Monday, March 7, 2011

Beebe retroactively kicks out Nebraska and Colorado, awards Big 12 championship to Longhorns

AUSTIN, Texas – Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe today ordered Nebraska and Colorado out of the Big 12, forfeiting any wins they accumulated during the conference basketball season. As a result, Beebe also the Kansas Jayhawks stripped of their seventh straight Big 12 championship and awarded it to the Texas Longhorns.

Beebe said Nebraska and Colorado were undeserving of participating in Big 12 play after both schools announced they were leaving the conference: Nebraska to the Big 10 and Colorado to the Pac 10.

“I thought about this for a long time and after weighing all my options, I’ve decided it’s best for the conference that neither of these schools be allowed to participate in Big 12 basketball during the 2010-11 season,” said Beebe. “These teams left the Big 12 through nefarious dealings, and I don’t they should be rewarded for it by participating in our conference.”

Both teams had decent conference seasons as Colorado won eight games and Nebraska won seven, but neither challenged for the league title or are expected to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

But the move had far reaching consequences as both teams won their only meeting against the Texas Longhorns. By awarding those games to Texas, the Longhorns finished with just one Big 12 loss, a game ahead of Kansas.

When asked about Texas winning the Big 12 title because of this move, Beebe shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh, is that what will happen? I hadn’t even thought about that,” said Beebe. “Ah well. That’s the past now, I guess we can’t change it. I, for one, applaud the great men of Texas for finally knocking Kansas off that perch. It’s quite an accomplishment and something they should be proud of.”

Missouri road struggles continue; Tigers lose practice game against Shawnee Mission East JV boys

PRAIRIE VILLAGE – The Missouri Tigers suffered their most embarrassing setback of the season on Monday morning, losing to the Shawnee Mission East junior varsity squad 54-52 in a game designed to get the Tigers back on track for the Big 12 tournament, which starts Wednesday.

The Tigers, who have lost three straight heading into the tournament and went 1-7 on the road in Big 12 play, are using the Lancers' gym to practice before the start of the Big 12 tournament. But things took an unexpected turn when the Tigers agreed to a scrimmage, then got off to a slow start against the SM East JV team. The Missouri players found themselves stunned when Kim English’s last-second 3-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer.

The Lancers celebrated the win before heading off to first period.

“We just can’t seem to get a win on the road,” said Tigers coach Mike Anderson. “I mean, come on. The only reason we played this game was to get our confidence back up away from our own court. They varsity team wasn’t even available. It was either this, or the girl’s freshman team. I guess I should have played the girls.”

The Lancers JV team committed 20 turnovers against Missouri’s full court pressure defense, but the Tigers converted those turnovers into just nine points. Danny Timlin, who averaged four points per game during the season for the Lancers, scored 21 points, including five 3 pointers.

“This was so awesome,” said Timlin, a 15-year-old sophomore who missed warm ups because his mom was late dropping him off. “I mean, I guess it’s just the Tigers and it wasn’t on their court, so it’s not like you can get too excited, but this is awesome.”

English, who made three of his last 20 field goals in Big 12 play, went 1 for 13 against the Lancers, but didn’t hesitate to take the 3-pointer, despite facing a double-team.

“I’m a shooter, and they always say that when you’re in a slump, you have to shoot your way out,” said English. “Wait, is that a basketball saying? Maybe I heard that wrong.”

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Jayhawk fan calls “foul” on officials

LAWRENCE – University of Kansas junior Trevor Stallworth spent his entire Tuesday morning talking to everyone he could about the Jayhawks’ humiliating loss to Kansas State on Monday. While others wanted to discuss the impressive play of K-State senior Jacob Pullen, or KU’s poor handling of the basketball, Stallworth had only one issue on his mind: The referees’ bias against the University of Kansas.

“It’s a trend that I’ve noticed the last few years,” said Stallworth. “When KU plays K-State, the refs are always biased against the Jayhawks. Most of the time Kansas is good enough to overcome it, but you can’t always win playing five against eight.”

While both teams shot an equal amount of free throws, and the Jayhawks were whistled for just three more fouls than K-State, Stallworth points to the unusually high number of offensive fouls called against the Jayhawk forwards, and to K-State getting “all the calls” in the first half as a major contributor to the Jayhawks loss.

“Clearly the refs didn’t want Kansas to win that game. I think some of them are jealous of the Jayhawks' success and they like to see the underdog Wildcats win,” said Stallworth. “But every game, every time, K-State gets all the calls against Kansas. And I don’t think it’s fair.”

Stallworth's friend Ross Winston, a Kansas State fan, just shook his head after their conversation about the game.

“It’s sad, really, to see someone using the referees as an excuse for a loss,” said Winston. “I’m pretty proud to say that’s one thing you’ll never hear from the K-State fan base. Unless we lose. Then we’re the whiniest bitches on the planet.”

Monday, February 14, 2011

Curtis Kelly hits coach with chair, leaves K-State

BOULDER, Co. – In a shocking turn of events, Curtis Kelly completed his destruction of the Kansas State Wildcats basketball team by whacking his coach, Frank Martin, in the back with a steel chair during the Wildcats 58-56 loss against Colorado on Saturday. Immediately after the chair shot, Kelly tore off his Kansas State jersey to reveal a University of Kansas t-shirt, then extended both middle fingers to the Wildcats’ bench and walked off the court to a chorus of boos from the K-State fans in Boulder.

The events culminated Kelly’s slow turn on his coach and teammates, as he has seemingly spent the entire season undermining the Kansas State basketball team, which was coming off an appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight in 2010, and had earned a pre-season ranking of No. 3 in the country.

The chair shot only added to the painful night for the Wildcats, which fell to 4-6 in Big 12 play after Rodney McGruder's apparent game-winning 3-pointer was waved off. The Wildcats now find themselves in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament, and have to deal with losing what should have been their best frontcourt player in Kelly.

“Looking back, all the signs were there, but as a fan you just didn’t want to believe it,” said Wyatt Thompson, the voice of the Kansas State Wildcats. “When it happened, all I could think was, ‘Good God, what is he doing? No, no, no!’”

Kelly’s season got off to a rocky start when he was benched for three games by Martin for allegedly giving poor effort during practice. He then picked up a six-game suspension in December for an impermissible benefits violation when he accepted free clothing from a Dillards in the Manhattan mall. And the most recent events come on the heels of another possible university violation that caused controversy throughout last week.

When reached for comment, Kelly said the turn started well before the season.

“All last year, I was the guy who put us on our shoulders and took us to the Elite Eight. But when you’d hear from fans and the media, all they talked about was Frank’s stare, or Jake’s beard,” Kelly said. “It’s bullshit. That was my team. And if they’re not gonna recognize, then I’m gonna make them recognize. And that's the bottom line.”