The Sideline Report
The Sideline Report with Markieff Morris
Markieff and Marcus Morris play better when they're on the court together.There, I said it.
Though it's something they and KU coach Bill Self won't admit to, I don't think it's something I'm making it up.
Honestly, it should be that way. The two have played together so long that they just seem to know where each other is on the court. Oftentimes, that leads to better passes and easy shots.
Now Self must figure out if the twins playing together is a curse or a blessing.
He hasn't put them in at the same time much, perhaps wanting to break them of their dependence on each other. I can see the reasoning in this, as both have to become their own player at some point. Also, there will be times (especially with foul trouble) when Self won't have the luxury of putting both on the court together.
There's another line of thinking, though: If they're productive together, why break up a good thing?
I'll be interested to see how Self handles this situation, not only this year but also in the years to come.
Once "the twins" have established themselves individually as Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris, will we see them more in the same lineup together?
My bets are on yes.
Let's get to The Sideline Report with Markieff Morris.
The Sideline Report with Markieff Morris
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Jesse Newell: I heard you like Rasheed Wallace. What do you like about him?
Markieff Morris: I like the way he plays. I try to mold my game around his. He can step out and shoot the three, and he can also post up. He’s a winner, also. I went to the same high school he went to in Philadelphia — Simon Gratz High School.
JN: Is there stuff about him at the high school?MM: Yeah, there’s pictures of him everywhere.
JN: Do you like Rasheed’s technicals, too?
MM: No, no. I don’t like the technical fouls. I like his attitude before he started acting up, before he started getting technical fouls. Before then, I liked his attitude.
JN: I heard you got to meet Rasheed Wallace while you were in high school. Tell me about that experience.
MM: It was a great experience. I look up to him as a person and as a role model, too, although his attitude is the way it is. That’s only on the court. Off the court, he’s really inspirational. I talked to him a lot about, ‘How did he make it through high school?’ The ups and downs he went through. He just told me to keep focus. His mom was always there for him — his mom and his dad. He just said to stay focused and don’t let the streets get into (you). Just worry about two things: basketball and school.
JN: How did your meeting with him get set up?MM: I went to his high school. He’d have a camp every year at his high school — well, he did when I was there. I don’t if it’s still going on. It’s called the Rasheed Wallace Foundational Camp. My high school coach introduced me to him before I transferred.
JN: So he said to just focus on basketball and school? What else did Rasheed say to you then?
MM: He was just like, ‘Work as hard as you can.’ He told me while I’m relaxing, playing with my friends, that somebody else is getting better somewhere around the world. He told me, ‘Don’t focus on girls, focus on school. Try to get better everyday, and when you go to college, just pick the best place for you.’
JN: How hard is that to follow not paying attention to girls? Is that a tough one to follow?
MM: Yeah, especially in high school, but now, it’s more about business: basketball and school.
JN: I hear you like to sleep. What’s the longest you’ve ever slept before?
MM: I would say from about 12 at night to about 5 the next day.
JN: Really? Is that something you can do or were you just tired that day?
MM: I can just do that. I was in prep school, so I would wait for practice to start. I stayed up and I was tired the next day, so I stayed in bed and slept.
JN: If you played football, what position would you play?
MM: Tight end. I’m not fast enough to play wide receiver now. I think I would play that.
JN: What’s one thing you’ve learned this year that’s helped you more than anything else?
MM: I would say to play hard. If we don’t play hard, we won’t play. Coach puts it in that fashion every time something goes wrong. If you mess up, it doesn’t matter, as long as you’re going hard. That’s what Coach makes us remember.
JN: Was there a certain time where it really clicked that you had to go harder than you’d been going?
MM: Yeah, when I would lose my starting spot. I’d start this game, start a couple games, then I’d lose it. But yeah, practice goes much smoother when everybody’s going hard all the time. We don’t have to stay on one thing for two hours or have three-hour practices and make everybody tired.
JN: What’s your favorite NBA team?
MM: The Pistons.
JN: Why’s that?
MM: Rasheed.
JN: What’s the best advice that Coach Self has given you?
MM: Be a man both on and off the court. Basketball has a lot to do with it, but he also wanted me to be a good young man on the court and off the court.
JN: Has he challenged you off the court then?
MM: Yeah, like in going to class or going to tutoring or attending meetings that are not mandatory just to show respect to people.
JN: Do you think sometimes that when Coach gets mad at Marcus, he gets mad at you as well?
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MM: It’s always like that. We talk about that all the time. He always puts us in the same category no matter what. So if (Marcus) gets that, I know it’s coming my way eventually.
JN: Is that frustrating?
MM: Sometimes it is, but sometimes it’s funny because after every practice, I always ask him, I’m like, ‘Coach, you said you weren’t going to do that.’ And he says, ‘I know, but it’s tough.’ And he apologizes for it.
JN: Can you remember an example of that happening?
MM: It happened so many times in Boot Camp — one of us not going hard. It used to be me, Marcus and Quintrell (Thomas), but now he just puts me and Marcus together.
JN: How are you guys most different off the court?
MM: There’s not a lot. We’re both real laid-back. Marcus is a little more outgoing than I am, but other than that, there’s not really a difference.
JN: Who does Self yell at more — you or Marcus?
MM: Marcus.http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...
JN: Why’s that?
MM: Probably because of his attitude. He doesn’t have a bad attitude, but once he gets mad, he gets mad for a while. He doesn’t know how to let things go.
JN: Give me an example of what happens.
MM: Coach will get mad at him, say put him on the red (scout) team, and he’ll just play on the red team for the whole day. Then, at the end of practice, Coach will be like like, 'Marc, you mad at me?' And he’ll be like, ‘No, not no more, but I was during the whole practice.’
Teahan on Jayhawk Musical: ‘I thought no one would find out about it’
When I posted the YouTube video of the KU basketball and volleyball teams' Jayhawk Musical in Monday's Newell Post blog, I made sure to check the hit count.
The High School Musical spoof had just surpassed 500 views on YouTube.Just four days later, the video is approaching 50,000 views (it's at 48,571 as I type this). So how did Conner Teahan feel about his starring role in this Internet sensation?
He talks about it in this Jayhawk Musical-themed Sideline Report.
The Jayhawk Musical-themed Sideline Report with Conner Teahan*
* — I didn't ask all the questions this time, thus the Q&A format.
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Q: Were you surprised by the response the video received?
A: You know, I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a deal. That’s kind of why I did it, honestly. I knew that they were probably going to put it on YouTube, but I thought no one would find out about it or anything like that. I don’t really care, though. It’s not a big deal to me. I’m not mad. The only reason why I said I would do it was because I didn’t think many people were going to find out about it, and I didn’t want people to think I was enjoying that situation. That’s the only reason I didn’t care. I mean I don’t care if people realize I was just doing it as a joke, but whoever wants to watch it can watch it. I don’t really care. It’s not a big deal to me.
