Dancing tonight...

"There's no place like Kansas."

Well...today is the day. The longest week in the history of man is finally over. I will either go to bed tonight a very happy Jayhawk or....not a happy one. It's time to let the players decide it. I've heard all the commentaries and why everybody thinks so and so will win and why. Not many are "predicting" Kansas to come out of tonight's game, much less win the whole thing on Monday night. I think our guys are okay with the whole underdog thing though.

One last statement on the whole Roy Williams thing... I, for one, am glad that Roy Williams is not the coach at Kansas. I have no problem with Roy Williams. I certainly have no problem with him not being the coach at Kansas. Because...if he hadn't left, Coach Self wouldn't be our coach. And I'm really glad that Bill Self is our coach.

Tonight is about Russell Robinson and how he is the most overlooked and undervalued player is this Final Four. RussRob might not be best scorer in the world or as fast as Ty Lawson or as good as Derrik Rose...but that's okay. He doesn't need to be. He just needs to be the Jayhawk that he is...the one that's been the heart and soul of this team the last three years. Tonight is about Mario Chalmers and the way he quietly, yet very effectively takes over games. It's about his passion and quiet confidence. It's about Brandon Rush stepping up his intensity and putting it all on the line when the team needs him the most. Brandon's had his moments, but there is no one that I'd rather have on my team right now. Tonight is about Darrell "Shady" Arthur playing to his potential...against a player who has been heralded as the best and the toughest in college basketball. It's Shady showing his worth...and if you ask me, he's invaluable. Tonight is about Darnell Jackson...what do you say about Darnell? The guy has faced so much adversity...and he's an over comer. He's a winner. I know his back has been bothering him, but there is no player who is more inspirational than Darnell Jackson. Tonight is about Sasha Kaun playing like the beast he is. Sometimes people get down on Sasha because he doesn't exactly have the softest touch, but hey...how can you not love the big Russian? Tonight is about Sherron Collins...our little spark-plug. Sherron has this uncanny ability to turn a tense moment into something entirely different. He's as quick as anybody and plays with so much toughness. Tonight is Rod Stewart breaking his knee in practice having fun with his teammates. It's him staying to be with his team...when he should be at home having surgery. It's Jeremy, Cole, Ty, Connnor, Matt, Brennan, Chase, Brad, and Brady...doing everything they can to make the rest of the team the best they can be...even when that means that they don't get to play much. The game is Coach Self coaching in his first Final Four...it's him loving and giving his all to Kansas because Kansas is the best place in the nation to coach. Tonight is about Kansas...nothing else.

So...I'm hoping it's definitely a Rock Chalk night...because I'm not ready to say goodbye to what has been one of the most fun seasons that I can remember. And mostly because I just want to see these guys win it all. That's mostly it...:)

Rock Chalk!

KJo