A Kansas State Christmas List
by Ahearn Alley on Dec 22, 2011 12:00 PM CST
in Humor
Email
Print
I'm not going to waste my writing talents previewing a team that lost to Ohio Dominican. Sorry. That's what interns are for (I kid, but seriously, if anybody else wants to write something up, then go for it).
Due to Christmas travel, I probably won't be able to get up a preview for Game 2, but hopefully I'll get something up for Game 3 of the Diamond Head Classic. Possibly against Xavier, but in my mind more likely against Long Beach St.
Last year on my blog that a very small number of you may have read, I decided to get into the spirit of the holidays and create a Christmas list for Kansas State athletics. Santa really came through in a big way on several items, so it seems like it's something worth doing again.
Before I unveil this year's list, let's take a look back at what the guy in the big red suit was able to deliver in the past year:
A jump shot for Jacob Pullen: It's hard to remember now, but at this time last year, Jacob was shooting a fairly miserable 31.3% from the 3-point line and playing especially poorly in big games (notably vs. Duke, Washington St. and Florida). In conference play, Jake made 40% of his 3-point attempts, and it's safe to say he came through in K-State's biggest games (vs. KU, Wisconsin).
Coordination for JO: OK, this one's still hit-and-miss. But because of last game, I'm willing to give Santa some props here.
A true post player: Hello, Thomas Gipson.
Free throw shooting touch: (See below)
A defensive line: Sure, it still needs some work and a lot of credit here goes to the linebackers, but I'd say going from 231 rushing yards allowed per game to 131 is reason enough to call this wish fulfilled. It's kind of amazing that KSU actually had one fewer sack this year (19) than last year (20), isn't it?
Of course, Santa is a busy man, so he wasn't quite able to bring everything I asked for. As a result, you will see some repeats on the list that follows.
A jump shot for Rodney McGruder
If Santa could help Jake improve, surely he could do the same for Rodney. The transformation has been even worse for McGruder this season, as a guy who shot better than 40% from 3 his first two seasons suddenly became a 20% shooter this season. I don't know what's going on, but I'd really like it to stop.
Consistent effort from Jamar and JO
I'm not asking JO to be a 17 and 9 guy every night, and I'm not even asking Santa to suddenly make Jamar into an all-conference player, though he should probably be third team, at worst. I just don't want to see any more games - or in Jamar's case, more portions of games - where these guys become invisible on the court.
I doubt I need to bring out statistics to back this up for most people reading this, but here they are anyway: JO has 3 games scoring in double digits to go along with 3 games where he scored 6 points or less. That just shouldn't happen.
Again, with Jamar it's more taking few minutes off here and there, but it's also pretty concerning that he has 24 rebounds in 2 games (vs. GW and VT) and then just 15 in the other 5 games he has played. That's a lack of effort, plain and simple.
Free throw shooting touch
This was really the item on my list where Santa did his best work last year. Kansas State was shooting an unimaginably awful 53% from the line heading into Christmas last season. Beginning with a 20 of 26 showing on Dec. 31, the Wildcats went from lumps of bricks to the joyous sound of leather hitting nylon following the holiday, shooting better than 74%.
They're in a much better position going into the break this year, but 64.4% is still pretty bad and ahead of only Texas A&M in the Big 12. I'm sure Santa can help us out here again.
A go-to player
I'll admit, this is probably the trickiest of all my requests. There just aren't a lot of strong candidates here.
Jamar doesn't seem to have the right personality, Rodney's dribble-drive and creative abilities are questionable even when he's not in a shooting funk, and while Will would love to be this guy, he just doesn't have the skillset.
Someone suggested Shane Southwell at one point (I believe), but while he may posses the pure athletic ability, I've seen absolutely nothing to indicate he has the shot, the dribbling ability, or the mindset necessary to thrive in his role. Basically, it's going to take a lot of Christmas magic to make this wish come true.
