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Bill being Bill

April 15, 20092:32 p.m.

That wacky Bill Snyder… He’s at it again.

Secretive as ever, the Kansas State coach bristled yesterday when asked what defense K-State is going to run – several recruits have noted it’s a 4-2-5 – and all he has spilled about the offense is that it will be “broad-based.”

Yep, this is going to be fun.

He took it a step further, though, when asked about the running back situation. Snyder suggested if the season started today – it doesn’t – Keithen Valentine would be the starter.

But then he said Logan Dold would probably be No. 2.

Which sounds fine, given all Dold did last year for the Wildcats. But a source told me that Dold has been shifted to safety, where the depth at the so-called “Wildcat” spot, the fifth defensive back that is almost another linebacker, is somewhat thin at the moment.

To paraphrase Ron Prince, that’s what I was told.

By J-Mart | Filed under Football | Comments (2)

Quarter-back to the future

April 2, 20097:10 p.m.

All three Kansas State quarterbacks – sophomore Carson Coffman and freshmen Collin Klein and Joseph Kassanavoid – aren’t exactly what Bill Snyder is used to trotting out behind center, but then again, maybe they are.

“All three of us could run this offense,” Kassanavoid said Thursday.

Snyder said the offense wasn’t complete yet. The coach said it would be a process in finding each of their strengths and planning accordingly.
At the moment, Coffman, who played a little last year, is atop the depth chart. It’s his turn, and he was emphatic Thursday about his chances.

“I got a taste, and I’ve been waiting for this opportunity,” he said.

He’s the frontrunner, and he has something to prove. Seems Snyder didn’t offer Coffman out of Kansas City’s Raymore-Peculiar High. Coffman said he ran some wing-T in high school, presumably which should help with the run-based portion of the offense that will likely exist.

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By J-Mart | Filed under Football | Comments (7)

Lance Stephenson?

April 2, 20097:05 p.m.

I listened to Kevin Kietzman’s show “Between the Lines” on the way back from Manhattan today. Always entertaining, I can’t ever turn the channel – especially when the topic is Kansas State.

Well, Kietzman dropped a bombshell, suggesting that because Kansas is now back in pursuit of Xavier Henry, the Jayhawks’ chase of Lance Stephenson might be over. And, because Stephenson feels spurned, his representatives might have reached out to K-State (or Missouri) in an attempt to gain revenge against KU.

Hey, I love drama as much as anyone, so I made some calls.

Don’t know if the motivation is legitimate, but I do know K-State is curious about Stephenson. I suspect the Wildcats will investigate and then move forward. But, yes, K-State is interested.

Sonny Vaccaro, the director for grassroots basketball for Reebok, is close to Stephenson. He said he spoke to the 6-foot-6 guard “this week,” and still believes it will come down to KU, Maryland and St. John’s.

“I’d be very surprised if someone else got in the picture,” Vaccaro said.

As for DeMarcus Cousins, I’m hearing he’s going to bide his time and sort things out. I don’t think he’s in a rush, and he’s not exactly a follower, either. Cal might still bag him for Kentucky. I expect K-State to make a hard push, but don’t be surprised if Anthony Grant, the new coach at Alabama, makes a play and actually lands Cousins, who is from Mobile. It would be interesting – I believe Martin is the godfather of Grant’s children, and vice versa – to see if that would strain the friendship between the two buddies from Miami Senior.

I doubt it – it’s business, really.

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (1)

Puerto Rico Tip-Off Field

March 31, 200910:15 a.m.

From ESPN:

ESPN Regional Television, Inc. (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, announced today seven of the eight teams in the field for the 2009 O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off, to be held Nov. 19-22 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, in the cosmopolitan Hato Rey district of San Juan.

The field for the third annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off will include UAB, Dayton, George Mason, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas State and 2009 Final Four participant Villanova. The eighth team will be announced at a later date.

Five of the seven teams announced reached the postseason this year. Villanova and Dayton played in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, with the Flyers advancing to the second round. The Wildcats, a No. 3 seed, will face No. 1 seed North Carolina in the Final Four on Saturday, April 4, in Detroit. UAB, George Mason and Kansas State played in the National Invitation Tournament.

“With the announcement this year’s field, we couldn’t be more thrilled with the continued quality of this event,” said Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN Regional Television. “Coming off of last year’s event that placed five teams in the NCAA Tournament and one in the NIT, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off is quickly being recognized as one the premier events in college basketball.”

The 2009 O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off, a bracket-format tournament, will feature 12 games in three days, Nov. 19 -22. Each team will compete in one game per day, advancing through a bracket-tournament format. The two teams that remain undefeated throughout will face off in a championship match Sunday, Nov. 22.

In November, Xavier took home the 2008 Puerto Rico Tip-Off trophy, defeating Memphis 63-58 in the championship game. Both teams went on to be nationally ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll throughout most of the 2008-09 season, with Memphis finishing the regular season ranked No. 2. Xavier will appear in the 2009 Old Spice Classic.

