Williams fanatic uses Chicago sports forums to beg coach to stay
At a time like this, sweet nothings will have to wait.
Brian File, a Kansas University alumnus set to marry Allyson Guttery on May 25, is celebrating his last few days as a bachelor this weekend in Chicago with about 40 friends.
Friday night they went to a Bulls basketball game, and today they’re going to Wrigley Field to take in the Cubs.
And because of the large number of tickets they purchased, the group gets to have a message flashed on the scoreboard at each event.
Perhaps “Brian loves Allyson”?
Think again.
Instead, “Please stay Roy” will be spelled out in lights for all the world — or at least a good part of the Windy City — to see.
“Obviously that’s one of the big topics on our mind,” said File, who along with hundreds of other Jayhawk fans is worried that KU men’s basketball coach Roy Williams may be North Carolina-bound.
And plus, he added, “It’s probably the cleaner alternative to other things we were going to pick.”
Guttery, also a KU graduate, is being a good sport about playing second fiddle to Williams.
Kansas University basketball coach Roy Williams, right, and former KU assistant coach Jerry Green head off to the first tee box Friday at Alvamar Country Club.
File called from Chicago to tell her what he and his friends had decided on, she said.
“I got tears in my eyes and thought, oh my God, that’s so awesome,” said the Overland Park resident. “Then we started calling everyone. We called ESPN.”
The couple is hoping Williams himself sees the scoreboard message — or the signs File and his friends plan to hold begging him to stay put — while in California for the weekend.
“I want him to see this so he knows how much we all love him,” Guttery said.
Others around the state also are hoping the coach will stay a Jayhawk — and are biding time until he makes a decision.
State Atty. Gen. Phill Kline recently filed a “lawsuit” that declared North Carolina out of bounds in trying to trap Williams.
A sign outside Allen Fieldhouse expresses appreciation for Kansas University coach Roy Williams. KU fans have been using signs all over town to try to persuade Williams to stay at KU.
The four-page petition reviews Kansas’ claims to basketball fame, disparages North Carolina — what the heck is a Tar Heel? — and concludes the possession arrow for Williams is pointing toward KU.
“It simply is underhanded and plain-out wrong for institutions of one state to sneak into another to carry away the assets of another state,” Kline said, while acknowledging the phony lawsuit was all in fun. “After all, we are not laying claim to the Atlantic shoreline.”
Flowers were delivered to Williams earlier this week, and at Allen Fieldhouse signs were posted declaring undying love for the man who has been at KU for 15 years and earlier this week took his team to the NCAA title game.
And whether Williams decides to stay or go, Lawrence is planning to celebrate the basketball team’s success with a downtown parade at 4 p.m. Thursday.
“Of course,” said event organizer Peggy Johnson, “like many others, I hope Roy will stay.”
6Sports video: Williams doesn’t seem bothered by UNC rumors
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