Kansas fans sure to miss announcer Hill

For many fans, Kansas University’s home basketball and football games won’t be the same without golden-throated Howard Hill, who told the Journal-World Thursday he had decided to step down as public-address announcer as soon as a replacement can be found.

Hill’s loud, clear, trademark, “And now the Jayhawks of Kansas!” served as a perfect way to introduce the starting five at KU basketball games the past 20-plus seasons.

In football, Hill’s, “Be careful with those goal posts. We don’t want any of you to get hurt,” echoed through Memorial Stadium in a conversational, yet fatherly, style on those rare yet dangerous occasions fans elected to rip down the posts after KU football victories.

As far as Hill’s own memories … sitting in close proximity to coach Roy Williams for 15 years at Allen Fieldhouse made him privy to some interesting conversations.

“Nothing too wild,” Hill said. “I do remember one night a ball was tipped and went out of bounds. There were some questions whether or not the shot clock would be reset. The two coaches got together and the other coach said, ‘Roy, we should have the ball.’

“Roy said, ‘I think I agree with you, but you’ve got to admit we’re playing a heckuva game.’

“Also, one game Roy had thrown his coat into the stands (against Texas) and picked up a technical foul. The next game Roy got mad again. He took his coat, folded it neatly and handed it to Max (Falkenstien, radio color man).

“That was a great visual. One other time on Senior Night, a TV cameraman walked onto the court. Roy, who had some real concerns about television’s intrusion into the game — as I do — grabbed the cable and pulled the cameraman back,” Hill added.

Hill will work his last football game Saturday when Iowa State visits Memorial Stadium.

His last hoops game hasn’t been determined yet.

“I may have 10 games left in me, but not 10 years,” the 70-year-old Hill quipped.

¢

Gibbons says: Bob Gibbons, the grandaddy of all college basketball recruiting analysts, has tapped KU’s recruiting class of Darnell Jackson, Alexander “Sasha” Kaun and Russell Robinson 11th best in the country.

The hoopmasters.com guru says Indiana’s class of Josh Smith, D.J. White, A.J. Ratliff and Robert Vaden is No. 1, followed by Texas, UCLA, North Carolina, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, USC, Florida, Duke, KU, BYU, Missouri, Memphis and Purdue.

Missouri signed Kalen Grimes, forward, St. Louis; Jason Horton, guard, Cedar Hill, Texas; Marshall Brown, forward, Austin, Texas; and Glen Dandridge, guard, Florissant, Mo.

Texas’ five-man class is led by LaMarcus Aldridge, a power forward/center from Dallas, and Daniel Gibson, a guard from Houston.

Former KU coach Williams signed Marvin Williams, 6-8, Bremerton, Wash.; J.R. Smith, 6-6, Newark, N.J.; Quentin Thomas, 6-4, Oakland; and JamesOn Curry, 6-3, Mebane, N.C.

¢

Boschee still ballin’: Former Kansas University guard Jeff Boschee scored 18 points off 6-of-17 shooting in Team Nike Elite’s 85-81 loss to Michigan State Thursday in East Lansing, Mich.

Boschee, who made two of 10 three-pointers, is hoping to parlay his stint on the Nike Team into a job playing pro ball in France.

Michigan State visits KU Nov. 25.

¢

Where are they now?: No KU players are on rosters of United States Developmental League teams this preseason.

Former Jayhawk guard Billy Thomas, who starred in the USDL the past couple of seasons, has surfaced with Pallacanestro Trieste of the Italian League. Ex-Jayhawk Nick Bradford is playing for a team in Keflavik, Iceland.

Meanwhile, Scooter Barry is playing in Belgium, Lester Earl and Richard Scott in Spain, Kenny Gregory in Italy, Ryan Robertson in the Netherlands, Adonis Jordan in Australia and Steve Woodberry and Pekka Markkanen in Finland.

¢

Meeting bothers Nee: Remember former Nebraska coach Danny Nee, the guy who had Nebraska vying for either NCAA or NIT berths pretty much every season?

Well, he’s Duquesne basketball coach now and isn’t happy he was forced to attend the recent NABC ethics summit in Chicago.

“I don’t need these people to tell me what to do,” Nee said. “I’m 58 years old. I know what I’m supposed to do and how I’m supposed to run my program”

Nee told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette the meeting was “all driven by money. The basketball equivalent of CEOs were screwing up,” he said of scandals at Georgia, St. Bonaventure, Baylor and other places that spurred the emergency summit.