It’s time for you fans to forget Kansas basketball for a bit to clear your minds as you follow the fortunes of the Kansas City Royals.
The Royals? Yeah right, you say.
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The Royals are a complete and utter joke, as are all teams that make up the entity called “major league baseball.”
When are the MLB powers-that-be going to wise up, implement a comprehensive share-the-wealth program among all teams as well as a salary cap???
Is it too difficult for the players and owners to realize baseball needs to copy football in giving ALL teams a chance to win?
The national pastime is baseball still the national pastime? has become a disgrace and not just because it looks as if yet another work stoppage is imminent a players’ strike which the owners will lose and fall to 0-for-9 in labor disputes.
So much for that rant …
Because of the baseball mess and Tony Gonzalez situation with the Chiefs, perhaps it IS time for you to think KU hoops and only KU hoops.
So here are some summertime questions and my answers regarding KU roundball.
Q-Gary, when is Late Night With Roy 2002? Signed, Elton Kawa, Boston, Mass.
A-Late Night would be the night of Friday, Oct. 11. Doors usually open about 6 p.m. with skits beginning about 10 p.m. The actual basketball scrimmage will start at midnight, Oct. 12, in accordance with NCAA rules.
For future reference, Late Night will always fall on the Friday before Oct. 15.
It should be a wild weekend at KU, with the Homecoming football game against Colorado set for Saturday the 12th.
As of this writing there is no time for that football contest.
Wouldn’t it be wild if it’s an 11 a.m. kickoff?
Perhaps KU should copy the Chicago White Sox and have a sleepover promotion at Allen Fieldhouse after Late Night With Roy. Fans could pitch their tents and/or sleeping bags, catch a few hours sleep, then walk over to Memorial Stadium for the football game.
Q-Gary, why does it take so long for KU to put out a basketball schedule? I want to make plane reservations for some trips this winter and have no KU basketball schedule. Peeved in Pittsburgh.
A-Are you in Pittsburgh, Pa., or Pittsburg, Kansas? If you are in Kansas, you have wrongly spelled Pitt. There is no ‘h’ in Gorilla Country.
Wherever you are, I’m sure you won’t like my answer.
TV slows the release of KU’s basketball schedule.
ESPN Big Monday, CBS, the Big 12 package, the Jayhawk Network … there are a lot of TV dates and times to fill before a slate can be released.
Still the schedule should be out any day now.
Q-What is Eric Chenowith up to? You never hear about him anymore.bunniewood66523@html.com
A-Eric played in the NBA’s Developmental League last year and performed pretty well, earning third-team all-league mention. He then played in France for a month or so. The ‘Big E’ was invited to try out for the New York Knicks’ summer league team, but didn’t make that roster.
He did play for another team of NBA hopefuls in the LA summer league. In fact, I believe one of his teammates was old California buddy Doug Gottlieb of Okie State.
Eric thus far hasn’t been able to make it in the NBA which I’m sure is a great disappointment to the 7-footer. I would think he’ll return to the NBDL or play in Europe next season if he doesn’t get an invite to an NBA veteran’s camp.
I’ve had some e-mail correspondence with Eric, but he’s politely declined my interview requests. I have a standing offer to write a nice long update on him when he’s ready to do so. As a media member, I never had any problems with Eric. He’s a good guy and it’d be nice to see him make at least as much money as Greg Ostertag has accumulated in the league.
Q-What do you think of Greg Ostertag donating a kidney to his sister, Amy? Was that a smart business decision? What if he can’t make it back to the NBA? Ted Karafiat, Utah resident.
A-I think it’s great the ‘Big O’ took a personal risk in giving up a kidney to a family member, his beloved sister.
I think the most poignant moment of all for me was when I asked him if this act of generosity meant he was a “changed man.”
What I meant by that is a lot of people rightly or wrongly have viewed Ostertag as sort of a grown up kid, relatively immature. As you are aware, he’s had some troubles with Utah coach Jerry Sloan from time to time.
“I hope so,” Ostertag said. “I hope so.”
Ostertag’s camouflaged Hummer vehicle was a sight to behold parked behind Allen Fieldhouse one night in late June. No, he did not invite me to go for a ride.
Q-Hi Gary,
Can you tell me what the progress of Jeff Hawkins is. Will he be able to contribute significant minutes in the backcourt this coming season? What has coach Williams said about him.
I Iike our chances again this year. I have to say that this past year was as fun I’ve had watching the ‘hawks play. The way they carry themselves on and off the court makes me feel good. Maybe this is blasphemous, but even if coach doesn’t win a national title at Kansas it will have been worth to me watch his teams play with the teamwork and unselfishness that pass on many more lessons in life that far surpass wins and titles. He’s a blessing and I hope he coaches at Kansas as long as he is able to coach. Title or no title. Feel free to pass this on to him. I know he receives unwarranted criticism from time to time. Hopefully he knows there are those of us out here who appreciate his (and his staff too) hard work and his genuiness.
Sincerely,
S. Bryson
A-I think Jeff Hawkins will play a lot this upcoming season. The point guard from Kansas City is a good passer who can hit the open shot also. He’s been somewhat overlooked in the media, only because he sat out last season as a red-shirt and thus according to Roy’s Rules of Order, can’t be interviewed until his first game.
