Jason Whitlock Goes MySpace

When Jason Whitlock trashed the KU football team in Sunday's paper with a special emphasis on criticizing Todd Reesing, I took it as the usual Whitlock pile on. I mean it's nice to know you can count on certain things in life, but it did seem a little more passionate than usual. Tuesday's additional dash of venom directed toward KU from JW revealed the source of his anger. Sure he's a poor sport and was probably upset that he lost a steak and milkshake by picking the Hawks. That alone would probably justify him jamming a knife into the two biggest wounds for KU football fans during what is one of the darkest weeks in KU sports history. In case you missed it, the great one touched on KSU fans tearing down our goalposts in 1994 while calling us a basketball school.

If you read between the lines, it's pretty clear why Jason threw a journalistic tantrem in the paper. He wanted to target KU fans because the battle lost on the field didn't compare to the one lost in the stands. Even Jason knew before gametime that his precious Arrowhead Armageddon would end in 2008. Jason wanted this and Kansas City really wanted this, but the reality is that was KU's best effort from an Arrowhead attendance standpoint and it ended in a 50/50 split. Next year, it will likely be 80/20 MU and the reality is Kansas just isn't going to play a road game against Mizzou every year.

Whitlock wants to blame it on KU being a "basketball school." The simple fact is Missouri draws on a much larger fan base and shares it with no one. KU splits one of the smaller states in the conference with KSU. It's no secret that KU plays in a 50,000 seat stadium and the Tigers have a 68,000 seat venue. That alone underscores the disparity. This is not an excuse or a surrender to Mizzou, just facts that we need to know as we compete in the rivalry and conference. So, the Arrowhead experiment is complete and it was a huge financial and media/hype success. The recruiting impact is still to be determined.

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter whether or not KU fans are sore over losing, it doesn't sound like many will return in 2008. Which means the series is over in Kansas City.

Back to Whitlock, I can't let either the "basketball school" or "goalpost" attack slide. Yes, we have a huge tradition in basketball. We've won national championships, conference championships and make regular appearances in the Final Four. Winning builds the fanbase and the longer you sustain it, the bigger it grows. So yes, we have fans that will buy season football tickets just for basketball points then dump them on the open market. That's brutal. Those are called bandwagon fans or traitors. But the fact is I've never seen 50,000 people in Allen Fieldhouse. I know a lot of KU fans that have football tickets but pass on the basketball tickets. Most of the true fans at KU want to win at both sports. Sustained success on the football field will grow the bandwagon. The year over year improvement is evident under Mangino and the season ticket base and attendance continue to grow. Drop the "basketball school" smack. Especially during a period when Kansas fans deserve to celebrate a team that collected a record 11 wins and though clearly overmatched fought to the end at Arrowhead.

The mention of the 1994 goalpost incident is just irresponsible. It comes up on the message boards every now and then and certainly was the low point in KU sports history. I expect that from internet punks and loners, but I was disappointed to see it in print from a sports journalist that actually has a national voice on real issues in society. There are two things to consider about that incident:

1. KU fans were caught by surprise by the occurrence. It was the pure brashness of an unimaginable act of poor sportsmanship that caught everyone off guard. It's interesting to me that all KSU fans wear it as a badge of honor.
2. If KU fans had taken action, it would have been a national incident of violence that would have marred the college football for a long time. I've always wondered why Kansas didn't get some credit for taking the high road there. I thought it was an incredible act of sportsmanship that there were no altercations. When it is brought up, the implication is always there -- you should have fought to the death to preserve those goalposts. Maybe. Or possibly, you just put it in perspective as an entertaining child's game played by young men in large venues. Enjoy the highs, support the team and don't worry so much about the lows.

By now though, all KU, KSU and MU fans know the spinning Whitlock will spray that machine gun of MySpace style abuse in their direction at some point. In sports, you can't win 'em all. In journalism, those jesters don't even really play.

