A Historical Look at KU and One-and-Done Players

The ball is tipped. And here we are.

The calendar has flipped from the consequence-free National holiday of Leap Day over to March 1st, marking the unofficially official start to the College Basketball season.

To celebrate, I wanted to do a historical study consisting of the few debatable topics surrounding Bill Self's tenure at the University of Kansas: NCAA Tournament success and one-and-done players.

The premise of this statistical look is simple: Was there a one-and-done player on the roster vs. how did KU fare in the NCAA Tournament? For shits and giggles, as well as a bit of a control group, I threw in another factor pundits often point to when it comes to success in The Big Dance -- senior leadership.

Lets start with Bill Self's first year at KU, the 2003-04 season, which will be referred to as 2004 in this article, for clarity's sake. I've also simplified the following chart to read "Senior" for what I'd consider sufficient senior leadership, and "Freshman" for the presence of a one-and-done player on the roster. If neither are present, I simply put "None." The final number in the chart is how many games KU won in the NCAA Tournament that season.

• 2004 - None - 3
• 2005 - Senior - 0
• 2006 - None - 0
• 2007 - None - 3
• 2008 - Senior - 6
• 2009 - None - 2
• 2010 - Senior - Freshman - 1
• 2011 - Senior - Freshman - 3
• 2012 - Senior - 5
• 2013 - Senior - Freshman - 2
• 2014 - Freshman - 1
• 2015 - Freshman - 1

Another look:

• NCAA Tournament wins under Bill Self: 27 = 2.25 average wins
• NCAAT wins with a One-and-done player: 1, 3, 2, 1, 1 = 1.6 average wins
• NCAAT wins without a One-and-done: 3, 0, 0, 3, 6, 2, 5 = 2.71 average wins
• NCAAT wins with Senior leadership: 0, 6, 1, 3, 5, 2 = 2.83 average wins
• NCAAT wins without Senior leadership: 3, 0, 3, 2, 1, 1 = 1.67 average wins

Notes:

• I declared no senior leadership for a few teams that people might disagree with: 2004 (Jeff Graves), 2006 (Jeff Hawkins + Christian Moody) and 2014 (Tarik Black). I didn't consider any of these players among the top on the team. Also it helped balance out the study.
• I gave Ben McLemore the one-and-done label for 2013, even though he was technically a second year player, having redshirted the season before.

Statistical Analysis:

Self's most accomplished teams have come equipped with senior leadership and no one-and-done players, reaching the National Championship Game twice out of four such instances, while losing in the Elite 8 and first round in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

Over the last six years, the only time KU's season didn't end in (what I would consider) disappointment was 2012, the one year without a one-and-done. Furthermore, every Bill Self team with a one-and-done player at KU has bowed out to a lower seeded team in the NCAA Tournament.

In fact, throughout his time at KU, Self has only lost to a higher seeded team three times - Georgia Tech in 2004, Michigan St. in 2009 and Kentucky in the 2012 National Championship Game. This serves as both a testament to KU's shortcomings in the NCAA Tournament, as well as how good KU has been in the regular season, earning top seeds year after year (KU's seedings under Self: 4, 3, 4, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2).

Arguments:

I think it's obvious to say every coach would love to have senior leadership up and down their squad, but that's not really a task that is easily controllable, so case closed on that one.

But what about the recruitment of potential one-and-dones? You may look at this data and already be convinced it's for the worse. Or you may dismiss this data due to sample size and happenstance.

However, at what point do these results become an undeniable trend? Or will it never reach that point, given that a championship team with a one-and-done and no senior leadership would more than likely balance the scales?

For transparency's sake, I've never been in favor of having one-and-done type players, a personaly philosophy dating back to before the beginning of this case study. I had an irrefutable argument up until Carmelo Anthony (or maybe, Gerry McNamara, to be more accurate), a pretty strong case before Anthony Davis, and finally, something resembling a case until Jahlil Okafor last year.

My stance has since lessened slightly, but I still argue those are generational type players, and for whatever reason, they haven't panned out at KU, even including a #1 draft pick like Andrew Wiggins.

But why would that be?

My arguments, outside of the first 1,500 words of this article: 1. It's easier to sustain greatness and build team chemistry with three and four year players. And 2. I don't trust the motives of one-and-done players, who I believe are generally more focused on their draft stock than winning games in March (don't hate the player for this, hate the game).

The initial counter-argument is clear and simple: You never turn down talent. You want the best basketball players you can find and you figure out the rest later. Additionally, the players reaching the NBA are reaping dividends for the program throughout their careers.

Conclusion:

The goal of this article wasn't to sway you one way or the other, but rather to supply the data and the arguments for both sides of what I consider a great debate that is getting more and more interesting over the years.

I wouldn't consider this highly scientific study to be anything conclusive. We're still talking about a small sample size, given the single elimination nature of the NCAA Tournament.

Obviously, the much better barometer of Self's career at KU would be the 11 straight conference titles, one of the more impressive achievements in the history of sports. However, nobody debates the greatness of Self or KU as a regular season titan. The questions begin to surface when it comes to late March.

So the only question that remains now is how the 2016 Kansas Jayhawks, armed with senior leadership and a potential one-and-done player, will affect this debate?

His Dirkness

KU Basketball Thoughts

College Basketball in November is a little bit like eating a bowl of hot chili outside in July. However, yesterday's bowl of chili was super delicious.

If I were to continue with this analogy, then Michigan St's Darnell Valentine would have to be considered head chef. He was incredible last night. Better than Billy Ray Valentine slingin' pork rinds to Clarence Beeks.

Admission: Point forward types are my favorite basketball players to watch. Royce White. Boris Diaw. Blake Griffin. Anthony Mason back in the day. Georges Niang today.

My guys, Parkins and C-Dot led off their Monday show with how College Basketball is lacking quality. It sure wasn't last night. And a lot of the rule changes seemed positive as well. Shorter shot clock. A fewer timeout. Shorter timeouts. An evolved take on commercials. Everything sped the game up.

On to Kansas. They lost the game, but I thought they showed well. They have enough talent to cut down any and all nets in March, even without The Mali Popper, Cheick Diallo.

Experience in the backcourt + Talent in the frontcourt = Recipe for success in March.

Backcourt

Devonte' Graham - Went 1-9 last night and I still loved his performance. No need to ask Granny, this kid is spry. He's very heady, always calm and in control. Exactly what you want from a point guard. And the best part? He should be a four year player, which means three more seasons with him. My favorite player.

Frank Mason III - The second PG in the starting lineup, a strategy I think I like. KU can continually swing the ball around the perimeter and still have a natural PG running the show. This is a dynamic duo that should lead to an entertaining brand of basketball this season.

Wayne Selden - He's never done it for me. This coming from a guy who never stopped loving Tyshawn Taylor or Elijah Johnson. So this isn't your typical KU fan angst. Selden is kind of average at everything, which makes him a natural role player (I could see him being a better pro than college player). He's a 4th or 5th option on offense, who should be a better defender. Honestly, I'd prefer to see Brannen Greene in the game at crunch time to add spacing, unless there's a bigger guard who only Selden can match up with (and even then, ehh).

Svetlana Mele Kalikimaka - That dude has....a lot of confidence? Not sure what to make of him yet.

Frontcourt

Perry Ellis - A monster who gets a bad wrap. I guess he's kinda soft and is capable of getting intimidated. Can freeze up. But appreciate him for what he is - a relentless scorer down low. I've never seen him more aggressive around the basket then he was last night. Reminds me of Pau Gasol (with the way he's perceived) and Darrell Arthur (with his ability to get buckets). Also, good to see him developing his outside game, which is his ticket to the NBA.

Carlton Bragg Jr. - That boy gangly. Has the body type to develop into a lockdown defender (who could take Selden's place, in my scenario, if he's quick enough to hang with small forwards - remains to be seen). Banged a few jumpers too, he's a guy to keep an eye on.

Jamari Traylor and Landon Lucas - Just a couple of guys, who can eat up space, rebound, play solid defense, and utilize 10 fouls. They are interchangeable, in my opinion.

Honestly, I didn't care much about the loss, but I'm not nearly as hardcore as I was when I went to KU. And I prefer to take a laissez-faire attitude with them, because KU fans can be a little...how should I say this -- Self-serious? Get it? Because of Bill, you guys.

I tend to watch KU non-conference games with one eye open, and the other eye on the future. I have no problem dropping a few games before New Year's if it helps the team's development come March -- Or even conference season, to help the team extend one of the more impressive streaks I've seen in sports in my lifetime.

All praise Andrea Hudy,

His Dirkness

5 Keys for KU to beat Kentucky

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1. Play two halves of basketball 

This hasn't been KU's style throughout the NCAA Tournament. For whatever reason, the Jayhawks have played poorly both offensively and defensively in the first half of 4 of their 5 games. Fortunately, KU has responded in the second half of every game (with a slight blip against NC State as the lone exception). KU opponents have shot 49.1% in the first half. In the second half, it plummets to 24.2%. That is astounding. The credit must go to Bill Self, who in my books is the best coach in the country right now (and I'm not talking just College Basketball, I mean in any sport).

Here's the problem - This won't fly against Kentucky. They're too good. Do I think they're unbeatable like most people around the country probably do? Not at all. However, they will be a notch or two better than any team KU has faced all season long (because they're a notch or two better than every other team in the country). But this is basketball. And this is one game. This upset wouldn't ever register on the same Richter Scale as Villanova over Georgetown in 1985. But for that to happen, KU cannot get behind by double digits. Not this game. KU must come out with the same intensity they showed in the second half against Ohio State. You will be able to tell by loose balls. KU got every single loose ball in the second half (Releford was personally responsible for 90% of them) against the Buckeyes, and almost none in the first half. 

2. Tyshawn Taylor hit a 3-pointer

I can't believe how much has gone wrong for KU in this NCAA Tournament, only for them to be playing in the final game tonight. They've come out ice cold in every game (but one), Teahan can't hit a shot, Robinson has repeatedly missed bunnies, Kevin Young just trying to get a shot off, and Tyshawn Taylor shooting 0-20 from 3-point range.

Now I wouldn't say Taylor has played poorly in the Tournament. In fact, outside of his poor shooting from downtown, he has played well. He is shooting 24-43 inside the 3-point arc. More importantly than that, he hasn't lost his confidence at all (in fact, I'm not sure anything could ever happen in Tyshawn's life that would cause him to lose ALL that confidence). Can you imagine how the kid will play if he sees a 3-pointer go down? Surely, he is due right? KU doesn't win if Tyshawn doesn't end his streak tonight.

3. Keep the game close

Now this sounds a tad obvious, but hear me out. A close game is an ENORMOUS advantage for Kansas. The Jayhawks have played in as many close games this NCAA Tournament as Kentucky has all season long. KU is more equipped to handle the pressure of a late close game than Kentucky.

Ah yes, the pressure. It is ALL on Kentucky. John Calipari has yet to win a National Championship. Calipari's best shot was thwarted by Bill Self. It was Calipari's team that missed those free throws (if this same situation arises tonight, and it's not on their mind, I'll assume they're on the same wavelength of a Buddhist monk). Kentucky is supposed to win. Kentucky's season would be a disappointment with a loss. Both teams' players are aware of these facts. Close game with 5 minutes left? I'm taking the Jayhawks.

4. Jeff Withey must remain in 12-armed flying Orangutan mode

Without question, Jeff Withey was the star of Saturday night's victory over thee Ohio State. He completely manhandled Jared Sullinger ("Withey mad" = best sign of KU's season), who couldn't decide whether to take his beatdown like a man, or whine to the refs like a bitch. But it wasn't just his straight up defense on Sullinger, it was his overall protection of the rim, no matter what direction it was coming from.

Now, Anthony Davis is a good 3-4 inches taller than Sully. I believe he'll be able to get his shot off over Withey, which should be the matchup most of the game. This means Withey will have to make his impact in help defense. He must eliminate any and all dribble penetration to the basket (exactly what he did to Aaron Craft on Saturday night). Defense is this team's biggest strength. Withey is this team's best defender. WE MUST PROTECT THIS RIM!

5. Thomas Robinson must decidedly outplay Anthony Davis

You could see the moment when T-Robb decided to take over on Saturday night. I don't remember what caused it, but you could see the rage taking over the man. He got pissed off. You WOULD like him when he's angry. Robinson definitely lets the little things get to him. You grab his arm, shoot him a look, or talk about the Morris's mama and it's game on. However, unlike a majority of athletes, Robinson plays his best when he's enraged. You can see the focus. He gets hungry to dominate. It eliminates his biggest weakness (laziness). Suddenly he is everywhere, doing everything. If we see 40 minutes of this tonight, KU will win easily. The problem with that logic is that I don't think it's humanly possible to do so outside of illegal substance abuse. Anybody know a guy?

Davis is incredibly under-utilized on Kentucky's offensive end. Throughout the year, I've seen Davis score on putbacks, alley-oops, and occasionally an outside jump shot or two. And then on Saturday night, I witnessed actual post moves in his game for the first time (to be fair, I haven't watched much CBB outside of KU this year). He scored on a jump hook. He hit 7 of his 8 shots (here's a weird stat: Nobody on Kentucky took more than 9 shots in their victory over Louisville). The kid is extremely unselfish. Almost to the point where I think it might hurt Kentucky. One thing that gives me confidence going into tonight's game is that I know Robinson will be ready and able to take over the game if necessary. I cannot say the same about Davis.

Now I'm gonna finish this article like Elijah Johnson at the rim (E.T. Every Time)...

