Bleacher Report - Articles by Brandon Bohning

Kansas Jayhawks Sit Pretty as Other Ranked Teams Tear Each Other Apart

Brandon Bohning — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:32:54 -0500

The familiar absence of a preseason tournament for the Kansas Jayhawks has kept KU's record unblemished, while many other highly ranked teams bruise each other up in preseason tournaments.

The Jayhawks haven't played in a preseason tournament since the 06-07 season, in which they won the Las Vegas Invitational which was just a four-team tournament. The Jayhawks dispatched the then No.1 ranked Florida Gators 82-80 in overtime to claim the tournament victory.

The past two years they have played in tournament formatted competition, but neither competition can really be labeled a true preseason tournament in my mind. Invitationals that stretch the span of nearly two weeks aren't really tournaments.

What qualifies as a preseason tournament aside, the Jayhawks absence from one this year, coupled with the fact that their once tough-looking schedule for this preseason is starting to look a bit more modest.

Their upcoming December 6 game against UCLA at Pauley Pavillion now looks like it will be an absolute walkover, after UCLA lost its last three (all in this past weekends preseason tournament in Anaheim, CA).

Michigan, who also sits at a bruised 3-2 record following consecutive defeats in its preseason tournament this past weekend, looks like they might struggle to keep the game at Allen Fieldhouse on December 19 close.

California, who visits the Jayhawks just a game after the Wolverines come to Lawrence, suffered consecutive and very exposing losses in their preseason tournament a couple of weeks ago. They'll have to play their best game of the season to contend with the Jayhawks.

KU must travel to Philly to take on Temple a day after New Year's, but the Owls are currently averaging 61 points per game while KU allows less than 60. To beat this Kansas team, you either have to hold them under 70 because you will not beat them in the 70s, 80s, or 90s.

The preseason for the Jayhawks concludes with a trip to Knoxville to face Bruce Pearl's Volunteers. Tennessee has two grade-A games on their schedule, they already lost the first one to Purdue in Knoxville. The Vols like to beat teams in the 70s and 80s, so that may still be the Jayhawks biggest challenge.

While this season's schedule had been on paper well before the first tip off, Bill Self and his Jayhawks have done themselves a service by not appearing in any of the many preseason tournaments.

The Jayhawks absence from one of these tournaments, may come with some flack from some analysts, but as far as I can tell, it's a smart move.

First, the Jayhawks scheduled tough in the wake of not being in one of the tournaments.

Second, their absence has allowed the team to gel. By playing a bunch of cupcakes with the close win against Memphis sandwiched in between them, Kansas has started to form its identity.

After what should be an absolute trouncing of Alcorn State this Wednesday, the Jayhawks will be an unblemished 6-0 heading into Saturday's clash with UCLA.

The game in LA will be followed by two more cupcakes before Kansas hosts Michigan and Cal in consecutive contests.

If my feelings about this Jayhawk team are correct and they rarely are not, Kansas could very well be 11-0 after the game against Cal.

Think about all of it like this: If Kansas had played in a preseason tournament, played well and won whatever tournament they were participating in, there would be more articles written about how Xavier Henry is going to be Freshman of the Year and how Sherron and Cole are the greatest one-two punch in the country.

In all likelihood, too many of those press clippings would be overly read and Kansas may have gotten to high on itself, just high enough to slip up against a Michigan or a Cal.

Now I am not saying that would happen for sure, but Kansas' absence from a preseason tournament has really allowed them to beat up on their cupcakes and stay out of the limelight that is always associated with these tournaments.

In the process, the Jayhawks have been able to crush their cupcakes and grind out a win that really helped build some needed character.

On the flipside, many of the Jayhawks' opponents down the road elected to play in preseason tournaments and ended up paying the price.

Summit League Memories For Kansas Not Pleasant Ones

Brandon Bohning — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:43:30 -0500

The Summit League. One of the many mid-major leagues in the college basketball world that gives its champion the opportunity to play for the national title in March.

The Kansas Jayhawks' opponent tonight, Oakland University, hails from the Summit League. This is the same league that produced Kansas' first-round opponent in last year's NCAA Tournament, the North Dakota State Bison.

As all first round games are, the North Dakota State clash with Kansas last year was a true nail-biter for most Kansas fans. Although KU was coming off of a national title the previous year, memories of the two consecutive first-round exists of the 2004 and 2006 seasons may have been lingering during last year's first round matchup.

The game was tight the whole way through thanks to Summit League Player of the Year Ben Woodside, who put up a staggering 37 points against the Jayhawks.

"Sherron is still having nightmares about that," coach Bill Self said in his pregame conference for tonight's matchup against the Rochester, Mich. school.

While most Kansas fans will be predicting a dominating performance, perhaps another opportunity for the Jayhawks to hit triple-digits again, some may not be that over-confident.

Oakland has arguably the league's best guard in Johnathon Jones. He's 5-foot-11, possesses great speed and handles the ball well. However, he is known more for his ability to distribute the ball to his teammates.

Jones needs just eight assists to set the conference record. Chances are he'll get the record in what is arguably the Mecca of college basketball, Allen Fieldhouse.

You can bet that he'll be guarded by Sherron Collins, and when Collins is getting a blow on the bench, Tyshawn Taylor will have the honor.

Judging by Oakland's preseason schedule, which includes trips to Kansas, Memphis, Michigan State, Oregon and Syracuse, coach Greg Kampe has to be thinking big-name competition will prepare his team for the rigors of the conference schedule and run in the conference tournament.

Kampe won't just be relying on Jones tonight, though. His big man, 6-11 Junior Keith Benson, is averaging a double-double which includes nearly 15 rebounds a game.

There will likely be plenty of NBA scouts in the Fieldhouse tonight as Benson, along with Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry should all be taken in the first round of next year's NBA draft.

It will be interesting to see if Kansas can overcome its trend of sputtering out of the gate and on the flipside, whether or not Oakland can take advantage of it if Kansas does start slowly.

It'll be important for Benson to stay out of foul trouble, which may not be all that easy. If he can stay disciplined on defense and let his guards do a lot of the work on offense, he could have a chance at reaching his averages.

As a team, Oakland will be looking to get another defensive performance like they had against Wisconsin earlier in the season, when they held the Badgers to 58 points.

My hunch is that they'll have a hard time holding Kansas under 80 points, as the talent discrepancy between Wisconsin and Kansas is, in a word, large.

Oakland may have an opportunity to beat a Memphis, or an Oregon, or even a Syracuse this season, but the chances of them beating KU in the Fieldhouse are slim-to-none.

It should be a fun game to watch tonight as Kansas will look to move to 4-0 on the year. I think Kansas fans should watch and see whether or not Collins plays with a little chip on his shoulder after the last Summit League guard he faced hung 37 points on the Jayhawks.

One thing is for sure. The final score of tonight's game may not indicate a competitive game, but this Oakland-Kansas matchup sure produces plenty of must-watch storylines.

Kansas Jayhawks' Two All-Americans Straighten the Learning Curve

Brandon Bohning — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:58:53 -0500

The nation's best college basketball team, the Kansas Jayhawks, failed to impress any of the suspected millions watching in their 57-55 win over the Memphis Tigers.

Most of the credit for such a close result should go to the Memphis Tigers, who chased down every lose ball, got offensive rebounds, and made clutch baskets late in the game. Their rookie coach, 32-year-old Josh Pastner, looks like a tenured guy already and deserves a lot of credit for having his team ready to compete against the Jayhawks.

In the end, the result befitted the night in college basketball overall. The nation's No. 2 squad, Michigan State, won a nail-biter at the end of its game in East Lansing. Likewise, UConn had a tough time putting away a skilled Hofstra squad and Georgetown narrowly avoided defeat in D.C. at the hands of Temple.

A couple of things became very evident as the Memphis-Kansas game progressed. The over-arching theme was that KU still has quite the learning curve. While it returns nine players, Kansas added freshman blue-chipper Xavier Henry, guard Elijah Johnson, and big man Thomas Robinson.

While Henry finished with 11 points and six rebounds, his presence on the floor seemed to confuse other guards Tyrell Reed and especially Tyshawn Taylor.

Now don't confuse what I am getting at here. I don't think this is remotely a serious concern, but there was an air of misunderstanding between Taylor and Henry on a couple of passes and plays.

Most of that can fall on the freshman who I think has yet to understand just how big of an influence he can make on a game with his size and scoring ability. What appears to be confusion now will certainly be ironed out by late January. Instead of silly turnovers caused by misunderstanding the offense, we'll likely be seeing plenty of "Top 10 Play" appearances on SportsCenter as the season progresses.

Despite Kansas' overall inability to take care of the basketball, something coach Bill Self has been concerned about since practice got underway about a month ago, two factors have proved big already this season, and their names are Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich.

The reason I, and likely many other Kansas fans, weren't all that nervous last night, with the exception of the final shot of the game floating towards the rim, is the fact that fans trust and believe that the two All-Americans will lead the team to victory this year.

It has to be comforting to all of Jayhawk nation that the team, when it really doesn't play like a team at all, can still win because of the reliability of Aldrich and Collins.

The game last night bodes well for the future of this season, where KU will inevitably find itself in a similar situation where no "supporting player" can play within the team, and overall the team just seems to struggle and will have to rely on the consistent play of both Sherron and Cole.

Sherron didn't play much of the second half due to nagging cramps, but after an IV in the dressing room, he returned to the floor and made sure the game didn't slip away from Kansas. Upon his return, he made one of the best plays of the night, on a fast break drive, where he hung in the air long enough to deliver to Aldrich who finished with authority.

He also added a free-throw in the waning moments that extended the lead to two, instead of one.

Speaking of Cole Aldrich, he was there all night long. He was a workhorse, and judging by coach Bill Self's comments going into halftime, Cole wasn't getting enough touches, thanks in large part to Memphis' effort on defense.

Aldrich finished with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds, and could have easily scored 30. Memphis couldn't solve the high-low, which resulted in a ton of high-percentage attempts for the KU big men—Marcus Morris had ten points off 4-of-7 shooting.

In a game where both teams shot the ball badly, and generally played a sloppy game, overall it has to be comforting for Kansas fans to see their team grind out a victory, especially on the big stage of ESPN and on a neutral court.

KU's gritty win can be attributed to the play of its two All-Americans who showed that they can weather the bigger-than-expected learning curve KU still has to get over.

With a trip to L.A. and Pauley Pavillion to face UCLA, trips to Knoxville and Philadelphia to face great teams in Tennessee and Temple, respectively, as well as home fixtures against Michigan and California still on the schedule, Kansas' grit and determination still has much testing to go.

Fear not however, because I'm sure by the time they begin that stretch of tough games, (they're at UCLA on Dec. 6), and Bill Self will have the team performing closer to expectations.

One thing is for sure, and that is it's certainly nice for coach Self and all of the Kansas basketball fans alike, to know that they will always get the steady, reliable play out of their two All-Americans, Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins.

Memphis-Kansas Rematch Lacks Its Once-Great Luster

Brandon Bohning — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:35:27 -0500

Tonight, the No. 1 ranked Kansas Men's Basketball Team squares off against Memphis in St. Louis. It will be the first time the two teams have met since their slobber-knocker of a National Championship game in 2008.

