Mark Mangino's Jan. 2 press conference (Press Conferences & Post-Game Interviews)

Coach Mangino is a classy guy.

I am fixin' to graduate KU the second time in May but "part 1" of this little trip commenced in the fall of 2000. As an older student I lived in the "Jayhawker Towers" residence hall for non-trads and graduate students. For economy and convenience, I got a meal plan to eat at Mrs. E's. During the "move in" I had a chance to meet Dr Hemenway, since I was 38 with a family of 6 in tow, we were introduced and struck up a conversation, he mentioned that he would be interested in how I was getting along with the big change going back to school.

On the first trip to Mrs. E's, I observed the BIG guys in letter jackets just walking up to the front of lines, pushing other students out of the way like little lord Fauntleroy's and just generally BOORISH behavior. So, I took Chancellor Hemenway up on his offer: I dropped a note with my observations. I got a note back the next day asking if it would be OK to forward my note to Terry Allen: From the NEXT day forward there was an assistant coach who ate at Mrs. E's.

Now we fast forward to Coach Mangino's arrival, within days the "sullen shufflers" were GONE: I have no idea if we really lost that many: but I did not recognize them. They were dressed nicely and they started saying, "excuse me sir".

As soon as I was sure it was not a fluke, I followed up my e-mail to Chancellor Hemenway, and the subject was pretty simple. IF the University of Kansas Football Jayhawks never win ANOTHER game, hiring Coach Mangino was a stroke of genius! The players have a CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM in teaching how to be MEN.

January 4, 2008 at 12:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )