Archive for Sunday, April 6, 2008
‘Oh my God, this is awesome’
Chaotic joy reigns in city after big win
April 6, 2008
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Spodcasters
So here we are...
Ryan Greene and Ryan Wood talk about KU's 40-minute attack on North Carolina Saturday night in San Antonio, which propels the Jayhawks into the NCAA title game for the first time since 2003. The guys talk about how the Final Four's two biggest stars looked pretty ordinary, just what were the keys to KU's eye-popping performance and a first look at Monday night's surely exciting finale.
2008 NCAA Tournament
Audio Clips
2007-08 April 5 KU-UNC Postgame
- Bill Self speaks with the media after advancing to his first NCAA title game
- Brandon Rush talks about his performance, which included a game-high 25 points
- Cole Aldrich talks about the most valuable minutes he's played yet in his collegiate career
- Darrell Arthur talks about defending Tyler Hansbrough and Cole Aldrich's valuable minutes
- Jeremy Case talks about his spirits after getting to his first NCAA title game
- Mario Chalmers talks about getting the best of North Carolina's guard set
- Rodrick Stewart talks about his emotions getting the best of him at the end of Saturday's game
- Sasha Kaun talks about stopping Tyler Hansbrough and the help the frontcourt got from Cole Aldrich
- Sherron Collins talks about KU winning at the pace it considers its own
Final Four
- Jayhawk fans: Read their stories and check out our fan photos »
- Extra! Extra! Write the championship headline (04-05-08)
- Send us your videos and photos!
We want your KU stories
Are you like the fans, or rather, fanatics, in this story? We'd like to hear from you, too. Just drop an e-mail to editor@ljworld.com.
And if you're taking off for San Antonio, don't forget to e-mail us your road trip photos - and your Final Four experiences.
Fireworks were crackling over the Saturday night sky as fans celebrated in the streets, on the sidewalks, inside cars and everywhere else in Lawrence.
They were toasting Kansas University's 84-66 victory over North Carolina.
"Oh my God, this is awesome," said KU graduate Matt Unger, watching the game at Quinton's Bar and Deli, 615 Mass.
Many fans who watched the game at Allen Fieldhouse walked up to Wescoe Beach on the KU campus and straight to Massachusetts Street to join the festive crowds.
"They didn't even slow down," said Capt. Schuyler Bailey of the KU Public Safety Office.
"They were determined," said Carissa Orth, 20, a KU junior who was among the approximately 1,600 fans at Allen Fieldhouse watching the game on the scoreboard screens. Doors opened at 7 p.m. and hundreds of fan filed in. The sound was deafening as people cheered with the KU band, even booing North Carolina just as loudly.
"It was intense; it was just like being at a game," said Laurie Gallagher, 19, a KU freshman.
Fred Plank, 88, who has been working at Allen Fieldhouse for 50 years, said the turnout surprised him.
"I expected some, but I didn't expect this many," he said.
Fans showed up far earlier downtown, some as early as 6:15 a.m. The wait was worth it as businesses were packed with fans keeping downtown lively all day and into this morning.
You'd have thought KU had won it all when North Carolina called a time-out with 7:32 to go in the first half, the way the crowd inside Quinton's reacted.
"Roy never calls time-out," yelled Jimmy Chavez as he made the time-out gesture to no one in particular.
Ardy Vanderpol, a KU fan who can recall the Wilt Chamberlain years, wanted to thank the police officers patrolling the downtown streets Saturday night.
"I think they do a good job," she said as she gave hugs to five different officers on the corner of Seventh and Massachusetts streets.
Vanderpol said she felt she could take just a little bit of credit for KU's victory because of the Jayhawk bracelets she makes and wears.
"I rubbed these bracelets all night," she said. "I probably rubbed them 20 times."
For some fans, the game was sweet revenge against Roy Williams, the former KU coach.
But come Monday, it's on to bigger and better things: Memphis.
"It's been a long time coming," said Grant Kaufman, 38, and a 1992 KU graduate. "Twenty years has been way too long; I'm glad to be back in the championship game."
Kansas-UNC
- KU cools heels (04-06-08)
- Bring on Memphis (04-06-08)
- Heels run out of gas (04-06-08)
- Aldrich still awestruck after gem (04-06-08)
- Police stay busy on game night (04-06-08)
- Keegan: Victory completes transition (04-06-08)
- Kansas basketball notebook (04-06-08)
- Extra Minutes: Kansas 84, North Carolina 66 (04-06-08)
- Commentary: Why KU fans didn't forgive Roy (04-06-08)
- Box Score
- National Semifinals/Finals Times & Results
- Finals Bracket
- 2007-08 Roster
- Complete Tourney coverage
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- Bring on Memphis 2 comments / April 6, 2008
- Police stay busy on game night 59 comments / April 6, 2008
- Nearly 40,000 turn out to commemorate win 12 comments / April 8, 2008
- Aldrich still awestruck after gem 4 comments / April 6, 2008
- Commentary: Why KU fans didn't forgive Roy 13 comments / April 6, 2008
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6 April 2008
at 9:05 a.m.
