I wasn’t expecting to well up in tears for someone I hadn’t personally met, but I did. I’ve been to four funerals of friends and family this year and was able to stay composed, but this hit me harder than expected. @RockChalkinTexas apparently holds a special place in my heart. I enjoy my bucketteers; don’t any of you dare leave!

Everyone stay safe and healthy as possible this holiday season!!!

@wissox said in My crisis of faith in Bill:

Bill Self had a phase where he recruited some questionable character guys. It really impacted this program, saddling us with the black eye of the half decade long investigation. The dude with the car accident (I’ve repressed the memory of his name and couldn’t care less to learn his name), the dude with the shoebox money (ditto my other parenthesis), Josh Jackson the most talented of all the lowlifes we brought in. The dude who raped the woman. Vick, had some issues, forgetting exactly, Jalen Wilson DUI, and the aforementioned Cliff Alexander, a victim of his own ma if I recall correctly. I might be wrong but Selfs first decade with us was his strongest and we avoided these headlines.

The original post, excellent btw @approxinfinity, and @MoonwalkMafia, was what’s happened to recruiting. Bill Self is still struggling to recover from the black eyes of the last decade.

But part of this is waiting for NCAA to work out the negativity of the NIL and portal eras. We brought in some highly ranked 5 star for next year. Normally I’d be stoked but now I’m just thinking he’s another Grady or Furphy (who had like 1 good game while he was here using us to get to the league). So while maybe the character issue has been resolved, finding loyal guys to the program who see all of the ‘trappings’ that come with being a KU player has been difficult. I laugh at guys like Grady Dick who took the money and play for a gosh awful Toronto team. Must be really fun playing in a boring league in front bored fans. He was getting paid here and would be a huge part of KU lore had he stuck around. Instead he’s an NBA afterthought. Would’ve gotten paid after this year or even his senior year a bunch.

88, 08, and 22 have forever etched themselves into my mind and make enduring these down periods a little less difficult. But I fear the aura of KU ball wearing off a little bit and always look at IU basketball, or Nebraska football as examples of programs that ruled their sport that haven’t been able to get it together since. Anyone see IU fans abandon the Assembly Hall the other day against Illinois before the first half was even done? My worst nightmare for KU right there.

Having met Jalen Wilson and seeing as he has had no other issues I take offense to his inclusion on the bad actors list. He made a childish mistake, atoned for it, and didn’t have another single issue - if I’m not mistaken. His attitude and demeanor improved drastically after that and he became a model student athlete on and off the court.

Worst case scenario- KU in line for the number one overall seed, plays no games due to a pandemic. Leaving nothing but what if’s for all.

@BeddieKU23 Yes, Kelly should’ve stayed another year, but I’m still upset that Paul Pierce left early.

I love that Bill Self is being blamed for tuning out a roster devoid of post talent and yet his team is playing the best basketball in the nation, undefeated, and ranked #2.

The warts will show, but Bill is doing a masterful job once again.

Wow. Hope he figures life out quickly. He’s blowing a couple once in a lifetime opportunities.

Just realized Buckets turned 10 years old last October!!! Thanks to all who have helped make this site entertaining!

As a Chiefs fan, Mahomes is payback for watching other teams do that to our D for years.

Win at all costs and the fans cry about not looking to the future. Sit Cliff and lose tonight with an eye on the future and fans cry. It’a a good thing KU basketball coach isn’t an elected position. The man has done nothing but win games at a historic rate. KU is 14-3 with a freshman and sophomore dominated line-up in what has been the hardest schedule in the nation. I’m estatic with the win loss record, but think there is much room for improvement in play. That’s what has me excited, KU will be better in March and even better next year.

If Bill manages to win the conference title this year it will be quite the feat with 8 teams in a 10 team conference having been ranked in the top 25. That means 8 teams have been rated in the top 7% of all college basketball. KU will have to earn this championship!

@Crimsonorblue22 said in Recruiting Notes:

And we beat them!

Not if this is true. They are definitely winning. Why would you sign for the Jayhawks if you can get 28mil from Duke or have to threaten to transfer to get 2mil from KU?

@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:

@TYOHawk said in KU Roster for 25-26:

Team might be mediocre

I’ll bet against that

No way this team as constructed is anything but mediocre by KU’s standards. The floor should be a big 12 title and in the discussion for a national championship by KUs standards.

This team doesn’t pass the smell test yet. Will they finish in the top 1/4 of the Big12? - sure. Will they contend for a final four berth? - not very likely.

But Bill’s a terrific coach so maybe he can twist this deeply flawed roster into something watchable. DP should be electric. If Flory can improve to where he is worth the money (that would be a huge ask as he was mostly ineffective last year) then KU will be fun to watch, but will need a wing to develop to have any real shot at even the Big12.

Annual NIL donations need to exceed 10million per season. I’d say whatever business is willing to pledge 1 million plus gets prime court side advertising, 5 million + gets their logo on the shoulder of the jersey.

@AsadZ maybe Caglianone will provide a boost

@BShark said in I'm Back:

Had several people reach out and yeah I am okay and will be okay. Just a bad stretch where I didn’t want to be online as much.

As I think I have posted before my brother has cancer so that is a lot. He is autistic so I have to handle more or less everything in terms of scheduling, talking with drs etc Well about a month ago the chemo meds probably almost killed him due to a side effect of increasing his blood pressure massively. I thankfully got him to the hospital in time that Sunday night. Also didn’t help that he was dehydrated. This required a multiple day stay in the hospital which also delayed several things regarding his treatment that all had to be rescheduled.

This was coming off of finding out a long time friend committed suicide just days before. Then after that, the dad of my long term GF dies, he was only in his 50s. Then a bunch more medical crap that should be finished for awhile as of yesterday. My brother’s scans came back clean, they did bloodwork etc and he isn’t having to do chemo. They will check back again in three months.

So it’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but things have calmed down now.

You’re doing good work here. Don’t be afraid to ask for a hand of those in your life. It can be overwhelming on your own!

Not another administration racking up bills please, just less paperwork. It’s BS. The cost of insurance is outrageous - our family of 4s premium is $32k out of pocket - and then they don’t want to cover everything as they should. The struggle is real and the options are non-existent here. I can have blue cross or I can get laughed at and turned away with anything other coverage I have found.

Best of luck navigating the health care system! We’re trying to get my dad to the correct doctors. 2-3 weeks per inconclusive test and he’s in excruciating nerve pain. I’m ready to create doctor patients to see how they like being treated the same. Total BS

@SlimShaddy54 I mean KU did sign the top HS prospect and what would be a top 10 recruiting class if Tillery didn’t reclassify and come early. So it’s not all doom and gloom, but it’s definitely not all roses either.

Adidas flagship institution huh? Pony up big boys. Nike doesn’t seem to have a cash flow issue when it comes to directing recruits.

Just a reminder that there is no KUbuckets without @approxinfinity !

@rockchalkjayhawk said in The portal.:

Looks like Dame Sarr is on the Duke campus today. https://x.com/tiptonedits/status/1924473421586379115

Boo