Mangino and Jayhawks Get Big 12 Honors

Mark Mangino was awarded coach of the year while James McClinton snagged the defensive lineman of the year and Marcus Herford took the special teams player award. McClinton, Anthony Collins, Aqib Talib and Joe Mortensen were All-Big 12 first team selections.

Full Story 

Opponent Update | Week #13

This department got skipped during the short week along with my Big 12 rankings. We're getting back on track this week. The schedule doesn't look any better. CMU will play for the MAC Championship. A&M's win over Texas helped. OSU's loss didn't. K-State, wow. The best thing to be said is it goes 180 degrees next year with a road trip to South Florida for the non-con schedule. We'll add Texas, OU and Tech to the conference slate with OU being a road game. In the division, we'll travel to Nebraska and Iowa State. The interesting thing about that all next year the media will act like we scheduled tougher due to the criticism of this year's schedule. Yeah, I know -- the guys at ESPN have to make a living too.

Central Michigan #84 (7-5)
L @ Kansas 7-52
W Toledo 52-31
L @Purdue 22-45
L N. Dakota St. 14-44
W N. Illinois 35-10
W @Ball State 58-38
W Army 47-23
L @Clemson 14-70
W @Kent St 41-32
W @W. Michigan 34-31
L  E. Michigan 45-48
W @Akron 35-32
Next: Miami (Ohio)

SE Louisiana #194 (3-8)
L @ New Mexico St. 14-35
L @ Kansas 0-62
W Kentucky Wesleyan 79-7
L @Tulane 27-35
W Stephen F. Austin 21-3
L @Northwestern St 24-27
L Central Arkansas 33-37
L @McNeese St. 17-45
L @Texas State 31-45
L Sam Houston St 16-20
W Nichols St. 17-13

Toledo #124 (5-7)
L Purdue 24-52
L @ Central Michigan 31-52
L @ Kansas 13-45
W Iowa State 36-35
L Western Michigan 28-42
W Liberty 35-34
L  @Buffalo 33-43
W Ohio 43-40
W N. Illinois 70-21
W E Michigan 52-28
L @Ball State 20-41
L @Bowling Green 10-37

Florida International #182 (0-11)
L @ Penn State 0-59
L Maryland 10-26
L @Miami (Fla) 9-23
L @Kansas 3-55
L @Middle Tennessee 6-47
L Troy 16-34
L @Louisiana-Monroe 14-28
L @Arkansas 10-58
L @Arkansas St 24-27
L Louisiana-Lafayette 28-38
L Florida Atlantic 23-55
Next: North Texas

Kansas State #57 (5-7)
L @Auburn 13-23
W San Jose St 34-14
W Missouri St 61-10
W @Texas 41-21
L Kansas 24-30
W Colorado 47-20
L @OSU 39-41
W Baylor 51-13
L @Iowa State 20-31
L @Nebraska 31-73
L Missouri 32-49
L @ Fresno St 29-45

Baylor #125 (3-9)
L @TCU 0-27
W Rice 42-17
W Texas St 34-27
W @Buffalo 34-21
L @Texas A&M 10-34
L Colorado 23-43
L @Kansas 10-58
L Texas 10-31
L @Kansas State 13-51
L Texas Tech 7-38
L  @Oklahoma 21-52
L Oklahoma State 14-45

Colorado #52 (6-6)
W Colorado St 31-28
L @Arizona St 14-33
L Florida St 6-16
W Miami (OH) 42-0
W Oklahoma 27-24
W @Baylor 43-23
L @Kansas State 20-47
L Kansas 14-19
W @Texas Tech 31-26
L Missouri 10-55
L @Iowa State 28-31
W Nebraska 65-51

Texas A&M #41 (7-5)
W Montana St 38-7
W Fresno St 47-45
W Louisiana-Monroe 54-14
L @Miami 17-34
W Baylor 34-10
W OSU 24-23
L @Texas Tech 7-35
W @Nebraska 36-14
L Kansas 11-19
L @Oklahoma 14-42
L @Missouri 26-40
W Texas 38-30