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Rickyonealku (Anonymous) says…
Oh how sweet….now Monday evening will be let's say a 20 year old REBEAT!!!!!!!
6 April 2008
at 9:20 a.m.
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tcohen (Anonymous) says…
KC Star says there were 7,000 people at Allen…..
6 April 2008
at 9:54 a.m.
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…
We were at Allen Fieldhouse last night, and it definitely seemed more than 1600. The crowd seemed to be just as loud as 16000. It was great. Even did the Rock Chalk chant. We will be back Monday night.
6 April 2008
at 10:11 a.m.
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labmonkey (Anonymous) says…
We watched it at the Bottleneck. Talk about luck, we found a parking space across the street 20 minutes before the game, and the Bottleneck was not that crowded. Perhaps my favorite moment was when Cole Aldrich came out and my wife (slightly tipsy) said “he dies, he dies,” in reference to Ivan Drago from Rocky IV. Mass street was awesome afterward.
6 April 2008
at 11:10 a.m.
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nverlost (Anonymous) says…
Ie - aka Misery idiot…Jealous you will always be. It's funny this gets to you so much that you have to come over to the LJW to post your garbage. Who doesn't have a “real life” here? Looser. Hey, at least you have your baseball team to root on!
6 April 2008
at 11:11 a.m.
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SWGlassPit (Anonymous) says…
A guy posting on a newspaper internet forum about sports fans not having a life? Anybody else see the irony?
6 April 2008
at 12:10 p.m.
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livingstone (Anonymous) says…
ESPN's headline “Kansas survives UNC late flurry”… oh well… Kansas didn't survive, they were way above their heads with 5 points gap max. 1 to 3 points is a survival (like the Davidson game), but 5 points to 28 points is not.To SWGlassPit,Yeap, people says that what they want about sports fans not having a life, people who make this comment doesn't even know what life is all about. How do they know about their sports fans' life if they didn't bother to track it? Their life is worst than the sports fans, cos sports fans track all the sports, not just one team or one person, these people just track one or two sport fans, which is kindda sad. What's the point of studying sports fans?
6 April 2008
at 12:11 p.m.
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livingstone (Anonymous) says…
And of course, Davidson is a harder team to beat than UNC. I bet Davidson would have thrashed UNC and UCLA! But guys, concentrate on Memphis… they're GOOD!
6 April 2008
at 12:41 p.m.
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davidsmom (Anonymous) says…
ESPN's headline shows it's bias against the Big 12. They just cannot believe their east and west coast teams were beaten by better teams; they just figure they were having a bad night. Kansas didn't survive, they dominated. No respect for the Big 12 - ever.
6 April 2008
at 12:42 p.m.
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chaz (Anonymous) says…
Now then, I wonder how much I can milk out of KU to keep me from going to Stillwater? Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.How much will they pay. Oboyoboyoboy.I've struck ir rich.BS
6 April 2008
at 12:47 p.m.
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pissedinlawrence (Anonymous) says…
I was on mass st and nobody wants to report the damage done, I watched as people jumped all over cars caving in the roofs and shattering windows….just saying!! it was nuts
6 April 2008
at 2:55 p.m.
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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
I was on Mass Street for nearly 3 hours, and I didn't see anything bad. A few people fell, thanks to the massive quantity of beer cars. Other than that, people were just having fun. I didn't drink anything, but I still had a great time.
6 April 2008
at 3:26 p.m.
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KsTwister (Anonymous) says…
Nothing was reported as damaged mob behavior, most of the kids I have talked to said they covered the way from 6-10th street (which was blocked from vehicle traffic) so anyone with car damage it did not happen there. Most said they would not have a problem with people taking their family downtown. Be careful of the hype you spread.
6 April 2008
at 3:37 p.m.
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unger15 (Anonymous) says…
I'm sure it's slightly embellished, but there wasn't complete decentcy. Anyone see the burning flag at 8th and mass? I can only assume it was a UNC flag, but couldn't tell behind the embers and flame surrounding it… :)Also, there was a gentleman running down (on top of) the line of cars around 7th/8th and mass at one point, but I'm sure it was an isolated incident. There seemed to be mixed reactions from the drivers ranging from shock and apathy to disdain and a look of retaliation…. but he was long gone at that point.
7 April 2008
at 3:17 a.m.
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pissedinlawrence (Anonymous) says…
kstwister__hahaha!! you just were not there!! I watched the cars being damaged! so shut up cuz u dont know about anything, your just going by reports, seriously, you must not know anyone. jesus, why dont you check it out on youtube… loser
7 April 2008
at 6:08 a.m.
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KsTwister (Anonymous) says…
Didn't say I was, but saw enough (tv),camera shots being sent to me,and people who were told me (with and without their kids) said it was great. I would put that total to about 60 so guess again. You are indeed a piece of work, out of a crowd of est 10k the percentages bear more in favor of good to bad.