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--going to college in their home state a second glance. That's what happened when football was king and every other sport groveled at its feet.
THE UNIVERSITY DAIRY KANSAN
THURSDAY MARCH 1, 2007
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 12A)
Becoming good at both sports wasn't easy, but the two schools have done it by following similar steps.
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Friday night lights only used to shine for football in Texas. For years, any ball that wasn't shaped like a cone was thrown out into the desert landscape. This obsession with football and near alienation of basketball hurt Texas and Texas A&M.
Native Texans such as Larry Johnson, Mike Dunleave, Mookie Blaylock and Grant Holley barely gave
"A really good football program can be a detraction in building a basketball program," said Jeff Schmahl, Texas A&M's associate athletics director. "Football could be too much of a focus. At the big time basketball schools like Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and Duke, the focus is on the basketball team."
Instead of focusing on the negative of an overbearing football pro
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gram, Texas and Texas A&M used their teams' power to benefit basketball.
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Both schools have one of the best football atmospheres in the country. More than 82,000 fans flock to Kyle Field for each A&M home game. With the cheapest season tickets going for $375, the Aggies take in some serious revenue. Same with the Longhorns. Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium attracts $5,000 people to each game, and new renovations will raise its capacity to 90,000. The cheapest season tickets go for $365.
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A&M and Texas have started using more of the money their football teams bring in to finance other sports, namely basketball. Texas' associate athletics director Christine Klonsky said everything at the Erwin Center, the Longhorns' basketball arena, was sparkling new. Texas also recently built Cooley Pavilion, a $12 million dollar basketball practice facility.
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Those atmosphere can also entice recruits. Both schools regularly bring recruits to football games, and it has helped. In-state stars such as TJ. Ford and Acie Law IV chose Texas and Texas A&M, respectively.
None of this could be possible without football.
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"Football has a significant impact on the entire operation of athletics," Klonsky said. "It's the engine that drives the train."
At Kansas, it has been the exact opposite. Basketball has been the school's main source of pride and revenue. Ohio State, Texas and Texas A&M have shown that football schools can become successful at basketball, but can a good basketball school sustain a football program capable of winning the Big 12?
VICE-VERSA
The Jayhawk football program has been somewhat revived in recent years. Kansas has been to two bowl games in Mark Mangino's first five seasons. That's an accomplishment compared to what fans witnessed during former coach Terry Allen's reign of terror, but the Jayhawks aren't competing for Big 12 titles like the Longhorn and Aggie basketball teams.
The Athletics Department has tried to emphasize football, knowing that having a strong football program is great for the rest of the university.
"A good football program helps all other sports and the university at large," Associate Athletics Director Jim Marchiony said. "It's a rallying point for alumni and fans and publicizes the athletics department and university."
To strengthen football, Kansas plans to build a new practice facility, which will be completed in late summer 2008. The athletics department also inked Mangino to a new five-year contract last fall.
Texas coach Rick Barnes has been at the school for nine years. He's led the Longhorns to the NCAA Tournament each season, made it to the school's third Final Four and advanced to the Sweet 16 four of the last five seasons.
Allen Fieldhouse may be sold out for every game, but it doesn't bring in nearly as much revenue as a game at Kyle Field. Plus, Kansas is fighting history. Other historical basketball schools such as Duke, North Carolina, UCLA and Kentucky haven't been able to sustain success in football either.
But turning a basketball school into a football school is tougher.
A successful basketball team is about more than just extravagant new facilities. When asked why their basketball teams are on the rise, Klonsky and Schmnball both quickly said it was their teams' coaches.
So until the Jayhawks can compete for conference titles in both sports, all Kansas can do is look at a school such as Ohio State to know that having success in football and basketball is more than a dream.
Hof said, "We're living proof that it's a positive rather than a negative to have a traditionally powerful program."
KEEPING THE STRENGTH
Barnes has accomplished quite a bit, but A&M coach Billy Gillspis has been a miracle worker. He's guided the Aggies to the top of the Big 12 in his third season. The year before he came, A&M finished 0-16 in league play. He single-handedly
"Rick came in and told us immediately our facilities were nice but weren't what he needed for teaching and training his sport." Clonsky said. "He knew what he wanted, so he taught us."
Now, colleges are finding ways to hold onto their coaches. The goal for the Athletics Departments at A&M and Texas is to create a perfect situation for their coach. That way, he wouldn't find a more attractive place to go.
thrown out the Aggies' reputation as a football only school.
"From the outside looking in, it's been erased," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "With Texas being a football state, maybe it'll never catch it as far as interest and tradition with the football jeam. But there's no coach in America who thinks A&M is only a football program."
Schools known for football used to have trouble holding onto their coaches. As soon as one had success, hed bolt for a place that cared more about basketball. Lon Kruger jumped ship at Florida to go to Illinois. Leonard Hamilton said goodbye to Miami and hello to the NBA.
Texas has accommodated Barnes in every way possible.
That's how Texas got the idea of building Cookey Pavilion. It has been so successful that athletic directors from UCLA, Kentucky, Tennessee and, surprise surprise, Texas A&M have visited to get ideas for building their own facilities.
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"I think of it as complementary not competition." Mahl said. "You take advantage of loyal football fans and turn them into basketball fans. You're always going to have some fans who say 'I like football more than basketball, but hopefully they'll say 'I'm an A&M fan'."
Kansan sportswriter Mark Dent can be contacted at mdent@kansan.com.
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— Edited by Mark Vierthaler
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Stop by our table at Wescoe or the Kansas Union this week to celebrate
march madness!
Each day there will be different contests and prizes to win!
Monday
FEB.26
Breakfast with Baby Jay at Wescoe from 9-10:30 a.m. Free hot cocoa while it lasts!
Tuesday FEB.27
Change for Champions kick-off, donate your change to the Special Olympics, all week.
Breakfast with Big Jay at the Union from 9-10:30 a.m. Free donuts when they last!
SAA meeting at 7 p.m., Adams Alumni Center.
Wednesday FEB.28
Men's Basketball KU at OU, 8 p.m. Go Hawks!
Jaybowl
Spirit Contest
1-5 p.m.
Adams Alumni
Center
Student with
best display of
KU Spirit wins
$100!
Sign the Good Luck Banner for the Basketball Teams located on Wesco Beach from I l a.m. - I p.m. and enjoy some giveaways.
Thursday
MARCH 1
Crimson and Blue Day wear KU colors!
Friday
MARCH 2
Women's Basketball KU at Missouri 6:30 p.m.
Sign the Good Luck Banner for the Basketball Teams located in the Kansas Union from 1 a.m. - 1 p.m. and enjoy some giveaways.
Saturday MARCH 3
Thanks for a great season in the Allen Field House. Rock Jayhawk
Men's
Basketball
KU vs. Texas.
I a.m.-last
home game!
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