We all know who prevailed and how they did it. However, you can't talk about tonight's game with much anticipation because of where both programs, especially Memphis, has gone from there.

Instead, most of the hype for tonight's game comes from the fresh memories of the title game in 2008. The impossible comeback, Memphis being plagued by missed free-throws, "The Shot," and the overtime mauling. All of it culminating with the banner hanging in the north end of Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.

While tonight's matchup may still get some attention—the majority of it will originate from what happened in the 2008 Championship game. There is a twist, however, and the twisting comes from the Memphis side of tonight's matchup.

Ponder this: Pretend that John Calipari stayed at Memphis, and despite his best efforts over the summer was unsuccessful at convincing Tyreke Evans to stay. Now pretend that Xavier Henry is a Tiger instead of a Jayhawk due to Calipari's hypothetical loyalty to Memphis, and pretend that Kentucky standout freshman John Wall also was a Memphis Tiger.

The game tonight would have a little different feel to it, wouldn't it? Instead of Kansas being the overwhelming favorite, in all hypothetical likelihood, Memphis would be favored.

The game would have received a ton of preseason hype, and there would have been round-the-clock coverage on ESPN, much like they currently do with Monday Night Football . It would be billed as the game of the season, despite the 2009-2010 season being in its infancy.

The question for Kansas fans would be this, "Can Cole and Sherron lead their team to victory, and crush the Tigers and Calipari again?" Of course the biggest question of all being directed at the Tigers, "Can they get the revenge they so desperately need as a program?"

Alright, back to earth. Calipari coaches Kentucky, he's got John Wall in Lexington with him.

In his wake, Memphis—left bruised and battered by Calipari's departure has had to endure overwhelming embarrassment in form of serious NCAA violations surrounding the validity of Derek Rose's college entrance exam scores which stripped every Memphis win of the 2007-2008 season, including that great postseason run.

On top of the embarrassment, Tyreke Evans is now playing 82 games a season, and the Memphis team is in full-on rebuilding mode.

On the flip side, Xavier Henry, along with his brother C.J. (a transfer from Memphis, I needn't remind you) are both Jayhawks, on a squad that is primed for another title run.

While Memphis, as a program, is worried about where it goes from the ashes left behind by John Calipari's crookedness—the only problem Kansas has as a program is whether or not to rotate nine players instead of 10, (assuming the well-publicized feud with the football team is truly over).

With the billing for tonight's game being severely damaged by the loss of Calipari and his blue-chip recruits, viewers will constantly be reminded about the 2008 National Title Game, whether they like it (Kansas fans), or not (Memphis fans).

You can expect to see the Chalmers game-tying three pointer at least five times, you can expect to see the Collins steal, pass, reception, and three pointer that preceded Chalmers' miracle, at least twice. You'll also probably see Collins victory dribble around the court a couple times.

Tonight's contest was always going to be billed as the rematch of one of the greatest National Title games to ever be played. However, the game, and especially the anticipation for it has been greatly diminished by the series of events that have taken place at Memphis.

I'd like to think I speak for many when I say that it is very unfortunate for fans of College Basketball, and the fans of both teams alike, that this rematch could have lived up to, or surpassed the excitement of its first installment and instead, it looks like the result will be a foregone conclusion.

The Newly Added Expectations for the Kansas Basketball Team

Brandon Bohning — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:37:02 -0500

It's not as if expectations for the Kansas Men's Basketball team aren't already astronomical—the season's preseason No. 1 rank automatically means everyone doesn't just think that you could win it all, but that you should win it all.

A preseason No. 1 rank, a star-studded recruiting class led by future lottery pick Xavier Henry, in other words the personnel to do, well, the expected. So what other expectations could be piled on the consensus favorite to cut down the nets in early April?

The answer would be the team that competes on the other side of the hill that the University of Kansas sits on.

The Kansas football team lost to Nebraska 34-17 on Saturday. They have now lost five straight games and have Texas and Missouri left on the schedule.

The football team had began their season with high expectations. Many picked them to win the Big XII North division, possibly winning 10 games along the way. Now a 5-7 record looks all but inevitable.

The anxiety that the football team has given Kansas fans has now culminated, and the relief that basketball season has officially begun has sunk in.

However, it wouldn't be wise to say that many of those fans won't be heaping their anxiety from the failed football campaign directly on the shoulders of Bill Self and his team.

While some KU fans may not transfer the unmet football expectations onto the basketball team directly, at the very least, football fans will be looking for the basketball team's expected success to comfort the anxiety they have felt from a failed football season.

Most fans would inevitably tell you that my hypothesis has no grounds—that expectations for the basketball team are always high, and that a poor season in football never produces any extra expectations for the basketball team because the football program has been bad for so long.

However, it's my belief that had the football team met one of their popular preseason expectations, the football team's success would have taken some of the sting out of a hypothetical pre-Championship game exit for the basketball team in March.

Sure, the mere thought of anything but another National Championship for the basketball team this year may reduce even the brawniest Jayhawk fan to tears.

But with the failure of this year's football team to even come close to reaching preseason expectations, there will surely be plenty of die-hard football fans piling their football anxiety to the basketball team, in some form or another.

Can a Monster Slam Foreshadow a Monster Season For Marcus Morris?

Brandon Bohning — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:13:53 -0500

With the Jayhawks well on their way to what became a 103-45 exhibition drubbing of in-state Div. II school, Pittsburg State, Marcus Morris received a beautiful no look pass from sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor and finished with a level of authority that befitted the feed from Taylor.

The dunk has become a YouTube favorite among many KU Basketball fans, and provided the biggest talking point of what really was a yawner of an exhibition game. The dunk brings a longer lasting question into play in my mind—can a dunk of this magnitude vault Marcus Morris to a productive season?

In describing the dunk, the Morris twin wearing number 22 claimed, "I’ve never been a dunker, as y’all saw last year. I’ve been more a finesse player." He also claimed that the dunk was just his second best of his career, with the first coming just a few days before, in practice against All-American Center, Cole Aldrich.

Perhaps the dunk and the attention Morris received thereafter will get Coach Bill Self off of the Morris twin's back a bit at practice. Self is hard on both Morris twins, but particularly Marcus, who often fails to realize the potential of his size and power.

In a recent piece on Self by the Kansas City star, Self was quoted during practice as chiding Marcus Morris for being what in the player's mind is his strong suit, a "finesse player." "You got to drive, Marcus! All you want to do is shoot a damn three-pointer every time. You’re a good driver and all you want to do is play to your worst weakness!" Self yelled.

Clearly there is a difference in opinion between player and coach as to what type of player Marcus Morris really is. While the twin made a couple of open three-pointers last season, at 6'9" 230 lbs, Marcus Morris isn't exactly built like a finesse player.

Both Morris twins reportedly put on muscle in the offseason and it is abundantly clear that coach Bill Self wants Marcus Morris to use that improved strength to get to the basket, instead of settling for 10 to 12-foot jumpers. If the dunk highlighted anything, it highlighted the fact that Morris can be the power player that Self wants.

The offseason brought two new big men to KU's already loaded squad. Thomas Robinson, a 6'9" Freshman and a transfer from Arizona, 7-foot redshirt freshman Jeff Withey. The addition of these two freshman to the squad has sparked heavy competition for the four spot in KU's starting lineup.

Last year, Marcus was battling his brother for the four spot. Now, with Thomas Robinson challenging for that spot, it may be well into the non-conference schedule before we see one of these players emerge as ther perennial starter.

If Self can convince Marcus to buy into the fact that he can be a much more productive big man as a powerful, dribble drive player instead of a bigger guy who should be a jump shooter, Marcus will flourish. However it will be up to Marcus himself, whether or not to buy into that idea.

If Marcus buys into that philosophy and Self can rely on him to look to get to the basket with the same authority his monster slam received, Morris will not only see his minutes go up, but Kansas will be that much better. That is a scary prospect for the teammates competing for the position and KU's opponents alike.

A highlight reel dunk can receive a lot of attention, but rarely can it be a precursor to something better. In Marcus Morris' case, his dunk against Pittsburg State could be a telling illustration that the sophomore forward is ready to shed his "finesse" ways and become the power player Bill Self wants him to be.

MLS Cup Playoffs: A Continued Recipe for Mediocrity

Brandon Bohning — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:32:42 -0500

With the final whistle last night, the defending MLS Champion Columbus Crew had their chances at defending that title cut short, thanks to the horrific playoff system the MLS continues to institute.

Let me be clear, I know that the MLS is trying to grow and is constantly trying to evolve into a league that is respected around the world. I understand what they are trying to accomplish, and for the most part, they are succeeding.

I also understand that a playoff system was necessary back in the early years of the MLS, when it had just the original 10 teams. It's certainly hard to get a real sense of who's the best when you only have 10 squads.

The MLS now has 15 and will quickly be adding more franchises in its ever-growing league. As new teams arrive, the league gets bigger, the fan base gets broader, the MLS has to lose the playoff system.

I'm sure there are multiple reasons for a playoff system that still stand to justify its status as "THE" thing to do. When the league began, it was influenced by Lamar Hunt and Robert Kraft, along with a few other football owners who happened to enjoy the game of soccer. To them, the playoffs were what had to happen.

With last night's loss, the Columbus Crew are a shining example of why the current system is both illogical and unfair.

Soccer is not like football or basketball. Typically, in those sports, the margin of error in every game is so small due to the sheer athleticism and skill of each player on every team. This is why it's common to see a 6-10 team beat an 11-5 team in the NFL and it's the same reason (at least partially) why the NBA plays 82 games.

Now I will concede that if you look at the MLS tables (divided into conferences, another horrible idea), just a few points separate the leagues better teams. So perhaps the margin of error isn't as large as it is in many European leagues. However, how does the MLS benefit from having its best team not be rewarded?

The eighth best team beat the best team, and based on the format alone, it can be considered fair. Columbus didn't do enough, and they were punished. So why then even play the 30 games the league has them play?

I get what a playoff system means, and call me a soccer snob who only follows the Premier League, but until the MLS goes to a full table, no playoff system, it will always be a poor man's soccer league.

How can you not see a league's mediocrity when potentially its eighth best team can win the cup? How is the MLS's mediocrity not seen when over half of it's league gets to play for the cup in the first place?

Soccer, as a sport, traditionally rewards a leagues best team. Most soccer leagues don't give prizes out to its eighth best team. Until the MLS can be comfortable with having every team play each other twice, and let that be the end of it, it will never attain the status I at least think it wants to attain.

Now I know there are several factors aside from tradition that go into the playoff idea. TV and revenue being at the forefront. However, this will continue to be a problem regardless of whether or not there happens to be a playoff system in place.

While soccer continues to grow in the US, we are far from a country that watches soccer to the extent of following the MLS on TV. ESPN shows one game a week (sometimes none) and Fox Soccer Channel might show two games.

The MLS is up against it geographically as well. It's hard to showcase two of the better teams in a matchup like Columbus at Los Angeles when kickoff comes around 10:30pm in Columbus.

Now I don't want to come off as dogging the MLS. I like the MLS, and while I'm not a supporter of any team, I always monitor the league itself. I have no problem with the MLS as an institution.

