Text
Ok, so I promise this will be the last Kansas link I’ll post for a while (with the exception of any Bill Self related links), but this is just too good: Hilary Declares Memphis National Champions. Reads like an Onion article.
An actual onion article about paper
Text
Interesting subtext in the Memphis vs. Kansas game. Before this season started, Memphis was recruiting (and had commitments from) two towering post players (who happen to be twins): Marcus and Markieff Morris. They committed and decommitted from Memphis twice so that they could go to prep school. Then, they signed with Kansas for next season. Would the outcome have been different if they had signed with Memphis? Who knows… then again, would the outcome have been different if a couple of former Kansas recruits, who played for Memphis this season, had been playing with Kansas: Derek Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts?
Text
My Jayhawks are national champions after playing one of the most exciting and best title games in history. My respect for Memphis grew throughout the season, and I think that it was only until the Davidson game, that Kansas really understood how good they were.
Wouldn’t be interesting, though, if the biggest news in Kansas basketball this week wasn’t their first title in twenty years, but the departure of the coach who got them there. Reportedly, Self’s alma matter Oklahoma State is offering him a contract of $3.5 million a year, plus a $6 million signing bonus. FYI, that’s a boatload of money ( he’s making $1.5 million a year).
Apparently, Kansas’ AD and Self will speak soon (Wednesday, perhaps) and “iron out” some things, with Self citing security as a want- Kansas is already a premeir coaching job, and he enjoys his staff and players. Kansas would be dumb not to extend and fatten his contract, and perish the thought of them doing anything else.
But before the thought dies, I just want to throw out that there are probably a lot of excellent coaches who would love the Kansas job, and just for giggles, I’ll throw out one that I like: one of KU’s current assistant coaches, Danny Manning. He’s been riding pine for a while, and he certainly knows Kansas tradition. If Kansas didn’t like what Self was asking for, they could cut ties, bank on their tradition, program, and (hello!) the title they just won, and go with Manning (or someone better).
That said, I love Coach Self, just like I love Coach Williams.
Rock Chalk Jayhawk Go KU!
