How many teams do you think have a better roster than Kansas? I'm just wondering how far down from the "weak", "not very strong", "strong" and "very strong" talent pool teams we are.

Thanks for the update.

sorry for trying to look at the positives.

No worries.

That information was much appreciated.

Its a new season how can one not be positive and/or excited?

You're not going to offer the analysis I asked for? :(

Yeah in a few. I am figthing the flu today and neck deep in 2012 budget numbers.

Be patient.

next monday gonna be a long day of fun sports watching.

Man, I forgot about the late start time next Monday. Might have to take the next day off of work.

I'll save you the time. There are probably 10 rosters better than ours in the whole country. Our talent pool is superior to 95% of all other teams in the country, to call it "very weak" is just ludicrous.

yup, got the next day off. I'm considering taking the 23rd off and just having a nice, long week of beer and Maui basketball.

From what I hear David Stern is going to make all players wait at least 2 years after HS b/f being drafted when the new CBA is hammered out so no more "one-and-doners".

Asked for it off this morning.

One of these years I'm going to take off so I can stay up all night for the college hoops marathon that begins after MNF tonight.

I might need a 2nd TV.

I am going to say 7 or 8 that I can think of...

NC
Duke
Kentucky
Ohio St
Uconn
Syracuse
Louisville
Maybe Pitt

I think all of them are a deeper on the bench than KU at this time.

So even if that was true, how exactly would it constitute the "very weak" label?

Memphis, Florida, Vandy (yes, I know they lost but they didn't have Ezeli), and maybe Baylor (talent yes, but can they play). Others would have an argument.

Based on the previous years under Coach Self, Depth was at times our biggest asset. This year we arent as deep and as strong...

What does this have to do with you saying we have no talent on the team?

Where did I say we had no talent?

Here?

If you want to change your mind and say we have top 10 talent on the team, be my guest. I understand you like to say things you don't mean. :thumb:

Not changing my mind and still looking for where I said "no talent"... You showed me "very weak"...

Yeah, my bad. I forgot that the 7th or 8th strongest roster (as you opined) is considered "very weak." Here I thought that having "very weak" talent was synonymous with having no talent.

I'm interested to hear where this came from.

How so? Other than having Cole come off the bench and rape UNC, I can't think of a single instance when our bench helped us win a big game. This ain't Roy's old teams - we aren't trying to gas the other guys into submission.


And other than 2008 (when we *gasp* lost one of our bench players right before the final four and still won it all), all that depth has gotten us nothing when it comes to crunch time.

Its okay buddy, I wont hold it against you...

:thumb:

LMAO

Yet, none of those teams, even the ones originally listed, surpass us in starting quality.

Disagree, but it's just an opinion so no reason to even begin to argue until we see all of these teams play.

Wait, you mean even the list that includes UNC, Kentucky, etc.?

KU is going to be an underdog tomorrow night. First time in ages. Feels weird.

Neither do I. There's absolutely no reason to think that KU can't beat Kentucky tomorrow. Sure, they could easily lose, but I certainly don't understand why people are going out of their way to predict 10+ point and blowout losses for this group on a neutral court against a bunch of freshmen.

Too many here carry a "woe is me" attitude about the most successful program in college basketball.

I actually think it would be pretty hard to find 10 rosters with better players than the combination of TRob, EJ, Tyshawn, and Releford.

UNC, Kentucky, Duke, Ohio State, Syracuse probably...but the rest (UConn, Pitt, Purdue, Baylor, Florida, Memphis, etc) are pretty iffy.

Our starters are REALLY good and they have experience. I'm including that in my valuation.

Whoa now, don't throw me into the whole "blowout loss" group.....I think 10ish point loss, but I think it's going to be close.

Bill Self's teams are 7-0 vs. Top 5 ranked teams since 2003-2004 (#3 Mich. State-2003, #4 Ok. State-2005, #1 Florida-2006, #1 North Carolina-2008, #3 Memphis-2008, #3 Oklahoma-2009, #5 Kansas State-2010).

