Soon after entering, I noticed a Plexiglas box across from the soft-drink dispenser next to the ketchup and napkins. The box had a slot on top and a poster on the side that offered patrons the opportunity to win a Roy Williams bobblehead through a sweepstakes drawing.

Judging from the picture on the box, the doll won’t feature the likeness of the Dallas Cowboys defensive back or the Texas University wide receiver. Yep, it’s the Kansas University men’s basketball coach, and you’re probably saying it’s about time.

Arizona’s Lute Olson had a bobblehead last year. So did Florida’s Billy Donovan and Temple’s John Chaney. I haven’t heard of a Quin Snyder doll yet, but it might be too difficult to duplicate the Missouri coach’s tousled hair in ceramic.

Anyway, I noticed the Plexiglas box was literally stuffed with slips of paper bearing names, addresses and phone numbers of people desirous of a Williams bobblehead.

“You’d be amazed at the response,” said John Olson, one of the owners of Culver’s, a franchise restaurant whose only Kansas outlet is in Lawrence.

If you’re one of the people who shoehorned a slip of paper with your name on it into that box beside the Culver’s ketchup and napkins, you know you’ll have to wait until Jan. 11 for the drawing.

What you may not know, however — it isn’t mentioned on the poster — is Culver’s will be giving away 500 of the seven-inch rascals, and the restaurant will stage other drawings through the end of the basketball season until no more bobbling Roys remain.

If you aren’t one of the lucky winners at Culver’s, First National Bank has also ordered 500 for promotional use and about 1,500 Williams bobbleheads will eventually be placed on sale at KUstore.com.

“We don’t know yet what the price will be,” said Lee Johnson, KU’s athletics marketing director, “but a portion will go to the charity of Williams’ choice.”

Most bobbleheads I’ve seen for sale on the Internet are priced in the $10 range, but you’ll have to shell out $19.95 for a Jesus and $14.95 for a Hillary Clinton, supposedly the first bobblehead of a woman.

In the meantime, the athletics department will maintain a supply of about 1,500 for promotional use. For example, when the dolls arrive after the first of the year, KU will redeem selected Allen Fieldhouse game programs for Roy bobbleheads.