St. Louis ? With the thump and toot of KU’s pep band ringing in her ears, Shelley Dinges said she’d wanted to break the broken-record comments of people criticizing Roy Williams.
News stories published Thursday delved into the touchy subject of Williams and Co.’s inability so far to capture an NCAA basketball championship despite fielding some of the best college talent in the country.
“Roy is not a choker. It’s a team game,” said Dinges, who packed up her favorite Jayhawk T-shirts and drove to St. Louis to attend KU tournament games at Edward Jones Dome.
Her traveling companion, Monica Leiker, said people needed to accept Williams’ preposterous .802 winning percentage and relax.
Her advice for the choke-talkers: “Get a pre-game sauna and massage.”
While on the topic of respect, Lawrence Police officer Mike Byrn said he’d like to lay down the law on another problem.
He’s called foul on broadcasters who don’t say Drew Gooden’s name correctly. Some have mistakenly referred to the All-America Jayhawk forward as Dwight.
“How many times has Fred White called him Dwight?” Byrn asked.
l
Lori Kukuk of rural McLouth made her name spiking volleyballs for KU in the early 1980s.
The All Big Eight performer still feels a tightness in her throat when Jayhawk athletes put it on the line by competing with tenacity.
“I was a hitter,” she said, “who broke fingers at the net.”
She’s never been to an NCAA Tournament game and is enthralled by the spirit of a winner-take-all competition that can be claimed by an underdog.
“It’s awesome,” said Kukuk, who home-school’s her 8-year-old son, Cody. “It’s that chance thing. Even if you’re the best in the nation, you need luck.”
l
Lawrence third-grader Jackson Ferguson is having a ball at the tournament.
Under a tent full of Jayhawk merchandise, the 9-year-old Sunflower School student selected the one item he had to take home as a memento of his trip to the NCAA Tournament a midget-sized basketball with Final Four printed on the side.
Jackson, wearing KU gym shorts and jersey, said the smallish ball would improve his chance of scoring on an indoor goal in the flashy manner of his idol.
“I like Gooden … because he can dunk,” he said.
l
The brothers Neil, Mike and Gary Goss of Leawood are making the NCAA Tournament a family affair.
The trio, who are part of a four-generation KU family, adeptly juggled their busy work schedules to be together in St. Louis for KU’s games.
“I’ve got to go to Indianapolis for a business conference,” said Mike Goss. “I’m leaving right after (Thursday’s) game.”
No problem, he said, it’s only 460 miles round trip.
“I’ll be right back here on Saturday for the second-round game.”
St. Louis ? With the thump and toot of KU’s pep band ringing in her ears, Shelley Dinges said she’d wanted to break the broken-record comments of people criticizing Roy Williams.
News stories published Thursday delved into the touchy subject of Williams and Co.’s inability so far to capture an NCAA basketball championship despite fielding some of the best college talent in the country.
“Roy is not a choker. It’s a team game,” said Dinges, who packed up her favorite Jayhawk T-shirts and drove to St. Louis to attend KU tournament games at Edward Jones Dome.
Her traveling companion, Monica Leiker, said people needed to accept Williams’ preposterous .802 winning percentage and relax.
Her advice for the choke-talkers: “Get a pre-game sauna and massage.”
While on the topic of respect, Lawrence Police officer Mike Byrn said he’d like to lay down the law on another problem.
He’s called foul on broadcasters who don’t say Drew Gooden’s name correctly. Some have mistakenly referred to the All-America Jayhawk forward as Dwight.
“How many times has Fred White called him Dwight?” Byrn asked.
l
Lori Kukuk of rural McLouth made her name spiking volleyballs for KU in the early 1980s.
The All Big Eight performer still feels a tightness in her throat when Jayhawk athletes put it on the line by competing with tenacity.
“I was a hitter,” she said, “who broke fingers at the net.”
She’s never been to an NCAA Tournament game and is enthralled by the spirit of a winner-take-all competition that can be claimed by an underdog.
“It’s awesome,” said Kukuk, who home-school’s her 8-year-old son, Cody. “It’s that chance thing. Even if you’re the best in the nation, you need luck.”
l
Lawrence third-grader Jackson Ferguson is having a ball at the tournament.
Under a tent full of Jayhawk merchandise, the 9-year-old Sunflower School student selected the one item he had to take home as a memento of his trip to the NCAA Tournament a midget-sized basketball with Final Four printed on the side.
Jackson, wearing KU gym shorts and jersey, said the smallish ball would improve his chance of scoring on an indoor goal in the flashy manner of his idol.
“I like Gooden … because he can dunk,” he said.
l
The brothers Neil, Mike and Gary Goss of Leawood are making the NCAA Tournament a family affair.
The trio, who are part of a four-generation KU family, adeptly juggled their busy work schedules to be together in St. Louis for KU’s games.
“I’ve got to go to Indianapolis for a business conference,” said Mike Goss. “I’m leaving right after (Thursday’s) game.”
No problem, he said, it’s only 460 miles round trip.
“I’ll be right back here on Saturday for the second-round game.”
