Respect ... From Kansas City

[Pudge]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/blair-kerkhoff/article66763567.html

Might be as laudatory a column of the UConn Program as you get. All true ...






(Easily found in HuskyNan news links)

 

[Husky25]

Is the Kansas City Star on the Kansas side or Missouri side?

Regardless, interesting that it comes from a Big XII Country... Don't need Conspiracy Kitty to see the nuances in this one.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Nice find. One note about those two prior meetings. I was at Kemper for the KC one, with Law School friends. KU was #7, and UConn was ranked #2 at the time, but it was ugly for me as the only guy in a UConn sweatshirt. So while we hadn't won a title, the Huskies were darned good. By the way, Ollie was on those teams.

 

[CL82]

Is the Kansas City Star on the Kansas side or Missouri side?

Regardless, interesting that it comes from a Big XII Country... Don't need Conspiracy Kitty to see the nuances in this one.

Conspiracy Kitty says:
Or do you?

 

[Gurleyman]

Nice find. One note about those two prior meetings. I was at Kemper for the KC one, with Law School friends. KU was #7, and UConn was ranked #2 at the time, but it was ugly for me as the only guy in a UConn sweatshirt. So while we hadn't won a title, the Huskies were darned good. By the way, Ollie was on those teams.

First one, not the second. The rematch in Hartford was the first game after the suspensions to Ricky and Kirk, and we had a freshman Rip Hamilton running the point. We jumped out to a big lead early (24-8 or something) in front of an emotional crowd, but eventually the talent/experience gap caught up and KU won it.

I think we had a 2-0 lead in the first meeting in Kansas as well before letting that one slip away.

 

[Husky25]

Nice find. One note about those two prior meetings. I was at Kemper for the KC one, with Law School friends. KU was #7, and UConn was ranked #2 at the time, but it was ugly for me as the only guy in a UConn sweatshirt. So while we hadn't won a title, the Huskies were darned good. By the way, Ollie was on those teams.

Kirk King and Ricky Moore were suspended for the matchup in Hartford. It was in the 96-97 season, after Allen left. Donny Marshall, Travis Knight, Snake Johnson, and Big E graduated, and Doron exhausted his eligibility. It was year 1 for Rip, Kelis Fisher, and Jake. They played their hearts out and were leading for a long stretch of the game, but Kansas was just so much more experienced, if not worlds better, with Vaughn, Haas, Pierce, LaFrentz, and Pollard. Kansas underachieved in the Tournament, but they were an absolute force that year.

 

[Danzz]

Kirk King and Ricky Moore were suspended for the matchup in Hartford. It was in the 96-97 season, after Allen left. Donny Marshall, Travis Knight, Snake Johnson, and Big E graduated, and Doron exhausted his eligibility. It was year 1 for Rip, Kelis Fisher, and Jake. They played their hearts out and were leading for a long stretch of the game, but Kansas was just so much more experienced, if not worlds better, with Vaughn, Hass, Pierce, LaFrentz, and Pollard. Kansas underachieved in the Tournament, but they were an absolute force that year.

As I recall we played really well in that game.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Kirk King and Ricky Moore were suspended for the matchup in Hartford. It was in the 96-97 season, after Allen left. Donny Marshall, Travis Knight, Snake Johnson, and Big E graduated, and Doron exhausted his eligibility. It was year 1 for Rip, Kelis Fisher, and Jake. They played their hearts out and were leading for a long stretch of the game, but Kansas was just so much more experienced, if not worlds better, with Vaughn, Haas, Pierce, LaFrentz, and Pollard. Kansas underachieved in the Tournament, but they were an absolute force that year.

Remarkable that UConn kept that one close...yet got blown out in KC where we had such a strong team. Lesson for those future champs I suppose.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Is the Kansas City Star on the Kansas side or Missouri side?

Regardless, interesting that it comes from a Big XII Country... Don't need Conspiracy Kitty to see the nuances in this one.

Missouri, but it is irrelevant. It's not like there is a paper for the part of the city that happens to be in KS (which mostly consists of a gritty urban area KC, KS and some very nice suburbs in Johnson County). Say what you will, but they love college hoops out there, of course they know about UConn.

 

[CallMeBruce]

The Huskies were never the favorite to win in any of their championship years, including the Richard Hamilton-led first one in 1999. That was the one of the four titles when UConn was a No. 1 seed.

Not to nitpick, but we were the preseason #1 in 03-04. It's not like they lucked into that title.

 

[Deepster]

First one, not the second. The rematch in Hartford was the first game after the suspensions to Ricky and Kirk, and we had a freshman Rip Hamilton running the point. We jumped out to a big lead early (24-8 or something) in front of an emotional crowd, but eventually the talent/experience gap caught up and KU won it.

I think we had a 2-0 lead in the first meeting in Kansas as well before letting that one slip away.

Maybe the best crowd I've ever been part of in either HCC/XL or Gampel. And I was in the very last row at the tippity top.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

Article was probably paid for by Bill Self so there wouldn't be as many fans calling for his head Saturday. Of course we will lose because we are Doooomed.

 

[tzznandrew]

Not to nitpick, but we were the preseason #1 in 03-04. It's not like they lucked into that title.

We were favored over Duke in the Final Four matchup, too, even though they were the 1 and we the 2. Duhon's shot caused a lot of money to change hands.

 

[mauconnfan]

Thanks Pudge good little read.

 

[mauconnfan]

Maybe the best crowd I've ever been part of in either HCC/XL or Gampel. And I was in the very last row at the tippity top.

So was I right on top Deep we didn't know each other then but I'm guessing we may have high five each other during the game.

 

[UConn Dan]

Maybe the best crowd I've ever been part of in either HCC/XL or Gampel. And I was in the very last row at the tippity top.

Agree. I was at the tippity top of the student section (300's) and it was the loudest game I have ever attended. Even though we lost, I was so proud of the team and all the fans that day.

As an inside, I remember we had those inflatable noise maker things too.