Posts Tagged Kansas

Jayhawk Talk Podcast Episode 4 – Late Night!

Posted on: October 17th, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

Courtesy of CJOnline

In Episode 4 of the Jayhawk Talk podcast, the guys discuss this last weekend’s Late Night in the Phog festivities, touch on some KU basketball recruiting, pontificate on Self’s rotation this year, and applaud the effort of the football team against OSU. Oh, and the triumphant return of Stat Boy! (#FF @KUStatBoy on twitter). Come on in, have a beer, and enjoy!

Here’s where you can find us:

On iTunes or iPhone

On JayhawkTalk

On your (non-iPhone) mobile

Please rate and comment on iTunes if you like us. It helps a ton. And, as always, thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

ROCK CHALK!

 

 

Wayne Selden is a Jayhawk

Posted on: October 15th, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

Good news on a Monday morning is sometimes hard to come by. Luckily for KU fans, this Monday is different. Wayne Selden, a talented 2013 shooting guard, just committed to Bill Self and Kansas.

Selden was on campus this last weekend for Late Night in the Phog and wrapped up his visit Sunday morning. There were various reports on twitter and elsewhere that people had seen him out with the team this weekend and he seemed to really be enjoying himself. The commitment this morning apparently confirms those reports.

He is the #23 ranked Rivals player in the class of 2013, #15 in Scout, and #14 in ESPN. You can see some highlights of his game here.

It is great to see the 2013 class starting to come together. With commitments from a true point guard in Frank Mason, two combo guards in Frankamp and Selden, and a wing in Greene, Self will now turn his attention to landing a talented big man (or two) to round out the class.

 

Chances for a great 2013 class?

Posted on: October 3rd, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

(Editor’s Note: The following piece is a guest entry from KU fan and blogger, Chris Resor. He will be writing for Jayhawk-Talk this season and we’re stoked to have him! Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisResor)

Many Kansas basketball fans enjoy the recruiting season nearly as much as they enjoy the basketball season.  As such, there tends to be a common theme to the questions that I am asked most often.

“What’s the chances we get so-and-so?”

This can be a difficult question to answer, because each recruit seems to have a different set of deciding factors important to them. There’s also the important questions of opportunity to play and the system they will play in. This article will help address many of these questions for each of KU’s 2013 targets. Who’s visiting when?  What positions are open?  What do the players value most?  What other teams are recruiting these players?  And so on.

Based on all of the above factors, I will give you my best guess on the chances that each player signs with KU when all is said and done.



Julius Randle and Zach Peters

Julius Randle:  (6′-9 F Plano, TX)  Former teammate of current Kansas Forward, Zach Peters, Randle is considered the top player in the class by many experts.  He can play any position and can star with any ensemble of players, so roster spots are irrelevant.  UK is making a major push, and is considered his leader at this time.  However, Kansas is trying to secure a visit to Lawrence for “Late Night in the Phog,” and if Bill Self can do it, consider KU to be a major player in the race.  But at this time, I would put KU’s chances of landing this stud low, at 20%.

Aaron Gordon:  (6′-8 F San Jose, CA)  This Blake Griffin clone is considered a long shot to leave the west coast, but the fact that he is attending “Late Night” tells me that he is giving KU a puncher’s chance.  Bill Self is going all in on guys from 6′-8 all the way up to 7′-0. Since the visit hasn’t happened as of this being published, I have to stay low for the time being - 10%.

Jabari Parker:  (6′-8 Chicago, IL)  Jabari Parker’s recruitment has been played as close to the vest as any I can remember in recent years.  There are rumors that Duke and Michigan State lead for his services, but there has never been any good evidence that would suggest that this is the case.  Kansas’ in-home visit recently at the Parker household was “eye opening” and made a great impression on Parker and his family.   Again, with this recruitment being one of the most secretive in recent memory, I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting this above 20%.

