Gregg Marshall on the Jim Rome Show - Coming up NOW1

[WSUwatcher]

When Self talks about this, it is not Self doing the talking. It is just KU, speaking through him via the radio transmitter implanted in his head during his pre-employment physical at KU Med...

Well, joco, you're more likely to know about what happens at the KU Med School than I am, but I suspect that even without a transmitter Self knows what the AD believes and wants said on particular subjects.

[ABC]

Self is being a bit disingenuous about his time at Tulsa. Around the time of his last year at Tulsa, Arkansas, OSU and OU all started playing Tulsa and still do. Some media person should inquire about that.

[ShockTalk]

Simple, in-state perception. As HCGM stated, they don't wanna let the family know that little brother can now beat up big brother.

+1

I believe this is really the point of Marshall's comment: if he were Bill Self, knowing the sort of fan base Self has, he wouldn't want to risk having those fans confronted with the sight of WSU as an equal on the court, much less having taken the upper hand. That would not be good for the either the Self or the KU athletic administration, hence the avoidance.

First, let me say that I don't care if we play KU. We can do quite well without them. I'd prefer to meet them at the Dance, win the game, and when they try to save face by agreeing to do some sort H/H, we tell them sorry, they had their chance.

That said, in-state perception with all the media attention from here to Topeka, to KC, and national, is about as bad as it could get with this perception actually being real, not just some "family" fairy tale. It also appears that a portion of their own fan base wants the games to happen.

The sight of WSU as an equal if we were on the court with them? They've the same as admitted it. When WSU was struggling more, that was an argument to "not take a chance". I think our S16, F4, 15-0, and top 10 ranking has discarded that argument except for the pettiness. In fact, that's probably their only argument and that's hurting their image more than any losing to WSU would do and should be bothering their ego as well.

You take on the roll of Self and try to give me an answer that doesn't come off petty.

The problem is Self has not been in Marshall's shoes and doesn't realize the difficulty we have in scheduling better opponents. Marshall will play anyone. With our recent success he has proven we deserve some respect for a home-and-home series.

Self, on the other hand, can schedule who he wants and, more often than not, will be able to play most opponents at home with no return visit--he has that luxury--as do many of the elites: We, at this point do not. I think our continued success will heighten this conflict more, but could turn the tables with others.

@jucoshock has already pointed out this error. Another error is that OU and/or Okie St have been playing Tulsa most years lately despite Self's comment to the otherwise. Maybe it only happened that way while he was at Tulsa. Odd?

[The Mad Hatter]

So are you saying that Marshall would indeed play WSU if he were at KU, and that he is simply positioning himself right now through his comments? Because if not, the other alternative is that Marshall really means it, which means just what I have already said, that Bill Self is doing the same thing Marshall would do if in his shoes.

It is pretty clearly a rhetorical device used by Marshall to use a sympathetic tone to underscore the fear of losing that would undermine willingness to play the game. Marshall surrounded these comments by noting how good in-state games are for college basketball, which also called out KU for not doing what others are willing to do and demonstrating his opinion of the value of such games.

If Marshall comes out and explicitly says Bill Self is afraid to play us, he gets blasted by pro-KU media (as we have seen in the past). By framing the same sentiment in terms of sympathy with Self's position, he gets the same message across (i.e. in-state games are good, but Self won't do it because he is afraid of losing) but in a manner that forces KU fans to criticize Self in order to criticize Marshall because all Marshall has actually said it that he is sympathetic with Self. It is smart rhetorical criticism, not a statement of Marshall's scheduling philosophy.

[wufan]

It is pretty clearly a rhetorical device used by Marshall to use a sympathetic tone to underscore the fear of losing that would undermine willingness to play the game. Marshall surrounded these comments by noting how good in-state games are for college basketball, which also called out KU for not doing what others are willing to do and demonstrating his opinion of the value of such games.

If Marshall comes out and explicitly says Bill Self is afraid to play us, he gets blasted by pro-KU media (as we have seen in the past). By framing the same sentiment in terms of sympathy with Self's position, he gets the same message across (i.e. in-state games are good, but Self won't do it because he is afraid of losing) but in a manner that forces KU fans to criticize Self in order to criticize Marshall because all Marshall has actually said it that he is sympathetic with Self. It is smart rhetorical criticism, not a statement of Marshall's scheduling philosophy.

Yup!

[ShockerPrez]

Who is this KU you speak of?

[jpshocker]

Who is this KU you speak of?

I think it's the school with a funny looking toucan mascot?

[shocksrbest]

Oral Roberts and Tulsa. Not defending Self, just pointing out that he has...been in Gregg's shoes. Doesn't justify anything....

I should have rephrased...while he has been at KU--things (and schedules) are different now.

[shockmonster]

Just think of the one with the wing as Bill Self. When asked the question why KU doesn't schedule the Shockers, Gregg had a choice to call him out, or because he was tired of the question, being nice to Self and saying it really doesn't matter. Gregg took the high road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GP3yhyq1ds

[The Mad Hatter]

Furthermore, Marshall statement can also be read as a collegial gesture toward Self. By sympathizing with Self's situation he puts the focus on the institutional pressures that exist to prevent the game instead of focus on Self just being personally afraid. In other words, the issue is less about the coach being afraid than it is about the whole institution being afraid which puts a lot of pressure on the coach to not schedule the game. By saying that he would do the same (whether literally true or not) Marshall is expressing how strong those institutional pressures are.

[shockmonster]

I get tired of Self getting a pass on this. If he wanted to play, no one would buck him. He makes all of these decisions and isn't worried about his job one bit.

[pogo]

I don't know. Mangino was a BIG man and they got rid of him. Now they can look across the field next year as isu kicks their ass in football and see him grinning from ear to ear. Talking about tilting the field in your favor. Is that literally or fuguratively?