The conversation probably went something like this.
Phone Rings. Coach Self answers.
Self: This is Self.
Larry Brown: Hey, coach, this is Coach Brown calling to congratulate you. Nice win. Nailbiter. But congrats on winning the conference.
Self: Thanks Coach. It was tough, but we have a resilient bunch of kids. Get down 14 to an explosive team like Texas, with their athletes, and our guys nutted up when they needed to……huh…whaaa??
Brown: Oh cut the horseshit Bill. The Texas kids shoot like Charles Oakley. And the one that can shoot, that little f*cker with the sleeve… Iverson wannnabe, I’ve seen better shot selection in an NBA all star game. Explosive?! Holy hell, who are you talkin’ to?
Self: Well, they were shooting well in the first half. And that Turkish kid, Balbay, he’s a player. He was blowing by Sherron like photographer row was giving away free baklava. Dropping dimes to the big kid. And James, well, he’s such a heady player, it didn’t matter who we put on him, he exploited…huh..whaat..
Brown: Oh shut the hell up, Bill. Congratulations, but I’m also calling you to give you shit. I saw what you did in the second half. I saw that bullcrap.
Self: Saw what, Coach?
Brown: I saw that little amoeba one man zone bullcrap junk that those crazy sumbitches like Valvano, Tark, and Mossimino used to run. The Turkish kid, the big kid, and James were just killing your man and you had to resort to that junk shit. Nice adjustment. For a woman. Collins playing that one man zone, Morningstar chasing the Abrams kid, and your other 3 just playing a little matchup shell. I get it. Cut off penetration, chase their shooter all over the court, and make the other four shoot over the top. Hell it worked, and you got a win. Crap, I even called out Tommy Izzo when he played some box and 1 in their game in Houston. At least I didn’t call you a pussy.
Self: Well, uh, thanks Larry. I appreciate it. Tried it your way in the first half and we couldn’t keep them out of the lane, I even tried some zone for a possession. I didn’t want to do anything different, after I tried that little box and 1 against Memphis last year and caught so much hell for it, and then the zone against Tech last week, I caught all kinds of hell from the boys, and, uh, whaaa…
Brown: Oh shit, Billy, come on I was just joshin’ you. You got to do what you got to do. But congrats on the win. Hey, let me let you go, my agent is calling on the other line, so I’ll holler at you later. You big puss. (Click)
Self: F’ you old man. Take your one pass away wing denial bs and shove it straight up your job hoppin’ a$$.
Okay, I took some liberties in that convo. Larry Brown is a great coach who ran some innovative shit like a trapping 1-2-2 during his stints in college. And Bill Self is the best coach in the big 12 if not the best coach in America. But you could tell the first half was frustrating for him because he couldn’t stop Texas playing his base. His defensive war-daddies Collins and Morningstar couldn’t keep Balbay and Mason out of the lane. Kudos to Self for adjusting in the second half exploiting Texas’ weaknesses.
Collins played his one man zone, Morningstar chased Abrams shooting hand, and Morris, Taylor, and Aldrich played a shell that begged for jumpshots. It’s a winning formula against Texas. That and wait for AJ Abrams to get an itchy trigger finger and you’re set. I also felt that Damion’s deep accuracy was fool’s gold all along. You knew it, I knew it, and apparently James and Self knew it. James stopped shooting and Self was begging him to.
Look, Kansas is the better team. They’re better basketball players, they have more playmakers, and they’re more poised. The only advantage Texas had was they were able to matchup defensively with KU’s studs because of Pittman and Balbay. As long as Texas could keep KU in a halfcourt they had a shot. Enter some bad shots from AJ with under 5 to go leading to run outs and secondary 3 balls, and poof, 35 minutes of solid basketball is all for not. Who’s surprised?
A couple of random thoughts on the game.
Balbay’s athleticism becomes more apparent and more astounding with every game. If he develops any kind of a jumper, he can be an all American. His court athleticism, awareness, and basketball IQ allow him to thrive in college without one, but when guys are playing in the paint instead of guarding him, he hurts the ball club. I’m anxious to see him surrounded by 3 good shooters and/or perimeter players to open up the floor to mitigate his shooting deficiencies. The current squad is the worst possible complement to Balbay’s skillset.
Pittman. Well we called the fact that he could handle Aldrich one on one. Dex played about even with Cole and quite frankly should have dominated the talented pivot had it not been for 4 or 5 point blank misses. Dex left about 10 points out on the floor tonight and it cost the Horns dearly. He has to kill those looks to become an elite player.
I thought Mason played his heart out, and even looked solid on the one 3 he missed. He had seven boards which is unreal against a frontline that includes Morris and Aldrich.
