Friday, April 11, 2008

Victory parade route extended

By Mark Fagan

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The route for Sunday's parade of champions for the Kansas Jayhawks has been extended beyond downtown.

The parade, as originally scheduled, will start at 3 p.m. at Seventh and Massachusetts streets, and move south on Massachusetts toward South Park.

But instead of stopping there, the parade crew of KU players, coaches, support staffers and members of the pep band and Spirit Squad will continue down Massachusetts to 19th Street.

From there they'll turn and head west, toward 19th and Naismith Drive.

Sgt. Paul Fellers, a Lawrence police spokesman, said the parade route was extended after discussions with officials from Kansas Athletics Inc.

"Hopefully, everybody will have a good view of the parade," Fellers said.

Free parking will be allowed in all municipal lots downtown, Fellers said. The lot south of the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th, also will be open, now that the parade route has been extended.

But parking will be prohibited along both sides of Massachusetts between 11th to 15th streets, and then on the west side of Massachusetts from 15th to 19th streets, Fellers said. The parade will occupy the entire width of Massachusetts until reaching 15th, when it will switch to stay in southbound lanes.

The parade will not completely close 19th Street, he said, because the parade will occupy only the westbound lanes.

Comments

jross1972 (Johann Ross) says...

I dont understand for the life of me why plans dont include the football team. Marchiony is the biggest JERK! KU had NEVER won a major bowl game, and here we are in 2008 with something to celebrate and he denies them the chance to have a parade.

How do you think that makes them feel Marchiony? Those kids played their hearts out against all expectations against them, and brought home a BCS win!

YOU SHOULD BE FIRED, SIR!

If those kids arent a part of the celebration I will use all my breath to rail against you. This is a travesty and a sham and a mockery.

LET THE FOOTBALL TEAM PARTICIPATE.

April 11, 2008 at 7:11 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

kcmostwanted (anonymous) says...

WE don't know the whole story on why the football team isn't involved in this parade so we shouldn't jump to conclusions..

Maybe Mark Mangino doesn't want a parade for the football players....you know just like how he didn't want them to pour Gatorade on him at the bowl.... Maybe he thinks they don't deserve the parade yet because that was just the "orange bowl" and not the National title game...

Mangino is a very humble guy and i wouldn't be surprised if he disagreed to having such an event for the football team because he wants to [first] prove that they can win BCS bowl games on a consistent basis...Ultimately, he's happy w/ the success this year but he's no where near satisfied yet!

April 11, 2008 at 7:55 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KUGreenMachine (anonymous) says...

Yeah, I'd agree. Mangino has done wonders keeping his guys humbled and playing as a team. If anything I'd imagine that Mangino was the one that got the final decision on a parade. He probably did not want one so his guys didn't get distracted as well as become satisfied. However, I believe if we won the N.C. in football he'd be crazy not to have one. Mangino still has a young team, so I'm sure he plans on keeping them grounded and hungry for more...

April 11, 2008 at 8:29 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says...

I agree it'd be "so cool" to have Marchiony on a float and fans could throw eggs at him.

April 11, 2008 at 10:15 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

WilburNether (anonymous) says...

"LET THE FOOTBALL TEAM PARTICIPATE."

Say WHAT?!?

Umm...Just in case you hadn't heard, the parade is to honor the KU basketball team. And, just in case you hadn't heard, the BASKETBALL team won the National Championship.

Last time I checked, the football team did NOT win the national championship.

The football team had a great season and Orange Bowl win, but it has no place in this event. End of discussion.

April 12, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. ( | suggest removal )