We've got to petition to play teams like this in the tournament all the way through...wouldn't be any risk of playing down to the competition. :)

I think you're overstating the value of Tyshawn, and especially Elijah and Releford. Withey was a guy Self couldn't even really put on the floor against good competition last year. But, you're a fan so I would expect that and there's nothing wrong with it. I'm a KSU fan and you'd probably think I overvalue the Cat players also.

IMHO, Tyshawn has never been consistent, and just hasn't been someone you could trust night in and night out. Elijah has been the same, but worse. Releford has really never been counted on in a significant way. Other teams are either more talented or more experienced (or both).

As long as you have Self coaching, KU has a chance. He will out coach Calipari easily, and coaching can be a factor early on in the season when the kids are getting into their groove.

Tyshawn is a great player....when he isn't turning the ball over. We'll see how he does this year.

I fully expect a breakout year from Elijah this year.

Elijah and Releford have never actually gotten an opportunity to play significant minutes due to the superior or more dependable players in front of them, so I'm not sure what you're basing that on. The potential level of EJ is enormous, though, he's very much an NBA prospect.

Tyshawn, while inconsistent, has been a very good college guard for 3 seasons now. He best attribute may be his defense, but he's reasonably good at taking care of the ball (despite what some KU fans think) and has a talent for slashing that many don't. Not many programs have senior starting point guards as good as him.

KSU and MU in action tonight if anyone cares.

Nope.

It's 5-4 Loyala over KState through 9 minutes of action. Exciting stuff.

8-6 Loyala with 9:56 left

MU 29 Mercer 15 5:56 left in 1st

Where is a good place to buy tickets?

Was thinking of taking the Family up to the Dec 3rd game.

Wow, those teams went on a real scoring binge there. An entire 2 baskets were scored in a minute.

ticketsforless.com or buy them direct from ku

WTF is this?

it automatically changed the s.4.l. so instead of the number i typed it out. ticketsforless.com

:shrug: Okay....

You had good luck with ticketsforless.com?

Must be some automatic suck for luck thing.

Yes. I like that their are no added fees. only downside is you have to buy them with enough time to ship them to you or pick them up in KC.

I also have got tickets from craigslist

Withey was inured last year and never really got over it.

I think you are severely undervaluing EJ, Tyshawn and Releford. Just because people were playing ahead of them doesn't make them worse players. That's just how Self operates.

Towson down 21-0 in the first 10 minutes to Michigan. LMAO

Speaking with Withey, How did he look the other night...

I missed last friday night as my son was playing in his first state championship game in football...

Got my Tickets for the Ohio State game. Don't ask how or how much I paid for them.

Awful, he had 1 defensive rebound and 4 useless fouls against one of the worst basketball programs in the NCAA.

How did you get them and how much were they?

Your ass.


Alot.

Well shit.. That isnt what I was hoping for. From the replays I have seen, he looked like he has bulked up some in the weight room...

Rebounding isn't about size, it's about attitude and desire. Withey doesn't seem to have it.

Just under 12 hours to go. I can't remember being this pumped about a regular season game.

Heck yeah! :thumb:

It may not be all about size, but that does make a big difference.

Originally published November 14, 2011 at 08:48p.m., updated November 14, 2011 at 11:43p.m. Zach Peters makes it official, signs letter-of-intent with Kansas University

Plano, Texas big man, who orally committed in April of 2010, happy to be a Jayhawk

By Gary Bedore


http://media.lawrence.com/img/croppe...6f48523261b548
Zach Peters officially signs with KU at his house in Plano, Texas.



Zach Peters, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound senior power forward from Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas, orally committed to play basketball at Kansas University way, way back on April 21, 2010.


On Monday night, in front of family, friends, teammates and coaches, he officially became a Jayhawk, signing a letter of intent at a ceremony in the comforts of his own home.



“Back then, it didn’t feel all that real,” said Peters, who averaged 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds a game his junior season. “I knew I was going there and thought it’d be awesome, but now it’s really starting to settle in. I am actually a Jayhawk, not a future Jayhawk. I’m really excited. I know it’s the right choice.”


A good student, Peters actually considered playing for the Jayhawks this season.


Let him explain.


