Saturday, January 5, 2008

Mayer

Mayer: Victory vindicates Jayhawks

By Bill Mayer

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2008 Orange Bowl

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Miami, here we come

Journal-World KU reporter Jonathan Kealing is covering the fans in and on their way to Miami for the Jayhawks' first ever BCS bowl game. Check out some pitstops and potholes on the way to Miami and keep up with Journal-World Orange Bowl coverage from Miami on our interactive road trip map.

Paraphrasing Old Bear Bryant again, when you finish a football season victoriously at 12-1, you don't explain or apologize about the teams you beat.

Throw in a nationally televised triumph in one of the elite bowl games and the prospect of finishing among the top five or six clubs in the final ratings; the Kansas Nation has a delightful trophy to cuddle up to on cold and lonely nights.

So Kansas began its surprising run with victories over four acknowledged cupcakes. It wound up defeating, in the Orange Bowl where its third visit proved to be the charm, a Virginia Tech outfit that many felt deserved a pre-game No. 3 rating. KU didn't luck into this Miami triumph the way Georgia Tech did against the Jayhawks in '48 and Penn State did in '69. The Jayhawks beat the favored Hokies at their own game.

As for the "nobodys" Kansas defeated en route to its historical 12-win level, Kansas State, Colorado, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M aren't quadriplegics. Three of them also played in bowl games, and two of them won.

The Jayhawks had a lousy start against a top-notch Missouri team and fell despite a heroic last-minute surge. No disgrace in losing to somebody that good. Both MU and KU could wind up in the nation's top six. Too bad the lone loss was to such a fierce rival. Yet would anyone trade a win over MU for this Orange Bowl delight?

Mizzou had an impressive victory over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. As the game ended, MU radio network guys were speculating over whether coach Gary Pinkel and Co. have inaugurated a dynasty; top people such as quarterback Chase Daniel will return.

The Tigers are drooling about 2008 just as Kansas has every right to be delightfully optimistic. KU, too, has a quarterback of quality, the imperturbable Todd Reesing. And scratch all that stuff about how KU has "ordinary" athletes who just happen to work together well. These guys may not have the hype that players in more "traditional" programs get, but they are far better than many think, and they have a mentality that clearly wins.

One of KU's major problems over the years is that it has had greats such as Ray Evans, Ralph Miller, John Hadl, Gale Sayers, John Riggins et al but too often has lacked the numbers necessary for consistent achievement. Coach Mark Mangino and Co. steadily have added smart and productive, though underpublicized, kids to the ranks. While there's no Hadl or Sayers right now, the recruiters are assembling the numbers that can create more success.

But we have to be practical. KU actually could be a better team next season yet still fall short of anything like 12-1 or Big 12 titles of any sort. Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech replace Baylor, O-State and A&M on the schedule. Missouri again will be outstanding. Nebraska and Colorado could be better. Foes like Texas and Oklahoma still turn down kids that Kansas might embrace, like, maybe Todd Reesing. And they, always, have "numbers."

After its '48 bowl heartbreak, KU had a 7-3 season. The '61 Bluebonnet Bowl victory was followed by 6-3-1. After the '68 bowl team went 9-2, a 1-9 disaster hit in '69. KU was 10-2 and won the Aloha Bowl in '95, then nose-dived to 4-7.

The current Jayhawks have great momentum, incentive and pride and now realize just how good they are and can be. Mangino and Co. need to keep "sawin' wood" and turning out more designer furniture to prove conclusively this marvelous season was no fluke.

Don't bet against them, the coaches or their kids.

2008 Orange Bowl

Comments

JHWKNMIZRY (anonymous) says...

It's time to stop trying to "justify" KU's season to people who keep trying to drag the hawks down.
WE WON THE ORANGE BOWL AGAINST THE NUMBER THREE TEAM IN THE NATION. We won all games except for a squeaker with MU. If anyone tries to argue the point tell them to live with it. It's not going to change.

January 5, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

LTCUSARet (anonymous) says...