A webcam on Frank Martin
Seriously, name one way this would not be awesome, outside of sensitive people getting angry. K-State might even be able to make some money off of it by selling single-game and season ticket packages as a K-State HD extra or something.
Wouldn't you pay a nominal fee to just watch Frank while keeping an eye on a boring game against someone like North Florida Maryland Eastern-Shore or Howard? I know I would.
A good running back
This one's a repeat, and I guess K-State already does have one good running back. The problem is he doubles as a quarterback, so it would be nice to have one that can take handoffs, too.
A new defensive coordinator
I totally understand that Santa doesn't want to sully his reputation as one of the most compassionate people on Earth by helping someone lose his job, especially in this economy. It was really clever of him to work around that problem by getting K-State some great juco talent and a guy named Arthur Brown to help hide Chris Cosh's deficiencies.
Still, I think I speak for most of us when I say it's just not enough. That's why I'm going to stress to Santa this year that Cosh doesn't need to be fired or forced to resign, and there are plenty of ways to make this into a positive situation for everyone.
I don't care if he's hired to be a coach somewhere else or if he wanders into a cryogenics lab alone on New Year's Eve and gets accidentally frozen for 1,000 years as the clock strikes midnight. Maybe quarterbacks won't know how to read the soft zone in 3012.
To paraphrase what a Big Ten coach once said about Bill Snyder for the exact opposite reason: Just get him the (expletive) out of Manhattan.
A Cotton Bowl win
Considering the way Santa botched the Pinstripe Bowl request last year, I'm not real optimistic about getting his help on this one. Arkansas's pretty good, and I think we'll just be better off hoping that HBCK and HCBS still have some of their own magic left.
Continued good health for Collin Klein
I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel like either HBCK isn't made of the same physical stuff as everybody else, or we've just been playing with house money as far as his lack of serious injuries since at least the Oklahoma game. Either way, I figure it can't hurt to put this on the list.
More comfortable wins
This one's on here not as much for me as for people like Furnace, my dad, and of course, Bill Snyder. I'm no expert on old people's hearts, but 8 wins like the ones K-State had this year just can't be good for them, and despite some of the crazy things Furnace says, I would like to see all 3 of those people survive.
I'm not asking Santa to help K-State blow everyone out - just KU - as that would get boring pretty quickly. I was just thinking it would be nice to have a two-possession lead in the fourth quarter, you know?
Women's soccer and softball programs
There are really just two things you need to know here: 1) Kansas State is the only school in the county to have varsity women's equestrian and rowing teams but not softball or soccer. 2) Rowing scholarships are frequently given to athletes who have no previous rowing experience, but excelled in other sports in high school, including softball and soccer.
No disrespect to all the hardworking athletes on the K-State rowing and equestrian teams, but this is absolutely ridiculous. I believe the official line is this is the best way to deal with Title IX compliance (equestrian and especially rowing teams have a lot of roster spots) but the fact that no other school does it destroys that argument.
I already hated this state of affairs, but it got even worse when my sister decided she wanted to play soccer in college. As a direct result of this problem, she didn't even consider K-State but visited KU (turns out the coach seemed like an asshole) and ended up going to a different Big 12 school.
Much more tragically, she now roots for that school's athletic teams whenever they face KU KSU. This is kind of embarrassing for me, and I blame K-State's athletic department more than I blame my sister, since she does after all know most of the athletes who use the same facilities and often otherwise interact at her university.
***
If you have any additional requests, be sure to put them in the comments and I'll put the good ones on the list before I give it to EcoKat to take to the North Pole before the close of business on Christmas Eve. She said she's really glad to have a reason to get away from Sean T for a little while.
59 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Not sure we need this, or maybe it has already happened
A good running back
This one’s a repeat, and I guess K-State already does have one good running back. The problem is he doubles as a quarterback, so it would be nice to have one that can take handoffs, too.
