Monday, March 9, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 5
Jayhawk fans won't take break from hoops
The road map lay before us, crawling with a labyrinth of pink and blue lines that twisted through towns with names like Pickens, Natchitoches and Yazoo City.
Commentary
These were the interstates, winding backroads and two-lane highways that would take us south from Lawrence to our spring break destination: New Orleans, French Quarter.
"All right," one of my companions said the other night, as we sat around making preliminary travel plans. "What do we need for the trip?"
"Gas money," another said "Tube socks." I said
"A tent," one person said.
"Tube socks," I said
And next, on to Baton Rouge,
La., where Lester Earl spent his
formative years. Perhaps a photo
opportunity in front of Glen Oaks
High School.
Tube socks?
I went on to explain that after we passed through Fayetteville, we would be headed straight toward Shreveport, La., Billy Thomas' hometown. A definite stop.
"Of course," I said, pointing at Arkansas on the map. "Don't you see? If we take 71 south out of Kansas City, we'll go straight through Fayetteville. And when we get there, we'll have to pay tribute to Nick Bradford. And to do so properly, it would be to our advantage to have some tube socks."
Only then, after a good-luck pilgrimage to each player's hometown, can we arrive in New Orleans for a relaxing week. I read
The idea generated little enthusiasm.
But we did decide that we each would fill out NCAA Tournament brackets, bring them along, update them and compete against one another as we go.
Eric Weslander
sports@kansan.com
And perhaps most importantly, we tried to figure out where we would be if and when Kansas played in the Sweet Sixteen and the Elite Eight.
Does this sound familiar, Kansas fans?
"If they play on Thursday and Saturday, we can leave town Saturday after the game. If they play on Friday and Sunday, we might as well leave on Saturday, because we can't wait until Monday to leave..."
Let's face it. If you're a Kansas student who is a basketball fan, your spring break is inextricably linked to the NCAA Tournament.
If Kansas loses, the week's chances of being enjoyable suffer drastically.
Do the Jayhawks creep into your spring break plans and end up taking over the trin?
The day the Jayhawks lost to Syracuse in 1996, clouds covered the sky in Panama City Beach. Fla. It rained the rest of the week. Go figure.
The night that Kansas lost to Arizona, Lawrence turned into a sinkhole of depression. My roommate and I packed up and left the middle of the night because we couldn't bear to stay here. He got a speeding ticket at 2 a.m. halfway through Missouri.
We Buy, Sell, Trade & Consign USED & New Sports Equipment 841-PLAY 1024MB
Go figure.
And this year will be no different. The emotional content of all of our weeks of respite will be dictated by a little orange ball, a basket and 10 tall guys.
Jason Benavides/KANSAN
Road map? Check.
Tube socks? Check.
And a lot of us will become thirsty, Very, very thirsty. Even thirstier than the average springbreaker.
No, there's no way to escape the weighty influence that Kansas basketball has on spring break for Kansas students. No matter where you are, there will Kansas basketball be also.
If the Jayhawks get the ball to go through the basket enough times, we'll have an exuberant week filled with revelry and hopes of Kansas 'first national championship in 10 years. We'll dance in the streets and make merry.
So be prepared. As you make your final travel plans in the next two weeks, make sure they allow for the ups and downs of life as a Kansas fan.
Be sure to have easy access to sports bars and Jayhawk-friendly viewing establishments along the wav.
And remember, when it's all said and done, it's just a game.
We won't feel like going out. We'll sit in our hotel and hotel rooms, fuming about some upstart team with too much quickness or too much power.
If they lose—no matter when, no matter how —it won't be quite as much fun.
By the way, if you're headed south and have the opportunity, pass through Fayetteville, Shreveport or Baton Rouge for good luck.
Little do my traveling companions know, but I'm buying us all a pair of good luck tube socks to wear as we drive through Fayetteville. It can't hurt.
We'll dread coming back to Lawrence and seeing our fellow fans mope around campus for the next few weeks.
And maybe we'll listen to some Foni Braxton—Billy T's personal 'favorite'—while passing through Shreveport.
And when I make my companions pull over in Baton Rouge at a convenience store to buy some Oatmeal Cream Pies -Lester's favorite snack - it will be official:
"If we camp one night, we need to find someplace that's close to the woods," one of my companions said as we finished our planning session the other night.
It's not really our trip. It's the Kansas Jayhawks' trip. Through and through.
Forget the woods, I thought. Get me close to a big-screen TV.
Red Lyon Tavern 944 Mass.
832-8228
Weslander is a Louisville, Ky., junior in journalism.
COPY CO
MORE THAN JUST A COPY CENTER
Come pick up your
NCAA BRACKETS
Full Poster Size, only $1.00!
We now have
Quark 4.0
for Mac AND
Windows!
FULL COLOR COPIES
OVERSIZED COPIES
LAMINATION
BINDING
FAXES
GRAPHIC DESIGN
FULL COLOR PRINTING
SELF-SERVE COMPUTERS
1401 W 23RD • (785) 832-2679
We now have Freehand 8.0 for the Mac!
STUDENT
SENATE
GROOVY $2 PITCHERS, BABY!
MONDAY NIGHT'S AT FATSO'S ARE BACK!
$2 PITCHERS OF BUD LIGHT
DJ BILL $ SPINNING SWANK BEATS FROM 9 PM TILL CLOSE
For more information
contact Restoration Services at 864-3546
or call (718) 209-9272.
COME WATCH THE B-BALL GAMES ON THE BIG SCREEN!
SHOOT POOL - THROW DARTS - EAT PIZZA - WATCH THE BIG SCREEN
1016 MASSACHUSETTS / 865-4055 / OPEN MON-SAT 6PM-2AM
LOWE·VASQUE·PATAGONIA MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR DANA DESIGN·BLUEWATER BLACK DIAMOND
at any time!
KU FIT offers everything from traditional high/low impact to step, slide, side, ostrength classes, boot camp, basketball inspired classes, boxing aerobics, and much more! In addition, all KU FIT members have free access to our Personal Weight Trainer.
Finish off this semester for only $250!
Climb up today!
LAWRENCE
916 Massachusetts
(785) 331-3772
Now is the time to Finish Spring Semester KU FIT!
Attend any of our GO4 weekly
anatomy and strength classes.
Now Pre-Leasing for Fall 1,2,and 3 bedroom luxury apartments
Harper Square Apartments
2201 Harper Street
CALL 838-3377 TODAY
All apartments include washer/dryer, alarm system, fullyequipped kitchen, fireplace [not at Hawker], and built-in TV [not at Harper Square]. Tuckaway has two pools & hot tubs, basketball court, fitness center and gated entry.