Shame on N.C.

To the editor:

Let me join the ranks of those who want to express their sadness at Roy Williams’ abrupt departure from Lawrence. Sure, we appreciate the good things coach Williams did for the KU basketball program and the image of the state of Kansas. Sure, we were angry and shocked when he left.

As the days go by and tempers cool down, though, one factor remains: Shame on North Carolina for the way it mishandled its personnel problems, grabbing the spotlight away from the programs that had legitimately earned it by being in the final rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Shame on them for hollowing out what should have been one of Kansas’s most triumphant moments and tainting our celebrations with doubts about the future as they openly pursued our coach.

Shame on them for making the senior seasons of Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich, two marvelous players, end with a whimper, not a shout. Much is made of this so-called family connection between the basketball programs of Kansas and North Carolina. If this is how they treat members of their “family,” we’d sure hate to see how they treat people they don’t like.

Coach Williams left the program in fine shape. Kansas will hire another excellent coach, and Kansas basketball will go on. Thanks to the members of the current team who are able to see beyond the moment to their future as Kansas Jayhawks. We really appreciate all they accomplished this year and will accomplish in the future. However, North Carolina rained on our parade — figuratively and literally — and we won’t be able to forget that for a long time.

Andrea Zuercher,

Lawrence