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.

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

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

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!

@jay4ever said in Listen to this sweet jam, Bill Self, and imagine what could be again...:

@kjayhawks Amen! https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/44073554/kansas-mayo-shares-racist-threatening-posts-made-social - I hope police is doing something about it. And let’s hope Zeke will play freely as his own self, just like Zeke we know. He seems a mellow dude, but a deadly silent assassin on the court! Let’s roll, Zeke!!!

Doesn’t legalized gambling bring out the best in people?!?

Need two ball handlers - Rylan and AJ scare me in the open court. Mayo isn’t it, but has to play. Diggy does ok. Harris is really the only good ball handler. KJ and Hunt - no more than 2 dribbles.

I hope Bill goes to a more wing heavy offense with 4 out when Hunter is gone. Having Hunter and KJ as two of the best 4 players hamstrung this team. If Rylan or AJ had produced as expected the team would be far better. I still hold out hope for Rylan, but don’t expect him to be back unfortunately.

@wissox Thuney is very good, you should be very happy when he arrives.

Bill prefers two capable ball handlers on the floor at once. Elmarko will start next to Peterson is my prediction at this time. The roster is so far from complete there is really no way to accurately predict anything at this moment.

@AsadZ Good move by Veach. Thuney was gone after next season - As another poster put it Veach says, “I keep getting older, they stay the same age” (insert dazed and confused pic of matthew mcconaughey). He just doesn’t sign players over the age of 30 very often - Kelce and Chris Jones so far have been all I can think of.

I think there are good guard options on the team (Kingsley should have the inside track, Norad maybe, Caleindo isn’t it I hope). They can’t tie up 23 mil for Trey (should be closer to 5-10 this year after a long term deal is done) and 27mil for Thuney (save 16 mil by trading him, but there is a bit of a dead cap hit -11 million).

But there is not a good LT option on the team. Morris isn’t it yet, maybe down the road. Stanley if he can stay healthy would be nice. The OT draft is weak and all the top tackles lack the measurable (34” arms) that Veach covets.

It does seem as though Veach likes to fill as many holes in the roster as possible before the draft. that way he won’t have to draft on need, but rather best player available (at least that is the goal).

@approxinfinity said in Peterson:

I doubt we fix this teams problems but we hung with a top 4 team on their senior night. We showed heart. Light years better than some of our losses

I wonder if that’s a positive for KU or damning for Houston?

Can’t watch, but the box score doesn’t look good. 7 turnovers for Hunter and 5 for Zeke. Is the defense great or are our guys careless?

@approxinfinity Hopefully that doesn’t just mean the SEC donors realize it’s cheaper to have good basketball than football and decide to do both! This year is bothersome in that aspect.

Word of advise (take it or leave it, I’m far from infallible). Temper your expectations for KU football to reduce the disappointment. I hope the hype is real and I feel as though the program is building in the correct way. I still won’t be surprised by a meh season - more than 2 losses eliminates KU from a meaningful postseason game. Since that’s what I expect, it won’t bother me. Those expecting a playoff birth will be disappointed pretty much every year.

If a person did the same thing with KU basketball, imagine the joy you could experience in a year like 2022 instead of expecting it.

@nuleafjhawk said in Lets go 3-0 on the new season:

@approxinfinity

Is there any chance you could rename this site “KU Endzone” since many of us are now more interested in the oval ball than the round one?

I still have zero passion for KU football. No way I get anywhere near that bothered about KU football losing even all their games. KU basketball loses a few games and it bothers me greatly. Cost of being a fan.

Barring a plane crash like WSU I would never shed a tear for KU football. Look at all the crying on here about KU basketball.