The Other Basketball Tourney, Day Two

By C.J. JANOVY

After yesterday’s events at the Big 12 Women’s basketball tournament, I have one thing to say to the Kansas State team: Quit yer cryin’! Oh, sure, it was agony to watch that game-winning ball circle the rim a couple of times before falling out, but it was even more agonizing to see girls acting like… girls after losing to Iowa State. If I have to watch athletes cry after tough losses, I’d much rather it be dudes.

Here’s what made me weep: Watching the University of Kansas women, who started their game against Oklahoma State with skill and grace, disintegrate after 10 short minutes. Last night’s game was so hard to watch that I began to amuse myself by wondering how hard it must be for the OSU staff to dress in orange and black all the time, as if every night was Halloween back in Stillwater. Or how their coach, Kurt Budke, bore an uncanny resemblance to Ruben Kincaid.

I also enjoyed a pack of rowdy Colorado fans. Having no real team to cheer for since the Buffalo gals got knocked out in the first game, they’d adopted OSU – and behaved mercilessly toward KU player LaChelda Jacobs, who wears number “00.” They yelled things like, “That’s the worst number in the world!” and “How could you choose double zeros?” They also had a repertoire of well-rehearsed nonsense cheers (one had something to do with cheeseburgers) that were fun, if confounding.

The best part of the night, though, was the OSU band. With half the tubas of the Kansas band – hell, let’s just say half the brass – they kicked the Jayhawks’ ass. Most impressive was their cool, cool drummer. That’s one of those crazy Colorado fans dancing in the aisle.