Heads22 Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/may/25/...mens_basketball Keegan: Jayhawks can run the table By Tom Keegan (Contact) Posted Thursday, May 25, 2006 advertisement The last thing Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self needs is for somebody to start cranking up the pressure on his deep, talented team six months before the season tips off. Still, it’s difficult not to ponder the possibility of KU winning the national championship with an undefeated record, a first by a college basketball team since Bob Knight’s 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers pulled off the rare feat. Sure, it’s a long shot. That’s a given. It’s not an impossibility. Divide the season into four segments, examine each one, and you’ll see it’s not as preposterous as it first sounds. Preseason: The notion gets less outlandish if KU can find a way to defeat defending national champion Florida on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas, the same day, by the way, the Jayhawks play hated rival Missouri in football. It’s possible the KU-Florida game could feature No. 1 vs. No. 2, though North Carolina should have something to say about that. The Jayhawks and Gators both have all five starters back and welcome strong recruiting classes. Winning at South Carolina won’t be easy. Neither was going 9-2 away from Allen Fieldhouse against Big 12 teams a year ago. Defeating Southern Cal at Allen Fieldhouse and DePaul in Chicago shouldn’t pose any problems. The Boston College game in Allen Fieldhouse won’t be an easy one. Big 12 regular season: Quick, name the second-best team in the conference. Time’s up. See, there isn’t an obvious choice. Texas will rely on talented freshmen, but experience is lacking. Oklahoma had a terrific recruiting class that fell apart when Kelvin Sampson bolted for Indiana. Transfers and early exits for the NBA have depleted Iowa State. Kansas State will be better under Bob Huggins, but the Wildcats won’t be a serious threat until his second season in Manhattan. The right answer is Texas A&M. Oklahoma State is talented, too, though it’s a lot to ask of such an inexperienced head coach to finish second. Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State all have to travel to Allen Fieldhouse, which helps KU’s chances of a 16-0 season. Big 12 tourney: It’s in Oklahoma City, and Oklahoma State could be in a position where it needs to play its way into the tournament, so look for the Cowboys to be a tough out here. NCAA tourney: North Carolina brings back enough talent to win it all even before considering the Tar Heels also will blend in the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. Florida played a little like a Bill Walton UCLA team on the way to its first national championship, and nobody should be surprised if the Gators repeat. Other possible champions: Wisconsin, Memphis, UCLA, Arizona. First-round jitters, another tough tourney opponent for KU, should be rendered harmless next March. If the Jayhawks come in as a No. 1 seed, they’ll face a No. 16 seed, a Belmont or a Binghamton, a Boston University or a Birmingham Southern. Having such a deep roster that features so many versatile players — Julian Wright, Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers, Sherron Collins — makes KU slump-proof and difficult to scout. Indiana ran the table in 1975-76 in part because no team was able to answer this question: What’s the best way to beat Indiana? What’s the best way to beat KU in 2006-2007? Tough to say. Yup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
santo=dorf Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 I didn't know Jimbo's Drinker published stuff online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danman31 Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 You're kidding right? I'm beginning to realize why the people of Missouri hate Kansas. I don't really give a s*** about the rivalry, even as a student at Mizzou, but Kansas people are just dumb, ignorant, and cocky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted May 25, 2006 Author Share Posted May 25, 2006 Because Kansas will beat Florida/UNC and run the table in the Big 12. And the Big 12 tournament. And beat Depaul. And BC. And they won't pull a choke job in the NCAA tournament. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danman31 Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 QUOTE(Heads22 @ May 25, 2006 -> 06:42 PM) Because Kansas will beat Florida/UNC and run the table in the Big 12. And the Big 12 tournament. And beat Depaul. And BC. And they won't pull a choke job in the NCAA tournament. Yeah I don't know how you go from a team that's lost 2 years in a row in the first round of the tournament to suddenly talking national title. He mentions Texas being led by a bunch of freshman as a bad thing when that's what Kansas was a year ago and had a good regular season. 6 guys makes a deep team? Yeah, you're right. Kansas is still a ridiculously young team next year, they can talk national title in a year if they don't have guys leave early and can get past the first round. Ok, I'll stop wasting brain cells on this. Ok, one more: they are coached by Bill Self. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aboz56 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 This column was a complete waste of bandwidth. If Kansas loses less than six games next year, I'll be shocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 Pssh, the only team that is going to run the table this year in college bball is SIU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 QUOTE(Rowand44 @ May 25, 2006 -> 07:55 PM) Pssh, the only team that is going to run the table this year in college bball is SIU. Oh Hell Yeah! MVC Kings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 QUOTE(danman31 @ May 25, 2006 -> 06:47 PM) Ok, one more: they are coached by Bill Self. You could have started and ended with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo's Drinker Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 Dumb article, Kansas folks are morons sometimes...This is probably KU's best chances in 10 years though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmteam Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 I stopped reading soon after the whole "Let's say 'Allen Fieldhouse' three times in three lines" paragraph. Use synonyms like "Lawrence" or "at home," even, if you're really desperate. Repeated words in a work that is supposedly by a professional journalist make me cringe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danman31 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 QUOTE(Jimbo @ May 25, 2006 -> 08:51 PM) Dumb article, Kansas folks are morons sometimes...This is probably KU's best chances in 10 years though. This year's team should be good, but next year's should be much better if they don't lose anyone to the pros. We both know that's a big if though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo's Drinker Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 (edited) QUOTE(danman31 @ May 26, 2006 -> 01:26 AM) This year's team should be good, but next year's should be much better if they don't lose anyone to the pros. We both know that's a big if though. I expect Rush to leave, Wright is a serious possibility. 2008 will give us Cole Aldrich, Travis Relford and Tyrell Reed(a hinrich clone). 2007 is our best shot, we our two deep at every spot. PG Robinson, Sherron Collins(so excited) SG Chalmers/Rush, Case, Stewart SF Rush/Wright, Darrell Arthur PF Arthur/Wright and a combination of Kaun, Giles, Jackson at center and PF Edited May 26, 2006 by Jimbo's Drinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danman31 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 Yeah, even if a couple guys go pro they should be better in 07 than 06. Who knows how good that actually is. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but Sherron Collins is overrated. He's a great ballhandler and can score pretty well, but he's not a PG, and too short to be a great SG. He'll be a good college player, but nothing spectacular by any stretch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo's Drinker Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 QUOTE(danman31 @ May 26, 2006 -> 01:54 AM) Yeah, even if a couple guys go pro they should be better in 07 than 06. Who knows how good that actually is. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but Sherron Collins is overrated. He's a great ballhandler and can score pretty well, but he's not a PG, and too short to be a great SG. He'll be a good college player, but nothing spectacular by any stretch. KU runs a two point guard set, Sherron will be the guy to penetrate and dish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchtower41 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 (edited) QUOTE(Jimbo @ May 25, 2006 -> 08:51 PM) Dumb article, Kansas folks are morons sometimes...This is probably KU's best chances in 10 years though. 1998?? I love next year's potential, but they have no Paul Pierce on that team. edit: then again they did have Robertson running the point, where he was serviceable, he was also slower than Konerko. So I'll say 1997 with Jacque, barely making that 10 years though Edited May 26, 2006 by watchtower41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 They said Wisconsin could be a champion. Was anything else said in that article? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.