Two teams. Ten starters. Nineteen eyebrows. One Championship. (via @the_natedogg on Twitter)

Go KU,

His Dirkness

Final Four Live Chat

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NCAA Tournament Awards

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So most of the following pertains to the first weekend of NCAA Tournament games, but I choose to write them nonetheless! Try and look past the immediate relevance of them and enjoy the ridiculousciousness...

And the award goes to....

PLAYERS

For being the best player in the NCAA Tournament (written before last night's manhandling of the Dukies) - Derrick Williams, Arizona

For potentially being the best College Basketball player of all time - Tyrel Reed, Kansas (has a chance to surpass Shane Battier for most wins by one player if KU makes the National Championship Game)

For making the Dirkness All-Tournament team: Jacob Pullen - Kansas St, Jimmer Fredette - BYU, Brandon Knight - Kentucky, Derrick Williams - Arizona, Tyler Zeller - North Carolina

For making the Dirkness second team All-Tournament team: Kemba Walker - UConn, Shelvin Mack - Butler, Erving Walker - Florida, Marcus Morris - Kansas, Joshua Smith- UCLA

For being this year's Omar Sanham (Dirkness mancrush) - Kenneth Faried, Morehead St.

For being this Tournament's Keiton Page (thus bothering Dirkness to no end) - Chandler Parsons, Florida

For being a homeless man's Tyler Hansbrough - Josh Harrellson, Kentucky

For obviously being on steroids - Jimmer Fredette, BYU

For the dumbest play of the Tournament - John Henson, North Carolina - near goaltending at the end of UNC-Wash game (dumber than Pitt-Butler fouls because there was absolutely nothing to gain)

For best nickname - The Mazzula Oblongota, West Virginia

For the second best nickname - Little Onions - Erving Walker, Florida

For most nicknames for one player - Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia - The Turkish Torpedo, The Bearded Clam, The Overmatched Bond Villain, Zangief

For having the best name of the Tournament - MoMo Jones, Arizona

For having the best chance to succeed based on birth name - Bradford Burgess, VCU

For the weirdest KU-related sighting - David Padgett, Louisville (coaching)

For the second weirdest KU-related sighting - Quintrell Thomas, UNLV

For having the best post-game celebration - MoMo Jones, Arizona - Blowing a kiss to the camera while slobbering uncontrollably

TEAMS

For being the true Cinderellas of the NCAA Tournament - Richmond Spiders (most opening round wins as a 12 seed or lower - 5, Tulsa - 3)

For creating argument about who's the true Cinderella - Gonzaga ZagDogs (8-4 as a double digit seed since 1999)

For being the first team ever - Michigan (won a game with no made free throws)

For putting up the biggest Georgetown-like first round lay down - Georgetown

For putting up the biggest Pitt-like Tournament letdown - Pitt

For annually being picked to go further in brackets than they actually go - Texas

For being the least impressive surviving team of the first weekend (written before Sweet 16) - San Diego St.

For being the most impressive team of the Tournament - VCU

For being the easiest Sweet 16 matchup to pick - UNC over Marquette

For being the biggest Sweet 16 toss up - VCU/Florida St.

For having the best fight song: Arizona

MISCELLANEOUS

Scariest sighting - Dan Bonner's overzealous smily face

Silliest looking future leaders of America - Princeton fans in orange-man suits

Weirdest Tournament follow-up show - TruTV's Bicycle Soccer

Best mispronunciation of the Tournament - Charles Barkley - "cramps" ("crabs", "craps")

Troofest statement of the Tournament - Charles Barkley - "Texas is a team that relies on talent alone, but shows very poor fundamentals"

Rule change suggestion - His Dirkness - No more 1-in-1 free throws (too big an emphasis on free throw shooting)

Coolest NCAA Tournament connection - Sean Miller, Arizona - threw the pass that led to "Send it in, Jerome" call...



: Best Send it in Jerome of the Tournament - Derrick Williams, Arizona...



Best prediction - Charles Barkley - picking Arizona to beat Duke even at halftime while trailing by 6 (narrowly edging Dirkness' prediction of Arizona to beat Duke from the beginning)

Best announcing term of the Tournament - Gus Johnson - "Crosstown traffic" (narrowly edging Gus Johnson's "Oooohhhhooooohhhhhh")

Most overused announcing term - "heat check"

Most underused announcing term - "hockey assist"


Sky high in brackets,
His Bracketness

Bracket Madness Satisfaction 2011

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Here are a few lists for you to enjoy for the big days on the horizon. I'm running on little sleep today coming off of a 5 hour Bracket binge with S'nave well into the AM's of last night. Basically, they had me feeling like this guy...




Top 5 One Shining Moments:
 
1. Duke - Somehow Duke is the least picked top seed to make the Final Four this year according to majority opinion. Add Coach K's announcement that Kyrie Irving may return (a card he had to play), who if he does, gives Duke one of the best backcourts in College Basketball history. For good banter on Irving click here.
2. Ohio St - One of my annual stracketagies is to pick the team with the best big man in the country to win the National Championship. Well, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Jared Sullinger (reminds me alot of Sean May from UNC).
3. Kansas - Hampered by the unconditional love thrown their way by the national media. Why, why, why won't you get off our nuts and give us a chance? I was a big fan of Self putting pictures of last year's upset to Northern Iowa in every player's locker this week. This team needs all the motivation it can get.
4. North Carolina - Severely impressed by Harrison Barnes, who might be the clutchest player in the country. Take that Simba, I mean Kemba. Also have a point guard, a shot blocker, and a big giant Tyrel Reed on their team.
5. Pitt - The annual disappointments of the NCAA Tournament. Have been upset by a lower seed in the last 3 NCAA's, and in 4 of the last 5. So they are due right? They could be like 2008 KU, where if they can just get over the hump of making the Final Four, then the sky is the limit.

Top 5 Upsets Everybody Will Have That Will Impress Nobody (11-seeds & Lower):

1. 12 Richmond over 5 Vanderbilt - A gimme for all you upsetteers out there.
2. 11 Missouri over 6 Cincinnati - Mizzou's style transfers over really well to the Tournament, but beware of how truly awful they are this year.
3. 13 Belmont over 4 Wisconsin - The Badgers play a style that allows them to beat anybody or lose to anybody. The Bruins won their conference championship game by 41 points.
4. 11 Gonzaga over 6 St. John's - The nation's adopted Cinderella team is back where it belongs - as an underdog. The Johnnies are without starting guard DJ Kennedy (29 mins, 10 pts, 5 rebs).
5. 11 USC/VCU over 6 Georgetown - Included so I can tell you how much I dislike the First Four. Your screwing up brackets everywhere! Now you either have to make your picks before Tuesday, make them late Wednesday night, or face a big disadvantage in picking an upset in the ensuing matchup. I hate you Ron Burgundy!