St. Louis ? With the thump and toot of KU’s pep band ringing in her ears, Shelley Dinges said she’d wanted to break the broken-record comments of people criticizing Roy Williams.
News stories published Thursday delved into the touchy subject of Williams and Co.’s inability so far to capture an NCAA basketball championship despite fielding some of the best college talent in the country.
“Roy is not a choker. It’s a team game,” said Dinges, who packed up her favorite Jayhawk T-shirts and drove to St. Louis to attend KU tournament games at Edward Jones Dome.
Her traveling companion, Monica Leiker, said people needed to accept Williams’ preposterous .802 winning percentage and relax.
Her advice for the choke-talkers: “Get a pre-game sauna and massage.”
While on the topic of respect, Lawrence Police officer Mike Byrn said he’d like to lay down the law on another problem.
He’s called foul on broadcasters who don’t say Drew Gooden’s name correctly. Some have mistakenly referred to the All-America Jayhawk forward as Dwight.
“How many times has Fred White called him Dwight?” Byrn asked.
l
Lori Kukuk of rural McLouth made her name spiking volleyballs for KU in the early 1980s.
The All Big Eight performer still feels a tightness in her throat when Jayhawk athletes put it on the line by competing with tenacity.
“I was a hitter,” she said, “who broke fingers at the net.”
She’s never been to an NCAA Tournament game and is enthralled by the spirit of a winner-take-all competition that can be claimed by an underdog.
“It’s awesome,” said Kukuk, who home-school’s her 8-year-old son, Cody. “It’s that chance thing. Even if you’re the best in the nation, you need luck.”
l
Lawrence third-grader Jackson Ferguson is having a ball at the tournament.
Under a tent full of Jayhawk merchandise, the 9-year-old Sunflower School student selected the one item he had to take home as a memento of his trip to the NCAA Tournament a midget-sized basketball with Final Four printed on the side.
Jackson, wearing KU gym shorts and jersey, said the smallish ball would improve his chance of scoring on an indoor goal in the flashy manner of his idol.
“I like Gooden … because he can dunk,” he said.
l
The brothers Neil, Mike and Gary Goss of Leawood are making the NCAA Tournament a family affair.
The trio, who are part of a four-generation KU family, adeptly juggled their busy work schedules to be together in St. Louis for KU’s games.
“I’ve got to go to Indianapolis for a business conference,” said Mike Goss. “I’m leaving right after (Thursday’s) game.”
No problem, he said, it’s only 460 miles round trip.
“I’ll be right back here on Saturday for the second-round game.”
St. Louis ? With the thump and toot of KU’s pep band ringing in her ears, Shelley Dinges said she’d wanted to break the broken-record comments of people criticizing Roy Williams.
News stories published Thursday delved into the touchy subject of Williams and Co.’s inability so far to capture an NCAA basketball championship despite fielding some of the best college talent in the country.
“Roy is not a choker. It’s a team game,” said Dinges, who packed up her favorite Jayhawk T-shirts and drove to St. Louis to attend KU tournament games at Edward Jones Dome.
Her traveling companion, Monica Leiker, said people needed to accept Williams’ preposterous .802 winning percentage and relax.
Her advice for the choke-talkers: “Get a pre-game sauna and massage.”
While on the topic of respect, Lawrence Police officer Mike Byrn said he’d like to lay down the law on another problem.
He’s called foul on broadcasters who don’t say Drew Gooden’s name correctly. Some have mistakenly referred to the All-America Jayhawk forward as Dwight.
“How many times has Fred White called him Dwight?” Byrn asked.
l
Lori Kukuk of rural McLouth made her name spiking volleyballs for KU in the early 1980s.
The All Big Eight performer still feels a tightness in her throat when Jayhawk athletes put it on the line by competing with tenacity.
“I was a hitter,” she said, “who broke fingers at the net.”
She’s never been to an NCAA Tournament game and is enthralled by the spirit of a winner-take-all competition that can be claimed by an underdog.
“It’s awesome,” said Kukuk, who home-school’s her 8-year-old son, Cody. “It’s that chance thing. Even if you’re the best in the nation, you need luck.”
l
Lawrence third-grader Jackson Ferguson is having a ball at the tournament.
Under a tent full of Jayhawk merchandise, the 9-year-old Sunflower School student selected the one item he had to take home as a memento of his trip to the NCAA Tournament a midget-sized basketball with Final Four printed on the side.
Jackson, wearing KU gym shorts and jersey, said the smallish ball would improve his chance of scoring on an indoor goal in the flashy manner of his idol.
“I like Gooden … because he can dunk,” he said.
l
The brothers Neil, Mike and Gary Goss of Leawood are making the NCAA Tournament a family affair.
The trio, who are part of a four-generation KU family, adeptly juggled their busy work schedules to be together in St. Louis for KU’s games.
“I’ve got to go to Indianapolis for a business conference,” said Mike Goss. “I’m leaving right after (Thursday’s) game.”
No problem, he said, it’s only 460 miles round trip.
“I’ll be right back here on Saturday for the second-round game.”
