It's March and thus it's officially time for March Madness! This week marks the end of the regular season for the major conferences with post-season conference tournaments set to begin next week.
- Jack Harry of KSHB-TV, Kansas City, claims to be the victim of Kansas fans who are calling him on his outrageously negative pre-season rant about KU's fortunes in Big 12 basketball. Harry, now famously, said that KU would not finish in the top five in the league and that Kansas fans think it's their "birthright" to win the league. In his rant, Harry called the fans "beakers," and has previously used language like "Bucknell Bill" (for head coach Bill Self, citing his loss to Bucknell in the NCAA Tournament in 2005.) Harry also has previously taken on the Kansas football program, suggesting, during the 2011 season, that the school should drop the sport. What Harry seems to forget is that "with great power comes great responsibility." He has used his bully pulpit to tweak and/or anger Kansas fans. While no one should get vitriolic, Harry's indignation at fans now calling him on his behavior is disingenuous. You made your bed, Jack...
- Who will be the top four seeds in the NCAA Tournament, come Selection Sunday on March 11? According to realtimerpi.com, here are the current RPIs for the top-rated teams: 1. Syracuse (.6730), 2. Kentucky (.6671), 3. Duke (.6661), 4. Michigan State (.6623), 5. North Carolina (.6568), 6. Kansas (.6490), 7. Marquette (.6378), 8. Ohio State (.6343), 9. Baylor (.6316), and 10. Wichita State (.6314.) Missouri is #12 at .6283; Kansas State is #42 at .5861.
- Many observers call this Bill Self's best coaching job at Kansas since he took the post-NCAA title team of 2008-2009 and guided them to a Big 12 championship. That team, like this year's squad, only lost two games in conference and won the title outright. However, that '09 team didn't win 16 games total, given the scheduling rotation then, and featured a supporting cast for Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich which included Brady Morningstar, Tyrell Reed, Mario Little, and freshmen Tyshawn Taylor, Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris.
- Lost in the hubbub about the coaching jobs at Kansas, Missouri and Iowa State is Frank Martin at Kansas State. If Martin's Wildcats win at home on Saturday versus Oklahoma State, this will be the fifth straight season of nine or more conference wins in Manhattan as well as 20 or more wins total. Martin's records in conference are 10-6 (3rd), 9-7 (T-4th), 11-5 (T-2nd) and 10-6 (T-3rd.) KSU is currently 8-7.
- The Sporting News predicted, in their preseason publication, that the Big 12 race would finish as follows: 1. Baylor, 2. Kansas, 3. Missouri, 4. Texas A&M, 5. Oklahoma State, 6. Texas, 7. Kansas State, 8. Iowa State, 9. Oklahoma, and 10. Texas Tech. Using that prediction, the biggest surprise has to be Iowa State. The biggest disappointment is Texas A&M, currently tied with Oklahoma for eighth.
- Kansas fans will be treated to Jim Cornelison's rendition of the national anthem on Saturday night versus Texas in Allen Fieldhouse. Cornelison sings the anthem at Chicago Blackhawk games where the tradition is to cheer, full-throated, throughout his singing of the "Star Spangled Banner."
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