Top KUsports.com stories from 2012

By Staff     Dec 31, 2012

The following are the top 10 most-clicked-on stories for KUsports.com in 2012.

**10. Thomas Robinson declares for NBA Draft (22,701 pageviews):**

Thomas Robinson declares for NBA Draft

With coach Bill Self to his left and 9-year-old sister Jayla to his right, Kansas forward Thomas Robinson announced that he’d be entering the 2012 NBA Draft during an April 9 news conference at KU. Robinson was later selected fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings, becoming the earliest Jayhawk drafted since Drew Gooden was taken fourth in 2002.

**9. Kansas claims epic win in border war finale (23,057 pageviews):**

Kansas claims epic win in Border War finale

In the final men’s basketball game played between Kansas and Missouri as conference foes, the Jayhawks overcame a 19-point, second-half deficit in an 87-86 victory over the Tigers at Allen Fieldhouse. Thomas Robinson made the most memorable play of the game at the end of regulation, skying high to block a Phil Pressey layup attempt with two seconds remaining to send the contest to OT.

**8. Bill Self chimes in on conference realignment; ACC expansion and more rumors (23,616 pageviews):**

Conference realignment continued to be a story in 2012, and on Nov. 27, Louisville announced officially that it would leave the Big East to join the ACC in 2014. Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self was asked about where the Big 12 stood during his weekly press conference that day. “I don’t know that we could be on more solid footing right now,” Self said. “With the situation with the SEC and the Big 12 in football, the alliance, the new television deal, we are in great shape. I don’t think there’s any need to rush to do anything.”

**7. Roy Williams, Tar Heels hurting after loss to Kansas (23,706 pageviews):**

Roy Williams, Tar Heels hurting after loss to Kansas

North Carolina coach Roy Williams — the man in charge at Kansas for 15 years from 1988-2003 — fell for the second time to KU in the NCAA Tournament, dropping an 80-67 decision on March 24 to send the Jayhawks to the Final Four. “I’ll say, ‘What if,’ for a long time,” Williams said. “But we still had a chance. We just didn’t play as well as we needed to play.” Williams’ Tar Heels also lost to the Jayhawks in the 2008 national semifinals.

**6. Altered anthem bothers Bill Self (24,020 pageviews):**

Altered anthem bothers Bill Self

Some Kansas University students made headlines for a pregame routine at Allen Fieldhouse, yelling the words “Home of the Chiefs” at the end of the national anthem instead of “Home of the Brave” — a tradition that started at Kansas City Chiefs games at Arrowhead Stadium. KU coach Bill Self spoke out on the topic, saying it was something KU “certainly could do without.” The chant has died down a bit this season, perhaps because of the Chiefs’ miserable season.

**5. Norm Roberts joins Kansas coaching staff (24,618 pageviews):**

Norm Roberts to join Kansas coaching staff

After spending one season as an assistant coach under Bill Self at Kansas in 2003-04, Norm Roberts was selected on April 9 as the replacement on Self’s staff for Danny Manning, who left to become the head coach at Tulsa. Roberts — previously an assistant coach with Florida — said coming back to KU would have added significance with his son, Niko, already on the team as a walk-on.

**4. KU men’s basketball team No. 2 seed in Midwest regional (24,957 pageviews):**

KU is No. 2 seed in Midwest region, will face 15th-seeded Detroit at approximately 8:57 p.m. Friday

When the Kansas men’s basketball team’s draw was announced, most of the focus turned to a potential Elite Eight matchup with North Carolina and former KU coach Roy Williams in the Elite Eight. There also was some concern about KU’s first-round opponent: 15th-seeded Detroit, which featured McDonald’s All-American Ray McCallum Jr. The Jayhawks ended up defeating the Titans, 65-50, on their way to the national championship game.

**3. Weis announces dismissal of 10 Jayhawk football players (26,970 pageviews):**

Weis announces dismissal of 10 Jayhawks from KU football program

Just a month after taking the Kansas football coaching job, Charlie Weis announced a major roster shakeup, dismissing 10 players for the football program, with reasons ranging from academic and behavior issues to certain players requesting a transfer. The biggest names from the list included incumbent starting quarterback Jordan Webb, running back Darrian Miller, safety Keeston Terry and controversial QB Brock Berglund.

**2. Shooting guard Wayne Selden commits to KU basketball (27,515 pageviews):**

Big pick-up: Combo guard Wayne Selden commits to KU basketball

A week after attending Late Night in the Phog — and saying he was “blown away” by it — 6-foot-5 combo guard Wayne Selden orally committed to the Kansas men’s basketball team, picking the Jayhawks over Ohio State, Florida, UCLA and others. Ranked No. 14 nationally at the time by ESPN and No. 23 by Rivals.com, Selden is the headliner in KU’s 2013 recruiting class that was ranked second nationally by ESPN.

**1. Charlie Weis kicks backsides, returns names (30,002 pageviews):**

Charlie Weis kicks backsides, returns names

In his first news conference after being announced as Kansas’ new football coach, Charlie Weis addressed the KU football team’s uniforms during his opening statement. “Let’s get the biggest question answered right off the bat. Yes, we’re gonna put the names on the back of the jerseys,” Weis said. “Can we put that one to bed now?” In the two previous seasons, former KU coach Turner Gill had removed players’ names from the back of the uniforms to emphasize team over the individual. The decision angered many fans, who frequently had to pull out their rosters to figure out which players they were cheering for. This story received a huge traffic boost from outside sources, as more than half of the pageviews came from ESPN.com stories that linked to it.

**The rest of the top 20:** 11. Former KU player Marcus Morris cited for misdemeanor battery (21,537 pageviews); 12. Kansas quarterback Jake Heaps using transfer year to get head start on 2013 (21,446 pageviews); 13. Evan Manning likely KU bound (21,402 pageviews); 14. KU guard Merv Lindsay to transfer (21,261 pageviews); 15. Awesome babeee! KU routs Baylor, wows Dick Vitale (21,086 pageviews); 16. Milton Doyle spoke with Bill Self on phone before deciding to transfer (21,058 pageviews); 17. KU hires former Dallas Cowboys assistant Dave Campo as defensive coordinator (20,163 pageviews); 18. Freshman Milton Doyle to leave KU men’s basketball team (19,351 pageviews); 19. Tyler Self to play for dad (19,189 pageviews); 20. Andrew White officially signs with KU basketball (19,169 pageviews).

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