The push to get its franchises "soccer-only" stadiums is very admirable as well as necessary if soccer is to truly gain a foothold in the US. The leagues outreach and push to expand the league is also a great thing.

I only have a problem with the league's current format, its playoff system, and its knack for rewarding "the underdog."

I believe that anyone who whines about something as much as I just have should have a plan to change what they are whining about. So here is mine.

Step One. I would propose that the league dissolve its current "division" and lump all 16 teams into the same table. Since the league already doesn't require four teams from each division to make it into the playoffs, this shouldn't be that big of change to begin with.

A full table of 16 would also bring new league rivalries. Sure, the current rivalries based on either geography or competitive history will be there, but a full table opens the door for future rivalries we have yet to see.

Finally, a full table would bring the type of open competition the league hasn't seen in its 13 seasons.

Step Two. I would do away with the playoff system entirely. The fact that Columbus can't defend its title because it was unable to perform in two games out of the 32 it played is extremely wrong. A season of great achievement has now been punished, and all the Crew players and fans are left with is anxiety for next year.

The playoff system is thought of as "goofy" among most World Football circles, and while the MLS is starting to get some star studded talent despite those players being in the sunset of their careers, the league format really cancels their presence out.

Let's let the whole season be a playoff. Everyone played 30 games this season and the winner only managed to scrape 49 points out of 30 matches, the eighth best team was just three wins shy of that mark. There is enough parity in the league already, a playoff system can only serve to punish the better teams.

Step Thre. If the MLS has a desire to create a playoff atmosphere, do it, but keep it mutually exclusive from the league itself.

I would like to see a league cup. Begin the league cup in late May, you can even call it the MLS Cup, and keep the same trophy (which has changed designs more times than I can count—also illustrating the league's ineptness to establish tradition).

It would resemble just about every league tournament around the world. You'd have a draw, drawing the eight home teams first, and then pairing them up with the eight remaining teams.

The format would be single elimination; however, should the two teams draw, a replay would happen the following week at the second team's home field. The Cup Final could be kept in American tradition of a moving venue.

It would fit nicely with the US Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League cup tournaments. It would also provide some of the young players and managers the competitive experience a cup tournament usually produces.

The MLS needs a change to its playoff system that rewards hot teams, punishes teams who managed to navigate a 30-game season successfully. Until it does, the league will be steeped in mediocrity and unfairness.

Kansas Basketball Season Preview: Jayhawks Look to Ride No. 1 Ranking to Title

Brandon Bohning — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:50:22 -0400

The 2009-2010 college basketball season can officially start being discussed now that the first batch of preseason rankings are available.

It came as no surprise that Kansas sits atop the preseason coaches' poll.

A little background

The 2004-2005 season was the last time the Jayhawks began the season as the nation's top team—perhaps a bad omen for this year, as the 2004-05 season rivals only the 1996-97 season as the most disappointing season in Kansas basketball history.

In '96-97 Kansas was absolutely stacked with talent. Leading that group was Paul Pierce, who has nearly cemented himself as a pro Hall of Famer. In '04-05 the team had Wayne Simien (a Wooden Award finalist that year) as well as guards Aaron Miles and Keith Langford. All three had Final Four experience.

In '96-97 KU made its way through the schedule with ease for the most part. Most people had them as the favorite to win the national title, but a crushing defeat (emotionally) at the hands of Arizona in the Sweet 16 dashed the hopes and dreams of Kansas fans.

In '04-05, KU got off to a fast start. A tough defeat to Villanova on the road seemed to expose the team, which went on to stumble into the tournament with absolutely zero momentum. If we know anything about college basketball, it's that you need to be flying going into the tournament.

KU met Bucknell out of the Patriot League. Kansas came out flat, and the entire team showed signs of confusion. Throughout that season and especially towards the end, the discontent of Roy Williams' recruits towards Bill Self was very evident.

Self didn't seem to have them motivated to play Bucknell. Simien's turnaround 12-footer just inside the free throw line hit the rim twice and bounced out, which bounced Kansas out of the tournament in the first round.

Once Self was able to coach a team that was free of Williams guys, he has yet to disappoint KU fans. He's taken KU to an Elite Eight and won the National Title, and the team narrowly fell short of an Elite Eight appearance last year.

No. 1 for a reason, or several

Everyone with the exception of fan favorite Matt Kleinmann returns to the squad this year. A star-studded recruitment class, headlined by ESPNU No. 1 recruit Xavier Henry, joins an already solid group of players.

KU has unimaginable depth this year—a characteristic that bodes well for a title run (see North Carolina last year). Self says he'd like to go nine, even 10 deep. One can't comment on that until we actually see the team in action.

Did I mention that KU returns one of the best, if not the nation's best guard in Sherron Collins, and arguably the nation's most consistent big man, Cole Aldrich? Their leadership and championship experience alone could garner KU the top preseason spot.

A total of four players remain from the 2008 Championship team: Aldrich, Collins, Brady Morningstar, and Tyrell Reed. Their experience will be close to priceless when KU gets to the later rounds of the tournament.

Finally, KU coach Bill Self has cemented himself as one of the nation's finest coaches. While he may not be the offensive genius Roy Williams is or have the ability to teach rugged basketball like Tom Izzo, he gets his guys to commit to playing stingy defense, which helps his main philosophy of stealing extra possessions.

He recruits guards not necessarily for their scoring or shooting prowess. Instead he recruits tough-nosed guards committed to playing opportunistic defense, who love to get steals as much as they like to score.

Should Self get his second national title in three years, I don't know how Kansas fans can't vault him to the always debated "best coach in our history" status.

Big questions will demand thorough answers

The current story enveloping the Kansas men's basketball team right now has nothing to do with basketball at all. Instead the focus has been on the off-court antics of some of its major players.

Guard Tyshawn Taylor got into a disagreement with members of the Kansas football team over what else? A female.

Two altercations ensued. The first took place outside of Jayhawker towers (the residence buildings that house nearly all of KU's student athletes) and the other at the center of KU's campus.

The second was perhaps more troubling as nearly every member of the basketball team was involved, as well as an equal number of the football team.

Football coach Mark Mangino and Coach Self forced both teams to a truce, reiterating the fact that all of them had "Kansas" on the front of their jerseys and as such needed to be a cohesive unit.

Not two weeks later, Morningstar was arrested on suspicion of driving drunk. He was quickly suspended for the entire first semester by Coach Self.

These off-court antics have led most major college basketball writers, critics, and analysts to question whether or not the KU basketball team will be able to weather the storm.

Will the distractions be a problem as KU gets ready to begin its season? I doubt it; this team knows the expectations that come before it for this season, and I believe that come Nov. 13, when Kansas begins its regular season against Hofstra, all attention will be focused on meeting those lofty expectations.

While most of the questions have been off-court-to-on-court related, some questions about the season remain.

Will KU be able to manage their tough non-conference schedule?

Kansas has one of, if not the toughest non-conference schedule in America. It will play Memphis on a neutral court in just its second regular season game. Road trips to Pauley Pavilion to face UCLA, Knoxville to take on Bruce Pearl's determined Vols squad, and a trip to Philadelphia to take on Temple linger in December and January.

KU will also host two conference title contenders and preseason top 15 teams in Cal (Pac-10) and Michigan (Big Ten) in back-to-back games in mid-December.

Believe it or not, I think the two home games against Cal and Michigan will be the toughest of the non-conference schedules.

UCLA is in a down year, and while Tennessee and Temple will be tough on the road, KU's depth alone should help them prevail.

Another question that has been asked is, how will Bill Self keep everyone happy?

Ten deep? That may be the case, but guys like the Morris twins, who have lost weight and gained a bunch of muscle, will be competing against newcomers like Thomas Robinson, a recruit, and Jeff Withey, a transfer from Arizona.

The team also has 12 guards listed as eligible. Normally KU plays with three. It will be very interesting to see how minutes are split up amongst the guards, especially for that third guard position.

Finally, and perhaps the biggest question: How will KU respond to the expectations this season has brought upon them?

I highlighted (or perhaps lowlighted) the past two seasons with KU as the preseason No. 1. This year is much different; the team is incredibly deep. The talent level top to bottom would make just about any college basketball fan drool. Expectations should be met.

Finally, the meat: Predictions

I will come out right away and say that there is no reason this team won't win the National Championship on that final Monday in April in a town called Indianapolis.

I think the tough non-conference schedule may yield a couple of losses, mainly due to the fact that there are a lot of new faces on this team that will be seeing significant playing time.

That said, it will take a while for this team to become the well-oiled machine I expect it to be once it gets into the grunt of its conference schedule.

I see the Jayhawks going 13-2 in their non-conference schedule and 14-2 in their conference schedule, ultimately sharing the Big 12 regular season title with Texas. I'd then expect KU to once again (for the fourth time in five years) clip Texas in the Big 12 tournament title game en route to the second No. 1 seed in the tournament.

Obviously from there anything can happen, but I really feel like the depth this team has will leave it humming in March. A potential rematch with North Carolina in the Final Four will be in the cards, and I think KU clips Michigan State in the final 73-65.

Kansas Football In Need Of Some Introspection

Brandon Bohning — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:16:27 -0400

The University of Kansas football team needs to pause and reflect on its performance this past Saturday, where they beat the Iowa State Cyclones 41-36 to claim their first conference victory.

A season that deserved the ambitious predictions it was receiving — A Big 12 North Division title, and a chance to get to another BCS Bowl Game, has come under some needed scrutiny.

Every fan, analyst, and program follower knew that KU would be able to put up the offensive numbers they have been, and that the defense would raise plenty of hairs, but after a defensive letdown like they produced on Saturday, many fans are starting to get less optimistic.

Suddenly a visit to Folsom Field in Boulder next weekend doesn't look like the sure thing it did just a few weeks ago. The one-win Buffaloes performed well in Austin against Texas and will certainly be hungry for their first conference victory.

The last time KU played Colorado in Boulder, the Jayhawks came out on top 19-14 in what was the second of three road wins that really helped legitimize the Jayhawks 2007-2008 Orange Bowl season.

KU Coach Mark Mangino acknowledged his role along with his defensive coaches' as well in not having the defensive unit ready to go against Iowa State. He stressed the need to simplify defensive game plans going forward.

Something is going to have to happen, that is the only thing one can say for sure. The Jayhawk defense made the Iowa State QB Arnaud look like a Heisman Trophy candidate. Their hybrid, 4-2-5 Nickel system failed to impress.

Arnaud was able to shred KU's soft zone coverages. KU failed to successfully blitz early, which led to what appeared to be a give up on blitzing schemes.

While Arnaud is a significantly more talented QB than either of the quarterbacks the KU defense will face against Colorado, the ease at which the ISU offense was able to move the ball is concerning.

Todd Reesing went 37-49 for a personal best, 449 yards. Throwing to Dezmon, Briscoe, and Kerry Meier, two of KU's all-time great wide-receivers, who caught a total of 28 of Reesing's throws for a combined 328 yards.

Another offensive performance like the one against Iowa State this weekend, should propel KU to a victory over Colorado next Saturday.