Not to put any pressure on him, but Hawkins for some reason reminds me of former Iowa State player and current NBA standout Jamaal Tinsley. I’m not saying he’ll be as good as Tinsley, only time will tell, but Hawkins seems like the kind of player who can score if needed, yet prefers to throw accurate passes to get his teammates layups.
As far as your comments on Roy, I’m sure he’d appreciate your kind words if he read the Internet, which he doesn’t.
Q-I live in Santa Barbara and heard Kirk is a counselor at this Year’s MJ camp. Do you know the dates? Thanks. Brett
A-That would be Aug. 1-5 and Aug. 6-10 at the University of California-Santa Barbara. KU’s Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich are camp counselors. Don’t know if it’s open to the public or not. Probably not if Michael is in the house.
Q-Missouri is building a new arena. Doesn’t that mean we need to tear down Allen Fieldhouse and put up a building to keep up with Quin Snyder?
Won’t KU’s recruiting suffer because of Missouri’s brand new building? Jonathan Hoppensnuff, Barstow, Mo.
A-You pose an interesting question, Clyde. That is … would KU be better off with a brand new building versus historic Allen Fieldhouse?
Well the discussion is probably moot because Roy does not want a new building and KU quite frankly doesn’t have the money to build a new palace.
I guess KU could try to raise the money via boosters, but it might be difficult to find somebody with deep enough pockets to finance the kind of building KU basketball deserves.
As far as recruiting, I think KU players past and present and future like the idea of playing in a building as loud as Allen Fieldhouse. It’s fun for the players to not be able to hear anything but the roar of the fans.
Of course, some games are not as loud as others.
But when KU gets on a major run or plays a rival, the building seems to shake and is loud as ever.
I don’t think Allen Fieldhouse will ever hurt KU recruiting. How can it? It’s a great barn (p.s. I’ve received mean e-mails in the past criticizing me when I call the fieldhouse a barn).
In fact, because of a new NCAA rule that will allow high school juniors to visit in January of their junior years in high school, more preps will get to see meaningful games in Allen which should help recruiting. Roy has said he likes his chances in recruiting when players get to see Allen filled on game night.
I personally think Allen Fieldhouse will be here for 20 more years at least.
What do you think? Do you like Allen or want a new building? E-mail me your responses please.
Q-Why has KU called off plans to re-seat Allen Fieldhouse and charge fans a heavy stipend just for the right to purchase seats? Thanks for your column. I like it a lot. Kimberly Falsey, Leavenworth
A-Kim, there never was a plan in place. There was a proposal to re-seat the fieldhouse by basically bartering seats to the highest bidder. I recently wrote a story on that you can find in the J-W archives, if you are interested.
I do think cooler, wiser heads prevailed when KU officials considered the negative impact a new seating plan would have on KU’s loyal ticket holders.
Some fans have held KU basketball tickets for 10, 15, 20, or more years and it seemed mighty greedy to make those people pay $1,000 or $5,000 or $10,000 or whatever for the right to keep their seats.
I know the students would like more seats and better seats and maybe that will be addressed in the future.
KU awards students more than 7,000 seats, which isn’t half bad in this day and age when money speaks volumes more than ever before.
It would be nice if every KU student who wants to go to games could go to games. Students, after all, are what universities are all about.
And thank you for thanking me.
Q-Gary, tell the truth. Shouldn’t Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich have turned pro after their junior seasons? Roy said they’d be first round picks. Why risk injury and ONE MILLION DOLLARS. Signed, Dr. Evil.
A-That’s another great question.
I have mixed emotions. The easy answer is they made the right decision because both guys WANTED to come back to KU. They wanted to be college students and college basketball players one more year. It was the right decision because it’s what they wanted to do.
Yes, they risk the possibility of injury, but it’s been rare indeed that an injury has ruined a player’s pro chances. Donnie Boyce is one guy that comes to mind who had problems after his severe leg injury.
But Jacque Vaughn was injured his senior year. Raef too, and both are doing fine in the big leagues.
Kirk wasn’t scared away, even after his nasty ankle sprain in the NCAAs.
Insurance policies will be in place to give both guys some protection if something major was to happen on the dreaded injury front.
As far as money … well, Nick and Kirk probably would have been chosen in Round One of the 2002 Draft and that means a lot of money, maybe enough over three to four years to set them for life.
But chances are neither would have been taken in the top ten. Maybe Kirk would have gone that high; maybe not.
By returning, both enter their senior seasons as national player of the year candidates. If they have better seasons than last year or similar seasons, they figure to be selected in the top 12 of the 2003 NBA Draft.
Both these guys want their degrees. Another year in school doesn’t figure to do anything but up their stock.
But yes it’s somewhat a surprise they didn’t take the money and run like most guys do nowadays.
Q-Gary, I love KU basketball, particularly recruiting, and want to read all I can about it. Can you help me out and list some internet sites? Thanks. Born To Raise Hoops.
A-Let me try. I hope I don’t leave anybody out, which is always possible considering my pea-sized brain. If I’ve skipped you, send me a memo.
