KSU - No Longer a "Basketball School"?
3 comments so far
April 6, 2007 by
After one year at Kansas State, basketball coach Bob Huggins is leaving for West Virginia. I realize BRN is a football site and a Husker site. And that Huggins leaving has almost nothing to do with either. However, his leaving deflates the mental balloon many KSU fans had for their basketball program, and paints one anecdote of mine from football season in a very different color.
I traveled down to Manhattan KS for NU's football game against KSU, as is our family custom. And, thankfully, we got to see a pretty convincing win on that field for the first time in too long. For those who understand and share my ire for KSU, you know it was a satisfying moment.
Here's where basketball comes in. Almost immediately following the game (I mean, seriously, on the walk between the stadium and the bar district), I had multiple KSU "fans" telling me how little this football loss mattered to them because with Huggins arrival in Manhattan, they were now a "basketball school".
Our group heard a lot of basketball smack that night. Including:
- "Can't wait to kill you on the hardwood."
- "Huggins is taking us to the promised land."
- "Oh yeah, NU sucks at basketball."
On and on it went, made much clearer by the number of purple "Huggieville" t-shirts I saw folks wearing. Given NU's meager track record on the hard court, I was reduced to saying not-so-smart things like. "Gee, I didn't know we beat KU today." Or "Yes, I know NU is not great at basketball. You just figured that out?" Or, my favorite..."I'd rather lose than have that snake as a coach."
So...flash forward to yesterday's breaking news about Huggins' departure for WVU. And, I just had to sit back and smile. KSU - the basketball school. How's that working out for ya?
In Football News
I have one item related to, you know, football. Again, it deals with Kansas State. I have KSU fans as co-workers. And, I respect them. No, seriously, I do. They engaged me in a little cafeteria chatter about Josh Freeman this week. Apparently, the kid is getting bigger and stronger and better. He's as big as Jamarcus Russell, they said. He’s like Dante Culpepper in college. No doubt, he'll be improved and tough for teams to handle next year.
It's a darn shame NU couldn't land him. I've said all along that he can be a great player. And, he flashed the potential last season. His getting bigger only makes me covet him more. I mean, after all, NU has an enormous hole at the tight end position this year. We could really use Freeman at that spot.
Thank you. You've been great. I'll be here all week. Remember, the 7:30 show is different from the 9:30 show. Tip your waitress. Try the veal.
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Brad Apr 06 07
LOL!
You might be speaking too soon though. They might manage to keep that recruiting class.
With them, I just figure no matter how low they go they will still find something to mouth off about.
Grant Apr 06 07
Here is my thing....I have no love loss for KSU, but a part of me (small part, very small part) feels a little for their athletic deparment. They went out on a limb for Huggins when no one else would. They presented him with a good facility and gave him the opportunity to make a winner out of a program that hasn't. Truth be told...he had a good start to pulling it off too. Who knows what would have happened in 3 years? For him to back door them one season later is extremely unprofessional and goes to his character.
The other part of me says....KSU athletic dept got what they deserved. What did they expect with Huggy Bear? It's well documented he is not a good person with any sense of character whatsoever. They gambled on him and lost. When you take a risk and hire someone of Huggins questionable morals/values, you're doing it only so you can win. At the end of the day my sympathy for KSU is very little. Yes, Huggy Bear screwed them with their pants on, but they chose to let this prick represent their school and basketball program and he isn't what 98% of Div I schools would want as the face of an athletic program.
doombob Apr 13 07
Missouri's AD is looking pretty smug right now. They passed on Huggins last year, and many thought it was a bad move. Not so bad looking now.