Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

One of the great things about living in Kansas in the winter  (Yes! There is something good!) is watching KU Basketball games. Of course, because of cable and satellite TV, one could technically watch them from anywhere.  Anyway, when it's cold and gloomy on a Kansas winter day (or night), it helps if you're near a TV and there's a KU Basketball game on.  

Monday night against an undefeated Baylor team was especially exciting! The Jayhawks were in Allen Fieldhouse, better known as the Phog—the building named after the legendary coach Phog Allen.  The court has earned an almost mythical aura which helps to fuel the excitement.  Being a KU Fan is almost an extreme sport itself! We celebrated one of our anniversaries one year by going to a KU game--something we've not had the privilege to do.  Here's the "extreme" part of being a KU BB fan -- you never get to sit down...standing for the entire game, if you wish to see any of the action, and you risk deafness, being exposed to a highly intense noise level.  (Lucky for me, I can shut my hearing aids off and not be affected!) 

In order not to violate copyright laws I decided to photograph my sweatshirt!

This past Monday night was no different, as we watched the game on TV--the ESPN commentators could hardly be heard above the roar of the crowd--which honestly, isn't a bad thing! The Jayhawks were pumped as they handed Baylor it’s first defeat of the season.  Winning by the margin they did (about 20 points) doesn’t begin to tell how good this game was for the Jayhawks in terms of execution.  Yes, there were some “throw-aways” and some missed  shots, but their defense was about as good as I’ve seen this year.  And their execution of plays worked consistently.  Consistency has been difficult to achieve for this team.  It’s a team that so many (including myself) have had doubts about at the beginning of the season.  With so many of last year's starters having left for the pros, few felt this team had the talent to work itself up to the level of a “true “ Jayhawk team this year.  But Bill Self is a phenomenal coach.  How he shapes these guys and smooths out their rough edges is amazing.  He’s a teacher, pure and simple.  We'll see how they do the rest of the season...but the other night, they truly played as a team, working together with purpose and intention.  I felt bad for Baylor, but if they had to lose their first game, this was an “acceptable” place as any team and coach will have empathy--they all know how difficult an environment the Phog is for visiting teams.   "Beware…of the Phog!"