 21, 2009 at 5:03 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

stupidmichael (anonymous) says...

Poor offense + good defense = embarrassment every time. Little brother or not.

January 21, 2009 at 5:07 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

firket2000 (anonymous) says...

This is great. Can you do one with all the players?

January 21, 2009 at 6:05 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

carterpatterson (anonymous) says...

Jesse....this is good stuff. Great job.

January 21, 2009 at 6:38 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

cffighter86 (anonymous) says...

Michael... dude your really starting to irritate me. The only kind of comments I see from you are negative. Do you have a positive thing to say at all about this team?Great Article by the way.

January 21, 2009 at 8:45 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

stupidmichael (anonymous) says...

cfffffighter86,Don't worry about it. And my name's not Michael.

January 21, 2009 at 8:49 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

kwhelan (anonymous) says...

Great article Jesse! I like the way you weave in the pictures and video clips. Fun stuff! Good work! I enjoyed reading it. Brady is an unselfish, hustling player. He's a great example to the team.

January 22, 2009 at 12:11 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KUPROUD (anonymous) says...

cfffighter86, he's right. His name is not michael, it's stupidmichael.I agree, Jesse, this is very entertaining and informative. nice work.

January 22, 2009 at 8:07 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

kushaw (anonymous) says...

Watching that Kirk Hinrich video made me forget one really important aspect of Kirk Hinrich's game I miss. Hinrich played with this "Swagger" that is completely on display in this video. I forgot how "Confident" and "Intense" he was during his days at KU. Miss that! I hope he can re-gain his confidence for the Chicago Bulls.

January 22, 2009 at 9:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

cklarock (anonymous) says...

Brady's offensive game is just fine. He's a player on both ends.

January 22, 2009 at 12:31 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

stupidmichael (anonymous) says...

Let's get something straight here... I wasn't bashing Brady's offensive abilities... I bashing someone else's.

January 22, 2009 at 1:43 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

ralster (anonymous) says...

Now michael, oh, Im sorry, stupidmichael,How did you set something straight? It obviously was unclear from your initial keyboard pecking, if you were being critical of Brady or not--and then you try to set "something straight", and you say you were actually "bashing someone else". Haha, you remain a riddle, as you are too afraid to name who exactly you are "bashing". And why do you think it is cool or productive or funny to "bash" someone on your own KU team? Why bash a fellow Jayhawk? Maybe I will bash you, stupid-clown-michael...Get back to your own Tiger website (either Missouri or Memphis). Total fool! If you dont want to be called michael, why is that your pen-name? Comments so stupid, that part of your name fits, so you apparently have some insight into your own shortcomings! My point: How does it feel to get "bashed"? Idiot.I will defend Self and the team. Players will come and go, but the tradition and history only grow, especially true in the Self-era. I trust him to get the most out of whatever offensive/defensive talent we have in any given year. If you were talking about any KU player, suck it! If you were talking about some opposing player Brady was guarding--how was/is that relevant? Quit smoking whatever....today, sir! (Sarcasm intended)

January 22, 2009 at 9:35 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

stupidmichael (anonymous) says...

"Poor offense *versus* good defense = embarrassment every time" would have been a better way of typing what I intended. It was no slight to Brady Morningstar or any current Jayhawk. In fact, it was a compliment to Brady Morningstar. If you would have read the entire article (which was masterfully done), you would have noticed that Mr. Newell made references to a younger brother who always tripped him up by playing defense who should have known he wasn't supposed to be playing defense. The jab was at Mr. Newell... hence, "poor offense *versus* good defense = embarrassment every time. Little brother or not."Now who's the stupid one?

January 23, 2009 at 7:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ralster (anonymous) says...

To the poster known as 'stupidmichael'--My good man, I just dont think the majority of responses to your post could decipher what you wrote. Even with your explanation above, looking back at your initial post, I cannot even tangentially see a 'bash' of Newell. Im a little puzzled you would try to 'bash' Newell if you refer to his article as 'masterfully done'--huh? Most of us seem to have got the fictitious little brother analogy (playing tight D when no one else was). When Newell stated "the little brother that used to invade your pickup games..." he is making a general analogy about some clueless youngster trying to fit in, and does something unexpected...I still do not see how your comment was bashing Newell, or were you bashing the fictitious little brother? Why? Who would get that, and why would you waste time trying to do that? And on a final note, could you please explain, in general terms (without compromising your privacy): what does your pen-name mean? You cant begin to even suggest someone else (anyone) is "stupid", when you put that in your own name, eh?

January 23, 2009 at 9:07 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

mikehawk (anonymous) says...

I too am one of the Brady converts. The kid does more with less than any player that I can remember. But...would someone please wash his tee shirt and put it in the dryer and shrink it down two or three sizes.

January 24, 2009 at 9:40 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

stupidmichael (anonymous) says...

Ralster,My name is actually Dale. Michael happens to be my uncle's name. My uncle passed away after a long, painful battle with testicular cancer just over two years ago. He was an amazingly brilliant man and I was incredibly close to him. He inspired me to go into chemical engineering (I am in my fourth year, preparing to graduate at the top of my class) and he also encouraged me to get involved at Children's Mercy in Kansas City. My uncle Michael received the nickname "stupid michael" from my brother Luke. Michael was color blind and -at the Fort Worth bowl- he asked Luke what color Kansas was--FIVE minutes into the game. Turns out he had been cheering for the wrong team! The irony behind his nickname is that he was actually a brilliant man. He had a PhD in History and a masters in political science. His passing was certainly a difficult time for myself and his family, but also a celebration of his life. By taking the handle, "stupidmichael" I was trying to honor him and carry on his fiery passion for Kansas athletics. I would appreciate your understanding on this matter.

January 24, 2009 at 9:50 a.m. ( | suggest removal )