In 2007, the Miami Hurricanes won the inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Additional information, including travel packages, can be found on the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off Web site at www.PuertoRicoTipoff.com.

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (4)

Who doesn’t enjoy a banquet?

March 23, 20093:08 p.m.

From the Kansas State sports information department:

Kansas State head coach Frank Martin and the men’s basketball team will hold its season-ending banquet on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at the Campus in Manhattan, athletics department officials announced today.

Tickets for the banquet are available March 27 for $50 per person, $400 for a table of 10 people or $600 for table of nine with a member of the team.  The event is limited to the first 300 people and fans are encouraged to make their reservations by Thursday, April 9 or until the event is sold out.

The evening’s festivities will include a review of the 2008-09 season, a highlight video and presentation of both awards and senior gifts.  A complimentary meal will be included in the ticket price and a cash bar will be available throughout the evening.

Fans interested in ordering tickets for the banquet may do so in person at the K-State Athletic Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum or by calling toll-free, (800) 221.CATS.  The ticket office is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (1)

Because I promised…

March 20, 20099:55 p.m.

I wouldn’t make fun of him, I’ll post the picture of the San Diego State mascot/guy and allow you to decide for yourself what to think:

aztecguy

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (4)

Seen in San Diego

March 20, 20098:35 p.m.

There are about 50 Kansas State fans in the Jenny Craig Pavillion. And there’s this:

photo

And the San Diego State fans? Give them props for spirit. Some kid was screaming at Darren Kent, saying, “White Tiger? That’s a stupid nickname.” I don’t think Darren heard.

By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (1)

My take, Illinois State

March 19, 200910:16 a.m.

You always see flashes. That’s what I took away from last night’s dramatic Kansas State victory. Not that the Wildcats moved on, which is noteworthy and is the topic I touch on in tomorrow’s advance. But that no matter who is called upon, no matter who is struggling, someone always fills the void.

Last night, it was Buchi Awaji in the second half and then Dominique Sutton at the end of regulation and overtime. And Jacob Pullen, who has been Robin to Denis Clemente’s Batman for most of the season, took the challenge and kept the Wildcats afloat.

And it’s the same thing with all of these guys, with the exception of Pullen. Every time something positive happens, their play is instantly elevated. Every time, especially with Awaji. True story – earlier this season, in Las Vegas, an NBA scout was watching the Wildcats. He was fixated on Awaji, asking me all about him. Remember, Buchi didn’t play much until then – and truth be told, he hasn’t played too much since, either. But the scout was blown away by him, convinced he was a star in the making because of his length, athleticism and efficient – mostly effortless – shooting stroke.

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By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball, My take | Comments (2)

Found this interesting…

March 11, 20091:52 p.m.

Being based where I am, I’m fascinated by the explosion in talent in the high school ranks in Wichita.

Perry Ellis, whose Heights team in playing in Emporia today in the state tournament, will be someone we’ll be following for the next three years. Yes, Kansas State wants him, and yes, the Wildcats will be a player.

Not quite sure where K-State stands with Blake Bell, the Bishop Carroll quarterback. My Eagle colleague, Joanna Chadwick, reported today that Bell is a pretty big deal.

And we’ll all be waiting on Bryce Brown’s decision Monday. Just a FYI, but Chris Harper returns home from Oregon next week  for spring break.

By J-Mart | Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (3)

Frank-ly speaking (again)

March 10, 20094:52 p.m.

Here are a few snippets from an hour-long Q&A I conducted last week with Kansas State coach Frank Martin. A very, very condensed version focusing solely on the K-State program will appear in the Eagle and the Star tomorrow, but the complete transcript will be available tomorrow on the papers’ Web sites.

Have there been times when you felt the team wasn’t prepared well but you still managed to win?

That happens every year. You have games that you… just don’t prepare as well as you should. You don’t put players in the best situations that you can as a coach to allow them to succeed. Yet, you’re resourceful, you create the will and you overcome and still figure a way to win. That’s why I don’t just evaluate myself after losses. I evaluate myself after every game.

That Nebraska game the other day that we won, I felt in practices we didn’t do a good job of doing some of the things that we needed to do defensively to allow us to be as consistent as we needed to be to win. When it was over, I went home and spent time re-evaluating what we did in practice, what was right and wrong, to make sure the next time we play Nebraska – if we do again this year – that I do a better job in the preparation time leading into the game.

At Oklahoma State the other night, I wasn’t satisfied with what we were trying to do offensively in the last three minutes of the game. Our players turned it over, but I felt the calls I made put our guys in a tough spot. Whether it did or didn’t, that was my evaluation. I had to go home and understand that. Should the players turn the ball over? No, that’s not acceptable. It’s their job to shoot the ball, yet I wish I could have a do-over and call different sets.

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By J-Mart | Filed under Basketball | Comments (5)