Gary Johnson hit his first jumper and missed the next 4. You can’t fault him because it was his first game back and he usually hits those. GJ had a beautiful lob entry to Dex.
Clint Chapman is starting to show the game everyone thought he’d have going into the year. Needs to get stronger.
I don’t normally complain about officiating, but I don’t think Pittman and company got the same whistles that KU did. I don’t think it cost Texas the game but it was frustrating. If Pittman was allowed to set high ball screens like Aldrich was allowed to today, Pittman might decapitate someone. The walk call on Dex before he even made a post move was comedy.
I love, love, Sherron Collins. You can tell he’s from Chicago. He’s fearless and relentless going to the hole. There’s a guy on our team that should take note. Unlike most Chicago ballers, Collins can flat out shoot it.
AJ Abrams, what can you say? He could really help the team if he used his ability to shoot for good instead of evil. He needs to mix in a dribble drive like Mark Mangino needs to mix in a salad.
Damion James played free and loose and you saw the results. When he’s not thinking and just playing, he’s a baller. I’d love to see him back.
So hey, we’re in the tourney, and that’s all you can ask for. Perhaps the NCAA tournament opponents won’t be able to afford scouts and/or video equipment, and maybe they’ll guard us like KU did in the first half. Maybe not.
Thoughts?
Also, please check out awiggo @ BON and our friends at Oread Boom Kings for a bit about the game and the Phog.
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Scipio Tex said:
March 7th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Self: This is Self.
I thought this was a Camus essay for a minute.
ponderos said:
March 7th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
You left out the part where Roy started sobbing.
The General said:
March 7th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Good write up, TR. That about covers it. I really enjoyed watching these guys for about 35 minutes tonight.
I hope GJ is right for the Big XII tourney.
SkymonkeyHorn said:
March 7th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Can anyone in this haven of BB knowledge explain to my feeble mind why Master Blaster keeps running the same scheme of screens for AJ that have not worked for the last 20 games or so. Did I miss AJ run a pick and pop from the top of the circle with conner or James or did I just dream that up?
Why do we not let players with 3-4 fouls continue to play as we never go back to them so they never foul out, great coaching ???
I would rather Dex go hard for another 5-7 minutes and foul out then just sit so he does not foul out later. James was great for 23 minutes but then you sit him????
Bob in Houston said:
March 7th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Balbay’s crying need for a pull-up j was exemplified by the set-ups for Johnson. Balbay charged into the lane, couldn’t get to the basket, and desperately pitched the ball back to Johnson. I have no basic problem with the Johnson jumper, but it’s not good enough of a shot as soon as he misses two.
RRR said:
March 7th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
good stuff, Trips.
I would like to see more of the post-game I saw today in the Big XII tournament. Unfortunately you play CU first, and their defense is so bad that you’ll advance on the standard AJ triple-pick crap.
I want to see more Balbay, Mason, and James penetrating to the paint, drawing help and dishing to Dex/Chapman for chippies. Either that or James/Johnson in the high post. But don’t label me a Big East fan because I said that.
This is not the same team that entered Big XII play. It continues to evolve, in a good way. We’ll see what happens next week.
Bob in Houston said:
March 7th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I agree with Barnes (not that he would be in the position to agree with me) that this team now is playing the way they need to play, or at least understands how it has to be. Pound, pound, pound some more.
CrazyJoeDavola said:
March 7th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
“You can tell he’s from Chicago.”
He tried to trade you some of his unrealized future earnings for a good write-up?
GingerBalls said:
March 7th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
I like the way Balbay plays…in that Gottlieb/Jacque Vaughn mold. The level of his game is completely determined by the talent around him as you said. You won’t have that issue with Kabongo.
As for the fouls; that’s the way we like inside the old barn. There is no doubt we get the benefit of doubt at home, though Morningstar got hosed multiple times guarding AJ.
Dex, as you mentioned in your preview, was a beast today. He will be a force for you next year.
It always seems to be a shootout between KU-UT, always two teams playing at a high level(well, going back to ’06.) Maybe one of these years a team could win on the road.
Marky M is going to burst through the wall of your house Kool-Aid style at any moment now for that salad comment Trips.
beowulf said:
March 8th, 2009 at 4:02 am
If this dysfunctional, bipolar, schizoid, going nowhere team had won, OU would have been co-champs of the Big 12. It’s the only saving grace of the day that Texas didn’t put OU in that position.
Now, back to baseball, Spring Practice, and gridiron recruiting.