Hubert broke 1,000 yards for the season, no small feat, and according to HCBS DeMarcus Robinson may finally be breaking through as a solid player. I could see using those as a one-two (power-speed) punch.
I hope you're right
But I’m not sold on Hubert just yet, as it still seems to me like he’s a decent talent that benefits a lot from being in the same backfield as HBCK and being on a run-heavy team. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Daniel Thomas/Darren Sproles and the memories of Bryce Brown’s total bust are still too fresh. Time will tell.
by Ahearn Alley on Dec 22, 2011 12:25 PM CST up reply actions
Robinson is supposed to be faster than Sproles
if he really has turned his life back around and is playing well then he could be quite a threat. He was better coming out of HS than Joseph Randle (ya know, that kid tearing it up at OSU)
I'm going to get yelled at...
But Darren Sproles minus Ell wasn’t the dynamo we thought. Don’t get me wrong, he was good, but just like Hubert benefits from HBCK, Sproles benefited from Ell. Robinson might be all that, but Hubert is the guy who broke all of Ledanion Thomlason’s (spelling? Not looking it up) records down in Texas. No small feat.
When life hands you lemons, make grape juice. Let them wonder how the F*ck you did it.
Fight till Hell freezes over and then fight them on the ice.
Just call him LT, we know who it is
and I totally agree…see 2004. Yeah, he wasnt running behind as good a line, but once defense’s could key on him, he wasnt as productive.
And a lot of Sproles great plays were screen passes from Ell
I thought LT was that crazy guy who tackles people in the parking lot.
:)
Oh, you mean THAT LT.
aka - Hell Dancing
First to identify a TEWWT (so what if it was unintentional)
by Jeremy Sharp on Dec 22, 2011 4:24 PM CST up reply actions
Most of Sproles great plays as a pro are off the short pass or screen.
The guy just has a way of filtering out at the right time in the right place without notice and next thing you know, he has the ball and is 25 yards downfield. Sproles could break tackles better than Hubert and had greater top end speed and seems to me, better moves.
If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.
Tomlinson
Ask me how I know how to spell his last name. He’s my cousin.
"If you don't want to work, become a reporter. That awful power, the public opinion of the nation, was created by a horde of self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditch digging and shoemaking and fetched up journalism on their way to the poorhouse." - Mark Twain
BOYCOTT ESPN!
So, your name is Sean Tomlinson?
My sig needs updated.
by ChrisP Wildcat on Dec 23, 2011 12:09 PM CST up reply actions
Sproles was option #1, 2, and 3 his senior year, so of course defenses were keying off him
Just like they do the same to Klein for us this year.
YELL!!!!!
Sproles was and still is an incredibly talented RB. He and Hubert aren’t comparable. But you’re right – a lot of success in this offense depends on the quality of the (running) QB. Sproles with a great QB and o-line was a lot better than Sproles with a bad QB and not a very good o-line. No doubt about it.
Hubert only hit 933
But he did have a 5 ypc(though mostly because a few big games), he’s servicable and only a sophmore. He’ll put up a good career of around 3,000 yards before he leaves I bet. No small feat.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
I'll give you that
He has a pretty good shot of it facing Arkansas’s defense
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
And he saved his best for last against ISU.
After a few subpar games, he stepped up big time against ISU. His TD run was one of the highlights of the season for me.
It's a shame we don't still have Tim Flanders.
The Wiki (I Don't Have a Real Name Yet) -- The Blog (Those Other Guys) -- The Twitter
Contributor at Bring on the Cats, SBNation's Kansas State blog
EDSBS Censor Librorum Promulgatio Media
He transfered to Sam Houston State.
Perhaps he had academic issues?
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. - Vince Lombardi
And I assume you meant KSU?
Much more tragically, she now roots for that school’s athletic teams whenever they face KU. This is kind of embarrassing for me, and I blame K-State’s athletic department more than I blame my sister, since she does after all know most of the athletes who use the same facilities and often otherwise interact at her university.
