Selection Committee

Selection Sunday is a day of suspense, hope and sometimes heart break. For the few weeks leading up to that day, conferences are putting the finishing touches on their seasons, as well as their conference tournaments. For some small schools, the chance to play in the biggest tournament in college basketball is on the line, for some large schools, seeding is the only thing at stake, while others are fighting to get one of those last at large bids.

These "non-power" conferences most of the time send one team only as their representative for the NCAAs. While other conferences, like the Big East and Big 12, send 7 or 8 bids. 32 teams are automatically invited to the tournament because of winning their conference tournament (or in the case of the Ivy League, the regular season winner is considered the conference winner, and therefore gets the automatic bid) That is 32 teams that legitimately got in the tournament, they earned it, they deserve to be a part of the Thursday/Friday madness that makes this time of year so special.

This brings me to the main issue here, the at large teams and the "play in game". Shouldn't teams that have qualified to make it into the tournament through conference championships be able to at least play a game that is on the first two days of the tournament? Their dream was realized at the moment they won their conference, they will be playing in the NCAA tournament, what you wish for shooting free throws in your driveway, playing knockout on the playground, and watching your idols on TV. But for two of those teams (two that did win a spot to play in the tournament, and are no means an "at-large" team) they will not be playing against a Duke, or a Kansas or, okay I will say it like it is special, Kentucky. For two teams that made the tournament fair and square, where Selection Sunday was a mere formality, they will be playing in the "play in game" on the Tuesday before the tournament.

Now you can say that that game is part of the tournament, and I say to that bull****. It is a much different thing, and much different feel, and in my opinion, unfair. What is the play in game? A way to get 65 teams into the field instead of 64? Or to put it differently, a way to get a higher market team in as a 10 seed and have two of the auto-qualifiers battle it out for their position(a position that is granted through conference triumph). I could go on about this for ages, and in the interest of time and my typing fingers, I will move on to another aspect of the same thing.

Let's have the last two at large teams that were selected by the committee play. Let's have Florida play Missouri, or Florida play Utah St. That way, we can see which of the last at large teams is most deserving to play in the tournament. This way, we can take the teams that have rightfully earned a place among the field that plays Thursday/Friday and allow them that opportunity. It is more than saying that "well this team or that team does not have a chance to win the tournament anyway, so what is the difference?"

The difference is principle and fair play. It is more than whether or not a certain team has a chance to win it all, it is the opportunity of a life time for these kids. It is the opportunity to see a Cinderella make a run to the Sweet 16, a chance for the tournament to be at its best, unpredictable. Don't take away from the accomplishments of a team and have a 65 team field that has a play in game. It is ridiculous and insulting to the teams that have qualified, while at the same time rewarding 1 more team to the field that, in all honesty, has not earned a spot in this tournament.

With all that being said. Let the games begin. I know I can't wait to get this tournament underway, and one more thing. Rock Chalk Jayhawk, Go KU!!!!

Kansas vs. Colorado

For the University of Kansas to be taken seriously as a title contender, the effort has to be there every night. I know that Bill Self does not want to say that his team played bad, and take away from the effort that Colorado put forth, but they played bad, shitty more like it.

At 11-10 in the Big 12, Colorado was a spot off of last place in the conference. They have been cellar dwellers in this conference for a while now, and Kansas fans even flood west in massive numbers to take over their gym and cheer on their Jayhawks. With the exception of a game in 2003 that Colorado took from Kansas 60-59 (the year Kansas lost to Syracuse in the title game, so playing bad in Colorado does not necessarily dictate the legitimacy of a title contender) Kansas has been overwhelmingly successful in games played between the two schools. Wednesday night was a different story.

Playing without their big freshman, and probably the best freshman in the Big 12, (sorry Xavier) Colorado hung with the top ranked Kansas team. From my view it seemed like the Jayhawks were simply getting out hustled. Granted, it probably would not have been a close game if we did not shoot 18-38 from the line, that did not help. But that aside, the energy just was not where it needs to be, especially out of a team claiming the #1 ranking in the country.

