It’s always nice to see the home team do a good job.Kansas University fans have had many opportunities of late to see just that while watching both men’s and women’s basketball and an outstanding Orange Bowl win by the KU football team.

But it also was nice to see a local travel business stand up to its competition and deliver a winning Orange Bowl performance. Although the owners of Lawrence’s Travellers Inc. had experience that went back to taking about 3,000 Kansas fans to the Orange Bowl in 1969, KU athletic department officials decided to take their travel business to an Illinois firm this year.

Despite the competition, Travellers easily filled two charter airliners and offered a well-organized Orange Bowl trip for about 600 fans, who also were entertained by the tour’s hosts, former KU football player Gale Sayers and former KU football coach Don Fambrough.

A delightful win by the KU football team was the highlight of the 2008 Orange Bowl, but the success of a local business also is notable. KU athletics may not have supported the local business, but the local travel agency did a great job of supporting the KU home team and its fans.