Nebraska #63 (5-7)
W Nevada 52-10
W @Wake Forest 20-17
L USC 31-49
W Ball State 41-40
W Iowa State 35-17
L @Missouri 6-41
L Oklahoma State 14-45
L Texas A&M 14-36
L @Texas 25-28
L @Kansas 39-76
W Kansas State 73-31
L @Colorado 51-65

Oklahoma State #43 (6-6)
L @Georgia 14-35
W FAU 42-6
L @Troy 23-41
W Texas Tech 49-45
W Sam Houston 39-3
L @A&M 23-24
W @NU 45-14
W KSU 41-39
L Texas 35-38
L Kansas 28-43
W @Baylor 45-14
L @Oklahoma 17-49

Iowa State #91 (3-9):
L Kent State 14-23
L Northern Iowa 13-24
W Iowa 15-13
L @Toledo 35-36
L @Nebraska 17-35
L @Texas Tech 17-42
L Texas 3-56
L Oklahoma 7-17
L at Missouri 28-42
W Kansas State 31-20
W Colorado 31-28
L Kansas 7-45

Missouri #3 (11-1)
W @Illinois 40-34
W @Mississippi 38-25
W Western Michigan 52-24 
W Illinois State 38-17
W Nebraska 41-6
L @Oklahoma 31-41
W Texas Tech 41-10
W Iowa State 42-28
W @Colorado 55-10
W Texas A&M 40-26
W @Kansas State 49-32
W Kansas 36-28
Next: Oklahoma 

# = Sagarin Ranking

Around the North | Week #13

Missouri (11-1, 7-1) has had the offensive output for a few years, but we always felt like they wouldn't be able to put together a defense. They did and now we get to deal with Mizzou as a real program. Not fun. Mizzou opens as three-point underdog to OU.

For Kansas (11-1, 7-1) it was a great run that ended against a better team. I felt like our players put everything they had into it. The only thing I would have changed would have been to disguise our coverages and blitzes with more defensive audibles. No complaints though, Bill Young has a system and style that suffocates most teams. Great season should be rewarded with a good bowl. Start the recruiting.

Colorado (6-6, 4-4) capped off a nice bounce back season with a 65-51 senior day win over Nebraska. The Buffs are bowl eligible, but is there a location for them?

Iowa State (3-9, 2-6) again looks better as Nebraska gives up 65 to CU. The Clones should climb in the north next year. They get both KU and MU in Ames and they dump Texas, OU and Tech from the schedule.

Nebraska (5-7, 2-6) gets ready to start over. It could actually be a quick turn around next year. There are good players in the system.

It really looks to be heading the wrong direction for Kansas State (5-7, 3-5) after the 45-29 road loss at Fresno State. The speed defense really faded in November allowing 49.5 points per game in four losses.

North Sagarin Rankings -- Rank/Schedule
Missouri -- 3/34
Kansas -- 4/90
Colorado -- 52/12
Kansas St -- 57/39
Nebraska -- 63/3
Iowa St -- 91/14

Full Rankings

Inside Concrete Hell: Surf's Up

Arrowhead = concrete hell, Memorial seems modern to me now. Get out of this arrangement immediately. Sour grapes x 1,000,000, yes. Don't care, this judgement was made once we hit the parking lot line. 

Kansas = great season, ran into a better team.

Missouri = Big 12 Champions, congrats.

Channel 9 news = never will watch it again.

KC Star = doubtful

Hawk Digest editor = maybe quit the day job, just roam around and chase the perfect wave.

Celebrity Game Preview: Border War

Ron Burgundy

" 'M - I - Z ... Z - O - U.' I'm impressed. Yes. Not only do you know five letters of the alphabet, but you can speak them in patterns. Are you an actual graduate? Score prediction? Kansas 77, Dirtbags 1.

Young James Hetfield

"Blood will follow blood. Dying time is here. Jayhawk Incorporated 155, Bushwackers dead."

Grandpa Simpson

Missouri sucks. End of story.

KU Game Day: Border War

Get Some

"Out there is a fortune waiting to be had. If you think I'd let it go, you're mad. You've got another thing comin'."

KU (11-0) vs MU  (10-1) | Arrowhead Stadium (capacity: 79,451)
Series: KU 54-52-9 Time: 7:00 p.m. TV: ABC Line: KU (-1.5)

The Key
The best approach would be for the KU defense to force Mizzou's Arena League offense to play real football. Yes, I know we run the same offense and it's fun to watch, but the Hawks are a little more balanced. So, what we would like to see is someone hit Chase Daniels. We don't want to knock him out. We want to give him the Corby Jones treatment. We want him flustered, gunshy, confused and covered with mud. To follow that up, receivers that catch over the middle must pay for it.

Offensively, we can play it any way you want. If the snow continues and the field suffers, expect B-Mac and the O-line to punish the Mizzou defense for 60 minutes.

Final Analysis
Our enemy skeptics want to credit a "weak schedule" for KU's breakout season. I know the truth. I was in Columbia last year. That loss fueled the fire for this season. The offseason featured an intensity and focus never before witnessed in the KU football program. The Hawks have been waiting 364 days for this one and the Big 12 didn't hamstring us this year* by putting the KSU game last week. The Tigers have hot dogged it all year. Tonight, they have our full attention and they are going to get hit.

Recent History (all time series link)
1997 KU 15, MU 7
1998 MU 41, KU 23
1999 KU 21, MU 0
2000 KU 38, MU 17
2001 MU 38, KU 34
2002 MU 36, KU 12
2003 KU 35, MU 10
2004 KU 31, MU 14
2005 KU 13, MU 3
2006 MU 42, KU 17

*The Big 12 tried. The MU game was originally scheduled the week before the KSU game this year.

Missouri Tigers -- Quick Primer

Resources:
Missouri Tigers 2007 Preview Capsule (Hawk Digest) | Mizzou Network | Big 12 Digest

What It Is
Once again Kansans being told what they can't do? You can't win on the road. You can't beat a south team other than Baylor. You can't be a free state. You can't stop Missouri's offense. You can't stop this year's greatest player ever at Missouri. You can't beat Missouri because they are awesome -- practically a dynasty. You can't win the north. You can't win because you're on the cover of Sport Illustrated. Talk all you want, we'll see you on the field.

Scoreboard Question
Back in 1997 when I watched that pack of middle-aged bumblebees drive up to Memorial Stadium on a short bus with a Quantrill's Raiders sign hanging from the side, the amount of adrenaline and hate that rushed through my veins was enough to take my breath away. Sure, it all happened 150 years ago. For me, it was a historical fact that was learned but not really tangible. The reaction I had was natural instinct. That's something you can't control. That t-shirt (you know the one, I refuse to link that photo here) pretty much gives me the same feeling. 

The question I have is how does that affect someone born and raised in Lawrence? I wonder how a player on a team from Lawrence might feel thinking about the reported execution of 183 Lawrence residents in the name of making Kansas a slave state. I'd like to let it go, but as long as that fan base continues to tout William Quantrill as some sort of hero, essentially celebrating the event itself -- this game will continue to symbolize the battle for Kansas. In that war, I'll take every symbolic victory I can get over Missouri and its cause.

Fun With Kit Bond -- Thread of the Week:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=172#s=172&f=2485&t=1479613

Mizzou Smack Shot #1

HD Players of the Week: Todd Reesing, Dexton Fields

Players of the Week

Todd Reesing got another four TD passes on 21 of 26 attempts and 253 yards. Here's a national sports blog that would like to see Todd with a Heisman trophy. Had to give the double award with Dexton Fields collecting 11 passes for 109 yards and two TDs.

