It’s not what you’re thinking. Really.

Pretty good analysis, I think, except for his pegging of Russ at 2G instead of Mario. I think our most talented starting lineup is Arthur, Wright, Rush, Chalmers and Collins. They *could be the starters at some point this year for some games, but they’ll be smallish for others. Here’s what GD had to say:

Kansas shrinks: By adding power forward Darrell Arthur to a roster already loaded with wings and guards, Kansas coach Bill Self will occasionally find himself going smaller this season. If he wants to play his five most talented guys, Self would start Arthur at center, Julian Wright and Brandon Rush at forward, Russell Robinson at shooting guard and Mario Chalmers or Sherron Collins at point guard. Off the bench? Pure centers C.J. Giles and Sasha Kaun, plus power forward Darnell Robinson and USC wing transfer Rodrick Stewart. Freshman guard Brady Morningstar, a better player than advertised, could redshirt.

Here’s the rest of the piece, which includes a bit of everything.

Not quite as cool as Peanut Butter Jelly Time, I know, but I think you’ll be amused to see who said the following:

“I want to tell you something,” he said. “… You cannot allow people to go around pointing at officials and yelling at them without technicals being called. That is just not allowed. So let’s get some things straight around here and quit the double standard that exists in this league, all right?”

I’ll give you a hint - he uses an American Express Card.

Check out Gregg Doyel’s column for a superior rant on the subject of bullying officials.

From some guy named Gregg Doyel:

And yet schools like Kansas, Georgetown, Southern California and Oklahoma State are silently rooting [Davon Jefferson] on, hoping he gets his diploma and signs with them.
************
As for any Division I school that signs him, expect wrath. From the NCAA. From your fans. And, if it matters, from me.

I’ll get links to the new top 25 poll as soon as they’re live, but I thought I would post links to some of the power rankings that are looking quite favorably on the Hawks. Caveat Emptor, I’m pointing out the ‘predictive’ type rankings which tend to minimize the win/loss factor. However, ratings gurus agree that the predictive stats are typically a better measure of how a team is playing right now.

Pomeroy has us 14th over all, 5th in the last 5 games, and 4th in the country in both efficiency and pythagorean winning percentage.

That’s not bad. It may not be entirely accurate, but these ratings are, as I said, normally a better measure than ratings which weigh the W/L’s more, especially when a team has had a lot of close games, like KU has. And remember Gregg Doyel’s suggestion about the RPI, which has a fetish with W/L:

But Arizona’s RPI is No. 18: True. But Arizona is 13-9. The RPI should be pushed into a half-empty bottle of ginger ale and thrown into the Baltic Sea.

Moving on…

Dolphin’s predictive rating has KU ranked 5th in the nation.

Sagarin’s Pure Points, which he himself says are the best way of predicting future outcomes, has KU 9th in the country.

The Dunkel Index, which says it’s the most accurate since 1929, has KU 6th, but I should note that as I provide this link, they haven’t yet updated to include last week’s games (TT and OU).

If anyone knows of any other power ratings, send them my way. Again, I’ll add the actual top 25 rankings once they become available.

UPDATE:

KU is ranked in neither the AP nor the ESPN/USAToday poll. And yet somehow, Colorado maintains its position despite getting shellacked by Iowa State yesterday.

UPDATE 2: Not everybody in the media is missing the Jayhawk train’s passing them by - Keith Whitmire at the Dallas Morning News has this to say:

The Jayhawks have the quickness, size and talent to match up with Texas, and they might even have more depth than the Longhorns. However, Kansas started three freshmen and two sophomores against Oklahoma.

With that much youth, it’s hard to envision the Jayhawks beating Texas or Oklahoma without an Allen Fieldhouse crowd to lift them when adversity strikes. But at the rate this Kansas team is maturing, anything is possible.

UPDATE 3: We’re up to a 6 seed in the latest Bracketology.

