What Do the 2008 - 2009 CU Basketball Team and the 2007 Kansas Football Team Have in Common?

The answer...the worst non conference schedule I have ever seen. But the comparison ends their for the Buffs Basketball team as Kansas had the ability to win their non conference games. Other than Stanford in the Pac 10 and Big 12's attempt (Hardwood Series) to copy the Big 10 - ACC Challenge, Colorado's non conference schedule includes the powerhouse programs of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Montana State, Harvard, Lafayette, TCU, Colorado State, Prairie View A&M and Louisiana - Monroe, SMU and Western State. This would be laughable if I didn't think the Buffs had a shot to go .500 in their non conference games. I can see the RPI rankings now! The Buffs are also playing in the Rainbow Classic which Clemson should run away with (shows you the talent in this tournament).

The only reason I am critical is that Buff Basketball is not on the map anywhere, not even in Boulder. There is zero excitement around the program and other than Kansas and Texas at home, what reason would a CU fan go to Boulder to watch basketball this year. I understand the Buffs will have a hard time winning games versus any team on the schedule but the one thing that CU football has always done well and continues to is schedule non conference opponents that getting you talking about football - whether the Buffs were going to get torched or contend. West Virginia and Florida State will get you to go the game, regardless of how good or bad the Buffs are. Its like when the Yankees come to Coors Field to play the Rockies, they sell out regardless of the team's success. Can you vision any of the first 8 or 9 games getting more than 500 people at the Coors Event Center? Can you expect to watch good basketball? Once again we will have to settle for a second class level of basketball in Boulder.

Big 12 Releases Basketball Schedule

In the midst of the college football season ramping up, the Big 12 has released its 2008 - 2009 College Basketball schedule. It should be an interesting year in the Big 12 with what seemed like every team being depleted by players leaving for the NBA. Kansas lost their starting 5 (Chalmers, Kahn, Arthur, Rush, Jackson and Robinson) and then some, Kansas State lost Beasley and Walker and Texas lost Augustine. Colorado lost two of its career leading scorers and 7 other players since Bzdelik took over so the Buffs qualify for a revamped team in the Big 12. Oklahoma should be considerably stronger with Blake Griffin returning and incoming G Willy Warren

Here is the Buffs Big 12 Schedule -

Wednesday, January 14th - Colorado at Missouri
Saturday, January 17th - Kansas at Colorado
Tuesday, January 20th - Colorado at Texas Tech
Saturday, January 24th - Kansas State at Colorado
Tuesday, January 27th - Iowa State at Colorado
Saturday, January 31st - Colorado at Kansas
Wednesday, February 4th - Nebraska at Colorado
Saturday, February 7th - Colorado at Oklahoma
Wednesday, February 11th - Colorado at Iowa State
Saturday, February 14th - Texas at Colorado
Wednesday, February 18th - Colorado at Nebraska
Saturday, February 21st - Missouri at Colorado
Wednesday, February 25th - Oklahoma State at Colorado
Saturday, February 28th - Colorado at Baylor
Wednesday, March 4th - Texas A&M at Colorado
Saturday, March 7th - Colorado at Kansas State

Good Things Come in Pairs

Just a day after Richard Roby signed a summer contract with the New Jersey Nets, Former Buffs forward Marcus Hall has also gotten his chance to show his ability for the summer with the New York Knickerbockers. Hall, who measures in at a lean 6'2" 175 lbs, will have to show he can take the wear and tear of a 82 game NBA season. Hall will see action along with eight other rookies for the Knicks July 14 - July 20 in Las Vegas. Roby seems to project better in the NBA as he size will be a good asset as he can score from the perimeter and the fact that Hall will be playing for an organization that cannot seem to have enough guards. I would expect both Roby and Hall to be pleased if they caught on with a D League team.

Ex Buff Roby To Sign With New Jersey Nets

It took a little longer than expected but Richard Roby has gotten his chance to audition for an NBA roster spot with the New Jersey Nets. Roby will not only have to impress the coaches with his play on the court but also fully demonstrate that his hand has healed which most likely resulted in him not getting drafted. The Nets will offer Roby a contract only for the Rocky Mountain Revue, according to the Rocky Mountain News, which runs from July 18th - July 25th. After the Revue, Roby can once again sign with any team.

Daily Links

-- Check out this Daily Camera story on Richard Roby… pretty much saying what we said yesterday that Roby was already a late second round pick and with the hand injury, he will probably go undrafted. Bzdelik does have a good point that it may be better to not be drafted then go in the second round due to being stuck with one option and non-guaranteed contracts. At the same time, you are also flirting with European League Basketball.

-- Coach Hawkins is going to….Peru?? This article is hilarious. It goes on to talk about all the measures that the Hawkins’ Family is taking to avoid Typhus and Malaria. I’m sorry but I think if I had to get shots, take pills and even soak my clothes in insect repellent before I went on vacation, I would probably have second thoughts about going there. The article gets even better as Peru was not the family’s first choice. Brazil was the first choice but a recent outbreak of dengue fever in Rio De Janeiro halted that excursion. How about Cancun or Acapulco?

-- A Hawk Sound Bite from The Colorado Springs Gazette detailing the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation's College Football Kickoff Luncheon:

“Finally, had to mention that Colorado coach Dan Hawkins had the line of the day at the luncheon. Talking about how young his team was, he compared it to a golden retriever puppy. He said they were really energetic and excited and really cute, “but sometimes we chew things up and pee on the floor.”

-- Nice blurb on CU from Stewart Mandel's weekly CFB mailbag:

Usually by the third year, a coach really makes his mark on a program. So what do you see happening with Dan Hawkins at Colorado?
-- Martin, Austin, Texas

The Buffs are definitely a team you'd be smart to watch out for this season. Hawkins' team improved considerably from Year 1 (2-10) to Year 2 (6-7, with upsets over Oklahoma and Texas Tech). This year's team will be far more experienced, what with QB Cody Hawkins entering his second season and the possibility of as many as eight senior starters on defense. And if incoming freshman Darrell Scott -- the nation's top-rated running back recruit last winter -- lives up to the hype, he will give Hawkins exactly the type of elite skill player he's been missing.

The coach finally feels confident enough in his personnel to go to a no-huddle offense, and we may start to see more of the unconventional plays that marked his tenure at Boise State. The bigger question may be the defense, which absolutely tanked at the end of last season and lost its most important player, All-America LB Jordon Dizon.

We'll find out about the state of the Buffs pretty quickly -- after opening against Colorado State and Eastern Washington, Colorado goes through a daunting four-game gauntlet against West Virginia, Florida State, Texas and Kansas. If Hawkins' team can get a win at home against either the Mountaineers or Longhorns, it could set them up for an eight- or nine-win season.

-- The Mountain West Connection has a preview of the upcoming Rocky Mountain Showdown.

-- Recliners? Free food and drink? This new section may not have the emotion of the student section, but if I were a Jayhawk you could sure as hell count me in.

More Monday Links

A decent amount of good reads today for the utter lack of action right now...

-- It's good to hear the Bzdelik is rebuilding the bridges with local Colorado HS basketball programs, but we're going to have to continue to be patient because this seasons looks like it's going to be a rough one.

-- Doesn't look like the Buffs or even CSU will be reentering the world of D1 College Baseball anytime soon...

-- CU may not have a NCAA baseball team but at least they now have a club Bass Fishing team! (On as side note I have tossed back plenty of brew's on ole Lake Eufala, the brownest lake in the world...)

-- Finally, we at The Ralphie Report can not neglect our namesake, so here is a story on Ralphie V.

Monday Summer News

Life is moving at a snails pace right now. Yesterday while conversing with a friend I was talking about Marian Hossa turning down a hockey contract and later on that day, I resorted to watching the Euro soccer thing which made me even more depressed. CU Buff players are getting arrested and the training camp is a couple months away. The Colorado Rockies are back to being dismal. The sports scene is definitely struggling. With that being said, here are some good reads by our friends at the Daily Camera.

