Turkey fodder

By Staff     Nov 19, 2007

One of the hot topics today in an already news-filled week in terms of the KU-MU game is the [cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated][1], set to hit newsstands Wednesday morning. It features Kerry Meier snagging a touchdown pass from Todd Reesing during last weekend’s [45-7 drilling][2] of Iowa State.Obviously, the first thing to pop into any fan’s mind is SI Jinx.It’s actually been pretty consistent this year.-Of the five regional college football preview covers SI produced (featuring Michigan’s Mike Hart, West Virginia’s Steve Slaton, Arkansas’ Darren McFadden, Oklahoma’s Allen Patrick and one with a trio of Southern Cal running backs), only one of the five teams portrayed – West Virginia – is still in the title hunt. Only one – McFadden (barely) – is still considered a Heisman candidate.-A week later – Aug. 27 – Nick Saban was featured on the cover. Alabama has stumbled down the stretch and has faded into third-tier bowl status. The Crimson Tide has lost three in a row – including back-to-back defeats at the hands of Mississippi State and Louisiana-Monroe – and is 6-5 with just the Iron Bowl left to go.-Sept. 24’s cover featured Southern Cal quarterback John David Booty in game action while thumping Nebraska with the headling ‘USC on fire.’ USC is now needing some help and wins over Arizona State and UCLA to get into the Rose Bowl, and Booty would go on to miss three games due to injury.Of course, those jinxes weren’t consistent, in the sense that they all didn’t kick in the weekend following the magazine’s release.Now, do I believe in the jinx? Sort of. I do think much of it is just coincidence, though.And if there’s a team in the nation that is immune to something as superficial as a magazine cover affecting the outcome of its next game, it’s Kansas.Mark Mangino has essentially turned the Jayhawks’ offices, weight room, practice fields and facilities into one big Biodome – closed off from the outside. While it may be an inconvenience to the media at times and leave fans craving more exposure from the team, it’s how a championship could be won. And it’s how you avoid something like the SI Jinx from being a lame pitfall in an incredible season.I’ll stick by my prediction – Kansas 42, Missouri 39**-Speaking of Sports Illustrated**, last week Todd Reesing made an appearance in the SI Players section of the magazine in the weekly Pop Culture Grid. Reesing was by far the most entertaining guy involved, joining the likes of San Antonio Spurs forward Matt Bonner, Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood and Green Bay Packers d-end Aaron Kampman.According to Reesing’s answers, if he could learn one foreign language? ‘French. Chicks dig it.’Best pickup line? ‘You see the game on Saturday?’Week after week, he gives us more and more reason to ask the question: How can you _not_ love this guy?The answers, though, show a side of Reesing that he opts not to reveal in the media for the most part. When talking football, he’s very humble, nothing short of appreciative of his teammates’ efforts and practically never takes the bait on silly questions attempting to get him to run his mouth or trash-talk.Though what I would have liked to read in the Pop Culture Grid is what’s the best pickup line that’s been used on _him_ since solidifying himself as a Heisman candidate. Heck, have some fun and leave some guesses down below in the comment space…**-Hey, in case you forgot**, KU’s got a pretty big game this _Sunday_, too. I’m willing to bet that in a year of multiple football-related firsts, this is the first time KU football has ever made KU hoops fans put the best home non-conference game of the year in the backburner along with Thanksgiving dinner.This will be the Jayhawks’ second-best home game of the season, taking a close second to the March 1 welcoming of the one-man-band known as Michael Beasley and his gang of ‘Cats.Arizona may not be ranked, following a three-point loss to Virginia last week, but the ‘Cats have star power, including two future lottery picks in sophomore wing Chase Budinger and freshman point guard Jerryd Bayless.Bayless is looking like he could be a legit one-and-done candidate. In Monday’s win over UMKC, he registered 20 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.Budinger has one of the nation’s most eye-popping verticals. He opened the season by hitting for 25 points against KU’s Wednesday night opponent, Northern Arizona. The 6-foot-7 matchup nightmare is 5-of-11 from three-point range so far and is shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor.But still, even though the Arizona name comes into the building, depth does not. That just so happens to be KU’s strength. Should Lute Olsen decide to come back to coach this one for Arizona, that’d be an emotional pick-me-up which could lift the Wildcats as a group. But if not, it’s hard to go against KU in this one.Prediction: KU 85, Arizona 71I’ll see you all Saturday afternoon for The Greene Room Live. Thank goodness for the protection of glass and walls in the press box. I’m thinking it’s gonna be a war zone in the stands.I’ve set the over/under on arrests at 200. Any thoughts? [1]: http://worldonline.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2007/11/20/SICover_112607_Kansas.jpg [2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/nov/18/banner_day/?football

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