I’m going to have to do some resizing of a lot of my pictures as they are too big. And my computer here at work won’t let me install the ones I have on my camera and phone.

So I got everyone (except Udoka) to sign my 13 & Counting sign. I told Lagerald I loved his athleticism and he thanked me for saying so. I told Josh that I was so thankful for him coming to play with Kansas and that he exceeded everyone’s expectations and as he was signing my “Just Joshin You” sign he said “It was my pleasure.” He said the sign was great and then signed the 13 & Counting and a picture of him slam dunking. Bragg came out with headphones on and didn’t seem to want to do anything, but he scribbled his name. D’tae laughed when he saw my picture of him and Self hugging each other and signed it and the 13 & Counting. While waiting for the players, Frank’s dad was hanging out and saw me and game me a big hug. I had him sign a picture of Frank and Coach. When Frank signed my #13IFM = POY his dad came over and asked if Frank had signed everything so I put the 13 & Counting and he signed that and then signed a picture of him showing so much emotion in the gray unis and said what game was that? and I said Texas Tech. Jeremy Case signed and I asked him how much fun that was having BRush back. He was proud of being a part of that team for sure. Tucker Vang, Brennan Bechard, Tyler all signed and when Clay Young signed I told him that I had grown up in Leavenworth (adjacent to Lansing where he was from) so he and talked about growing up there (way different eras). Coach Q signed and I told him about knowing Coach’s assistant and how she had sent me so much stuff after my cancer and then after the loss of my husband and he gave me a big hug and asked my name and said he would tell Tami that he had met me. When Coach T signed I told him I knew Tami and he said “She told me you were going to be here. How are you doing? You’ve had a rough go. Glad we could get the win for you today.” I told him I read the article about his older brother, Raymond, who had played for UCLA during Wooden’s last year of coaching and for the other teams that won the 13 titles, Coach T agreed that it was a great story and made his family proud. I missed Norm and Snacks while talking to Curtis. Finally Coach came out and gracious as ever. I told him I was the one Tami had sent the signed Christmas card to and he too asked me how I was doing. He signed 13 & Counting and the same picture of him with D’tae celebrating. Malik didn’t make the trip.

I’ll work on getting some more pictures and have lots of videos but I am not the best at technology so hope these at least show you guys some personal stuff.

I am overwhelmed with all the love and support I have received here and for @jaybate-1.0’s lovely and thoughtful words. I told some of the people here this morning that knew Mike that I was able to make it through last night just because of all of you.

And I will tell you a little secret…HEM sent me a personal message and I have encouraged him to come back to the site as life is too short and you never know when it will be taken.

All our family (on both sides) are in Kansas and you guys have become my second family.

God bless all of you and your families and keep them safe in their travels this blessed season.

Karen

Am watching the replay now and I will be out of pocket for a memorial service for my husband Mike today so may be tomorrow before I can post more about getting autographs and posting pictures. I promise to get to it tomorrow.

Rock Chalk Jayhawks!

Night all. Stay safe! Just passed my 5 year cancer free See you for MSU

I will be able to watch him here in Austin!!! I also saw something in the paper this week that Naadir Tharpe was picked up by the Delaware DLeague team. Wasn’t that where Brannen Green was drafted?

I started back to work this week part time and made it through the week! I also received from Bill Self’s assistant a package of goodies - 2 posters (one signed by all players and coaches and the other one that is of all the players with the schedule posted below them that is 4 feet long) along with a media guide and 5 pocket schedules. She is someone that I have written each year to get the pocket schedules and she went out of her way to send me stuff this year due to my health issues. I have the poster signed by everyone hanging up on my office wall for all the Longhorn fans to see .

Got my 12Straight t-shirt on today, KU necklace, Jayhawk socks and Jayhawk earrings. The day I got out of the hospital I had to stop at my pharmacy for medicine before heading home and I had on my Rock Chalk Jayhawk shirt and the pharmacist was telling me about the medicine and she pointed to my shirt and asked “Big Fan?” Found out that she graduated from KU and after talking for awhile I found out that she had worked at the Walgreens in my hometown, Leavenworth, before moving down here. So yesterday on my way home I stopped and found her working and gave her one of the pocket schedules. We are going to try and get together for a watch party out in our area for some upcoming games. The Hawk fans do go to a bar in South Austin but that is too long a drive for me. Can’t wait to see a real game tonight!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk Go KU!