Top 5 Manly Man Upsets (ranked in order of an impressiveness-likelihood imprecise interspliceafied coagulation):

1. 13 Morehead St over 4 Louisville - Get to know the name Kenneth Faried, the best rebounder in the country BY FAR! He averages 14.5 boards per game! 2nd best in the NCAAT is SDSU's Kawhi Leonard at 10.7 per game.
2. 13 Princeton over 4 Kentucky - I love when teams picked to overachieve (lot of love for UK taking down THE Ohio St) go down in the first round.
3. 14 Wofford over 3 BYU - The fightin' Jimmers are without their muscle and have been quietly fading down the stretch. Wofford lost to Wisconsin by 4 in the first round last year.
4. 13 Oakland over 4 Texas - The Raiders could beat the Longhorns.
5. 14 Bucknell over 3 UConn - Come on, you know you wanna! Bucknell has won their last two first round games! UConn is a one man team! He ain't gonna get up for no Bucknell! Plus he tiiiiyad!

Top 5 BALLLLL NIGHTTTTT's (Best 1st round games):

1. Kansas St vs. Utah St - I've said it before, I'll say it again: I was terrified of facing Utah St in the 2nd round. By the way, the Aggies have the top scoring defense of all Tournament teams.
2. St. John's vs. Gonzaga - Love the Johnnies. Love the Zags as underdogs.
3. Texas vs. Oakland - Could be an NBA Draft Lottery duel between Tristan Thompson and Keith Benson.
4. Butler vs. Old Dominion - Something sure is fun about Ol' Dirty. Plus, Butler's Matt Howard returns, hopefully donning the stache-nasty.
5. Wisconsin vs. Belmont - Threes vs Dee ('s nuts!).

Top 5 Tomorrows Are Better Than Todays (Potential 2nd Round Matchups):

1. 5 Arizona vs. 4 Texas
2. 1 Pitt vs. 9 Old Dominion
3. 2 North Carolina vs. 7 Washington
4. 4 Wisconsin vs. 5 Kansas St
5. 3 Purdue vs. 6 Georgetown

Top 5 Carl Spackler Potential Cinderella Stories:

1. Utah St.
2. Old Dominion
3. Temple
4. Richmond
5. Gonzaga

Up to my knees in brackets,
His Bracketness

KU vs. Oklahoma Live Feed

KU vs. K-State Live Feed

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GAMETOX

The idea of this live game chat is to enhance your game watching experience. Essentially, it is designed to create an environment equivalent to watching the game with a group of your friends, or atleast, people who's opinions you respect. But this way you don't actually have to be with them, because it's 2011, and who actually likes being around people anymore these days?


Tonight's live Gametox will be full of viewers and commenters representing both sides of the rivalry so don't hesitate to let your voice be heard. Simply type in any question/comment/quip/anecdote/diss into the chat box and I'll publish 99% of what you have to say. For you Twitter folk, simply tag your tweets with "#hisdirkness" to join in on the festivities. 


His Dirkness and Brock ShamBrock will be dee-jaying tonight, but celebrity panelist appearances are expected from all over the 'hood. It should be a gay ol' time.


For the record, this is meant to be very informal and unprofessional, so do not hesitate to say anything dumb, offensive, cringeworthy, or zingtastic. In fact, any and all of your verbal diarrhea is encouraged.


Check back in with His Dirkness around gametime (I'll be kickin' it off around 7:45) to collaborate in Gametox 2.0!

A Look at KU's +/- Stats

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The most telling stat in all of sports is the +/- statistic. For those of you not in the know, this all-encompassing statistic lets you know of the team's success while an individual player was in the game. In other words, if Mo'Kieff Dogg Morris starts the game, and KU gets out to a 15-8 lead before he's subbed out for ChenoWithey's sleepwalking corpse, then he stands at +7 so far. 'Kieff-Dish-Trey then reenters the game later with KU up in the game 20-12, but picks up a first half second foul, and leaves the game a few minutes later with KU's lead down to 20-16. Kieff-Mo logged a -4 for that chunk of time, but still stands at +3 for the game.

Still with me? And while as unlikely as it is that a KU lead would grow with Witheystein on the floor, I believe this is as telling a stat as there is in all of sports. After all, what else measures a player's pure impact on what matters most in a game, the score? This stat should be the most recognized of all, more so than scoring, rebounding, assists, turnovers, cheap thug-overtoned elbows, blown Withey-oops, out of control Ty-Tay drives, T-Robb the Hobb-scotch travels, two-handed WNBA Morningshots, or Jacob Pull-outs.

So you would expect one of the Morrisi to lead the team in this statistic right? Or maybe Thryrell Reed? Or (if you're a believer) Selby Delby Do(n't)? Or if you're KU Gametox assistant producer/key grip Brock ShamBrock you'd think it's Ol' Withey Swatz. Well, you'd all be wrong.

I was thrilled to find these stats at a badass little site at www.statsheet.com. Yep, that IS badass!

Here's a list of the +/- stats for every member of the Kansas Jayhawks team (again the +/- is a direct reflection of how the team does with each player on the floor - shown as per game):

1. Tyshawn Taylor: +14.3
2. Tyrel Reed: +14.0
3. Marcus Morris: +13.0
4. Markieff Morris: +12.1
5. Josh Selby: +9.9
6. Brady Morningstar: +9.5
7. Thomas Robinson: +5.6
8. Travis Releford: +5.1
9. Elijah Johnson: +4.3
10. Mario Little: +2.8
11. Jeff ChenoWithey: +2.5
12. Royce Wooldridge: +0.5
13. Jordan Juenemann: +0.1
14. Niko Roberts: 0.0

Follow up thoughts:

• Have we all underestimated the impact that Ratatat Ty Tay has on this team? I was pleasantly surprised to see him atop this list, and have noted his improvement since conference play started (most noticeably by cutting back on his shots taken). Stick to distributing and being a one man fast break. Ty Tay is tied for first in the conference (w/Tristan Thompson of Texas) and tied for 12th in the nation. Here's a look at the top +/- players in the country:

1. Kyle Singler, Duke: +19.1

2. Nolan Smith, Duke: +18.7

3-5. Diebler, Sullinger, Lighty, Ohio St: +18.2-17.2

6. Bill Clark, Duquesne (??): +16.4

7. Jajuan Johnson/E'Twaun Moore, Purdue: +14.7

9. The Jimmer, BYU: +14.6

• I'm startled by how low The Mid Ranger Banger, Mario Little is on the list (although his conference numbers improve drastically). As disappointing as he's been this season, I wouldn't have guessed he'd be below The Book of Elijah Johnson. I continue my stance that Lil' Big Man will play a huge role in the NCAA Tournament.
• My reason for chasing these stats was to bag on Josh Selby with hopes that his +/- was inferior to players such as Morningstar, Releford, and maybe even Little. No such luck. However, I will note that during conference, his numbers are well below Morningstar's. Here's a look at that list:

KU +/- stats in conference games ONLY:

1. Markieff Morris: +8.8

2. Tyshawn Taylor: +8.6

3. Brady Morningstar: +8.5

4. Tyrel Reed: +8.4

5. Marcus Morris: +7.5

6. Josh Selby: +4.8

7. Mario Little: +2.6

8. Thomas Robinson: +1.9

• Interesting to note that Kieff Dogg moved to the top of the list, while Morriz cuz 'Cus dropped to 5th on the team. M-Star and The newly-unveiled Long Ranger Slanger, Mario Little, saw the biggest rises on the team since conference play has begun.