RansomStoddard said:
March 8th, 2009 at 4:34 am
We lost this game the same way we have lost so many others:
1. Our best and only shooter gets completely covered up by someone named Robby Morningdew or Morningwood or whatever. The name doesn’t matter because you’ll never of him again. Because we are the only team in America that can’t devise sets to free up our shooter, he finally gets frustrated and throws up an off-balance 30 footer on a critical possession. It leads to points for the other team. Really frustrated now, the shooter commmits consecutive turnovers.
2. Our other supposed star mistakenly believes basketball is played in 20 minute spurts and takes one half off.
3. Our spastic pg kills the offense because the other team effectively plays 5 on 4 to diss his jumper.
4. No one steps up at crunch time.
5. Our power forward, who is just an athlete who signed up for basketball because he needed a PE credit, wanders onto the court and shoots long range jumpers with an awkward shooting style. One happens to clang in.
6. Like a dog with a chicken bone caught in its throat, the other team hacks up an off-balance 35 footer that banks in.
Repeat steps 1-6 ten times.
EyesOfTX said:
March 8th, 2009 at 9:15 am
All I know is I’m not going to be even a little sad to see AJ Abrams’ eligibility expire. Not even a little.
Diego said:
March 8th, 2009 at 11:36 am
“All I know is I’m not going to be even a little sad to see AJ Abrams’ eligibility expire. Not even a little.”
Amen.
Fuzzy said:
March 8th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I think you means “all for naught” but a good write up.
We need to set better screens. Barnes teaches our guys to set legal screens but after watching Tech and KU play, Big 12 officials have no idea that setting a screen is essentially equivalent to having the basketball – you can rotate on one foot or stand there, but if you’re moving both feet or extend your arms it’s illegal.
We should be teaching our guys just to walk around until they run into AJ’s man.
Bob in Houston said:
March 8th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Better stay off KU boards. They think Rick Barnes invented the moving screen.
The General said:
March 8th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Moving screens in Big XII Basketball = Holding in Big XII football.
Except the moving screen thing is a problem throughout basketball.
Bob in Houston said:
March 8th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
It’s not as big a problem as people constantly switching pivot feet.
commish said:
March 8th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
“AJ Abrams… needs to mix in a dribble drive like Mark Mangino needs to mix in a salad.”
Classic.
The General said:
March 9th, 2009 at 9:25 am
“I like the way Balbay plays…in that Gottlieb/Jacque Vaughn mold.”
GingerBalls,
I may have a horrible memory, but Jacque Vaughn was a solid shooter, no?
hiphopopotamus said:
March 9th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Solid may be a bit of a stretch, but he was certainly a couple steps above Dogus and Shorts on Backwards. He wasn’t looking to shoot, but he could knock down an open three a decent amount of the time.
What I’m hoping GingerBalls meant was that their entire effectiveness is predicated on being able to push the pace, get in the lane and by always looking to pass first.
GingerBalls said:
March 9th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
@ The General:
Jacque Vaughn wasn’t as bad of a shooter as Dogus and Doug(in my memory he was worse than his stats though.)
His senior year he has 33% from 3pt, though he was a career 38% 3pt shooter…which obviously is not bad(34% 3pt in the NBA fwiw.)
But yeah, the point was that he was a pass first guard that had an uncanny knack for making his already solid teamates that much better. Balbay definitely seems to fit that mold…if he could just become a 30% shooter from deep that would be something. Looking at his stats from this year he is 0/3 from distance, ouch.
Facebook User said:
March 9th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Three plays from Dogus that were amazing:
1) The rejection of Sherron’s layup attemnpt along the left side of the lane.
2) The rebound where he got submarined and still passed the ball to a teammate whil falling his head to avoid a travel call.
3) The interception moving across the lane from his left to right in transition.
Those were all moves that jumped out at me.
Obviously his ability to get by folks who are three steps off of him is pretty cool too.
@ hiphop and ginger – Congrats on another title, you bastards.
The General said:
March 9th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I would give Sailor’s left nut for Jacque Vaughan on this Texas team. BTW Jayhawks, this conference title BS is growing tiresome.
Is Sherron Collins going to leave?
hiphopopotamus said:
March 10th, 2009 at 6:27 am
I’d bet just about anything that he’ll declare. After that, it’s all up to what he hears and what he chooses to believe.
Selfishly (and logically) I think he’d be better off to come back for another year. But I’ve seen players make much worse decisions than this one would be if he were to leave.
Art Vandelay said:
March 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
When did coaches (especially Barnes) decide fouling out is worse than losing?
NVHorn said:
March 10th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
“All I know is I’m not going to be even a little sad to see AJ Abrams’ eligibility expire. Not even a little.”
I was happier with the knowledge that AJ has played his last regular season game than I was disappointed in the loss. Thank God he is almost out of here.