Q: Were there some strings that had to be pulled to get you to do it?
A: Oh yeah. They could have just asked me. I probably would have been a little bit reluctant. They didn’t really tell me about the lip-synching part until the day of. I wish they would have told me that so I could have at least gotten prepared and practiced maybe. They could have asked me, but they kind of pulled some tricks. But it’s all good. I don’t care.
Q: Do you it is important to do activities outside of your sport?
A: I think it is, just to show that you’re more than just a basketball player or more than just a volleyball player or whatever. It kind of shows a different side of us that people really don’t get to see that often. I think that’s good for people to understand that we do have a different side. Because I feel like there are sometimes that people are reluctant to come up to me, or approach me differently than they’d approach someone else when I just want to be approached the same way that they’d approach anybody else.
Q: Did you get roped into it because you look like Zac Efron?
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A: Yeah. That was pretty much how it was. I threatened to shave my head before, so I couldn’t get on that, but no, I couldn’t do it.
Q: Have you been dealing with the Zac Efron resemblance for a long time then?
A: Yeah, I have been. I understand I’m going to get it. I sit there everyday, I’m just like, ‘Gosh, maybe I should cut my hair. Maybe I should cut my hair.’ But then I think, I’m just like, ‘I had my hair before this movie came out. I’m not giving up my stuff for him.’ He can give it up first.
Q: So you’re saying Zac Efron looks like you?
A: That’s what I’m saying. (laughs)
Q: Did you get any guff from your teammates?
A: Not any more than I have. Every time I walk in the locker room: ‘Hey, what’s up, Zac?’ (laughs) It’s that joke. That really hasn’t changed, it’s just more people have seen this video, making me kind of look like the High School Musical man.
Q: Do you think this type of thing makes fans realize that you’re more human and that you have a personality off the court?
A: I think so for sure. I think that’s something that is good and that we kind of maybe need to do more of this stuff, maybe participate a little harder and maybe help all athletes become a little more approachable.
Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you?
A: Yeah. I don’t care. I’d do it, I guess.
Q: Were the winks your idea?
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A: No. Actually, I’m going to rat this person out. That was Brennan (Bechard). I’m standing there at mid-court, and they’re telling me to do something. I’m just thinking I’m going to go up there and dunk it, and then I hear Brennan go, ‘Why don’t you wink at the camera?’ My head fell like this, because I didn’t want anybody to hear it. Then one of the girls was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, that’s a good idea.’ But no, that wasn’t my idea. That’s what I’d change. I wouldn’t wink at the camera.
The Sideline Report with Brady Morningstar
Do yourself a favor sometime and just watch Brady Morningstar defend.Two possessions against Texas A&M, I did that, ignoring everything else as I followed him while he was shadowing Josh Carter around the court.It's amazing, really. It looks effortless.Morningstar fought through screens and mazes of Aggies and somehow always managed to find himself right next to Carter, who came in as A&M's top scorer.Morningstar's not overly quick, either. He just gets it. He knows how to maneuver around picks. He knows how shooters have gotten open in the past. He seems to anticipate where his man is going before he does.He reminds me of the little brother that used to invade your grade-school pickup games — you know, the one that didn't know that he wasn't supposed to play defense. The one that was always next to you defensively. The one that frustrated you because it never seemed like you could get a shot off.I'm as amazed as anyone about Morningstar's progression this season into a lock-down defender.Judging by this poll, KU fans have been pretty impressed as well.The Sideline Report with Brady Morningstar
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Everything he says makes perfect sense. As long as people listen to what he’s talking about, they’re going to be OK, because he knows exactly what he’s talking about.
JN: What do you think makes you such a good defender?http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...BM: It’s all mind-set. If you want to guard and you want to guard someone, you can do it. I think I have to have that every night because physically I’m not the most gifted person on the court: strength-wise, height-wise, athletic-ability-wise. But if you’ve got some heart and a little bit of toughness, you can match up on most anybody. JN: What do you think you’ve proved this season?BM: I don’t know if I’ve proved anything to myself or to coaches or teammates, but to people in the stands that maybe didn’t think I was ready to play at this level or that I could play at this level, I’ve proven I can come out and I can compete against these guys. That's all.The Sideline Report with Quintrell Thomas
It's been a bit of a layoff, I know, but back just in time for the holidays is this week's Sideline Report with Quintrell Thomas.[Editor's note: I love that his initials are Q.T. Makes me think of Freezonis.]The Sideline Report with Quintrell ThomasJesse Newell: What’s your favorite Internet site?Quintrell Thomas: Facebook. JN: How long do you spend on there a day?QT: I don’t know. I just check every now and then. I’d probably say about maybe like an hour a day.JN: Is it addictive?QT: No, not really. It’s like throughout the day. I’ll go on five minutes here, 10 minutes there. Something like that.JN: You said in the media guide that your favorite player is Amare Stoudemire. What do you like about him?QT: He can shoot. He dunks on everybody. JN: If you were playing a one-on-one game, who would win?QT: I don’t know. I think it would be close, because I would just foul him. (laughs)JN: Cole Aldrich has duct tape on his apartment wall. What is different about your apartment?http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...QT: Me and Tyshawn (Taylor) don’t really do anything with our apartment. We just come in, and when we’re there, we sleep or watch TV. Other than getting together to clean up or something, we don’t get together to do anything. JN: Do you have cleaning parties then?QT: Eventually, if we start getting garbage around the dishes, we’re like, ‘Man, we’ve got to do something about this.’ Other than that, we ain’t gonna stand around, like, decorating. (smiles)http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...JN: Is he a messy guy then?QT: Nah. Pretty much, it’ll be little things like pizza boxes or like a garbage bag in somebody’s room. It’ll build up, and we’ll be like, ‘Yeah, we’ve got to get rid of it.’JN: Is pizza a frequent meal at the Quintrell/Tyshawn household?QT: For me, it kind of is a lot. When we have games, we get pizzas. Those (boxes) start building up.JN: Favorite pizza?QT: I get chicken, bacon and sausage.JN: From where?QT: Either Pizza Shuttle or Domino’s.JN: Pizza Shuttle. Nice choice.JN: Give me the story again about how you started in basketball.QT: When I came to junior high school, seventh grade year, everybody kept trying to make me join the basketball team. I didn’t really want to play. Then eighth grade year, everybody was like, ‘If you don’t play, you’re scared’ and all this. I just played to kind of prove them wrong or whatever. … Once I saw opportunity, I just kept going. I didn’t really like it much until after sophomore year when I got over horrible growing pains in my knees. After I got over that, and I could finally dunk and stuff my sophomore year, I started liking it a little more.JN: So when you started playing, you didn’t like basketball?QT: I didn’t really like it that much. It was just something I did in my spare time.JN: Who was teasing you?QT: People on the basketball team that was there. They would say, ‘If you don’t play, you’re scared.’ When I first came there seventh grade year, they had a real good team. After they lost everybody, they needed somebody else. They needed another big man or whatever. They just kept messing with me.JN: Was that a good decision for you then? Are you happy that happened?QT: Yeah, it wound up being the best decision.JN: The biggest difference between high school and college is …QT: I’d say the level of intensity (in college), it just never really goes down. It starts at one point and goes up and gets back to another point. In high school, it’s just like you run hard one play, you run hard get this block, run hard get this big dunk. Here, it’s just like you have to constantly be going as hard as you can.JN: What was your first impression of Lawrence?QT: When I first came here, I was like, ‘Man this is boring. There ain’t nobody outside.’ Just real boring. Once you get here and start getting used to it, there’s a lot to do if you want to.JN: Is it any colder than up in the northeast?QT: It’s hard to say. It’s just so inconsistent here. It’s like hot, then cold. You never know what to expect.JN: What was your first impression of coach Self?QT: When I first met him, I thought he was real young to be a coach. I thought he was real nice. JN: Anything else you remember about the first time you met him?QT: I just remember him being real, real nice. That’s all I can really remember. I was talking to my mother about him. I was like, ‘Man, he seems too nice to be a real person.’JN: Do you still feel that way then?QT: I mean, at times. At times. (smiles) Everybody has their ups and downs.JN: Do you have a funny coach Self story?http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...QT: One time, after practice, he got mad at us, and he just, like, threw his glasses down and broke them. Somebody in practice was like, ‘Man, that’s a nice pair of glasses.’ (laughs)JN: What was your guys’ reaction when he did that?QT: At the time, everybody’s just like, ‘Man.’ But afterwards, everybody laughed about it. Once he finally calmed down, he talked to us and laughed about it, too.JN: So he was laughing about it afterwards?QT: Nothing here every really stays. You could get in a fight with him, and he’d be cool with you the next day.JN: What did you guys do to make him throw his glasses down?QT: I don’t even know. (laughs) I don’t remember. I guess it was just like a constant buildup. You just never really know. It’ll be some things that you miss, but he catches every little detail. So it’ll just be a constant buildup through our practice. I think that day, we kind of didn’t have the amount of energy we should have. JN: Is he a guy you constantly want to impress?QT: You’ve got to. You’ve got to make him happy if you want to play.JN: What did you know about Tyshawn in high school?http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...QT: In high school, I knew that he could jump, and I knew he couldn’t shoot. (laughs) Here, he’s been proving me wrong a little bit. He can actually shoot.JN: Is that the scouting report you had of him when you guys played?QT: When we played them in high school, it was like, ‘Oh, he’s just athletic and he just can’t shoot.’ So you just let him shoot.JN: You still give him crap about that now?QT: Nah. I don’t mess with him no more.JN: Why? Could he beat you up?QT: Nah, I doubt that could happen. (laughs) Once we’re off the court, we don’t really want to talk about basketball no more. Once we’re off the court, it’s everything else.JN: When was the first time you heard a comparison of yourself to Darnell Jackson?http://worldonline.media.clients.elli...QT: As soon as I committed. There was like a game where we played on ESPN against a kid that was going to Baylor (Anthony Jones). After I played him, I think I dunked on him like five times. It was on ESPNU. Everybody saw it here. Right after that, everybody was like, ‘Oh, he plays like Darnell. He’s going to be, like, the next Darnell, but he’s further along.’ Stuff like that. JN: What do you think every time you hear that?QT: I just want to be the next me. I don’t want to be compared to anybody. It’s kind of annoying, but, I mean, Darnell is good.
The Sideline Report with Jocques Crawford
[Kream Keegan][1] has been posted, so be sure to get your picks in this week before 11 a.m. Saturday.Let's go ahead and get right to the latest Sideline Report, this one with running back/kick returner Jocques Crawford.![][2]
The Sideline Report with Jocques Crawford
Jesse Newell: It says in the media guide that you like walks on the beach. Do you really like walks on the beach?![][3][Jocques Crawford:][4] (laughs) I meant it as kind of a joke. Me and my teammates used it in high school as a joke for Senior Day. I just kind of used it whenever I can because I think it's hilarious, being that I'm not really going to the beach a lot. I'm sure I would enjoy it if I did go on the beach, though. (laughs)JN: Does that help you with the ladies, saying that you like walks on the beach?JC: Yeah, I think it does help with the ladies. They might like walks on the beach. I'm sure any lady likes walks on the beach. It's kind of romantic, so ladies like that type of thing nowadays.JN: So you're just going to keep that line in your back pocket until the day comes, right?JC: Yeah, I'm going to keep it in my back pocket until I get a little older and I can move to Florida or Cali where I can actually take a young lady on a walk on the beach.JN: So riding horses is in the media guide, too. Do you really do that?JC: (laughs) No, I'm scared of horses, actually. (laughs) I just thought that sounded good, too. I'll throw it in the media guide, have a little fun with it.JN: So you are the perfect man in the media guide? That's pretty much what you're saying then?JC: Yeah, I try to be the perfect man in the media guide, try to get people to like me. I'm just trying to show them that I have a pleasing personality and I have sense of humor.JN: How many texts do you do a day?JC: Text messages? I don't know. My phone kind of freezes up a lot because I text a lot. People back home - just random people - I get text messages all the time. I've actually got Facebook connected to my cell phone, too, so I do get a lot of text messages from that. Probably around 300 maybe. I text a lot. My phone bill actually gets shipped in a box.![][5]JN: Really?JC: Yeah, my mom gets mad about it because FedEx has to drop it off. JN: What was her first reaction when she got a box for a phone bill?JC: She was just glad that I had free text messaging and didn't go over my text messages. I think it's hilarious that I get a phone bill shipped to me in a box, because it's nothing but text messages.JN: Are you the most competitive person you know?JC: I don't know. Frankly, I'm a very competitive person. I'll compete with anybody, anywhere, any sport, anything. From Checkers to [Chinese Checkers][6] to Spades to on the field : sports I haven't even played, I'm a very competitive person. I just like to do that. I think it's fun to compete. I'll take it seriously. If I lose, I won't be mad about it as long as I did my best, but I just love to compete in anything I do.JN: You say you won't get mad about things, but do you hate losing then?JC: I hate losing, but at the end of the