Had a great time and was good to see all the KU fans. Went to Scholz Garten about 4:30 and 2 older couples from Houston sat at my table. They had been to the 08 championship game and so walked with them to see the team bus come in at 6:00. Told them about the team coming out after the game for autographs and we went our merry way. Ended up sitting to an engineer living in Austin, who had played against Mario in Anchorage and went to KU because of Mario. He had a college buddy who also grad. KU. On the other side was a freshman at KU home with his Mom from Houston and he had on a #4 old time jersey. We were a boisterous crowd. Before the game started I was down near the court and gots lots of pictures during shoot around. Malik was limping the whole time. It was noticeable. Gary Bedore saw me from the press box and came down to say Hi. I told him we would win by 8 but that we were going to win. We talked BPreston and Gary said money needed to be paid back and that for now nobody had the money to pay back. Silvio was right in front of us and I welcomed him to Jayhawk Nation and he said THANKS. Guys were hitting all their 3’s during warmups so had a feeling they were zoned in. Reason Marcus started is because of Malik’s foot I believe. Went up to talk with Jesse and then saw Matt Tait on my way behind where Hanni and Gurley were. I padded Gurley on the shoulder and not realizing they were on the air I told him to call a win and he shushed me. Signed 5 mins. Oh Boy. So I went and sat down. The little towels they handed out that said BEAT KU I took my sharpie and wrote “IN YOUR DREAMS” below it and got a few boos for that.

Seeing the game in person is a lot different than watching them on tv for sure. No replays of one of our 3s on the video boards but had to see the Bamba dunks over and over. I am glad that we played UT last night and not later in the season here because they will get better but it was pretty evident that UT does not have another reliable perimeter shooter. Here is what the long time sports writer in Austin wrote (Kirk Bohls):

"Posted December 30th, 2017 Story highlights Kansas coach Bill Self was so impressed with the defensive prowess of Texas’ Mo Bamba that he thought he blocked the sun. The Jayhawks’ three best players are all shooting better than 44 percent behind the line; Texas has just one near that in the still-recovering Andrew Jones Shaka Smart wants to see more aggressiveness out of Dylan Osetkowski, more rebounding from his guards. The always-competitive, highly charged Big 12 basketball race will end probably as it began on Friday night. With Kansas on top. It’s as certain as the sun rising in the east. You know the sun. The one that Bill Self said he could have sworn he saw Mo Bamba block at the Erwin Center in the league opener. The Texas center didn’t, of course, but maybe only because it was a night game. He did block everything else. “That guy could have blocked the sun tonight,” said Self, whose Jayhawks embarked successfully on a journey that may well lead to an absurd 14th consecutive conference championship in March that should embarrass the rest of the league. “What was that, a solar or lunar eclipse we had a few months ago?” Bamba was arguably the best player on the court in this league opener, what with two blocks shy of a spectacular triple double in a 22-point, 15-rebound, eight-block Big 12 debut. He’s good. Problem was, the next five best players were wearing Kansas uniforms."

"Shaka Smart doesn’t dare tell his team to attempt that many for fear some of the fans in the first row might require medical attention from errant shots. Texas’ offensive deficiencies will likely cement it to a middle-of-the-pack Big 12 place, and even that high only if the Longhorns become defensive gnats. Smart has seven players with an accuracy of 31 percent or worse behind the line with Andrew Jones the only competent shooter at 43 percent. Texas, meanwhile, has vacillated between a very promising team that can beat a Butler or an Alabama team on the road and an offensively challenged squad that can look downright awful and managed to beat a 5-7 Tennessee State team by a single point on a late Matt Coleman floater. That was the same Tennessee State team that Kansas manhandled 92-56 in its season opener. OK then. In short, it’s a sizable gap between an 11-2 Kansas team and a 9-4 Texas club that must refocus quickly with a road date at Iowa State on Monday. That matchup might represent the Longhorns’ best chance of stealing an away victory if Smart’s bunch has any hopes of finishing 9-9 and harboring ambitions of making the NCAA Tournament after a one-year absence. Smart’s not looking nearly that far on the horizon and shouldn’t. But he knows full well how treacherous the Big 12 is with eight other league teams with an RPI in the top 47 and five of them in the top 25. “The gap tonight was six points on the scoreboard,” said Smart the literalist. “In the standings, they’re 1-0, and we’re 0-1.” And in reality, Kansas is a loaded team that has three players who can scorch the nets night after night, and Texas never knows where it’s next perimeter shot is going to come from. It needs more rebounding from its guards, more crucial stops and fewer empty possessions."

