A Few Steps Short
by Owen on Mar 21, 2010 10:17 AM CDT
in Kansas Jayhawk Basketball
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PrintProgramming Note: Spring football begins this week. We'll take a look at some of those what if's on the basketball court and also look ahead to the gridiron. As for today, they'll be an open thread for those that can stomach watching the tourney, those who can't...see you Monday.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. For every '07-'08 there's a year like '09-'10. Kansas as a program has been great for the last 25 years. They win conference championships at an incredible pace. They manage conference tournament championships more often than most.
Final Fours, Elite Eights, Sweet Sixteens and of course National Championships. Still there are going to be missteps along the way as well. When greatness is the expectation, heartbreak is almost inevitable. I've said all year that winning a National Title is NEVER my expectation, but with this group a Final Four probably was.
If Kansas had been playing on the final weekend of college basketball, that would have been all I could have asked. The Jayhawks would have been conference champions for the sixth straight year. Conference tournament champions and winners of all five matchups in two intense rivalries. Who wouldn't call that a success?
Unfortunately in the most important stage of the season, Kansas didn't get it done. The reality is that this team, the staff and the fans set Kansas up to be judged almost solely based on what they would accomplish in March and April. We had embraced it, greatness was the expectation, but probably never truly the reality.
Go back and look, Kansas had moments of greatness, moments where they looked unstoppable. At the same time there were plenty of slow starts, close calls and late game spurts to put games away. It just wasn't as easy as it felt like it should be. Don't get me wrong, this was a great team, but there were still plenty of reason to be concerned.
A 33-2 record masks a lot of those issues. Was chemistry a problem? Were there injuries holding certain players back? Did this team just lack an understanding of what it takes to be great? Sherron and Cole were part of it, but almost everyone else was new following the national championship season. They had benefited from the title but they weren't part of the struggle to get there.
Perhaps this team could have benefited from another loss here or there. They did win the conference by 4 games, there's room for error. It's tough not to look at what if's, talk shoulda, coulda, woulda's, and even place blame, but what's the point. The Jayhawks came up short. Still I don't envy any other programs success and I wouldn't trade a moment or a thing about what Kansas has. I'm a Jayhawk and the fact remains that the good times typically outweigh the bad.
Bill Self says that the difference between winning championships and coming up short is one possession. This time Northern Iowa came up huge for one possession and Kansas did not. Life goes on, the sun comes up and a new journey begins.
A couple quick sidenotes, I've enjoyed seeing all the new faces here as I've gone back and re-looked at threads and analysis. Welcome to all and differing opinions are great and welcome obviously. What has and still does impress me most is the level headedness of everyone here.
As I mentioned I was on a plane flying during the entire second half so all I knew was the score when I landed. I was irate on the drive home, but a nice 45 minute reading and perusing of Rock Chalk Talk was all the therapy I needed to turn the page. This is a pretty solid community we have here and that extends to schools and sites around SB Nation including Bring on the Cats and Rock M Nation. The season fell short, but the journey was still memorable and incredible.
One other quick story. I'm walking up to the airport bar to try and catch the first half and everyone but one lady was cheering for UNI to beat Kansas as naturally people tend to root for the underdog. I notice the lady in the Kansas shirt and at this point with us down 3 I say to her that, "this isn't what I wanted to see". Her response gave me a very bad feeling. "Oh we're fine, this is what we do. We always start bad and then come back playing good late."
I thought to myself that this lady was right, but you can't win a title or get to the Final Four by playing that way. You can't rely on turning it on and off against good teams for six games in a row. When she said that I had a sinking feeling in my stomach that the upset was happening, she just didn't know it yet.
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Bittersweet
It is hard to believe the season is over. One week ago i was celebrating the conference title win at P&L. It is like 4 mos of watching games and pouring your heart out came to an end in one swoop. I was pondering how to watch the final four and now it will be spent with family. Perspective is a great thing. Spending time with family is recouping time lost. There will be other final fours and for the Jhawks more championships, but watching a grandch
Bittersweet
watching a grandchild grow up will never happen again. Hopefully the day will come when we can all share the Jhawks success together.
A perfect example of March Madness
I don’t think this team’s record masked anything. This was undoubtedly the best team in the country, but when you play single-elimination anything can happen. To second-guess games played in January and February doesn’t really seem necessary. We ran into a team that played very well and got the bounces to go their way, and that’s all it takes in a tournament.
What I am left thinking about is the fact that most titles seem to come after crushing disappointments for major players in years past. UNC got shellacked the year before they won, and lost the year before that by giving a game away to Gtown in the Elite Eight. We lost in the Elite Eight to UCLA in a terrible performance, and lost in the first round to Bradley before that. I think even Florida lost in the first or second round the year before they went back-to-back with the same players. Despite the fact that the winningest player in KU history was on this team and a battle-tested Cole Aldrich was on this team, this is still mostly a young team with players that exceeded or met expectations before. Last year was disappointing when we lost, but everyone (players included) knew we had still done more than could have been asked at the start of the season. This year, we didn’t. And those guys will hate that, and use it to fuel their improvement through the summer. I leave you with this quote from Marcus:
"I know I’ll be back next year, and I’ll be a leader of this team next year. Summertime, I’ll work as hard as I’ve ever worked in my life and try to bring a national championship to KU before I go anywhere [else]"
by 2.1 seconds left on Mar 21, 2010 11:19 AM CDT reply actions
talk is cheap
these chances don’t come along every day, which is what makes it so sad for them. he may work harder than he’s ever worked in his life, but there is a good probability that this team will be much worse next year, with much worse meaning a 4-6 seed in the tournament.
this was the year to take it and put it all together, and now the opportunity has been lost. if something happens in the next two years for this team, it will be somewhat of a fluke, because we are going to go through a 2-3 year down period, i predict.
"He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it felt...he lives vicariously...through himself- He is the most interesting man in the world"
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Mar 21, 2010 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions
I completely disagree.
Do you realize the caliber of talent we have on the bench that has been learning by practicing against this number one team? I will be disappointed if we aren’t at least a 3 seed next year. Bill Self is a great coach.
Much Worse? lol
Do you know the potential of the freshmen? plus Little and Relaford are back, Cole could be back, and so could Xavier.
that's why I qualified what I said
much worse is a relative term…however, do you guys also realize that these same freshmen/sophomores have been learning the same cavalier and entitled attitude towards basketball, from the leaders?
besides, who’s to say that TT and EJ don’t both transfer b/c they’re so frustrated with playing time/role, and Thomas Robinson has some talent but is extremely raw.
i surely understand the potential, but i also understand that there are no guarantees, and that was my whole point in the first place. these guys lost a HUGE opportunity last night.
"He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it felt...he lives vicariously...through himself- He is the most interesting man in the world"
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Mar 21, 2010 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions
You see, what is frustrating about all of your posts,
you aren’t discussing the best and the worst, or what is probably reasonable to expect, you continually just discuss the worst case scenario. I’m sorry, but it gets old.
just wrong
Assuming we only lose Sherron, Xavier, and Cole, we should still have a pretty good team. How would the pieces left over be any less talented than what KSU has now? It would mean TT, Morningstar and Reed have to step up their 3-game, but that’s not unthinkable. We would still be better than them in the post with MM, Robinson, and Withey.
Hell, I would say that team would get a 4-6 seed without ANY improvement over the Summer.
I respect your opinion and recognize a fan's love for his team, but...
it would really have done my heart good to see UK and KU lock up in Indianapolis. My prediction, for the nothing it’s now worth, is that UK would have manhandled you guys — our perimeter defense and dominating interior would have left you nowhere to go. But hey, that’s just a UK fan talking about the team he loves.
I’ve always respected the Kansas program, and the Jayhawks will undoubtedly be back much sooner than later. My fond hope is that we will get the chance to do battle in the final four soon.
Congratulations on an outstanding season, Jayhawks! I truly wish you were still dancing. I mean that.
We're all just a banana peel away from eternity.
ICQ: 591535544
Yahoo IM: jacksbrain
Don't be so sure
Last time your coach and our coach went head to head…I believe…we may have won. Then again all his wins were vacated that year anyways so maybe thats a mood point. Its like a cow’s opinion. Doesn’t matter.
Good luck to Kentucka the rest of the way
Shit happens when you win championships
by Andrew Clark on Mar 22, 2010 8:40 AM CDT up reply actions
I couldn't help but tear up
When they ran the same play chalmers hit the game tying three on in 08, but with Collins taking the shot this time. I don’t know why, but that seemed to hit me hard.
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Mar 21, 2010 11:51 AM CDT reply actions
What bothers me most...
Is that I just don’t think we were playing our best possible rotation. I know I’ve harped on this before, but I just feel like we wasted some incredibly talented players by sticking with essentially the same team as last year- a team we already knew wasn’t good enough.
X was the only newcomer, IMO, that was given the opportunity to play through his mistakes and develop all year. EJ, CJ, T-Rob, Withey- if they had confidence, who knows what kind of help they could’ve provided yesterday.
"Here are our top priorities: recruit, beat Missouri, recruit, win the North, recruit, win the Big 12, and in most cases if you win the Big 12 then you're playing for a National Championship. And then we're going to recruit."
by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Mar 21, 2010 12:00 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
EJ and Withey in particular.
I do believe Aldrich limited the style of play a little bit and that put T-Rob at a disadvantage in cracking the rotation. EJ just looks so damn athletic when he does get in, he could have been a pest for some of the teams we faced this year. Never did get a chance to settle in with any playing time. Of course, Self sees these guys a whole lot more than we do and questioning him on it is kind of crazy but those two guys in particular should have been able to get a few more minutes.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.
All year long, the philosophy was that KU could beat the opponent at their own game
but here it didn’t pan out. Maybe there’s less room for error when you’re trying to beat a team at its own game.
Zapp Brannigan/Dayton Moore quote of the day: "[my most important sabermetric stats are] runs scored and runs driven in"
by SagehenMacGyver47 on Mar 21, 2010 1:23 PM CDT reply actions
I do think that as a team, they felt entitled
and did not give their “A” effort a lot of the time this season. they gave just enough effort to win. yesterday, it bit them in the ass. i think it’s kind of ridiculous that they were so distraught after the game…all of that emotion should have been used on the court, not after they realize what a mistake they’ve made.
we will have future jayhawk teams to root for, and hopefully more conference championships and NCAA highlights. the players on this team are going to have to live with that (lack of) effort and desire for the rest of their lives…i pity them, and i hope that future jayhawk teams and players use this as a lesson to not take the game for granted, and to always, ALWAYS play as if it is your last game.
"He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it felt...he lives vicariously...through himself- He is the most interesting man in the world"
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Mar 21, 2010 1:39 PM CDT reply actions
i think it’s kind of ridiculous that they were so distraught after the game…all of that emotion should have been used on the court, not after they realize what a mistake they’ve made.
I don’t agree with these kind of statements. I don’t think any of us can really understand what it’s like to be or coach one of these kids. On top of being young and therefore highly emotional and maybe kinda stupid, they are under such a huge level of scrutiny, pressure, and expectation. And each kid is different, and there’s so much going on in practice and huddles that we don’t see.
Comments like this that pretend to know about proper basketball mentality are just way off base. The team we got is the team we got. Enough attacking these kids while they’re down.
nobody is attacking anybody
i love our team, but they clearly did not play their A game yesterday, and they clearly played to the level of their competition all year long. they squandered a huge opporunity, and it’s going to suck to have to live with that.
let me put it this way: if they gave their best effort and it still wasn’t good enough, against a team that lost to DePaul during the year, then they were wildly overrated. the only other alternative is that they were not in the proper mental mindset yesterday, and for the entire year really. does anybody think this team was wildly overrated? i don’t.
by the way, spare me the self-righteous bullshit. noboby was attacking anybody here. they’re good kids. just calling it like i see it.
"He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it felt...he lives vicariously...through himself- He is the most interesting man in the world"
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Mar 21, 2010 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions
I agree and Im not going to attack the players
but from what I saw they didnt give their best effort yesterday
Maybe you have never played competitive basketball before,
but sometimes you give it your all, and nothing goes your way. For some reason, things just don’t go your way. Yeah, they are going to regret it, regret losing, not playing well. But i bet they dont say, “Geez, I just didnt care that game and I should have.” I remember my senior year basketball game, and we lost to a team we shouldn’t have because we didnt play well. But we SURE AS HELL played as hard as we could have. You are equating effort to results, which is crap. You think Sherron didn’t want to play well? or he wasn’t trying hard enough? Give me a break.
i would agree with you
if it hadn’t been such a trend all year long…and no i didn’t play basketball competitively in HS but i did play football…i get the mindset.
quick story, and not to make this about me at all…we played in the state championship our senior year, were down at the half but were coming back. our defense held, and on the punt, i roughed the punter because i was trying to be a hero and block a punt instead of doing my job…they went down and scored and basically the game was over. i still beat myself up over it, 22 years later.
not trying hard isn’t necessarily what it’s all about, of course they were trying hard. but for some reason, this team never fully seemed to buy in to what HCBS was selling. they never seemed to buy in on the defensive end like they could have.
one example from yesterday would be TT jacking up threes…there’s no reason for him to be doing that. maybe he was trying to make something happen instead of facilitating the offense like he was supposed to be doing.
"He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it felt...he lives vicariously...through himself- He is the most interesting man in the world"
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Mar 21, 2010 9:39 PM CDT up reply actions
This I can agree with.
but for some reason, this team never fully seemed to buy in to what HCBS was selling. they never seemed to buy in on the defensive end like they could have.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.
Few of us, if any of us
Know what its like to work at something for so long, as hard as you can, play all of those games, and listen to all of the expectations…
Try not to get emotional if you were them,
It could be worse
Picture this-you are a texas fan.
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Mar 21, 2010 2:11 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
please
make a post analyzing who is returning next year.
Will Cole stay around after having a less-than-stellar end of the season?
Is there a chance that Xavier and his brother enjoyed the whiff of tournament play, and now want to come back for more?
If we only lose Sherron, how potentially awesome will our team be?
What the hell is the shape of next year’s recruiting class?!?!
we'll take a look at several questions...
following this game all week and one of those will be a look ahead
53 Conference Championships!! and now 6 IN A ROW!!! Holy Hell...Good Luck with That!!
There is zero chance
that either Cole or Xavier comes back. Cole came back this year to win another title with Sherron. We should be grateful to him for being so selfless and so committed to KU.
Xavier was only here because of the one-and-done rule, as a stepping stone to the NBA.
We’ll probably get Selby, which will be a huge help.
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