The One With Lassie and Luke Axtell

Yesterday, the funniest thing happened. I've been home for like 10 days with this stupid inner ear infection (finally got antibiotics Tuesday and am starting to feel better!!), and my poor dogs are going nuts, especially Muggsy, who needs an outlet for his energy that doesn't involve attacking Chubbs. So he's taken to digging up the backyard since the act of digging releases endorphins in dogs that are actually very soothing. The funny part about this is that he doesn't want me to know that he's digging, so he digs one hole and then digs another hole to fill the one he just dug. So it actually doesn't look like he's digging at all. :) The Lassie part of this story, though, is about Chubbs. Chubbs tattled!! I knew Muggsy was in the backyard for a long time yesterday, so I knew something was up, but I was just going to leave it alone because he wasn't causing trouble. Well, Chubbs came in the house and stood right in front of me and started whining. He never does that, so I got up to follow him. Just like Lassie, he'd go just far enough that I could still see him and then wait for me to catch up. He led me to Muggsy's digging pit! I couldn't believe the little tattle-tale! Muggsy looked terrified when I saw him, but when I realized how he was trying to hide the digging by doing more digging, I just laughed and left. He's out there right now, poor kid. I can't wait until I feel better!!

And now, onto sports, Micah Downs left the team this week because of undisclosed personal problems. I never thought I'd use this phrase, but he's pulling a Luke Axtell! Bizarre. He called Bill Self from Seattle (no one knew he even left) and said that he would not be returning to the team. According to journalists in the area, Downs was a loner and hadn't made any friends on the team. Then, fans on phog.net found his myspace page that had a message from his girlfriend basically saying, "Glad you left Kansas. We aren't in Kansas anymore, Toto (note to non-Kansans -- this joke is not funny or original). I know you have to leave again soon, but I can't wait to watch you play again and go on road trips with you." Weird. So I guess he has a team picked out where he wants to go, maybe Washington or Stanford, where she goes, but he's going to have to sit out a year. It's so weird to me that kids do this. Just go where you wanted the first time.

Apparently, everyone has been down on Self because he didn't try to make Downs feel more wanted, but I'm sorry, Self isn't his dad -- he's his coach. Everyone has trouble adjusting to college, and our professors don't following us around to make sure we have friends. If you're scared to move far from home (which I clearly can't relate to), then don't do it, especially if you aren't even going to make an effort.

And, yes, I have been getting the phonecalls to mock me that yet another player left the team. Like I care that the sixth guy off the bench isn't there anymore. Oh no! Hit me where it hurts -- the benchwarmers. There's too much talent on this team anyway. It would be much better if there were five definite starters and 2-3 guys coming off the bench. This way, there's not so much whining about playing time and rotating rotations.

I think Kansas might have found something that works with Chalmers and Rush hitting their stride and Darnell Jackson becoming the biggest surprise of the season. If they can stick with this lineup and continue to make it work, using Moody and Robinson as role players, Kansas still might be able to make a late run for the tournament. This NIT stuff is just too hard for me to accept. I don't even know when that is!! Any Mizzou fans reading this and want to clue me in?