Notice to Basketball Fans

Many years ago, the wife and I decided that Basketball is just a sport played by kids.  At every level, they should see it as a means to an end not the sum of everything.  If colleges were awarded bonus points for their graduation rates not Championships, the whole idea of sports would evolve.  With that as a starting frame of reference, we are really big sports fans.

Today will be a game with Kansas University (KU) playing Wichita State University (WSU).   I attended WSU for 2 years and graduated from KU.  Barbara completed her degree in Education from WSU and got her Masters in Special Education from KU.  As you might be able to tell we both celebrated the success of both schools and really have mixed emotions about today's game.  For us, we will cheer the game and no matter who wins we will have their color T-Shirts to wear.  For us it is more of a great chance to see both teams than to watch one get beat. 

During the season, one of my friends, (surprise I do have friends) who has a daughter at K-State really made a big deal out of the Win at K-State over KU and Iowa State.  I didn't hear a word out of him about the fact that they were one of three teams in the BIG XII not selected to play in the post season.  I won't laugh at him when on Monday night I will wear the colors of the team that wins today.  I will be happy that KU and WSU played and salute the winner. 

I think that between both teams there are only 2 or 3 players from Kansas.   The rest of the players were recruited to attend their school and the rivalry is more that one team will end their season today rather than it is Wichita Vs. Lawrence.  Heck, Bill Self is an Oklahoma State guy and I'll bet if they cut his pay back to the level of the rest of the Educators on that campus he would be gone as fast as the season ends.  I read one commentator called KU the White Collar school and WSU the Blue Collar school.  How silly is that?   The kids are just basketball players and it doesn't matter what their parents did.  The other night there was an ESPN program about Christian Laettner who attended Duke.  Duke was the Rich Guys school and everyone thought he was from a rich family.  He was the most blue collar guy that ever played at Duke.  Perception became their reality and no amount of information could change that.

Having worked with a lot of teams while in the Military, I can pretty much think that the members of the teams will show up and play.  There may be some that will hang their head and perhaps shed some tears when the game is over.  If they really stopped and considered that the winner will soon get to play Kentucky, they would be less sad.  That will soon end the season for whoever wins today.  The team that is 36-0 is not likely to be eliminated.   Oh well, good luck to the players and have a great show to all the people watching.  I will be in front of my TV with bells on. 

MUD
Rock Chalk, Woo Shock &  pick a pail of posies for the loser.