After going up 24-8 in the first half, a championship team should put their opponents away. Never letting a team such as Colorado back into the game. I do not sense a killer instinct with this team, and they continually play down or up to their opponent. It could be the tragic flaw with this team, a team that on paper has all the tools to win a National Championship this year. But if they cannot string together solid game after solid game, they are not going to end the season where the want.

As Kansas fans we have to trust in the power of Bill Self's coaching. We have to trust in the leading ability of Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. This team is dangerous, with weapons 6 seats deep on the bench, but with effort like the one shown against Colorado, it could be a sad finish to this season, but with the effort that Kansas has shown a number of times this season (see Kansas v. K-State) this team can be the last one standing in Indianapolis in early April.

Oh Tennessee

I have always lived by the rule that if you wish to be taken seriously as a basketball school, don't rush the court. This rule especially applies to teams that have a number in front of their name. Well, ladies and gentlemen, Tennessee has just taken that to a new level.

While I was a bit surprised that Tennessee did not rush the court after their 76-68 win over then #1 Kansas, what ensued post game took it to another level. Today, January 13th, it has been brought to my attention that t-shirts were made to commemorate their victory over Kansas.

I am probably in the minority when I say that I do not even think that winning your conference warrants a t-shirt to recognize that. So, along those lines, winning a single game at home against the number one team absolutely does not call for a shirt.

In order to be taken seriously as a college basketball program, and as a ranked team, doing something like this is a joke. I understand that this team was limping with only 6 scholarship players and 3 walk ons leading them to victory, so it was that much more sweet for them, but still, you were ranked #16 at the time. They should have their eyes on a much bigger prize, not a single game that was played like it was their championship.

Don't get me wrong, congratulations to Tennessee for outplaying the number one team in the country, and most peoples pick to win the national championship, but celebrate like you win big games all the time, PLEASE! Making a shirt for another reason besides the Final Four or a National Championship is superfluous and should not happen.

Kansas v. Tennessee

[Watched on TV]

It seems that Kansas basketball has been walking a tight rope for some time now. Throughout the early part of the season, Kansas was able to overcome sloppy play and mediocre opponents to a 14-0 start. On Sunday afternoon, all the mistakes, all the carelessness caught up to them in a 'stunning' 76-68 loss to Tennessee.

There is nothing that I want to take away from Tennessee, they were able to overcome their own off the court issues to win. However, Kansas stunk. Tell me why Tyshawn Taylor is on the court. Did the Morris twins skip the junior league practice when the coach was teaching lay-ups? Why so careless with the ball? The things that haunted Kansas against Tennessee are the same things that they have been able to get away with up to this point. Today, however, things were a bit different.

Brady Morningstar in the starting line up please. Morningstar did his time and paid the price. He is the best defensive option that we have on the team, a consistent three point shooter, and perhaps most importantly, he takes care of the ball. Let's get him in the starting lineup and see how that changes the team. See what Taylor can do coming off the bench, see what kind of team player he is. I don't know if I am in the minority in my opinion of Taylor, but he has done nothing in my view to warrant all the playing time. I cannot dwell on that for too long of my skin starts to boil.

Speaking of my skin starting to boil. The Morris twins. I don't get that one either. This is the thrid game in a row that I have watched in which point blank lay-ups were missed. As I said earlier, were they home sick that day that lay-ups were taught. Why would I think anything else? Much like Taylor they do not do enough to warrant all the playing time. Let's see Thomas Robinson in big minutes. Against Tennessee he had roughly 5 minutes of PT. Robinson has proven to be a viable option through the first 14 games. He plays with energy, makes lay-ups, and rebounds like an animal. Those three characteristics are exactly what this team needs most. I want to see the twins excel, show improvement, and they are not doing that right now. They are far too inconsistent at this point. And if this team is to be a true title contender, those two need to play better. They are looked to as important pieces to this Championship puzzle, act like it please.

