The Republic of Sport

JayhawkRock

JayhawkRock's Comments

Posted Monday December 08, 2008, About: Would Stoops leave OU for Chiefs?

Yes. All of a sudden Tim Tebow has become a top Heisman candidate again. I think people have forgotten that the Big 12 QBs were there all year. He is not the QB Bradford is, and OU has absolutely killed people of late.

Posted Monday December 08, 2008, About: Would Stoops leave OU for Chiefs?

TCU was one of the top defenses in the nation when OU played them. Oklahoma beat them 35-10. Give us all a break with the ignorance, please.

Posted Tuesday November 25, 2008, About: Irish fans pelt own players with snowballs

Well played, sir.

Posted Thursday November 20, 2008, About: Big 12 could get 3 BCS bids

I thought the "best conference" debate was over. Are the SEC guys still trying?? I'll give you "best conference so far this millenium". But this year? Really? The Big 12 South by itself is better than the SEC this year, and Missouri could beat some of those next-tier SEC teams (UGA, ...um...? there really aren't any second-tier teams outside of UGA). Face it: the Big 12 has 3 elite teams, the SEC two. From there, MU and OK State are high 2nd-tier teams from the Big 12. The SEC has one. From there you have the 3rd-tier teams Nebraska and Kansas from the Big 12 and LSU from the SEC. From there there aren't any really good teams in either conference, so unless you want to argue about who has the better bad teams, there's no argument. Florida very well may be the best team in the nation right now, but they have lost. Texas Tech's defense has quietly gotten pretty good recently, and their offense is scary, scary good. Like all-time good. I'd love to see them play each other, but until they lose Tech has to be considered the best team in the nation and the Big 12 the best conference.

Posted Tuesday October 28, 2008, About: Tar Heels propose shorter NBA grace period

I just looked back on the article and noted the title, but I'm sure that's more to catch attention and spin the facts than it is the truth.

Posted Tuesday October 28, 2008, About: Tar Heels propose shorter NBA grace period

First of all, this does not say anywhere in the article that this was proposed by Roy Williams. It simply places his picture there and discusses his situation, so don't go attacking him just yet.

Of course this is a deal intended to help the coaches recruit. There is no other explanation. But in reality, it could really backfire. If it were put in place, say a player who would be a top 5 pick the next year declares and has to stay in the draft as his stock falls. All of a sudden, a coach who could have cited a high number of top 5 or lottery picks no longer has that history to go on when recruiting top talent. This idea reeks of coaches who don't care about their players' future as much as their own personal success, and so I'd doubt that it was proposed by Roy or Coach K. Both of them are too good of teachers and human beings (OK not sure about that on Coach K, but I know Roy is and didn't want the Duke fans coming after me for not including their guy) to push guys out of the door like this rule would do. My guess is you're seeing it from some of the guys in the middle-tier ACC, like Gary Williams, Dave Leitao and Paul Hewitt. But I could be (and hope I am) horribly wrong. In fact I wouldn't be surprised to see it from Coach K, but I'll leave him alone.

Posted Thursday October 23, 2008, About: Nation's top recruit to visit Memphis

By the way, Memphis fans should start to worry, as they've already lost a battle on the recruiting trail (Thomas Robinson) to the same team that ended it's dream in the national title game. They may still get a great group of players, but Calipari can't afford to lose all that top talent and still expect to return to the Final Four.

Posted Thursday October 23, 2008, About: Nation's top recruit to visit Memphis

I don't think the argument is that Memphis didn't deserve to be in the title game or doesn't deserve to be a national contender due to the strength of its conference. However, getting that #1 seed in the tournament is huge. There is often a big gap somewhere between the 9-12 ranked teams in the nation (those that would theoretically get a 3-seed and would most often stand in the way of the #2) and those ranked 13-16 (the teams that get a 4-seed and would, if seeding played out, be in the way of a #1 getting to the Elite 8). So the fact that Memphis piles up wins against mediocre teams in conference and keeps the more damning losses off its resume definitely help it as far as seeding goes, and it's clear that a 1-seed can make the road a whole lot easier than a 2-seed.

