KU men's basketball coach Bill Self speaks to the media about conference realignment on Thursday.

Updates

6:50 p.m. update

Self says OK if fans are nervous because he’d be nervous if he was a fan. Compares it to a game and the nervousness that comes before the game but that once things get going it calms down a little bit.

Asked if KU, KSU and Mizzou should stay together: “Selfishly, yes. When we played Texas, that was a rivalry game. But if you ask our players, our rivals are still K-State and Missouri. The 15 years that we played (Texas) did not take the place of the 100 years that we played the other guys.”

6:48 p.m. Update

When asked if Perkins may have something in the works for KU getting into a conference:

“I don’t think the timing’s anything but coincidental. He’ll have some things going but I don’t know that he’s got anything done so early in the process.”

6:45 p.m. Update

On Perkins: “The man has been through a lot in the past couple of months. I think his effectiveness will be just as good going forward.”

“This guy has gotten some stuff done while he’s been here. Can you imagine no facilities and wondering which league you’re going to be in?”

6:42 p.m. Update

Self: “I still think kids will want to come to Kansas. There’s no doubt about that.”

Asked if KU could survive as an independent, “I would have to say no, but I don’t know.”

Asked what he’d like to do if the Big 12 disappears: “I don’t even know if I can say that because, ‘What is available.’ Do you wish ill will on other people so you have an opportunity to jump in? I really don’t know. Picture will come much clearer for all of us in the next few days?

6:40 p.m. Update

When asked if Self might leave because Lew’s leaving, “No, no, no, no, no.”

6:38 p.m. Update

“You’ve heard the Nebraska brand mentioned several times, but, ‘Hey, the KU brand is pretty good,” Self says with a little passion behind his words.

Says he understands that money drives things and that the potential for revenue is greater in football than it is in basketball.

“What frustrates me the most is that the NCAA has made a bold statement in the last 10 or 20 years to provide student-athletes with the best experience they can possibly have. Conference realignment, I don’t see how that’s student-athlete friendly.”

Mentions that KU, in the top revenue sports, has done as well as just about anyone in the nation, save for Florida and maybe Ohio State. 2008 national championship and 2008 Orange Bowl.”

Regarding Lew Perkins’ retirement:

“It was surprising but not shocking.” “I knew the day would come, I didn’t know it would be today. We need his leadership over the next year to make sure we’re in as good a place as we can be.”

6:35 p.m. update.

Nervousness is not from worrying about if there’s a league but from not knowing right now.

As for which conference, Self says joining a non-BCS league is “not an option.”

Bill Self starts by discussing the realignment and says there’s “obviously concern.”

He calls it frustrating because the appearance is that KU could be without a league. “I don’t think the Big 12 is giving up or throwing in the towel, we’re still holding out hope that it doesn’t play out the way it appears it’s going to.”

Original Post

Kansas University men’s basketball coach Bill Self is scheduled to speak to reporters at the Allen Fieldhouse media room at 6:30 today.

Self has been very open about his feelings on realignment in the past week and he is expected to discuss that as well as the retirement of KU athletic director Lew Perkins at today’s news conference.

Perkins announced his retirement — effective in September 2011 — earlier today. Moments ago, KU chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little spoke to the media for 12 minutes and expressed gratitude for what Perkins had done for the university. She also pledged to work closely with Perkins to bring KU through its recent times of trouble.

Stay tuned to KUsports.com for live updates from Self’s news conference. 3