Tyler Roberson:  (6′-8 F Roselle, NJ)  The fact that he has moved back his visit from October 12th (Late Night) to the 19th shouldn’t scare off the KU faithful.  It was mostly due to his hectic schedule in the weekends that surround that date.  There is still a chance that he could attend Villanova’s version of Midnight Madness.  Villanova and Kentucky are major players in this recruitment, but KU sits well with him.  KU’s chances, 40%.

Wayne Selden throwing down

Wayne Selden:  (6′-5 G Tilton, NH)  One of the most explosive players in the class, Selden is being sold the idea of coming in and being the typical Bill Self combo guard.  With the ability to play 3 positions, competition on the current roster should not affect his decision.  His decision to attend “Late Night” has put KU right at the top of the list.  With James Young more than likely choosing somewhere other than KU, Selden seems very likely to take that scholarship.  This number is about as good as a sure thing in the recruiting process, 75%.

Conner Frankamp:  (6′-0 G Wichita, KS)  No one has risen in the rankings as much as the sharp-shooting guard from Wichita has this summer.  Frankamp’s explosion at evaluation camps, and his play for the US team this summer has ensured that Kansas will have a bonafied star in the back court next season regardless of who else chooses the Jayhawks.  Since he cannot sign his LOI at this time, he is on the list, but believe me this kid is 100% a Jayhawk!

Brannen Greene:  (6′-7 F Forsyth, GA)  Similar to Conner, having already committed to the Kansas Jayhawks, this smooth shooting SF has to be on the list since his LOI is not signed either.  Having recently stated that other coaches are actually still actively recruiting him, he reaffirmed his commitment to Coach Self personally in recent weeks, so we must put him at 100% also.

Joel Embiid:  (7′-0 C Gainesville, FL)  Having only been playing basketball for about a year, this seven footer has quickly became a household name.  Dave Telep’s man crush will push him to a 4 Star ranking by the time he finishes his senior season.  He is another of the “Late Night” visitors, but I believe this big man will stay home in Gainesville and join his AAU teammates, Chris Walker and Kasey Hill, on Billy Donavon’s squad next season.  Bill Self’s record with big men gives him a foot in the door, however. I think 20% sounds about right.

James Young:  (6′-6 G Rochester Hills, MI)  Although it has been rumored that Young has cut his list to two recently, Kansas and Michigan State are still sitting neck and neck with the two rumored leaders, Kentucky and Syracuse.  Unlike others on the list, where particular players decide to play their college ball will determine where Young decides to go.  Any combination of players committing to any of these 4 schools would sway Young’s decision in my mind.  With this being the case, I would assign each school an equal chance of landing Young. KU: 25%.

Frank Mason

Frank Mason:  (5′-11 G Petersburg, VA)  This fearless PG was the leading scorer in the state last year, and after committing to Towson last season, has spent a year in prep school to get his academics in order.  His game will remind some of Sherron Collins, in that he is completely fearless when it comes to getting to the paint.  His recent visit was put off due to a transcript issue with the school, but should visit Lawrence as early as Thursday, and a commitment is very possible before he leaves.  Whether its this week or later, I would put KU’s chances of landing Mason at 90%.

Karvier Shepherd:  (6′-10 C Dallas, TX)  All 3 Texas schools, Oklahoma, and Kansas are on the top 5 for this gifted big man out of Dallas.  It was recently rumored that Texas A&M and Kansas were close to landing Shepherd, but I still think all 5 are legitimate contenders.  Again, Self’s recent success with big men is a big help in this recruitment.  KU stands a great chance at landing Shepherd, and in the recruiting business, a great chance is around 60%.

Roddy Peters (6′-4 G District Heights, MD)  Bill Self has jumped into this recruitment late because of the recent commitments of his first 3 choices to other schools.  But with the chances of the Harrison twins potentially choosing Maryland later this week, Peters is now open to several different schools.  Self was at Suitland HS on Tuesday to watch Peters, and has set up an official visit so KU is going to be an option, but right now, those chances are low - 20%.  However, if the twins should choose MD on Thursday, Peters to KU jumps to 50%.