day, if you put your all into it, if you don't have those questions 'I could've, should've, would've,' then I don't think you should be mad that you lost. You played your all. You gave your 100 percent.JN: Your father played football for Memphis. Who were you cheering for in the national championship game?JC: I guess whoever was leading at that time, because I was at junior college watching it. I was in a win-win situation, so it really didn't matter to me. I guess if Memphis would have won, Kansas fans may not have liked me here, or when I go home (to Memphis), people see the Kansas stickers and flags on my trunk, and they don't really like that. I was in a win-win situation. I was just glad my school in my hometown made it to the national championship.JN: What's the reaction when they see the Jayhawk stickers back home?JC: It's not appropriate to say right now. I do get some guys when I'm downtown, drunk guys that are drinking that say the dumbest stuff. They rip my flags off, so I just have to drive off. It's tough to be a Jayhawk in Memphis. It's kind of hard, especially when I hang out where the Memphis basketball players hang out. They don't really like that.JN: Who was your favorite running back?JC: I liked Barry Sanders.JN: Why's that?JC: Because he's a pretty shifty running back. He made a lot of guys miss. Despite his size, he went out there and did the best that he could. He's like one of the legends right now. JN: Were you trying to be Barry Sanders in your living room while watching him? Were you trying to emulate him growing up?![][7]JC: Originally, my last name was Sanders (Jocques' last name was changed to his father's last name, Crawford, in seventh grade), so I used to always say I was Barry Sanders when we played pickup games and things like that when I was a younger kid. When I got on the field, I just tried to do things - shake moves and things like that. I remember my grandmother bought me a Barry Sanders jersey for Christmas. I wore it every day. I seriously wore it every day. I just had fun with it.JN: How old were you then?JC: I was probably around 8, 9 years old. Maybe younger. I can't remember, I just remember that she bought me that Lions jersey. [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/keegan/2008/week10/ [2]: http://commercialappeal-web.com/recruiting/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/crawford-signs.jpg" width="350" height="250 [3]: http://www.jollybeachvacations.com/weddings/images/beach-walk.jpg" width="140" height="150 [4]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWbMGSTZ8EU [5]: http://www.handcellphone.com/free-cell-phone/pictures/fed-ex_shipping_man.gif" width="130" height="150 [6]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvGRJ2... [7]: http://store.thegoaliesden.com/catalog/sandersrepthen2.jpg" width="130" height="150The Sideline Report with Chris Harris
Dexton Fields is not from the state of Oklahoma, but he might be the Kansas Jayhawk that feels the most like he's been taken back to his past this weekend.![][1]![][2]That's because, lining up across from him in the Oklahoma secondary, will be his elementary-school, junior-high and high-school teammate Lendy Holmes, who is the starting free safety for the Sooners."He may think that he knows how to guard me," [Fields said][3] with a smile Wednesday. "He can't guard me."Both players attended South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, Texas (the same high school as KU basketball player Darrell Arthur).Fields said the two had already started trading jabs at each other."I just told him I was going to take his draft stock down a little bit," Fields said with a laugh.Going into the season, Holmes was ranked the [20th-best cornerback][4] in Scout.com's 2009 NFL Draft rankings.A few more notes before we get to The Sideline Report.¢ Fields said that he had never returned a punt in a game before last week's two punt returns against Colorado. He has been practicing with the special teams unit since August.He said, on his first return, he was told to be extra careful."I heard my coach telling me to fair catch when the ball was in the air, but I said, 'No, I'm going to take this one.'" Fields said.Good thing. Fields returned his first punt 36 yards, setting up KU's final touchdown.¢ KU's kick return struggles have been well-documented, as the unit is last in the nation, averaging just 12.38 yards per return.When asked Thursday whether Marcus Herford would be the kick returner Saturday, Mangino said he hadn't decided yet."We're still working on that as well. We're still working with it," Mangino said. "Marcus has returned well all week. Marcus is just a small piece of the puzzle there. There's other things that were more pressing on that unit that we addressed."Mangino said a few other players had been working on kickoff returns but declined to mention any names.![][5]On to this week's Sideline Report with Chris Harris.Chris HarrisJesse Newell: What's one thing you learned from [Aqib Talib][6]?Chris Harris: Oh, shoot. He used to tell me to never give up a [post route][7]. That's what he used to say.JN: Any reason for that?CH: Because a post scores and a corner route doesn't. (smiles) That's what he said.JN: Did you learn trash talk from him?CH: Nah. I'm really a laid-back person. He's going to say anything. That's how he is.![][8]JN: Was it horrible when you had to try to cover him at receiver?CH: He just got me prepared for other receivers, because he's that good at receiver.JN: I saw that maybe you might want to be a lawyer. Tell me about that.CH: Oh yeah, that's the thing I want to do, watching all these judges and stuff like that. I've just been interested in stuff like that.![][9]JN: So do you watch shows involving courtroom cases?CH: Oh yeah, just watching Batman - Harvey Dent. After that, that just made me want to do it even more. But I didn't know that you try to get killed by the civilians and stuff like that.JN: So would you rather be the next Deion Sanders or the next Harvey Dent?CH: Oh shoot. Can I do both? (laughs)JN: You want to do both? Is that manageable, you think?CH: I don't know. I'd say be the Deion for the first couple years, then in time be the Harvey Dent.JN: Tell me about your recruitment to KU.CH: I guess a lot of schools wanted to wait until after my senior year. I sent coach (Bill) Young my tape, and they offered me pretty much as soon as they got it. Then, I went on my visit and I liked it here, so I came.JN: A lot of teams went after you, but you still felt loyal to KU at that point?CH: Yeah, because they offered me first. I felt like it was not too far away and not too close. It was an upcoming program, and I thought I would like it here.JN: Was that a big thing to you, that KU stuck with you that whole time?CH: It kind of hurt when, like, (Texas) and stuff wouldn't offer me, but as soon as Kansas did, (the other schools) offered you after that. People start coming after you after Kansas did, so I felt like I was being loyal to them.JN: Give me a funny locker room story.CH: One day, we were all just hanging out in the locker room, and this song comes on, and Rod Harris just starts rapping. Everybody thought that was pretty funny and stuff. JN: Was he good at rapping?CH: Yeah, he's really good. JN: (Lightning round) What's the last concert you went to?CH: I went to a Tye Tribett concert. He's a Christian singer. He's, like, crazy. He's pretty good. : I was with (Darrell) Stuckey.JN: What's the last book you read?CH: Shoot. Probably, uh : shoot. I haven't read any books (lately). I'll just say The Bible. The Bible.![][10]JN: Who's your favorite player in the NFL?CH: I'd have to say Asante Samuel is right now : Aqib Talib. (laughs)JN: Which one is it, then?CH: I'll go with Aqib. (laughs)![][11]JN: He's going to beat you up if you don't say him? Is that it?CH: Yep. I'm going with Aqib. [1]: http://worldonline.media.clients.elli..." height="150" width="130 [2]: http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2006/1115/ncf_i_holmes_195.jpg" height="150" width="112 [3]: http://www2.kusports.com/podcasts/press_conferences_postgame_interviews/2008/oct/15/ku_wide_receiver_dexton_fields/ [4]: http://cfn.scout.com/2/750994.html [5]: http://worldonline.media.clients.elli..." height="120" width="200 [6]: http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2007/... [7]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_route [8]: http://worldonline.media.clients.elli..." height="150" width="200 [9]: http://dietrichthrall.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/i_believe_in_harvey_dent.jpg" height="150" width="200 [10]: http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Asante+Samuel+Portraits+38NYN-7Vd2el.jpg" height="100" width="133 [11]: http://worldonline.media.clients.elli..." height="100" width="133
