teedubya
06-23-2005, 03:39 PM
Jayhawks get schooled
Alumni win scrimmage, speak out about ‘stuff'
By Gary Bedore, Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, June 23, 2005
One by one, an esteemed collection of former Kansas University basketball players stood and lectured the current KU players late Wednesday afternoon in the Jayhawks' Allen Fieldhouse locker room.
http://media.kusports.com/img/lead/06-23-05_ku.jpg
The to-the-point messages -- delivered by the likes of NBA players Billy Thomas, Drew Gooden, Nick Collison, Greg Ostertag, Jacque Vaughn and Kirk Hinrich -- had nothing to do with the alumni's 101-92 camp victory over the current players at a jam-packed Horejsi Center.
The heart-to-heart talks instead dealt with some off-the-court troubles incurred by the KU team -- notably the May 19 melee outside the Moon Bar.
"If you are going to put on a Kansas jersey, you are going to wear it with pride and respect this school," Cleveland Cavaliers forward Gooden said.
He indicated he made the trip from Ohio to Lawrence not just to play in the annual campers' game, but to convey concern about the school's image to the Jayhawks.
"We kind of heard there's a lot of stuff going on in the media ... the team not being together, acting up, not following the rules," Gooden said.
"I think this trip was more to come out here and try to rejuvenate these guys, refresh their minds. This is tradition basketball. We're not going to let this slide. This is my school. I went here. My blood, sweat and tears are on that floor. My heart will always be here no matter what."
Thomas, who played for the New Jersey Nets this season, scored a team-leading 16 points in the scrimmage; Hinrich, Gooden and Collison scored 15 apiece.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Current Jayhawk Mario Chalmers, in blue jersey, tries to steal the ball from alumnus Kirk Hinrich during a pickup game at the Bill Self basketball camp.
**
Thomas also might have been the most emotional speaker.
"It's gotten a lot more personal. Things that mean a lot to us need to be important to them. We need to carry over tradition," Thomas said.
He and the other ex-Jayhawks touched on the Moon Bar incident in which junior J.R. Giddens, who is back in Oklahoma City, suffered a slashed artery in his right calf.
"We touched on all sorts of things. We're just making sure that's not a part of what happens around here. That's just not acceptable. We touched on being responsible and what they're representing," Thomas said.
Message received.
"I needed to hear that. We all needed to hear that," said KU senior Jeff Hawkins, who hit two threes in the scrimmage. "They basically told everybody to watch what they do. KU is bigger than yourself.
"They talked about how we need to be a family, the years before and what we used to do in the past.
"It sends a powerful message."
**
*6Sports video: KU hoops scrimmage goes old school
*Photo gallery: KU alumni scrimmage
*Hear the players: Post-scrimmage audio clips
*Jayhawks get schooled
*Collison tickled to return to KU
*Notebook
KU sophomore Jeremy Case, who hit five threes and scored a game-high 20 points, said the alumni's talks were forceful.
"We definitely needed that, to hear from somebody that's bigger than us," Case said. "They weren't necessarily mad, just disappointed in us, talking to us man to man, telling us we've got to stick together more, be a team, look out for each other a lot better than we have been.
"Everybody has woken up since the incident. Everybody is being cautious, thinking things through before they act on it."
Case scored twice as many points as any other current Jayhawk. Christian Moody, Mario Chalmers and Sasha Kaun scored 10 points apiece.
Kaun had a vicious slam into Ostertag on the offensive end off a pass from Rodrick Stewart and came right back with a block of a Steve Woodberry shot on defense.
"It was a good experience. I mean, they are NBA players, fast, strong, smart, they know where to go, when to go," Kaun said. "I'm very impressed how they pass the ball and cut. You don't see that a lot in college."
Collison, of Seattle's SuperSonics, said Kaun was a force inside.
"He's the kind of guy you don't like to play against in the summer because he works so hard," Collison said. "He is always trying to seal you in the post. It's easier to play against a guy who's lazy."
Of KU's team, Collison said: "They have got some guys who can shoot the ball, which is always a big thing. Being able to hit shots wins a lot of games."
Gooden also liked the play of sophomore center Kaun.
"Kaun has a lot of upside," Gooden said. "They've got a good team. I think they had us working overtime."
The game was tied at 50 early in the second half before the veterans pulled away. The winning team was the first to reach 100.
"It means a lot to come back and win," Gooden said. "It meant a lot to play the NBA guys when I was here. Now as an NBA player, you've got to come back and win. Pride will overcome immaturity."
