Mayer: Flap much ado about nothing

Robinson's lack of playing time a non-issue: Sometimes freshmen sit

Earlier this week I spent several sleepless nights cogitating over whether there would be more media coverage of the Michael Jackson trial or about how much playing time Kansas University basketball freshman Russell Robinson was getting. By week’s end, I think the Jackson circus had just about pulled even. Boy, did I sweat that one out!

It all began when Robinson, the supremely promising yearling from New York, didn’t play in the Jayhawk romp over Texas on Jan. 29. When coach Bill Self asked him about going in the last two minutes, Russ-Rob said to let the other guys finish up. Self says Russell wasn’t in the doghouse — if he was, so what? They talked it over later to the point of mutual satisfaction.

The main reason Robinson didn’t get into action before the 11th hour was that junior Jeff Hawkins finally began to earn his dinner by poking in five three-pointers and doing some other things of note. The Hawk is in his fourth year here, and it’s time for him to produce a lot better than he has. Earlier, Robinson deserved to be ahead of Hawkins. Whatever happens, the Jayhawk team could benefit because both should have a lot to offer down the stretch.

But unless you’re an Adonis Jordan, a Jacque Vaughn or a Jeff Boschee who has certain ingredients with special merit at a particular time of need, as a freshman you may have to do a little sitting. We haven’t begun to see what Robinson can do with his quickness, New York street-smart skills, long reach and theft-potential. With Aaron Miles gone next season, Robinson soon could be gang-busters if he’ll just be patient and keep learning.

But all the fol-de-rol about his playing time against Texas was a direct result of radio talk-show people and Internet dawdlers who couldn’t find anything solid to talk about. So they chose to make the Robinson situation a cause celÃbre. Never mind that Kansas had just won a tremendously important league game featured on national television overkill and had looked awesome in doing it. For a record-setting change, there were 16 treys and lots of nifty jobs by numerous players. So Robinson’s the lingering story?

To Self’s great credit, he handled it beautifully. The guy has The Touch. And Russell carried it off with class, far more than the blabbering gossip-hounds showed. Wonder if some of these paranoiacs check behind the closet door each night for al-Qaida.

When you join a college basketball team with four seniors the quality of Miles, Wayne Simien, Keith Langford and Michael Lee and have a sophomore with the capabilities of J.R. Giddens, chances are you’ll sit a while. Freshmen often do that. Then when a jewel like Christian Moody becomes the delight he is, the yearling big men, no matter how touted they may be, have to prove they can beat him out. So far, not even the much-improved Sasha Kaun has been able to shove Moody to the pine.

Kirk Hinrich did some sitting, along with fellow Iowan Nick Collison, during their freshman year, 1999-2000. All Kirk did was become great, a first-round pro choice and a strong candidate for the all-time KU quintet with Jo Jo White as his guard companion. Sure, KU has had fabulous freshmen like Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz, a fellow named Danny Manning, who started and excelled. But the personnel format was different. So far, Self needs to be lauded for the way he has handled his troops rather than second-guessed because he hasn’t given certain newcomers as much time as nit-pickers desire.

Kansas 81, Michigan State 74 on Nov. 25, 2003, in Lawrence. At the time, both teams were top-10 timber, and it was anticipated the two were even NCAA Final Four material. Kansas made the Elite Eight, but MSU stumbled to an 18-12 record and now seems to be struggling again. Did the Jayhawks start a downslide that now has coach Tom Izzo being harpooned? Could be. Somehow the Spartans haven’t been able to win big ones in recent times.

Unbeaten Illinois went Tuesday into East Lansing, and MSU was given a good chance to upset the No. 1 outfit. Illinois went nuts and at one stretch hit 12 of 12 from the field. One writer described MSU as a deer in the headlights who got slaughtered. Grumblers are stressing that M-State is now 0-12 against nationally ranked teams the past two years. After all that promise, what happened?

Love Jimmy Johnson, the ex-football coaching whiz now a penetrating NFL analyst. Philadelphia receiver Freddie Mitchell launched a silly barb at the defensive backs of the New England Patriots and had to take it back during Super Bowl week frenzy. Quipped Jimmy Johnson: “Please! Just shut up and catch a pass.” We’ll see, huh?
Some new super-quip may emerge from this Super Bowl, but my favorite came from Duane Thomas, the reclusive running back who had just helped the Dallas Cowboys defeat Miami in Super Bowl VI. Asked how he felt being honored for his play in the “ultimate game”, Thomas replied: “If it’s the ultimate game, how come they play it every year?”