That being said, last year's Memphis team was the exception to the rule. That team may be one of the best in NCAA history not to win a title, so I have no argument with them getting a one-seed. They proved everyone wrong who doubted their free throw shooting until it mattered most, but even then they ended up as the #2 team in the nation. That's not bad at all. And yes, last year Memphis may have put up a pretty impressive resume in the ACC, and would probably have finished #1 or 2 in the SEC (the only competition being Tennessee), both of which could have ended up in them receiving a 1-seed anyway. But to say that year-in, year-out they'll be able to do this is wishful thinking. Calipari is stocking his team with one-and-done talent, and those guys won't always pan out or create positive team chemistry like it did with Rose. The teams in the big leagues like the ACC, Big East and PAC 10 (Big 12, SEC and Big 10 are second-tier conferences, really) as well as the "name programs" not in the top 3 conferences (KU, Kentucky and Indiana) will receive more respect than a team like Memphis and deservedly so because they may end up with 3 or 4 losses, but they play far tougher teams overall.

Posted Thursday October 23, 2008, About: T.O.: Romo better than McNabb

When does TO get called out for racism? After all, that's the requisite response to McNabb criticism.

Posted Thursday October 23, 2008, About: Report: Recruit picks Jayhawks over OU, UT

And on a side note, no college basketball program has contributed more to college basketball than KU's. The inventor of basketball (Naismith) and "Father of Basketball Coaching" (Phog Allen) were both coaches at KU, the man who changed the game (Chamberlain) refined his game at KU, and numerous legendary coaches got their start at or played for (or both) KU, including the founder of the consistent tradition at UNC (Dean Smith), the man who rescued UNC's pride (Roy), and the man under whom Kentucky experienced its greatest success (Adolph Rupp), and as mentioned before, Wooden came to Lawrence to learn from Naismith and Phog Allen. Kansas, then, can be linked to the successes of three of the winningest programs in college basketball history. The only elite tradition schools that can't look to KU and thank them for their basketball tradition are Duke and Indiana, and Duke and Coach K owe a lot of their success to Bobby Knight, although, contrary to popular belief, Duke had an elite program before K.

Posted Thursday October 23, 2008, About: Report: Recruit picks Jayhawks over OU, UT

Uh...you have no basis for this argument. I looked back in the Rivals.com database, and as far as it goes back with team recruiting rankings (to 2003), UCLA has been the #1 team only once (this year-2008). Other than 2008 (KU was #2) and 2007 (KU was so loaded with talent they didn't have scholarships for new kids), KU has beaten UCLA in recruiting every single year. Other than this year, UCLA has been beaten in the rankings by at least one of those teams, and oftentimes all three. This is not to say that UCLA is not an elite team or that Ben Howland is not a brilliant coach, but he has been unable to attract recruits to Los Angeles like Self, Roy and Coach K have been able to recruit them to cities that offer less of a national stage. Yes, UCLA has a great history, but much of that history is based around one coach who was able to draw the top talent from around the country to Los Angeles in the 60s and 70s. Ben Howland has won without this high-level talent, and this year he has it. But to say that he or UCLA as a program recruits better than the others in the "Big Three" (UCLA, KU, UNC) or even Duke is in direct contradiction of the facts.

Posted Thursday October 23, 2008, About: Report: Recruit picks Jayhawks over OU, UT

Please. I love Roy Williams. I think he was the best college basketball coach in the country...until last year, that is. He has 3 less overall losses than Self? Really? You're going to use that to say Roy's better? Roy has been a head coach at TWO programs. TWO. Kansas and UNC. I realize the original post was simply talking about each coach's legacy at KU, and Roy is the more accomplished coach overall, but to use wins and losses when Roy has coached at two national powers and Self coached at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas. In essence, you're comparing ORU, Tulsa and Illinois to UNC. There is absolutely no comparison there. In his first two years at ORU, Self was 6-21 and 10-17. Since then, he hasn't won less than 18 games in a season, including his first year at Tulsa (19 wins) and Illinois (27 wins). Roy had an unfair advantage in this argument by starting at KU.

And if you want to go deeper into the statistics, think about this; Bill Self, in his 5 years so far at KU, has improved his winning percentage almost every year, the only dip being between 03-04 and 04-05, when he was reloading the program and they started the year 3-4, only to finish at 23-7. He is scary good as a coach, and the numbers he's producing are absolutely incredible. Bill Self is the best basketball coach in the nation (and I reiterate, I LOVE Roy), and if you disagree with me and think Roy's better, you can reference April 5th, 2008. If the way the 'Hawks came out versus the way the #1 overall seed Tar Heels did and the way a 7th-man freshman really dominated the POY doesn't prove Self is better, I don't know what does.