The Sideline Report with Darrell Stuckey
It's easy to look at the Kansas football team through five games and pick apart the negative.The Jayhawks can't run well. Their pass defense hasn't been spectacular. Their special teams have been struggling. And on and on.Sure, that's easy. Here's the truth of the matter, though.KU is 4-1. And that hasn't happened a whole lot in the last decade.Quick, not counting last year, name the last time that KU started the season with a 4-1 record or better.Here's a clue: It hasn't been for a while.The correct answer is [2003][1], when KU started 4-1 on its way to a 6-7 season (and a loss in the Tangerine Bowl to North Carolina State).In fact, heading into this year, 2003 and 2007 were the only seasons this decade that the Jayhawks had started at least 4-1.How quickly some of us forget the distance this program has come.KU did have a miserable first half against Iowa State, but the important thing is the Jayhawks found a way to win.It wasn't so long ago (two years ago in 2006), that KU wouldn't win those kinds of games. Just see [here][2], [here][3], [here][4] and [here][5].Even if it's easy to nitpick the negative, KU fans need to enjoy the team that they have. They need to enjoy the best quarterback this school has seen in more than a century, and an emerging wide receiver that is among the best in the nation. There are plenty of fans, [even ones close by][6], that are wishing they had the kind of team, coaching staff and football program that many KU fans are taking for granted.On to the "Sideline Report," this one with KU safety Darrell Stuckey.The Sideline Report with Darrell StuckeyJesse Newell: Who's a better athlete, you or your sister [(Iowa State women's basketball player Denae Stuckey)][7]?Darrell Stuckey: Oh, man. I don't know, that's a hard one, because we've both played different sports throughout our entire lives. I want to say her, but the only reason I say me is because physically, my body can take a little more punishment. If she was a boy, she'd definitely be the greater athlete. If her body set was a little bigger, and if she was a little stronger, she'd definitely be a greater athlete than I am.JN: If she was a boy, would she beat you up?DS: She probably would. She's a little more mean than I am, when it comes to being off the field and being more considerate of others (laughs).JN: I saw you're a movie guy. What's your favorite movie?DS: That's a good question. I saw so many in the last couple days. Batman was one of my favorites over the summer. The Dark Knight was pretty good.JN: How many movies do you watch a week? DS: Not too many, since we're in season. I don't get too much of a chance to watch them at all. I watch a lot of ["Cold Case,"][8] though, the show.JN: Tell me something that would surprise me about you.DS: I was born with [six toes.][9]![][10]JN: Really? What happened with that?DS: They cut it off (laughs). It had its own bone and everything.JN: Where was it at?DS: My right foot. It was an extra pinky toe. It had its own bone and everything. They cut it off.JN: Do you wish they'd have kept it?DS: No, I don't wish they'd have kept it. It's too expensive. I can't buy wide shoes or wide cleats. I don't think they make them.JN: How about those toe socks? Would you have trouble with those as well?![][11]DS: I'd have a little trouble. I'd have a little nub at the end of one of them (laughs).JN: What's your ritual before the game?DS: Just kind of similar to meditation - thinking over my responsibilities and my different assignments and kind of praying. Just self-talk. Positive self-talk.JN: When you talk about meditation, people have a certain image of that. How does it work?DS: I just kind of sit in my locker and face out toward the middle of the room. I have my iPod in playing music or whatever. But yeah, just praying and kind of talking to myself. Positive self-talk.JN: I saw you are a motivational speaker. Tell me about that.DS: I feed off energy - I feed off other people's energy and the surrounding environment around me. I give speeches a lot. I actually just gave a speech for David Lawrence's FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) group at Free Methodist on 31st. : This week, I gave a motivational speech just about relationships and handling them - different types of relationships and stuff. I firmly believe that we, as athletes, have a duty to give back to the people and the youth, especially if we grew up and didn't have anybody to look up to or didn't know who our role models really were. They look up to us, so we have to make sure they know who we are, and we allow them to see that we are a positive influence and that we are positive people.JN: A lot of people don't like talking in front of others, but you say you feed off that?DS: Yeah. I get nervous before I do it, of course, but I know it needs to be done, and I know it's very much needed and very necessary. I just think about, 'What if I don't say it? Who will say something besides me that might not be the right thing?'JN: Who's playing you in a movie?DS: Probably Kel off of Keenan and Kel (laughs).![][12]![][13]JN: Why's that?DS: I don't know. I think he's a funny guy. Everybody tells me I look kind of like him. He can be very serious, too. He'd probably have to get a little bit more muscular tone, but I think he'd be a good guy to do that for me.JN: All I can remember is his 'Good Burger' routines. I don't know if you remember those.DS: Yeah, I remember them. I imitated them a lot, too. It's pretty fun.JN: What's your favorite Mark Mangino story?DS: It probably was when he gave a story about the gangster in his neighborhood when he was growing up.JN: What was that story?DS: It was about a guy that really wasn't doing too much with his life, basically doing stuff that was gang-related. He was tied within the mob or something like that. And he was talking about how all the adults were scared of him, and how as kids, you don't really know who to have fear of except the people that your parents tell you to. So what happened was the guy would come through the neighborhood every Sunday, and one day, (Mark) hit a ball, and it bounced and hit the guy's car as he was driving by. And the guy stopped the car and got out, and they all got scared. And all the parents got nervous. And the guy got out and said, 'If you're going to hit the ball, hit the ball,' and he started playing baseball with them for hours.He was talking about how the guy was a good guy, but it still caught up with him. He was talking about doing the wrong thing still catches up with you. It was an analogy about always