Thursday, March 12, 2009

Big 12 tournament 2nd half KU/Baylor

Collins comes out big early in the second half scoring five in a row for Kansas. That cut the Baylor lead to 2 with 16:30 to play.

Baylors offense has cooled from the perimeter.

Sherron Collins big time 3 with 14:55 to play KU ties it up. Great Shot! Add another three for Collins. He is beginning to catch fire.

49-49 12:33 to play.

Tyrel Reed with a huge 3 from the corner gives KU a three point lead.

Markieff Morris tip in makes it a five point Kansas lead with 9:14 to play.

Kansas was an eight point favorite lets see if they cover.

Baylor is playing a 2-3 zone that is giving Kansas problems from time to time. There are a few possessions where they look like they know exactly what to do and others when they look extremely robotic. With 6:35 in the game KU should be having a much easier time attacking the zone. They are not. It has completely taken Cole Aldrich out of the offensive flow for Kansas.

Baylor up 5 with 5 minutes to play.

Baylor up eight on a LaceDarius Dun three. KU is in trouble. Dun has been left wide open the last two possessions and made one of two. 3:40 to play.

Kansas looks tired.

Remember when I said Kansas was in trouble? How about back to back threes from Reed and Collins from Kansas. Now not so much.

65-64 Baylor 2:39 to go.

Collins drives and misses a lay-up putting Kansas in a position where they have to foul with just over a minute to go down 3.

Collins shoots an airball from three. Baylor ball 26.5 seconds to go. Terrible shot. He was wide ass open and shot an airball. Not a very All-American like play. He has been pretty good in the second half up to Kansas's last two posessions.

Baylor up 5 with 18.3 to play. This game is OVER! good night Jayhawks. There will be plenty of tickets available here in OKC this weekend.

69-64 BAYLOR

Big 12 tournament Thursday Blog KU/Baylor Halftime

First Half Thoughts


Sherron Collins is still in a funk. He can’t seen to get into a rhythm in offense. He has however
done a nice job on Curtis Jerrells (10 pts) in the first half.

Cole Aldrich has 8 rebounds in the first half but on the boards but doesn't seem to be as aggressive as Coach Self wants him to be.

Tyshawn Taylor has been solid and helped provide Kansas scoring with 10 first half points.

Baylor has been on fire from the 3 point line making 5 threes in the first half. That spark helped them build the 17 point lead but Kansas did a nice job making a run at the end of the first half.

At the end of the first half Scott Drew chose not to get out of the zone with under 20 seconds to play KU found Tyshawn Taylor in the corner for an 3 and the lead was cut from 7 to 4 at halftime.

I still like Kansas in this game to win but I don't think that it will be by more than 7.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Kansas Basketball


First for the Kansas/Texas game. Sherron Collins needs to make better decisions in transition. Watching him on Saturday afternoon I felt like I was watching the pre season Collins and not the kid who has made gigantic steps this season to improve his game. Best example and it happened more than a handful of times Saturday. Collins takes it coast to coast and forces a terrible lay up that he misses. I know that I have been critical of Collins but his ability to play out of control bothers me. The reason that it doesn’t bother Kansas fans, it’s worked well for him. The reason that it bothers me I think that he has gotten lucky more than a few times and your luck will run out eventually.

Cole Aldrich needs to develop into the type of player that doesn’t just fade into the background when his teammates don’t get him the ball. I know that he relies on them to feed him in the post but the next step needs to be to develop a mid range game that allows him to face up make a nice strong move to the bucket and finish. Playing with your back to the basket can be effective but you will always have to have teammates that understand how important it is to get the ball. Doing that will also help his NBA draft stock rise.

Tyshawn Taylor is going to be a very nice player for Kansas. However he has not picked up what the Jayhawks are trying to do on defense and that limits his playing time. If Taylor was playing on the Kansas team most people thought that they were going to have this season it wouldn’t be that big an issue. They are much better than expected so it is.

Kansas goes 14-2 in a year that most experts believed would be a rebuilding year. That is a huge accomplishment for Bill Self and his staff.. Now the question should be how far do you think Kansas can go in the NCAA tournament.?

I have struggled with this in all sports and try and evaluate how the team has changed over the course of the season and if the landscape of the sport has changes over the season. This year in college basketball is definitely one of those seasons so my expectations for Kansas have changed and here is why.

College Basketball outside of the Big East and the top two teams in the ACC is way down this season. So if Kansas is the benefit of a 3 seed or higher they will be able to coast into the sweet sixteen before they have to play one of those few elite teams in the country.