Cuz it’s not a bad thing to root against KU…
Mrs. Claus = slumpbuster?
/thas turrible
by Itchy n Scratchy on Dec 22, 2011 12:31 PM CST reply actions
K-State has a long history of rowing and we are an Ag school so equestrian fits.
The time for calm and rational discourse is past, now is the time for senseless bickering -Anonymous the Younger
BOTC - Read the Adventures of the BigXII if you doubt our serious attitude towards sports.
by Anon_the_younger on Dec 22, 2011 12:31 PM CST reply actions
Its funny, cuz rowing is and always has been
more of an “elitist” sport. And…we’re better at it than KU, so there’s that
It is still silly tht we don't have soccer or softball.
I don’t think we should get rid of Equestrian or Rowing, but I think those other sports should be added.
I mean, I know we don’t have the biggest athletics budget, but surely we could afford that?
Would you like some Freys with that?
by ChrisP Wildcat on Dec 22, 2011 12:49 PM CST up reply actions
We haven't had blow outs on a consistant basis for quiet some time
We don’t necessarily know that it would get boring fast
I'd actually rather have Frank Martin mic'd up and on a continuous feed.
I’d pay a dollar for that.
by Itchy n Scratchy on Dec 22, 2011 12:37 PM CST reply actions
Personally I want a Wrestling team
The State of Kansas needs a D-1 wrestling team because far too many high school state champions have been in my classes or wrestling elsewhere. I’m sure you could find a Kansan on almost any college roster in the nation. It’s a travesty that states like Iowa and Oklahoma have big time wrestling programs while Kansas languishes behind. And you know what, I don’t want KU to start one up before we do damn’t. Infact I think I’m going to write up a fanpost sometime soon on that subject. It’s affordable and the last time I looked up the figures we could come in under title 9 regulations and still have a team.
But I agree we need a softball team and I believe Old Stadium if far too nice a venue to not have a girls soccer team. But rowing is fairly cheap and Equesterian fits with our vet program.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Unfortunately, we'll have a women's wrestling team before we have a men's one.
I wasn’t a wrestler, but I agree that it’s a shame.
by Itchy n Scratchy on Dec 22, 2011 12:46 PM CST up reply actions
See that's if the NCAA ever sanctions Women's Wrestling
If infact they ever do. Because feminists groups have kinda stopped fighting for women’s wrestling in the past few years in a pretty bs sort of way. Women’s wrestling is a faster growing sport than people realize and when a big D-1 school decides to take the plunge it will increase exponetially. I’d love to see both.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
If you add women's softball and/or soccer
you can probably add men’s wrestling.
The Wiki (I Don't Have a Real Name Yet) -- The Blog (Those Other Guys) -- The Twitter
Contributor at Bring on the Cats, SBNation's Kansas State blog
EDSBS Censor Librorum Promulgatio Media
I've had the same discussion with my dad
Wrestling and Softball programs would be nationally ranked on a regular basis, just using talent that can be found inside the state’s borders!!! And soccer teams would do nothing but increase exposure. We already have the facilities and equipment for soccer, just need money for the partial scholly’s they require and uniforms. And infrastructure for Wrestling and softball is already in place, would need to just get a few more things/turn one of the rec fields into an actual stadium
Forget nationally ranked
With the dramatic reduction in wrestling programs over the years, K-State could build a national title contender within a pretty short time frame. Heck most all Kansas juco programs have won national titles at the level within the last decade. I see no reason why we couldn’t with all Kansans.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Speaking of such...here's a couple intresting links to check out.
Kansas deserves a D-1 program-a collection of facts and figures from a report compiled in 2007.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Sweet
And my old high-school wrestling coach wrestled at K-State in the late 60’s, even went to the N.C. (on his own dime cuz the school wouldnt pay). He is respected enough, he could coach for a year or two, get the program on its feet
I know who your talking about
My mom taught at Ark City before I was born and I met him a few times whenever we visited Ark City. He’s not just respected, he’s considered legendary in the world of high school wrestling coaches. I mean Ark City had a ridiculus state championship streak going in my younger years. It’s too bad for some reason I can’t remember his name ATM. He’s retired now I hear though.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Wayne Jackson
and he is retired, and it was like 11 in a row and 12 of 13, or something stupid like that…I’ll look up the exact stats later.
And we won so much cuz we wrastled…not wrestled, lol. and went to OK and TX a lot, got our butts kicked, then came back up and kicked butt around the state
He could at least come work on the staff
Just adds to the credibility in state that the program would have and help whoever it is get set up.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Indeed
Just his national championships travel story is quite legendary. Having him on board would probably mean that it would probably require K-State administration being fully behind it instead of the half ass support it got it’s final few years.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Yeah
If there was ever a time to do it, this is the perfect administration for it. Elf Lord Schulz and ADJC have nailed everything so far.
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
From KSHSAA.org
here is the list of all state wrestling championships by team
Ark City won the 5A title from 1988 to 1998 (11 in a row), then in 2000 and 2003 (my sophomore year of HS), (but hasnt won one since :-(…) So a grand total of 13 in a 16 year period. And that doesnt count the ones in the 60’s (Jackson was in HS @ A.C. on the ’64 and ’66 teams) or ’82.
Soccer!
Is, along with hockey, an UN-AMERICAN activity.
If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.
HOCKEY!?!?!
I get soccer, but how is hockey un-American?
I mean, I don’t even like hockey, and this baffles me.
But, yeah, soccer is a commie game.
My sig needs updated.
by ChrisP Wildcat on Dec 23, 2011 12:29 PM CST up reply actions
He might think Hockey is Canadian.
He might think Arkansas is an acceptable place to live.
He’d be wrong on both accounts.
When life hands you lemons, make grape juice. Let them wonder how the F*ck you did it.
Fight till Hell freezes over and then fight them on the ice.
by BlackCats on Dec 23, 2011 12:45 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Ah, yes, forgot about the Arkansas connection...
My sig needs updated.
by ChrisP Wildcat on Dec 23, 2011 1:06 PM CST up reply actions
Soccer is communist?
Let’s not go over the deep end.
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. - Vince Lombardi
I've heard this theory from someone not on this blog as well.
I don’t buy it though.
aka - Hell Dancing
First to identify a TEWWT (so what if it was unintentional)
by Jeremy Sharp on Dec 25, 2011 3:51 PM CST up reply actions
No, of course not.
Just having a little fun.
I actually played soccer in elementary school, and my cousin went to Miliken to play soccer.
My sig needs updated.
by ChrisP Wildcat on Dec 26, 2011 1:12 AM CST up reply actions
The girls soccer talent
that comes out of Kansas is ridiculous too. KU just derps on getting them to go there. I think i read that 6 girls from KC since 09 have been on NCAA championship rosters and 10 or so have been to the final four.
Funny AA. Now you'll have look at EcoKat every time I post!
Next Halloween I’m going to have my wife dress up as EcoKat.
"If you don't want to work, become a reporter. That awful power, the public opinion of the nation, was created by a horde of self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditch digging and shoemaking and fetched up journalism on their way to the poorhouse." - Mark Twain
BOYCOTT ESPN!
You're not very nice to your wife.
Would you like some Freys with that?
by ChrisP Wildcat on Dec 22, 2011 1:48 PM CST up reply actions
She could pull of either EcoKat or Harley Quinn
Her choice
"If you don't want to work, become a reporter. That awful power, the public opinion of the nation, was created by a horde of self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditch digging and shoemaking and fetched up journalism on their way to the poorhouse." - Mark Twain
BOYCOTT ESPN!
I think that qualifies as Spousal Abuse
Bobby Hill: What's a meat examination team?
Hank Hill: It's like a debate team, only instead of doing something useless you get to grade the cut and quality of meat!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
