Bulletin----------Bulletin!

It appears TCU will join the Big 12 rather than the Big East Conference. I know schools don't move strictly for geographical purposes but this really makes more sense. This works for the Fort Worth school, they would be aligned with former Southwest Conference rivals and I already mentioned the other reason. Fort Worth is much closer to Austin Texas and Norman Oklahoma than Storrs Connecticut.

I'm prepared for the future
The statement might sound strong because it's impossible to prepare for everything. I make the statement regarding the University of Missouri and whatever future path is chosen. Speculation is all over the map, is Mizzou headed for the SEC while secretly pining for a Big 10 invitation? I know why I ceased listening to sports talk radio at least locally, one of our afternoon host is a little bonkers. Despite what Kevin thinks the bottom line is Mizzou must do what's best for Mizzou; the regents could care less what Kevin says or thinks! In any event this K-State graduate (I had to add this to my rant) is opposed to whatever move the school makes. In addition he says "in 25 years (or another generation) the K-State KU rivalry will become the big sports event in the metro." The emails to the the Kansas City Star not one letter of complaint has come from someone who identifies themselves as a Mizzou fan. The majority of complaints are coming from KU fans, somebody please explain why? And another point, clue me in when did the state of Kansas annex the Missouri side of Kansas City? It's true Lawrence Kansas (40 miles) is much closer to the metro area than Columbia (125 miles) however Mizzou alum and fans reside on both sides of the state line which they seem to forget.

Kevin makes a common assumption which is untrue, Kansas basketball popularity has soared over the years especially under Bill Self but it's basketball. This basketball fan has said again and again football drives the bus in college, basketball remains a co-pilot, it will never occupy the first chair for a variety of reasons, chiefly financial! I thought surely Kevin is not as dumb as he sounds, this must be an attempt by him to stir up his radio audience? If Mizzou leaves I'll miss the rivalry with Kansas, the sports economic picture is a bigger story to me a number of working class people derive a portion of their income from sports events held at the Sprint Center and Arrowhead Stadium. The Greater Kansas City Sports Commission and Chambers of Commerce must become pro-active to off-set the reported $20 million the Big 12 generates locally. Sorry Kevin I refuse to believe the sky is falling, I refuse to believe fans of the future will become K-State or KU fans because Mizzou is in another conference. One more point for Mr. K. and company, they continue to make statements as if the Big 12 Conference is rock solid. steady. If Mizzou leaves don't be shocked to see Texas and Oklahoma follow suit and this house of card conference collapses.

So long big man
I hope Greg Oden will focus on Zydrunas Ilgauskas's story. Heat center Ilgauskas retired last week, his NBA career was 13 years, 12 spent in a Cavs uniform. The Oden connection, in the beginning many were unsure if Illgauskas would ever play a full season in the NBA. A succession of injuries sent this 7-3 Lithuanian giant to the sidelines often, in fact he missed major portions of his first four years with the Cavs. After his last surgery he would go on to have a modest but successful NBA career. Once over the injury bug he missed few games for the balance of his career and played in two NBA finals and two NBA All-Star games. His numbers, 13.0 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and almost two block shots a game. He was an excellent free throw shooter for a big man with a lifetime percentage of .780 with a career high of .834 during the 2005-06 season.

One n Done
Recently Yahoo Sports contained a story on incoming Texas freshman Myck Kabongo. Kabongo from Toronto largely based his decision to attend Texas on the opportunity to play with two other Canadian players. He won't have the opportunity, both left after their freshman year for the NBA. I then checked nbadraft.net's 2012 mock draft, of the 60 players projected to be drafted 10 were freshman. By no means will all 10 leave school early but it highlights an issue we continue to discuss. It's my understanding Tubby Smith was "asked" to leave Kentucky, Smith ceased recruiting players he thought might be headed to the NBA. The Wildcat program suffered, several blue chip players who might have attended Kentucky Smith refused to recruit. I hope the NBA does away with the silly one and done rule, it fails in what it was intended to do. High school players who might have limited academic skills didn't head to the NBA D-League as David Stern hoped. At least two high school players chose an overseas path to the NBA. The Bucks Brandon Jennings played for Lottomatica Roma (Italy) and then was drafted by the Bucks. Jeremy Tyler went to Israel first playing for Maccabi Haifa (Israel) and later Tokyo Apache (Japan), he was chosen by the Bobcats and his rights traded to the Warriors in the 2011 draft.


"We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors."-- Weldon Drew