NCAA BK

FOX Sports Exclusive

Kansas eager to leave off-court events behind

Share This Story

Jeff Goodman

Jeff Goodman is a senior college basketball writer for FOXSports.com. Check out his Yardbarker blog. MORE>>
 
Updated Oct 17, 2009 11:41 PM ET
     
 

LAWRENCE, Kan.

First came the hype centered on the new team that John Calipari had assembled over in Kentucky. Then the focus shifted to off-the-court antics involving Tyshawn Taylor, his Facebook page and the altercations between the Kansas basketball and the football team.

2009-10 preview

Roy Halladay Can't wait for the college hoops season to start? We get you ready for 2009-10 with our preseason guide.
Finally, it was a bonehead move by starting guard Brady Morningstar less than two weeks ago when he was pulled over on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The preseason No. 1 team in the land finally took the court on Friday night, and it was a typical celebration at Allen Fieldhouse. Fans cheered as if nothing had happened. Taylor danced in one skit, received a loud and boisterous ovation and Morningstar was given one as well. "This is exactly what we needed," Taylor said. Taylor and his badly disfigured right thumb made an appearance in the scrimmage to end the night. Morningstar, suspended for the first semester, didn't partake and was instead relegated to watching Midnight Madness from the sideline. When Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins decided to return to college and bypass the lure of the NBA after last season, the Jayhawks instantly became the clear-cut top team in the land. But you'd never know it. "I put it on us," Kansas freshman forward Thomas Robinson said. "We made a couple of bad mistakes." With Aldrich, Collins, Taylor and highly touted freshmen Xavier Henry and Robinson, this team is so deep that top-50 player Travis Releford won't get off the bench. Jeff Withey, a long, athletic transfer from Arizona who won't be eligible until the second semester, is fifth on the depth chart in terms of frontcourt guys. Just two years after being decimated by the loss of all five starters from their 2008 national championship team, the Jayhawks aren't just back. They are favored to cut down the nets. But no one has spoken about what this Kansas team can do on the court. It's been all about what they have done off the court. "We left that behind tonight," Henry said. "There's no more talking about it now." Fights happen at just about every campus around the country. I saw plenty while I was at Arizona, including one between a football and a basketball player. I'm certainly not condoning their actions, but the Jayhawks are hardly alone in getting into it with other students. "If anyone says this happens at Kansas, I can't be upset," head coach Bill Self said. "But if anyone says that this stuff doesn't go on at other schools, they don't get it. This isn't a team issue; it's a society issue." But this is the No. 1 team in the country, one that resides in Lawrence, Kan., where frankly, there just isn't anything else that matters besides Rock Chalk Jayhawk. Getting into a melee in front of a bunch of students isn't exactly going to be swept under the carpet. "We're under a microscope," Aldrich said. "When you play at a school like Kansas, everything is magnified." Taylor, who reported on his Facebook page that he suffered the dislocated thumb from throwing a punch, doesn't shy away from admitting his mistake. "I made a dumb one," he said. "And now I'm handling my punishment."
Self wouldn't reveal what the punishment was to Taylor and the rest of the team but did say now they've lost the freedom this group had earned through a calm season last year. "This group had a hall pass, but they've lost that right," he said. "We've put a lot harsher rules in place. "I think we've got really good kids. But we made a series of poor decisions, and it's shed a negative light on us." The good news — if there is a so-called silver lining to all of this — is Self now has the attention of his team. All of this went down in the preseason. No one will remember or care about the incidents come March — or even Nov. 13, when Kansas takes the court for its season opener against Hofstra. Then, just as Taylor made his Facebook page disappear, so, too, will the memories of an eventful offseason. "It's over with," Taylor said. "Done with." If that's truly the case, the Jayhawks will be tough to beat.
Tagged: Kansas, Arizona

More Stories From Jeff Goodman



Trending Now

Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos

NCAA BK Videos

Highlights: CAL - UCLA Posted: Feb 12, 2012
Watch highlights of Cal's 73-63 win over UCLA.

Highlights: Utah - Arizona Posted: Feb 12, 2012
Watch highlights of Arizona's 70-61 win over Utah.

Highlights: Colorado - ASU Posted: Feb 12, 2012
Watch highlights of Colorado's 63-49 win over Arizona State.

MORE FOXSPORTS VIDEO »

Fox Sports Store

    itemName itemURL imageSrc price itemDescription
    Nike Florida Gators White College Replica Basketball Shorts http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Florida_Gators/browse/featuredproduct/391722/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_391000/FF_391722_xl.jpg&w=100 44.95 Nike Florida Gators White College Replica Basketball Shorts
    Nike Pittsburgh Panthers Navy Blue Aerographic Premium T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Pitt_Panthers/browse/featuredproduct/604913/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_604000/ff_604913_xl.jpg&w=100 29.95 Nike Pittsburgh Panthers Navy Blue Aerographic Premium T-shirt
    adidas Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee Orange Layup Flex Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Tennessee_Volunteers/browse/featuredproduct/664508/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_664000/ff_664508_xl.jpg&w=100 21.95 adidas Tennessee Volunteers Tennessee Orange Layup Flex Hat
    Nike Connecticut Huskies (UConn) #34 Men\'s Swingman Aerographic Elite Basketball Jersey - Navy Blue http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Connecticut_Huskies/browse/featuredproduct/676014/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_676000/ff_676014_xl.jpg&w=100 74.95 Nike Connecticut Huskies (UConn) #34 Men\'s Swingman Aerographic Elite Basketbal..
    Nike Duke Blue Devils #30 Elite Aerographic Replica Basketball Jersey - White http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Duke_Blue_Devils/browse/featuredproduct/676565/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_676000/ff_676565_xl.jpg&w=100 59.95 Nike Duke Blue Devils #30 Elite Aerographic Replica Basketball Jersey - White
    Nike Syracuse Orange #11 Elite Aerographic Replica Basketball Jersey - Orange http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Syracuse_Orange/browse/featuredproduct/676593/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_676000/ff_676593_xl.jpg&w=100 59.95 Nike Syracuse Orange #11 Elite Aerographic Replica Basketball Jersey - Orange
    adidas Texas A&M Aggies Maroon Hoops Pullover Hoodie Sweatshirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Texas_A_And_M_Aggies/browse/featuredproduct/685132/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_685000/ff_685132_xl.jpg&w=100 64.95 adidas Texas A&M Aggies Maroon Hoops Pullover Hoodie Sweatshirt
    Rawlings Louisville Cardinals Crossover Full-Size Basketball http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Louisville_Cardinals/browse/featuredproduct/719392/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_719000/ff_719392_xl.jpg&w=100 16.95 Rawlings Louisville Cardinals Crossover Full-Size Basketball
    Nike Kentucky Wildcats #14 Elite Replica Aerographic Basketball Jersey - Royal Blue http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Kentucky_Wildcats/browse/featuredproduct/752828/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_752000/ff_752828_xl.jpg&w=100 59.95 Nike Kentucky Wildcats #14 Elite Replica Aerographic Basketball Jersey - Royal B..
    Nike North Carolina Tar Heels (UNC) #40 Hoops Replica Basketball T-Shirt - White http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_North_Carolina_Tar_Heels/browse/featuredproduct/777213/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_777000/ff_777213_xl.jpg&w=100 27.95 Nike North Carolina Tar Heels (UNC) #40 Hoops Replica Basketball T-Shirt - White
Microsoft© 2012 Microsoft