I'll be keeping these stats in mind during our live game chat during tomorrow's game against Iowa St. Be sure to check it out and let any and all of your ridiculousness be heard by the rest of the world. I give you a Dirkness guarantee that it'll enhance your gameday experience. Saturday, 3 PM, Iowa St at Kansas.

His Dirkness

KU vs. Missouri Live Feed

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Gametox-

The idea of this live chat is to create the best forum possible to watch a KU (or any other) game. Essentially, it is designed to create an environment equivalent to watching the game with a group of your friends, or atleast, people who's opinions you respect.

His Dirkness and DeBrockius Nephews will be dee-jaying tonight, but also I'll be publishing anything that readers have to say (preferably game relevant, but not a requirement). To let your voice be heard, simply just type in any question or comment into the box and send it my way. OR for you Twitter folk, simply tag any comment with "#hisdirkness" to throw your insights into the mix.

This is meant to be very informal and unprofessional, so do not hesitate to say anything dumb, offensive, cringeworthy, or zingtastic.

Also, I'll be including commentary brought to you via Twitter from Kansas City radio hosts Nick Wright and Shan Shariff, who will both be in attendance at the game tonight. I think it could really add something. If I pick up on anybody else talking about the game, I'll be sure to include them as well. Don't hesitate to let me know what you think.

Here we go.......

Josh Selby: The Exception or The Rule?

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Can Josh Selby singlehandedly lead H'dirkness to change his beliefs on the one-and-done player?

Mmmm not so fast my friends! Atleast, not yet. I've been very public about my distaste for one-and-done players coming to KU. I don't believe it's the best way to build the foundation of a program (hard to replace players every year), nor do I believe it's the best way to win National Championships, which is what it's all about. I base most of my beliefs around what it takes to win it all around the 2008 Kansas team, the most successful team I've ever followed from day 1. That team wasn't the only team void of a one-and-done type player, but rather every College Basketball team that has won a championship in the past 20 years, with one very large exception, the 2003 Syracuse team led by Carmelo Anthony (next closest contributor may have been Marvin Williams to the 2005 North Carolina team, who didn't even start).

I believe that it takes a certain desire, a willingness to lay it all on the line, to win in March. One-and-dones treat the NCAA Tournament like it's a showcase for them to get noticed by NBA scouts. Xavier Henry was the perfect example of this last year. As the ship was going down, and it was time to see what the Jayhawks were made of deep down, I think I spotted Henrization X in the stands getting a hot dog. "Oh, sorry guys, did you need me?"

Now maybe my distaste for Xavier is too fresh on my mind for me to see the big picture. After all, The Selbinator will probably have a shot at going #1 in the NBA Draft, so he might actually care about what happens to the team (hard to go #1 if you get bounced early). But, with my full disclosure of predetermined beliefs now out in the open, let me get to what happened on Saturday against USC.

Selby's huge 3-pointer that he hit with just under 30 seconds left in the game, putting KU up by 1, may have created a stigma for himself. And it may be just what these Jayhawks needed. Already stacked with a National Championship caliber frontcourt (no, frequent commenter Rickaaay, that does not include ChenoWithey), Selby may provide the final piece to the puzzle. Tyshawn Taylor, Eli'Jah Rule Johnson, Travis Bobbleheadeford, and the Whitey Tighties are all nice complimentary pieces, but none of them really inspire confidence in taking a big shot (I'd actually trust Tyrel the most).

That 2008 Kansas team's calling card was balance. A team that could attack you with any player on the floor, from any spot on the floor. This 2011 team is very similar in that aspect. However, with the '08 team, everybody knew who would take the big shot (except the Calipari Monster I guess). Who is that man on this team? Mar-Mo would probably be the answer as of now, but you'd prefer a guard that could create his own shot. Selby might have to be that guy. Fortunately, he looks like he's up for the challenge. He did not hesitate to shoot it in his very first game in a KU uniform. This is a very good thing. He is young enough to believe what people are saying about him, and people had to be slob-knobbing him after his performance on Saturday.

However, Selby was far from perfect. He was a bit of a chucker, but that might not be the worst thing for these Jayhawks, who have yet to develop a true identity. He also showed some rust with a couple of Ty-Tay-like turnovers that had you scratching your head. Hopefully, those kinks get worked out with a few more games under his belt though (just like Tyshawn right?).

So, while I was hesitant to embrace the arrival of Josh Selby, I can't deny that the Kansas Jayhawks just became a whole lot more interesting. While merely trudging along through the winter sludgery (their beginning to the season has been rather boring), they were being forgotten by Ze Dirkness due to the playoff push by the Chiefs (GO CHIIIIIIIIIIIEFFSSSSS!). And while the Chiefs are dominating 95% of my brain right now, the Jayhawks are now atleast on the radar, which is good news for all my KU Crodies out there.

(P.S. The lack of Chiefs writing can be attested to my approach to these last three games as more of a fan than a writer. Writing about the Chiefs is fun, but my passion doesn't run as high with an eye on the big picture at all times. I want both eyes on the here and now, with all perspective thrown out the window. That being said, I'll try and pump out some thoughts before next week's game against the Titans, which I will say, scares the dickens outta me.)

h'Dirk-ness

2010 Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Preview

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This is the kinda team KU is more likely to win a championship with. Or maybe I should say, this team is more like the team that DID win the National Championship at the University of Kansas. That team was not filled with stars, but a collection of good players that all played together.

A humorous hindsight: The biggest worry from the 2007-08 Kansas Jayhawks team was a fear of who would take the big shot when the situation called for it. I'm still confident in my Brandon Rush pick.

When Bill Self spoke about this year's team at the media conference a few weeks ago, he had this to say, which I found very interesting....

Last year, Sherron needed to know he was responsible for everything...This year doesn't have anyone like that. This team is closer than last year's team.

This quote stuck with me. Were we catering to one player too much? Maybe a more balanced team leads to more success in the NCAA Tournament. Duke's National Championship team would definitely be evidence of that fact. The quality of that team that stuck out above all else was how well each of their players knew their role. They didn't step outside of their talents, played with a great chemistry, and probably ranked in the lower half of the Top 25 in terms of pure talent. Kansas may have had a more talented team last year, but this year's team may be better built for success when it matters most.

The leaders of this Jayhawks team begins, but doesn't end, with the Morrisi (oh, it's back baby!). Here's what Marcus Morris had to say after losing to Northern Iowa last year....