There is a final thought here that I need to make sure to mention. This team is not built to have one person bear the weight of it all. Against Cornell, Sherron was able to be the man. He put the team on his back and brought them to victory. He was unable to do that against Tennessee. They have to be more consistent with the scoring, constant contributions from everyone is how this team is going to win.

I am not totally discouraged by the loss to Tennessee, but the Jayhawks are a ways off from being the best team in the country. They can get there, live up to the preseason hype, but as of today they have a lot of work to do. We'll see what type of magic Bill Self can make. We'll see if he uses this game as a learning tool and a way to motivate. We'll see what the "#1" team in the country is made of.

2008 and 2009 NCAA Tournament.

I am finally going to write a piece that will go in my blog!! I had these ideas about North Carolina in my head and I wrote them down a while back, here they are.

 I would like to begin by talking about the 2008 tournament. I would also like to begin by saying that I am biased to KU basketball over any university. The 2008 basketball season will have to go down as one of the best and most competitive seasons in the history of NCAAs. For the first time ever, all #1 seeds advanced to the Final Four in San Antonio and the level of play was so exceptionally high. I do not know the exact number of NBA players that were a part of the 4 teams that played, but there were a lot, from Memphis, UNC, UCLA, and KU. Here is where my gripe with the 2009 tournament begins, each team that was represented in the 2008 Final Four lost significant members of the teams that allowed them to advance as far as they did. 2008 was the year to win the tournament, the year where it was all on the line. Memphis being nearly perfect, Bill Self getting to his first Final Four, UCLA trying to capitalize on 3 consecutive Final Fours, and of course, Roy Williams leading the favorite in the tournament to yet another Final Four. Kansas demonstrated in the semifinal game that they, simply put, were better than North Carolina, leading by 28 at one point. Memphis was also able to demonstrate that, in spite of being in the weakest conference of the four teams in San Antonio, they belonged there, and not so politely sent UCLA back to California without that elusive title. And while I do not want to give a broad recap of what happened in March of '08, it is necessary for me to build up what I am trying to argue. Kansas was the eventual champ in the greatest final four ever assembled. Kansas lost every starter from that team, Memphis lost their most valuable three players, including the number one overall pick in the draft, and UCLA lost Kevin Love, a lottery pick in the draft. All the losses were huge to the respective programs. The only team to retain players was UNC, keeping all of their starters after they dabbled in the draft pool for a bit. They brought back the same team that was not good enough to win the greatest Final Four ever. They brought back the same team to attempt another run at the Championship in a far less talented tournament. They were the prohibitive favorite a year after they were unable to win. 2008 was the year to be the champion of champions.. To be the best of the best. To win the best Final Four ever assembled. There were 4 one seeds in the Final Four and North Carolina was unable to win, Kansas was. I know that there is no such thing as an asterick in a tournament that is so hard to win, no matter what the talent pool, but if there was, this UNC team would surely possess it. They could not win when the competition was at its best, so they brought back everyone to win a championship when it is clearly not the same talent in the field. 

If they are able to go in to Detroit and win a championship, good for them, they have worked hard. But in my estimation it will be a championship that they wanted to win last year, when the stakes were at their highest. Of course if they brought everyone back, and all the best teams that were their competition last year lost all their best players that they would be the favorite, now anything less than a title is unacceptable. Last year Kansas won the hardest and most talent laden championship in the history of the NCAA tournament, a claim I can make because of the 4 #1 seeds that made the Final Four for the first time ever. UNC brought back the team that could not do it last year to do it this year, in  a less talented field. I would love to see what would have happened this year if Kansas still had Rush, Chalmers, Arthur. If Memphis still had Douglas-Roberts, Rose. And if UCLA still had Love. That is a scenario that the NBA restricts, that millions of dollars restricts. But congratulations UNC on another Final Four, and possibly a championship, too bad it was a year late.