“This is rock bottom. Kansas State is 0-2 (in the Big 12). My guess is the last two days, which have been a feeding frenzy for fans, media, The Star today’s got a thing (on Martin and K-State), my guess is this is the worst it will be for K-State this year.”Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: That is a mighty bold prediction when you consider KSU has shown almost no awareness of the hole they are digging for themselves. Read on.
“Now come five games that the college basketball world will use to judge their talent, resiliency and potential. Respond well, and nothing is out of reach. But continue to fail, and this could be the beginning of an awfully ugly ending. …Things are bad right now, but what if K-State is 2-6 halfway through the league season? … His teams have always played better when they felt doubted, so it would be in character to start winning now. The alternative could get ugly. There’s a lot more than one season’s results depending on it.”
Sam Mellinger, as K-State prepares to play Texas Tech, @ Mizzou, @TAMU, Baylor and @KU, Kansas City Star
GH: KK predicts a 25-point win over hapless Texas Tech this Saturday in Manhattan. It would be a nice respite from the plunge.
Sam Mellinger, as K-State prepares to play Texas Tech, @ Mizzou, @TAMU, Baylor and @KU, Kansas City Star
GH: KK predicts a 25-point win over hapless Texas Tech this Saturday in Manhattan. It would be a nice respite from the plunge.
“I wouldn’t have any regrets on Frank Martin until they had three non-NCAA tournament seasons. If you want to go and bury K-State and call them dead and say that Frank Martin can’t coach – knock yourself out! I think you’re going to be proven wrong. I’ve got a lot of criticisms for Kansas State but resigning Frank Martin is not one of them.”
Kevin Kietzman, responding to a K-State caller who asked if KK regretted his often-scathing crusade last year to get K-State to resign Martin, 810 AM
GH: It is almost unbelievable that Martin has gone from saint to Satan in the eyes of many Cat fans in less than two months. But big-time college sports come with big-time paychecks and big-time expectations. No team, coach or school is immune.
Kevin Kietzman, responding to a K-State caller who asked if KK regretted his often-scathing crusade last year to get K-State to resign Martin, 810 AM
GH: It is almost unbelievable that Martin has gone from saint to Satan in the eyes of many Cat fans in less than two months. But big-time college sports come with big-time paychecks and big-time expectations. No team, coach or school is immune.
“Just because he doesn’t agree with you, you dump him, huh?”
Jack Harry, to Kevin Kietzman after he dumped a caller, 810 AM
Jack Harry, to Kevin Kietzman after he dumped a caller, 810 AM
GH: Welcome to Between The Lines, Mad Jack.
“I don’t know what else I can say. I tried speaking seven different languages to get our guys to understand that (Levi) Knutson is in the corner.”
Frank Martin, on K-State’s failed efforts to stop the hot-shooting Colorado senior, 810 AM
GH: Knutson looks more like an Irish boxer than a DI shooting guard. His sturdy frame and well-formed biceps are not typical of deadly three-point marksmen. But make no mistake, Knutson is an assassin on the court with deadly range. Against K-State he needed merely a sliver of dawn to darken the Cats hopes. Knutson drilled six treys with a catch and release quickness that would have made Merlin blink. I love guys who can just flat shoot the rock and Knutson has a right hand that delivers a knockout blow all the way from the Rockies.
Frank Martin, on K-State’s failed efforts to stop the hot-shooting Colorado senior, 810 AM
GH: Knutson looks more like an Irish boxer than a DI shooting guard. His sturdy frame and well-formed biceps are not typical of deadly three-point marksmen. But make no mistake, Knutson is an assassin on the court with deadly range. Against K-State he needed merely a sliver of dawn to darken the Cats hopes. Knutson drilled six treys with a catch and release quickness that would have made Merlin blink. I love guys who can just flat shoot the rock and Knutson has a right hand that delivers a knockout blow all the way from the Rockies.
“I made a prediction on my Courtside show about another unbeaten who will lose soon: Kansas goes down at Baylor on Monday.”
Seth Davis, ESPN college basketball analyst, Twitter
GH: Davis isn’t the only hoops expert calling for the Jayhawks to get whacked in Waco. Read on.