I know I’ll be back next year, and I’ll be a leader of this team next year. Summertime, I’ll work as hard as I’ve ever worked in my life and try to bring a national championship to KU before I go anywhere.

I can remember my head filling with confidence for the 2010-11 season immediately after hearing this. I felt like he was speaking on the entire team's behalf. A team that figured out that things aren't handed to you in the NCAA Tournament. You have to go out and earn it. Now they know.

Marcus Morris elevated his game from last year in the exhibition game on Tuesday, pouring in 28 points and 7 rebounds (and perhaps more importantly, 11-11 at the free throw line). Combine that with brotha man Markieff's 12 points and 8 rebounds, and there might be quite the brotherhood (eh eh?) building on the low block this year. I expect the Morrisi to thrive without Cole clogging up the lane (yea, I said it). Traditional centers aren't the way to win in College Basketball. I'd much rather have, ahem, athletic big men that can get out and run the floor as well as bang inside. Give me all the 6'8 power forwards you got! I'd start five of them if I were running things.

I have high expectations for Mario Little this year as well. Remember, he was the National JUCO Player of the Year before coming to KU in 2008. He had a few injury problems that year and was forced to play catch up the entire season. I also believed he was playing out of position and would be moving back to his more natural "3" spot on the wing this year. However, exhibition night, against them dang Ichabods, there he was down low again. Why? Put him out on the wing Bill! He reminds me of a Michigan State style wing player, which is a definite compliment. Little needs to become a major factor for this team to be something, and 18 minutes and 8 points (vs. Washburn) isn't going to get it done.

How about the freshman from last year? Thomas Robinson is very mobile down low, but still raw. He will be allowed to develop off the bench this year, and hopefully has things figured out come conference play. Elijah Johnson will most likely be starting alongside Tyshawn Taylor in the backcourt, at least until the Selbinator shows up. Eli-souljah Boy provides some much needed athleticism in the backcourt, offsetting the Tighty Whiteys' (it's backkkk) abilities. And seriously, Bill, it was cute and all starting both of them for the first game, but we've got to move on. I'm cool with lil' Tyrel chucking up 3's, but Cornbread hasn't been the same since this unfortunate, yet hysterical, incident....



Bill's pissed about something else and demands to know why everybody is laughing, Dooley is beside himself because he once hit 127 straight free throws, Cole doesn't want to be the first person to laugh because his Pa would yell at him, while Markieff can't find his brother to commence immediate cackling. What a great, great video. Go ahead and watch it again, with an eye on the players in the backcourt while it's happening. Fantastic! Oh yea, but Cornbread's career ended right there. Hey, more than most of us have ever accomplished.

I have yet to really comment on the Josh Selby situation, which I haven't really been following at all. I assume he is going to play at some point. I also assume that I'm the only person hoping that he doesn't. The Jayhawks don't need him. Let me remind you of my thoughts on one-and-done players, with an anecdote from my reaction to the Northern Iowa loss.....

I don't ever want a one-and-done player at Kansas EVER AGAIN! It is a set back for the program. It is a stepping stone for players that have very little-to-no interest in the college game. They play the Tournament with one eye on their stats and one eye on the signing bonus that is 2 months away. In the case of JR Giddens II (Henryzation X), he was so hyped coming into the year, that he never even had anything to prove. Show up, wait a year, get paid. I understand Self going after him for this year with the idea that he is the missing piece to an almost complete team. I hope he learned his lesson. The worst part is that they don't breed championships. Carmelo Anthony is the exception, not the rule. Now, if a player leaves after one year following a deep Tournament run that is fine, but no more players that are assured to leave after one year. Get 'em out!

Geez, Dirkness, tell me how you really feel. I have to stand by my beliefs, and have done so, voicing my displeasure to anybody that would listen since first hearing about Selby potentially signing with KU. I truly hope it doesn't cost KU again, but I do believe it was a major factor (in a bad way) on last year's team.

I'll leave you all with some predictions for this year's Kansas team. I believe they will win the Big 12, because I see no reason to believe they won't. (This isn't a shot at K-State, who I think will be really good, but KU just seems to always win it. I will say if Curtis Kelly gets better and becomes an elite player, they have the potential to win it all). I'll say that KU earns a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, makes the Final Four, but loses in the National semifinals. I'll take it. Final Four is my expectation/goal for the season.

Rockity Chalkity,
His Dirkness

Kansas' NCAA Tournament Mindset

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By now, I'm sure you have heard all of the post-bracket release chatter about Kansas drawing the toughest region of the four. It was the lead off to every ESPN show on Monday. Now, I believe they have the toughest bracket when examining as a whole, but most of the scary teams come from the bottom half of the Midwest bracket opposite of Kansas. As I stated last entry, I believe Kentucky has the toughest path to reach the Final Four (of the top seeds DBZ), and Ohio St or West Virginia has the biggest gripe. The committee gave those four teams, the best four teams in the country right now, no love. However, I don't see this as a negative thing for Kansas at all, and in fact think this will benefit them.

Now how could facing a bigger challenge than another team be a good thing? Well, realistically, it doesn't make sense. Tangibly, it does not make sense. So how does it make sense? Mentality. Instead of going into this tournament with the mindset of being the overall favorite, with anything short of a National Championship being considered a choke job, they go into it with an extra chip on their shoulder. Remember, these kids are watching the exact same sports shows we are watching. They are wandering why we got screwed just as much as Kansas fans everywhere. Hopefully, this means that they are not focused on 10 of the 13 talking heads from ESPN picking Kansas to win it all. I will forever be convinced that a team will play with more heart when their attitude reflects an "us against the world" mindset. Mentality.

Let's take a look at the recent history of KU bringing a 1 seed into the Tournament: 1995- Lost to 4th seeded Virginia- don't remember. 1997- Lost to 4th seeded Arizona- possibly best KU team ever losing to the eventual National Champion. 1998- Lost to 8th seeded Rhode Island- worst of the batch, especially since in came to the dislikable L'Odom. 2002- Lost to 1 seed Maryland in the Final Four- Nothing too shabby. 2007- Lost to 2nd seeded UCLA- technically an upset, but UCLA was the better team. 2008- National Championship. The trend seems to be on the upswing, with most of the big upsets occurring in the 90's, but I assure you if you asked an avid Big East fan their perception of Kansas, it would not be too kind. Perception.

I see this tournament as Kansas' chance to forever move past their mantra of being soft favorites come March. Maybe it's just me that is still caught up on this. Maybe most Kansas fans moved past it with the 2008 National Championship. But, they were not the favorite in that tournament. They were a one seed, but the lowest ranked of the one seeds. They thrived in the underdog role once reaching the Final Four. They almost gagged with being the huge favorites against lil' Davidson. I now want that exact same path for every future KU team because I've seen it work. Triumph.

A National Championship completely erases anything ugly from the recent history of Kansas basketball. They would find themselves sitting atop this generation of College Basketball. They have an opportunity to triumph over their perceived image, in the exact situation that led to that image. Hopefully, the tough draw has provided them with the correct mindset necessary to win it all. Mentality. Perception. Triumph.

