Kansas City, Mo. ? It was a week Kansas fans will never forget.
The minute Bill Guthridge resigned unexpectedly at North Carolina, the spotlight shifted to Roy Williams, the Kansas coach who was a North Carolina grad and former assistant coach.
Williams had led Kansas to the best regular-season record in NCAA Div. I during the ’90s and was possibly the most admired man in the state. But his North Carolina ties were strong, and almost everyone figured that one day North Carolina would call him home.
For seven days, as fans of two of the nation’s premier programs sat on the edge of their seats, Williams agonized over his decision. He walked around each campus. He talked late into the night with family and friends. More than once, he said, he wept.
Finally on a warm July night with two simple words “I’m staying” Williams shocked and angered Tar Heel fans and brought an end to what Associated Press members say was the No. 1 sports story of the year in Kansas.
Voted No. 2 was a series of events that took place far from the Sunflower State. Kansans Maurice Greene, Tara Nott and Christie Ambrosi all won gold medals in the Australia Olympics a pretty nifty haul for a state with no more population base than Kansas.
Terry Allen’s continued frustration as Kansas football coach ranked 10th.
