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Allen Fieldhouse

ALL RISE! Naismith Court is now in session

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THE GREATEST BUILDING ON EARTH, EVER:
THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSE
CLICK COACH ALLEN IMAGE ABOVE FOR
PHOG BLOG PICTORIAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE HOUSE -
"The Greatest Building on Earth, Ever - the pics"
Allen Fieldhouse is located in the southern sector of the main campus of the University of Kansas. It is situated on Naismith Drive, named after James Naismith, the inventor of the game of basketball and KU's first coach, at 1700 Naismith Drive, University of Kansas Campus, Lawrence, KS 66045. The outside of the Fieldhouse is 344 feet by 254 feet, rising three stories above the ground, with sidewalls 60 feet high and a roof peak at 85 feet. The original construction cost was $2.5 million. There were 650,000 bricks used to construct the Phog. Capacity in Allen Fieldhouse was 15,200 prior to the 1986-87 season, when 600 seats were added. Prior to the 1994-95 season, an additional 500 seats were added, bringing capacity to 16,300. More than 4,000 seats, including many close to the playing floor, are reserved for the students.
Since the 1964-65 season, more than five million people have attended Kansas games at Allen Fieldhouse. Administrative and coaching offices for the athletics department are located in the Fieldhouse, the Parrott Athletic Center, annexed to the Fieldhouse in 1970, and the Wagnon Student-Athlete Center.
A renovation project during the summer of 1974 covered the Phog's original dirt surface completely. A synthetic basketball floor was installed to replace the original portable raised floor. Five years later, another portable wood floor replaced the synthetic one. A $3.5 million renovation prior to the 1998-99 season paved the way for new and larger restrooms and concession stands, an elevator and larger, more accessible entryways. In 2001-02, improved handicapped seating was installed. Prior to the 2003-04 season, the floor was completely re-finished, including replacing artwork of the State of Kansas at midcourt with a giant Jayhawk. Prior to the 2005-06 season, new lighting, sound system, windows, bleacher paint, a new scoreboard, new banners and a museum of KU athletics with gift/fan shop were added.
On Nov. 14, 1997, during the first game of the season against santa clara, the floor in Allen Fieldhouse was named the James Naismith Court. A banner commemorating 100 years of Kansas basketball was also unfurled on the South wall in the Fieldhouse. One month later, the Phog Allen Statue outside the East entrance of the Fieldhouse was dedicated before yet another victory over middle tennessee state.
Allen Fieldhouse has served as the host site for 37 NCAA tournament games. Today, the Phog hosts approximately 30 home basketball games (men's and women's combined) each year. The facility has also been used for stage shows, major addresses and for commencement ceremonies when the weather is inclement. Originally, Allen Fieldhouse was used as a multi-purpose facility. The Kansas track teams ran in the Phog during the indoor season, and the Fieldhouse served as an indoor practice facility for the basketball, softball and football teams. In 1984, Anschutz Sports Pavilion was completed, making Allen Fieldhouse the home for only the KU men's and women's basketball teams and the volleyball team.
Beginning with the 2004-05 season, Kansas University's athletic department instituted a new seating plan for men's basketball tickets. Under the plan, seats were given to fans based on points accumulated by monetary donations, purchase of season tickets for other sports, tenure as a season-ticket holder and other criteria. Fans have the option of raising their point totals by contributing to the athletic department's Williams Fund. For every $100 donation, they get one regular point and one bonus point. Regular points roll over from year to year; bonus points are good for only one year. The department stated that it switched to a point-based system after a 2003 audit found that 990 season-ticket holders had never contributed to the Williams Fund, and that 1,987 were inconsistent donors. Previously, the department said, ticket sales and seating decisions had been based on longevity and timely payment. The switch raises about $2 million annually in additional giving. A fundraising campaign that let fans double their points raised between $7 million and $8 million. The point-based system does not apply to KU faculty, staff or retirees. Their seating is based on seniority. A lawsuit that challenged Kansas University's right to base the purchase of seating on donations was dismissed in Douglas County District Court. District Judge Jack Murphy held in his ruling that "there is nothing impermissible about tying season-ticket purchases to athletic-fund contributions."
CLICK THIS TEXT FOR
SEATING POINTS CALCULATOR
CLICK THIS TEXT FOR INTERACTIVE
SEATING POINTS PLAN GUIDE
Basketball coach Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen had begun talking publicly about a fieldhouse for basketball and other sporting events as early as 1927. However, the depression and war prevented action. In 1947, a bill was introduced in the Kansas House of Representatives to appropriate funds for a new sports building at KU, but was defeated. Another plea was made in 1949; this one was successful and led to the assignment of Charles Marshall, the State Architect, to oversee the preparation of plans and drawings. Another two years would pass before sufficient funding could be identified in the State's budget to move ahead.