Dirkness

Big 12 College Basketball Postseason

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All Big 12 First Team

G Sherron Collins, Kansas
G Jacob Pullen, Kansas St.
F James Anderson, Oklahoma St.
F Damion James, Texas
C Ekpe Udoh, Baylor

Player of the Year: James Anderson, Oklahoma St.

All Big 12 Second Team

G LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor
G Donald Sloan, Texas A&M
F Marquis Gilstrap, Iowa St.
F Curtis Kelly, Kansas St.
C Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Coach of the Year: Scott Drew, Baylor

Big 12 Tournament Predictions

1st Round
Colorado over Texas Tech
Missouri over Nebraska
Oklahoma St. over Oklahoma
Iowa St. over Texas

2nd Round
Kansas over Colorado
Missouri over Texas A&M
Kansas St. over Oklahoma St.
Baylor over Iowa St.

Semifinals
Kansas over Missouri
Baylor over Kansas St.

Finals
Kansas over Baylor

NCAA Tournament Seed Projections

Kansas - 1st overall
Kansas State - 2
Baylor - 4
Texas A&M - 6
Missouri - 7
Texas - 8
Oklahoma State - 8

Mucho more coming the next couple weeks on the Conference and NCAA Tournaments, including reactions to the field, predictions for the tournament, and breakdowns of Kansas games as they come.

'Dirkness

Kansas vs. Kansas St. Round 2!

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Ding! Ding! (Apollo Creed style)

My main question for tonight's game is does it matter?

There seems to be more pressure on Kansas, out of fear of facing a 3-game losing streak and a share of the Big 12 title all on the line at Missouri on Saturday. Thus, the game is much bigger for Kansas, and could serve as a springboard going into the tournament or a reason for them to start doubting themselves. Therefore, I will make the statement that KU cannot win the National Championship if they lose tonight, due to them not showing up for such a big game.

Kansas State is really coming in with nothing to lose in this game. Let's face it, every Wildcat supporter would be thrilled with reaching the Final Four this year. This is still very attainable with a loss tonight, and will most likely be staring at two seed. The key player tonight is Dennis Clemente, who's streaky shooting could be prove to be the difference when coupled with what I see as an even frontcourt matchup. Beard (Pullen) is more consistent in getting his, so if Clementine flings fire, then K-State wins.

Kansas' loss at Oklahoma State was somewhat of a fluke, which happens all the time in college basketball. If a team can't miss, they will win the game most of the time. Oky State's 60% shooting was something of a mirage, in the fact that I don't hold it against KU as bad defense. They hit numerous transition threes that they had no business making, and weren't forced to hit a shot the last ten minutes of the game due to tight officiating. The only way it becomes a deal is if they lose tonight, thus a big game for the Jayhawks.

I'll say this about tonight, I feel less confident then I did going to K-State and winning. People are saying the Senior Night will propel the Hawks to a victory, but I believe it just provides an added pressure for the home team and for Sherron Collins. I'm also worried that nobody is picking the Wildcats in a game I could easily see going either way. That being said, I will join everyone else in picking Kansas in a close game. Sherron Nasty does not want to deliver his speech after a loss and wills his team to a victory.

Kansas 67, Kansas State 63

2010 College Basketball Rankings

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His Dirkness' Top 10...and 1

1. Kansas- Hard to believe will probably end with better record than 2008 Championship team in what amounts to as a better conference- Next three games are all very losable- Will be hard to lose if Xavier Henry plays with as much confidence as he is right now- Let me be the first to make the joke of him being the X-factor
2. Kentucky- Mistakenly claimed West Virginia as best rebounding team in the country last rankings- It is actually Kentucky (West VA best offensive rebounding)- Potential downfall will be lack of 3-point shooting- Could have three lottery picks come NBA draft (Wall, Cousins, Patterson)
3. Syracuse- Have now won at West Virginia and at Georgetown- Seem to struggle most against mediocre competition- Patented 2-3 zone is vulnerable to good outside shooting teams- Top 3 teams are a cut above the rest right now
4. Ohio State- Evan Turner. Evan Turner. Evan. Turner.- The rest of the country might have finally caught on to just how good Ohio State and the Player of the Year are- Evan Turner
5. Kansas State- At first glance seem to have accomplished very little since KU defeat- A closer look shows evidence of a very good team by beating inferior teams on the road handily- Possible 1 seed if they can beat KU in Lawrence
6. Villanova- I feel like Scottie Reynolds is the most underpublicized player in the country(He hit the shot to send them to the Final 4 last year-pictured)- Might be a bit worn down after running the gauntlet the second half of the Big East season- Don't see enough size to consider them winning it all
7. Purdue- Very impressive resume- Would be number 4 if they hadn't just lost Robbie Hummel (2nd leading scorer) for the season- Part of the very underrated Big 10 which is right on par with the Big 12 and Big East eons above the ACC, Pac-10, and SEC
8. West Virginia- Big n' rough- Will not go down easy in the big dance- Like their chances of winning it all over the previous two teams- This is how I would build a team if in charge of a program
9. Georgetown- Really up and down- Their efficient offense and size down low make them a scary team come March
10. Duke- I guess? I just can't take them seriously until I'm convinced Coach K is still alive
AND 1. Michigan State- Something doesn't seem fully right with them this year- Will most likely end up being the 4 seed that none of the 1 seeds want to see

2010 College Basketball Rankings

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His Dirkness' Top 10 (AND 1!):

1. Kansas- Sherron Collins will be the most feared guard in the country come tournament time- Don't want to be the favorite going into tournament given past history but they are right now
2. Syracuse- Developed a case of the first half struggles lately but really developing a knack for winning- Wes Johnson is a stud
3. Kentucky- DeMarcus Cousins might be the most feared big man come tournament time- Can Calipari handle an upset John Wall?
4. Villanova- Top 4 teams have really separated themselves- Love Lil' Scottie Reynolds' game- Do they have the necessary bigs to win come March?
5. West Virginia- The Big East is good- One of the two best rebounding teams in the country (both intimately touched by Bobby Huggins-look at those threads)- It would be awfully fun if they were to play each other
6. Kansas State- The other of those two teams- Proof that you can be mediocre in all areas yet superior in rebounding and be a top 6 team- Denny Clemente is the most overrated player in the country
7. Ohio State- Should only be judged on games that Evan Turner (who is my Player of the Year right now) has played in
8. Michigan State- In BIG trouble if Kalin Lucas' ankle injury was as serious as it appeared to be- Top 5 team with him at full health
9. Georgetown- Put the beatdown on Duke that I thought they would- Greg Monroe and his beard could continue the tradition of G-Town big men
10. Baylor- Maybe a bit too high for them but it's time for my annual smitten time with Baylor basketball- The most underrated team in the country
11. Connecticut- What? They're on the bubble? Nah, I'm talking about the women's team here- Could beat Duke any day of the week- Take that Duke!

