Reality has been restored - new outlook

This is what Illhawk was getting at yesterday, I believe, with the "and/or" comment. (Lousy translation on my part: We are deceiving ourselves by thinking we can win the Big 12 and have postseason success with the current rotation/approach, when in reality we need to take risks asap--risks that might jeopardize the Big 12 streak yet gain us deeper tourney success.)

Let me put more meat on these bones, and the sentiments in this new thread, because I concur.

A stark reality hit me this morning, upon sober reflection, and I think it bears underscoring:

Our current rotation is a notable step down from last year's team.

In fact, it's a carbon copy of last year's team: the one that won the Big 12--woohoo!--but flamed out in the Dance in a lifeless, limp game against trash-talking Greg Marshall and WSU.

Except it gets even worse. The current team is a carbon copy except last year's team had Kelly Oubre, who by the conference season was finally getting some minutes and proceeded to become one of our better, more dynamic players.

This year's rotation? It's last year's minus Kelly, with Devonte in a starter role: Ellis, Selden, Frank, Lucas/Traylor.

No growth, no advancement, no integration of potentially valuable pieces from the bench (Mickelson) or from the acclaimed recruitment pool (Bragg, Diallo, Vick).

Self has obviously settled on Ellis, Selden, Mason, Graham, and Lucas/Traylor as our rotation, and pushed all his chips to the middle of the table around that personnel approach. Bragg's and Diallo's minutes and development? Nothing but an afterthought. And too "risky" as we pursue #12 (playing for the short term--and now badly--while taking our eye off the long-term, ultimate focus: the postseason and tournament success).

As for Mickelson, he might as well be selling Dr. Pepper in the stands while mumbling strange nothings to himself. He's gone from quality minutes to mop-up to "DNP" in key games.

What a bizarre year. And I still submit that we wasted the entire non-conference schedule not actively playing, testing, iterating, evolving, advancing, and gelling with those other pieces on the floor. WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD (we know what we have) WITH THE LEFTOVERS FROM LAST YEAR. And we know where they are going to take us, or not take us, come March.

With the free-fall now fully underway, the question turns to this: Is it too late to shift course?