After reading this, it really seemed to me like he was out to bash KU and HCBS. I think I just lost respect for Forde and ESPN is getting on my nerves lately also. The article should of been about VCU’s victory and their run. But no, he had to take cheap shots at KU during it. I doubt I ever read anything he writes again.

No, it didn’t say anything to make Kansas look good and fell back on the “Bill Self struggles in the tournament” line. But what did he say that was incorrect or a cheap shot?

poor decision-making (on and off the court) of this team is something that has bothered me all season. The Morris twins are big and bad but they are also pretty damn dirty. Taylor and Selby both have tons of ability but they can be really bone-headed. This team flamed out because we had no clear senior leadership. If the Morri stay I am afraid that unless they do some serious growing up this off-season this team will once again be leaderless. Still love em but DAMN this sucks

Yes, he is a Mizzou douche and oozes Gold (the guy once wrote that the Orange Bowl should be aired on Comedy Central because he was so butt-hurt over KU making it over Mizzou), but still…

KU gets a pretty favorable bias from the college basketball writers, especially with Bilas, Katz, Gottlied, etc. So whatever.

Let Forde write what he wants. Doesn’t change the fact his alma matter has never made the Final 4.

Forde’s a columnist. He writes his opinion. Yes, his opinion is tinged with anti-KU vitriol he’s no-doubt harbored since his days in Satan’s asscrack Columbia, but it’s still his opinion, which ESPN values enough to pay him handsomely for.

Plus, this crap is not limited to Forde. I heard them say on the radio that ESPN’s “Around the Horn” did a segment entitled “Is Bill Self to Blame?” Local talk radio was filled with “KU chokes in the tournament” sentiment, from KU fans and haters alike. I’m sure you can scour the major sports sites and find plenty of articles written by objective parties saying the same thing.

The one thing I saw that I’ll really take objection to is something that a lot of media folks are doing. They treat the Davidson game from ‘08 as a loss. With the early exit games against Bucknell, Bradley and UNI, people started to see the formation of a pattern, but realized 3 games in 5 years wasn’t enough, so they started reaching. “Well, didn’t they almost lose to Davidson? Let’s call that one choking, too!” Sorry folks, we WON that game. Along with games against Portland State and UNLV I might add, but those don’t help their argument, so they aren’t brought up. Honestly, I don’t put yesterday’s loss in the same column either, since we did lose to a FINAL FOUR TEAM. But, as my subject line reads: whatever.

Yes, we have had some early exits. But it isn’t like we’ve had a one seed every year.

Self has had a one seed four times in the tournament: He won a title once, made two elite 8’s the other two times, and lost in the second round. Honestly, if my coach is going to win a national title one out of every four times he is a top seed, I’m going to take that in a heartbeat.

I mean, lets look at the “ZOMG early exits”

Bucknell – Three seed, by that point in the year that team had NO chance to make the final 4.

Bradley – Four seed, super young team, no chance

UCLA – One seed, lost to a two seed that had made the Final 4 the year before, had NBA players, in what was pretty much a road game. I mean… yeah.

Northern Iowa – No excuse, this was an embarrassment.

So when you dive deeper, Self’s had four one-seeded teams and then some good teams that weren’t winning it all, sorry. And if you aren’t winning it all, or at least making the Final 4, does it really matter when you lose?

Its a story because its Kansas. Georgetown lost in the first round as a three seed last year and a six seed this year. They also had an early exit sometime before those two I can’t remember. I don’t see articles about them everywhere

I’ve been as critical as anyone about Self’s tournament performances, but sometimes you got to put it in perspective. Is there cause for concern? Maybe, I’d say sort of. But its way overblown, and a national title buys you a whooooooole lot of time. I’m willing to give Self that time.