doing the right thing. The guy was a good guy, but he did the wrong things with his life, and he's dead now. Basically, he was talking about how you can't hide the wrong things for too long until it comes out.JN: So that stuck with you?DS: That was just one of the many speeches he gave. I listen to a lot of different things he says. We're all listening or talking to him. I believe that everything that is said to you or going on in your life is going to mold you in some way. You need to take something out of everything you learn or that you come in contact with, because every day is a new day. [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/football/schedule/2003/ [2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/se... [3]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/oc... [4]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/oc... [5]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/oc... [6]: http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2008/oct/08/opinion_prince_needs_be_shown_door/ [7]: http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46670&SPID=4253&DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=1180028&Q_SEASON=2008 [8]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrDQI5... [9]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyly [10]: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Polydactyly_01_Lfoot_AP.jpg" width="100" height="200 [11]: http://www.odsox.com/ekmps/shops/danielmurphy/images/juniorstripeblue(1).jpg" width="150" height="200 [12]: http://www.nndb.com/people/244/000027163/kelmitchell03.jpg" width="100" height="150 [13]: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/kan/sports/m-footbl/auto_headshot/2088317.jpeg" width="100" height="150
The Sideline Report with Angus Quigley
8:00 p.m.Some additional audio has been posted from [Mark Mangino,][1] safety [Justin Thornton][2] and wide receiver[ Kerry Meier][1] from their media sessions on Wednesday. There's some interesting stuff in there, including Mangino saying that he isn't too concerned with KU's kick returns and Meier talking about how he only spends a small portion of practice each day at wide receiver.4:30 p.m.It's been a few weeks, so it's time to fire back up "The Sideline Report."This week's interview is with running back Angus Quigley, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite interviews. Journal-World Sports Editor Tom Keegan also wrote a [nice column about Quigley][3] for Wednesday's newspaper.![][4]The Sideline Report with Angus QuigleyJesse Newell: What's your reaction when people tell you that you run too high? Angus Quigley: I'm kind of like, 'Yeah, I've been hearing that for a while.' That's pretty much what I think when somebody's like, 'Hey, you're running high.' I'm kind of like, 'I've been hearing that since high school.' That's pretty much my mind-set. But, you know, I've been trying to work on it. My biggest thing is to do it when I'm tired. That's the biggest thing. When you get a little tired, old habits come out. I'm just trying to be able to work through that and continue to keep my pads low and all those good things.JN: What can you do to fix something like that?AQ: Drills. Let's say we're doing some light drills, and I feel like it's just going through the motions, you have to push through that. That's when you have to be able to push yourself to get better.JN: I saw you like Adrian Peterson. He was known as a guy [that ran too high.][5] Is that one of the reasons you like him?AQ: Not really. I've always thought about it. Coming out of high school, Adrian Peterson was one of my favorite running backs. He still is now that he's in the NFL. I think he's a great athlete, great guy. I see that he runs high. I used to always say in high school, someone would say, 'Oh, you're running high,' and I would say, 'Adrian Peterson ran high.' But I'm not Adrian Peterson. I'm Angus Quigley. I just need to get better.JN: Have you ever tried that line on coach Mangino?AQ: Not even close. I don't even want to know coach Mangino's reaction if I was to say that to him. Nah, we'll stay out of those waters.JN: What's something that would surprise me about you?AQ: I'm a big mama's boy.![][6]JN: Give me an example.AQ: My mom comes to every game. My stepdad would leave on vacation or something, and I was probably like 11, and I'd come in and I'd sleep with my mom. I'm just a big mama's boy. I always look to the stands to see if my mom is there. That's just what I do.JN: Growing up it was always that way?AQ: Oh yeah. I'd get punished or something, and I'd cry for my mom. 'I want my mama.' All those good things. It's always been that way. I've always migrated to my mom. Me and my mom have had some tough times together growing up. Our bond is ridiculous.JN: Tell me about [your name.][7]AQ: Anguschristopher. I can't even tell you about my name, to be honest with you. I'm named Angus after one of my mom's childhood friends that died. The reason I got Christopher is because my aunt and all the rest of the family wanted me to be named Christopher. So my mom said, 'You know what, everybody's getting on my case about it,' so I'm Anguschristopher. I'm just glad my name didn't come out like they really wanted it to. They wanted me to be named 'Anguschristophermichaeljustin DaJuan Quigley.'JN: Really?AQ: Yep. That's what my aunts and stuff wanted my name to be. It's weird. Sometimes I'll hear my aunts say, 'Anguschristophermichael.' They'll just be playing with me. It's funny, but I've got a lot of names.JN: Maybe that's why you're a mama's boy. She didn't name you that, right?AQ: Yeah, I'm glad. Those are a lot of names. A lot of names.JN: I saw you like fishing. Tell me about that.![][8]AQ: Fishing to me is just peaceful. It's a way to get away from things like sports. It's just stress-free. You can go out there, and it's just dead silent. It takes a lot of patience, and I'm a very patient guy. I have lots of patience. I just sit out there - even if I don't catch any fish - I'll sit out there. I just kind of think, reflect on things. I just have always liked fishing from a young age when my uncle first took me. Since then, it's carried on. During camp - camp's one of the tough times in the year - we got a day off, and me and (running back Jake) Sharp went out and we actually went fishing. It was just a calming time, a time to get away from football.JN: Who caught more?AQ: I think I caught more. I'm pretty sure I caught more (laughs).JN: You talked about being a patient guy. Do you have any other examples of that?AQ: Just this football thing. I've been around here, this is my fourth season. People know of me, but nobody has actually seen me. I had to be patient. I've had injuries upon injuries, and I could have given up, but I just kept working. Now, I'm here.JN: Earlier in your KU career, after a thigh injury, [you spent three weeks in a wheelchair.][9] Tell me what that experience was like for you.![][10]AQ: That's probably the most humbling thing, I think, anybody could ever go through. I went from walking around, running, to in a wheelchair, and [this campus is not wheelchair-friendly,][11] I'll tell you that. There's so many hills, and classes are so far from where the wheelchair entry is, it was crazy. Having to wait for people to open the door for you, you can't do simple things like just get up and walk to the bathroom. You've got to get up, slide off, get in the wheelchair, roll to the bathroom, ... (sit) on a chair in the shower. It was very humbling - humbling and lonely. I felt like I was all alone in my wheelchair. It was crazy.JN: What do you mean all alone?AQ: Oh, man. I couldn't go to practice. They didn't want me to go to class because my classes