However, the failure of the defense to make an even small number of decent plays going deeper into their schedule, which features visits from Oklahoma, Nebraska, and road trips to Texas Tech, and Texas, will leave the high expectations Kansas football fans had for their team this season, dashed.

Missed Chances, Brilliant Goal Leave Manchester United Stunned

Brandon Bohning — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:53:31 -0400

Manchester United were thrown into an incredible atmosphere at Turf Moor on Wednesday evening. A stunning goal from Burnley's Robbie Blake sent all three points the Clements' way.

Michael Owen was looking as rusty as one would have assumed he'd be in his first major start for the club.

Failure to get a touch on two great deliveries from the wing left him wondering what might have been as he exited the field in the middle of the second half.

Burnley only needed one strike, and was it thunderous. After an attempt to head clear from Evra, Robbie Blake latched onto the header for a one-time volley that screamed into the upper ninety.

It was a goal worthy of the three points it won.

United had the best chance you can possibly get on goal, a penalty, awarded just before halftime. Patrice Evra was tripped up by goal scorer Robbie Blake and Carrick stepped to the spot.

He pounded a shot to the Burnley keeper Jensen's right, but the big man between the posts was the hero, saving Carrick's attempt.

As a United fan, I was puzzled as to what may have been the reason for Carrick taking the penalty. I thought Rooney, Owen, or Anderson might have been a better choice.

However, I speculate that no one wants to get a milestone goal from the spot. It would have been Rooney's 100th and Anderson's first for the club.

The entire second half was played in the Burnley end, but United couldn't find the golden touch to get them level, which would have been all they'd need to get them a second.

Instead, United looked like the team they are, one with new faces and players who haven't played nearly enough together to put forth a real team effort.

Giggs played a short corner to Antonio Valencia, who mistakenly put it onto Giggs' right foot, and since Giggs was expecting the left, the ball caught the United legend leaning and rolled over the touchline.

The town of Burnley is the smallest in the Premier League, but the 20,800 in attendance more than filled the voices of the 50,000 Burnleyians not in attendance.

With a showdown with unexpected winners on the first weekend Wigan approaching, United better shore up their expectations, otherwise United fans could be in for a frustrating season.

Manchester United's Unprecedented Title Defense Begins Perfectly

Brandon Bohning — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:36:26 -0400

Manchester United began their pursuit of an unprecedented fourth consecutive English Premier League title against Birmingham City on Sunday and a goal from Wayne Rooney proved to be enough as United won 1-0.

After having a the bulk of the possession, Wayne Rooney latched on to a cross from winger Nani heading it onto the post, but with no defender in sight, Rooney coolly tapped in the rebound.

Patrice Evra came up with a wonderful clearance off Ben Foster's line just short of half time. Reacting perfectly, Evra was able to clear the Birmingham City attempt off the line with his head.

The second half saw United claim the majority of the possession while Birmingham City did defend better.

Dimitar Berbatov had a header cleared off the same goal line and came close on two other chances.

The first, a cross from Rooney which was just nicked away from him by the City defender.

The second came off of some brilliant individual skill, but the referee denied him a penalty claim as he had his foot stepped on in the box, preventing him from shooting on goal.

Ben Foster had a rather uneventful game, but came up with the decisive save of the game when City's Benitez found himself free of the defense. Foster pushed Benitez's curling shot wide of the post in the 78th minute to preserve United's 1-0 lead.

Michael Owen found himself alone with City keeper Joe Hart in the dying seconds, but was just unable to lift the ball over Hart.

Shortly after, the whistle blew, giving United the three points and a perfect start to their Premier League campaign.

Manchester United Could Struggle To Collect Silverware In 2009-2010.

Brandon Bohning — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:12:30 -0400

The 2009-2010 English football season begins in just over a month's time. While it is far too early to talk legitimate "previews," it isn't too early to speculate on the reigning champs.

Manchester United have seen much glory in the last three years. Three Premier League crowns, A Carling Cup, A Champions League Trophy, a FIFA Club World Cup trophy, and two FA Community Shields.

Much of that success can be attributed to players who no longer wear the United shirt. Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for 80 million quid, and Carlos Tevez, unhappy with his playing time, is going to move to Manchester City or Chelsea.

Cristiano Ronaldo is irreplaceable, at least in the near term. He is the fastest player in the world, possesses more skill than anyone with the exception of one or two other players and he can score 25+ goals from a wing position.

Tevez, although brilliant in his own right, is replaceable, it's just sad for most of the Mancunian Army to see him leave on such terms.

June and July have been busy months for departures and arrivals. In is long-time target Antonio Valencia, who has the ability to score 15-20 goals a season.

United also swooped up French neophyte Gabriel Obertan. He is a young winger with a lot of promise, but for him to make a large contribution this season is optimistic at best.

The shock move of the summer came when United signed former Liverpool and Newcastle forward Michael Owen. The former England star is looking for a career changing opportunity at United, and I think he can get it.

United haven't started the season with a win since their 2006-2007 EPL title-winning season. Two home draws in the past two season's inaugural weeks to Reading and Newcastle have left United behind the eight-ball early.

Can United set another new record and win their fourth straight Barclays Premier League title? Sure, but it is going to take most of the team staying at full fitness.

In the last two seasons United have been stretched thin at times at the back, and before the signing of Berbatov last year, up top as well.

The new signings aren't blockbuster, but Ronaldo's exit was all the blockbuster United needed to stay in the off-season limelight.

The return of Owen Hargreaves would be helpful to shore up the middle. Michael Owen's fitness is always at question, lucky for him he joins a club with one of the best fitness staffs in the entire world.

Critics are asking where the goals will come from now that Cristiano is gone. It's a worthy question, but I think it is one that can only be struggled to answer if United start the season with a goal drought.

For United fans to be bullish on the 2009-2010 campaign might be stretching fandom into unrealistic realms, but most commentators last year had United finishing 2nd or 3rd, and they were able to prove why they hold the most Premier League titles.

While I bleed United red, I tend to think United may end the season without much silverware. The new United kits don't offer much in the way of anticipation either. They are simply hideous.

Will United be able to survive sans Ronaldo? We shall see, in just over a month.

Players Who Earn Livings Abroad Shine For United States

Brandon Bohning — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:02:51 -0400

Jonathan Spector, Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davies, Michael Bradley, Jay Demerit, Jozy Altidore, Brad Guzan, Freddy Adu and Benny Feilhaber.

What do all of these US Men's National Team members have in common?

All of them earn their living playing club soccer away from the United States.

They all have something else in common. They are the best players on the team and there is no coincidence.

While I am not seeking to discredit the MLS, the experience players get while playing in the United States' best league fails in comparison to any other league in Europe.

The list could, and probably should have included Landon Donovan, who spent the spring on loan to Bayern Munich—Germany's biggest and best club.

While it must be conceded that many of these players have a lot of development still to come, and more experience to gain, they are only helping themselves and the US Men's National Team by playing their club soccer in Europe.

Tim Howard is arguably one of the 10 best keepers in the world, and is without question one of the three-to-five best in the English Premier League, where he plays for his club, Everton FC.

What did we hear from the commentators during the coverage of the last three games in the Confederations Cup? We heard the lauding of the back four and Tim Howard.

They all play in Europe.

Clint Dempsey is arguably the United States' best player. His touch, passing accuracy, shooting power, striking prowess from a wing position, and most importantly, his vision of the entire field make him the best.

He makes more money in a season playing for his club, West London's Fulham FC, an English Premier League side, than most MLS players make in three years.

While the rest of the list of players who make their living abroad don't play at the most notable clubs, the experience and development they are receiving in Europe is the type of experience of which the MLS couldn't scratch the surface.

Michael Bradley plays for the less-known German club Borussia Monchengladbach. He is experiencing competition from some of Europe's elite teams like Bayern Munich, Shalke 04, Bayer Leverkusen, and Werder Bremen. These are teams with world class players like Franck Ribery.

It won't be long before you see Bradley getting signed by bigger clubs.

The same will be true for the rest of the US Men's national team who currently play for some of Europe's lesser known clubs.

All of these players showed their class against the likes of Egypt, Spain, Italy and Brazil in the Confederations Cup.

On the pitch, they show patience, vision, grit, are never getting knocked off the ball, and most importantly, the ability to play exquisite first touch soccer.

Take for instance the US's first goal against Brazil. It started with a one-touch pass from Jozy Altidore (Villareal-Spain) to Landon Donovan (recently Bayern Munich-Germany) who hit a one-touch pass to Charlie Davies (Hammarby-Sweden) who then crossed it back to Donovan.

Donovan than put a deft first touch to wrong foot the defender and finished with his next touch.

Or how about the first goal against Brazil? A perfectly placed cross from Jonathan Spector (West Ham-England) found Clint Dempsey (Fulham-England), who put it on goal.

Now I am not suggesting that the MLS players for the US couldn't have produced a similar counter attack goal, but you never seem to see that kind of vision from any of them.

On the contrary, as soon as Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA—MLS) and Sasha Kljestan (Chivas USA—MLS) were giving possession away with poor passes, they looked completely intimidated.

Now there are some players like Conor Casey who went to Europe too early.

To somewhat keep my own opinions honest, I think the MLS should be a training ground for those players who need to improve their skill before they can think about going abroad.

The great news is that the current make up of the US Men's National Team (largely 18 to 20 somethings) are just the first wave of soccer talent developed in what I like to call the "soccer mom" era.

Many my age (24) grew up playing just about every sport with the exception of soccer. Now you can't find a kid who isn't playing soccer from a very early age.

This will serve to grow the sport's popularity in the US, but more importantly it will produce world class players.

Players we so desperately need.

While whatever the US Men's National team does from here on in will go down as an effort of the United States Soccer Foundation as a whole, leading the way will be players who practice their trade in the world's biggest arena for the sport, Europe.

Not the MLS.

The US and The 2009 Confederations Cup: An Adventure in Experience

Brandon Bohning — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:00:51 -0400

As most know by now, the United States Men's National Team lost to Brazil 3-2 in the FIFA Confederations Cup Final on Sunday after leading 2-0 in the first half.

Of the many things the U.S. fans, and the team in particular, can take out of this Cinderella story run, one stands above the rest. The invaluable experience of hanging with two of the best teams in the world stands above all else.

While much theatre was made of the United States' runner up finish, the ESPN coverage of the trophy presentations where Clint Dempsey was visibly upset by the heartbreaking loss to Brazil, we all have to start viewing their fantastic finish as a positive.

After losing 3-1 to Italy and then 3-0 to Brazil in the group stage, many fans, including myself, were calling for Bob Bradley's head, and criticising the United States for a lack of drive, effort and organization.

However, the thrilling result of a 3-0 win over Egypt and a 3-0 result from Brazil over Italy, meant the U.S. had the opportunity to face FIFA World No. 1 Spain.

The U.S. carried it's grit and determination used to oust Egypt into the game and outplayed Spain for 90 minutes and on the back of two goals and great performances by Tim Howard and the United States' back four, the National Team were in the final.

The high many fans were experiencing from the wins over Egypt and Spain was still going strong as Clint Dempsey redirected a perfect cross from Jonathan Spector into the far corner of the Brazilian net, and Landon Donovan provided two world class touches to add to the US lead.

