Lutz, Marshall, Self and Turgeon

[DUShock]

Oh, how **** full I am of the mumbled whisper's of my Beaker co-workers echoing down the hall. If we are given this opportunity, please do not blow it Shocks.

[shocka khan]

For years, we have gotten a number of players from Houston. How many times have we played in Houston? All that exposure down there must really help get recruits.....

If you think UT's facilities (Frank Erwin Center) are bad, just check out UH's. Spent all that money on a FB stadium and their BB arena is a aging, rotting shell.

One plus is that you CAN buy beer @ Hoffheinz Pavilion, which would give you something to entertain yourself in the second half while we're blowing them out.

[Fozzy]

I wish a reporter would ask Self sometime his thoughts about KU playing WSU in other sports, such as volleyball and baseball. I would love to see him squirm and try to come up with some sort of answer that wouldn't make him look bad or upset the other coaches in the process :)

[ISASO]

I wish a reporter would ask Self sometime his thoughts about KU playing WSU in other sports, such as volleyball and baseball. I would love to see him squirm and try to come up with some sort of answer that wouldn't make him look bad or upset the other coaches in the process :)

He could only answer this way to avoid upsetting his colleagues: Apparently the other coaches in our athletic department are confident in their abilities and their talent. I am not.

[owenc]

He could only answer this way to avoid upsetting his colleagues: Apparently the other coaches in our athletic department are confident in their abilities and their talent. I am not.

Actually what he would say would be very close to what he said in the article quoted to start this whole thread. He'd say that of course they should play WSU because it makes total sense to do so.

Because it does. Baseball at least is a great event each year. It sells lots of tickets for WSU (something they don't need in basketball) and it is one of the bigger KU alumni events in Wichita each year. I'm not sure the other half of the 1 and 1 does much for either school but it certainly doesn't cost either school anything. Total win-win.

Chris

[ISASO]

Actually what he would say would be very close to what he said in the article quoted to start this whole thread. He'd say that of course they should play WSU because it makes total sense to do so.

Because it does. Baseball at least is a great event each year. It sells lots of tickets for WSU (something they don't need in basketball) and it is one of the bigger KU alumni events in Wichita each year. I'm not sure the other half of the 1 and 1 does much for either school but it certainly doesn't cost either school anything. Total win-win.

Chris

Saying "I'm afraid of losing" requires much less tap-dancing.

[WstateU]

Saying "I'm afraid of losing" requires much less tap-dancing.

Push the red button!

http://instantrimshot.com/

[tw805]

If the phrase "build the [KU] brand" are Self's words, not Lutz's, then this article should have been an exhibit in the Ed O'Bannon trial. "Building the brand" is great for a for-profit enterprise, not a supposedly amateur student-athlete organization. (Let's all take a laugh break, shall we?)

Most of us remember when the Southwest Conference was exclusively limited to Texas and Arkansas. If one of the Texas teams wanted to, it could literally play an entire season only leaving the state of Texas once. I'm sure that was outstanding for its student athletes, who needed to do such student-ish things like attend class, study, and sleep. That any team, not just limited to Kansas, would rather play a game 1,500 miles away versus 150 miles away says a lot about where college athletics has gone.

I can't believe I got sucked into the WSU/KU scheduling debate again. Happens every time.

[owenc]

Saying "I'm afraid of losing" requires much less tap-dancing.

Yea, because Bill Self doesn't schedule games they might lose. Give me a break. Top 5 schedule in the country how many years in a row?

[owenc]

Most of us remember when the Southwest Conference was exclusively limited to Texas and Arkansas. If one of the Texas teams wanted to, it could literally play an entire season only leaving the state of Texas once. I'm sure that was outstanding for its student athletes, who needed to do such student-ish things like attend class, study, and sleep. That any team, not just limited to Kansas, would rather play a game 1,500 miles away versus 150 miles away says a lot about where college athletics has gone.

Even in conference play it is pretty crazy. Lubbock to Morgantown is very nearly 1,500 miles. And that is supposedly a "conference" game.

Chris

[OregonShocker]

Yea, because Bill Self doesn't schedule games they might lose. Give me a break. Top 5 schedule in the country how many years in a row?

Two things: 1) most of that tough schedule was made of in conference opponents, once again proving that the P5 have a built in advantage (self-fulfilling) when it comes to SOS 2) if he's scheduling "tough" out of conference opponents, why not WSU?

[owenc]

Two things: 1) most of that tough schedule was made of in conference opponents, once again proving that the P5 have a built in advantage (self-fulfilling) when it comes to SOS 2)

Fair enough, but Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan State, Florida, Georgetown, Utah, Temple, UNLV is hardly slouching when it comes to non-conference scheduling. KU usually manages a top 10 non-conference strength of schedule. This year ESPN has their non-conference strength of schedule as #2 (#1 overall). Which is saying a lot when the conference schedule is so tough. Lots of schools would pad their non-conference schedule pretty hard knowing they are going to face such a brutal conference schedule.

2) if he's scheduling "tough" out of conference opponents, why not WSU?

I think we've hashed that to death, but I still think that is the wrong question. The real question is why should they schedule WSU? I see why WSU wants it but I don't see why KU is supposed to. Self is a smart guy and Zenger is even smarter. If it was in their best interests I'm pretty sure they'd schedule it.

Don't get me wrong, I wish they would schedule WSU every year. I'd be the first one in line for tickets to that game no matter where it was held. But I totally get why they don't.

Chris

[ShockerExpress]

Two things first off... 1. Beat Indiana. 2. At this point, it really doesn't matter whether they play or not. And I used to care, and honestly don't anymore.


That being said, I have always thought that the only reason WSU and KU, or WSU and KSU don't play is all about legitimacy. That is the only word that matters.

Self can talk about how WSU deserves better than a 7-seed, and I think he probably does believe that. But he has no reason to give WSU a chance to show how close it is on the court to KU. It has nothing to do with money, nothing to do with anything else. There is no reason for KU to play the game, no upside, other than getting another quality home and home (of which they can get with pretty much every program in the country).

WSU beating KU in CKA legitimizes the program. What if they did it 2 out of 4 years? Does that change the landscape of basketball in this state? Historically, no. For the time being, maybe. There is more at stake for KU to lose perception-wise for a home-and-home with WSU than any other program in the country except maybe Mizzou at this point. ( And at this point that program is nothing).

I think I used this analogy a while back. It is like the libertarians not being invited to the Democrat and GOP debate. I don't believe the GOP and Dems are scared they're going to lose to the 3rd party, they just don't see a need to raise them to their level. (not a perfect analogy, and I am not trying to get political.)

Beat Indiana.

[AZ Shocker]

Two things: 1) most of that tough schedule was made of in conference opponents, once again proving that the P5 have a built in advantage (self-fulfilling) when it comes to SOS 2) if he's scheduling "tough" out of conference opponents, why not WSU?

And I remember the national media (Billy Packer, etc) trying to CALL OUT the MVC for designing their Out-of-Conference schedule in order to improve MVC teams RPI to get an invite to March Madness a few years back. How dare they he says!!! Lol Brilliant "scheduling" that particular year by the MVC. 4 teams in the NCAA Tourney. Haven't seen that happen once since then. Wonder why??? Lol

[ShockerExpress]

And I remember the national media (Billy Packer, etc) trying to CALL OUT the MVC for designing their Out-of-Conference schedule in order to improve MVC teams RPI to get an invite to March Madness a few years back. How dare they he says!!! Lol Brilliant "scheduling" that particular year by the MVC. 4 teams in the NCAA Tourney. Haven't seen that happen once since then. Wonder why??? Lol

Hahah yes. We all somehow "cracked" the RPI formula. That was great. Now they ignore it and put UCLA instead of Temple just because.