Ground was broken in 1951 with Bennett Construction of Topeka as general contractor. As completion of the building approached, the decision about its name became an urgent matter. The names of both Dr. James Naismith and Phog Allen were both considered. The final decision was to name the new facility after the still serving, but already legendary coach. While it was against the Kansas Board of Regents' policy to name any building for a living person, popular support, including a 924-10 (Allen over Naismith) poll taken among students by the University Daily Kansan, was clear. The Fieldhouse was the house that Phog built.
As part of the campaign to gather funding for the Fieldhouse, the building was promoted as a benefit for the physical education programs offered for the growing numbers of students at KU, as well as to serve as a place for major academic events, such as commencement and convocation, but also as a facility that could be used as an ROTC drill hall and an armory "in the event of a national emergency as was the case during World War II."
CLICK PHOG SKELETON IMAGE ABOVE
FOR BRIEF VIDEO ON THE COACH
AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BUILDING
One of the greatest challenges in the construction of the Fieldhouse was the task of acquiring enough steel because of the competing demands of the military (the Korean War was underway) and the national building boom of the 1950s. Initial approval for the massive amount of steel needed (2,700 tons) was gained in November, 1950, but did not result in timely delivery of the material. After 900 concrete pilings had been poured, beginning in March, 1952, the project was suspended for lack of structural steel. By late 1953, the steel had still not arrived. Appeal was made to the Federal Security Agency, emphasizing the planned military uses of the building, and approval was finally gained. The steel began to arrive early in 1954.
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
CLICK DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH IMAGE ABOVE FOR BRIEF VIDEO ON THE MAN AND THE VENUE
Here's a look at 50 of the most memorable sporting moments in Allen Fieldhouse's storied history, in no particular order, as chosen by the Lawrence Journal-World staff:
1. Wilt Chamberlain scores 52 points in his college debut, an 87-69 victory over northwestern on Dec. 3, 1956. Chamberlain converts 20 of 29 floor shots and 12 of 20 free throws. He also has 31 rebounds.
2. Bud Stallworth drops in 50 points, many from long-range, in a 93-80 victory over Norm on Feb. 26, 1972. Stallworth's explosion is witnessed by KU's 1952 title team in town for a 20th reunion.
3. KU registers an astonishing 150-95 romp over kentucky on ..erry Brown finishes with 31 points while nailing seven of 10 three-point shots. KU led, 80-61, at the half.
4. Wilt Chamberlain returns Jan. 17, 1998, as part of KU's 100th anniversary of basketball. Wearing his old letter jacket, Chamberlain charms the fans with an emotional speech and stays two hours after the game to sign autographs.
5. Allen Fieldhouse opens with a 77-66 victory over kansas state on March 1, 1955, as Gene Elstun scores 21 points.
6. Fans are astounded during a game with kansas state on Feb. 20, 1965, when a pair of 6'x12' banners saying "Go Cats, Kill Snob Hill Again" unfurl on the east and west sides of the scoreboard with eight minutes left in the first half of KU's 88-66 victory. A wire stretching to the South end of the court enabled visiting ksu farmers to trip the banners.
7. Kansas wins the last meeting between Phog Allen and oklahoma state's Hank Iba, 56-55, on Jan. 31, 1956, giving Coach Allen a 17-16 edge in head-to-head matchups between the legendary coaches.
8. Oscar Robertson scores a Fieldhouse-record 56 points, lifting cincinnati to a 97-62 NCAA Tournament victory over arkansas on March 15, 1958. Luckily, this is a thing of the past. The thought of two college teams running up and down on the Jayhawk, one of them not being KU, is nauseating.
9. oklahoma players clip the nets Feb. 22, 1984, after clinching the Big Eight championship. Afterward, peeved KU coach Larry Brown remarks, "What goes around comes around." And it did too, big-time.
10. KU's Lynette Woodard explodes for 44 points, most ever by a woman in the Fieldhouse, in a 101-64 victory over iowa state on Feb. 10, 1979. Eight days later she scores 49 points in a 105-54 victory at southwest missouri state.
11. houston, led by Elvin Hayes' 19 points, stuns the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks, 66-53, in an NCAA Tournament game in March, 1967. The only reason this remains in this list is the uniquesness of the Jayhawks playing an NCAA Tournament game in the Phog. