Superfan Bob Nelson, known around town as “The Old Jayhawk,” didn’t get to Hawaii this year.
But the Jayhawks gave him what he wanteda Christmas Day bowl victory over Brigham Young University.
It was the first KU bowl game that Jayhawk superfan Nelson hasn’t seen in person. This one he watched on televisionbut the thrill was still there.
“I was tremendously thrilled that Kansas won,” Nelson said.
“This is the first bowl game I’ve missed seeing in person. I’ve seen all the other six beginning with the Orange Bowl in 1948.”
Nelson was one of thousands of Kansas fans who could not make the holiday trip to Hawaii but who tuned in Christmas Day to watch the Jayhawks on national television.
Former Lawrence High School football coach Bill Freeman was one of those watching on TV, and he had a personal stake in the game.
Several of his former LHS players were on the field contributing to KU’s victory.
Freeman, who watched the game on television at his home in LeRoy, coach the LHS Lions for 16 years until he retired after the 1989 season. Freeman said he wasn’t surprised his former players were helping give KU its first bowl win in 31 years.
“They had played on state championships, and I don’t think their attitude has changed,” he said. “A lot of times winning is more mental than anything.”
KU players Freeman coached in high school were Harold Harris, Charley and Clint Bowen, Nate Penny and Greg Ballard.
With the Aloha Bowl victory secured, the Jayhawks will be arriving home Sunday, and Nelson said he’d be among the Jayhawk faithful who’d meet the team’s plane when it arrives at Kansas City International.
Thomas M. Stidham, assistant band director, said the KU Band would not be able to meet the team at the airport Sunday morning.
“Most of the kids are on the trip and everyone else is very scattered,” he said. “There just aren’t enough in the Lawrence area.”
Stidham said he was proud to hear on television the 60 members who went on the trip supporting the team with their music. He said about half of them had to pay their own plane fare.
With the game on Christmas, victory celebrations were a bit subdued around the city.
Some fans congregated Friday at Dos Hombres, 815 N.H., which opened for an Aloha Bowl party.
Jay Ratzlaff, Dos Hombres general manager, said about 25 people gathered there to cheer for the Jayhawks.
“It was really loud, especially in the last quarter,” he said.
“Right after the game it cleared out, but people came back around 10. Some guys who came in at about 11 did the Rock Chalk chant about three times. Everybody in here started screaming it.”