To recap, in this business, anything over 60% is about as close to a sure thing as you will find.  With that in mind, I think the 2013 class will eventually include the following:

Conner Frankamp, Brannen Greene, 
Wayne Selden, 
Frank Mason, 
Karvier Shepherd
. 

Whether its Selden, Mason, and Shepherd, or any combination of the aforementioned, to go along with the solid commitments of Greene and Frankamp, there is 100% chance that the 2013 class will be one of the best in the Bill Self era.

 

Is the “Wildcat” here to stay?

Posted on: September 25th, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

Matthews certainly looked the part on Saturday afternoon

On last week’s Jayhawk Talk Podcast, we made the argument that KU’s best wide receiver may be our running back, Tony Pierson. On this week’s podcast, we argued that KU’s best wide receiver might instead be our quarterback, Dayne Crist.

Stay with me here.

I’m referring of course to the “Wildcat” formation package (some prefer to call it the “Jayhawk” formation) that Charlie Weis featured for a number of snaps in the Northern Illinois game last Saturday. The package was designed for Christian Matthews, a dual-threat quarterback turned wide receiver turned… quarterback.

Matthews had not been able to find the field much as a wide receiver, but that might change now that he has potentially found his niche. Recruited by Mangino back in 2009 (which seems like ages ago in KU football years), Matthews was at one time a talented high school quarterback that threw the ball for 5,042 yards his junior and senior seasons. That two-year span included a 44-16 TD:INT ratio and a completion percentage of 65%.

Let’s all reflect for a moment how nice it would be to have a 65% completion percentage from KU’s quarterback position.

I digress.

Traditionally, the Wildcat/Jayhawk formation works best when it is used as an element of surprise. Say you’re a defender and the opposing team breaks huddle with 10 seconds left on the play clock. You’re a safety that was about ready to stack the box against the run. Next thing you know, the offense sends its star quarterback (with a laser rocket arm) all the way out wide. You are forced to quickly adjust the defense because the secondary must now account for the quarterback as a wide receiver. It’s now 10 on 10 instead of 11 on 10.

For the most part, KU ran this package with the above-referenced personnel on the field. Unfortunately, the element of surprise was not all that strong since Matthews rarely sees the field as a wide receiver. In the future, savvy defenses will know that if Matthews checks in, the Wildcat will be coming.

Not that it changes a whole lot.

After all, defense is built on simple math. You always want to have one more guy than the offense can block. But when you face the Wildcat, that advantage is lost because the cornerback must give the quarterback spread out wide a cursory look – at least until the play has started.

By then, hopefully, it will have been too late.

Matthews looked very good running the Wildcat offense. He made great reads of the defense and for the most part chose the correct option. He carried the ball five times himself for 43 yards.

One thing he did not really do is pass the ball. And if Weis is going to keep this package around beyond the NIU game (which he definitely should), the threat of a pass must be there to keep the defense honest. As referenced above, Matthews has been a competent quarterback at one time in his career. The next step in employing a true Wildcat package is to threaten a pass occasionally. If it’s not there, tuck it and run. The threat is all that is needed.

The NIU game was the first game I’ve really been able to follow real-time reaction on Twitter, since there’s not really any service at Memorial Stadium.  Every indication was that KU fans loved this new offensive wrinkle. Perhaps because it was actually effective! We moved the ball well throughout the second and third quarters when the Wildcat was loose.

And then, just like that, it was caged again.

Should Cummings be running the Wildcat over Matthews?

Weis turned back to a more traditional offense throughout the 4th quarter because NIU began to stretch the perimeter of their defense. While I understand his reasoning, I disagree with it. A good read by the Wildcat quarterback will negate that adjustment by sending a few HB dives at the defense. After all, KU has the personnel to make them pay for it. After a few of those, hit the fake HB dive and play action it to Ragone. Who cares if you miss? It sets up the sweep once again and you’re back to where you started.

