kansan.com
Volume 124 Issue 3
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
COMMENTARY
Tweeting a lament over ban
In the format of Twitter's 140-character limit, here's some thoughts on the banning of KU players' Twitter accounts:
Damn, the one connection fans had with the #KUfball players is gone. Twitter gave personality to those no-named jersevs.
It wasn't enough for @ Coachturnerrull to ban tweeting, but as part of his new rule on twitter he made each player with an account delete it.
Obviously, from Gill's point of view, it's easy to see why there should be a ban. It eliminates the risk of unnecessary distraction.
- However, those 140 characters (or fewer) packed in a box gave us fans the insight to their lives that made it fun to follow them.
Did followers care about everything that @jizzle_11 and @DP4heisman shared with the world? No, but there were some worthy posts.
When DP & AJ's take on #KU debuted, it gave fans a reason to talk about #KUfball and showed us the lighter side of football.
By posting the link to their video on YouTube, fans and reporters alike retweeted and continually discussed the hilarity of the series.
- It even made it's way to @ ESPN where it was shown and discussed on @cflive, forget that @ mark_may was bashing the two #allpressisgoodpress.
As much as @coachturner-gill has a point, it's really a shame that fans can't interact with players. It was a great way to help fill seats.
Like it or not tweeting created more excitement about *#KUball regardless of whether people were actually talking about the games.
If James Sims is giving himself a new crazy haircut in the locker room, why can't Kale Pick tweet a picture of it! *it* #dojiams!
- Let fans — mainly students — be in on some of the jokes. Where would #KU be as a school without the wisdom of @Kansas-twin22 & @Kansas-twin21?
- The all-immortal #FOE and #Nodaysoff are more than just hashtags, they are a way of student identification with their athlete counterparts.
- Twitter has been a blessing and a curse, but if used the right way it can be a promotional tool if the plaques #tweetsmart.
It might just be time for pop culture to merge with the sports world, as @ESPN_Colin tweeted Monday "55 % of twitter users-use it 4 sports."
It seems to work well for #KUbball. Is it possible for @ coachbillself to give the #KUfball a class on how to tweet w/o getting in trouble?
Although it may be time to tone down #KUCMB, there's just something about Kansas University College Men's Basketball that doesn't sound right.
It's likely that we won't miss anything of significant importance without #KUfball players tweeting, but not all tweeting is nonsense.
After all, it only took me 140 (or less) characters to get out what I needed to say.
MORNINGSTAR GOES GREEK PAGE 7
Sands arrested for missing court date
MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kanson.com
After missing a June court date from a misdemeanor in April for a disturbing the peace citation, soph-nmore running back Deshaun Sands was arrested Saturday night on an outstanding warrant.
Lawrence Journal-World on Monday morning that Sands failed to appear in court on June 21.
Sands received the original citation the night of April 7 when police were called to his apartment in the 1300 block of West 24th Street. Sgt. Matt Sarma hold the Lawrence Journal-World that someone had called in to complain about a loud party.
Municipal court officials told the
Sarna said junior safety Bradley McDougald, Sands' roommate, was also cited for disturbing the peace in the incident and resolved the case on May 4, when McDougald pled guilty and paid $253 in court costs and fines.
A bench warrant had been out for
SEE SANDS 17
James Sims: A 6-0, 205-pound sophomore, Sims is the lead back heading into the season. Sims is the best all-around back on the roster. He scored 10 touchdowns and led the Jayhawks with 742 yards rushing last season, eighth in the nation among freshmen runners. He made his debut against Georgia Tech and ran the ball 17 times for 101 yards and a touchdown in the Jayhawks' first victory under coach Turner Gill. Sims was named the 2010 KU backfield player of the year and should get the bulk of the carries this year.
Sims
Miller
Darrian Miller: Miller is a four-star recruit who Rivals.com ranked the No. 1 player in Missouri in 2011. Gill held out Miller from Saturday's scrimmage as a precautionary measure. Miller impressed his teammates and coaches during spring football. If there is one running back capable of unseeing Sims as the lead back, it is Miller.
BACKFIELD BREAKDOWN A look at the top running backs competing for carries
ETHAN PADWAY
padway@kansan.com
The running back position appears to be one of the most talented positions for the Kansas Jayhawks heading into the 2011 season.
James Sims has been named the starter, but expect to see a variety of players used throughout the season depending on the situation.
Here is a player-by-player breakdown of the running back position.
Bourbon
Brandon Bourbon: He impressed during Saturday's scrimmage, scoring twice. Bourbon has a good combination of power and speed but missed most of spring practice with an ankle injury. Although not a pure power back, Bourbon is the closest thing to a power back on the roster.
Pierson
Anthony Pierson He is the fastest back in the rotation. Coming out of high school, he was listed as the eighth-best athlete in the 2011 recruiting class according to Rivals.com. Pierson notched the two longest runs of the day during Saturday's scrimmage, one of which went for a touchdown. Gill has said he doesn't think Pierson will be an everydown back because of his size, but every time Pierson touches the ball, he has the ability to score.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
SEE BACKS | 7
Pierce to return for exhibition game
Contributed Photo
Plaice Pierce of the Boston Celtics is one of many former Jayhawks who will play in a "Legends of the Phog" game at Allen Fieldhouse on Sept. 24. Proceeds from the game will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence and the family of Neil Dougherty.
MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
With professional basketball players away from their usual preseason preparations, former Kansas stars will return to Lawrence for the Legends of the Phog game at Allen Fieldhouse on Sept. 24 at 4 p.m.
The NBA lockout is a quandary KU fans can be thankful for.
With former coaches Larry Brown and Ted Owens on the sidelines, Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce will join other recent NBA Jayhawks in a scrimmage to raise money.
"Not very often can you spin a negative into a positive."
Pierce, known throughout the NBA as "The Truth," is a ninetime All-Star and was named the 2008 NBA Finals MVP for the champion Boston Celtics.
in an area of his life that was very dear to him," Self said in the release.
"It will be great coming back to Lawrence and catching up with some old friends and meeting the current players," Pierce said in the
spin a negative into a positive, but we get an opportunity to do so with the NBA lockout."
Some of the proceeds will go to the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence and the family of Neil Dougherty, a former KU assistant coach who died of a heart attack on July 5.
"We're working with Neil's family to find a cause that will definitely give Neil a lasting legacy
coach Bill Self said in a press release, "but we get an opportunity to do so with the NBA lockout."
release.
BILL SELF Coach
V
BROWN,
w h o
coached
the 'Danny
and the
Miracles' team
that won
the 1988
N C A A
championship, will also return to the fieldhouse.
"The University of Kansas has meant so much to me," Brown said in the release. "I have a lot of fond memories of my time in Lawrence and coming back for this event will be great."
For ticket information, visit www.kuathetics.com.
Edited by Jayson Jenks
<
9