“I never thought before this season that this team could be ranked number-one at any point in time. Somebody’s got to be number one.”
Bill Self, when asked about the possibility of KU ascending to the top of the polls after a week fraught with upsets, 610 AM
GH: Kansas is officially number one in the coaches’ poll as they prepare for tonight’s 8:00 PM [CT] game at West Virginia. Michigan is number one in the AP poll. Kansas has won 17 straight – that kind of success is hard to ignore.
“Bob Huggins has 25K incentive in new contract for regular season wins over KU. Something to watch for on Big Monday from Morgantown.”
Fran Fraschilla, @franfraschilla, Twitter
GH: Huh? $25K for beating a team in your conference? Isn’t that what they hired Huggins to do and pay him his million-dollar salary to do anyway? Aaron Swarts pointed on Monday’s Border Patrol that Frank Haith was paid a bonus of $25K for winning the Big 12 postseason tourney last year. I don’t think Haith got an extra nickel for knocking off Kansas in Columbia – nor should he.
“What you’re trying to get is a number-one seed, and [Kansas] is solidly a number-one seed right now. And the way that the Big 12 is…I would really be hard-pressed to think they are going to lose more than one or two in the Big 12…which would give them a number-one seed.”
Dave Armstrong, 810 AM
GH: Kansas has not looked dominant during their current roll through the Big 12 but few think they will stub their beaks more than once or twice. But will that mellow-brick road prove to be costly come March? Read on.
“You know what I worry about with Kansas? They may become bored in this [Big 12] conference. I wish there were better teams in this conference. The thing is, the Big 10 is going to make the teams that come out of it very tough and very tournament ready.”
Kevin Harlan, 810 AM
GH: Kansas appears adamant in creating pressure even when the opposition is Texas Tech…or any of the other Big 12 foes. With Mizzou no longer on their schedule, the next six weeks could be rather dull but profitable for Kansas and their NCAA seed.
“Is there a cause for concern with Kansas’ offense?”
Nate Bukaty, on the sputtering offensive attack that continues to keep KU winning and their fans a bit on edge, 810 AM
GH: Elijah Johnson. If he gets his outside shot back, KU will win almost 40 games and be in the Final Four. If not, it could be a frustrating early out inside Sprint Center.
“Boy, they’re starting to get lax on who they put up there.”
Pete Enich, on Bill Self announcing that Mario Chalmers’ jersey will be added to the hallowed rafters of KU’s Allen Fieldhouse, 810 AM
GH: There is often a generational gap in opinion when it comes to retiring jerseys. The old guys hate to see the young guys alongside their heroes. The young guys want their guys to be recognized next to the dusty jersey from yesteryear. Does a player need to be a consensus All American to be knighted inside Allen Fieldhouse? I think not. Chalmers’ shot and his game are more than enough.
“He was a physical presence that we did not do very well with.”
Kevin Stallings, head basketball coach at Vanderbilt, on the dominating play of Mizzou’s 6’9 255-pound Alex Oriakhi in the Tigers 81-59 blowout win at Mizzou Arena, Columbia Daily Tribune
GH: Mizzou is a maddening and remarkably talented basketball team. They looked like an NIT also ran against Ole Miss and Florida. Against Vandy, thoughts of the Final Four danced in my head. Frank Haith has assembled some big-time talent in Columbia. I hope he is able to take advantage of it because his Tigers are fun to watch when they get it rolling.
“If Haith had any thought to play [Laurence] Bowers, who was back in uniform for the first time since injuring his right knee in a collision with Pressey late in the second half of the SEC opener against Alabama on Jan. 8, the coach didn’t act on it. There was simply no need with Missouri taking a 49-20 lead into halftime.”
Steve Walentik, writer, Columbia Daily Tribune
GH: Mizzou had a 32-4 run in the first half against Vandy. 32-4! That is about as dominant as a team can get without scheduling Northern Illinois.
“Four points. One … two … three … four points is all the men’s basketball team from Northern Illinois could manage during a first half for the record books on Saturday. Breaking their own NCAA Division I record for ineptitude, the Huskies made just one field goal before halftime against Eastern Michigan.”
Associated Press
“WHAT: A major announcement regarding a gift to the University of Missouri. This gift will improve and enhance MU athletic facilities as Mizzou continues its transition to the SEC.”
MU press release on Monday, January 28, 2012
GH: Mizzou may not be lighting the SEC up with wins on the field and court but there is no denying the move has been a cash windfall for the Tigers’ facilities. Columbia, Missouri is transforming to meet their new conference’s athletic standards. Whether that strikes you as good or bad, there is no going back.
“I felt like I had open shots against KU that just weren’t falling. Coach got me in the gym and was working with me on my shot, trying to get it back to where it was. Coming into the game it felt good. I was just letting it fly.”
Will Spradling, K-State’s junior guard, Kansas City Star
GH: If Kansas’ success in March hinges on EJ’s outside jumper, so too does K-State need Spradling to get hot from trey land.
“The expectations of fans and people around you change. Maybe we didn’t deal with it. Now we had a reality smack, and we have to get back at it. We have got to get back to where we were and do the things that give us a chance.”