It sure beats 3 straight passing attempts and a punt.

Think about what defenses are doing now to KU when Crist is under center. Through four games, the Jayhawks have basically written the defensive game plan out for the opposition:

  1. With Crist in the game, do not concern yourself with game planning for any downfield threat. Single coverage will always suffice.
  2. Instead, focus solely on stacking the box against a very competent running game. Mix in a lot of blitzing because, again, your secondary will be fine (See #1).
  3. By the 4th quarter, rotate in as many blitz packages as you have on the Rolodex. By this point, the offensive line will be toast and you’ll be able to blow up most runs before they get started. And, if you’re lucky, perhaps Weis will have transitioned into calling every 7-step drop passing play he can find in his own Rolodex. It will turn into a sack party. Rinse and repeat.

I should be clear. The Wildcat does not cure these deficiencies. And I’m not arguing KU should go to a full-on Wildcat formation offense. What the Wildcat does do is force defenses to read and react instead of just barreling downfield at the quarterback every play. It allows more offensive playmakers to be on the field at the same time. It is easier for our O-Line to block. It opens up the potential for some trick plays later in the game (or in future games). Hell, if Pick is on the field, you have three competent QBs who could pass the ball to somebody.

More than anything, KU demonstrated that the Wildcat can be effective, which is more than we can say for the traditional offensive sets Weis has been throwing out there.

My last point on the Wildcat/Jayhawk is this: Does anyone else find it interesting Weis chose Christian Matthews to run it and not Michael Cummings? As many of you may know, Cummings is listed #2 on the depth chart and was recruited to KU just the same as Matthews as a dual-threat quarterback.  He has every bit of the running ability as Matthews, but with a much, much better arm.

Personally, I think Weis is scared to death to see Cummings enter the game and outshine his golden boy. You think there is quarterback controversy now… imagine if Cummings was given a package and just killed it?

We’d be looking at Jason Swanson over Barmann. At Reesing over Meier.

Cummings over Crist? Unfortunately, barring injury, we’ll never know who really is the better option for these 2013 Jayhawks.

For now, let’s at least hope the Wildcat is here to stay.

 

KU, TCU by the numbers

Posted on: September 17th, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

It was better than many expected. After such a devastating loss last weekend to Rice, Kansas looked much improved in many facets of the game. Unfortunately, the offense could not capitalize on the opportunities the defense gave them throughout the game.

It was one of those games that Kansas certainly could have won had the offense been able to finish drives. It could also have been a 30 point loss had TCU taken better care of the football. I’m not sure how much we learned about the team other than it was sure nice to see the players compete their butts off for 60 minutes. This was not always the case last season.

Sticking with the weekly feature, here are some numbers and stats that jumped out to me about the game and the season thus far:

6 – Number of receptions Tony Pierson caught. I have argued for the first two weeks that Weis was crazy to not try to get him involved in the passing game. It was so good to see him succeed in this role, and I am hopeful it is only the beginning. With James Sims returning next week, I’d like to see both of them on the field at the same time, with Pierson lined up in the slot.

12 – Number of KU turnovers forced in 2012. For some comparison, KU only forced 18 turnovers all of last year. Now if we could just get the offense to score some points off those turnovers.

37 – Doherty’s new range. He made one over 30 yards! I should note he also kicked a field goal from 37 yards last year too, so he matched his career long. His range is established, Charlie. Don’t test it.

13.0 - Average yards per kick return in 2012. Good for 4th worst in all of FBS football. We have got to get better in this department.

12 – Tackles by McDougald on the game. He had 9 solo tackles and two forced fumbles as well. Unfortunately he was a little lost in coverage a few times, but overall had a solid game.

3:58 – Amount of time KU had the ball in the 4th Q. Tough to mount a comeback when the other team has the ball the entire quarter. One KU 4th Quarter drive lasted 23 seconds (3 straight passes and out).