No need to pad the resume, please get the facts straight --TAMU, OSU & CU went to bowl games, but only OSU won. The Big 12 was 5-3 in bowl games this year (think about that -- 75% of the conference bowled this year!), with wins from KU (VT), tu (ASU), OSU (Indiana), MU (Arkansas) and Texas Tech (Virginia). CU (Bama), TAMU (Penn St) and OU (WVU) lost, with only OU totally embarassing itself and the conference in the process. The Big 12 record versus other conferences was --
ACC 2-0
Pac-10 1-0
Big 10 1-1
SEC 1-1
Big East 0-1

Here's to continued success next year, and to the 2008 Orange Bowl Champions, the 12-1 Kansas Jayhawks -- Rock Chalk Jayhawk, KU!

January 5, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...

Maybe it wasn't KU with the easy schedule, but Oklahoma instead. They got to play Missouri twice and did not have to play KU.

January 5, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

njjayhawk (anonymous) says...

Let's savor this year, and let the players play out next year. Forget the "what ifs", and all the silly analysis re 2008. As always, Coach Mangino, his staff and the team will work harder than the competition and will prepare well each week -- just as they do for every game they play. That alone will be more than good enough in 2008, regardless of who the Jayhawks play, and will deliver impressive results the Jayhawk Nation will be proud of.

January 5, 2008 at 10 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

mcrozb (anonymous) says...

Great opening paragraph! 12-1. After LSU beats OSU, KU and Hawaii will be tied with the best record in college football this year, the only two 12-1 teams in the country, everyone else will have 2 or 3 losses. It will be hard to repeat next season sure, but even if we finish 10-2 going into bowl season which I think is possible, I don't think we will have as many doubters as we did this year. Rock Chalk.

January 5, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Johann Ross) says...

This win makes me happy on so many levels.

One thing Im happy about? That YOU, Mr. Mayer, as a long time fan and writer for Kansas sports, got to see this win! THIS ONES FOR YOU AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE.

Savor it. And a Rock Chalk Salute to YOU!

January 5, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

wats211 (anonymous) says...

TALIB....I WAS FEELING IT...I WAS FEELING IT..I FELT LIKE DEION......ONE OF THE CLASSIC QUOTES OF ALLTIME AND SO GENUINE......YEA..IT COST 15 YARDS.....BUT HE WAS FEELING IT.....WOW..THATS FUN STUFF!!!!!

January 5, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says...

I'll take the Orange Bowl over a mizwho win. It's not like we've never beaten the tiggers. In case I need to remind anyone.

Kansas vs. Missouri All Time Series
Football 54-53-9 (and they consider football to be their sport)
Basketball 163-93-0
Civil Wars 1-0-0

January 5, 2008 at 3:37 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

speedy (anonymous) says...

seattlehawk. i had to lol at you comments. you are right!

January 5, 2008 at 3:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says...

I hope that Mr. Rick Abernathy is sleeping better now ... your feelings of guilt should be absolved, sir!

January 5, 2008 at 4:16 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jhwkfan162515 (anonymous) says...

So, has Lee Corso publicly apologized for being such a jackass about us, or is he still refusing to admit what's obvious to the rest of the nation?

January 5, 2008 at 9:54 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says...

I think he has to acknowledge us just as Mark May did or he will risk losing credibility (assuming he actually has some) as an analyst. In the mock playoff they ran on ESPN he actually picked us over WVU in the first round so apparently he's softened his view on KU.

I don't care if people don't pick us to win a particular game but when people like Corso won't give us credit for being a good team I take it a bit personally. Lou Holtz picked Virginia Tech to beat us but he acknowledged KU as a legitimate team long before anyone else.

January 5, 2008 at 10:37 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jazzttt (anonymous) says...

Hey! There's one other win you're forgetting. One of KU's "patsies," Central Mich., got to the Motor City Bowl and only lost to Purdue by 3 in a shootout. We also beat CU, OSU, A & M, and lost to the Tiggers, so counting the Va Tech win, we're 5-1 against other bowl teams. I looove the positive outlook for next year for KU, so much better than down here in Arkansas. Settling up old scores against Texas and MU should give the boys in blue [or crimson] something to shoot for in a great 2008 season.

January 6, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. ( | suggest removal )