were so far, so I just pretty much sat in my room. I'd lay in the bed, and I'd get tired of that, so I'd sit in my wheelchair, and I'd roll around the (Jayhawk) Towers in my room, because I lived by myself then, so I'd roll around in my room. Sometimes I'd roll out, open the front door, maybe somebody's in the hall. No, nobody's in the hall. Roll back to your room, watch TV. It's basically 15 hours in the day before you'd see anybody and then, oh yes, tutoring. I've got tutoring. I've never been so excited to do homework. ... It was crazy. I'm just glad I overcame that. That can do a lot to your mind. I felt forgotten. I really wasn't, but that's how I felt.JN: When you were in a wheelchair, did you ever think you'd play football again?AQ: It was kind of hard to believe. I won't lie to you. When you see yourself in a wheelchair, and you look at your leg, and your leg is one-third the size of the other one, you just kind of say, 'How am I going to rebuild myself? I'm all the way torn down.' Working with Chris Dawson, the strength coach, and getting with Murphy (Grant, head football trainer) and all them, they kept encouraging me. I was kind of like, 'Man, I'm never going to play again,' and they were like, 'Oh, you'll be fine.' You've got questions like, 'Oh, will I be as good? Will I ever be able to run as fast? Will I be as strong?' They just kept encouraging me. They played a big factor in what I did and how I got back. They just kept working with me, and luckily, I got back to where I was. Probably, I'm actually even stronger than I was.JN: Any funny Todd Reesing stories?![][12]AQ: The funniest thing I've seen from Todd is that I was driving down Tennessee (Street), and I saw Todd playing horseshoes in the front yard (laughs) with a bunch of guys. I thought it was hilarious, because I was just driving by. It was midday, and I just looked over there and, all of a sudden, I see Todd Reesing throwing horseshoes. It was funny.JN: What does that say about him?AQ: Laid-back guy. He likes to have fun, too. It was just funny. I gave him a hard time about it when I saw him in the locker room the next day, but he's a laid-back guy outside of football. He's laid-back in football. It's just all good for Todd.JN: What's your favorite movie?AQ: '300.'JN: Any reason?AQ: I just like that there was 300 guys, and they took out so many guys. I just like the unison they had. Everything they did was in unison. They were fearless. They weren't afraid to fight for what they wanted, even when everybody else kind of doubted them or whatever. JN: Kind of like you?AQ: Kind of like me. I like '300.' That's why I like '300.' If you watch that movie, I don't see how you couldn't like it. [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/podcasts/press_conferences_postgame_interviews/2008/oct/01/ku_coach_Mark_mangino/ [2]: http://www2.kusports.com/podcasts/press_conferences_postgame_interviews/2008/oct/01/kansas_safety_justin_thornton/ [3]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2008/oc... [4]: http://worldonline.media.clients.elli..." width="250" height="200 [5]: http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/11706806.html [6]: http://images-cdn01.associatedcontent.com/image/A1566/156610/300_156610.jpg" width="230" height="200 [7]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2008/se... [8]: http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/uploads/fishing.jpg" width="300" height= "200 [9]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/fe... [10]: http://worldonline.media.clients.elli..." width="300" height="200 [11]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/nov... [12]: http://worldonline.media.clients.elli..." width="300" height="200
The Sideline Report with Dezmon Briscoe
8:30 p.m.Quick update. Here are the audio links for interviews with [Kansas coach Mark Mangino][1], left tackle [Jeff Spikes][2] and quarterback [Todd Reesing.][3] The first question Mangino answers is about defensive end Caleb Blakesley. Mangino said that Blakesley practiced and looked fine Wednesday (there was some concern Blakesley might not play because of an injury). We'll see what happens.If you have time, make sure to check out Spikes' interview, as he gave some good responses to questions. Spikes has a monster task coming up against South Florida, as his responsibility will be to block future NFL defensive end George Selvie.2:45 p.m.[Week 3 of Kream Keegan][4] is up, so don't forget to make your picks. Last week's winner was Ray Trowbridge of Overland Park, who not only picked all six games right, but also predicted 439 passing yards for Todd Reesing. Pretty good guess, I'd say.This week's Sideline Report is with KU wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe. Enjoy.KU wide receiver Dezmon BriscoeJesse Newell: How often, on a daily basis, do you think about the NFL?Dezmon Briscoe: I'd have to say once or twice a day.JN: What do you think about?DB: How it would be a blessing just to go there and play with some of the greats and play with some of the people I'd admired when I grew up.![][5]JN: Do you ever watch Sundays thinking, 'Hey, I hope some day that's me?'DB: Yeah, I think about it. I think maybe I'll be there some day.JN: If some day your name is called during the NFL Draft, what would that be like for you?DB: It would be a big blessing with me going to the NFL. I could help my mom out a lot and thank the Kansas Jayhawks for improving me and getting me on the field and letting me make plays for them. It would be a blessing.JN: What's the first thing that you'd buy your mom?DB: I'd just give her the money and tell her to buy what she wanted to buy (laughs).JN: What would she buy with it?DB: Probably a new house.JN: How often do you talk on the phone?DB: I don't really talk much. I text a lot.JN: Are you a good texter, then?DB: I'm a pretty phenomenal texter (laughs).JN: Is that an acquired skill over the years?DB: It takes time and preparation (laughs).JN: So texting and receiving are about the same thing?DB: They're about the same thing. It's a different mind-set, but it's still the same thing.JN: About how many texts do you send per day?DB: Oh, I'd have to say more than 600, 700 texts a day. JN: Six hundred to 700? Is that why you're giving your mom some money when you get to the NFL?DB: I've got unlimited texting, so that's why.JN: Is it the ladies?DB: I have a girl back home. I text a couple of lady friends, but I'm pretty dedicated to one woman. JN: You're a good guy. That's the right answer right there.JN: What's your favorite ESPN show?DB: SportsCenter.JN: How many times did you watch your last highlight on ESPN?DB: When I got back to the room, I was kind of tired because it was a long game. But I watched it a couple of times.JN: Were you amazed at what you did?DB: Yeah, I was amazed. I didn't think I had it in me, but fortunately, I did.JN: Did it look better on TV on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays?DB: It looks a whole lot better when it's on TV. The Top 10 plays, that's a big accomplishment.JN: Obviously, I'm never going to do something like that, but take me through your mind. What goes through your mind on a play like that?DB: The first thing that comes through my mind is, "Catch the ball." So I make sure I catch the ball, and when I catch the ball and secure it, then I think about other things, as far as getting upfield and breaking tackles and doing what I did.JN: Do you think about it like, "OK, I'm going to do a spin move"? Or is it just doing what you do?DB: When I caught the ball, the defender was right there on me, so I just gave him a little inside-out and broke that tackle and went on from there.JN: Were you amazed when you got to the