Bruce Weber, on the Cats losing two games after being 4-0 in the Big 12 and ranked 11th nationally, Kansas City Star
GH: The soft Big 12 will offer the Wildcats plenty of opportunity to win games. Weber should take advantage of every one of those weak sisters to build his team’s NCAA seed. I think K-State can and will finish second to Kansas.
“Baylor. Even though they looked horrible against Kansas I still think they have the most talent [to finish second in the Big12].”
Dave Armstrong, 810 AM
GH: Baylor looks great but is far from filling. I just can’t pick them over K-State and Iowa State.
GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24
Hope you are correct about K-State finishing second Greg. Do you think Spradling is a viable Big 12 starter? With his lack of athleticism, missing shots makes him not terribly valuable IMO.
I think Spradling is a legit B12 guard — but he does need to hit his outside shots. Being white doesn’t help him when you consider the eye test.
yeah – and he does most things stereotypical of a white guard. Plays fundamentally sound, doesn’t turn the ball over, hustles and gets charges. If he could shoot like Heslip from Baylor it would be the complete picture.
Long before Roy Williams ever relaxed the requirements for getting a jersey retired at KU, being NCAA Tournament MOP was one of the few things that got it done. Mario Chalmers was a tournament MOP. Enich needs to shut up.
I didn’t take Enich’s comment so much as a slam at Chalmers but more of a sigh that KU, in Pete’s opinion, has been more lax about the criteria of hanging jerseys. Chalmers obviously qualifies even under the old rules. I think Pete was just making an overall observation as a former Kansas student and fan of the Jayhawks’ history.
That’s absolutely correct. The old criteria were really tough and the current ones are much more relaxed. I think (but am not sure) they were that you had to either be a multiple-time all-America, a consensus all-America, Player of the Year or NCAA Tournament MOP. So Enich has a point that they’re getting lax, in comparison to the former criteria, in what they’re now allowing to suffice to get a jersey retired.
But he apparently said this in reference to learning that Chalmers is getting his jersey retired. If Enich wanted to raise this point on reference to Kirk Hinrich’s retirement or in a discussion about Bud Stallworth or Darnell Valentine, well, maybe he’d have a point. But for him to say that upon hearing about Mario Chalmers smacks of a definite “you kids get off my lawn” type of attitude and it’s hard not to think he’s taking a shot at Chalmers.
If memory serves, Roy lobbied to relax the rules with Jacque Vaughn in mind. Hinrich, Gooden and others benefited as a result.
There is a set of criteria that they look at when determining who gets their jersey retired at AFH and a few automatic qualifiers — one of those “automatics” is being named the MOP at the Final Four. End of story.
What Gavin said.
Enich talking shit on Chalmers. That’s rich, coming from a guy who’s biggest accomplishment is making it home from Kenny’s News Room with three fenders on his car. He’s just jealous because Mario actually has something hanging that people can see.
Enich is clueless about anything that occurred after 1970. JH
People speculated last year that Kentucky would struggle in the tournament because they hadn’t been tested in a lousy SEC (which they won by SIX games). It didn’t make a difference in March and April.
KU isn’t as good as last year’s Kentucky squad, but their tournament success will have little to do with the strength (or lack thereof) of the Big 12.
pretty sure spradling is a junior
HB, Thanks for the correction. Will Spradling is a junior.
GH, your thoughts are EXACTLY like mine regarding the extra $25K to Huggins for a win over KU. Two things: 1. I expect anyone making millions a year to have all the motivation they need ever week they cash their paychecks. 2. By paying extra for a win over a PARTICULAR team you admit that you really CAN’T compete with them. Given that, refer back to Item # 1. I hope Huggins takes his check behind his back each week.
So, when does Yael decry this gift to Mizzou as an example of what is wrong with college athletics?
After all guns have been confiscated from white people.
Enich is a K-Stater, not “a former Kansas student”
Joey, Pete spent time enrolled at both KSU and KU. Not sure how often he made it to class at either institution.
my understanding is that they’re not retiring his (Chalmers) number. not sure of the point of “retiring” a jersey without also retiring the number. any clarification on this or did i freakin’ dream it?
I don’t know how it is at most place but it’s probably the same. KU doesn’t retire numbers because there are restrictions on what numbers can be assigned and if they retired actual numbers (as opposed to jerseys), they’d run out of numbers. So they “retire” a player’s jersey, which is just saying they’re going to hang it in the rafters at Allen.
So, Danny Manning, for example, was not the last guy to wear #25. I’m pretty sure Brandon Rush did too. But the “jersey” that says “Manning 25″ is the one hanging in the rafters. That’s all it means.
nobody can wear the name “Chalmers” again.
Really? No one named Chalmers can play for KU ever again?
Not unless his dad gets hired as coach
Getting excited watching MU beat up on VANDERBILT is like admitting you get a boner watching reruns of Roseann.
I have the Hawks as a lock into the Sweet 16. I think they will trip over their dicks and not make it into the Elite 8.
Giving Huggins a bonus for beating KU is like giving Harley a bonus for nailing Katy Perry. Money well spent that will never be spent.
Who is this Pete Eunuch that you speak of?
Cheap Scotch makes you say dumb things.
Agreed the Big 12 is down/weaker but don’t drink the Big 10 kool-aid either. Seems like every year the tough Big 10 gets teams bounced early in the Dance…but maybe with overall down year in college hoops.