Best posts made by Second Prize

@HighEliteMajor

1.) I am in Nebraska and CBS told me to go to the website to watch Kansas v Baylor, the site did not play anything. After commercial they came to the start of the Kansas game and said to go to the website to watch the end of the Auburn and Tennesee game…Never had that happen before.

1. Greene is so long. He is legitimately 6’7 6’8 and has length…I love Svi but Greene jumps out at you like he is in 3D on the tv. Svi looks like he is thinking too much out there still. Greene just does his thing.

2. The box score of Iowa State and Oklahoma showed 7 played for Iowa State and 8 played for Oklahoma… We could play 10 and have no dropoff, we could play everyone but walk ons and not have drastic dropoffs.

3. Mason and Graham have really freed up Selden to do his thing in the wing, and the light came on as well. He is playing ridiculous right now.

4. We were breaking ankles without dribbling, Baylor players looked like they were watching a tennis match the way we moved it at times.

I am excited. We have a crazy good offense and we will play Self Defense by March. We really got a good shot this year.

Self went with Bragg in the second half of the Harvard game was it? Hunter has been starting lately, Traylor got the nod the other day in crunch time. Lucas has been used in spurts and Diallo has been thrown out there. I do not see anything changing, I think we have 3 serviceable big men with different skillsets and then 2 uber talented freshman bigs, it should all work out fine!

I think back to our title run, when a bench big named Cole brought it to Hansbrough… Sasha in the Davidson game saved us…

They will all get a chance to show they belong out there. Self has said often none have really separated themselves. Nobody disagrees Bragg and Diallo may have the highest ceiling of any players on our roster, especially Self.

He wants them to be good, if either or both get it by March, watch out. I imagine Bragg or Diallo will start by the middle of conference play if the lights turn on, but rotation aside, we will still see the C5. Foul trouble, particular matchups, will bring out Lucas, Hunter or Traylor for sure.

Ill take a championship and the attention from it causing Diallo, Selden and Svi to get drafted after shining in the Final Four!

I think it will be a great year.

Ellis looks so quick. I think he can get experience at the 3 while Greene is suspended…

I did not forget Mason is a warrior.

I think come March, Bragg and Vick will be ready. I like what Hunter does out there. Traylor is good in bursts.

If Svi and Devonte come along and Selden can be more Jekyll than Hyde, our guards look good.

If Diallo can play…

Bring it on!

I am gonna try and be a new age KU fan like a lot of posters and commentors. FIRE BILL SELF. We are only up 20 halfway thru the first half in a meaningless conference game against a ranked opponent and Diallo has not checked in yet.

FIRE SELF. This winning handily stuff is terrible, play talented but unready freshman please.

No matter what happens in this game, we did not win a title today so FIRE BILL SELF.

Expel Hunter, Traylor and Lucas from KU, play Diallo and Bragg only. FIRE BILL SELF

@jaybate-1.0

Nic Moore being a spirit member of this team is a great way to describe how I feel about him too. Thanks for articulating how I feel, ha.

SMU is on a postseason ban and Nic Moore is still playing his heart out over there. I hope they go undefeated.

@SoftballDad2011

It seems like everyone forgets Self just had Wiggins and Embiid, a top recruit will come to Kansas again…

@justanotherfan

Why does Self always get heat for hating on 3’s, a lot of our end of half, or end of game plays, or when our offense is struggling, usually involves getting a good shooter open for a 3…

Thanks for fighting the good fight jaybate.

I am happy to have Bill Self as our coach. I do not understand who people would want to replace him with… Coach K and Calipari are not coming…Izzo is not coming. Do they want some unproven young guy? One loss and that guy might be lynched…

Be careful what you wish for. Here in Nebraska they canned a perennial 9 win a year football coach, because of similar sentiments about competing for titles, then had a historically bad year, were 5-7, and lost to PURDUE…Do not be so entitled. Be grateful Kansas is your team and you have an elite coach…

Coach Self may not be the best X’s and O’s coach, or the best recruiter, but he is good enough at both that he is in elite company…Only Coach K might beat him out factoring in both aspects…

Also, keep in mind the athletes are amateurs, I understand going after millionaire coaches, they deserve it. They are men, they are 40!! Let us lay off the kids a bit. If you ever played sports, you know sometimes you just lose. You get beat, it has nothing to do with lack of desire, or lack of preparation, or that you do not care. That is what is so appealing about sports, anything can happen…Only ONE TEAM in every sport wins the title. Should thousands of coaches be fired every year across all sports?.

