1 - We start with a two-parter. a) It's Kansas Week, so everybody insult Doug. b) Now everybody say something nice about KU.
2 - Give me a score for Arrowhead Armageddon II this November.
3 - Here's KU's schedule. Make your picks.
8/30: Florida International
9/6: Louisiana Tech
9/12: at South Florida
9/20: Sam Houston State
10/4: at Iowa State
10/11: Colorado
10/18: at Oklahoma
10/25: Texas Tech
11/1: Kansas State
11/8: at Nebraska
11/15: Texas
11/29: vs Missouri
4 - On the Sleaze Scale of 1-10, where does this rank? Bill Self hires Mario Chalmers' dad as Director of Basketball Operations, Mario (surprisingly) chooses to attend Kansas, Mario wins them a national title and leaves for the NBA, Mario's dad decides to "pursue other interests".
And more importantly, why haven't we offered one of John Wall's family members a job yet?
5 - Arrowhead roll call! Who's going?
We stayed surprisingly on-topic this time...that's no fun whatsoever...
The Beef: 1 - Doug’s mother was a hamster and his father smelled of elderberries
I continue to be impressed at the recruiting ability of the staff at kU…they seem to be putting together some stability there which has not been in some time. I am curious to see what they do after Reesing (just as I am curious to see how we do after Daniel)
2 - The kU linebacking group is as stout as they come, but I am going to need to see how their other defensive units perform, especially with the losses of Talib and their coordinator. I do not think their offense will miss TOO many beats without McAnderson, but their line will need to be big to replace their All-American. I would feel better about playing them at the start of the year instead of the end, especially with what may be on the line for us (magnified by what was on the line for them last season). All said and done however, I guess I have to predict we will win the game, as Daniel will leave unblemished as the starter against them. Call it a strange defensive battle where weather may play a factor, 24-17
3 - 8/30: Florida International - win
9/6: Louisiana Tech - win
9/12: at South Florida - win
9/20: Sam Houston State - win
10/4: at Iowa State - win
10/11: Colorado - win
10/18: at Oklahoma - loss
10/25: Texas Tech - loss
11/1: Kansas State - win
11/8: at Nebraska - win
11/15: Texas - loss
11/29: vs Missouri - loss
I stopped to think at the South Florida and Nebraska games…I guess mostly because of the road factor. In the end, I am still not sold on Nebraska’s defense and do not know enough about South Florida (and am still tainted against them since their ascension to #2 and then subsequent plummet).
4 - Um…I would say it ranks a 7 or so…maybe a tad higher. But hey…whatever works I guess.
5 - I purchased tickets, but will not be attending. I did not attend last year by choice, and this year we will be up north for the holiday that weekend. I DO plan on getting back to KC the next weekend however.
rptgwb: 1. Doug enjoys the music of Rick Astley, and not for the irony or the joke.
Burns, doesn't it?
However, I do look damn good in royal blue...
2. 28-24, Mizzou
3. Definite losses against Oklahoma and (homer call) Missouri. I think they drop one of the home set against Texas and Texas Tech, and the trip to South Florida could be rather difficult. For now, I'll give them benefit of the doubt and say 9-3.
4. To quote TB over at Bring On The Cats, "it's better to cheat and win than to cheat and not win. Right, Missouri fans?"
5. It all depends on the availability of student tickets. If I can get 'em in time, I'm in.
Doug: 1 - I'm a little more interested to see how many "Do not compute"s you're going to get for part B.
2 - I had trying to pick scores, but I think the winner will have a touchdown or less margin of victory.
3 - I'm hoping for 4 and 0 in non-con, I'm pretty sure that the trip to Norman will be a loss, but I can see wins against Tech and Texas since both are home games. Best-case scenario, KU could have only one loss going into Arrowhead.
4 - Yeah, it's sleazy, but it's not on the Ed and Danny Manning scale. Ronnie Chalmers did have some basketball coaching experience even if it was on the high school level. Also, one slight edit to your time line, Bill. Mario had already verballed, and I think, signed, before his father was officially hired. Granted, recruiting-wise Chalmers was no Beasley and his father was no Donte Hill.
5 - While an afternoon game appears more welcoming than a prime-time kick-off, I'm a little disappointed they've already decided to put the OU-OSU game one in prime time for that Saturday. Am I missing something about OSU and how good they're supposed to be?
The Boy: 1 - Insult: Your momma's so stupid, she stayed in the grocery store for one day looking at a can of orange juice just because it said concentrate.
Compliment: Your women aren't altogether unattractive. (But your men are douchebags.)
2 - Boiled down to one sentence, I say KU's offense will be worse and their defense better. So I'll take last year's score and adjust it slightly. Mizzou wins 31-21. And I don't think that's a homer call. We've got evidence on our side. :-)
3 - Likely wins: FIU, La Tech, SHSU, @ ISU, Colorado, KSU,
Likely losses: @ OU
Tossups: @ USF, @ NU, Tech, UT, vs MU
I say they beat USF, but it will be a pretty strong test of KU's offense. Beat NU, beat Tech, lose to UT and MU. 9-3 (5-3).
