John Crider is no longer a member of Kansas University’s men’s basketball team.
Crider, a 6-foot-4 junior guard from Horton, on Wednesday enrolled for second semester classes at Washburn University.
He’ll practice with the Ichabods the rest of the semester and start playing in games for the NCAA Div. II Topeka school next school year.
“I just want to play,” said Crider, who played sparingly his first two years at Kansas. “I did not want to leave KU. It’s a great place, a class program and everything. I love the players. I love the coaches. I just have to play.”
Crider he was an all-stater at Horton High said he knew it was time to leave after playing just four minutes at the conclusion of the Jayhawks’ exhibition opener against the California All-Stars.
“That exhibition game … when I didn’t get in I was … dang,” Crider said. “That’s when I thought I better talk to coach (Roy Williams). I told him I was not having fun any more. He said he did not want that and would do all he could to help me find another place to play, if that’s what I really wanted.”
Crider knew at practice following the exhibition game his days as a Jayhawk were numbered.
“I was not having fun at practice. I was down all the time,” Crider said.
Washburn was a logical alternative.
“I like the players. I like the coaches. I’ve known coach (Bob) Chipman since high school,” Crider said. “It’s close to home. I’ll still be in Lawrence a lot around the players and coaches. Coach Williams treats you like part of the family and that’s what I’ll still be.”
Williams was on the road recruiting Wednesday and unavailable for comment. Crider said he respects Williams’ decision to not award him much playing time.
“I am not upset with him. He’s doing what he does coaching the team and doing what he thinks is best,” Crider said. “As you know, we are very talented. We have 10, 11 good players. I’m probably the 10th or 11th guy. I have no problem with that.”
Crider never showed the form he had at Horton High where he once scored 52 points in a game against McLouth and averaged 31.3 points and 11.1 rebounds his senior year. He hit one of 25 shots zero of 14 threes during his two-year career at KU.
“I never had any confidence,” Crider said. “If you have no confidence, you won’t play well.”
Why no confidence?
“I really don’t know,” Crider said. “I’d get in there and didn’t really play well and didn’t play much. After a while, my confidence was lost. I believe my confidence will come back. I’m going to try my hardest and be the best player I can be. I will never stop working.”
Playing in the one exhibition game costs him a year of eligibility and he’ll be a senior next year. Crider will appeal, however, and likely will win a year back because of medical hardship reasons.
He had a torn quad muscle that has kept him from playing for about a month now.
“I did it in conditioning,” Crider said. “I kept running on it and playing on it. My muscle finally swelled the size of a fist and I got it checked out.”
A dog named Roy
On a light note, Crider recently purchased a golden retriever dog for his girlfriend. The dog’s name?
“Roy. I just named it that ’cause we were thinking of names and that popped up,” Crider said. “Actually I’m keeping the dog now because she can’t keep it (in apartment).”
Chipman speaks
Washburn coach Bob Chipman on Crider: “John is a very talented player who loves to play basketball and will be a tremendous asset to our program. He knows how to win after playing for one of the great coaches and programs in America in coach Williams and Kansas.”
McDonald’s Game
KU signee Wayne Simien of Leavenworth High and Ben Cosman of Baldwin High have been nominated to the 2001 McDonald’s All America high school basketball team. In all, 1,600 players will be considered for 24 slots in the McDonald’s All America game on March 28 at Duke University.
Mike Sullivan, a member of the McDonald’s committee, says he believes KU signee Aaron Miles of Portland is a lock for the game. He believes Simien has a very good chance of making the squad.
Chenowith on Rome show
Put Kansas center Eric Chenowith on the Jim Rome radio show and all heck breaks loose.
Chenowith had a “take” on a popular show topic ‘Rae-enthal.’
Rae refers to Rae Carruth, who is accused of plotting the murder of his girlfriend, who was pregnant at the time of her death. “Enthal” refers or Orenthal (O.J.) Simpson, who was acquitted of murders of his wife and friend.
“There’s no question about it, man,” Chenowith said of calling Carruth a murderer on the show. “Now I’m kinda scared there might be a contract on my life.”
Of former Oklahoma State guard Doug Gottlieb, a pal of Chenowith, he said: “I don’t think he’s playing now. Last thing I heard was he was announcing Div. III basketball. I hope that’s working out well for you, Doug.”‘
On a serious note, he said his mom has recovered from breast cancer: “She is wonderful, an amazing story,” Chenowith said of Janey. “I went home for Christmas and went to the gym to shoot. My mom, fresh off six treatments of chemo, a full mastectomy and lumpectomy, is out there shagging basketballs for me.
“My mom beat cancer. It’s a blessing from God. We prayed really hard about it. We’re just blessed to keep her in our lives. It’s great to have her around. You don’t appreciate people in your life until there’s a question of them being taken away.
“I respect her so much. Unless you go through chemo you don’t understand the pain you go through.”
Kinsey returns to OU
Mario Kinsey returns to Oklahoma Saturday for KU’s noon battle with the Sooners. Remember in football, Kinsey, KU’s red-shirt quarterback, had an exchange with fans:
“Hey No. 14, you must not be any good. You don’t even have a helmet,” an OU fan at Memorial Stadium said to Kinsey.
“The name is Kinsey. Remember it,” Kinsey said. “I’ll be back.”