When we lose, I get down, I cannot watch ESPN for days…I kind of go on a media embargo until the next game…I get it, you are passionate fans. No reason to be internet tough guys about it. IF you are going to spout ignorant nonsense, go on a media embargo yourself…

Me, I do not quite trust Selden yet, but I root for him because he is our guy…Why trample on these kids.

@Crimsonorblue22

A few reasons for the moniker. It is a nickname for a character in a novel called Trainspotting, who is an example of athletic talent wasted, which I can relate to all too well.

I was also second born of fraternal twins.

I forget at this moment other reasons but there were more, ha.

One positive you do not see a lot talked about, is guys we put in the league.

If you get the number 1, 3 and 4, ranked players in a class, you pretty much have 3 lottery picks the moment they commit…

We have got a lot of 4ish star commits or transfers or glue guys or rotation players a shot in the league. Some left earlier than expected too, leaving a void at times.

Self developed a few players too well, which left him scrambling to fill spots at times to compliment the one and dones…

Two fine points!

I think with Diallo now able to play and the ongoing develop of Bragg, we could see more rim protection. #FreeHunter could help too.

I agree Kansas will go back to the law of averages on 3’s. I hope we can play defense like most Self teams have been able to come March, then we can stay in those games.

Vick, Bragg, and Diallo are very athletic, maybe the 3 most athletic guys we have, and are all freshman. It may take time.

I just keep thinking of how unheralded Devonte and Frank were as recruits and what they have become. They are for real.

We do not really have a 5/Center, or back to the basket post presence, but we can do just about everything else pretty damn well.

Hunter and Landen are at least tall enough and Diallo and Bragg long enough to get in a 5/Centers way so it will not be that big of a weakness. We can throw bigs at them if we have to…

It is sad to see what has happened to Indiana.

I know we are all passionate and can get emotional with our team, but sometimes try and step back and keep it all in perspective.

We are pretty blessed to be Jayhawk fans, especially with our last 3 head coaches as KUSTEVE mentioned.

On one broadcast they mentioned Kansas has only had 8 head coaches in 100+ years? That is some really good luck.

@KUSTEVE

We are real deep in experience and talent.

Guards alone, Mason, Graham, Selden, Svi, Greene and Vick, that is sick.

I know we do not have a star big, but between the experience of Traylor, Lucas, and Hunter and their unique talents, and the athleticism of Diallo and Bragg, I believe we can mix and match and find an answer up front for a lot of specific matchups with different opponents.

This should be a fun year. With how stacked the Big 12 is our regular season conference title may end this year but I think we are a Final Four team and a real title contender.

@Makeshift

Ya, was more to drive home the point that when we got Traylor at the 5 we are really playing with a 6’7 glue guy at there.

If someone on the bench can be a bit more than glue, he does not have to be a 7 footer. You could go outside the box and use a guy who is legitimately 6’7 or 6’8 but is considered a guard or wing. Or 6’6, 6’'5 guard with length.

Or use Bragg like Self did against Oregon State in the second half. Bragg was like a tall as hell wing out there,

When Bragg gets a little older and fills out his frame a bit, watch out!

Greene is now 11 of 13 or 12 of 14 from 3 on the year? Some guys cannot make layups at that clip. You pretty much have to let him get shots…I like that Self gave him the start.

Although he did a few boneheaded things, man is he long, and tall, and active. He is not just standing around, he is hustling.

I am impressed with Self in this situation, he could have just buried him in the doghouse and told the kid to transfer, instead he is giving him and opportunity to show he belongs out there.

This headline reminds me of Christopher Walken’s line from True Romance, “I haven’t killed anybody since 1984…”

We are not taking enough 3’s, if pnly BILL SELF LET US SHOOT 3’s. FIRE BILL SELF

Hunter has such quick hands for a big. He is poking the ball out of guys hands, deflecting passes, blocking shots.

