Self: Report of feud with Baylor’s Drew ‘inaccurate’

By Gary Bedore     Mar 2, 2012

The current edition of Sports Illustrated — which features a story on Baylor’s wildly successful athletic department — maintains Kansas University coach Bill Self has a problem with Bears’ coach Scott Drew.

The magazine says: “It’s no coincidence that Self’s loathing of Drew and Texas coach Rick Barnes’ jibes at him (Drew) increased with Baylor’s wins.”

Self’s response to the Journal-World: “I don’t read all the articles, but my wife showed me this one — something that was written that was inaccurate. I’ve never spoken to the writer, but obviously he got his information somewhere else that I think was definitely not accurate of the feelings of any coach in our league.”

Quite the quip: KU senior guard Tyshawn Taylor had perhaps the quote of the season on Thursday.

Asked if he was nervous about his Senior Day speech to follow Saturday’s 8 p.m. game against Texas, he joked: “Yes. I wish I could just tweet it.”

Remember, he’s gotten into trouble for his posts on Twitter and Facebook during his four years at KU.

Standing up for Ty: Self is not pleased Taylor was left off the final list of Naismith Award candidates.

“Oh yeah, that’s a snub. No question. If Tyshawn Taylor is not one of the best 15 players in the country, that’s unbelievable to me,” Self said.

Taylor said: “It’s kind of wack, but it is what it is. My numbers don’t really lie, so I guess they could look at that. It’s cool, though. Thomas (Robinson) is about to get Player of the Year and coach Self will get Coach of the Year, so we’re good over here. We’re winning.”

Self on the race for national player of the year: “I think it’s a two-horse race, without question, and they’re both thoroughbreds,” he said of KU’s Robinson and Kentucky’s Anthony Davis. “Anthony Davis will be the number one pick (in the NBA draft), but as a college player this year, I really believe Thomas has had the best year.”

This, that: Self and other KU coaches and support staff members wore bracelets at the KU-Oklahoma State game in support of team manager Taeler Nieder and her family. Her brother, Jerod, suffered a severe neck injury on a family trip to Mexico in December. He’s currently being treated at a hospital in Colorado… An article on the injury from December is available here … It seems Self’s mom and dad were flooded with phone calls from Missouri’s Antlers after the phone number of Self’s parents was shown on a sign during ESPN’s College GameDay on Feb. 4 and appeared on the Internet. The Antlers have been notorious for obtaining phone numbers of KU players and coaches throughout the years. “The number they got was right,” Self said with a smile. … Self said Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey would join seniors Tyshawn Taylor, Jordan Juenemann and Conner Teahan in the Senior Day starting lineup against Texas. Self said the four-minute time limit on speeches would remain in place this year. Mario Little, one might recall, went over by seven minutes last Senior Day. … Allerik Freeman, a 6-4 junior from Olympic High in Charlotte, N.C., has narrowed his college choices to KU and Villanova, Rivals.com reports. Freeman is the No. 23-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2013. “Kansas and Villanova are my final schools, and both are even right now,” he told Rivals.com. Freeman attended the 2011 Late Night in the Phog on an unofficial visit. He has not set a timetable to make his college choice. … Future KU forward Andrew White has been selected to play in the Derby Festival Classic on April 6 in Louisville. He’s a 6-6 senior from Miller School in Chester, Va., ranked No. 56 by Rivals.com

Anthem: Jim Cornelison, who performs a stirring rendition of the National Anthem at Chicago Blackhawks home games, will sing the anthem Saturday night at Allen Fieldhouse. KU officials have requested the students continue singing the correct words, “Home of the Brave” instead of “Home of the Chiefs” at the end of the anthem in respect for the song as well as Cornelison.

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