6B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FORT WORTH BOWL
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2005
Contributed photo
Going, eating and having fun
Amon G. Carter stadium overflows on a gameday in this undated file photo. Kansas will meet Houston at 7 p.m. on Dec. 23 at the stadium on TCU's campus.
BY KELLEI ROBINETT
robinett@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTSWITER
Fort Worth won't jump out at Kansas fans when they look at a map of Texas. It's the sixth largest city in the state, but it's overshadowed in its own metroplex by Dallas, located an hour east.
Make no mistake though, the city is a fun place to spend a day while waiting for Kansas football.
It offers something for everyone with real cattle drives, a large downtown area and a major university. TCU, it is modern Texas.
I, myself, have been there a time or two. Just to make sure I didn't miss anything, TCU students were consulted for the following entertainment guide to Fort Worth.
Getting there:
The Jayhawk faithful couldn't
have asked for an easier drive to a bowl game.
You don't need a GPS or a map to find Fort Worth. From Lawrence, or any part of Kansas, and drive 1-35 south until you see the Fort Worth skyline.
It's an easy drive, about seven hours depending on stops.
Set your cruise control on the high side while you're on the Kansas Turnpike or in Oklahoma, but be warned when you cross into Texas. Drive the speed limit, which drops five miles per hour at night.
Keepin' full:
Name a type of food and Fort Worth has it. It just depends on your budget.
On the cheap:
Whataburger. You've seen the commercials during Big 12 Conference basketball games; now try the best fast food restaurant in the
Taco Cabana. Another 24-hour joint that is cheap and relatively quick. Just realize that it will be hard to go back to El Mezcal after eating Mexican food in Texas.
countrv. It's also open 24 hours.
Angelo's Barbecue. This is the place to go for Texas-style brisket and ribs. There are plenty of TVs, too, to watch other bowl games.
Jack in the Box, Former Kansas guard Keith Langford, a Fort Worth-native, often said it was what he missed most about Texas. Medium Priced:
Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant. It's a chain, but offers some of the best seafood platters around. There also are plenty of special Cajun drinks you can try.
Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant. One of the most famous local restaurants. It's true Tech-Mex, but bring cash. Joe doesn't take credit.
Going out
The Stockyards National Historic District. Don't let the name or cattle that roam the street during the day fool you. This 15-square-block area, located just north of downtown, is a fun place to drink a beer or listen to music. Where else can you find a saloon these days?
Sundance Square. Located downtown, this 20-block stretch serves as anything from an outdoor mall to a performing arts center — with comedy, music and movies.
Amon G. Carter Stadium. If you're going to Fort Worth thinking football and only football you can set up shop at TCU's football stadium. Every kind of tailgating is allowed there, so feel free to bring a grill and attempt to set a record for the longest KU pre-bowl tailgate.
Edited by Nate Karlin
VIEW FROM PRESS ROW
Kansas has everything to gain from trip to Fort Worth Bowl
The Kansas football team couldn't have asked for a better postseason destination than the Fort Worth Bowl.
It's not glamorous or rich in tradition, but after the Jayhawks finished the year at 6-5 they are in a perfect situation.
hawks should be playing in.
The Fort Worth Bowl will give Kansas the opportunity to play an evenly matched opponent in Houston, play in front of a strong fan base and prove it is a program on the rise.
Sure, Kansas football coach Mark Mangino probably had his sights set a little higher when the season began but let's be honest — this is the type of bowl the Jay-
Had any of the other bowls the Jayhawks were in the running for invited them and matched Kansas up against TCU, South Carolina or Clemson, it would be looking at a sure loss.
Two years ago, Kansas played in a slightly better Tangerine Bowl and had to play North Carolina State. The Jayhawks never had a chance to stop quarterback Phillip Rivers, now with the San Diego Chargers, and lost by 30 points.
This year though, Kansas will play a team it can beat.
Houston is OK. It finished 6-5 and defeated Conference USA champion Tulsa but also lost at
KELLIS ROBINETT
ROBINETT@KANSAN.COM
home to SMU, which is one of the worst teams in the country.
Kansas will be the favorite and because it is from a vastly better conference, should win this game.
One is a winning record. One is .500.
Defeating the Cougars will give the Jayhawks a 7-5 record, and in the world of college football there's a difference between 7-5 and 6-6.
One comes with a bowl victory.
One comes with a bowl loss.
One would be a monster step for Kansas. One would be only a slight improvement.
Just ask senior quarterback Brian Luke how big a bowl victory would be.
"It would set the foundation for KU football," he said. "And would really help this team on its way to become a powerhouse."
Well, Luke might be getting a little ahead of himself but a victory in Fort Worth would certainly make Kansas an above average team.
Having a winning record and bowl victory on the résumé speaks volumes on a national level.
It's one of those tidbits you see
on the cover of media guides, "Kansas: Fort Worth Worth Bowl. Winner."
But for as big as this game will be for the football program, it will even bigger for its fans.
One of the keys to being selected for bigger and better bowls is fan support. A lot of bowls even use it as tie breaker when assessing teams with similar records.
That's where the location of Fort Worth becomes ideal.
Fort Worth is by far the closest bowl city to Lawrence. It's only an eight-hour drive down I-35.
The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is also home to one of the largest KU alumni bases in the country. So, fans should have no problem
Two years ago, when the Jayhawks played in the Tangerine Bowl, a miserable number of fans made the trip to Orlando and it showed when the stadium wasn't even half-full on the KU side.
getting to the game.
A strong fan showing this year would erase that debacle, especially with no other bowls scheduled for Dec. 23, and ESPN televising the game nationally.
Combine that with a Kansas victory and suddenly the Jayhawks are attractive to future bowls.
♦ Robinett is an Austin, Texas senior in journalism. He is Kansan sports editor.
You can find outstanding health care right here in Lawrence.
Former head football coach Don Fambrough knows a thing or two about what goes into a winning team. That's why he has always counted on Lawrence Memorial Hospital for his health care needs.
"I have a great deal of confidence in the staff at LMH, from the doctors and nurses to the administrators and everyone else," he said. "To me, they're just like good coaches. They know what they're doing and they know how to do it."
When you need to find an outstanding health care team, take a close look at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. To learn more, log on to www.lmh.org.
M
The Right Care. Right Here. Right Now.
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