#FreeHunter

Listening to some media sessions with Bill Self, he talks about playing Perry at the 3 some. We know he wants Devonte and Frank out there together at times. He talked about our bigs all getting 12-16 minutes a game unless one really separates themselves and being totally interchangeable at the 4 and 5 spots mostly. He also talked about our wing defense and said it was terrible in the exhibition (Selden?) He never said the name Wayne or mention him at all by name in a whole segment of one talk.

Where does that leave Selden?

I watched the World University games and Selden played great, but he really did not shoot a whole lot better overall percentage wise then he ever has…

Is he in the doghouse? Does Coach Self not trust him anymore? Is he dead to Coach?

To me Selden reminds me of Elijah Johnson, just could not turn that corner in their development for some reason.

He has been playing a few years now and Self talks about not having enough ball handlers out there, now terrible wing defense. So Selden is not a ball handler, not playing defense. Streaky shooter…

All this is ignoring Diallo exists…

Devonte, Frank, Perry, Bragg/Traylor, Hunter/Lucas?

Yes please. Go big Self! (Frank to my eyes is really big)

Traylor and Bragg are very athletic, Hunter would do fine especially at the 5.

Self also said Perry is one of the quicker guys on the team so him at the 3 is not a stretch.

Subs for 1, 2, and 3 spots would not really matter if you kept Devonte or Frank out there with them.

This should not be a team that will fold or get scared.

I am rooting for Selden! If he does turn the corner and the light comes on more for Svi and Diallo can play, it should be a deep deep run in the tourney!!

I know the sky was falling last game and the world was ending, but man I am excited about this years team.

i do not know if I would start Selden even. During the game they did a quick sideline interview with Izzo when they were down early, and he said something about Selden making 3’s and being streaky…He would take Selden shooting for us all day every day.

I am not really going into the sky is falling mode, Izzo may be the best, but I think Self is an elite head coach as well.

Mason, Svi, Greene, Ellis, and Hunter would probably be who I started awhile, ha.

Then you got Devonte, Selden off the bench and Bragg and Traylor as main subs. You could put Ellis at three sometimes and have Hunter and Bragg out there together sometimes. That would be at least more fun to watch than missing bunnies all day.

Diallo is quick. We have some athletic length this year. Svi, Ellis are 6’8 and pretty quick, Diallo, Bragg, 6’10, quick, damn. Vick is long and quick.

Kansas loses to Michigan State in its second game and everyone is going crazy,

So what happens if we do not even make the NCAA tournament, then lose in the first round to ROBERT MORRIS. (Calipari did this RECENTLY)

Some might literally jump off bridges…

On pace for 100. We are 3rd in nation in scoring. If this team can even halfway play Self Defense by March…

I love Bill Self but coaches do move on, take breaks, things happen. I think Self is one of the cleaner ones around. Would love to see him at Duke or one of the big schools. Maybe take over USA basketball after Pop. For all his pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, I think he is a good ambassador of the game.

I also do not take him for granted. Other people’s down years they do not make the tournament even. Our down years we usually lose in the second round…

To me it just seems like we had a few guys in the last few recruiting classes who did not quite develop like expected, and had a lot leave early…Which left a bit of a void.

Embiid for example, was not even ranked in top 100 at first, the more people saw him play, the higher he rose. His “stock” rose like a rocket…Most thought we would have him a few years, Cole left his Junior year. The Twins…Some guards like Ben…

Then, some positives, we put some bigs in the league like Withey and Tarik Black, comeon…That is pretty cool.

The sky is not necessarily falling, just a couple years back did we not have 2 of the top 3 picks in the NBA draft?

What if we can soon run a lineup of Mason, Svi, Ellis, Bragg, Diallo and wave 2 of Devonte, Vick, Selden, Traylor, Hunter. I can dream.

If you played young guys this year it would be the ones with the highest ceilings and have the most talent other than Mason and Ellis.

If Diallo could play, then the other 3 guys with the most talent are Bragg, Svi (who just turned 18 …) and Vick.

