What a difference 20 years makes

The Madness is upon us. The last time the Kansas Jayhawks won the national title was 20 years ago, in 1988. At the time I was in the 6th grade, living in Germany and preparing to move back to the United States and the heaven that is Grand Forks, North Dakota. I didn't really know about the greatness that is Kansas Basketball, and therefore don't really remember much about it.


I know you're wondering: if you didn't like Kansas Basketball, what did you like? Well, I'm glad you asked. The following is a list of the things I liked in 1988, with a corresponding list of things that I like today. At first I thought a lot had changed since then, but now I'm not too sure...


Things I liked in 1988 --- and the corresponding thing I like today:
tube socks --- argyle socks
Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet --- Tortoise's TNT
the Washington Redskins --- Kansas Basketball
my Huffy bike --- my Pontiac Vibe
girls (sort of) --- my wife
George Brett --- Bill Self
Luke Skywalker --- the Dude
my walkman --- my iPod
Top Gun --- Pulp Fiction
Atari 2600 --- Xbox 360
Groo comics --- DFW novels
wiffleball homerun derby --- drunken glow-in-the-dark frisbee
telling people I'm "from Germany" --- telling people I live one mile from Allen Fieldhouse
my mullet --- my near mullet


Rock Chalk my friends. 2 wins down, 4 to go.

Don't take it from me

Have you seen or read Barack Obama's speech from yesterday? Hearing or reading about it can't do it justice; it's the kind of thing a person should experience and judge for themselves.

That's right, I just used a semi-colon baby. Did I use it correctly?

Actually, forget about that and go check out the speech. Seriously. Do it.

A day of selection

Selection Sunday is here and it's like Christmas morning here in Lawrence. To celebrate, Jim and I are headed to Kansas City in a couple hours to the Big 12 Tournament title game, where our beloved Jayhawks will face off against Texas. The burnt orange are about to get burnt up by the crimson and blue baby.

Unfortunately for the big 12 and if history is any indication, the outcome of the game will have no bearing on the seedings announced just minutes after the conclusion of the game, so KU's fate is probably already sealed somewhere in an Indianapolis hotel conference room. If KU is in fact going to land a 2 seed, I'd like to steer clear of UCLA in the west and UNC in the east. Here's hoping.

And, since it seems everyone and their pet rock are making bracket predictions these days, here's mine:

West
1 - UCLA
2 - Duke
3 - Xavier
4 - Connecticut

East
1 - UNC
2 - Georgetown
3 - Stanford
4 - Drake

South
1 - Memphis
2 - Texas
3 - Louisville
4 - Pittsburgh

Midwest
1 - Tennessee
2 - Kansas
3 - Wisconsin
4 - Notre Dame

Merry Selection Day, and to all a Rock Chalk!

Somebody sure owes me something

Kansas basketball fans are often accused of acting as if they are owed something. I can't deny it, I feel that way. Since KU won the title in 1988, KU fans have watched great team after great team fall short of an NCAA title. As evidence, I submit the chart below, which shows various statistics for every team that has made a Final Four appearance since 1990.* You can draw your own conclusions, but the way I see it, we are so due for a title.

We're looking at a probable #1 or #2 seed again this year when the bracket is announced in a couple days. Recent history certainly isn't on our side, but maybe this is our year. Rock Chalk.

* I make no promises to the exact accuracies of this data. I compiled it from a bunch of different sources and I know there are some inconsistancies. Generally, it's pretty close.

You're definintely still in Kansas anymore

Lawrence is a wonderful and faboulous place, but let's not kid ourselves. Every once in a while, I see something to remind me that I am, without a doubt, living in Kansas.

Today's evidence comes from my RSS feed of items being sold in Lawrence on craigslist. These headlines and selected quotes all three came through in a span of 33 minutes:

Firewood for gravel - "Due to low funds and lack of work, I decided to offer as much firewood as possible in order to get some gravel."

WANTED: Chicken Coup - "Looking for a some type of smaller coup/shed to house my kids pet chickens."

And my personal favorite:

Goat Herd for Sale - "I have a registered Boer buck who is not related to none of the does."

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce welcomes you. At least the real estate is cheap. Did we mention we have a good basketball team?

God bless this piece of land. And its government.

I found John McCain’s robotic victory speech last night terrifying. An excerpt:

"I have never believed I was destined to be President. I don't believe anyone is pre-destined to lead America. But I do believe we are born with responsibilities to the country that has protected our God-given rights, and the opportunities they afford us. I did not grow up with the expectation that my country owed me more than the rights owed every American. On the contrary, I owe my country every opportunity I have ever had. I owe her the meaning that service to America has given my life, and the sense that I am part of something greater than myself, part of a kinship of ideals that have always represented the last, best hope of mankind."

On the surface, it sounds fine enough: I am humble. America is great. I serve America.

But below the surface, it’s laced with creepiness and absurdities: We all owe America because God loves America. People who question America must not understand how lucky they are to be American. America is the only country that can save the human race.

Some would surely say that I am putting words in his mouth. But many would say that my interpretation is not only accurate, but also inspiring. I find this more terrifying than any speech ever could be. It’s not the candidate that scares me. It's the people and beliefs that he is trying to appeal to that scare me.

That, and this John McCain POW action figure: