[ Stadium big screen draws 8,000 fans ]

Stadium big screen draws 8,000 fans

By Steve Swartz and Paul Eakins

The Capital-Journal

LAWRENCE --- As time wound down on The University of Kansas basketball season late Saturday, fans watching the game on the giant screen in KU's football stadium held out hope the Jayhawks could pull off some last-second magic.

But for the 8,000 fans who watched the national semifinal game against the Maryland Terrapins in Memorial Stadium, it was "wait until next year."

Two of the fans, Amber Sellers, a senior from Wichita, and Enjoli Dixon, a senior from Jefferson City, Mo., left disappointed but still proud of the Jayhawks, who fell 97-88.

"Coming into this they knew it was going to be hard, but they played their hearts out," Sellers said.

Another disappointed fan, Mike Conley, a 1999 KU graduate who lives in Lawrence, said, "It's pretty disheartening, but they played hard all year and they played like champs just to get here." The enthusiastic fans at the football stadium cheered on their team as if they were at the game in Atlanta themselves. With cheers for every KU point as the Jayhawks slowly cut the Terrapins' lead, shouts of "Defense!" and even the rattling of keys by fans during Maryland foul shots, the crowd had hope right to the end.

As the situation grew more desperate, everyone had a theory about the reason for the Jayhawks' apparent impending loss.

Matt Valenzeno, a senior from Overland Park, said the Jayhawks lost their edge inside as the game went on.

"We had a big rebounding advantage in the first five or six minutes, and we're kind of losing that battle," Valenzeno said.

For Barlas Buyuktimkin, like many fans, the game was a roller coaster.

"I was really down, thinking that they would lose, then they made a comeback and I thought they might win. But, if they hadn't called that time-out ... " said Buyuktimkin, a senior from Lawrence. "Maybe next year."

The chance to see the ball game with thousands of other fans was impossible for KU seniors Joel and Wendy White to pass up. The couple decided to forego watching the game on their 55-inch, big screen TV at home for the really big screen --- 24-by-36-foot --- at the stadium.

"He brought me here," said Wendy, dressed appropriately in Jayhawk blue and sitting next to her husband, dressed in even more Jayhawk blue. "It was his idea."

The decision to come to the stadium in 50-degree weather was a no- brainer for the Whites.

"It feels like a game atmosphere," Joel said.

Indeed. There were cheerleaders and a pep band. One of the big Jayhawk mascots pranced around the football field.

The university's decision to open the stadium for the game gave some fans their first chance to see a Jayhawk game on the KU campus.

One of the first-timers was Topekan Adam Gill, a 9-year-old third- grader at Heritage Christian School. Adam's response to the big event? "Cool."

"There's obviously something special about KU and this atmosphere," said Adam's dad, Steve Gill, a KU grad. "I'm growing Adam up to be a loyal Jayhawk fan."

A big crowd was something KU officials were hoping could be accommodated in a controlled environment. In past years, the huge crowds that have surged to campus following Jayhawk Final Four games have been less than controlled. Although there hasn't been the extensive property damage and injuries that have marred championship games in some cities, past KU crowds have caused damage on campus in their exuberance.

KU spokesman Todd Cohen said that after the Jayhawks lost to Duke in the 1991 national championship game, fans damaged the inside of Wescoe Hall, the location of most large, impromptu campus gatherings.

Some cars also were damaged.

"We learned the hard way in '88 and '91," said Cohen, also referring to the season KU won the national championship by beating Oklahoma.

Beginning in February, university officials began planning for the possibility of KU playing Saturday night. The gates to the stadium were opened at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:47 p.m. tip-off, and fans were encouraged to stay in the stadium after the game to view the post- game interviews on the big screen.

Several of the roads on campus, including Jayhawk Boulevard that runs through the heart of campus, were closed to vehicle traffic before, during and after the game. All campus buildings were locked, and no alcohol or tailgating were allowed at the stadium.

Coach Roy Williams and senior guard Jeff Boschee also did their part to keep their fans safe. E-mails under both of their names were sent to the entire student body last week urging safe celebrating and encouraging fans to watch the ball game at the stadium.

Copyright 2002
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