Kansas City Update

Alright, so I’ll be the first to admit yesterday that I may have jumped the gun with the Josh Williams thing. Let’s just say that we’ll have to wait and let things unfold before I (we) jump to any conclusions. Right now, it appears that a third party intervened in an argument between Williams and the alleged victim and was the one who threw the punch. Was Williams in the wrong or just guilty by association? Those possibilities are yet to be played out, so I’ll do my best to keep things updated on here this weekend with me moving.

One thing I’d like to take a few moments out of the Nebraska news to do is report on other area colleges and some of the news falling out of the local programs. Since I live in the near immediate area of about three Big XII North teams, I think it is more that pertinent to report on schools like Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State. So here we go, a little something new.

There was no bigger news this week in the conference than the Kansas Jayhawks (below). KU won their third national championship in men’s basketball and their first in 20 years since ‘Danny and the Miracles' that were led by Danny Manning and coach Larry Brown. Current coach Bill Self and company had endure a tough matchup from the Davidson Wildcats in the Elite Eight, and former KU headmaster Roy Williams and his current team, the North Carolina Tar Heels, in the Final Four. The Jayhawks went on to defeat the Memphis Tigers in overtime Monday night, as most of you know.

The big news regarding this story (as if there could be something bigger than winning a national title) was that of coach Self himself. The week before the Final Four, Oklahoma State forced coach Sean Sutton out the door. For those that don’t know, Oklahoma State is the alma mater of Self, and where he spent 11 years of his playing and coaching career. Despite Athletic Director Mike Holder’s sincerest efforts, it will appear that Self will be staying at Kansas.

Details of the new contract are yet to be ironed out, but it isn’t a big secret that Self (left) will become one of the (if not the) highest paid coaches in college basketball. The term should be lengthy as well, at least five years in my opinion, as Self has stated that he wants long term security. Also, Kansas AD Lew Perkins persuaded Self to stay by the possibility of a new team practice facility and student athlete housing.

This is great news for Kansas, as well as the Big XII. Since the conference has been formed, we as a conference were yet to win a national title in men's basketball. Kansas reached the title game in 2003 but fell to Syracuse, and teams like Oklahoma State and Texas reached the Final Four, but no one brought home the hardware. Until this year. Self not only brought Kansas and the Big XII a national title and some well deserved respect, he exercised some demons for Rock Chalk Nation by beating Roy Williams in the national semifinal last Saturday. The last week has stamped Bill Self’s reign in Lawrence, Kansas and has undoubtedly gave him carte blanche for at least the next several years. This of course will depend on if Oklahoma State and super-booster T. Boone Pickens (above right) come calling in the not so distant future. The type of money rumored to be offered to Self might be too sweet to pass up twice. Kansas fans should rest easy for now though.