Unfortunately, the U.S. were unlucky to concede just 36 seconds into the second half, and that goal proved to be the spark Brazil needed on its way to two more goals and the victory.

This three-week-long tournament provided an adventure that the U.S. team and its fans will not soon forget. It was an adventure in both soccer and, most importantly, experience.

With the first two results cemented, the U.S. men had to look inside themselves for reflection. They looked like they didn't belong at the tournament, and they had to beat Egypt just to salvage some of the self confidence they utterly lacked in the first two contests.

That three point deficit in the group, and their response, beating Egypt 3-0, will provide more confidence than you can possibly imagine. In a year's time, they will be back in a group of four teams, in South Africa, with a clean slate.

Should they need three points in their third and final game of the group stage to qualify for the knockout stage of the World Cup, they will have the game against Egypt to fall back on.

With that win under their belt in a FIFA competition, this group of players knows they can go out and get a result against a great side when it is needed most.

The victory over Spain gave them the invaluable experience of knowing they possess the quality to not only beat a World No. 1, but get a clean sheet in the process.

While they fell short against Brazil, the United States has a FIFA competition final under their belt. They can take solace knowing that they played brilliantly for 45 minutes against a relentless team.

In soccer, there are very few things more valuable than experience. If countries like Brazil's, Spain's, Germany's, and England's experience levels are like a castle, the U.S. soccer team's experience is a barely-finished foundation.

We are teenagers in the soccer world, but competing against and beating teams on as grand a stage such as the FIFA Confederations Cup, our maturity is only beginning to speed up.

The experience acquired by the U.S. Men's National Team in the 2009 Confederations Cup will serve not just them, but the ascendancy of U.S. soccer on the world stage.

With some work still to do in World Cup qualifying, the U.S. National team will take the confidence of knowing they can beat a team like Spain into games against the inferior competition in CONCACAF.

There are only 11 months until the US will be returning to South Africa. The experience the U.S. Men's soccer team gained there this summer will prove as invaluable tool as any in their quest to make a competitive run in the World Cup in 2010.

Huge Underdogs, U.S. Men Must Be Patient vs. Spain

Brandon Bohning — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:24:26 -0400

The United States will meet Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals.

Spain is currently ranked No. 1 in the World. The Spaniards dominated their competition in the group stage, and are clearly looking ahead to a probable final with Brazil.

The U.S. team advanced to the semifinal via a long-shot tiebreak rule, beating Egypt 3-0 while Italy lost to Brazil 3-0. While they'll be very happy to be in the semifinal, the task ahead is daunting.

What will be the game plan for Bob Bradley's men against Spain on Wednesday?

Patience.

The U.S. men will be outmatched at just about every position on the field.

That said, the U.S. men have proved their resilience in this competition.

After many wrote the U.S. men off, they were able to advance with a lot of luck, but also a great result against Egypt.

If the U.S. can weather the grueling storm of David Silva, David Villa, and Fernando Torres, (perhaps all three) and go into halftime with the scoreline at 0-0, there is no telling what may happen.

Patience will only go so far. The U.S. will have to do something it hasn't in years, maintain some sort of shape. Stretching Spain out will aid in taking some of the pressure off the U.S. back four.

The longer Tim Howard and his defenders can go without conceding a goal, the more their confidence will grow. However, until the game against Egypt, the United States was plagued by allowing early goals.

While Spain doesn't possess the defensive quality Italy does, the likes of Puyol, Pique, and Sergio Ramos are far from pushovers.

To win, the United States will need some luck, perhaps a scrappy goal. To put it bluntly, the U.S. has to make the game ugly.

One more plague the United States must avoid is reckless tackles. Two reckless tackles have led to two first half sendoffs against the two best teams they've played in the competition.

If a U.S. player decides to recklessly challenge a player and is sent off, expect a similar result to those produced by Italy and Brazil against the US.

The U.S. has the fitness and drive to win this game. Doing so would really prove to many of its critics that the U.S. Men's National Team can play with anyone, which may actually create some anticipation for the upcoming 2010 World Cup.

While a victory is extremely unlikely, if the United States can be patient and hang around for 60 or 70 minutes without conceding, the game will be anyone's to take.

US Misses Golden Chance in FIFA Confederations Cup

Brandon Bohning — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:37:27 -0400

The US men's national team suffered a blow in its hopes to advance to the FIFA Confederations Cup on Monday, falling to Italy 3-1.

Ricardo Clark was sent off in a horrible referee decision for a mis-timed tackle on Genaro Gattuso. The United States team would have to play nearly 60 minutes with 10 men.

However, just six minutes later, Jozy Altidore was brought down inside the Italian penalty box. Landon Donovan converted the penalty and the US took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

At that point, it was more of "when" not "if" the Italians would find an equalizer. They found it through American-born Giuseppe Rossi, who hit a left-footed rocket past a fully stretched Tim Howard.

13 minutes later, Daniele De Rossi scored Italy's second on a low right footed blast. Rossi would net again in extra time to send the Americans to the bottom of the Group B table.

The United States was unfortunate to go down a man. The decision from the referee was deplorable. It more than likely had many fans remembering a similar situation from when the two teams met in the 2006 World Cup group stage.

With Brazil awaiting the United States on Thursday, the likelihood of the United States advancing to the semi-finals is bleak to say the least.

For the most part the US performed well, but as always, they lacked any kind of real shape going forward. Had it not been for some fantastic effort on the part of Oguchi Onyewu, Italy may have scored a few more.

The fact that Giuseppe Rossi plays for Italy instead of his native land should be revealing enough on where US Soccer sits in the world soccer community.

With the exception of a great run in the 2002 World Cup, the US men's national team has failed on multiple occasions to beat good teams on large stages.

It must be said that the 2002 World Cup team was filled with season veterans such as Brian McBride and Kasey Keller. It must be said however, that this team has had little time to gel as they haven't played together long enough to be accurately judged.

One thing is for sure, the United States will have to beat both Brazil and Egypt to have any chance of advancing to the semifinals.

Cristiano Ronaldo Will Leave Manchester United for Real Madrid

Brandon Bohning — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:58:12 -0400

Manchester United's web site has confirmed what seemed to be the inevitable. While it is only early June, United winger Cristiano Ronaldo looks to be on his way to Real Madrid via an 80-million-pound deal.

While there is something to be said for Ronaldo finally getting to realize his much-publicized "dream" of playing for Real Madrid, he will be sorely missed.

Ronaldo joined United in 2003 after the Red Devils played an offseason friendly against Sporting Lisbon. According to Sir Alex Ferguson, the entire team was impressed, and Ferguson quickly had Ronaldo signed.

He replaced David Beckham in both the No. 7 shirt and on the right wing of Manchester United's attack. His first goal for United came on what is now his trademark free kick against Portsmouth.

He truly grew as a player every season he was at United. He oozes emotion on the pitch. We saw it early on in his United career when he was inconsolable after losing to Arsenal in the FA Cup Final after United had completely dominated the game.

Sure, he was criticized for being a diver, but rarely was his diving so bad that it warranted preemptive yellow cards. Often that reputation hurt him when he had legitimate penalty claims that were turned away.

At the end of the 2006-2007 season, in which Ronaldo found the back of the net 23 times, he won himself a 120,000-pound-a-week new contract. Many United fans would keep him at the club into the next decade. His 23 goals from a winger was impressive, but United fans wouldn't be totally awestruck until the next season.

The 2007-08 season was clearly the best of the young player's career. Ronaldo found net 42 times and helped his team to a Barclays Premier League and Champions League double. His performance led to nearly every personal award available to him, including the coveted FIFA World Player of the Year award.

Throughout the season he dazzled with goals from free kicks, back-heels, and the like. With that performance, speculation of a summer move to Real Madrid started to come hot and heavy.

The summer of 2008 was filled with transfer rumors, with Real Madrid's Ramon Calderon and Sir Alex Ferguson exchanging pleasantries all summer and into the next season. In the end, Ronaldo was forced to stay at United.

After sulking in his first few matches—although he scored in his first appearances for Manchester United in the 2008-09 season—Ronaldo slowly but surely returned to his world-class form.

During the '08-09 campaign, Ronaldo scored 26 goals and helped United to a trophy-filled season that included the FIFA Club World Cup, the Carling Cup, and the club's record-tying 18th League Championship. He also helped lead United to the UEFA Champions League Final in Rome, where they lost to Barcelona.

So now we are here. An 80-million-pound offer has been laid upon the table, which is just a few signatures away from being final. As a die-hard United fan and a fan of Cristiano's since he came to the club, it is hard to see him go.

While United fans like myself will have mixed emotions about this move, it must be said that Real Madrid was always his dream club. Don't criticize his loyalty to United, as his accomplishments while there don't deserve it.

His totals: three league titles, two Carling Cups, one FA Cup, one Champions League Trophy, three Community Shields, and one FIFA Club World Cup. All told, that's 11 trophies, and that doesn't include the tremendous number of personal accolades he achieved while at the club.

While we await a statement from the player himself, I am sure he will be sad to leave United in many ways. To him we must say, "thank you," and wish him all the best at Madrid.

United Fall To Barcelona: Champions League Final

Brandon Bohning — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:49:53 -0400

Barcelona can celebrate their Spanish Trebel tonight, after defeating the defending Champions Manchester United 2-0 in the Stadio Olimpico.

The first seven or eight minutes looked like the pundits were going to have it right—United started with a flurrying pace.

Park nearly got a goal in the second minute after Victor Valdez fumbled a Ronaldo free kick, but it was cleared for a corner.

Barcelona continued on the back foot until some sloppy United passing led to a counter attack that saw the ball to Samuel Eto'o's feet. He finished calmly, cutting past Nemanja Vidic and toe-poking the ball to Edwin van der Sar's near post.

From there, it looked as if the United players turned into dusty silhouettes.

They completely changed their pace and Barcelona controlled the game for the remaining 80 minutes.

Lionel Messi scored a brilliant goal that was atypical for him. He masterfully nodded a Carlos Puyol cross back across the face of van der Sar's goal line and into the back corner of the net.

Barcelona are deserving of their crown after the late winner in Stamford Bridge and with their superior performance in Rome.

Congratulations to the Catalans.

Champions League Final Illustrates the Necessity of the Competition

Brandon Bohning — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:54:54 -0400

Tomorrow, Barcelona and Manchester United will culminate their seasons in one final game.

It will take place in Rome, Italy, and it will be for UEFA Champions League glory.

From the first kicks in the first games of the group stage to the final game winning goals netted in the semi-final, it has all brought us to this one final point.

The roads both Manchester United and Barcelona have taken to get here have made them worthy of their places in the final.

Barcelona outclassed a surprising Sporting Lisbon side for first place in their group, which included eventual UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk.

Manchester United managed just two wins in the group stage but still were able to win the group. Their efforts got them a draw with Inter Milan in the first round of the knockout stage, which was arguably the most mouthwatering tie in the competition so far.

Barcelona dispatched Lyon convincingly in the first round of the knockout stages, while United required just one goal to dispatch Inter—though they netted two.

The Catalans then cruised past German giants Bayern Munich 5-1 on aggregate while United had to work hard yet again, besting FC Porto on a 40 yard rocket strike from Cristiano Ronaldo.