4 - It's a solid 7.5. There are no illegalities there (I guess), so that prevents it from getting a higher score than that, but still...pretty shady. Especially since their last national title came about in the same way (with Danny Manning's father on staff). But hey...it is legal (I guess)...if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...
...and we sure can't beat 'em right now.
5 - I preferred to spend last year's game curled up in a ball on the floor of my basement (while live-blogging). It worked, so I'll do the same this year.
Doug: That's your best example of "not unattractive" women at KU? Let me help you out. You're welcome.
The Boy: Touche.
And seriously...apparently ABC learned nothing from last year, when they waited to determine the Thanksgiving weekend time slots, and it paid off with a #2 vs #3 matchup in primetime. They reaped the rewards of patience there, so naturally they decided the time slots five months in advance this time around...
Doug: To go complete off-base... at least, earlier than normal in the Round Table, but ABC must be taking sports programming cues from NBC. Can you imagine the out-cry if NBC tape-delayed the start of the Super Bowl on the West Coast? Yet, that's exactly what they're doing with Olympics this year. I'm certainly not trying to equate the Super Bowl and the Olympics, but there is something to be said for just putting the games on TV when they happen, especially in this instant-information age. NBC's desire to turn the Olympics into a reality-TV show really hurts the overall image of the games more than if they were to just treat them like any other sporting event.
rptgwb: Isn't criticizing a network that's given According to Jim eight years kind of redundant?
Michael Atchison: 1 - a) I don’t really know Doug well enough to insult that douchebag.
b) It’s near Liberty Hall, which is a nice place to catch a show. In fact, that whole stretch along Mass Ave. – The Granada, the Free State, the Bottleneck – is pretty cool.
2 - Missouri 97
Kansas negative 8
3 - For all the flagellating they took for the soft slate last year, this one is rough. I think the USF game is a toss-up, and I think wins against Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri are unlikely. Texas Tech could give them fits, too. Really, if they finished 8-4, I think that would be success. I think anywhere from 6-6 to 9-3 is possible.
4 - It’s a 4. Until someone shows that Ronnie was promised the job before Mario committed, it’s just part of the normal collateral scuzz of "amateur" basketball.
As for John Wall, Oklahoma State and Baylor are players for him? Brady Deaton is getting close to retirement age. Maybe Wall’s mom would like to be chancellor.
5 - I ordered my six tickets. Would. Not. Miss. It.
Mizzourobot: 1. a. Don't let these guys make you feel bad, Doug. Lots of special people go to Kansas. No one I know. Or respect. But hey, lots of people.
b. Your helmets do look lovely when turf is firmly applied to them. My, how they shine!
2. 49-21 MIZ. No comeback this time.
3. 8-4. Man, reality sucks.
4. N/A: How does one make slime slimier? No, in all honesty, I've kind of come to a weird position on recruiting nonsense. If fans and alumni are going to hold coaches to ridiculous standards, how can they expect them to also pursue those goals without skeezy tactics?
Wall's interesting, because I hear he's considering backing out of Baylor as well. Plus, I hear he's kind of a headcase. So he should fit in well at Mizzou.
5. Doing everything I can.
Michael Atchison: Pharmaceutical Sales is a major at Kansas?
Doug: I'd buy drugs from her.
Besides: "You can major in Gameboy if you know how to BS."
Michael Atchison: I see that "metalsmithing" is a major, too.
I can’t get too exercised about NBC tape-delaying to the West Coast because (1) I don’t live on the West Coast; and (2) the Olympics have always been a tape-delayed event when held on other continents. Everyone knows the drill: avert your eyes until you’ve watched the event.
And are we going to include Dave’s out-of-office reply in the write-up?
ZouDave: 1 - a) Doug's parents lost a coin toss with God. The winners got to have a STD named after them. The Chlamydia's consider themselves lucky.
b) no.
2 - Mizzou 31, kansas 21
3 - 8/30: Florida International - W
9/6: Louisiana Tech - W
9/12: at South Florida - W
9/20: Sam Houston State - W
10/4: at Iowa State - W
10/11: Colorado - W
10/18: at Oklahoma - L
10/25: Texas Tech - L
11/1: Kansas State - W
11/8: at Nebraska - L
11/15: Texas - L
11/29: vs Missouri - L
7-5, though they're very likely to win their bowl game since they'll be
facing a team far worse than any that beat them this year. Their confidence
will be completely shaken after the OU and Tech games which will remove their
swagger. While still a good team, the 2nd half of their schedule is just too
tough for them to overcome.
4 - 26. It's as transparent as we all know it is. But I'm sure it's a point
of pride for many ku fans, and they'll defend it by saying "You'd do it too,
if you could." Basically don't do the right thing if you think somebody else
wouldn't, either.
5 - Dad and I bought 4 tickets. I don't know for sure who the other 2 are
being taken by, but I'm sure we'll have no problems filling the seats.
This will probably be it from me today as I'm getting ready to board a plane
in Charleston, SC, to return to KC. Have fun on the derail!
--
(Without Dave, there is no derail. He should be honored.)