UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, April 5, 1993
9
And then it was over
Renee Knoeber / KANSAN
Senior guard Adonis Jordan fields questions Saturday at a post-game news conference
William Alix Special to the KANSAN
KU fans lined the Kansas River bridge at 7 a.m. Friday waiting to spit into the river for good luck.
Daron J. Bennett / KANSAN
Knight Ridder Tribune
As Kansas trails North Carolina in the final minutes, the wear begins to show on Coach Roy Williams' face.
Even though the Jayhawk's party has ended, KU fans take to Jayhawk Boulevard in front of Weson Hall once again to show their support for the team.
Fans scalp tickets, seek solace
Bv Jav Williams
Kansan sportswrite
NEW ORLEANS — After North Carolina pounded the ball inside against an outmuscled Kansas team, many Jayhawk fans who watched at the Superdome were ready to pound a few back.
"We're going to go get hammered," said Bill Fox, Lenexajuniur. "We're going to stick around New Orleans and party to celebrate a great season."
But before hitting Bourbon Street, many KU faithful had to take care of business. They had to sell their tickets for tonight's championship game.
Matt Tucker, Enid, Okla., senior, and Angie Bryan, Stillwell senior, left late Friday from Lawrence and arrived in New Orleans at 11 a.m. Saturday. After the game, they waited in line at a pay phone to call relatives and let them know that the pair's visit to the Crescent City was ending sooner than they had wished.
By just before the start of the Kentucky-Michigan game, Tucker and Bryan had sold one of their two upper level tickets for face value.
"We're just trying to get our money back and get out of here," Tucker said.
But not all Kansas fans who were selling their tickets were leaving New Orleans.
"We'll stay here and go to the French Quarter," said Anne Weist, omaha senior. "But we just can't sit in the Superdome and watch the championship game. That would just be too depressmany KU fans threw their support to North Carolina. Some cited Tail Heel coach Dean Smith, a KU graduate, as a reason they would pull for North Carolina.
Tracy Cross, St. Louis senior, said, "We just came to watch our team."
With the Jav Hawks out of the title picture
“If we’re going to lose, it might as well be to the best. I’m not too crazy about the teams on the court right now,” Tucker said during the Kentucky-Michigan game.
When the Superdome emptied after the Kentucky-Michigan game, fans from all four schools and points beyond descended on Bourbon Street. Most were wearing the colors of the teams they came to support. Some were reveling in victory. Others were drowning their sorrows.
During the second semifinal game, Kansas fans let the 64,151 in attendance know who they were crazy about. With 42 remaining in the first half, the Kansas players emerged from the locker room and made the long trip to their seats in the cavernous Superdome, and Kansas fans responded with a standing ovation. Kansas coach Roy Williams received his standing ovation about five minutes later as he made his way to his seat.
Kansas and Kentucky fans who wanted new T-shirts to display their loyalty could get them at discount prices. Kansas and Kentucky T-shirts, once selling for $12.99, could be purchased yesterday morning for $7.99.
While down about the loss, some future KU students looked toward the future. Allison Saylor, Lawrence High School senior, said that she expected to be at the Final Four next season watching the Jawahrays.
"It's going to be more fun next year when I'm a student." she said.
Senior guard Rex Walters shoots over North Carolina's Eric Montross, Walters hit a total of 19 points Saturday night.
Fans warm benches at bar during Final Four
Bv Ben Grove
Kansan staff write
I never thought about how I'd write this story if we lost.
My assignment was Final Four game day at Benchwarmers Sports Bar & Grill, 1601 W. 23rd St, which was really a cake assignment — interview some drunken students, have a few beers myself, find a sober driver for the ride up to campus for the celebration. No problem.
I was there at 9:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. opening, Chris Smith, Jefferson City graduate student, and Greg Egan, Overland Park junior, were first in a line that was almost 60 people long. They'd been there since about 8 a.m. I asked Egan what he planned to do for the next seven hours before the game started and he raised his half-empty beer can. He was looking forward to a good time.
"Normally, it seems like everyone has their own special groups," he said.
"But on game day, everyone is for KU."
We found a table right in front of a huge TV screen, the biggest in the bar. I was with my roommate and some friends. They ordered coffee. I got a bloody milk. it seemed like the thing to do at 10 a.m. I was in for the long
Jim White, Wichita junior, was sitting at a table behind ours. He put our wait in perspective.
"I'm going to be here for the next 12 hours," he said. "How silly are we?"
Students began doing everything to keep themselves amused — playing cards, Kansaspoly, work — sort of a few women were doing their nails.
At 11:40 a.m., 329 people were in the bar. By 12:58 p.m., there were 646. Listed occupancy is 528. Just after 2 p.m., no one else got in unless someone came out first.
Shortly after that, about 100 people were crowded on the bar's deck under tents that protected them from the rain. A big screen television and a bartender kept them occupied.
but it was cold out there, so I ducked back into the bar and headed to our table. On the way, I asked waitress Kelly Caffrey, Leawood senior, how business was going. It wasn't much of a line. I'll admit.
"Tips aren't that great," she said. "People are saving their money because it could be a long day."
"Girls have to wait 15 minutes,
Koesteroad. We waited about two
minutes."
The waitresses were so busy I figured I'd never see one come by our table, so shortly after noon, I waited in line for 24 minutes for a burger.
CBS announcers James Brown and
Lines for the bathroom were long, too. I noticed Hillarie Harris, Humboldt senior, and Tracy Koester, Iola senior, coming out of the men's room.
COMMENTARY
Pat O'Brien appeared on the big screen 45 minutes before tipoff, and the cheering in the bar was deafening. It was loud like Allen Field House loud, except more claustrophobic.
I was right down in front of the screen. Behind me the crowd rose toward the ceiling. It was like a 12-foot wave, and when the game began and every time the Jayhawks iced a three-pointer, the wave broke and the noise crashed down on me.
Although the team was down by four at the half, there was no ebb in the tide of emotion. The place went crazy when junior Darrin Hancock juiced a shot at the haftime buzzer, and no one seemed worried that the Jayhawks had led only once during the game
It was like that until halftime.
That's when I ran out the back exit to relieve myself. People who had the same idea were rushing in and out the door. Outside, there were about 20 people, men and women, standing and squatting anywhere — by an apartment building, in the parking lot, between two Post Office vehicles. There was no dignity.
But as the second half progressed, there was tension. When the referees made questionable calls, the shouts were louder and more profane.
When senior Adomis Jordan hit a pair of threes with six and a half minutes left, there were shrieks of joy. But they weren't cheers, like "Yeah, we're going to win this." They were more like "Yeah, there's hope."
Then there were just a few minutes left. The 'Hawks were still down, Benchwarmers was still. During the game's last television timeout, I glanced back. The ascending wave was frozen. All I saw were about 700 or 800 blank stares.
There was scattered applause for junior Richard Scott when he fouled out a few minutes before the end.
Few wanted to stick around. We all slowly made for the door. White confetti covering the floor was black from mud tracked in by people. I suddenly realized the place stunk — like beer and plastic-cup ashtrays.
Jeff Campbell, Kansas City, Kan. senior, was in no particular hurry to leave though, now that his on-campus celebration plans were nixed.
"We're going to play pool, get wasted, drown our sorrows," he said.
ed, drawn in.
But I'd had enough, so I left through the side door. It was little depressing that the one thing I would remember about the Final Four at Benchwarmers was the celebration. I would forget the dark and deserted deck from which I was stepping, out into the rain.
Td remember the white confetti, I thought not the black.