I would have liked to have seen him play for Kansas, but they recruited Wiggins, Oubre, Selden, Svi, Greene and a bunch of other wings have come through, Mclemore…

Love to see Brandon getting a chance to show what he has. He never really got going with some injuries and roster logjams in the past. He fits really well with Golden State. I agree with Jaybate, he may be the best player not starting in the NBA.

The guys out there just now, Devonte, Svi, Vick, Diallo, and Hunter is a long long lineup…

It reminds me a lot of 2008 as well jaybate.

I agree it really depends on who we are playing, which of our bigs get more time.

I really appreciate having two veteran, system guys, like Lucas and Traylor. Sure it would of been nice if we had one of them go beastmode come junior year like some previous project bigmen, but we do have Diallo and Bragg and Hunter as well.

We can play a lot of different ways with who we have in the front and back court.

Self just put some finishing touches on the bullseye…

What an athletic career to be proud of!

or it leggings…

The cameraman was zooming in on a blonde woman awkwardly during the break on ESPN3 broadcast, ha.

On a blown call…

Harvard has been a tournament team and we are not playing badly for the most part but it just feels like if we finished at the rim more, and were a bit more in sync, this would and should be a blowout.

Damn, Mason and Graham are sick…

Rims are not being kind to us today either

Man, Svi just got posterized…

It is not so much our bigs sometimes, but getting them the ball.

Bragg somehow is one of our best from the top of the key, or at least tries to feed inside. Svi and Greene did some lob passes into the post, otherwise we do not have really anyone who bothers too often…I do not mean lobs for dunks, I mean lobs to back to the basket post man. It requires some touch.I know part of it is the big getting proper position, but our true ball handlers rarely look there.

More thoughts on our bigs.

I love Bragg but he just does not have the mass to utilize his height quite yet. He wont be the answer as the banger inside, back to the basket type of big until he cant be pushed around.

I know we think of our bigs collectively and Self does not really go with positions 1-5 or power forward/center, but really right now Landen and Hunter are 5’s and Diallo still an enigma 4/5.? Traylor and Bragg are really just 4’s essentially. Perry would be a 3/4.

With his experience Traylor could be interchanged…

I just think regardless of Bragg and Diallo’s talent and ceiling, we will need Landen and Hunter at times when we face Centers.

We are kind of stacked are we not? What position do you want to have a OAD in right now? Maybe a “5”?

As it stands right now, next year we will have Mason, Devonte and Vick as guards. Svi probably should come back, and Greene we could lose to a transfer…

We have Diallo and Bragg who probably should stay another year.

Who should just sit if our team could be Mason, Devonte, Svi, Bragg, Diallo?

I think we need another big time talent Big and next year will be important to replenish…

I said in another thread, if our bigs are not doing it, use our tall and long guards as back to the basket scorers !

Bragg with one of the most epic dunks I have ever seen. He posterized and Tea-bagged a guy simultaneously off a long feed

I think Diallo and Bragg will play some. It will depend on matchups and he will have a short leash I am sure because of our experience in the other 3 guys.

FIRE BILL SELF

I would kick everyone off this team but Diallo and Bragg. They are the only OAD or projected OAD or close enough. Sophomores and Juniors and Seniors are worthless, they did not get drafted so chuck em away.

Self should get rid of projects like Mason and Graham, and replace them with 2 OAD.

Selden should be told to pack his bags and go home because he is a Junior, he is not a OAD.

Svi, Greene, Ellis, all should go. They are not lotto picks. Replace them with projected lotto picks and OAD’s

FIRE BILL SELF.

This whole argument is because you have this entitlement that you should win titles every year or it is a wasted year.

I have been a fan since '92. Point to all these examples of championships we have won in that time. Tell, me, in Kansas history we have 3 championships? What exactly are you pointing to when you voice this entitlement of being a perennial champion. Every year we are competitive. Our conference streak, national tourney appearence streak. Our consistency, with luck, any year Kansas could sneak through. Every 4-5 years we have a real real good chance. That is life, get over it.

Self has won one championship and been to another. Have some faith and some appreciation, how many titles did you see before Self in your lifetime? 1? Some of you are of this awful instant gratification generation. Learn some respect. Have some perspective.