Seth Davis, ESPN college basketball analyst, Twitter
GH: Davis isn’t the only hoops expert calling for the Jayhawks to get whacked in Waco. Read on.
“I think this Kansas team is primed for a loss. There’s no question with the way they let teams hang around. Michigan hung around way too long. If Kansas plays like that (Monday), Baylor will not let that opportunity get away.”
Greg Gurley, 810 AM
GH: It is next to impossible to go undefeated in conference play. That said, I think the oppositions’ chances to get Kansas may have passed. KU looked bad at Michigan and played a number of inferior foes far closer than they should have in November and December. But their play in Ames Wednesday was impressive. Sometimes a good team can get lucky and win those games where they were primed to get upset. I don’t see KU losing at Baylor or any time soon.
Greg Gurley, 810 AM
GH: It is next to impossible to go undefeated in conference play. That said, I think the oppositions’ chances to get Kansas may have passed. KU looked bad at Michigan and played a number of inferior foes far closer than they should have in November and December. But their play in Ames Wednesday was impressive. Sometimes a good team can get lucky and win those games where they were primed to get upset. I don’t see KU losing at Baylor or any time soon.
“Bill Self is a master at managing egos. He gets players to understand that for the betterment of the team, some of them aren’t going to play as much. That’s a really difficult thing to do.”
Greg Gurley, 810 AM
GH: I think Self will have his toughest challenge of dispersing minutes ever this season with the deep bench he takes into the Big 12. How deep is Kansas? I think they’re second seven could finish third in the Big 12…maybe second.
Greg Gurley, 810 AM
GH: I think Self will have his toughest challenge of dispersing minutes ever this season with the deep bench he takes into the Big 12. How deep is Kansas? I think they’re second seven could finish third in the Big 12…maybe second.
“Brady (Morningstar) and Tyrel (Reed) are going to lose some minutes but that’s something Bill (Self) really wants. Their effectiveness is being diminished. It’s just not their game to be playing 30-plus minutes.”
Mike DeCourcy, 810 AM
Mike DeCourcy, 810 AM
“Brady Morningwood.”
Jake Gutierrez, 810 AM
GH: Jake’s comment was immediately followed by this comment from Steven St. John; “What the hell did he just say?”
Jake Gutierrez, 810 AM
GH: Jake’s comment was immediately followed by this comment from Steven St. John; “What the hell did he just say?”
“I like Missouri. I think they are really good – and I don’t even care that they lost to Colorado. I had to predict a Final Four last week and I put (Missouri) in it. I thought, why not put them in there?”
Jason King, college basketball columnist for YahooSports.com, on K-State hoops, 610 AM
GH: I like watching Marcus Denmon play but I wish he had some inside help. Laurence Bowers shows occasional signs of resembling JaRon Rush – at Pembroke Hill. But too often he disappears. Mizzou will need a get a lot better to make it to the Sweet 16 this season.
Jason King, college basketball columnist for YahooSports.com, on K-State hoops, 610 AM
GH: I like watching Marcus Denmon play but I wish he had some inside help. Laurence Bowers shows occasional signs of resembling JaRon Rush – at Pembroke Hill. But too often he disappears. Mizzou will need a get a lot better to make it to the Sweet 16 this season.
“Sometimes I wonder if he’s too much of a team player.”
Jon Sundvold, on Mizzou’s sensational Marcus Denmon and his affinity to passing the ball, Metro Sports
GH: Denmon is going to get the attention of every Big 12 opponent. They will attempt to keep him from getting his shot in hopes his teammates cannot pick up the slack. How successful Mizzou’s season will be depends on how well Mike Anderson’s club adapts to watching Denmon get squeezed.
Jon Sundvold, on Mizzou’s sensational Marcus Denmon and his affinity to passing the ball, Metro Sports
GH: Denmon is going to get the attention of every Big 12 opponent. They will attempt to keep him from getting his shot in hopes his teammates cannot pick up the slack. How successful Mizzou’s season will be depends on how well Mike Anderson’s club adapts to watching Denmon get squeezed.
