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Volume 128 Issue 34
kansan.com
Thursday, October 23, 2014
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COMMENTARY Rebuilding and tanking aren't connected to NBA
When the NBA incorporated its new Collective Bargaining Agreement a few years ago, its main premise was to promote competitive balance, a tough task for any professional sport. It clearly stifled and altered more creative thinking on how to construct a modern-NBA team.
A proposed lottery reform would have given the worst four teams equal odds of winning the top pick, as opposed to the current system that gives the worst team the greatest odds. The proposal was meant to prevent a team from "tanking," or doing bad on purpose to try and lock up a high draft pick.
On Wednesday, the NBA voted down the proposed lottery reform, which was seen as a shock considering the perception of the shameless tanking orchestrated by Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie, who sacrificed short-term suffering for potential long-term success.
Tanking may not be a pleasant for a fan, but in the NBA there's no reward for being in the middle of the pack. You want to be in contention or want to be downright bad to ensure you can get a good draft pick.
There's absolutely no proven evidence of tanking. Sure, teams have been accused of it, and its not right when a team gets three No.1 picks in four years in the case of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But teams look ahead in the future and winning 46 games doesn't help them do that. The Cavs traded for Luol Deng in the middle of the season in hope they could make a run at the No. 8 seed in the eastern conference and still wound up picking five
son wouldn't up pranking there.
There's absolutely no advantage to finish near the middle of the league. While the perception is a pervasive problem in the league, it's not as if owners of teams are wholeheartedly supporting it. They allegedly aren't specifically telling their executives to tank, they want the revenue. Tanking only brushes off ticket holders and sponsors.
Teams don't try to lose, but rather gain assets in the form of cap space and future draft picks in the big picture. NBA isn't a one-year business; teams are more conscious in mortgaging current losing for future gains. Also, sustained success is obviously harder for smaller-market teams not wanting to go over the luxury tax. Drafting franchise players is the main avenue to achieve this.
Before buying into the idea of tanking, realize that small-market teams have to do what they can in order to thrive in the most effective way. They're not throwing away its season, they are just playing the game that the market dictates.
Edited by Blair Sheade
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
The Jayhawks scramble to return the ball during the Oct. 18 game against TCU. Kansas beat TCU 3-0, but fell in five sets to Iowa State on Wednesday night.
TORNADIC FORCE
Jayhawks fall to Cyclones in five sets, ending winning streak
KYLE PAPPAS
@KylePap
Kansas volleyball (15-6, 3-4 Big 12) fell to Iowa State (11-7, 3-4 Big 12) in a five-set thriller, 25-18. 16-25, 17-25, 25-21, 12-15, at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday evening. With the loss, the Jayhawks end their three-game winning streak and drop to fifth place in the Big 12.
"They've had success at home, but there was
opportunity there for us," coach Ray Bechard said. "I guess to a neutral observer, it was a pretty competitive match. We've got to figure out some things as far as who we are when it comes to our competitive personality."
Increasingly utilizing their middle blockers, sophomore Tayler Soucie and freshman Kelsis Payne were major contributors once again. Soucie propelled the Jayhawks to a hot start,
ending the first set with a team-high four kills and contributing on a couple of key blocks. Payne would go on to end the night with a career-high 13 kills and a game-high .357 hitting percentage.
percentage.
But after comfortably taking set one, Kansas struggled in sets two and three, to fall behind 2-1. In the second set, Iowa State jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and never looked back, taking the set 25-16.
Set three was more of the same, as the Cyclones again shot out to a 5-0 advantage. The Jayhawks were simply unable to find an answer for junior libero Caitlin Nolan, who tied a Big 12 record with 43 digs.
The Jayhawks bounced back to take the fourth set, pushing the match to a deciding set five. The Cyclones jumped out to an early 7-3 lead, but Kansas bounced back to tie the match at 8-8. It kept
things close but eventually dropped the set 12-15.
"We played one of our better first sets," Bechard said. "I don't know why you wouldn't respond better in sets two and three, but then we got back in it in the fourth. Fifth sets on the road are difficult. They made more plays than we did."
— Edited by Kelsey Phillips
Soccer looks for Senior Night comeback
@LizKuhlmannUDK
ILIZ KUHLMANN
Despite its first Big 12 losses of the season this past weekend against Texas Tech and West Virginia, No. 15 Kansas is ready to bounce back against Iowa State University on Senior Night this Friday.
The team huddles before the Texas Tech game on Oct. 17. Kansas lost to Tech 0-1 but is hoping to bounce back against Iowa State on Friday.
"They were tough losses because I think we played really hard and we also played really well, which is what I think made them so disappointing," senior defender Caroline Van Slambrouck said. "I thought we outplayed both teams and we were the better side, but you know, that's just the nature of soccer sometimes. You keep possession, you control the game, and you still don't win. The team isn't down; we're disappointed, but we've turned the page already, and we're ready to take on Iowa State this weekend."
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
first Issue State on Friday
ISU's only wins of the season have come from nonconference play, as the Cyclones are 0-5 in the Big 12. The record is misleading, coach Mark Francis said. ISU is much better than it was last year and has gained a lot of athleticism, which will be hard to counter.
"They need points right now to finish in the top eight [to qualify for the Big 12 tournament]." Francis said. "They've been given an opportunity to do that, so
I'm sure they'll be coming out here fired up to get some points"
The Jayhawks played their starters for the majority of the weekend, and Van Slambrouck and Francis agreed rest and recovery is essential to prepare for Friday.
Even with a hungry team coming in, the Jayhawks aren't worrying about the
other sideline.
The Jayhawks will honor six senior members of the team during a Senior Night presentation. According to Francis, this year's seniors have done an excellent job,
"We try not to think too much about what [ISU] is going to do because we know if we play our game we will be fine;" Van Slambrouck said.
and he hopes to finish their home careers with a win.
"For this senior group, they've been great for us," Francis said. "Especially this year in terms of leadership and keeping the team on track. They've done a good job."
The prospect of Senior Night drawing closer is a bittersweet one, Van Slambrouck said,
and she is excited to play in the atmosphere at Rock Chalk Park one more time.
"I'm looking forward to winning and playing with the team," Van Slambrouck said. "It's always a great opportunity to get to play with the girls."
Edited by Alyssa Scott
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