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March 27, 2008
DETROIT, Mich. - All the comparisons between the NCAA Tournament runs KU made in 1988 and now in 2008, one of the major differences is also maybe the most visible.It's the tattoos.In the changing culture of college basketball, nothing is more obvious these days than the players' abundance of body art. Some skin designs have more meaning than others, but they're all a form of expression.When was your first? How much trouble did you get for it? What's your most meaningful? What are the stories behind your ink jobs? Any plans for your next? What's your favorite on someone else? Answering all of those questions are some of KU's most visible skin art aficionados.Mario Chalmers - junior guard Tattoo count: 3Mario Chalmers' most visible tattoo is the one which usually draws the most questions. It's located on his [right shoulder, featuring a dollar bill sign and the number one next to it.][1]He got that tattoo - his first - at age 19. It's dedicated to his grandmother, Ethel Mae Evans, who passed a couple years back."(A dollar bill) was just something she would give to people, or she would collect for my college fund," Chalmers said. "It's her name (on top). At the bottom, it's the date she was born and the date she died."Chalmers' parents had no issues with their son's first inking. His second two are hardly visible, but given what they say, it only makes sense.On the bottom of his left wrist, in small print, reads 'quietness'. On the other wrist, same location, 'confidence'."Back at home in Alaska, my pastor always told me 'quietness and confidence,'" he said. "And I just got it tatted just to keep as a reminder."Rodrick Stewart - senior guard Tattoo count: 11Rodrick Stewart's first tattoo should have never happened in the first place. While in California as a high school freshman, he and twin brother Lodrick had to not only go behind their dad's back to get it done. Plus, there was the whole part of looking old enough to not draw questions at the tattoo parlor."I was kinda big, so the guy thought I was older than I was," he said with a laugh.The twins each had [a basketball put on their shoulders along with the words 'Double Trouble'.][2] It was hidden from Bull Stewart for, oh, about two months."That was the worst day of my life," Stewart said while laughing about Bull's first view of the tattoo. "I know that."Since then, he's been inked 10 more times, but has one rule for adding body art."I think tattoos are fine as long as they have meaning," he said.The rest of Stewart's include his mother's name on a cross, Philippians 4:13 (I can do all things through Christ...) across his chest and his grandmother's name (Luecille, 1938-2003, passed the night before Stewart's high school state title game as a senior in high school) on his left arm.The most painful?"On my chest," he said, thinking about his and another one he likes - the [lion Washington Wizards' star Gilbert Arenas has across his chest.][3] "That one, ah, you've got to make sure you've got your mind right walking in for that."Next up for Stewart will be a tattoo dedicated to his adopted brother, Allen Stewart, who was murdered last month in Seattle.Russell Robinson - senior guard Tattoo count: 2Russell Robinson's first tattoo, a panther stretching across much of his left forearm, is almost faded away by now."No reason why I got it, but I liked the way it looked, and I thought it symbolized the kind of player I was on the court," he said of his first tattoo at age 18. "I hit that age where you just wanted to try something new, do your own thing."Mom loved it, Dad wished it might have been a bit less visible.The second tattoo is on his left shoulder, and was more of a guilty pleasure sort of deal, acquired in Miami while on vacation over Fourth of July week last summer."It was kind of a spontaneous thing," he said. "I couldn't pass up the chance to get one at Miami Ink. I watch the [TV show][4] a lot, so I got ['Mr. Robinson.' It's in cursive, pretty nice."][5]His next one will go back to having some meaning, he said, once his collegiate career is done."Next one is gonna be something probably just about my basketball career so far," he said. "Who knows, might have a 'KU' on it."It's addictive, because you kinda feel like you need to fill up. It's a piece of art, you want to express yourself in a different way."Darrell Arthur - sophomore forward Tattoo count: 5Rodrick Stewart said a chest tattoo is painful? Darrell Arthur agrees, but it does get worse.Arthur's tattoo with the loudest message is on his back, stretching from shoulder blade to shoulder blade, reading 'King Arthur'."My back was probably the most painful," Arthur said. "It's going across your spine."Despite the pain, he said his next tattoo will be an addition going down the spine - a sword.'I mean, I've got King Arthur, so I'm gonna get the king's sword," he said.Arthur's other tattoos include the words 'God's Child' on his chest, his grandmother's name - Ruby - atop his left wrist and his mother's name - Sandra - inside a cross on his right shoulder.His most visible, though, is his first. His upper left arm features a huge [joker playing basketball with the words 'Step up and get clowned' along it.][6] That came when he was 17 as a birthday gift from Sandra, who said she'd get it for him then after he'd asked earlier in the year.The coolest tattoo he doesn't have, though? It goes right along with the back theme."