United switched fortunes with Barcelona, it seemed, in the semi-finals.

United dispatched of Arsenal 4-1 on aggregate, while it took a heroic last gasp strike from Andres Iniesta at Stamford Bridge that saw the Catalans through to the final on away goals.

The final is set—it will be the current and reigning champions of England versus the current champions of Spain.

This is why the Champions League exists, to showcase the talents of Europe's best clubs on an international stage.

So, how will this game play out?

Well, there are only two possible scenarios that can happen in my mind.

Either the play will be wide open, which favors neither team over the other, or it will look much like the semi-final these two teams played out last year.

My hunch is that the latter is more likely to take place because that favors United.

Why?

Well, United is good at grinding out results, and if the Red Devils can disrupt the free flowing style of Barcelona long enough to score on a counter attack, than that is exactly the plan Sir Alex Ferguson will put into working order.

The neutral would love to see an open style of play, but Ferguson and Manchester United have a distinct advantage.

They compete in the most competitive league in Europe which requires focus for 38 games out of every season.

La Liga just simply doesn't offer that type of challenge for its two or three elite teams top-to-bottom.

United make their living, especially in the Champions League, by frustrating their opponents with stout defense and flurrying counter attacks.

If Barcelona is to win this game they will have to capitalize on the types of chances they created, but were unable to finish in last year's semi-final.

Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta should be fit to start in tomorrow's final, which gives Messi plenty of options to play off of. However, it may be hard for Barcelona to recover from the losses of Eric Abidal, Dani Alves to suspension, and Rafa Marquez to long term injury.

United have shown weaknesses at times at the back four and though Rio Ferdinand looks fit to start, the Red Devils can't afford temporary lapses in concentration against an impressive Barcelona attack.

While my prediction will come as no surprise, I need to delay it for just a bit longer to fully appreciate what this game will offer.

First off, it is being played in a historic city, in a fine stadium, and in front of two of the most loyal and gigantic fan bases in all of the world.

It will possess the world's two best players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Both teams possess style and flare as well as 11 players that have the ability to offer multiple moments of brilliance that will surely be on showcase in tomorrow's final.

As I said, many pundits and fans' predictions rest on the condition of how the game will be played.

Even with the brilliance Messi will likely display tomorrow, it is going to be a major task to crack a stout United back line consisting of two of the best center backs in football.

I expect Sir Alex Ferguson to start a similar side to the one he started in the second leg of the semi-final in London. I would not be surprised if a scrappy goal or two were the result.

Prediction: Barcelona 1 Manchester United 2

10 Reasons Manchester United Should Keep Carlos Tevez

Brandon Bohning — Sun, 17 May 2009 23:55:56 -0400

With United's 2008-2009 season just two games away from being put into the record books much speculation surrounds the future of forward Carlos Tevez.

While the little Argentine has not received a fair amount of playing time (based on his own assessments of course), he has been fairly effective this season when he has played.

As a long time United fan and fan of Carlos Tevez in general, I've come up with 10 good reasons why United must keep Carlos Tevez.

1. His heart. The man loves to play football, and of course so do all of the 21 remaining players on the pitch. Tevez shows his heart through his play, he expresses himself on the pitch through sheer class, brilliance, and character.

He would bleed for United, and that must be respected.

2. His work rate. The man is tireless when he is on the pitch. Most recently in the Wigan match, he lost the ball 40 yards from goal, tracked another 40 back into the United defense, and won the ball back. He is constantly sprinting at players and the ball.

The fire he shows on the pitch excites everyone.

3. Inspiration. While this goes hand-in-hand with "work rate," it has to be talked about on its own. Tevez brings new meaning to the phrase, "leaving it all out on the pitch." He never gives anything less than 100 percent and it inspires the general public, but most importantly...it inspires his teammates.

When Tevez is on the pitch his teammates start playing more inspired football.

4. Humility. In the wake of the 30 million pound signing of Dimitar Berbatov over the summer, questions were asked and generally answered about who would accompany Wayne Rooney at the top of United's every game lineup.

While he has been understandably frustrated, he's never made a scene about it, never demanded a transfer, remains loyal to the club, and has expressed his interest in staying at the club.

5. His brilliance. As a football striker, you generally expect to possess and maintain a certain amount of skill at your position. While some have questioned his finishing ability with space in front of him, he always seems to dazzle when the situation is in dire need of some dazzling.

This was no more evident than in the goal he scored midweek at the JJB. Taking a ball hit with pace out of mid air with a twisting back-heel flick speaks for itself. However, brilliance can't always be measured by pure skill, timing, and the fact that he can be called upon to produce a strike like that one to get his team believing they could win.

It cannot be matched.

6. He's one of a kind. The man's ability to produce brilliant goals cannot be questioned. The questions you often find yourself struggling to answer with Tevez were, "How did he do that?" or "Did I really see what I just saw?"

His size, combined with his balance of skills and his stamina are second to none. He is a pit bull with class, and he is not comparable to any other forward in the BPL.

7. Because he could very well be signed by a Premier League rival. While his agent has been saying he has interest from clubs in Spain, he has also not separated Tevez with a move to one of United's premier league rivals, which includes a potential move to Liverpool.

Does United want to face the wrath of a Tevez goal at Anfield?

We know he can score against United as he single handedly kept West Ham up in 2006-2007 at Old Trafford.

8. Because he is absolutely irreplaceable. Does United want to lose Tevez?

If they do they are losing the third forward, which would defeat the point of signing Berbatov last summer. The only possible replacements that provide similar sets of skills would be David Villa or David Silva—both of whom have expressed interest in joining Chelsea and Liverpool, respectively, not Manchester United.

9. Because he is affordable. There is no denying that he may cost 25 million pounds, but with his crazy contract with a third party there is no telling what type of deal United could potentially work out with him. Even at 25 million, his services render such a price.

It's a move United should want to make.

10. Because millions of United fans would be heartbroken. With chants of "Fergie sign him up" resonating throughout Old Trafford as Tevez kept West Ham in the top flight in 2007, we all knew where United fans wanted the Argentine to play.

After two years of service, the "Fergie sign him up" chants resound throughout Old Trafford again. Fans literally booed Tevez off the field on Saturday, but it wasn't him they were booing, they were booing Ferguson for making the switch.

Tevez, oozing with class, gratefully applauded the crowd who began signing "Argentina" minutes after he sat on the bench. If the United front office needed any more consequence surrounding this decision, they'll certainly get it from the fans should they let Tevez go.

He must be kept.

A United-Barcelona Champions League Final Favors the Red Devils

Brandon Bohning — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:02:51 -0400

After watching Manchester United systematically dismantle the hopes of Arsenal and its fans at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, I began to wonder which team would provide the biggest challenge to United in the final.

A mouth watering clash between Chelsea and Barcelona awaited me and I couldn't decide who would or should come out of the tie. Barcelona had crushed Real Madrid 6-2 in La Liga on the weekend, and Chelsea still had dreams of a Cup double.

Without Thierry Henry, I thought Barcelona were always going to have a tough time at Stamford Bridge. I didn't know that the likes of Messi and the rest of the boys would put on such a mediocre performance.

Sure there was some luck involved in Michael Essien's drive, but Chelsea absolutely dominated the game for 93 minutes. Then it happened, Barcelona got the tying goal that sent them through to the final on their only shot on goal.

All questionable penalty decisions that never were aside, who really deserved to be in the final between these two? And who is actually going to give United problems?

The answer to the second question has to be Chelsea. The Blues were reeling from their defeat in Moscow last year, and thought they had something to prove, and a chance to do that against the team that beat them last year would have been perfect.

While defender Alex would have been missing, Chelsea's midfield and defense would have proved solid against a United squad that would look to go forward.

In all likelihood, the Final would have probably resembled last year's.

But gone is that Chelsea dream, and the Catalan Giants are going to appear in Rome on May 27.

So how should you like Barca's chances against the defending champs? You know where my loyalties lie, but can you really believe United will lose this game?

Barca's back four is decimated through injury and suspension. Yaya Toure will be Barca's only defender to start the Champions League final from Wednesday's semi-final triumph.

Barring any new injuries, United should be at full fitness come May 27 , with the exception of long-term absentee Owen Hargreaves, and the tremendously unfortunate Darren Fletcher, who saw red in the semi-final.

Sir Alex Ferguson will have the tough task of picking a side from the talented group of players he has. The biggest question asked by the press will likely be whether or not he chooses to start Tevez over Berbatov or vice-versa.

While Barcelona has looked impressive during this season's La Liga campaign, they failed to dazzle over their two legs against the Blues. They will have to play at a high level if they hope to beat the defending champs.

Right now, it's hard to see how United won't be tremendous favorites come May 27.

Minnesota-Seattle: Twins Get Slow Start to 2009 Season With Loss to Mariners

Brandon Bohning — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:54:24 -0400

The Minnesota Twins kicked off their 2009 season in less than desired fashion on Monday night with a 6-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Seattle's Felix Hernandez pitched eight solid innings, striking out six, allowing just one earned run, while walking three.

A sac fly from Jose Lopez which brought Adrien Beltre home from third started the scoring in the top of the 2nd.

Ken Griffey Jr. marked his return to Seattle with a solo home run in the top of the fifth to give the Mariners the 2-0 lead.

The Twins were able to answer in the fifth, having loaded the bases for Michael Cuddyer who singled to center with one out, scoring Mike Redmond.

To Minnesota fans, the fifth inning had to look promising, as the Twins typically move runners with the bases loaded.

It wasn't to be however, as slugger Justin Morneau grounded into a double play to end the inning.

That double play proved to be key as Fransisco Liriano, who pitched pretty well, giving up just five hits, gave up a two-run home run to Franklin Gutierrez in the top of the sixth.

Liriano went seven innings total, giving up four earned runs on five hits, while striking out three.

Then the Twins bullpen went to work, and the relief pitching that was fairly suspect last year looked no different on Opening Night for the Twins.

Jesse Crain walked his first batter before retiring the next two, then left-hander Craig Breslow was sent in to face Griffey, who he walked on four straight pitches.

Matt Guerrier was sent in to get the last out and he did, but not before surrendering runs to the two base runners in the top of the ninth.

The Twins went three-up-three-down in the sixth, seventh, and eight innings, before Joe Crede managed to get on base in the ninth. It was far from enough and the Twins were forced to start the season 0-1.

Not a lot can be determined from this game from the perspective of a Twins fan. It looked like a typical Twins loss.

The Twins have to get a lot of hits in order to produce enough runs to win games because they don't have home run power. The Twins had an opportunity in the fifth to do just that but failed to do so, and not surprisingly they lost.

Oh well Twins fans, that's why they play 162!

Federico Macheda's Strike Could Propel Manchester United To the Quintuple

Brandon Bohning — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:24:01 -0400

Federico Macheda's injury time winner that saw Manchester United back to the top of the Barclays Premier League could very well see the Red Devils through to five trophies.

After Liverpool grabbed an injury time winner through Yossi Benayoun that saw Liverpool reach the summit of the Barclays Premier League on Saturday, United had to beat Villa.

