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WWW.KANSAN.COM
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2009
VOLUME 120 ISSUE 98
JAYHAWK LEGACY
FORMER PLAYER NOW SUPER BOWL CHAMP
Justin Hartwig overcomes the odds to hoist Lombardi Trophy with Steelers
BY ADAM SAMSON
asamson@kansan.co
asamson@kansan.com
Last week, former Jayhawk and current Pittsburgh Steelers center Justin Hartwig became the 13th Kansas player to win a Super Bowl. After the game he said he recognized the honor of being a part of that elite group.
"Just to even be mentioned as accomplishing something those guys have is really special," Hartwig said. "I look back fondly at my days at KU and appreciate where I came from and it definitely made me a big part of who I am now."
Before he graduated from the University, an adviser asked Hartwig what his career plans were. When he mentioned professional football, the adviser told him to come back and talk with the advising center if it didn't work out.
"My career could have easily been over when I was done at KU." Hartwig said. "I said I'm looking at playing in the NFL and they looked at me like I was ignorant or crazy"
After finding playing time hard to come by, Hartwig started his final three seasons and was an All-Big 12 Second Team
selection in 2001.
Former Jayhawk teammate Danny Lewis, who currently works at the Adams Alumni Center, said Hartwig was one of the best linemen he had crossed when at the University. In those three seasons, Hartwig started at offensive tackle.
"I never saw him lose a one-on-one drill when I was playing at KU." Lewis said. "He was leagit"
Lewis said he wished Hartwig could have been around for the great football staff that is in place now.
"He is doing pretty good for himself," Lewis said. "I wish he was able to see and experience KU football as we know it now instead of the dark days of Terry Allen."
TRANSITION TO NFL
Although the Jayhawks never went to a bowl game in Hartwig's time at Kansas, his versatility as an offensive lineman led the Tennessee Titans to draft him in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
A little less than seven years ago, Hartwig was sitting in a plane on his way to Tennessee reading ESPN magazine when he saw it: A photo of Titans defensive lineman Jevon Kearse, as Hartwig said, "breaking a player in half."
"I was like holy crap, I'm on my way to go down and block him right now," Hartwig said.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEE HARTWIG ON PAGE 3A
ASSOCIATED PRESS
**Top:** Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin celebrates with center Justin Hartwig after their 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL Super Bowl XLIII game Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla. **Bottom:** Hartwick (75) looks on as a Texas Tech defender makes a tackle during a game in Lubbok, Texas.
SPEAKER
Gay columnist hopes to better students' knowledge of issues affecting LGBT community
Guest speaker to tackle tough topic
BY KAYLA REGAN
kregan@kansan.com
The Department of Student Housing often invites authorities on topics such as fire prevention, campus safety and stress management to come talk to students.
Today, the department will host a lecture on a very different topic: homosexuality.
John Corvino will give his lecture, "What's Morally Wrong with Homosexuality?" at 7 p.m. in the Hashinger Hall theater. Corvino, a columnist for 365gay.com, said he hoped students from all backgrounds and opinions would attend the lecture. Much of the speech, Corvino said, was devoted to answering questions or concerns people had with homosexuality.
"This is an issue that, despite tremendous increases in visibility, people still have a hard time discussing." Corvino said. "I think it will give KU students an opportunity to look at the issue with greater
focus and rigor, and thus better understand the topic.
By openly discussing homosexuality, Corvino said people from any background would gain a better understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. Corvino, who began lecturing on the subject in the early 1990s,
said the speech was an in-depth but humorous response to some of the common arguments against homosexuality. He said his lecture addressed issues such as supporting the LGBT community and gay marriage.
said the group was helping Student Housing present Corvinio's lecture. Campbell, host of KJHK's Dick and Dyke show, said he used his program to help spread the word about the lecture. He said his program, like Corvino's speech, operated on the same belief that open conversations facilitated greater understanding of the LGBT community.
"The lecture addresses that difficulty, not by sidestepping the moral questions, but by confronting them," Corvino said.
"This is an issue that despite tremendous increases in visibility, people still have a hard time discussing."
Ryan Campbell, Olathe senior and Queers and Allies president,
"When you reach out to an audience that isn't familiar with the concept of homosexuality, if someone is willing to openly discuss the topic, you're much more able to change minds," Campbell said.
JOHN CORVINO speaker and columnist
Rick Lofgren, assistant complex director for Lewis Hall, said students from all backgrounds and sexual orientations lived together in the dorms. Lofgren said Housing was only furthering its mission statement by adding to the diversity of
the university and helping students become more socially-educated.
"We are not the experts, so we wanted to bring in the expert," Lofgren said. "What's cool about Corvino is he actually encourages students to have a different understandin"
Corvino's lecture is scheduled during Freedom to Marry week, which advocates active discussion to promote marriage equality.
Luke Matheis, Overland Park junior and membership coordinator for KU College Republicans, said he supported equality and understanding of the gay and lesbian community. Because he isn't homosexual, Matheis said he didn't feel directly involved in issues such as marriage equality.
"I don't consider it my fight," Matheis said. "Gay marriage will come in its own time. I agree more with letting people be."
Corvino said he understood why
SEE LGBT ON PAGE 3A
STUDENT SENATE
Legislation rejected for student groups' funding
BY BRIANNE
PFANNENSTIEL
bpfannenstiel.kansan.com
Student Senate failed a bill that would limit the amount of money Senate could allocate to student groups after nearly two hours of debate during last week's meeting.
The bill came as a response to the over-allocation of funds within Senate during the fall semester. Its sponsors saw the bill as a step toward fiscal accountability, and its failing signified to them a lack of responsibility within Senate. Others saw the bill as hurried and ineffective.
Eric Foss, Overland Park third year law student and author of the bill, said he wrote the legislation because he noticed a continued trend of allocating more money to groups during the fall semester, leaving Senate, and consequently student groups, strapped
"I wanted to put funding caps in so it didn't matter when you came in; each group would be limited to a certain amount of money", Foss said.
for cash in the spring.
If the bill passed, it would have limited the amount of money student groups could receive from Senate. Events and speakers would have been eligible to receive as much as $6,000. For academic projects through groups such as the Experimental Balloon Society, Senate would have given the group 50 percent more than what the associated academic department was willing to provide, so long as the amount didn't exceed $5,000.
Mason Heilman, Lawrence junior and student executive committee chairman, voted against the bill and said he didn't think the bill had been given
SEE SENATE ON PAGE 3A
index
Classifieds...3B Opinion...7A
Crossword...6A Sports...1B
Horoscopes...6A Sudoku...6A
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2009 The University Daily Kansan
U.S. DEFEATS MEXICO IN RAINY COLUMBUS
Midfielder Michael Bradley scored twice as the Americans continued their winning streak against Mexico on home soil. SPORTS I 3B
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