Rick Renfro was taken aback. So was Jerry Neverve.

Renfro, who owns Johnny’s Tavern in North Lawrence, and Neverve, who owns the downtown Red Lyon Tavern, told the Journal-World they knew of no list of bars that had been placed off-limits to Kansas University student-athletes.

“I was kind of surprised to hear it,” Neverve said. “I’ve never heard of one.”

In the wake of the stabbing of KU basketball player J.R. Giddens early Thursday morning at the Moon Bar near Ninth and Iowa streets, athletic director Lew Perkins told the Kansas City Star that KU student-athletes were advised to stay away from that watering hole.

In addition, Perkins said there were “about three of four places that we don’t want them going to.”

When Renfro was informed of Perkins’ comment, he said he asked one of his night managers if he had heard which bars were in KU’s no-go zone.

“I asked him who was on the list because I’d never heard of one,” Renfro said. “(The night manager) is pretty tight with some of the players, and they told him they’d never heard of one.”

Renfro noted that a few basketball players frequent his tavern, usually on Wednesday nights.

“They sit around and have a good time and don’t drink,” Renfro said.

A couple of KU student-athletes in other sports also told the Journal-World they never had been told to avoid certain bars, only that they were expected to follow state laws about underage drinking.

Sources close to the athletic department said they didn’t think Perkins had told student-athletes of off-limit bars, but football coach Mark Mangino has made it clear to his team that the players were forbidden from visiting certain hangouts.

6Sports video: Giddens released from hospital

Giddens’ judgment called in question

Owners surprised about list

6News video: Giddens injured in fight outside bar (05-20-05)

Miles, Lee pledge support of Giddens (05-20-05)

Giddens’ leg slashed outside bar (05-19-05)

Bio: J.R. Giddens

The athletic department’s 23-page student-athlete handbook contains no mention of off-limits drinking establishments.

The handbook does, however, state emphatically that the use of alcohol by any student-athlete under the age of 21 is “not tolerated.” Any violation, the handbook says, will result in a mandatory meeting with the head coach and the athletic director to determine the appropriate penalty.

Police reports have not determined if Giddens, who won’t turn 21 until February, had been drinking at the Moon Bar.

While a few drinking establishments in Lawrence have gained a reputation — deserved or not — as potential trouble spots, Neverve noted he would not include the Moon Bar as one of them.

“I have never heard that the Moon Bar had problems,” he said. “I read those comments from that motel night clerk, and I was surprised.”

Nathan Clark, a night clerk at the adjacent Quality Inn, told the Journal-World he had witnessed frequent disturbances at the Moon Bar, which has a karaoke theme and has a reputation for appealing primarily to young and middle-aged married couples.