Alumni win scrimmage, speak out about ‘stuff'
By Gary Bedore, Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, June 23, 2005
One by one, an esteemed collection of former Kansas University basketball players stood and lectured the current KU players late Wednesday afternoon in the Jayhawks' Allen Fieldhouse locker room.
http://media.kusports.com/img/lead/06-23-05_ku.jpg
The to-the-point messages -- delivered by the likes of NBA players Billy Thomas, Drew Gooden, Nick Collison, Greg Ostertag, Jacque Vaughn and Kirk Hinrich -- had nothing to do with the alumni's 101-92 camp victory over the current players at a jam-packed Horejsi Center.
The heart-to-heart talks instead dealt with some off-the-court troubles incurred by the KU team -- notably the May 19 melee outside the Moon Bar.
"If you are going to put on a Kansas jersey, you are going to wear it with pride and respect this school," Cleveland Cavaliers forward Gooden said.
He indicated he made the trip from Ohio to Lawrence not just to play in the annual campers' game, but to convey concern about the school's image to the Jayhawks.
"We kind of heard there's a lot of stuff going on in the media ... the team not being together, acting up, not following the rules," Gooden said.
"I think this trip was more to come out here and try to rejuvenate these guys, refresh their minds. This is tradition basketball. We're not going to let this slide. This is my school. I went here. My blood, sweat and tears are on that floor. My heart will always be here no matter what."
Thomas, who played for the New Jersey Nets this season, scored a team-leading 16 points in the scrimmage; Hinrich, Gooden and Collison scored 15 apiece.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Current Jayhawk Mario Chalmers, in blue jersey, tries to steal the ball from alumnus Kirk Hinrich during a pickup game at the Bill Self basketball camp.
**
Thomas also might have been the most emotional speaker.
"It's gotten a lot more personal. Things that mean a lot to us need to be important to them. We need to carry over tradition," Thomas said.
He and the other ex-Jayhawks touched on the Moon Bar incident in which junior J.R. Giddens, who is back in Oklahoma City, suffered a slashed artery in his right calf.
"We touched on all sorts of things. We're just making sure that's not a part of what happens around here. That's just not acceptable. We touched on being responsible and what they're representing," Thomas said.
Message received.
"I needed to hear that. We all needed to hear that," said KU senior Jeff Hawkins, who hit two threes in the scrimmage. "They basically told everybody to watch what they do. KU is bigger than yourself.
"They talked about how we need to be a family, the years before and what we used to do in the past.
"It sends a powerful message."
**
*6Sports video: KU hoops scrimmage goes old school
*Photo gallery: KU alumni scrimmage
*Hear the players: Post-scrimmage audio clips
*Jayhawks get schooled
*Collison tickled to return to KU
*Notebook
KU sophomore Jeremy Case, who hit five threes and scored a game-high 20 points, said the alumni's talks were forceful.
"We definitely needed that, to hear from somebody that's bigger than us," Case said. "They weren't necessarily mad, just disappointed in us, talking to us man to man, telling us we've got to stick together more, be a team, look out for each other a lot better than we have been.
"Everybody has woken up since the incident. Everybody is being cautious, thinking things through before they act on it."
Case scored twice as many points as any other current Jayhawk. Christian Moody, Mario Chalmers and Sasha Kaun scored 10 points apiece.
Kaun had a vicious slam into Ostertag on the offensive end off a pass from Rodrick Stewart and came right back with a block of a Steve Woodberry shot on defense.
"It was a good experience. I mean, they are NBA players, fast, strong, smart, they know where to go, when to go," Kaun said. "I'm very impressed how they pass the ball and cut. You don't see that a lot in college."
Collison, of Seattle's SuperSonics, said Kaun was a force inside.
"He's the kind of guy you don't like to play against in the summer because he works so hard," Collison said. "He is always trying to seal you in the post. It's easier to play against a guy who's lazy."
Of KU's team, Collison said: "They have got some guys who can shoot the ball, which is always a big thing. Being able to hit shots wins a lot of games."
Gooden also liked the play of sophomore center Kaun.
"Kaun has a lot of upside," Gooden said. "They've got a good team. I think they had us working overtime."
The game was tied at 50 early in the second half before the veterans pulled away. The winning team was the first to reach 100.
"It means a lot to come back and win," Gooden said. "It meant a lot to play the NBA guys when I was here. Now as an NBA player, you've got to come back and win. Pride will overcome immaturity."