THE RIVALRY
15
COMMENTARY
Dwyer: Admitting my black (and gold) past
Transferring from Mizzou to Kansas complicates rivalry
The Border Showdown showdown is too weak of a word,but political correctness
showdown is too weak of a word, but political correctness won't allow me to call it what everyone wants to — represents a number of different things to a number of different people. For athletes and coaches from all sports, depending on who you talk to, it ranges from just another game to the biggest of the year. For most fans it represents a chance to don the crimson
and blue and rage against the ruffians from across the border.
For me, it's different. My story is kind of a complicated one.
You see, when I graduated from Andover Central High School a few years back and decided I wanted to go into journalism, I was swayed by a certain school's reputation as the best journalism
school in the country. I'll give you a hint: It's a school involved in the Border Showdown. I'll give you another hint: It's not Kansas.
Give me a break.I was young.We've all made bad decisions.Some are just greater than others.
But I'm here now, for reasons that, no offense dear readers, will stay my own. Suffice it to say it was a good choice.
BENEFITS • Rock Chalk t-shirt • Collectible KU pint glass • Drawstring backpack • 'Hawk to' Hawk mentor program • Invitations to events and networking activities • Membership and discount card to local businesses
Here's the thing about going from Mizzou to Kansas, though. There's not a whole lot of forgiveness from the black and gold. You may have heard something about this, but the Tigers aren't huge fans of us Jayhawks.
To put it lightly, I've gotten my fair share of trash talked in my direction. First, as a Kansas boy that crossed the border, I became the kind of guy that John Brown and Don Fambrough despise. Now as a former Missouri student that's happy to be a Jayhawk, I've got the ghosts of William Quantrill and his raiders on my six.
I'll admit that I'm not what you would call an innocent bystander in my own right. There have been plenty of texts and calls going both ways.
When my editors asked me to write this column, I was, to say the least, apprehensive. Only a select few know the true story of my black (and gold) past. But I thought hey, if Michael Vick can get a second chance, then I can, too.
So there you have it. The big confession is done with. My darkest secrets are out.
But on the bright side, I have one bragging point that may be mine and mine alone. I'm undefeated in Border Showdown football since 2006. 3-0. Can't be beaten. In the immortal words of Ricky Bobby, "I wake up every morning and I piss excellence."
And I'm feeling good about keeping that perfect record intact this year.
Edited by Tim Burgess
What do you think? BY DANA MEREDITH
What does the MU-KU rivalry mean to you?
KIRSTEN SCHICK
St. Louis sophomore
"I'm from Missouri, so my whole life I was taught to hate KU. All of my cousins went to Mizzou, so there's a big family rivalry there as well."
"I live in a divided house. My mom went to KU, my dad to MU. Two of my sisters went to MU, and I'm the first to go to KU. So I kind of root for both — but of course I want KU to win. I'm going to the game and I'm really excited."
ELYSE WILSON
Olathe freshman
KYLE CEZAR Shawnee junior "It means everything. I'm a Kansas kid. I was bred to hate Missouri. My whole family is from Kansas — no one has ever liked Missouri."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2009