(K-State's Michael) Beasley's got a nice one on his back," he said. "It says 'God's Son' with angel's wings going down his back."Brandon Rush - junior guard Tattoo count: 10 or 11Brandon Rush got a tattoo at a younger age than any of his teammates."I was 13 when I first got one," he said of the tattoo featuring [a backboard with a basketball crashing through it on his shoulder,][7] featuring his last name prominently."I was in California visiting my brother (JaRon) at UCLA," he said. "My mama, we just rode around Venice Beach, and I asked if I could get a tattoo."Glenda Rush's signing off on the initial skin art began Rush's run of tattoos, dedicated to his family and both where he came from.Those include his grandmother's name - Jeanette - on his opposite shoulder and his mother's name on the other arm.The one he goes into the most detail about is on his upper arm, featuring the [state of Missouri with a 'KC' in the middle and a crown on the top.][8]"King of the city," he said of his hometown."I think with basketball players, guys just like to put their mark on them about their life," Rush said. "Where they've been to, where they want to go."Sherron Collins - sophomore guard Tattoo count: 13Sherron Collins holds the title of the most tattoos on the team, which sort of goes against what his Mom said after he was first inked as a freshman in high school.It was then when his upper arm took on the image of [a basketball player featuring a warning below it: 'Caution: Don't Reach'.][9]"When I was in high school, I was known for crossing people over and doing a lot of highlight stuff," he said. "My mom probably didn't see it for about a week. She was like 'You'd better slow down...or consult me first."His mom would be OK with the rest of his tattoos, though, even though they're numerous, given their reasons."Every tattoo on my body has a meaning to it - you don't just go get (them) for no reason," he said. "I wouldn't."That's especially true on the bottom of his forearm, featuring the words 'Rest in Peace Sherron Jr.' around a pair of praying hands. It was a tribute to his first son, who passed before his freshman season at KU."That's my most meaningful right now," he said.Darnell Jackson - senior forward Tattoo count: Doesn't keep trackEveryone is aware of the hardships Darnell Jackson has endured in his personal life throughout his Kansas career.Always a humble young man, he didn't feel the need for a tattoo until he was 21, after his grandmother passed following a car accident.[Her name - Evon Jackson - is featured on his upper right arm.][10]"It means a lot," he said softly, not needing many words to get the message across. "She means a lot to me." [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2008/feb/11/140793/ [2]: http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2008/mar/27/143494/ [3]: http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/resources/2007/04/gilbertsleeps.jpg [4]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472014/ [5]: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2008/feb/09/140587/ [6]: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2008/mar/21/143070/ [7]: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2008/feb/27/141638/ [8]: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2008/mar/01/141840/ [9]: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2008/mar/20/142921/ [10]: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2008/mar/22/143159/
Comments
BannerforKirk (anonymous) says...
Very nice work Ryan - I appreciate reading about this side of the guys. It also goes to show that ink doesn't equal thug. These are great men who have decided to express themselves in this way. It doesn't say anything about the kind of person they are.
March 27, 2008 at 10:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chase0557 (anonymous) says...
Nice work. But my roommate wants to know if Coach Self has a tat?
March 27, 2008 at 10:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...
Thanks Ryan- Alot of peope think that just because someone has ink on them they are a thug or trouble. Thats not the case at all, alot of people ink up for very personal reasons. It's nice to read all the stories behind the Jayhawks art work. Thanks again.
March 27, 2008 at 10:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slantrox (anonymous) says...
I agree! I hate tattoos, and wish we didn't have to see them, but knowing the quality guys we have, I totally agree with Bannerforkirk that Ink doesn't equal thug! I do love when they have real meaning behind them!
Ryan, we love these guys for their bball abilities, but we also love the person within each, keep the personal stories coming if you can.
It was a little crazy with all the guys leaving the last 5 years, but now we can truly look back and say Coach Self knows quality people, not just quality basketball players!!!
March 28, 2008 at 7:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Solomon (anonymous) says...
None of our white players have tattoos?
March 28, 2008 at 8:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cklarock (anonymous) says...
Coach Self's tattoo is a stomach rocker that says "Hi Lo 4 L1f3"
March 28, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )