The One With the Long (Lost) Season
Yes, it's going to be a long basketball season, as if it wasn't already. I thought this would be the year that KU finally lost to K-State, but I certainly didn't think it would be at Allen Fieldhouse. I guess it's just one of those years. Ask me in a couple of years and I probably won't even remember that this happened.
It's a neat trick that I learned last year. Let's face it, Jayhawk fans, the worst is behind us. The worst thing that could have ever happened to me, as far as being a sports fan, is that team, last year's team, losing in the first round just to watch a Roy Williams-led North Carolina team win the national championship. Ask me about it and I'll tell you that there was no tournament last year. I'll tell you, "The weirdest thing happened. They just didn't have the tournament." I said the same thing my freshman year when a Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce team lost in the second round to the University of Rhode Island. I couldn't even tell you who won the the tournament that year. I didn't watch another minute of basketball after that. If you ask me about Roy Williams, I'll tell you that he mysteriously died five days after KU lost to Syracuse in the national championship game.
I actually remember these things, unfortunately, but I started to notice that certain things I'll forget. For example, Graham started teasing me about how bad KU lost to Villanova last year and I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. I realized that I can't remember anything about last year. I have to really think about it to remember who KU beat and lost to, and it was only after talking to Mindy for quite awhile that I remembered that she talked me through the Villanova game on the phone because I was doing a school tour at the plant on a random Saturday. But I never would have remembered that if I hadn't had two people trying to remind me. Crazy, huh?
So it's quite possible that if you ask me about this year's Kansas team, I'll simply say, "I don't remember." I'll probably always remember that there were 13 guys with talent on the team, but no go-to guy. I'll remember that everyone was young and kept waiting for someone else to step up so the team lost almost every close game they played in. I'll probably remember that the Rush kid played for us. But as far as wins and losses, I think this will be another lost season.
It's a neat trick that I learned last year. Let's face it, Jayhawk fans, the worst is behind us. The worst thing that could have ever happened to me, as far as being a sports fan, is that team, last year's team, losing in the first round just to watch a Roy Williams-led North Carolina team win the national championship. Ask me about it and I'll tell you that there was no tournament last year. I'll tell you, "The weirdest thing happened. They just didn't have the tournament." I said the same thing my freshman year when a Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce team lost in the second round to the University of Rhode Island. I couldn't even tell you who won the the tournament that year. I didn't watch another minute of basketball after that. If you ask me about Roy Williams, I'll tell you that he mysteriously died five days after KU lost to Syracuse in the national championship game.
I actually remember these things, unfortunately, but I started to notice that certain things I'll forget. For example, Graham started teasing me about how bad KU lost to Villanova last year and I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. I realized that I can't remember anything about last year. I have to really think about it to remember who KU beat and lost to, and it was only after talking to Mindy for quite awhile that I remembered that she talked me through the Villanova game on the phone because I was doing a school tour at the plant on a random Saturday. But I never would have remembered that if I hadn't had two people trying to remind me. Crazy, huh?
So it's quite possible that if you ask me about this year's Kansas team, I'll simply say, "I don't remember." I'll probably always remember that there were 13 guys with talent on the team, but no go-to guy. I'll remember that everyone was young and kept waiting for someone else to step up so the team lost almost every close game they played in. I'll probably remember that the Rush kid played for us. But as far as wins and losses, I think this will be another lost season.
posted by Rachel at
6:58 PM
7 Comments:
I hope there will be one game that we'll remember this year. That will be the game that "the guy" stepped up and took charge of the team. Who's "the guy"? No one knows. But, until some one steps up to be the leader, it will be a forgettable season.
By
Diana, at 5:03 AM
Damnit, there should be an exam when you come to play basketball for KU. Who can you NOT, under any circumstances, lose to at Allen Fieldhouse. Answer? K STATE!
It's about tradition, freshman, TRADITION! Isn't that why you came to play ball here? Wake up, pass the ball like you mean it, play with some damn heart.
Other than that, I say "K State game? No, I don't believe we've played K-State yet this season."
By
Monica, at 9:14 AM
Mon, I completely agree. What K-State game? I guess we didn't schedule a home game with them this season.
Pheobe, There is no guy. If there was, he would have shown himself against K-State. I'm very disappointed. I'll be surprised if we see any one guy step up for more than a couple of games in a row.
By
Rachel, at 11:03 AM
I agree. No guy. Rush was the guy for like one game. Now he sucks again. I think they still expect things to get handed to them b/c, you know, they're sooo talented and they won all their HS games, so why not? I don't sense a work ethic. Where is the dedication? Your fans expect more!
By
Monica, at 1:56 PM
I'm sorry but did they not have to pass the ball in high school? Did they not have to shoot free throws? I think these things come pretty standard, yet at one point during the Mizzou game tonight, which I am furious about by the way, they had six turnovers in nine possessions and then three straight in the second half. Some of these were just bad passes. One that sticks out is when there were THREE open Jayhawks that were all overthrown as the pass went out of bounds. What is this?
Was Collison not awesome in college? Hinrich? LaFrentz? Gooden? Pierce? This list could go on awhile so I'll stop, but give me a break. All of the players who come to Kansas are awesome in high school. I'm tired of hearing that B.S. excuse that these kids aren't used to playing as a team. The season is more than half over. LEARN!
Mindy said that the general consensus from Illini fans is that Self is a great recruiter but bad game coach. I'm beginning to see what they mean.
Tonight, Ross said to me, would you have expected Hinrich to make a shot like that in a big game as a freshman? The answer is yes. I watched him. I watched Langford, Simien, Collison, Miles, Pierce and Gooden all step up as freshmen. And that's just while I was in college. I watched f-ing Boschee do it, for God's sake.
I'm tired of excuses. This team isn't going to make the tournament. There is NO excuse for that. Not at Kansas. Not ever.
By
Rachel, at 7:57 PM
Guess we'll have to start saying what until football season...
By
Rachel, at 9:05 PM
Oh ... that last one sickens me.
I just have to add ... JUMP BALL?!? Are you f-ing kidding me? Seriously, when is the last time you saw a jump ball call? Junior high? I believe that's also the last time Moody was able to MAKE A FREE THROW.
Pretty much didn't speak to anyone at work on Tuesday.
Perhaps we can beat Nebraska on Sat. If not, we may have to boycott the rest of the season. Oh, and rename this damn blog.
By
Monica, at 3:13 PM
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