Play of the Week

Give it to Sadiq Muhammed for coming up with a key interception on Austin Arnaud that snuffed out an early scoring opportunity for the Clones.

Team of the Week

Arizona would have to edge out Texas Tech since they knocked out the slightly higher-ranked team (#2 Oregon) 34-24. Odd similarities in that both OU and Oregon lost their QBs in both of these upsets.

Around the North | Week #12

It's Missouri Week

As a Kansas (11-0, 7-0) fan or player, you've trained for this one full year. The media has space to fill so they can talk all they want about the BCS, San Antonio and the Heisman, but the only thing that matters is the Border War. KU looked pretty zoned in during the 45-7 win over ISU. Mizzou can expect to see our best effort of the year. The game opened as a "pick 'em," but KU is currently a two-point favorite.

Missouri (10-1, 6-1) erased that Manhattan losing streak with a 49-32 win. We know the the Tigers have the flash. This week we'll see what happens when they get punched in the mouth.

It's finally coming to a close for Nebraska (5-6, 2-5). The best highlight of the year will probably be a TO sack of Bill Callahan. If the Huskers win in Boulder to become bowl eligible, it'll be interesting to see how Nebraska handles the timeline. The Huskers have a bye week before traveling to Colorado. No line on the game yet.

Iowa State (3-9, 2-6) ran into a team on a mission on Saturday, but you can see that this team is coming around. Chizik should be able to get some recruits off of the KSU and Colorado wins.

Not a great weekend to be a Kansas State (5-6, 3-5) fan. Clearly, MU has the better team, but Cat's fans were probably hoping for some Manhattan magic. KSU must now win at Fresno State to avoid a four-game slide. Fresno State opened as a 1-point favorite, but the game is now even.

Colorado (5-6, 3-4) really could use a win this Friday. Otherwise, the Buffs could lose all of the momentum of those big early season wins.

North Sagarin Rankings -- Rank/Schedule
Kansas -- 1/101
Missouri -- 9/47
Kansas St -- 45/31
Colorado -- 56/5
Nebraska -- 57/2
Iowa St -- 91/6

Full Rankings

On A Mission: Kansas 45, Iowa State 7

Most Likely to Lose?

This time KU had to prove America wrong. Surely you heard about the ESPN poll on College Game Day that had 40% of the voters choosing Kansas as the most likely team to lose out of the three Big 12 national title contenders on Saturday. Wrong again. Maybe the fans didn't notice that this one would be played in Lawrence on Senior Day. That was a focused unit out there. Offensively, the Hawks were so efficient that hardly anyone noticed that we played without our best offensive lineman. Yes, Todd Reesing again connected the dots with Dexton Fields as this week's winner of the big statistical day for a wideout. Dexton collected 11 receptions, 109 yards and two TDs. Yes, B-Mac and Sharp tore it up on the ground behind solid blocking. The defensive unit may have put forth its best effort of the year using the tried and true frustrate and suffocate method. A team on a mission. Next objective -- Missouri.

ISU Official Game Links:  Photo Gallery 

From Row 53

• ISU has a huge band that is loud and actually very good. How is it that KU had an excellent band throughout decades of mediocre football and now that the defining moment has arrived our band program is in a rebuilding phase? Can't we funnel some money that way to speed up this process? Not to say that I have any complaints against our band this year. We just all know that the numbers are not there right now.
• Personal fun fact from Saturday -- our "Undefeated Lives Here" banner made the Jumbotron. Yes, it's coming to Arrowhead.
• I'm a big fan of the helicopter flyover.
• Crimson is a school color and it's okay to wear it to games. However, if the other team happens to have red as their primary color, wear the blue.
• Isn't it weird to contrast the 11-0 start against 11 straight games without a score on the opening drive?
• I'll survive the rest of the year, but can we put a little more off-season focus into punt returns?