Bill Walker is currently listed on NBA Draft Express' early-entry list, which started a rumor yesterday that he has officially declared for the NBA draft. Not true, according to K-State SID Tom Gilbert, in a statement to the KC Star yesterday. My guess is Walker will at least file his papers with the advisery committee, but will not hire an agent in case he doesn't like what he hears.
Tough loss last night for the Bat Cats, who fell 4-3 to Wichita State. The Cats walked in two runs in the fifth inning and then grounded into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. Next up for the Cats is a home weekend series with Baylor, which they really need to win to stay semi-competitive in the Big 12 race. Currently, the Cats are 2-7, which puts them 1.5 games behind Texas Tech for the last (eighth) spot in the Big 12 postseason tournament.
Apparently going to Nebraska has had a lasting effect on Sam Keller.
Nice home opener for the Royals yesterday, as they picked up a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees. Even better, the win runs their record to 5-2 on the season. I guess I should qualify the "nice home opener" statement by limiting it to the win, as the weather was miserable in Kansas City yesterday.
I should also point out that Kansas City's new centerfield videoboard is the largest in the world. So move over, Texas, a small-market baseball club now has a bigger high-definition TV than you do. I just hope they put a crown on it like the old one.
Now that the real basketball season is over, the second season begins. The biggest news around these parts is clearly what Michael Beasley and Bill Walker will do, but second place certainly goes to the decision facing 'beaker coach Bill Self.
It is rumored that Oklahoma State is going to offer Self a $6 million signing bonus and a yearly salary in the neighborhood of $ 3.5 million. That would more than double his yearly salary down the river, where he actually makes less money than the a-hole who coaches the football team. SB Nation's A Sea of Blue weighs in, noting that Oklahoma State is, at best, a second-tier job and that the 'beakers cannot match T. Boone Pickens' Oklahoma State's offer.
I really think everybody is understimating Oklahoma State's station in the college basketball world here. In the last two years, they have undoubtedly dropped off, but traditionally they are one of the top programs outside the clear elite (UCLA, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, etc.). In the last 15 years, Okie State has been in two Final Fours, has an arena that most experts consider one of the most historic in the country, and have a rabid fanbase that eagerly awaits the return of top-flight basketball to bright orange country.
Also, everyone is acting like this is all about the money. It's not. Bill Self played basketball at Oklahoma State, his wife is an OSU alum, and Self grew up in Oklahoma. It's home. Not that Kansas is very far away, but it's still not home. On top of that, his alma mater has slipped from what I'm sure he considers its potential in the college basketball world, and he may want to be the one who steps in and revives it.
To say the least, the next few days/weeks will be quite interesting.
(On a side note, the KC Star's Joe Posnanski hits the nail on the head in this situation, as usual)
An interesting post from Seth over at Double T Nation regarding the book Tipping Point. Go read the post for a full explanation, but it regards what it takes to put a college football program over the top in terms of success.
Jordy Nelson's draft stock is rising. The WWL now reports that Riley's favorite son is unlikely to wait until Day 2 to be drafted.
On the other hand, it appears former 'beaker Aqib Talib has hurt his draft stock because he was too dumb to avoid getting caught smoking weed three times while he was in college. Of course, we already knew he was overhyped to begin with.
That's it for today. I'm still working on my basketball season in review and will get that posted sometime this week.