“It’s time for Tiger fans to get off their ass and go to Columbia to watch this (basketball) program. They’ve got to find a solution for this because that was embarrassing (against Vandy).”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: The front-and-center empty seats have continued into the Tigers Big 12 season. Does anybody want to predict what kind of crowd will be inside Mizzou Arena for Monday’s 4:30 PM start? BTW, would ESPN ever schedule a KU game for a 4:30 PM start?
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: The front-and-center empty seats have continued into the Tigers Big 12 season. Does anybody want to predict what kind of crowd will be inside Mizzou Arena for Monday’s 4:30 PM start? BTW, would ESPN ever schedule a KU game for a 4:30 PM start?
“A lot of times I’ll run stuff past my wife and she’ll say, ‘No, don’t use it.” She’ll want to kill it. But I’ll still want to use it so I won’t run some of it by her. So if I think she’s going to kill it I won’t run it by her.”
Mitch Holthus, Chiefs radio play-by-play voice, on trying out some of his wacky phrases on his wife before he unleashes them on a Chiefs’ broadcast, 810 AM
Mitch Holthus, Chiefs radio play-by-play voice, on trying out some of his wacky phrases on his wife before he unleashes them on a Chiefs’ broadcast, 810 AM
“If you get a slot guy and a safety sitting on that slot guy, you’re gonna break the fox in the chicken house.”
Mitch Holthus, 810 AM
GH: I am guessing Mitch failed to run “the fox in the chicken house” past his bride.
Mitch Holthus, 810 AM
GH: I am guessing Mitch failed to run “the fox in the chicken house” past his bride.
“I think baseball has the least to do with God-given talent and the most to do with how hard you work.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: Have you ever played softball with or against a guy who you thought was the best baseball player you’d ever seen? A guy with an amazing glove, rocket arm and quick-twitch wheels. And even that guy couldn’t make it to or past the lowest level of pro ball. I think MLB players are born, not made.
“After the (Chiefs’) season is over and you have nothing but the hawk or the north wind here in Kansas City, you know when you have nothing to do until the Royals come around – and we all know how that’s gonna go this year – it’s just kind of depressing.”
Tim Grunhard, after the Chiefs’ season came to an end against Baltimore, 810 AM
Tim Grunhard, after the Chiefs’ season came to an end against Baltimore, 810 AM
“Suffer no more, baseball is here: 2011 Royals FanFest”
Headline for Royals promotion via email
GH: This headline caused me to grin – in a sick, Kyle Farnsworth kind of way. Check out more info on the Royals FanFest scheduled for January 21-22 at the Overland park Convention Center at Royals.com.
Headline for Royals promotion via email
GH: This headline caused me to grin – in a sick, Kyle Farnsworth kind of way. Check out more info on the Royals FanFest scheduled for January 21-22 at the Overland park Convention Center at Royals.com.
GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24
Baseball players
There’s no simple answer as to what makes a baseball player. Some are born, some are developed. Some with very little natural talent become pretty solid MLB players (David Eckstein comes to mind); others with great natural talent, and even a good work ethic, are flops (Ricky Trlicek, who pitched seven no-hitters
Born not made
GH I agree… A 300 hitter in MLB is a freak of nature. I am not saying they don’t work hard… but there are some gifts from God involved there.
Baseball Talent
When I hear Nate Wright make asinine comments like %u201CI think baseball has the least to do with God-given talent and the most to do with how hard you work.%u201D It just reconfirms why his ratings are in the toilet. Sure, the good ones have got to put hard work into it but even David Eckstein has natural ability beyond most of us. He made a determination to stick it out and not quit while some folks have the natural ability but lack the desire or drive to maintain or ratchet it up a few notches. Some, ie; Micky Mantle, are blessed with natural ability well beyond the common man but choose to piss it away through bad life style choices or poor attitudes, (Micky’s attitude was good, just the life style thing caught up with him). I could have worked my butt off but still could never throw a 90 fast ball or hit a 90 fast ball or major league curve ball. Baseball starts with God-given talent and then those who choose to take to the next level, hard work, more for some than others. GH, sometimes you say things on par with Nate Wright but this time you are right on. Don’t agree with everything you say or your opinions but I appreciate the forum you offer. Keep up the good work.