UPDATE 4: We slide in at number 24 in Frank Burlison of Scout.com’s rankings.

According to our good friend Gregg Doyel, and he’s picking KU.

No. 19 Oklahoma at Kansas: Kansas has won 11 of 13. Oklahoma has won eight of 10. Both teams, in those red-hot stretches, lost to ice-cold Missouri. That’s the kind of cool fact you can only find here, people. Additionally, my parents went to Oklahoma but Dorothy went to Kansas, and Dorothy’s cooler than my parents. Oh, and finally, Oklahoma wanted Brandon Rush but backed off for academic concerns. Kansas swooped in and got him. Pick: Swoopers.

Oklahoma back out due to academic concerns? I’m not sure Oklahoma would back away from a corpse if it could play rough and tumble playground ball.

Both Tom Keegan and Gregg Doyel are both saying that KU is the Big 12’s second best team. I’m not sure these bold words are more indicative of KU’s budding uber-potential or the Big 12’s general youngness, but as much as I like Keegan, I’m going to give Doyel the credit for calling KU out before OU’s ignominious loss to Mizzou at Norman last night. That’s pathetic.

Especially since the empty chairs, which outnumbered those with Sooner fans in them, appeared more interested than their human counterparts.

Keegan and Doyel join Mike DeCourcy, who, in naming himself the driver of the KU bandwagon, suggests that KU could win it all if we get our situation at point guard figured out. DeCourcy’s among the most knowledgable in the business, so I wouldn’t write his comments off as quickly as you might be inclined.

KU is talented, and I do think that moving Russ Robinson to point appears to be bearing fruit and allowing the super-frosh Mario Chalmers to work himself into the offense more. Plus Micah Downs, who has been injured (please stop sending me emails asking me why Micah isn’t playing more) will likely get some better minutes as the season progresses.

I’m feeling pretty good about this team going into tonight’s game against Colorado. It will be a tough test - certainly tougher and in many ways more important than the headline grabbing pasting of Kentucky - but I think KU will pull it out in the end.

The Coors Event Center will be filled with as many Jayhawks as Buffaloes, and I like our ability to contain Roby better this year than last. The predictive stats (Pomeroy, Sagarin, etc.) will sing a different tune, but I feel comfortable saying

KU 76
CU 69

This is an important game for Mark’s REAL standings as well, as KU can come pretty close to turning itself into a contender. I’m afraid that OU can no longer be considered a contender, but I’ll leave that for Mark to confirm.

Update: I should note that according to Ken Pomeroy, KU is the nation’s 6th best team over the last five games, so maybe DeCourcy is right.

And also calls it one of his top ten games of the weekend, duh!

No. 19 Kentucky at Kansas: This is the Jayhawks’ last chance at a marquee non-conference victory, unless you count their win against California. Which you should not. The Wildcats, who already have a big win against Louisville, are going to the NCAA Tournament. They know that. Kansas? They don’t know nuthin’. That said, it’s too bad for Kentucky that Randolph Morris can’t come off his suspension until the next game. The Wildcats sure could use him in this one. Pick: KU.

For more games to check out while you are not taking down your Christmas lights, check out his column.

I’ve been picking KU in this game since back in ‘05, and I’ll go ahead and give you a score now:

KU 71
UK 64

Anyone care to challenge my bold prognostications?

I like Gregg Doyel. Gregg Doyell likes Darnell Jackson. Or at least he thinks he’s important to KU’s success. I’ll go out on a limb and agree:

3. Darnell Jackson, Kansas: Young but talented, Kansas has been missing one piece — a piece shaped like the 6-8, 240-pound Jackson. The Jayhawks have lacked a physical post presence and defender, and that’s what Jackson will bring Thursday against Northern Colorado. He was one of the team’s most productive players in exhibitions before being suspended for nine games for his boyhood connection to a Kansas booster. Kansas also will add moody USC transfer Rodrick Stewart to a glut of athletic wing players. We’re sure Jackson’s addition will be a good thing. Not so sure on Stewart.