Villa came out on the front foot. Pressuring the United goal, and producing a couple chances early. Then a mistake from Garreth Barry was all Cristiano needed to net United's first.

The consensus World Player of the Year of 2008 hit a strike only he could from about 13 yards away off of the indirect free kick that was a result of Barry's mistake.

Villa were quick to equalize through John Carew. He peeled away from Gary Neville who found himself in an unfamiliar position to start the game at center half, and placed his header perfectly in the bottom corner of Van Der Sar's net.

Villa opened the second half as they had the first. It wasn't long before Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor headed past Van Der Sar to give the visitors the lead.

United were up against it. A loss would have been devastating. Cristiano Ronaldo had other plans.

Ronaldo took a left-footed shot from 20 yards away that rolled past Brad Friedel and into the bottom corner of the net.

After Ronaldo's equalizer went in, there had to be the feeling around Old Trafford that a winner was coming. It wasn't if or when that was the surprising thing, it was who scored it that was.

Seventeen-year-old Federico Macheda had replaced Nani earlier in the match. The teenaged Italian had a penalty claim go for not shortly after he got on the pitch, and he was very active during his opening first team appearance.

Then came the moment he may never be able to top for the remainder of his career in a United Shirt.

After receiving a slotted pass from Ryan Giggs, Macheda turned the ball back towards the middle of the box and with his back almost completely to goal turned and hit a curling strike around the diving Brad Freidel to give United the win in stunning fashion.

United held on for the 3-2 victory and climbed over Liverpool to retain their status as league leaders.

Make no mistake about it, this is the sort of result that propels United to great things. After losing their last two league matches, United needed a win.

Until Ronaldo netted the equalizer, it looked like United were going to be trailing Liverpool by two points in the title race.

Macheda's winner means United are still in great position to shock the world by finishing the season with five major trophies.

With eight league games left, United are in great position to win the league for the third season in a row and they should do it.

While there is a lot of football still to be played, you have to start believing, even if you despise Manchester United, that they have a great opportunity to win the FA Cup, the Premier League, and the Champions League by the end of May.

Should United win their next two league games, they'll have at least a four point lead with six games to play.

In the Champions League, United face Porto and the winner of the Villareal vs. Arsenal tie in the semi-final should they get past the Portuguese side.

You'd be silly not to think United are the favorites to at least make an appearance in the final in Rome.

In the FA Cup, United have a monkey on their back. Last year's exit to Portsmouth at Old Trafford has produced a bad taste that has not gone away, and they won't rest until it's gone.

Sir Alex Ferguson has his team in great shape to win five trophies this season. After the Macheda strike capped off a remarkable and resilient comeback against Villa on Sunday, would you bet against them?

Manchester United Don't Have To Dazzle in Route to Third Straight EPL Title

Brandon Bohning — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:05:05 -0400

Manchester United have just nine games left in the final run-in of the Barclays Premier League. While they have lost their last two, they still hold a one point lead and game-in-hand advantage over closest chasers Liverpool.

A 1-4 drubbing from the Liverpool, followed by a shocking 2-0 loss to Fulham at Craven Cottage just under a fortnight ago has the critic's pen active.

While you certainly can't judge United's chances of winning their third straight Premier League title based on their last two performances, United will need to get all three points against Aston Villa on Sunday to avoid even more criticism.

Typically, one loss hasn't meant much to Manchester United or their boss, Sir Alex Ferguson. United almost always responds to losses with convincing wins.

When they didn't do that at Craven Cottage on March 21, it opened up chances for both Liverpool and Chelsea to stay close.

Certainly United must get a convincing victory against the ailing Villans at Old Trafford come Sunday, but they don't need to repeat last year's 4-0 drubbing of Martin O'Neill's side in the corresponding fixture.

I think 1-0 or 2-0 will be the popular scoreline. United are one of few teams in the league that can win 1-0 and claim a complete victory over whomever they play.

United's last nine games include home fixtures to Villa, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Tottenham, and Manchester City. They face Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Wigan, and Hull City away from Old Trafford.

The game against Portsmouth at Old Trafford will be played on the 22 of April, and that will be their game-in-hand.

United must find a way to grind out two results, first on Sunday against Villa, then the next weekend at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland before they get that game in hand.

If United take those six points, they will be in good enough form that I think they will have a great chance of beating Portsmouth and climbing back to a lead of at least four points.

While the eight and nine games of the season should provide great theatre, I think United have the capability of grinding out results and winning their 18th league title.

Liverpool fans are loving their team's chances to get their first title in nearly twenty years, but if recent (or not so recent) history proves true, Liverpool fans will be disappointed once again.

For United, their last nine league fixtures must be dealt with diamond cutting precision. Forget style and flair, United fans will want three points every weekend, and they'll take utility over vanity so long as the season ends with their 18th title.

Kansas Overwhelmed by Turnovers, Michigan State's Goran Suton

Brandon Bohning — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 10:39:58 -0400

The Kansas Jayhawks' season ended on Friday night, as they fell to the Michigan State Spartans, 67-62.

The Jayhawks had established a 13-point lead in the first half and were a few plays away from breaking the game wide open, but Michigan State's Goran Suton had other ideas and led a comeback to shrink the Kansas lead to just seven at half time.

MSU then continued their roll in the second half by coming out and tying the game at 42 with over 15 minutes left to play.

The two teams took turns getting ahead over the last quarter of an hour of play time, but with about two minutes to play, the Spartans took the lead and didn't relinquish it.

Kansas played a solid 38 minutes, but in the end, they just didn't have enough. The Jayhawks turned the ball over 19 times, and their carelessness, coupled with some questionable officiating, were too much for them to be able to emerge triumphant.

Like I said in the preview I wrote for this game. Kansas needed to make this contest their style of game; they needed to get the score into the 70's. It seemed they were on their way in the first half.

But the second half was a different story. Kansas forced shots, lacked patience on defense at times, and didn't make great decisions when they had the ball. All that played right into Michigan State's hands.

You cannot take anything away from this Michigan State team, though. Goran Suton was outstanding and was slearly the catalyst for the late-game Spartan revival.

MSU now must take on a Louisville team that put 103 points on a pretty good Arizona squad. It should be a great game.

For Kansas, it's back to the drawing board. They've got about six months before they start up again, though we all know the season never really ends. Not in Lawrence, at least.

The key questions will obviously surround their two star players, Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, and whether or not they'll leave to enter the 2009 NBA Draft.

Sherron Collins took the Michigan State loss on his shoulders. Getting a key foul called on him and following that up with a key missed free throw is not the way he wants to leave Kansas.

Should he stay, he'll be on the cover of almost every major college basketball preseason publication. In my mind, he still must distinguish himself as a draftable point guard; playing another year would give him appropriate practice. And while academically he's nowhere near graduating, if he can put up with school for two more semesters, he'll be a first-round draft pick in 2010.

Aldrich, on the other hand, has a lot of work to do and a lot of strength to gain before he'd be an effective NBA player. He needs to lose about 10 more pounds and then put it back on in pure muscle. He sagely hinted last week that he knows he isn't ready.

Depending on Kansas' success next season, I think Cole may end up leaving after his junior year, but he has the look and feel of a classic big man who should etch his Kansas legacy by a four year stay (think Nick Collison).

If they both go, Kansas may struggle to get recognized in the preseason top 25, but their new recruits will still be exciting.

But if Sherron and Cole remain on campus, those recruits will bolster a supporting cast that already has the Morris twins and Taylor, and I would be shocked if Kansas wasn't in the top three in the polls before next year even starts.

While the anticipation of next season has already started for Kansas fans, they have a football team that carries new expectations, like those of going to the Big 12 Championship game.

With Kansas slowly becoming a "two-sport school," Kansas students, alumni, and fans will always be able to look forward to "next year."

Kansas-Michigan State: Burning Questions

Brandon Bohning — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:16:14 -0400

I was asked to write a joint article with one of the top Michigan State writers, previewing our two teams' second meeting of the season in Indianapolis on Friday.

Kansas comes into the game after beating a tough North Dakota State team who was making their first appearance in the tournament and easily beating Dayton in the second round.

Kansas and Michigan State now square off in a rematch of their Jan. 10 matchup that saw the Spartans prevail 75-62.

That was the Jayhawks last non-conference game, and after getting back to Lawrence with their wounds still open, Sherron Collins called a "players-only" meeting at a local Lawrence restaurant to hash out the team's problems.

The team responded, going a staggering 14-2 in conference in route to an outright conference title. I must say "staggering" because this is a defending National Championship team that lost all five starters from last season.

Likewise, Michigan State finished with a 15-3 conference record, easily winning the Big 10 regular-season title.

Kansas sits with a 27-7 overall record while Michigan State bests them by one game, sitting at 28-6. However, both teams are not playing for the best record in Indianapolis.

That brings me to the six questions Greg (the MSU guy) and I came up with to adequately preview this game.

SIX BURNING QUESTIONS:

1. Does the Jan. 10 result mean anything now?

I'd say it carries little weight. This Jayhawks team has little in common with the team that was handily beaten in East Lansing.

Kansas' first-year players are much more mature, composed, and aggressive than they were in the first game against Tom Izzo's club.

Michigan State rode a wave of experience, composure, and a raucous home crowd to their 13-point victory.

When they meet at approximately 9:37 EDT on Friday night, Michigan State will have even more experience and composure, but they won't have the raucous home crowd.

While Indianapolis is closer to East Lansing than it is to Lawrence, the noise won't reverberate in a cavernous Lucas Oil Stadium like it does in the Breslin Center.

This time, the Spartan crowd will not be as influential.

2. To whom goes the coaching edge? And if it goes one way or the other, will it play that big a role in this contest?

It is hard to determine who has the coaching edge in this game. Just looking at the numbers, Self has the edge by one win. They are both 3-3 in their last six matchups.

Both coaches have a National Championship ring in this decade. Both are great recruiters. Both tend to get the most out of their players.

All of these factors make a great coach, and these coaches have all of the intangibles. One of the biggest differences is in-game demeanor.

Tom Izzo is much more physically animated than Bill Self. You don't need to read Izzo's mouth to know exactly what emotion he is feeling. At times, he almost looks like a flailing marionette puppet.

Self is a relatively cool guy. He rarely gets on the officials; when he does, he is intense. But he typically expresses his frustrations to his team. If he doesn't like what he is seeing, he'll call a time out and scream until he turns purple.

I'd say both carry so many of the intangibles and the exact same level of intensity, even though it gets expressed in different way.

The coaching edge is non-existent.

3. What has to happen for Kansas to win?

For the Jayhawks to advance to the Elite Eight, they have to put in a team effort. Not unlike the first game against the Spartans, Kansas has relied heavily on their two stars, Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins, for points, rebounds, and assists to get past the first two rounds.

That simply cannot happen this time around. Bill Self had individual meetings with his best freshmen on Tuesday.

During those meetings, he told the Morris twins and Tyshawn Taylor that they must play with intensity and worry about the intangibles (guarding, rebounding, and intensity).

He convinced them that if they concentrate on these intangibles, scoring will come much easier.

Finally, Kansas must be patient on offense because scoring in the 70s and 80s is the only way to beat Michigan State.

