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Rock Chalk FireLion?!?
Shot from a cannon, armed with energy and enthusiasm, [Adam Barmann takes his place on the Free State High practice field.][1]If not for his 6-foot-4 frame and shiny wedding ring, the former Kansas University quarterback might be mistaken for a Firebird. These days, that's just the way he likes it. Two years removed from the KU football team, Barmann now calls FSHS coach Bob Lisher and the boys in green his teammates. So far, it seems like a perfect fit for both sides. Outside of running backs coach Chris Enneking - another former Jayhawk - Barmann makes the most noise on the practice field. That includes the players. "Wooo!!! Let's go boys," he says as he bounces around the field. "Time to go to work. Let's do it." After every huddle, Barmann breaks with the spunk of a player ready for opening night. It's almost as if he thinks he's playing. In a sense, he is. Employeed as a paraprofessional at FSHS, which he said has gone well so far, Barmann admitted that everything he's asked to do during the day is worth it when 3 o'clock rolls around. That kind of attitude has to be contaigious. And it is."He really brings a lot of energy to the team," senior quarterback Cameron Schmidt said. "He's a lot of fun to be around."The great part about this whole experiment is that Barmann feels the same way.Unsure of exactly what he wants to do with his future, Barmann said he got into the business because he missed being around football and felt compelled to give coaching a try."I know a whole lot of things I don't want to do," he said. "I don't want to sit behind a desk for eight hours a day. This is great. It doesn't seem like a real job."Across town at Lawrence High, the Lions have added their own former Jayhawk to the football staff. Former LHS star Brandon McAnderson, KU's leading rusher in 2007 (1,125 yards, 16 touchdowns), joined Dirk Wedd's staff and will coach the running backs. In returning to his alma mater, McAnderson is reunited with his brother, Devin, who also is on the LHS staff.Undrafted out of college, McAnderson agreed to a free agent deal with the NFL's St. Louis Rams in April but was released in May after battling an ankle injury. Since then he's had a couple of tryouts, one with the Oakland Raiders in June and another with the Detroit Lions earlier this week, but as of now he's still waiting for his break.The playing field's loss is Lawrence's gain. Barmann and B-Mac are outstanding additions to both squads and should be solid mentors for the city's budding football players. After all, both guys played for and learned from KU coach Mark Mangino. They know how to work hard, they know what it takes to succeed and, most of all, they know how to win. How nice is it to read a statement like that about KU football and have it be true? [1]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/aug/22/field_sideline/
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