25% – KU 3rd Down conversion percentage in 2012. Bottom 5 in all of FBS football in this department. For a team that has a good offensive line and running game, this number should be much higher. Perhaps the development of Pierson on a quick toss will help raise this percentage.

20.3 – KU average points per game in 2012. For some comparison, Oklahoma State is averaging 62.3 points per game, West Virginia 55.5, Baylor 55.3. The second worst in the Big 12 is Iowa State at 28.7. Seven of the ten Big 12 teams average 46 points or more per game.

100 – Receiving yards for Turzilli on 3 receptions. Loved seeing Turzilli get involved in the passing game. Provides a big target for Crist. Could have had many more yards had he pulled in a couple catchable balls.

2 – KU running backs in the top 5 of the Big 12 in rushing yards. Impressive that both Pierson and Cox are among top 5 backs in the Big 12. The addition of Sims may cut into Cox’s carries, but he has proven to be a great all-around back when called upon. Best stiff-arm since Jon Cornish.

48.7 – Crist completion percentage against TCU – He went downfield much more in this game, which contributed to this percentage. His receivers also dropped a few very catchable passes. However, it still isn’t pretty. He had quite a few opportunities to check down after going through his progression and he failed to do so. Hopefully he’ll start to rely on the underneath route a little more, which should help open some things up.

Rock Chalk!

Note: We’re very excited to be going forward on the Jayhawk Talk podcast. Follow me at @JayhawkTalk on Twitter for more information. The first episode should be up on the website and iTunes this week!

KU, Rice by the numbers

Posted on: September 11th, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

Yikes. I argued that we didn’t learn a whole lot about this Kansas team the South Dakota State game. The competition was not very fierce, and it was easy to chalk up a few defensive gaffes and some juiced throws to nerves and rust that accompany many openers. We learned much more about KU on Saturday.

And it wasn’t pretty.

Crist was the easiest target for blame on a day where there was a lot of it to go around. He lacked focus and precision. He seemed flustered and rushed at times when he did not need to be. He looked capable in the first half, connecting on a few nice out patterns and a post or two in the middle of the field. But it did not take long for the Rice coaching staff to discover that KU has absolutely ZERO downfield threats. And with that, came the blitzes.

The running game, which literally carried us to a victory in the first game, became strained once it was apparent that the receivers were irrelevant. And the two-score lead which KU built on a nice drive to start the second half dissipated with every missed opportunity (read: field goal).

The blitzes will continue. So will the 8 (or 9) men in the box. Weis will need to show a little more creativity than he showed on Saturday to be anywhere near competitive against TCU.

Despite the poor tackling in some circumstances, I was not overly disappointed with the defense. Rice scored 24 points against UCLA in the first game. If you told me before the game that we would give up 25, I would have taken it. There’s no excuse for missing open-field tackles, but I get the feeling last year’s defense would have given up 40 to Rice. You might recall that defense. You know, the 120th ranked defense in the nation.

Oh, and if you’re curious, Rice was the 111th ranked defense last year…

Now, for some more numbers.

12 – Rice’s road game losing streak. Rice snapped its long road losing streak, which dated back to a September 11, 2010 32-31 victory at North Texas. If you’re curious, Kansas will look to break its own 13-game road losing streak this season, which dates back to a 34-7 win at UTEP on September 12, 2009.

8 – The number of Rice defenders in the box on nearly every 2nd half play. Crist, Weis, and the wide receiver corps (sans the injured Kale Pick) made defense very simple in the second half. Rice had the option of either (a) blitzing the hell out of KU off the edge, or (b) stuffing the box with 8 defenders. KU was forced into a one-dimensional offense that could no longer rely on the run and play-action. It worked.

2 – The number of 100+ yard rushing games for Tony Pierson in 2012. TP rushed the ball 19 times for 120 yards, good for a 6.3 yard average. His partner in crime, Taylor Cox, also pitched in 15 carries for 79 yards (and a TD), good for a 5.3 yard average. Hopefully these two can continue their success against TCU. It will likely depend on Weis and Crist’s ability to make the ‘Frogs defense at least halfway respect our passing game. (Note: I’m still waiting to see Pierson in the slot to get him some action in the passing game).

