Says the scribbler: "There are basketball gods who decide how a team is going to play on certain days. Sometimes, those gods decide a Kansas, for instance, isn't going to shoot the ball well. It's a cruel joke, but there is nothing Bill Self or anyone else can do about it." Well, there you have it: Lutz's annual KU apologist scribbling. You see, KU is just so wonderful to Lutz, that it just can't be any fault of KU or the coach or the team; it's just the basketball gods who are a fault. So Lutz drinks the KU Coolaid again and apologizes for the KU gargantuan ego and basketball deficiencies that are annually exposed by the elitist alleged "mid majors" such as UTEP, Rhode Island, Bucknell, Bradley, Northern Iowa, and the latest Virginia Commonwealth. KU annually starts the season beating up on little sisters of the poor at home by 30 points or more if they can running right to the buzzer, so they can publicize to the basketball raters and convince their players, they are number one and the best thing since the development of sliced bread. Teams like Washburn, Emporia St., Longwood, Valparaiso, North Texas, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and UMKC. They managed to beat USC at home by two points. VCU had to beat USC to play into the tournament, and they did so by 13. So it isn't surprising that when it comes time for the NCAA Tournament KU is a number one seed set up with a soft gimme bracket ticket to the final four. But they usually don't get there even with a gimme bracket ticket, as they have to play some legitimate "mid major" team beneath their KU self perceived dignity, that cares not a wit about KU's self perceived dignity, and refuses to drink the KU Coolaid. They just play quality basketball and attack the KU weaknesses they see. When the KU players are then exposed and forced to play an athletic team with talent that can defend, suddenly the KU players who have been led to believe they are above the world, are shocked and they choke once again. KU never learns as their exhibited gargantuan ego won't let them consider the facts and learn from their mistakes. They just annually put towels over their heads -- sort of like sticking your head in the sand -- Markieff Morris "sobs", Morningstar "battles tears", and Lutz the KU Coolaid apologist busies himself writing about how it can't be KU's fault, it's some non-existent basketball god or gods fault. In short, just stick your head in the sand again this year, drink the KU Coolaid, and come back again for more of the same next year.
Last year early in the second round game with Northern Iowa, Bill Self was racing up and down the sidelines with red face and bulging neck after the first basket by KU, as by 1 minute and 5 seconds gone in the game, Northern Iowa led for the rest of the game blowing out to a 10 to 2 lead. Even that early in the game Self knew he was in trouble because KU's 7' Cole Aldridge was obviously effectively matched up inside by Northern Iowa's 6' 11" center who out scored Aldridge for the game and had just exhibited he could go outside and hit a three. Moreover, it was clear Northern Iowa had the better guards and were pushing the KU guards out another step and a half on the three point attempts, and were precluding KU guards from penetrating into the lane. Self had no one who demonstrated that he could put the ball on the floor and penetrate for a pull up 15 foot jump short, so the future of the game looked bleak for KU and Self knew it. Northern Iowa's coach Jacobson, just stood quietly with a smile on his face arms folded, knowing things were well in hand. Self had the same tight jawed look intermixed with running up and down the sidelines jawing at the zebra's this year early in the game after KU had started 6-0, when VCU ran off something like 17-2, for a 17 to 8 lead. KU's 3 point shooters weren't getting open 3 point shots in their normal range, they were being defended and pushed out some. But says Lutz: "Time after time the Jayhawks got an open shot that resulted in a bad miss." Well, they weren't all open, and many were pushed out a step or so from KU's normal range. And, Lutz exhibits he has no respect for VCU players vis-a-vis the KU all-Americans: The Rams:"were like small terriers nipping at the Jayhawks' heels defensively." In reality, it was more like kicking their be-hinds than nipping at heels. Says Lutz: "Who could have predicted Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar, two of the best long-range shooters in the Big 12, would go a combined 1 or 10 from 3 point range and 2 of 16 overall? Well maybe that is so with respect to the magnitude of the butt kicking, but if you don't get your normal look, don't get to shoot it quite in your normal range, and are not quick enough to dribble drive penetrate against the defender, it's probably going to be a long day. Only Taylor who was 0 - 2 on 3 point attempts, was quick enough to dribble drive penetrate and got his 6 for 9 from the field driving the basket. Says Lutz, in an left handed swipe at WSU: "The Rams have repeated what their Colonial Athletic Association brother, George Mason, did five years ago: beat Wichita State in the BracketBusters, get on a run in the NCAA Tournament and advance to the final four." True, but both only beat WSU by 1 point, and the zebra who made the phantom foul call, did so by looking at the desperation air ball thrown up side arm by Rodriguez with one second to go to put him on the line for two to win by one, and did not look at the players and at the lack of contact, but just raised his left arm as he saw the ball had no chance to make it to the basket. But Lutz is convinced that WSU had a bad year and didn't belong in the NCAA Tournament, notwithstanding the WSU UConn and VCU games. Exhibiting his strident refusal to learn KU Coolaid approach to scribbling, Lutz opines: "Self mentioned that if he watches the tape of the game - and that's not a sure deal - he'll look more deeply for the reasons KU lost. I doubt he watches the tape, though. What for? This season is over and there's nothing to be gained." Well, the season is over, that's for sure, but if you think there is nothing to be gained by studying your deficiencies and mistakes, you are either a brain dead liberal, a KU Coolaid drinker, or both. One has to wonder, if besides the Eagle, Lutz gets paid or some kind or renumeration from KU for his obvious KU apologist scribbling.
Says the AP: Before the game, one of the Morris twins said to Rodriguez: "The run ends here." To which Rodriguez responded: "We'll see". Then having learned their lesson, after the game, Markieff is willing to admit to his gargantuan KU ego: "We let them. We let them beat us." Well there you have it straight from the horse's mouth. VCU had nothing to do with it. It's all about KU just letting VCU beat them. Now why is it do you suspect they would do that, given their gargantuan KU egos and their desire to win the national championship? I don't know. Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe Lutz will favor us with another KU apology.
Fred Marrs
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