OK, let’s start out by plugging kusports.com, the Journal-World Website. We have the best Website in America, bar none.
Then there is kuathletics.com, the official site of Kansas University athletics. Some good reads on there.
Other newspapers that cover KU have Websites also, but I don’t think it’s my place to publicize them. It doesn’t take an Internet rocket scientist to find them. Many of the country’s newspapers’ stories about Big 12 hoop teams are available off sportspages.com.
Other sites and people: Well, there is Jon Kirby’s baby called jayhawkslant.com. He’s assisted by folks like Kent Myers, Shay Wildeboor and prepstars.com guru Eric Bossi.
Phog.net which always has a plethora of good stuff, is led by Tom Light and Julie Jamison and many others. Hopefully I’ll get to meet some of the phognetters at a game some day.
Dave Sieverling and John Steere are always in the know at rockchalk.com. Steere and I have a lot in common; we’ve both made Roy mad in the past. Just kidding.
Nationally, Mike Sullivan of rivalshoops.com is tremendous and tireless. Mark Mayamura and David (Rockfish) Benezra work the West coast and other areas at RecruitingUSA.com. Those two are longtime pals of mine, as is Mike Sullivan.
Greg Swaim, who contributes on phog.net is known for his own gregswaim.com and his radio show which is available off his Website. Legendary Bob Gibbons remains a guru at bobgibbons.net. Dave Telep’s theinsidershoops.com is a formidable national recruiting network. Then there’s Frank Rusnak’s highschoolelite.com.
Let me know if I’ve forgotten anybody, not that I’m in the business of giving out plugs. After all I am no Howard Stern.
I know I’ve probably forgotten somebody obvious. Now I know why Roy doesn’t thank people at the KU banquet; you are bound to forget somebody.
Every person I’ve come across in Internetland is exceedingly friendly. These people love basketball and it won’t hurt any to plug them, especially since most of the sites link to stuff in the J-W.
Congrats to all who do a job and do it well out there.
Q-Gary, what do you think of Bob and Max? Easylistening.com
A-I think they are great. I’ve always wanted to ask Bob why his voice never gives out. It seems like every year the Cubs’ lead announcer goes hoarse for at least a couple games. And Bob does all those Royals’ games and all the KU football and basketball games. I know I get three colds every basketball season at least, yet Bob Davis never wavers or skips a game.
He should do a health book.
Max is great also. He’s entering year No. 57; Bob No. 19 at KU. Max asks good questions during the postgame interview session with Roy. Bob and Max are both genuinely good guys.
I don’t actually hear them much on the radio, except some football games since I’m at all the basketball games home and road. I think they are easy to listen to.
Q-Gary, Cut to the chase. Quit being a wimp and tell me: Who will KU sign in recruiting this year? And yeah, what do you think of Case and Giddens. I wannawinitall.com.
A-Well, since you were so polite I will try to answer. I have no idea who KU will sign besides Jeremy Case and J.R. Giddens.
I do think KU has a good to excellent chance to sign David Padgett, 6-11 from Reno, Nev. Roy obviously does a great job with big men and I think Padgett is very interested in KU. However like in all great recruiting battles for top players, he has other fine options in Arizona, Stanford, Carolina, Oregon, Louisville.
KU is heavy in the hunt for Ronnie Brewer, 6-5 from Fayetteville, Ark. It’s gonna be tough to get him away from Arkansas, but not impossible. Remember his dad was a standout at Arkansas.
Shannon Brown, 6-2 from Maywood, Ill., keeps telling everybody he loves KU’s style of play and Roy, but you gotta think it’ll be tough keeping him from Illinois’ clutches. KU should be right there with his other choices of Michigan State, Duke, Cincy, et. all.
Omar Wilkes, 6-2 of Los Angeles just might come to KU when all is said and done. He likes Zona, Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC, Maryland, too.
Brian Butch, 7-0 from Appleton, Wis., has Wisconsin and Marquette still high on his list. If he elects to go way from home, KU and Carolina you’d think would have a great chance. He seems to like Tennessee a lot, too.
Thomas Gardner, 6-5 from Portland, ore., was a prep teammate of Mike Lee and Aaron Miles, so you gotta believe KU is in this one ’til the end.
Keith Wooden, 6-8 of Lawrence Free State, is still in the picture. Arizona State is all over Wooden. TCU always remains a possibility.
Sorry if I forgot anybody. Roy doesn’t discuss his recruiting with me so I probably have erred on some names.
As far as Giddens and Case, I couldn’t attend the AAU tournament in KC area last weekend, but I did see film. I liked Case’s court savvy and passing ability on a 5-minute segment I saw. He also stuck a jumper and hit a layup off a feed from Giddens. Giddens looked spectacular hitting two corner shots, grabbing an offensive board and putting it back in and slamming some dunks. They both looked good to me.
That’s it for now. Keep the questions coming. If you ask a factual question, that’s OK of course, but try to throw in a question that requires some opinion, also, so we can get this discussion going. I’ve answered many factual questions via personal e-mail, so I hope you all were satisfied upon receipt of those answers.
Dunk you all very much.