Posted Monday October 13, 2008, About: Giants interested in Gonzalez

Yea...TG will draw defenders from the receivers and open up big plays, while still doing all the dirty work necessary in the run game. He's such a complete player and such a great possession receiver/3rd down & red zone threat. He has an uncanny ability to always know exactly where the first down marker is and to get there in clutch situations. No team would be making a bad decision if they got him, even if they overpay. If you're in position as a contender, this move is only going to help your chances.

Posted Monday October 13, 2008, About: Giants interested in Gonzalez

Simple. He may be "no bum" but he's also "no TG". Worst case scenario he gets a few years learning from maybe the greatest receiving TE in NFL history while still getting playing time spelling an aging veteran and concentrating on run- and pass-blocking while lining up in 2 TE formations. Win-win for the Giants.

Posted Monday October 13, 2008, About: Giants interested in Gonzalez

I don't think anyone in KC would have any negative feelings for Gonzalez if this were to happen. We love the man too much to make him deal with this, and by the time we're able to use him in any sort of playoff run he won't be able to run. I hate these kinds of deals though because they won't get a real high pick for him and as much as it's an exchange for potential in exchange for a few years of an all-star, the guy is an all-star and has played like one for forever in KC. Getting a future backup O Lineman in exchange for a class act and perennial all-star just leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but I'll be rooting for whatever team he gets on.

Posted Sunday October 12, 2008, About: Mizzou defense feels sting

<--Hates to say he told you so, unless it's to Missouri fans.

Posted Saturday October 11, 2008, About: Mizzou defense feels sting

It matters how the defense plays because one of these games, the offense WILL struggle, and with the quick-strike capabilities of most Big 12 offenses, the defense will have to win them (or at least not lose them) a game or two. It happens to every offensive powerhouse at some point.

Posted Thursday October 09, 2008, About: Mangino to address obscene KU chant

As a KU student, I'm torn on this. On one hand, it's absolutely hilarious, because oftentimes TV stations that come in don't realize just how loud and clear it is and don't cover it with crowd noise, and the more articles that are written in the University Daily Kansan and things that are said about it, the louder the students get. As far as the parents who complain because they bring their kids to games, I'm sure a bunch of drunk college students (myself included) are going to do things worse than yell out a word that every parent has used around their kid at least once (and if you're one of those parents who avoids it at all costs, I'm pretty sure you shelter your kids too much to bring them to a violent football game anyway). The only thing that bothers me about it is that I'm afraid it makes our students look like complete jack***es, which is entirely not the case, as you can see by our basketball games.

Posted Wednesday October 08, 2008, About: Bengals coach on hot seat?

At some point the character issues have to come into play. I'm not sure who is ultimately responsible for them, but the coach is the easiest fall guy. I like Marvin Lewis, but his team isn't getting younger or healthier, and the personnel decisions have been horrible. I have to question his most recent track record and whether it gets him a DC job...I know he was good as one before, but Cincy hasn't exactly been a defensive powerhouse of late...maybe it's a situation where he is now looking at being DC for a bad team rather than a good team...?

Posted Wednesday October 08, 2008, About: Teixeira good fit for Yankees?

"Teixeira is the ultimate Boras client"

The Yankees, though, are the ultimate Boras team. They have decided that buying talent instead of developing it is the greatest way to win and win quick, and they're finally paying for it (in more ways than just out of pocket). Never mind the fact that the Rays are showing this year the benefits of DEVELOPING a team and having some sort of team chemistry, the Yanks should just go out and buy another overpriced player and play well below their talent level. Until they realize that they won't be able to continue their great tradition without a good system to develop young talent, the Yankees will be mired in a costly downward spiral as model franchises like (and I can't believe I'm saying this) the Rays will continue to show improvement.

Posted Wednesday October 08, 2008, About: Plaxico shows no remorse

There's an obvious lack of professionalism, and that should be addressed. It was when they suspended him (why they extended his contract, especially when Coughlin is known as a "strict" coach, is a different issue entirely). Why should Burress be sorry for it? Whether he was doing family things or not is a moot point. I kind of like the guy more for not being the typical no-personality No Fun League player that simply spits out sound bites written by his agent. He's not sorry, and there's no reason to be. What's done is done, and he'll go out and perform well as he always has. Let's get over it.