2010 Runway to the Fashionable 4: Why can't Bill Self get out of the first round?

THE BILL SELF STYLE
by Jill Montgomery

The NCAA Tournament is quickly approaching and with it brings one of the most sought after prizes in men’s basketball. No, I’m not talking about the NABC Championship Trophy. I’m talking about the deeply desired, highly coveted title: “Champion of the Fashionable Four.”

Basketball isn’t the only thing on coaches minds in March, so is how fierce they are dressed and what other coaches they will stomp all over with their Ferragamos to claim victory.

Before the brackets are made and the silk-tie wielding begins, one coach has sent me spinning in his lack of presence on ‘The Runway to the Fashionable Four’ : Kansas Head Coach Bill Self.

- He has the #1 team in the country.

- He was voted #1 Coach across the board last year. (as if that’s not enough)

- In 2008 his Jayhawks won the NCAA tournament.

So how does a coach with so many #1 accolades, playing in a field house named after the brainchild of the NCAA Tourney (Phog Allen), and standing a fit 6’4 with a dazzling smile never, yes NEVER, make it out the the 1st round of the Fashionable Four in the last 5 years? Does his tailor have it in for him? Does living in the (cough) “Fashion Mecca” of Kansas get him overlooked? Or is rockin an all white suit like Rick Pitino just a bit too Colonel Sanders for him?

So I took a shot, yes from 1/2 court, and went 1 on 1 with Bill Self, HIMSELF.

JM: You have been a participant in the “fun loving” Fashionable Four Tournament for many years, what kind of element do you think it adds to Men’s Basketball?

BS: Well first of all I thought initially that it was a fun loving contest but my record in this particular tournament is dismal, so (jokingly) I’m starting to believe its not that much fun.

JM: So you had no idea that you had been beat out 1st round, every year for the past 5 years?

BS: I was aware of something like this going on , but just until recently, I had no idea of the outcome but most disappointing to me was who defeated me in the 1st rounds. Man, I thought Bucknell and Bradley were tough losses for me but some of these losses rank up there with that.

* (losses to Bo Ryan, Jim Larranaga, Wayne Tinkle, Bob Marlin, and Bruce Pearl)

JM: So now that you are more aware of it, will you pay more attention this year?

BS: I don’t exactly what the deal is, but my 1st round suit will be the best I have ever come with, because I feel if I can get out of the 1st round, there is no telling what could happen after that.

JM: (laughing) So why do you think you have never made it out of the 1st round?

BS: Well apparently my style is still early to mid 80’s which I thought back then was quite hip but apparently I haven’t changed with time.

JM: Define your style on the court, and I am not talking about your offense.

BS: Well apparently I need to get some, based on my record in Fashionable Four. But I’m going to work hard on developing a style, maybe more of a GQ look that maybe I can pull off. The 5 guys I have loss to aren’t exactly the “Jay Wrights” of the group.

JM: What is your style off the court, what is your favorite thing to wear off the court?

BS: Jeans and sweatshirt, that would be more my style.

JM: This next one might sting, but I need to bring up your loss to Tennessee’s Bruce Pearl. Not your loss THIS year but your 1st round loss to him in last year’s Fashionable Four. I mean come on Coach, that man wears Neon Orange Blazers!

BS: He wears Neon Orange Blazers, which is bad, but even on top of that how many guys wear suspenders these days? For him to beat me is certainly worthy of me getting a new clothier.

Exactly my point because lets face it, the ONLY man that looks good in “Highlighter” colors is Digger Phelps!

Maybe Pearl’s victory over Self on the Runway last year was part of the motivating factor that handed the KU their only (until recent OSU game) loss this year. Actually I think it was more the lack of the Jayhawks defense that attributed to their loss to the Vols. Speaking of defense…

JM: You play a lot of 1 on 1, man to man defense, is your wardrobe selection similar? Do you know the ONE suit you are going to wear or do you take more of a zone approach and pick out 4 or 5 and switch them around?

BS: No, there is really no rhyme or reason, obviously since I have been defeated the last 5 years. There is not much thought going into me putting on clothes up until now. I might have to give it more attention now and play more zone. I might have to pick out 4 or 5 to look at instead of just one.

JM: Do you have a lucky article of clothing? Tie, socks, underwear?

BS: Unfortunately that may be one reason why I haven’t gone very far in the Fashionable Four. When you get to the NCAA Tourney, I think you leave much less to risk. If you’ve worn a suit or a tie that hasn’t been good to you that’s certainly not the time to break it out. We go back to the old reliable during the NCAA Tournament and maybe that something I need to get out of.

JM: Coach I attended the KU/K-State game earlier this year and I noticed that your tie had an almost purple iridescent hue to it, were you taking a fashion risk in Manhattan or were you channeling your inner “Prince”?

BS: No, no, no, my tie was CRIMSON and BLUE! But if you combine the 2 it does make purple but certainly, unless television didn’t do that beautiful tie justice, it was a blue and red tie.

JM: If you could set a dream match up in the Fashionable Four and whip the suit pants off of any coach to claim the title, what coach would it be?

BS: Well, I think I would want to beat somebody that I would think to have a slight edge going in so, if Majerus and I could get to the Finals that would be a great match up.

After picking myself off the floor from laughter from the amazing ability of Self to make fun of himself I decided to peak at the progress of that half court shot I threw up in the beginning and put him on the hotseat.

JM: If you could star in a Michael Jordan underwear commercial or in a Tom Brady Stetson commercial, which would it be?

BS: I would definitely go Brady. I love MJ and all but I’ve done the Hanes deal for many, many years and I would definitely go something new and follow in Brady footsteps there.

If only winning an NCAA title was as easy as picking out a suit huh? And as for the 1/2 court shot I threw up: SWISH! Huge thanks to Coach Self and best of luck to him and all the Coaches in the 2010 Runway to the Fashionable Four.

Keep it sexy!