-- It looks like the Buffs are finally taking the off-season serious and it couldn't have come at a better time. I guess having Texas, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Florida State on the schedule will do that to you. Plus I don't think any of the vets want these newcomers to take their spot. Looks like good player chemistry and leadership is starting to change the mentality up in Boulder...good news for the off-season.

-- Hopefully this 6'8" incoming frosh can bring some life into the basketball team this year...

-- On a more eventful note (sort of), Folsom Field in Boulder will be hosting the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Boulder Crocs Slam. Misty May and Kelly Walsh will be there...Soccer or Beach Volleyball with May and Walsh? These are the type of decisions we are making right now...brutal.

Bzdelik Staying, Tolan's First Round A Success

Although probably not a front runner for the Bulls job, Bzdelik announced today that he is not interested in the head coaching vacancy and expressed his commitment to the University of Colorado.

"I am honored that one of the premier organizations in all of sport, the Chicago Bulls, would consider me as a candidate for their head coaching position," the statement said. "However, my staff and I remain deeply committed to re-establishing Colorado basketball as a consistent winner."

This is a major win for the Buffs as a coaching change, especially after a large footprint has already been left on the program by Bzdelik, would have set the program back many years.

Tolan in the Hunt

It is safe to say that the pressure of being the first CU golfer to make it to the NCAA Championships in 6 years didn't effect the Buffs Junior Golfer Derek Tolan. After a relatively late tee time yesterday, Tolan shot himself to a 2 over par 74 which was good enough for 1oth place and only 5 shots off the lead. UCLA's Kevin Chappell is currently in the lead shooting a 3 under 69. We will keep you posted on Tolan's status for the rest of the tournament.

Thursday Tidbits

-- In regards to yesterday's post on the Bzdelik to the Bulls rumors, CU Athletic Director Mike Bohn is already playing the spin doctor.

"Our high-quality, marquee coaches' names will always be speculated with openings across the country"

-- If Buff golfer Derek Tolan is going to finish in the Top 5 of an NCAA Golf Event for the first ever, than I know of no better place the National Championships.

-- Here's to hoping that the Colorado's entire D-Line is scary next year (to opposing teams, not Buff fans)...

-- I just hope I'm not building myself up for a let down as my excitement over Darrell Scott's arrival continues to build.

-- Seems like the Sooners (as well as every other college in the country) should have done this a long time ago. You can skim over the article, but make sure and read all of the crybaby comments.

-- Last but not least, 3rd Saturday in Blogtober has a post on the new and innovative ways that SEC coaches are getting around the "Saban Rule".

Bzdelik on the Move?

Fresh off one of the more shocking lottery upsets in recent history, the Chicago Bulls are narrowing down the list of options to become their next head coach. Still remaining on that list is CU's own Jeff Bzdelik, who is a Chicago native and still has many roots in the Windy City. Although Bzdelik is considered a dark horse, his ties with Chicago and his tough defensive style of coaching could be intriguing to the Bulls. For Bzdelik, you have to believe that he will listen seriously to any offer from such a high profile team. He does have a good thing brewing in Boulder, currently bringing in the #3 draft class in the Big 12 according to many of the recruiting experts and he has already received strong financial support that was non-existent in the Patton era. With that being said, the Bulls have a lot to offer Bzdelik. Again, he is a Chicago native, and the Bulls are also one of the premier franchises in the NBA and they are located in the lowly (but improving) Eastern Conference. They have a pretty solid core group of players but the most important thing is the money that could come along with the deal. Currently, Bzdelik makes about $800,000 a year with the Buffs. The Bulls offered former coach Scott Skiles a four-year, $16.5 million contract last year before he was let go this season so Bzdelik would be in line for a huge pay increase. And did we forget to mention that they will have the #1 pick. Coaching at Colorado does offer a little more job security, though, as most NBA coaching positions are like a revolving door.

It will be interesting to see what develops. If Bzdelik were to leave the program, it could set the Buffs back significantly as 7 players have already left the program since he took over for Ricardo Patton and who knows what would happen to the recruits that have signed with the Buffs this year. Bzdelik had to sell himself more than the program and with that bond potentially being broken, the next couple of years could be terrible in Boulder.

