Well, I'm not in the same room but I'm back in the same hotel where I was just a few short days ago. I'm back in Kansas City and following the Jayhawks in their postseason run once again. This is the fourth straight year I'm following the Hawks and I'm hoping that this cycle I've been on with them doesn't start over every three years.
I started covering them when they lost to UNI in Oklahoma City three years ago. The next year I went with them to the elite eight where they lost to VCU in San Antonio. And of course last year I watched them lose in the championship game to Kentucky in New Orleans.
I mentioned all the games they lost but Kansas has had some pretty awesome wins too especially last year. Their win over Purdue in Omaha was insane, and then their games against NC State and UNC in the sweet 16 and elite 8 were phenomenal. That game against Ohio State in the final four? Legit.
As always I'm hoping for some great games to watch other than KU's of course. I'm banking on a Wisconsin vs. Kansas State revenge game for the 'Cats, that would be pretty sweet. Lord knows I'll have some time on my hands.
Once again Kansas has the very last game of the day on Friday. They'll probably tip off about 9 pm give or take about 10 minutes. Coach Self is not a fan of the late start time and I don't blame him. I mean, how is it a reward when you're the second overall #1 seed and you have to play at 9 pm on a Friday night, a time slot you've never played in before?
That's part of the reason, I'm sure, why Self and the Jayhawks arrived in Kansas City so early today. They got to their hotel promptly at 4 which is somewhat of a miracle. Never in my time covering team arrivals has a team gotten to their hotel on time. I think coach wanted to get his team as far away from distractions as possible as quickly as possible.
A couple of years ago in San Antonio the team was out walking around, shopping at the mall on that first night and posing for pictures with fans. Coach Self says that's not going to happen this year. They're heading out for a nice team dinner tonight and then it's, as he put it, lockdown.
So it's well over 48 hours before Kansas will take the court for the team's first NCAA tournament game of this season and I'm already ready for it. It'll be the Jayhawks and the Hilltoppers from Western Kentucky in the late game around 9 pm on TNT coming up Friday night. Tomorrow is a practice day and hopefully it doesn't snow!
