Yet selfish and boorish as the caper was, at least the hot-dog receiver had done something. That makes the actions of my Turkey of the Year even more ridiculous.

I’m talking about a Texas A&M defensive gridder in that 77-0 slaughter at the hands of Oklahoma. OU had moved deep into Aggie territory with a few minutes left; coach Bob Stoops had called off the dogs. In effect, he told the substitutes in the game not to try too hard to score and make the whipping even more embarrassing.

So the Sooners half-heartedly went through the motions, and a couple of Aggies roared into the backfield and got a sack or loss — whatever it was, it was so easy. With 77 big points and a goose egg flashing from the scoreboard, one A&M jerk leaped up and started celebrating as if he’d stopped the Sooners on fourth down to win the game.

Perhaps you have a better nominee for the Gobbler designation, but that one really sticks in my mind.

From the standpoint of accomplishment, I shouldn’t have been offended by Arizona basketeer Hassan Adams Saturday against Marquette. His spirited and effective play helped ‘Zona overcome a 50-35 deficit, go on a 50-25 run and whip the Milwaukeeans, 85-75.

Adams, once recruited by Roy Williams at Kansas University, had cause to be proud and happy. He carried it too far with his showoff tactics which made me wish I had a volleyball-size NERF ball to jam into his big, bragging mouth. Hassan wound up with 17 points while Salim Stoudamire had 27, all timely.

Stoudamire carried it off with class. The taunting, crowd-agitating Adams made himself and his team look tacky and demeaned the efforts of a fine Marquette team. Marquette found, leading by 15 with 17:15 to go, how Arizona can rally. It did that to beat Kansas after the Jayhawks ripped the Wildcats in the first half here last season.

Guys like Horn keep trying to come up with something new and different in a bid for one-upmanship. They contend they are in the entertainment field and that fans love it. Not all of us. Sure wish there were more Tim Duncans, Walter Paytons, Jim Browns, Bob Lillys and John Unitases around for role-models. How long before some exhibitionist triggers a riot with his put-downs of opponents?

Whatever happened to doing something good and acting as if you’d been there before?

¢

When Mark Mangino took over as Kansas football coach he had to weed out people who’d taken advantage of Terry Allen’s laxity to the point of foolishness. One of the earliest encouraged to relocate was undisciplined quarterback Mario Kinsey, alleged basketball/football whiz who wound up somewhere in Texas. He didn’t make All-America there, either. Roy Williams saw early on that Mario was a menace and announced the Waco kid would be concentrating on his studies (yuk!).

Mangino gained instant respect from players and fans with his flintier approach.

So in comes Bill Self for basketball. He didn’t pre-judge anyone any more than Mangino did. But Bill soon deciphered tendencies and trends, and, when senior Jeff Graves began to slip back into his immature ways, Self had to act. I think Bill would be more fun to play for than Roy-Boy, but he can be just as tough.

Whatever irresponsible things Graves was doing, it got him a suspension and last-chance status when he was reinstated. The leash now is short — be good or be gone, one more and out.

I loved the fact Self didn’t use that old “violation of team rules” when Graves was sidetracked. The coach cited irresponsibility and lack of respect for his teammates and the program. No hidden meanings.

Graves has an NBA physicality that can make him a lot of money if he’ll take a brace, grow up and hone his skills. Even NBA humpties are getting $500,000 or so a year. Graves can be more than a humpty, but only if he chooses to earn his keep and avoid feeling sorry for himself.

¢

Allow me a brief pitch for one of my dearest aspects of Kansas University — 100-year-old Dyche Hall and the Museum of Natural History. Activities such as basketball, football, the fine arts programs and such have lured thousands upon thousands to Lawrence and the campus; they have been glorious. But many don’t realize that until Cabela’s opened about a year ago in the Kansas City area, the KU museum ranked as the top tourist attraction in all of Kansas.

It’s still a delight, and how many of us have enjoyed it so much with kids, grandkids, friends? What a delightful old building and a marvelous operation where you can stimulate people to the hilt. One of my lasting memories of the place is when I was a senior in 1949 and decided to fill out my final semester with a two-hour course that sounded so easy, “Animals of the Past.” Pushover? Not! The old prof in charge worked our butts off; I’ve never been prouder of an “A” grade. He didn’t suffer fools.

Dyche Hall and the museum have had growing pains and are in need of money to refurbish, expand and such. Wish I had a few million to throw that way. Hope some others a bit more plush feel likewise and help this grand old lady of the campus. What an absolute visual and educational jewel!