In each one of their six losses, Michigan State gave up 70 points or more. Kansas has to love that statistic. Historically, when the Jayhawks score 70 or more points there winning percentage eclipses the 95 percent mark, they simply don't lose when they score 70 points.

4. What can absolutely not happen to Kansas in this game?

The Jayhawks must stay out of foul trouble against the Spartans. In the first meeting, Kansas had 28 personal fouls, and they saw Markieff Morris and Mario Little foul out. That cannot happen if the Jayhawks are going to win.

Kansas will lose if Brady Morningstar, Tyrell Reed, and Tyshawn Taylor shoot terribly from behind the arc.

Morningstar may just be the catalyst for Kansas in this game. If he can somehow find his shot, Michigan State may have a tough time finding enough players to guard the Jayhawks' other three-point threats.

As I alluded to earlier, Kansas will have a tough time winning this game if it's played in the high 50s or low 60s. That is where Tom Izzo will want it, and the Spartans will probably come up victorious if that proves true.

5. Now that Bill Self has his team in the Sweet 16, can Kansas fans start expecting an Elite 8 or deeper run?

Kansas fans are some of the most loyal fans in the country. I would also say they all have great basketball minds, unlike the wine and cheese fans of Duke and especially North Carolina.

That said, some fans came into this year with low expectations. My guess is that a third-place Big 12 regular-season finish and maybe a semifinal Big 12 tournament exit was a common expectation.

I would also guess that a Sweet 16 appearance was probably the pinnacle of a season that saw the Jayhawks usher in a bunch of inexperienced players.

As the season progressed, and the Jayhawks put up the 14-2 record in the Big 12. At that point, I think Kansas fans' expectations started growing.

I think it is fair to say that most Kansas fans expected to go to the Big 12 tournament final and at least compete with Oklahoma for a two seed.

I doubt that the early exit to eventual tournament runner-up Baylor made Kansas fans revert back to their initial low expectations.

As far as expectations for the Michigan State game, I am guessing Kansas fans have mixed thoughts.

Kansas has not played all that well in the tournament, and I think many fans, me included, think Kansas is due for another performance similar to the one they put on in Norman, Oklahoma, back in late February.

I think most Kansas fans are hoping for a similar performance because it was the Jayhawks' best team win. And that is exactly what has to happen for them to beat this Michigan State team.

Prediction

I think Kansas can replicate the performance that saw USC nearly clip the Spartans in the second round. Kansas is a better team than USC when they are firing on all cylinders, and I am bullish on the prospects of that happening.

Kansas 76 Michigan State 69

Kansas-North Dakota State: Jayhawks Outlast Tireless Bison

Brandon Bohning — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:16:58 -0400

Had the numbers not been next to each team's name on the scoreboard, you might have thought this was an No. 8 vs. No. 9 game. North Dakota State played a great game, but just didn't have enough to top Kansas, and fell 84-74 in Minneapolis.

Each team's star player shined brightly. North Dakota State's Ben Woodside led all scorers with 37 points, and added two assists.

KU's Sherron Collins started hot, and didn't cool off. He had 32 points, four rebounds, and eight assists.

Cole Aldrich was cleaning glass all day for the Jayhawks. He pulled down 13 boards and had 23 points.

The game was a slugfest for all 40 minutes. Kansas was able to climb to the largest lead of 11 just after halftime, but North Dakota State fired back, and it was a contest until the very end.

Had NDSU's senior center, Lucas Moormann, not fouled out with just under six minutes left, the Bison may have been able to eclipse the Jayhawks at some point during the remaining minutes of the game.

Credit has to go to Woodside, who was 13-for-23 from the floor and was able to get to the bucket multiple times and rack up KU's team fouls. Thirty-seven points against a Kansas team that normally plays great defense against star players was impressive.

At the same time, Kansas also deserves some credit for riding the shoulders of their two best players in Collins and Aldrich, who accounted for 55 of Kansas' 84 points.

Had either of them had an off day, I'd be writing a somber recap, filled with angry sentiment. KU won though, and this writer can write with happiness.

Kansas takes on the winner of the Dayton-West Virginia game.

See you back here on Saturday as I break down that game.

NCAA Preview: North Dakota State vs. Kansas

Brandon Bohning — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:52:27 -0400

North Dakota State and Kansas tip off at 12:30 EDT from the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis today.

For Kansas, it's their first game of their title defense, if you want to go that far.

For North Dakota State, it's their first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.

Both teams have a lot to play for. Kansas ended it's regular season with one win in its last three games, while NDSU on the other hand, is flying into the tournament with the Summit League title in tow.

For many analysts, an upset special has been par for the course in regard to the NCAA Tournament. I think taking the Bison over the Jayhawks in your bracket is pretty risky, despite it being one of the sexiest upset picks to choose from this season.

North Dakota State fans only have to travel three hours into Minneapolis from Fargo, while the trip from Lawrence is over six hours.

Many have pointed to this as a factor.

I don't really think it will play too big a role. The Metrodome has to be one of the biggest venues for sports events. While it gets deafening when the Twins are in the pennant race, I doubt that there will be enough people in the Homerdome to have a major affect on the Jayhawks.

Keys to the Game

For Kansas, the keys minimal and simple to understand.

Most importantly, Cole Aldrich is playing just a stone's throw from his house in Bloomington. The Jayhawks need to get the ball to him every offensive possession. He can control the game because North Dakota State lacks size.

Secondly, they have to defend the perimeter. North Dakota State loves to shoot and make the three. They shoot an incredible percentage from behind the arc, and Kansas must defend the three well.

Finally, look to see how well the Kansas freshman handle the pressure of their first NCAA tournament game. They've played shaky at times in big settings away from home this season, but if they can perform decently, Kansas shouldn't have a problem.

For North Dakota State, the first key will be to get open looks from three-point land. They have four guys who can shoot from just about anywhere on the floor. If they can shoot their average, they have a shot at the upset.

Second, the Bison's star player, fifth-year senior, Ben Woodside has to play a great game. He has to slash, distribute and score. If he can put up big numbers, he'll keep his Bison close.

If KU shuts him down, game over.

Finally, the Bison need to come out relaxed. A lot of energy will come with playing your first tournament game in school history, but that energy can be a double-edged sword. If they come out too tight, Kansas can get out to a large lead early.

Prediction

I think Kansas has the upper hand experience-wise. They have two tournament tested players in Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. North Dakota State, meanwhile, is a dangerous team.

Kansas, however, will be twice as good as any team the Bison have faced this year.

Final score: Kansas 82, NDSU 68

Kansas-Texas Tech: Red Hot Kansas Becomes Ice Cold in Lubbock

Brandon Bohning — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:19:43 -0500

Texas Tech (13-17, 3-12) took it to the ninth ranked Kansas Jayhawks (24-6 13-2) from the first whistle to the last on Wednesday night, as they came away with a 84-65 win.

The Jayhawks did not have an answer for Alan Voskull, who fired a career high 35 points off of 10-17 shooting, including nine three-pointers. Credit has to go to him and his coach Pat Knight.

Texas Tech executed a motion scheme perfectly. They had the Jayhawks running around trying to defend guards who were flying off of constant screens, typically leaving one shooter open during each possession. As a result, the Red Raiders made Kansas pay.

It wasn't until about the seven-minute mark of the first half that Bill Self decided to go to a two-three zone. He stuck with the zone during the start of the second half and was able to get his team within two.

Then Texas Tech was able to answer with a five-nothing run and rather inexplicably, Self went back to man-to-man. After that, the game was pretty much over.

Voskull proved to everyone that he wasn't going to miss, but he wasn't the only one. Texas Tech is a good shooting team, and they shot 45 percent from the floor and a shocking 56 percent from three point land.

This was not a typical loss for Kansas, as they only turned the ball over 13 times, most of which weren't self inflicted, as they usually are. I just simply can't remember when Kansas shot the ball that poorly under Bill Self.

It wasn't like Texas Tech was playing face-to-face defense either. KU was able to get most of the shots they wanted, and missed most of the shots they took, shooting a ghastly 33 percent.

Kansas typically thrives from behind the arc. They were 4-24 (16 percent)on the night, and I can't even believe how key this was. All year Kansas has been able to rely on their three point shooting to whittle away at leads, or extend small leads when they need to.

I can stick a dagger into my beloved Jayhawks by overly-criticizing this performance, but that isn't what I seek to do. I just have a few more points to make.

Sherron Collins was quoted earlier in the day as saying something to the effect of "it's going to be fun to celebrate a Big 12 title in the opposing team's locker room."

I won't delve too far into this, but that was not the smartest thing to say to a team with a Knight as its head coach and a few seniors defending their home court for one last time.

Bill Self is still winless in West Texas, as he fell to the other Knight in the last meeting between the two teams in Lubbock.

It's hard to put my finger on what kind of loss this was/will be. It may be one of the most inconsequential loss in Bill Self's tenure at KU.

Oklahoma was unable to beat Missouri in Columbia on Wednesday night which assured the Jayhawks at least a share of the Big 12 title. Kansas still has the ability to win the Big 12 title outright when they return to Allen Fieldhouse to face Texas on Saturday.

If Kansas fans needed any extra motivation for the title game on Saturday, they got it on Wednesday when a better Texas Tech team (on the night) took it to the Jayhawks.

Jay Cutler to the Vikings?

Brandon Bohning — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:50:59 -0500

According to the most recent reports, the Minnesota Vikings may be leading the rush to get Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos.

As you may recall, the Broncos were looking to sign Matt Cassel from the New England Patriots before they were beaten to the punch by their hated rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jay Cutler gaffed at the fact that former New England coordinator and new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels wanted to acquire a starting quarterback to replace him.

After losing the battle for Cassel, McDaniels assured the press (in an attempt to assure Cutler), "We don't want to trade Jay. We never did. He's our quarterback."

Really? Then why were you pursuing Cassel?

Cutler has a right to be mad. He was a Pro Bowl selection after his performance last season. Granted, the Broncos only finished 8-8 and failed to make the playoffs, but Cutler's success at the QB position hasn't been seen in Denver since John Elway.

Minnesota, on the other hand, just signed a new QB in Sage Rosenfels. He was brought in to provide some competition for Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job next season.

Getting Cutler makes sense for a couple of reasons. Unlike Rosenfels, he is young and can fit well into a run-first system.

Cutler threw 25 touchdowns last year, but also threw 18 interceptions. Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor may quell Cutler's need to make plays down the field, resulting in fewer mistakes.

The Vikings and owner Zigi Wilf are looking to buy another big name, and as ESPN.com's NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert points out, "The Vikings, compared to other teams in the league, spend next to nothing on the quarterback position."

The Vikings came up short of signing T.J. Houshmanzadeh yesterday, so we know they are looking for a marquis player. The former Cincinnati WR signed a large contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

Sure, the Vikings are weak at the WR position, but with a QB of Cutler's quality, the Vikings wouldn't be forced to go out and sign a big name WR to complement Bernard Berrian.

Whether or not Cutler is going to be dealt remains to be seen, but one would have to think that the Vikings have plenty of leverage to sign him.

Minnesota is arguably a QB of Cutler's quality away from making a deep run in the playoffs. The next few days of the Cutler saga will be fun to watch, and I think Minnesota fans will have their ears perked.