Roby Gets Big Invite

One of the few things good to come out of the Ricardo Patton era for CU Basketball was the 6'6" guard Richard Roby. Roby got some good news this week as he will try to become the first CU player since David Harrison to get drafted. Roby will be attending the NBA pre-draft camp in Orlando starting Tuesday where he will have an opportunity to showcase his talent in front of all 32 teams. This camp was the most important camp that Roby could have been invited to since it has the most exposure.

Here is where some of those "expert" mock draft sites have Roby going. Most of the boards have him just getting drafted at the end of the 2nd round. The invite to the NBA pre-draft camp will definitely improve his chances.

DraftExpress - Roby to the Pistons with the 59th pick in the 2nd round
NBADraft.net - Roby to the Rockets with the 54th pick in the 2nd round
HoopsWorld - Roby to the Rockets with the 54th pick in the 2nd round

Wednesday Quick Hits

The Big 12 Spring Meetings run today through Friday in Colorado Springs (good to see they traveling on the cheap, staying at the Broadmoor and all...) and the main topic on the agenda is the possibility of adding two more conference games to the basketball schedules. I'm all for for it as long as the South teams that CU plays twice every year are Tech and Baylor only...

Big 12 Mulls Adding Two More League Games

This post-spring practice article from the Colorado Daily talks about the offense having an injection of much needed speed...
"After a spring full of changes, the one clear issue is that the name of the game on offense is speed. Fast players and faster execution, the new no-huddle offense, that would be led by quarterback Cody Hawkins if play began tomorrow, promises to keep opposing defenses on its heels and should rack up the points."

and a lack of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.

"During the spring, no one player has stood out as the true playmaker that CU lost with the graduations of Terrence Wheatley and Jordon Dizon. If someone on the Buffs' defense is going to step up and fill that role, they will have to do so with speed and athletic ability."

Buffs Leave Spring Practice...

Finally, it looks like ESPN still hates us because they are subjecting us to yet another season of "Coming to Your City"... Ugh...

Gameday Intro to Be Taped

May 1st Links

Witherspoon Chooses Memphis - Atlanta area wing Wesley Witherspoon, one of the top three unsigned seniors in the 2008 hoops class, has chosen to attend the University of Memphis. CU was listed as one of Witherspoon's top 5 but in the end the allure of Calipari was just too great. Bzdelik will start to get these types of players in due time, but his teams need to start showing some solid improvement on the floor to help make their decision a little easier.
Witherspoon Decision Coming Today

BCS to Stay the Same - The brilliant conference commissioners met in Hollywood, Fl for the past few days and have once again decided that they are perfectly content just sitting back and watching the money flow in rather than actually giving the fans what they want. Check out Schlabach's story.
No Plus One

Mandel's Post Spring Top 25 - Five Big 12 teams in his top 25. Pretty consistent with what I have seen with the exception of Tech in the top 10. Big 12 is going to be fantastic this year.
Post Spring Top 25

Harvard is for Morons - We've landed on the moon! Way to be timely idiot. This happened over 5 years ago. LET IT GO.
Give This Clown an F

Cleaning House

It looks like Coach Hawkins gave the CU basketball team the "go play intramurals brother" talk and the players obliged. Or Bzdelik may have changed the words to "go play at Northern Illinois brother." Although the most recent player leaving the team is just "speculation", six others have left the team since Jeff Bzdelik has taken over the hapless program that Ricardo Patton attempted to run. These seven players leaving is even more validation that the Patton run program was a joke and as soon as a little discipline was instilled, the players’ true colors were shown. In my honest opinion, the program needed to clean house and in a little more than a year, that has been done. Most of the teams Patton assembled were not worthy of Division 1 Big 12 basketball. Can you see any of these players stepping on the court with the Kansas Jayhawks of the world or even Kansas State? Probably not one would survive. Yes the facilities need to be updated and the culture has to change, but it looks like the free ride culture is no longer an option. Let’s just hope Bzdelik can field a team!