From the team to the band to the coaches and the fans, it’s clear Lawrence and Kansas University are well represented in Orlando for today’s Tangerine Bowl football game.

Chartered flights and bus trips to carry fans to Florida may not have filled, but it appears Kansas will have a good representation in the stands. The team and coaches are excited to be in a bowl after seven losing seasons. And, although many of their uniforms are held together by duct tape, the members of the Jayhawk Marching Band no doubt are buoyed by the opportunity to travel to Florida and perform at Disney World and the pregame festivities. Their outfits may be in tatters but their music is tops!

Local boosters are proud of the progress made by coach Mark Mangino and the Jayhawk football team. Even though the timing of the Tangerine Bowl so close to Christmas made it difficult for many fans to make the trip to Orlando, those of us here in Lawrence still will be enthusiastically cheering the team on from in front of our television sets.

Best of luck to the Jayhawks as they meet North Carolina State on the field this afternoon. Win or lose, we’re proud of our team and the school it represents.