Here’s the whole list.

A decent pick, I suppose, as he has KU going to the Big Dance. What’s interesting is that he’s one of the only pundits with KU in the top 25 (a very comfortable 19th in his preseason rankings).

Kansas

Top three: SF Brandon Rush, PG Mario Chalmers, SF Julian Wright.

NCAA or bust: The Jayhawks replaced four departed starters with four of the best high school players in the country. Over the long haul, that’s advantage: Kansas. Short term? Not so much. Very good seniors are generally better than exceptional freshmen, though Kansas’ freshmen are so exceptional that Bill Self might win big anyway. But he might not. Roles must be determined and then fulfilled, and there’s a potential chemical reaction with so many talented young players on the wing in Wright, Rush, freshman Micah Downs, sophomore Russell Robinson and Southern California transfer Rodrick Stewart. Then again, too much talent is a problem most coaches would love to have. Meanwhile, under the radar, Kansas’ season might just hinge on two of its three sophomore big men — C.J. Giles, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson — being able to replace Wayne Simien.

Hat tip to Tom Light at Phog.net for noticing this, but Gregg Doyel at CBS is ranking the Big 12 tops in basketball this year.

1. Big 12: From Final Four contenders at the top (Texas, Oklahoma) to Top 25 teams in the middle (Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas) to potential NCAA Tournament sleepers down the ladder (Iowa State, Nebraska, Texas A&M), the Big 12 is the strongest league this year. Next year? Probably not, what with Texas and Oklahoma anticipating huge NBA hits. But next year is next year. Live in the moment, people.

Gregg Doyel devotes an entire article to the Brandon Rush situation. The original article is here, but it is so flush with bits and pieces that I’ve decided to reproduce the whole thing here, without Mr. Doyel’s permission, of course (until he asks me to bring it down).

Aug. 8, 2005
By Gregg Doyel
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer

Two months after withdrawing from the 2005 NBA Draft, unsigned high school senior Brandon Rush will decide this week between Kansas, Illinois and Southern California.

This is a big deal, people. Big. How big? We’re giving it an entire Ten for Tuesday.

1. Ramifications: First things first. If Kansas gets Rush, a 6-foot-6 wing who was among the more impressive prospects at the Chicago pre-draft camp, the Jayhawks would go from fringe Top 25 team to instant Final Four contender. If it’s Illinois, Rush would give the Illini — even without Deron Williams, Luther Head and Roger Powell — frontrunner status for another Big Ten title. With Rush, Southern Cal would go from Pac-10 straggler to postseason contender in Tim Floyd’s first season as coach.

2. Brother or booster: Rush apparently has ruled out Missouri, where one of his older brothers — Kareem — starred from 1999-2002. With Missouri potentially out of scholarships earlier this summer, Kareem Rush told the media that he would pay his brother’s way to Missouri. Which begs the question: Does there come a point where a brother becomes a booster? If Kareem was willing to pay Brandon’s tuition to play anywhere, it’s a brotherly act allowed by the NCAA. But if Kareem would only pay Brandon’s tuition to Missouri, that becomes an act on behalf of Missouri, does it not? Interesting question, but one the NCAA won’t have to answer just yet.

3. Golden Triangle: Any story that links (again) Roy Williams, Bill Self and Bruce Weber … is a cool story. When Williams left Kansas for North Carolina, of course, Self replaced him, with Weber replacing Self at Illinois. For parts of last season, that trio seemed to have the country’s best three teams. Now they are linked to Brandon Rush. Self and Weber want him, while Williams infamously stopped recruiting another of Rush’s older brothers, JaRon, after JaRon publicly questioned Williams’ substitution patterns while in high school.

4. Oklahoma omission: At the Chicago pre-draft camp, Brandon Rush told me that his top choice was Oklahoma. Now the Sooners aren’t even among his finalists. That’s interesting — very interesting. Some day the rest of that story will come out, and it’ll be noteworthy.

5. One-and-done: Wherever he plays, Rush will become the most likely freshman to enter the 2006 NBA Draft. He doesn’t pretend to have an interest in getting a college degree, at least not in the traditional four-year sense. Whoever gets Rush is getting a mercenary, but such is life in college basketball.

6. Micah Downs: Downs, an incoming Kansas freshman, could be the biggest individual loser in the Rush sweepstakes if Rush chooses the Jayhawks. They play the same position, but Rush is more developed physically and would likely play ahead of Downs, who pouted after playing just 11 minutes in the McDonald’s All-American game. Throw in another notoriously sullen newcomer on the wing, USC transfer Rodrick Stewart, and Kansas could have chemistry issues.

7. Self vs. Weber: Self didn’t endear himself to Illinois fans when he left for Kansas. Weber didn’t endear himself to Kansas fans when he held a mock funeral for Self. Self struck again last year when he received a verbal commitment from the best player in Illinois, Julian Wright, before Wright had even visited Kansas. Now they’re battling over Rush — after Self got involved awfully late. Rivalries are so fun.

8. Brumbaugh bettered: For several weeks, Oklahoma State has enjoyed having the best late signee in the country. That was Keith Brumbaugh, a 6-8 forward who signed in late July with the Cowboys (over USC and Nebraska). OSU still ought to feel plenty good about Brumbaugh, but Rush is better. In the Roundball Classic, Rush had 21 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots.

9. Baggage: Brandon Rush seems like a nice young man, but he’s got more red flags than a Russian patriot. For one thing, he’s 20. That’s an old high school senior. For another, he spent two seasons at notorious basketball factory Mount Zion in Durham, N.C. A number of schools backed off Rush this summer, even after he withdrew from the NBA Draft, saying there was no way he would be eligible this season. Add to that the as-yet-unknown financing of his NBA individual workouts — reported to be with anywhere from four to six NBA teams — and the NCAA will examine Rush with a microscope before allowing him to play for anyone. High school players can have their workouts financed by NBA teams within reason, according to the NCAA. Did Rush go through the process “within reason”? We’ll find out.

10. Prediction: Kansas. When Self really wants a recruit, nobody can beat him.

And the sharks are circling. We’ve all discussed it in hushed tones. We’ve all been through the what if scenarios. Now Gregg Doyel has gone so far as to ask for it.

Ask for what you ask?

For a KU-UNC or a KU-Illinois National Championship game.

He lists 10 Games that he would love to see in an article posted today. After laboring from 10 to 2, he gets to the coup de grace

1. Isosceles vs. Isosceles: We’d trade every potential matchup above, gamble all those nickels and dimes, for a shot at the jackpot — a national championship featuring Kansas against Illinois or North Carolina. Two years ago Bill Self left Illinois for Kansas, which was available because Roy Williams had left Kansas for North Carolina. Yes, an Illinois-North Carolina championship game also would be cool, not to mention the best possible game. But Bill Self vs. his Illinois recruits, or Roy Williams vs. his Kansas recruits, would be … madness.

If by madness he means expensive he’s darn right. Not sure which would be more expensive but my guess is that it would cost $500 to get into the building. I think more people would be interested in KU-UNC, but the wealth of Illini fans so close to St. Louis would be a huge upward force on the ticket market.

The blood of speculation, which has hung precariously over shark infested waters, has now fallen, and you can expect a lot more of these KU-UNC-Illinois speculations in the coming weeks. Particularly if they are all number 1 seeds, which I and evidently the majority of Phog Blog readers believe they will be.

Sportsline has another one on its way tomorrow for goodness sakes. The preview line reads as follows:

Roy Williams, Bill Self and Bruce Weber will be compared to each other for a long time. So? While Williams and Self have blue-chip recruits flying into their programs, Weber so far has squat.

What do you think Illini fans? Is this true?