Hi. New contributor, but long term lurker here. Testosterone is an iffy guide to sex determination. There is a wide range of normal testosterone levels in people, with many women in the upper level of normal having higher levels than men at the lower level of normal. And suppressing testosterone can have serious health consequences; what might be a population-wide normal level may not be adequate for an individual. I often told my students that strict on/off, yes/no, this or that situations are rare in biology. The species concept, for example, is a human construct for making classification easier; in nature there are often intermediate forms between two species and where we draw the line is arbitrary. Likewise for testosterone (and many other hormones that can affect athletic performance), there is less difference between males and females than many suspect. While we need rules for who plays on which sports teams, any rules we make will be arbitrary and there will always be special cases that just don’t fit. And yes, I did study biology (immunology and microbiology) at KU!

I wonder if this might be an apt comparison? Although I taught mostly lecture courses (biology), I did teach discussion-based courses from time to time where I learned how different each group of students was. One year I’d find a strategy to get students enthusiastic about the material and it would work great. The next year I’d try the exact same strategy and it would be a total dud. Some years I’d find an alternative that would work, but occasionally there’d be a group that I never could reach. I think that’s what coach Self has now, that rare group for which none of his old motivational ploys work. NIL may have a lot to do with that, but Covid might as well. I taught a few classes after retirement during and after Covid and the changes in students were profound. Many post-Covid students were very poorly prepared for college both in lack of high school level knowledge and an appreciation for how to work effectively. They seemed to think class attendance and assignments were optional, they could take exams anytime they wanted, and that they deserved a B for the class just for showing up. Wonder if some of that attitude has drifted onto the court?

While it was late in the game with nothing still on the line, I thought Zach C did a good job with his limited minutes. If I recall correctly, he had 3 rebounds, dove on the court for a loose ball and made a good outlet pass when he got it, and made a good pass on the fast break without taking a dribble. No fumbling the ball like earlier in the year. He always sprints up the court on O and D and gets involved in most plays. There will likely be a few games where, due to fouls and injuries, having a fourth playable big will be crucial, and I like seeing sign we may have one.

@Crimsonorblue22 No, I did grad school in the KU microbiology department. Then spent 30 years teaching undergraduates, most of whom were planning on going to medical school. Had that dream job of teaching (mostly) highly motivated kids with excellent character.

I hoped Zeke would be a solid addition, maybe a good 6th man. I was not expecting him to come in and immediately go off for 20+ against a top 10 team with so much speed. Good stuff!

A high flyer at the 3 and a freight train at the 4. Sounds like a fun combo.

@Zabudda I thought Zach had some good minutes against Howard, especially in the 2nd half. Got enough run time to get comfortable so he didn’t 't look lost. Made me think he’ll play some good minutes later when fouls or injuries star to pile up.

I still see hope for Zack. He was in the middle of every play while he was in, showing hustle and desire. But he was so sped up it turned into fumble finger results. I think (hope) with more playing time the hustle and desire will win out.

Liked your comment on David Coit. Over the years there have been several players who just make me smile to see on the court. Sometimes they were stars (Devonte Graham), sometimes bench players (Kevin Young), but they all played with energy and enthusiasm, but, more importantly, they just seemed to be having great time being on the court. David Coit is becoming one of those guys for me. There’ll be times when his size won’t allow him to excel, but it will never be for lack of effort.

I thought Rylan Griffin started playing like more than just a 3 point shooter in this game. Made some good plays on both ends of the court.

While it wasn’t for long, Zach Clemence came in at an important time and played quality minutes. There are games where that 4th big is needed and hopefully this was the start of good things for him.

@wissox I started watching some pro basketball towards the end of Wilt’s career. About the time his Lakers were setting an all time win streak (since broken). Wilt was no longer a big scorer but had shifted his emphasis to defense. I’ve never seen since someone so completely control the paint. The other team rarely tried for short range shots and Wilt ruled the backboard. It seemed he could rise up for a rebound, turn in mid air, and hit Jerry West with a pinpoint pass at mid court in the time it would take to blink your eyes. Pure poetry. Most fun I’ve had watching non-Jayhawk basketball with the only competition being the epic Larry Bird/ Magic Johnson wars several years later.

My guess is that one of the walk-ons from last year will get the last scholarship. 2nd guess would be a local kid who’s a long term project.

Looks agile for his size, and at least has a few shots away from the basket, out to the free throw line.

From the highlights. Rim punisher, finishes through contact, finishes with either hand. Some nice blocks. However, I didn’t see any shots beyond 3 feet from the basket so I question the fit.

@wissox we live in MN. Temps in the 40’s and wind driven rain the last two days. Not good roof siting weather.

@drgnslayr hope so. Wissox is getting cold!

@Texas-Hawk-10 win in a blowout without shooting very well. Defensive clinic indeed.

I’ve seen articles that quote Bill Self as saying they’ll find a place for him during during his rehabilitation year.

I wonder if this might be an apt comparison? Although I taught mostly lecture courses (biology), I did teach discussion-based courses from time to time where I learned how different each group of students was. One year I’d find a strategy to get students enthusiastic about the material and it would work great. The next year I’d try the exact same strategy and it would be a total dud. Some years I’d find an alternative that would work, but occasionally there’d be a group that I never could reach. I think that’s what coach Self has now, that rare group for which none of his old motivational ploys work. NIL may have a lot to do with that, but Covid might as well. I taught a few classes after retirement during and after Covid and the changes in students were profound. Many post-Covid students were very poorly prepared for college both in lack of high school level knowledge and an appreciation for how to work effectively. They seemed to think class attendance and assignments were optional, they could take exams anytime they wanted, and that they deserved a B for the class just for showing up. Wonder if some of that attitude has drifted onto the court?

Much of the discussion about AJ struggling this season, especially those that wonder why he came to KU when it doesn’t fit his style of play, seems to be missing what I think is a crucial point. I think he, and his advisors, knew he’d never make it to the NBA unless he learned how to play defense and how to play more team oriented offense. He had to know that guys who don’t play defense ride the pine at KU, and that Bill Self demands that even his scorers know when it’s time to pass. Clearly it’s taking longer for him to make strides in these areas than anyone thought, but hopefully his eyes are still on the end game. But for Self to let him go back to his old style of play would do nothing to increase his draft chances.

@wissox I started watching some pro basketball towards the end of Wilt’s career. About the time his Lakers were setting an all time win streak (since broken). Wilt was no longer a big scorer but had shifted his emphasis to defense. I’ve never seen since someone so completely control the paint. The other team rarely tried for short range shots and Wilt ruled the backboard. It seemed he could rise up for a rebound, turn in mid air, and hit Jerry West with a pinpoint pass at mid court in the time it would take to blink your eyes. Pure poetry. Most fun I’ve had watching non-Jayhawk basketball with the only competition being the epic Larry Bird/ Magic Johnson wars several years later.