29 yards or less – The distance KU should attempt field goals the rest of the season. Ron Doherty is now 2 for 5 on the season, with makes from 22 and 29 yards. For every kick beyond 30 yards, it has not been pretty. On a more cheerful note, he is a phenomenal punter (8 punts on the season for an average of 46.9 yards).

93, 94 – The yards KU gave up on two Rice drives. Thanks in large part to…

10 – The amount of yards our defensive backs were playing off Rice receivers all game. This is one aspect of the game that was so infuriating to watch from the stands. Rice knew it. Kansas knew it. We all knew it. The underneath routes and hitch routes were open the entire game. And Rice was smart enough to take advantage of it. It isn’t all a lack of horses at corner. Campo clearly doesn’t have much faith in our linebacking corps in pass coverage either.

0 – The amount of games KU will be favored the rest of the season. I hope Weis has been practicing his “underdog” speech. Because we will literally be the underdog in every game for the rest of the season. Which leads me to…

1.5 – The Over-Under on the amount of wins KU will have this season. I’m taking the over, but barely. I think we’ll sneak a win somewhere we don’t deserve, similar to a Georgia Tech in 2010. You might remember that win came directly after a devastating 6-3 loss at home to North Dakota State. Not terribly unlike a devastating 25-24 loss to Rice. Perhaps TCU is in trouble?

I know the picture painted above is somewhat bleak, but hang in there, KU fans. We knew his was a rebuilding season. It’s not going to change overnight. I just hope we see a little more creativity out of our coaching staff going forward. After all, we don’t ask for much as KU fans. One thing we do ask is to not be embarrassed. Let’s start Saturday.

Rock Chalk.

KU, SDST by the numbers

Posted on: September 4th, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

It wasn’t exactly pretty.  But it was a win. And around here, we’ll take those most days. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that a guy named Turner lost his first game as KU’s head coach to a directional Dakota school. So this was a good start. And I think most can agree with that.

I’ll have more analysis throughout the week leading up to the Rice game. The point of this post is to provide a few numbers from the game and analyze how they impacted the final score. It will be a recurring post throughout the season to help paint the bigger picture before re-watching the game film for more in-depth analysis.

(1-0) – Charlie Weis’ record at KU. You can’t win them all unless you win the first one. Congratulations to Coach Weis and his staff on #1. Hope it is one of many during his tenure in Lawrence.

(30%) – KU’s efficiency on 3rd/4th down. Kansas actually moved the ball pretty well on Saturday. The team just had some difficulty finishing drives. This number helped contribute to that. Against better teams, we will need to improve our short yardage third down conversions.

(4.7) – Crist’s yards per pass average. For only completing 47% of your passes, you would think the yards per average would be higher. You would especially think so after watching the first play (43 yard bomb). It was a forgettable game for Dayne. I expect this number to be higher in every future game Crist plays under center at Kansas.

(99) – We don’t need to go into this one. Blah.

(7.6 and 6.2) – Yards per rush for Taylor Cox and Tony Pierson, respectively. Each ended up with 100+ yards rushing on the day. Incredible effort by both guys and good blocking up front as well. It will be interesting to see what the breakdown is among all the talented RBs once Sims returns.

(11-21-09) – The last time Toben Opurum played offense. He ran as the lead block on Pierson’s red zone touchdown run. Looking forward to seeing him in this capacity more this year.

(2) – The number of interceptions Bradley McDougald pulled in. It is the first time a KU defender has had two in the same game since Darrell Stuckey did so against Missouri on 11/28/08. It was also two of the four overall interceptions the team pulled in.

(2) – The number of blocked punts KU registered in the game. It was the first time KU has blocked multiple punts in a game since 10/23/04 against Oklahoma.