end zone?DB: I was pretty amped. Usually I don't get (amped) on touchdowns because it's a minimum expectation for receivers to score touchdowns, but with a run like that, it boosted my confidence a little more.JN: I've seen that you like Terrell Owens. Why's that?![][6]DB: I don't know. I guess I like his swagger on the field and his build. He's a massive receiver. He can go deep, he can catch a stop and take it, he can come across the middle and take a lick. That's what I like about him.JN: You say he has a swagger on the field. Describe your personality on the field. Is it kind of like that?DB: He's been in the league like, what, 11 years? So his swagger's a little different than mine. I'm still in college. I just go out on the field focused on my assignments and what I need to do.JN: If you could spend a day with T.O., what would you guys do?DB: Well, he'd probably make me lift weights (smiles). He'd look at me, probably, and want me to get like him. We'd probably lift weights or play basketball or something.JN: Would you beat him in basketball?DB: Nah, I don't think I'd beat him in basketball. I'm a good basketball player, but I've seen him play. He's got some skills.JN: I saw you've played the trumpet and the drums. Tell me about that.![][7]DB: It was something I got forced to do. In the seventh and eighth grade, I got put in band and ended up playing the trumpet. It became a fluent thing. Playing the drums just came naturally.JN: You didn't want to be in band then?DB: I didn't want to be in band. I tried to get out of it as much as I could, but they made me stay in.JN: What's something that would surprise me about you?DB: That I like candy.JN: What kind?DB: Just any fruity candy. I love candy. Not hard candy, but soft candy.JN: Give me an example.DB: Like Scooby-Doo fruit snacks. ![][8]JN: Scooby-Doo fruit snacks?DB: They're my favorite snack. I've got about 10 boxes at home.JN: What is so good about them?DB: [I don't know.][9] I think one of my cousins back home put me on Scooby-Doo fruit snacks, and ever since them, I've been on them.JN: Do you eat those before the game? Is that kind of like a secret weapon?DB: I haven't told anybody that, but yeah, I eat them before the game. I don't think nobody else has seen me with a box of Scooby-Doo fruit snacks, but I eat them before the game.JN: Is that kind of embarrassing when you have to tote those around?DB: I mean, yeah, me being a Big 12 receiver. Look at me. How could I just walk around and get away with eating a big box of Scooby-Doo fruit snacks?
See all [Grocery reviews][10] at Expotv.com
The Sideline Report with Jake Laptad
[Kream Keegan][1] is posted for Week 2. Congrats to our Week 1 winner, Donna Kennedy of Clay Center, Neb., who says her strategy is to always pick the Jayhawks to win and Nebraska to lose. I'm guessing that method worked quite well last year.![][2]Let's get right into our Sideline Report with KU defensive end Jake Laptad, who leads the Jayhawks in sacks this year with 1 ½ after the first game.KU defensive end Jake Laptad
[Online Videos by Veoh.com][3]Jesse Newell: I hear you have a lot of nicknames. What are some of them?Jake Laptad: "Microphone."JN: Microphone? How'd you get that?JL: I used to just be really loud. I would talk too loud or something when I was supposed to be quiet. I guess during movies I talked too loud.JN: Does that still happen? JL: Not really. I try not to talk during movies. I try to watch them now.JN: So now you're trying to be quiet because everybody told you that you were loud?JL: Yeah, I'm trying to be quiet. I'm trying to work on that.JN: What other nicknames?JL: Lunchbox. I used to carry around a lunchbox in high school. I used to carry it around everywhere. ![][4]JN: What kind of lunchbox?JL: I had a blue, just an old lunchbox from, like, third grade that I had.JN: Why'd you bring it around high school?JL: I don't know. I had to always eat food, and I was just eating food in class. I was trying to put on weight back in high school, so I'd always just carry around a lunchbox with me.JN: What's your favorite lunchbox treat?JL: (pause) I don't know. Probably oatmeal cream pies. ![][5]JN: Those are good, huh?JL: Yeah, those are really good.JN: Do those pack the weight on?JL: They help pack the weight on, I think (laughs).JN: What other sports did you play beside football?JL: Back in high school, I played basketball up until my junior year.JN: Any good at that?JL: I was decent. I wasn't really good, but I was pretty good. I dunked in a game, so that was fun.JN: Was that something you practiced for?JL: During practice, you dunk it all the time. But in a game, it was fun. It was cool.JN: What was going through your mind while you were going up for the dunk?JL: I was just going to lay it up, but then, I got so high. I just dunked it.JN: What was the reaction?JL: It was a big reaction, actually. Nobody expected it, and all my teammates were really surprised.JN: Were you the Big Man on Campus for a week, then?JL: (laughs) Kind of. Yeah, I guess so.JN: You play any other sports in your spare time?JL: In my spare time, I've gotten a couple of my friends up here to go play Frisbee golf.![][6]JN: Are you any good at that?JL: I used to be really good back in high school when I used to go with my friends all the time, but I'm not as good as I used to be.JN: What do you like most about it?JL: I don't know. It's just fun and relaxing, and it's a good time with your friends.JN: Can you throw it farther than anyone else?JL: I throw farther than all my friends up here, that's for sure. They don't really know how to throw it.JN: How about the accuracy? Do you know where you're throwing it?JL: I'm pretty accurate. Some days I'm on, some days I'm not too good.JN: I saw in the media guide that you like Jared Allen. Why do you like him?JL: I'm still a big Chiefs fan. I went to a couple Chiefs games growing up (Laptad is from Tulsa, Okla.). He just plays really hard. It showed last year when he was the sack leader. He's a really good player.JN: Do you kind of model your game after him?JL: I try to. I try as much as I can. I'm just trying to go out there and play to the best of my abilities.JN: What happened the day he got traded. What was your reaction?_ [Ed. Note - For the record, the weatherman says "69 sacks." I'm sure you heard the same thing.]JL: I was pretty bummed out, but we still have Tamba Hali there from Penn State at defensive end. He's really good, too. I like him, too.JN: Jared Allen would make [a little mark in his hair for every sack that he had.][7] Is that something you're going to start to do?![][8]JL: Probably not. No. I don't think so.JN: Is your hair too important to you, then?JL: It's not too important, but I don't think that I would do that.JN: Does he do that just because he's crazy?JL: I don't know. It's just the way he is.JN: If you did, you would have 1 ½ marks right now. You know that, right? Wouldn't that be kind of a fashion statement?JL: (laughs) I guess that would be. [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/keegan/2008/week2/ [2]: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/kan/sports/m-footbl/auto_headshot/2088172.jpeg" width="70" height="100 [3]: http://www.veoh.com/ [4]: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51P8dKkWbFL._SL500_AA280.jpg" width="200" height="250 [5]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/40/835..." width="200" height="120 [6]: http://www.discraft.com/images/team_newell02.jpg" width="300" height="240 [7]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02LPy1... [8]: http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/sportsbog/IMG_1758.jpg" width="120" height="180
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