Dirkness

State of the Union Address: Kansas Jayhawks

I'd like to start by accepting the shout out from ol' Billy Boy Self for reading the blog and yanking Tyshawn from the starting lineup, even though he had to go and one up me by choosing Brady Morningstar over Tyrel Reed- eh, the Tighty Whiteys are interchangeable. This move has resulted in, or at least contributed to, the best two-game stretch of the season (@Iowa St, Missouri) from the team, with only the Temple game being comparable. This should come as no surprise, as this is the time of year that KU always gets it in gear, right at the start of conference season. And since some of the players are confused about what's expected of them, and the fact that Self loves to read my blog so much, I will now lay out the roles for each player (ranked in importance to the team's success):


Sherron Nasty- The man. Has the balls necessary to lead a team to a National Championship. Doing a great job of figuring out when to take over games, and when to defer to teammates. Think of his legacy if he can lead Kansas to a National Championship this year.

'Cus Morris- Turning on beast mode. Averaging 19 and 8 in conference games so far. I rated him as more important than Cole because he has a better chance of becoming the go to low-post scorer. To win it all, you need a man you dump the ball down to and expect a basket. Shadyyyyyy.

Colehelm Aldrich- The Funnelcake. I've given up on Cole at the offensive end, and Herm Edwards tells me that's okayyyyy. It's okkkkk. Just focus on the defensive end. The rest of the defense funnels the offense into Cole sitting right under the basket for some sweet swat action. Funnelcakez.

Brady 'Cornbread' Morningstar- Dude does it all. Every KU fan would understand why he is this high on the list. Every non-KU fan would be confused why he's this high. Defense, passing, and court awareness are the reasons why. A mere 9 points as a season-high causes the confusion. There's more to basketball than scoring.

Xavier Henry- X-Man. The Phader. The Snipah. Has been in a shooting slump for a while now, but I prescribe for him to just shoot his way out of it. Needs his confidence to be high come tournament time.

Tyshawn Taylor- The Pine Cone. Should thrive coming off the bench. Seems to be playing with more passion since his inoffensive demotion, especially on the defensive end. At the beginning of the season, I wanted him to be the steady hand of Russ Rob from '07. Didn't work. Now he needs to become Sherron's spark off the bench from '07.

'Kief Morris- Rebound da ball like a man.

Tyrel Reed- Shoot 3's.

Jeff 'Kill' Whitey- I like him off the bench before Thomas Robinson. Needs to be ready in every first half in case two bigs pickup two fouls.

C.J. Henry- Kid X. Kid Snipah. I'm convinced he might be the best shooter on the team. I'm also convinced that he is definitely the worst defender on the team.

Thomas Robinson- Still makes too many dumb plays. Will be the man next year along with...

Elijah Johnson- Study Sherron's every move (except for elevator behavior).

Conner Teahan- Look pretty. And change your name if you ever want to play.

Chase Buford- Keep rockin that 'stache.

Jordan Juenemann- Work on those cankles Ju Wanna Man.


Prediction for tonight: Kansas @ Kansas St~~I feel like all the pressure is on Kansas State in this game. College Gameday. Just beat Texas. Kansas has the rematch at home to fall back on. I think the fans will be ready, I don't think the team will be. KU does not fear K-State in anyway. This is a game Kansas wins.

Kansas 71, Kansas State 64

Reaction to Kansas Jayhawks first loss vs. Tennessee

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The loss to Tennessee is nothing to fret about, even if they were severely undermanned. In the short-term that can bring teams together, and they certainly played fired up on Sunday. Don't freak when Tennessee starts to plummet because they won't be able to keep that effort up in the long-term. It will catch up to them.

Losses happen. The way to win it all in College Basketball is to respond well to losses. You have to be able to build from them. I'm sure Bill Self didn't mind seeing a loss at all, and is now able to get his point across to his players. They all have gigantic heads now (cough cough, Tyshawn), and now its time for Self to shrink those. I see no reason to think that Self won't get his team to respond well from this loss, and see little chance that KU isn't a number 1 seed come March.

Now why did KU lose? If I had to put blame on one soul, which is hard to do, I'd go with Xavier Henry. He took but 1 shot in the second half of the game, which happened to be an impressive blow by and easy layup. He has to be more aggressive. He looked scared, along with a number of other players, which forced Sherron Collins to take shot after shot. I'd blame Sherron, but he's seeing the same things I'm seeing, that nobody else WANTED to take a shot. We also might have to start admitting the fact that Cole Aldrich isn't the player that he was last year for whatever reason. He seems disinterested in getting involved on the offensive end.

I look for KU to implement the style of basketball that they hope leads to a championship this year starting Wednesday against Nebraska. Look for them to go high-low and hammer the ball inside until all 5 defensive players collapse, and then dish out it to any of the shooters on the outside. Self knows the way to win in March is with inside toughness. He thought that long before his National Championship proved the point. I predict a season-high in points for Cole Aldrich against Nebraska (19).

I would also suggest making a change to the starting lineup. I would insert Tyrel Reid in place of Tyshawn Taylor. The results of this are three-fold. First, I believe Taylor's ego is a little out of control, most likely from playing on the under-19 USA team, and this shrinks it down a bit. Second, they need more of a spark coming off the bench, not Reid and Morningstar, who are too similar of players (racist jokes aside). Think Sherron coming off the bench for the 2007-08 team. You need a scoring threat, an instigator, to come off the bench. This fits Tyshawn perfectly. He can be the main threat on the floor that he's looking to be and do it against the other team's bench, who he's more apt to go against. Thirdly, this frees up all the scoring threats to get more of their looks, and puts the best pure shooter just floating in the corner for when any of them get double-teamed. Reid has finally gotten big enough that he is no longer a liability on the defensive end. Think Lee Humphrey from the Florida Gators' championship teams.

In the long run, this loss is not a big deal to where KU wants to be come the end of the season. Nobody will look back at this season and remember anything about this game really. It's best chance to be remembered will be as the turning point in a National Championship season.

P.S. I smell upset-city in either Kentucky-Florida tonight or Texas-Iowa St. tomorrow

Johnson County Community College Basketball 2009-10

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Beard N Stache

On top of my 'His Dirkness' blog, my second gig is one-half of the dynamic duo, Beard N Stache. Along with my partner in crime, Rob Ladd (stache), we broadcast the basketball games for the Johnson County Community College Cavaliers, the defending NJCAA National Champions. The Cavaliers are 8-3 on the year and are ranked #13 in the nation currently. The team is currently on break for the holidays until mid-January when the season really heats up. To see the Cavaliers in action and to hear Beard N Stache with the call, click on the title of this post to get to the homepage. From there, click on the dated links to see each of the games played to this date.

Next JCCC Men's Basketball home game: Saturday, January 16th vs. Cowley