There are few teams that have a dominant big man. Lately Cole Aldich has been inconsistent but when both he and Sherron Collins are playing at the level that we have seen them reach in spurts this season there is not doubt that they could put together a magical nigh. The problem. We haven’t seen them do it in the past two games.

The answer to the question, How far do I think that Kansas can go in the NCAA tournament?

They should make the sweet sixteen and to me that is a great season for the Jayhawks, This week the Big 12 tournament will be a good re-start to try and get the Hawks back on track. There is no way that the big 12 gets a #1 seed for anyone this year look for the big 12 champ to be the highest 2 seed.

Random Vegas Thoughts

Just returned from Las Vegas yesterday and thought I would pass along a few thoughts about my favorite place on earth sin city.

Penny slots are back in Vegas. Blame it on the economy but at the Mirage where I stayed there were more penny slots than quarter, nickel or dollar slots combined. Here is the funny thing, you are going to bet just as much playing penny slots as you would playing max credits on a quarter slot. I am guilty. I enjoyed playing the pennies.


Drink service has never been faster. We were all over the strip and never had a problem getting a cocktail. Even when we were just playing the penny slots. Maybe they know now more that ever it is important to keep the players drunk so they don’t realize that they just gambled away the little remains of their 401k.


You know how the rule to raising a daughter it keep her off the pole. My goal for raising a son will be to keep him of the stage in any type of theatrical production. Say Beatles LOVE and couldn’t help but think what the guys dad would think if he saw his son prancing around the stage in tights. Sorry son I will let you play soccer before I let you even consider being in the school musical.


What does the guy handing out the hookers phone numbers think of the Jesus Loves us and forgives your sins people? The Jesus people were out in full force this past weekend. Awkward combo.


The reason that I have a little dislike for Chicago is because when you are walking around Michigan avenue people wander like zombies with no purpose or intent to pay attention to who they might run into. Walking in the strip and even in the casinos this weekend was TERRIBLE. Here is a tip if you don’t have any idea where you are going get out of the way and let me get by. Add that to my list of pet peeves.


People that dress up like statues scare me.


You are a loser if you take your kids to Vegas and they are under the age of 18. What the hell are they supposed to do there? If you can afford to go to Las Vegas then you can get someone to watch your kid.


When did a cheeseburger become $15 dollars? I love Vegas but lunch for two can’t be done for less than 30 bucks. Impossible.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Royals Spring Training Notes





Fresh off a week with the Royals at Spring Training here are a few thoughts about the team and the Spring Training experience.

- The Royals lineup this season should be far more effective at scoring runs. Adding Mike Jacobs clearly adds pop but it also provides protection for Jose Guillen and Billy Butler. Butler by the way is having an outstanding spring training early. I hope that the hand injury that he suffered on Sunday is not serious.

- Alex Gordon understands that this is a make or break season. He will never admit it but watching the way that he is preparing you can tell that he knows that this year could be the turning point in the bigs.

-Mark Teahen at second base is going to be a long process with some speed bumps and more downs that ups. The Royals have an issue at that position. Do you trade defense for zero offense in Willie Bloomquist. Do you sacrifice defense for average offense ( Mark Teahen) or do you trust a balanced player Alberto Callaspo to stay focused and out of Trey Hillmans doghouse this season. My prediction, Callaspo is the starting second baseman on opening day.


- There are two things that allow fans the most access to players. Training camp in the NFL and Spring Training in MLB. My advice for Royals fans next season. Try to plan your trip so you can see the last day or so of workouts before spring training games begin. This will allow you amazing access to the team for autographs and pictures at the practice facility and a chance to check a few games out during your trip. Once the games begin you have access to the players for autographs etc but it is nowhere near as informal is it gets when the team is working out on the practice fields.

NCAA Tournament Conference Projections

Let’s go conference by conference and see who is in and out of the NCAA tournament. Note there are 34 at large and 21 conference champs. * equals a conference bubble team.

Big 12
Kansas
Missouri
Oklahoma

Texas*
Oklahoma State*
Kansas State*

Pac 10
Washington
UCLA
Arizona State
California

Arizona*

Big East
UConn
Louisville
Pittsburgh
Marquette
Villanova
Providence
West Virginia
Syracuse
Georgetown

Cinnicnati*

ACC
North Carolina
Duke
Wake Forest
Florida State
Clemson
Boston College

Big10

Michigan State
Purdue
Illinois
Wisconsin
Penn State

SEC
Louisiana State
Tennessee
South Carolina
Florida
Kentucky

Auburn*

C-USA

Memphis

A-10
Xavier
Dayton

Mountain West
Utah
BYU

Missouri Valley
Creighton