‘Late Night in Phog’ doesn’t appear ‘realistic’ amid pandemic, KU’s Bill Self says
Late Night in the Phog could be the first Kansas casualty of an uncertain 2020-21 college basketball season.
“The reality of having fans that soon from now, six or seven weeks from now, I don’t think it’s realistic. We’re not giving up on it (but) I don’t think it’s realistic. Seven weeks from now seems to be a little bit optimistic,” 18th-year KU coach Bill Self told The Star Monday.
No date had officially been announced for Late Night 2020, which would usually take place either the last weekend of September or first weekend of October. Some form of midnight madness has been held at KU since 1985, when Larry Brown started the tradition in Lawrence.
“I’m not getting overly excited about anything now,” Self said. “We are preparing like everything will come off on time. It seems to me the longer it goes, there’s more uncertainty out there.”
The KU hoops team, which reported to Lawrence on Aug. 2, started practicing Monday, Aug. 3. Players can practice with coaches four hours a week and work out in the weight room four hours a week, in accordance with NCAA rules.
“I think we all look pretty good,” Self said Monday. “We candidly are not in the best shape. How could they be (after returning home March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic)? We’ve had some guys whose skill-sets have improved, bodies have improved. I’m not at the point to tell you who looks good or who doesn’t. All are looking good. We’ve definitely improved.
“I’ve been very happy with guys’ attitudes. They’ve been great, mature. The newcomers have been very good, but I’m not getting overly excited now (because of the uncertainty of college sports).”
When asked if all of the Jayhawks players tested negative for COVID-19 coronavirus, Self responded that he will not comment on that issue now or during the season because of health-privacy regulations.
“I am pleased,” Self said of his team’s practices, including one held Monday morning. “Things are going well. I’ve enjoyed them. We’re still working in small groups. There hasn’t been any up and down, five on five, anything like that. We’re in small groups working on skill development.”
Asked if he was concerned about the future of the 2020 college football season this week, he said, “I am.”
Self has stressed in the past how important football is to college athletic departments across the country, including KU’s.
This story was originally published August 10, 2020 at 2:24 PM with the headline "‘Late Night in Phog’ doesn’t appear ‘realistic’ amid pandemic, KU’s Bill Self says."
