Dean Wade hurt?

[IStillLikeHarv]

There will be a Big 12 tournament next season. I'll bet money KSU will be in it. Taking any significant risk with any injured or sick player's availability for the NCAA tourney is just foolish.

This team, led by an amazing group of seniors, has a chance to make another run in the NCAA tourney based on the seeding they EARNED through a grueling and often painful season. Don't throw that away. There are no guarantees, of course. Ask Virginia. You can lose in the first game even if you are the "better" team. That other team isn't there to crown you. They are there to rip that game out your hands and send you home crying. Respect your opponent, but play to rip the game out of their hands and send them home crying.

This team has accomplished a lot of extraordinary feats (on bad feets). If it were to happen, when was the last time KSU made an Elite Eight and a Sweet Sixteen in consecutive seasons? Look it up. Don't throw the chance for that (or the unmentionable more) away just to win a tourney that will be there for KSU next season. Leave something for next year's team to do!



P.S. On a selfish note for Dean's future, being able to display his talents in the NCAA tourney is worth a hundred times what playing in a conference tournament can do for him. If Barry and Kam can lead the team to a nice showing in the Big 12 tourney without Dean, that would help showcase them as well. They also deserve the best chance to make a big splash along with Dean in the NCAA tourney if they can do it. It's time for KSU to give to these seniors who have done so much for KSU.

[tmcats]

i'm with p'dave and harv on this. do what's right for dean wade. they've already won the ring, accomplished the goal, established their place in k-state lore.

[bigpurpleman]

The only thing we know for sure is Dean Wade will not be playing in the B12 tourney. Speculating whether he should or shouldn't is a waste of time.

I think we can still win it if Mak and X show up big. We need them to.

Hopefully Wade will be healthy for the Big Dance. That's where the speculation regarding him should begin.

[KITNooga]

do what's right for dean wade. they've already won the ring, accomplished the goal, established their place in k-state lore.

don't think anyone sees it differently at least from a coach, player, parent perspective.

[learnin]

I don't give one rip about how we finish in the conf. tourney. Rest Wade. Win or lose, I'm still gonna be there in the courtyard because it's a blast, even in the years we've we sucked. I'd rather watch the games on the big screen as opposed to a way over priced ticket anyhow. It's way more fun.

If you've never been, you need to go. The P&L courtyard is twice as much fun as the actual game. You still get to watch and cheer for the Cats, interact with fans from multiple Universities, and have beverages within spitting distance if you do it right.

I agree that it is a very nice thing to attend the conference tourney win or lose. But, I am very concerned as to how we finish this tournament.
I know the argument. Let's save em for the Big Dance. The only problem is that SEED is extremely important when it comes to advancing through the NCAA tournament.

The conference tournaments are huge revenue producers so the committee places huge importance on what happens in these tournaments. Teams, that have no chance of making the tournament because of a poor season performance, can get a bid by winning the conference championship.

My nephew, from Indiana, texted me a bit ago to ask me if I was going to the tournament. I told him yes but Dean may be held out. The first thing he said was that it could be a huge blow because there is a heckuva difference between a 2 and 4 seed. K--State could, conceivably, move up to a 2 seed with a conference and tournament championship. The problem becomes even more huge if K-State bows out early and gets a 5 seed.

In summary. Yes, if Dean's injury is significant, then he must sit. Count me, however, as one who feels this could be a big blow before this season is over.

[learnin]

I don't think there is a poster here who is wanting Dean to play, in this conference tournament, if it would risk his future. The question, as it is with Kam, is whether this is a matter of just playing through pain or if there is a more serious injury. Evidently, Kam's issue is simply playing through pain. There is, obviously, nothing involved that would cause Kam chronic injury if he were to keep playing.

If it is simply a matter of Dean "tweaking" a soft tissue injury, with no real structural damage, then, the coach does have a very important decision to make.

[Zoltar]

I think the very best we could hope for is a 3 seed. 4 or 5 basically the same. 4 plays 13 and 5 plays 12 in 1st round, then 4 plays 5 if they both win. The 12 seed is sometimes a good mid-major that can be underrated, but other than that not much difference.

Dean must get a doctor's release to play now and it is up to the doctor and Dean then Coach Weber if Dean will play. I don't think we are in the 'tough skin and tape and back in the game' era anymore.

[learnin]

There will be a Big 12 tournament next season. I'll bet money KSU will be in it. Taking any significant risk with any injured or sick player's availability for the NCAA tourney is just foolish.

This team, led by an amazing group of seniors, has a chance to make another run in the NCAA tourney based on the seeding they EARNED through a grueling and often painful season. Don't throw that away. There are no guarantees, of course. Ask Virginia. You can lose in the first game even if you are the "better" team. That other team isn't there to crown you. They are there to rip that game out your hands and send you home crying. Respect your opponent, but play to rip the game out of their hands and send them home crying.

This team has accomplished a lot of extraordinary feats (on bad feets). If it were to happen, when was the last time KSU made an Elite Eight and a Sweet Sixteen in consecutive seasons? Look it up. Don't throw the chance for that (or the unmentionable more) away just to win a tourney that will be there for KSU next season. Leave something for next year's team to do!



P.S. On a selfish note for Dean's future, being able to display his talents in the NCAA tourney is worth a hundred times what playing in a conference tournament can do for him. If Barry and Kam can lead the team to a nice showing in the Big 12 tourney without Dean, that would help showcase them as well. They also deserve the best chance to make a big splash along with Dean in the NCAA tourney if they can do it. It's time for KSU to give to these seniors who have done so much for KSU.

Harv, if this team only wins a conference championship and just makes an appearance at the Sweet 16, the haters are coming out of the wood work. Guaranteed. I can hear it now. "What an underachieving year. Elite 8 last year and everyone returning....pathetic."

I'm glad I don't have to make the decision. There is no way you play Dean if it's a serious injury. My only point being that the conference tournament is more important than we might like to think in a number of ways.

[tmcats]

i doubt the haters will be back this year given the b12 championship regardless what comes out of kc or the dance party.

[WIldWIllieCat]

Didn't we lose an ugly affair in the first round of the NCAA tournament the last time we won a share of the conference title?