“In April, they (KU coaches) called me up and knew they were losing the (Morris) twins and were lacking a big-man presence. They said, ‘We are looking at your grades. You only need to take two summer classes and could come to KU this next season,’’’ Peters related.


“I said, ‘Wow, I have a big decision to make.’ They wanted me to come play. That meant a lot to me. It showed me they have confidence in who I am as a player.”


Peters, who is Rivals.com’s No. 144-rated player nationally, ultimately decided to return to Prestonwood Christian.


“All my friends were graduating from the year before. I was already looking forward to my senior year and doing what all of them got to do,” Peters said. “I didn’t feel I was ready to go at that point.”


He decided not only to return, but to also play football, which he gave up after his freshman season. Peters, a wide receiver, has 13 touchdown catches and 968 receiving yards for the playoff-bound Lions.


“I’m 50 yards away from 1,000 yards. If Parker (Ash) our quarterback throws me the ball, hopefully I’ll pass 1,000,” he said with a laugh. “We have a good chance of going to state (title game) with the guys we’ve got. I think we’ll make it,” Peters said.


As far as risking injury in football ... “I feel great. I feel refreshed,” he said. “I’ve had a couple nicks, bruises on my legs, nothing serious. It’s nothing basketball hasn’t caused for me in the past.”


He’s thankful KU’s hoops coaches approved of him playing football.


“They joke around with me that they don’t want me to play,” Peters said. “They want whatever I do that makes me better as an athlete.”


Peters chose KU after making unofficial visits to North Carolina, Texas, Memphis, Kentucky, a lot of schools.


His first visit to KU was the Colorado game on Jan. 27, 2007.
“Julian Wright made a faux paux on a breakaway and lost the ball in midair,” Peters’ dad, Tim, recalled. “He landed on his back. Coach (Bill) Self wouldn’t let anybody go out and get him. I think we heard every word imaginable. I said right then, Zach was in eighth grade, ‘Well I guess he’s not going to Kansas.’ Boy, coach Self just let Julian Wright have it. ... Zach (ultimately) made the decision, told himself, ‘If I am going to be what I need to be in the league, I need to be coached by coach Self and coach (Danny) Manning.’ Coach Self and Manning have been as honest as the day is long. If you are afraid of hard work and afraid of coach putting a boot up your butt, you won’t go to Kansas. I think it scares some kids off. But at the end of the day, Zach made the right decision,” Tim Peters added.


http://www2.kusports.com/news/2011/n...etter-intent-/

Yeah, but tell a guy like Andrea Bargnani that. He's one of the biggest human beings I've ever seen in person (7 feet, 270, I'm guessing), but he can't rebound at all. It's not that he isn't capable of it, it's that he doesn't give an effort.

To rebound well, you've got to want the basketball more than everyone else. Some guys don't have it in them (and it looks like Withey might be one of those of those guys).

The interesting thing about Peters is there is talk about KU trying to get him on the team by the end of this season. If Self sees more of this apathy from his rebounders (namely Withey and Wesley), I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen.

I thought that talk was in past tense - he says in the article that he already decided to stay and enjoy his senior year.

JayhawkSlant JayhawkSlant
Just talked to Zach Peters, and the staff asked him to graduate early and play this year. Sounds like the staff really likes him. #kubball
17 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply


I was basing it on that tweet and a few others from yesterday. It's not clear whether he still has that opportunity, I guess. But we could certainly use him if possible.

Good ole Shay - what's he up to these days?

Seriously wishing it was 7:55pm right now.

Heading to The Garden now...time to get hyped.

I think this says a lot about KU, Self, and the "one and doners"

Pics

Ugh, get me through all this Coach K crap and to 8pm.

I figured the KU game wouldn't start until 8:30, but the 'countdown to tipoff' for Duke/MSU is 18 minutes from now... so, KU should be on the court by 9... :shrug:

Damn Big East.....oh wait.

****ing stoked about this... we get to watch a REAL competitive local team!!! (aside from gay ass soccer, NTTIAWWT)

So KU on ESPN later tonight then? I'm posting the question here because I like it when Bearcat feels moved to remind me to update my internet to get more than one site. I can't check myself and I'm working on that Bearcat.

:D