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The Most Frustrating Kansas Team Ever?
I have been watching Kansas basketball for 26 years now. I remember the first time my Dad and I watched Danny Manning in the 1986 Final Four. I remember how excited I was. I remember how it felt to be a fan of a successful team. I also remember how it felt to lose to Duke wearing our red jerseys. For me the journey was like nothing I had felt up to that point. I have been hooked on the Jayhawks ever since. In that time there have been good teams and there have been great teams. But most of them have been enjoyable to watch. This year's team however has given me a weird feeling I have never felt before. I feel frustrated every time I watch this team play? We are undefeated but I feel like we are simply lacking in multiple areas? Am I crazy?
As it stands today we are sitting at 17-0. We are ranked #3 in the nation. We have the highest field goal percentage in the nation. We have the second highest amount of assists per game. So why do I feel like we are floundering?
My concern and my frustration lies with the players. I don't think they get it. I think this is simply a team full of superior athletes with a very low basketball IQ. Don't get me wrong. That can win you a lot of ballgames for sure. But how are we going to react when we play a smart team like Duke, Ohio State, or Syracuse? Trying to look good or trying to get the last word in is not going to help us against those teams. Making the smart pass, being in position, taking care of the basketball, knowing where you are in the shot clock. Those are things a team with a high basketball IQ does. Do we do that?
I sat through the Nebraska game today thinking to myself these guys just don’t buy in. They really think they can just get by with talent. They don’t buy in on the defensive end. They don’t know how to react to a zone defense. They are more worried about how many oops they can slam down.
A great comparison was made during the game to the 2008 team. That team would go into the locker room wanting to know what their defensive stats were. This team goes into the locker room wondering if they will make Sportscenter or not.
As much as l love my Jayhawks, I can’t stop thinking that this year’s team is just in love with themselves. I pin none of my frustration on Coach Self. He is coaching his butt off with these guys trying to get them to buy in. I’m just not convinced they ever will.
Jason Spencer is a writer for WavingTheWheat.com and can be contacted at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @SpenceSports
I have been watching Kansas basketball for 26 years now. I remember the first time my Dad and I watched Danny Manning in the 1986 Final Four. I remember how excited I was. I remember how it felt to be a fan of a successful team. I also remember how it felt to lose to Duke wearing our red jerseys. For me the journey was like nothing I had felt up to that point. I have been hooked on the Jayhawks ever since. In that time there have been good teams and there have been great teams. But most of them have been enjoyable to watch. This year's team however has given me a weird feeling I have never felt before. I feel frustrated every time I watch this team play? We are undefeated but I feel like we are simply lacking in multiple areas? Am I crazy?
As it stands today we are sitting at 17-0. We are ranked #3 in the nation. We have the highest field goal percentage in the nation. We have the second highest amount of assists per game. So why do I feel like we are floundering?
My concern and my frustration lies with the players. I don't think they get it. I think this is simply a team full of superior athletes with a very low basketball IQ. Don't get me wrong. That can win you a lot of ballgames for sure. But how are we going to react when we play a smart team like Duke, Ohio State, or Syracuse? Trying to look good or trying to get the last word in is not going to help us against those teams. Making the smart pass, being in position, taking care of the basketball, knowing where you are in the shot clock. Those are things a team with a high basketball IQ does. Do we do that?
I sat through the Nebraska game today thinking to myself these guys just don’t buy in. They really think they can just get by with talent. They don’t buy in on the defensive end. They don’t know how to react to a zone defense. They are more worried about how many oops they can slam down.
A great comparison was made during the game to the 2008 team. That team would go into the locker room wanting to know what their defensive stats were. This team goes into the locker room wondering if they will make Sportscenter or not.
As much as l love my Jayhawks, I can’t stop thinking that this year’s team is just in love with themselves. I pin none of my frustration on Coach Self. He is coaching his butt off with these guys trying to get them to buy in. I’m just not convinced they ever will.
Jason Spencer is a writer for WavingTheWheat.com and can be contacted at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @SpenceSports
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