By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
-- Honestly, the scare Kansas put into Oklahoma figured to be the highlight of Lance Leipold’s first season.
-- Criticize me for doing that figuring.
-- Leipold's shrewd decision to trust his team against Texas, account for its physical shortcomings and go for the win in the first overtime, deserves considerable attention.
-- Seeing a kid from Plainville catch the decisive conversion, thrown by a quarterback whose future looks bright, and now, the Jayhawks suddenly see a ray of light.
-- Almost everything Leipold says makes him likable.
-- He took a comparative look at rosters before playing Kansas State and his declaration that Kansas must recruit Kansas better affirmed that he gets it.
-- Walk-ons like Plainville’s Jared Casey make a difference. Their intense pride can rally an entire team, and program.
-- Better yet when you count on them to deliver.
-- Ask Bill Snyder. Chris Klieman probably did.
-- No, I didn’t see Kansas winning a Big 12 game, but I overvalued Texas just like everyone.
-- I'll laugh hard at the Longhorns’ future SEC shortcomings, but none may be as telling as allowing KU to end its 56-game conference road losing streak.
-- That alone gives Leipold a leg up over any of the other coaches who followed Mark Mangino.
-- Just wondering, UT fans. The visit from KU probably goes down as one of those Big 12 games you can’t get up for, right?
-- Can't wait for Vanderbilt or Missouri to pull off the same kind of upset as a huge underdog.
-- Yeah, Texas makes it worthwhile to root for even Mizzou.
-- Also, Baylor just gave OU a potential glimpse of its future SEC existence.
-- Not that I lay awake at night thinking about conference realignment.
-- But it Kansas truly has a shot at joining the Big Ten, why wouldn’t that conference consider a 15-team membership with three five-team pods?
-- Scheduling is tricky with such an arrangement but do-able. And, you tell Notre Dame there’s a spot open for you.
-- Leipold might need to win considerably more games for KU to receive that invitation.
-- That, and the relic that is KU's stadium needs to be upgraded into something more than a World War I commemorative.
-- Psst, get rid of the pleathery 18th hole club seats in the south end zone.
-- Funny, but I don't seem to see the same Twitter vitriol lobbed at Kieman these days.
-- Never underestimate the leadership of a veteran quarterback like Skylar Thompson, especially when he steadily regains his health.
-- What Thompson is doing without being able to rely much on his legs is impressive. Especially since he absorbs an inexplicable cheap shot in every game.
-- Of course, with legs like Deuce Vaughn’s, the Cats are smart to trust their all-purpose back.
-- Not predicting a 10-win season for K-State, but it’s possible. The over-under line on season wins went off at 5.5. I won on that ticket.
-- Now if Kansas captures the NCAA basketball championship at 18-1, you will all be begging Rick Peterson to get to a Vegas futures window for you.
-- What I’d give for another trip to The Woodlands with Pistol.
-- We'll never forget this line a random bettor once grumbled: “How can I be losing when I’m betting so good?”
-- We assumed the fella got a little too chummy with the trifecta wager.
-- Noticing another spike in the use of NCAA nomenclature, student-athlete.
-- Just call them athletes. Student is implied.
-- Sometimes the implication isn’t accurate, but I’ve been fortunate to meet many bright students playing sports.
-- Happy to see Washburn perform Saturday and then draw an invitation to a postseason college football tournament.
-- Yes, Division II does that sort of thing in case folks can ever band together and break up the good ol’ boy network that is the CFP.
-- Thanks to Bill Griffin for a choice seat at the Ichabods’ win over Missouri Southern.
-- Good to see many Topekans contribute for WU alongside a KCK game-changer, James Letcher.
-- Against Harding, the Ichabods get to defend the triple-option.
-- Have a day, Jacob Anderson.
-- Leave it to a team coached by Bill Self for a veteran to overshadow a group of talented and ballyhooed newcomers.
-- Ochai Agbaji could be composing an incredible senior story.
-- Rossville-Silver Lake for a berth to the state football finals.
-- No better high school rivalry in Kansas. If you want to argue, don’t bother.
-- And yes, I do like the east-west geographical structure of the Kansas high school playoff system.
-- Don’t turn it over, take what the defense gives you and you’ll be fine, Patrick. Keep matriculating the ball down the field.
