The Self-ish gene?

In parlance with our times, evolutionary theory has been extended to yet another ‘selectively neutral’ aspect of human existence: the sporting world. How did this discussion arise from mention of a player that comprises an ephemeral blip in the collective memory of the jayhawk nation?

The evolution of individual greatness depends on the appropriate feedback from the particular niche in which the organism develops. JWs development in a phogy niche is not comparable to geniuses like Magic, Jordan, or Duncan, who impeccably willed their teams to victory in all niches. The greatness of the latter three came from their flexibility being couched within what was expected of them in the unique contexts of their particular teams.

Has a dangerous meme developed in which greatness comprises a couple of flash-in-the-pan highlights and a nice signing bonus? Greatness is about being a part of something great, not actively setting your self apart from it in order to hone “individual excellence”.

It is only fitting that I return to this post two days into the O.J. Mayo controversy, where it seems that the appropriately labelled “University of Spoiled Children” has yet again tampered with the sporting world we adorn with such lofty rhetoric (cf. Reggie Bush 2006). In an average article today on the negative academic and athletic impact of the ‘one-and-done’ approach to college basketball, Andy Katz (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=3393470&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab6pos1) included a quote by K-State (yes, that’s right!) dean of education and athletic-academic liason Mike Holen, which I agree with:

“I have encouraged the coaches that if they are going to recruit kids with a low probability of staying for the long haul, then be careful what kind of kid…We know a young man like Michael won’t be here for two or three years, but we don’t want the kid to embarrass the institution and athletic program”.

Okay, now we are talking about embarrassment and K-State basketball here. Consider a program with as much tradition as Kansas.

Now, JW is clearly an okay and was not a negative impact on our program. What scares me is that he represents a bad omen for KU basketball in the Self-era. Sure, JW leaves and we win a championship, but the dangerous thing is that our program might digress into one like Connecticut, Syracuse, or Ohio State, which have had to deal with peaks and troughs due to having tons of talent one year, then losing the core of the team the next. I am not implying that this will happen with Bill Self, but as fans we must be concerned with the makeup of our team and the integrity of our program. How many players have gone early in the Self era compared to the entire history of the program? Is our program facilitating a selfish or Self-ish meme?

I hope I am making a point here. It seems tough to do so in a blog. I guess the blog is a challenging niche from which we carry out the 2nd sport.

--Lester Earl’s ghost of Jayhawk past (00:15, May 13)

As a late addition to this post I'll add a segment of an interview with Julian Wright from TrueHoop.com
[So you left the Kansas team that then went on to win a national championship, does that sting a little bit?
No, not at all. I came down to San Antonio to watch the game. I was moved by the fact that they actually they wanted me up on the podium celebrating with them and in the locker room and hotels. Things like that. This is a family. I left at the time I left, I didn't know what I was leaving. But you just make a grown man decision at the time. I felt it was time to move on. I wished them the best of luck for the season. I knew they had a great shot at winning. That's what you do.

When you make the decision you have to make it. It's immature to make a decision and then want the best, the other half of it, the good parts of it. So I was definitely excited for them. I just kept encouraging them talking to them throughout the year. And they're definitely deserving. It's a lot of work that comes to winning that championship. But they deserve it, anything that came their way after this year.

I know when top players like you leave, everyone at the college ends up thinking that it's going to be like the death of the basketball program. But I guess they did pretty well for themselves, right?
Yes, guys stepped up. I was saying, we are saying that if they win, or if they don't win, it was because I left, like saying they needed me to be there. No, like that's not the mentality or the attitude that was created, that was presented to me.

I talked to my teammates. I was there in September, for a weekend last year. And everyone is so focused. They all got behind each other and they made this run for this year. That's how it is every year. That's what happens when guys leave and graduate. The coaching staff puts the players in a best situation that year to win. The guys who they have, from boot camp on to the tournament time, have to produce.]