1st goal (#14) achieved. Thoughts on Big 12 tournament and NCAAs

Agree with everything you wrote, NotO, and will add...

While ideally the guys would end the season on a 15 game winning streak -- winning the revenge game at OSU and ending the season 34-6 with another Big 12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament title -- we all know the odds are well against it.

BUT if the cards do not fall their way and they do not win either the Big 12 or NCAA tourneys, my last 2 big hopes are
(1) that they win enough games to end with at least 31 wins*, and
(2) they win at least as many games from here on out -- preferably more -- as kensucky, the tarred ones and puke.

I would be happy with them reaching those win levels.
IGWS (but I'll say it anyway) I'd be ecstatic if they managed to win the NCAAT.

*Bill's KU teams have averaged 29.7 wins a year over his first 14 years (2003-04 thru 2016-17).
Over the 11 years since the two Killer B postseasons (2006-07 thru 2016-17), they have averaged 31.3 wins a year.

“Drunk refs”

LMAO!

In most seasons, a Big 12 crown is just an appetizer for me on the way to the NCAAs, when my hope is always that KU will perform at a level commensurate with its superb blueblood stature. This year, however, owing to the nature of the team (lack of depth, loss of Preston, etc.), I adjusted my goals to hoping and praying they could just secure history with league crown number 14. At that point, in my thinking, anything that came after that would be gravy (or a cherry on top, depending on your palate).

I'm still pretty much in this place, because I see a team that could just as easily flame out against a determined 8/9 (Butler? Misery with Porter back in the fold? Yikes) as it could win 4 games to get to the FF.

The tourney can be such a cruel beast to even solid teams, as we discovered with so many heartbreaks over the years. The most recent one for me is the loss to Villanova, when they won it all, which my son and I saw live in the KFC Yum Center*** in Louisville. That was a night in which a Philly-based ref took Devonte out of the game in the first half with 3 ridiculously anomalous fouls. (Josh Jackson last year, anyone? Took him out of the Oregon loss game within the first 3 minutes). We've also been the victim of really horrific shooting nights in the tourney. You'd think that would be less of a threat with this team, since our shooting capacity is so dispersed, and yet we've seen the entire team go cold in losses this year.

So, who knows? I agree with Senex that the field is flawed, just like us. My gut says look out for Villanova, Virginia (improved on offense, to go along with sterling D), and Michigan State. But, again, who knows?

Obviously, like all KU fans, I want us to go as deep as possible, and always want/hope for a crown. But given that this is one of the weakest teams KU has fielded in recent memory (mainly owing to depth), I will be hoping for the best but bracing for something less than that.

In that vein, I also think that KU would be better off if they were NOT a 1-seed again, just in terms of expectations and the national narrative. Even Joe Lunardi is now calling KU the "Atlanta Braves of the NCAA," and folks - truth be told - the narrative has merit. Just as the Braves dominated their division year-in and year-out for so long, but only got one crown, so, too, has KU dominated in the Big 12 but only once in a blue moon grabs the brass ring. In other words, the Jayhawks have proven unable to obtain post-season success that is commensurate with its insane league dominance AND its elite, historical position among the bluebloods. (8, 6, 5, and 3 national crowns for UK, UNC, Puke, and KU, respectively)

We can - and must - do better on that score, or the narrative will always be as stated above. Not only that, but it will always diminish our league accomplishment as well, for those same individuals who point to the lack of elite post-season NC success can assert that KU wins a league that isn't all that great. This is a damning argument when one considers that the last time a Big 12/Big 8/MVC team not named KU won a national crown was SEVENTY-TWO years ago, with Oklahoma A&M (later to be OSU) of Henry Iba days. And if you take away Oklahoma A&M's back-to-back crowns in 1945-46, you are left with zero other Big 12/Big 8/MVC schools having ever hoisted a crown outside of KU. That sad fact won't win you many arguments about how great the Big 12 is.

Now, we know that isn't a fair measure of how strong the Big 12 is as a contemporary power conference, which makes KU's 14-year run all the more remarkable. But for non-KU fans and folks who don't know as much about the Big 12, they can dismiss the KU reign as a mere blip. (ESPN seems to have taken that tack, in as much as their coverage of our amazing accomplishment Saturday night was limited to a couple minutes tucked deep into the sportscast)

Some bottom lines from the rambling above:

* I'll happily pocket #14 and history as our go-to accomplishment this year
* Everything that comes in the tourney is just gravy after that...
* I'm hoping we can hit on all cylinders, avoid foul trouble (depth issues), and make a deep run
* I suspect a 6-game stretch will make bullet 3 exceedingly tough to achieve
* This year likely won't be the year we start tearing down the "Atlanta Braves" post-season problems narrative
* We need to start tearing it down as soon as possible, however, to add the final gold plating to our historical armor
* I love this year's team, regardless. And I love Bill Self, the staff, and the program.
* Long Live KU.

*** PS: In the "Many things we can be thankful for" category, as KU fans, just be glad our lads don't play their home games in the "Kentucky Fried Chicken Yum" center every night! Nobody can touch the barn...

Rock Chalk.

Self might talk about thinking about doing that, but it’s not in his DNA.
Once the games start, all bets are off.

You took the words right out of my mouth, HE.

I think it would be smart to rest them "somewhat" (meaning, play DG and Svi more like 25-30, not 38-40), but the dang guy is just too competitive.

I actually can't stand the conference tourneys. Every year I watch KU dominate in a full slate of league play, earning the title. Then I watch the B12 tourney with one eye closed and a wince on my face, praying for no injuries and for the players to not be too spent. Add that to the fact that, when another team wins it, they get called "Big 12 champs" by the media (as NotO said), and it's very grating.

I wish they could just rest after the regular season for a week, practice, get healed up and fired up, then let it rip. But nope...

gorillahawk wrote: Love the discussion and agree with most everything...except part of the original subject line: "1st goal (#14) achieved"...that was actually my 2nd goal...the 1st goal was to Beat Kentucky!...and that we did!...again...So I've already had a good year with this team...winning the Big 12 Tourney, and even a Final Four and National Championship are always difficult but worthy dream goals...but they would be just more icing on an already tasty cake...and I love icing...and cake... Rock Chalk Jayhawks!

I believe NotO was referring to my annual KU Objectives listing of the major goals for each season that I include at the bottom of every update to the ATWP pinned thread.
#1 is always winning the regular season title.
#2 is always winning the Big 12 Tournament.
#3 is always winning the NCAA Tournament.

I submit that beating an individual team, conference foe or no, is a minor goal along the way to accomplishing the major goals.

I will concur that every year #1 at the top of that Minor Goal list would be beating the first member of the Triumvirate of Evil our beloved Jayhawks face in the early season. Or the honored foe Spartans (though their honor be tarnished today) should they appear first in the schedule. Or the demon spawn Bruins if they be the first.

There is one other, of course, but so foul we do not speak of it here.

John Sheridan, Captain of Babylon 5, on approach to Z'ha'dum.

This one's for you, Freestate69. Your sig line inspired its inclusion. RC!