Jayhawks

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Here we go, just about two minutes left til the start of the game.  Just like Bryan I'll try to give you updates every couple minute on how the game is progressing. First thought:  It is extremely disconcerting to see a mascot with its head off the costume.  However, it is also very hilarious to walk behind a random huge mascot that is just be-bopping along down the hall.  I mean it's not every day you see a huge green eagle just walking around! Just saw Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins and I stopped to say hi.  I asked him the usual question, Hey Lew, how are you doing?

Former Kansas football player and coach Don Fambrough passed away here Saturday at the age of 88. The beloved Jayhawk, who guided KU for eight seasons, died after a fall near his residence in Lawrence.   Of the nine bowl games the University of Kansas has participated in, Fambrough played or coached in five of them. As a player at Kansas, Fambrough earned All-Big Six honors in 1946 and 1947. At the conclusion of the 1947 season he helped lead the team to the Orange Bowl.

Traffic in Dallas delayed the arrival of the Jayhawks a bit, but they are now at their team hotel. The team arrived around six Wednesday evening. They're now gearing up for their game Friday against Michigan. The game is in Arlington, but the NCAA is calling the area North Texas.  It's about 20 minutes from the hotel in Dallas. Coach Bill Self says he's glad they were in Kansas City for the first round and had some time to go home.  He says the players got to go to school for a couple of days and relax in their own space before hitting the road again.

New coach, new quarterback, new attitude - and the same kind of early season loss to a middling opponent that got Turner Gill fired last season. Now, it's up to Charlie Weis, Dayne Crist and everyone else in the Kansas program to prove these aren't the same old Jayhawks - that their late-game collapse Saturday against Rice isn't a precursor of struggles yet to come, beginning this weekend against No. 16 TCU. Crist almost bristled Tuesday when...

The University of Kansas sent out a press release on Monday afternoon announcing that two football players have been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules.  The two players that have  been dismissed are true sophomore linebacker Collin Garrett and redshirt freshman Chris Robinson.  The only explanation given for their dismissal was a violation of team rules and it did not go into further detail. Robinson did not see the field in 2011 and instead took a redshirt.  Garrett first took the field against Oklahoma in the 2011 season and the linebacker played in six total games for the Jayhawks. 

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey are ready to tackle Ohio State star Jared Sullinger. The way the two Kansas big men have been playing, Sullinger had better be ready, too. The Jayhawks' inside tandem didn't get the chance to play against the Buckeyes' All-American in December, when he missed the second of two games with a bad back. Robinson in particular took advantage down low, scoring 21 points and leading the Jayhawks to a 78-67 victory. Robinson said he's throwing out that matchup in preparing for Saturday night's national semifinal at the Superdome.

The Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 63-60 to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. They will now play North Carolina State in the Sweet 16.  That game is set for Friday evening after the North Carolina/Ohio game (Which starts at around 6:45 Central).  The game will air on TBS. During the game against Purdue, the Jayhawks trailed the Boilermakers 36-30 at the half and trailed for much of the second half before taking the lead towards the end. The Jayhawks were led in scoring by Elijah Johnson who had 18 points.

It seems like his knee wasn't bothering him too much.  Thomas Robinson put up 22 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 4 blocks Tuesday night as the Jayhawks pounded Fort Hays State 101-52.  Robinson hyperextended his knee earlier this season during practices but was moving up and down the court just fine in KU's final exhibition game. With Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson both on the bench for violating team rules Freshman guard Naadir Tharpe made a name for himself scoring 19 for Bill Self in 29 minutes on the floor.

Aaron Rea hit the go-ahead RBI double in the top of the 16th inning as the Shockers outlasted Kansas 6-4 in 16 innings Tuesday night.  Don Lambert later drove in Rea to give the Shockers a two-run cushion. The Jayhawks and Shockers combined to use 12 different pitchers for the marathon game that lasted more than four hours at Hoglund Park.  Lawrence native Albert Minnis earned the win for Wichita State (20-15) going 4 innings giving up no earned runs and striking out three.

The last time KU left Lawrence on the way to the Final Four, they came back national champions. They're hoping for the same thing this time around. A pep rally greeted the team as they arrived at Topeka's Forbes Field this afternoon where they boarded a plane for New Orleans. KU plays Ohio State Saturday night. Tip-off is set for approx. 7:50 on KWCH 12. The winner will face the winner of Kentucky and Louisville on Monday night for the national title.