I like the hustle from Marcus and think the offense will come. Doke several times put his hand to his back and think that he didn’t attempt to block more because of the strain on his back. Hudy spent a lot of time in warmups stretching him. I looked at box score and told my seat mates “Look Vick has a quiet 21 points.” He was lethal. Devonte’ shined and don’t know if you caught him flashing the “T” sign after Higgins hit Smart. He was just walking away past midcourt and with hands down by his thighs did it twice. That’s why most of the fans booed the call. I yelled at Higgins a couple of times. Except for the goaltends not being called and Roach nocking Devonte across the face and him going down (there was a gasp by us) there were a lot less fouls than I had assumed would be called with Higgins out there. Used my binoculars to watch Coach during time outs. He was really after the guys but after Devonte’ stared down Bamba he was laughing. Silvio sat behind the team bench next to the cop guarding the bench. Never saw CMoore or the Lawson bros. On Sam not playing, I chalk it up to he hasn’t earned the trust from Coach yet. We know Coach will use PT as incentive for other goals so I’ll leave it at that. Mitch really is someone who has the right intentions and desire but he is not strong enough yet. He is as enthusiastic as all others when on the bench but you can see the disappointment in his face when he gets yanked. Toughens them up doesn’t it?

So after the game the kid with the #4 jersey and his mom followed me to get autographs and I let the kid use my sharpie to get Devonte’ to sign his jersey. Made his year he said. He showed me a selfie he had taken with Devonte’ in the cafeteria and had gotten to go to a workout with Hudy. Kid was a fan. As we were leaving the restaurant I grabbed a Jayhawk from one of the tables and gave it to one of the ladies (with an extra sharpie I had brought). Malik was the first one out and I asked him “I saw you limping in warmups. Is it your ankle?” He said “No, just my foot but we all good.” Teahan and Suskind next, then Silvio who had a lot of attention, then Doke (he is big), Svi, Mitch, and so on till Devonte’ was last and then Snacks, Coach T, Coach R, Coach Q and when HSBS came out everyone cheered and Rock Chalked. I waited for my turn with Coach and said my name and that I was the one who wrote to his assistant each year. He is so gracious taking the time for each of us. Wished him as well as all the other players when I got their autographs a HAPPY NEW YEAR. Justin Wesleey was there by the bus. It was DARKKKK - almost 11:00 by then and when I asked Devonte’ for a selfie he had to show me how to do it. Svi looked much bigger to me than I remembered. I told Vick that I loved his momma’s tweets. Bus departed at 11:10. Listened to the local sports talk when I got in my car and they were at the tale end of their show but they felt that “since we only lost to KU by 6” that it was a moral victory. Hoo Boy. Can’t wait to watch Shaka on the 6:00 pm sports spin it like in the article above.

Well Jayhawk fans. As I told Gay Bedore, Jesse and my seat mates, HCBS is going to EARN his money this year. I am so impressed how well he is able to take what talent he has and get us to where we are now. I gotta believe that this team has the players that do NOT want to end the streak and regardless of your views on how important conf. wins are vs. a national championship, it is a “pride” thing and a motivator and can’t wait to see how the ride ends up for us.

Hopefully pictures to come in another post.

Sorry I left the chat last night.

Yesterday was 7 years since we lost Mike and the girls and I had a good cry!

Rock Chalk

Merry Christmas to All My Friends!

@Kcmatt7 Health issues can take up a whole lot of time and energy and during the last year I’ve seen my share. Hadn’t logged on until I posted the pic from the UT game. Have kept up with the team but not in the same intense way I had before always going to this site first. My life changed so much with not just my health but the loss of my husband that it does cause you to reassess what you want and how you move forward. I think I quit coming here right after the Final Four loss to Villanova. I saw first hand what that loss meant to the team. I knew the ugly posts were going to come and I just couldn’t force myself to read all that vitriol to kids who were hurting as bad as all of us. Sometimes people expect way too much from the team and coaches. I just chose to not have that negativity in my life.

Now I’m sad to hear that @jaybate-1-0 has taken leave. I do pray that he has peace and health in his life.

From FoxSports.com on this very subject:

##Memo to Bill Self: With this KU roster, it ain’t fool’s gold when it works

Sean Keeler

FOX Sports Kansas City

FEB 11, 2015 1:06a ET

So is it winning if your coach absolutely despises how you’re doing it?

“It’s fool’s gold,” Kansas patriach Bill Self told reporters late Tuesday night after his No. 8 Jayhawks rolled Texas Tech in Lubbock, 73-51. “You can’t bank on making 55 percent or 50 percent of your threes.”

He’s right.

You can bank on 52.2 percent.

Over its past three league road games – all wins – KU (20-4, 9-2 Big 12) is 24-for-46 from beyond the arc.

In that same span, the Jayhawks are 47-106 inside the arc … a rate of 44.3 percent.

Fool’s gold works.

Self doesn’t want to hear it.

“No matter what, you can score inside off the bounce, you can score off the pass, you can score it in transition or whatever,” the coach continued. “But you’ve got to be able to score close to the basket. That’s the name of the game, in my opinion, is getting easy baskets, and eliminating easy baskets. And we’re not doing near a good enough job of doing that inside.”

Self has 10 more Big 12 titles than the rest of us, and the man is quickly closing in on No. 11. He prefers method to madness, and if you don’t like it, well, he’ll just point to the banners hanging at Allen Fieldhouse. (Similar to calling “scoreboard,” in any disagreement with coaches, pointing at the banners generally ends the debate.)

But here’s the thing: His team – which drained 11 of 18 treys in Lubbock and is 21-for-38 in its past two tilts from beyond the arc – has him in a philosophical pickle. The Jayhawk Way – proven, tested, true – is to work from paint to perimeter, inside to out. The run sets up the pass.

Which is fine except, if we could stretch the football analogy a bit, this KU team can’t run the ball for squat.

Coming in to Tuesday, the Jayhawks ranked 259th nationally in 2-point shooting percentage (45.5), 137th in effective field-goal percentage (49.eight), 249th in 3-point attempts per game (16.eight) … and 14th in 3-point percentage (40.2).

Self has seven players among the top nine in his rotation who are completely comfortable with the 3-point shot, and six of those seven went to Texas Tech having made more than 34 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc, and six with at least a dozen makes through the season’s first 23 games.

These Jayhawks defend as a unit, scrap as a unit, better than each of Self’s past two KU teams. He likes that. But they’re also the worst finishing squad under the rim that he’s had in ages, maybe the worst over a venerated 12 seasons in Lawrence, a red-headed stepchild that he loves but can’t quite tame.

Imagine Whitey Herzog content to sit on his backside, just waiting to be bailed out by the 3-run homer. Or another football analogy, if you like: KU is the anti-Chiefs. Imagine handing Andy Reid a roster with Andrew Luck in his prime under center, four or five stud wideouts and a solid, but unspectacular, tailback. Even if Big Red wanted to run 33 times a game, if he did, he’d be out of work by Week 11.

That’s the Jayhawks. Self is Vince Lombardi, and the idea of using slants and jailbreak screens and dinks and dunks to set up the run game gives him a 10-ton migraine.

He is what he is. And they are what they are.

Of the Jayhawks’ first four field goals of the contest Tuesday, three were treys. 13-4, KU.

Of the Jayhawks’ first four field goals in the second half, three were treys. 40-27, KU.

Fool’s good works.

“Forty-one percent of our attempts (were) threes,” Self continued. “Which is too many.”

He’s right, and in a perfect world, there’s a balance, multiple dimensions, multiple threats from multiple corners of the floor.

But this isn’t a perfect world. And this is far from a perfect roster. We already know the internal debate, the one eating at hole in his gut, the one question no coach wants to have to answer for in the postgame news conference. What happens when we come out and whiff on our first six from beyond the arc?

##That’s easy: Keep shooting.

So what is 'tae wearing under his jersey here?

This was booed by the kitty DJ’s left thumb looks like it has some padding/bandage about to fall off:

Love the energy from the bench - they do this all game:

A brief appearance of the “man Lucas”:

Mr. Menace at work:

One of his steals - such good anticipation:

Self said Flory Bidunga will be off of his injured ankle for a day or two and hopefully practicing by Friday. Said he could’ve got back out there tonight if needed but was good he didn’t have to. Per Matt Tait

Juando has 700 career assists

#800

HCBS

@kjayhawks white man can’t jump!

Juando has 17 and is top scorer

Gradey Dick was the most improved shooter last year to this year. CB was 4th improved. Jalen Wilson was 5th improved.

Gradey by 10+ points!

@FarmerJayhawk Glad he drove it instead of clanking one

@Crimsonorblue22 Congratulations! Spoil the heck out of her