(0.0 and 27.3) – The average kick return yardage for KU and SDST, respectively. This will have to be an area of practice this week. Our kickoff coverage was not great. It will be interesting to see if Weis puts a few more starters on this unit. We’re also going to have to find a way to get a touchback once in a while.

573-569-58 – The overall record of the KU football team. KU will need to win a few games this year to keep this record from entering the red.

More analysis to follow in coming days and weeks. Looking forward to watching this team grow throughout the year.

Rock Chalk!

 

 

With Walker committed to UF, where does KU turn now?

Posted on: July 22nd, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

Chris Walker, 2013 power forward, has committed to the University of Florida. Bill Self and Co. will now turn their sights on Julius Randle, the #2 ranked player in the Class of ’13. The competition will be stiff to get him. He is reportedly high on Kentucky, NC State, and Duke, but said he will take all 5 official visits before deciding on a school. Kansas will likely be one of the remaining five schools.

However, even if Self is unable to get Randle on campus, KU is in good position with a number of other bigs from the class of ’13. Kansas has and will continue to recruit Jermaine Lawrence (#19 Rivals), Karviar Shepherd (#34 Rivals), Jarell Martin (#13 Rivals), Marcus Lee (#33 Rivals), Austin Nichols (#43 Rivals), and Jordan Mickey (#51 Rivals).

More updates to follow.

 

#KUBBALL Tweet-up

Posted on: July 20th, 2012 by jayhawktalk No Comments

(Editor’s Note: The following is courtesy of Katherine Hollar.  She is a huge KU fan and great follow on twitter at @katiehollar. We met at a KU basketball game in Lincoln when she tried to run me over with her car (allegedly). She’ll be providing JHT ongoing updates about an exciting film project coming soon to a theatre near you!)

Attention #kubball fans — Late Night is still a few months away, but let’s get our community together to enjoy ourselves “IRL,” talk some hoops and support a great cause, the “Jayhawkers” Kickstarter drive.

Join me, @RckChlkPrincess, @KUTatKat and @Travis_KU at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 27 at Snow & Company, 1815 Wyandotte St. in downtown Kansas City.

All Jayhawk fans and #kubball contributors are more than welcome, but we have some special treats in store for those who support the “Jayhawkers” movie. If you donate $50 or more and tweet us a screen shot of your confirmation or bring a copy of your receipt to the party, your first drink is on us. In addition, we’ll create a drawing pool — “Jayhawkers” supporters can win a game at Allen Fieldhouse with me, a game with @RckChlkPrincess (you KNOW that would be good), and other swell prizes.

You can learn more about “Jayhawkers” and pledge your support at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/grantbabbitt/jayhawkers-feature-film?ref=live.

We can’t wait to meet everyone — #PutYaShoesOn on and come out! If you have any questions, please hit us on Twitter.

#RCJH #PhogNation #FOE

Jayhawkers Kickstarter Campaign

Posted on: July 14th, 2012 by jayhawktalk 1 Comment

(Editor’s Note: The following is courtesy of Katherine Hollar.  She is a huge KU fan and great follow on twitter at @katiehollar. We met at a KU basketball game in Lincoln when she tried to run me over with her car (allegedly). She’ll be providing JHT ongoing updates about an exciting film project coming soon to a theatre near you!)

Last week on this blog, we introduced Jayhawkers, the Kevin Willmott film about Phog Allen, Wilt Chamberlain, Chancellor Frank Murphy and their effect on college basketball – a parallel to the Civil Rights movement that changed the country.

The film is in pre-production now, but to keep moving forward, the filmmakers need your help. The Jayhawkers team has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $50,000 by August 2. Any amount is appreciated, and donors at all levels will be rewarded – my favorite incentive is the game of HORSE against former Jayhawk and NBA star Scot Pollard (an executive producer).

Please give what you can. I am donating because I love my school, I am proud of our basketball tradition, and I am prouder still of our progressive heritage.

 

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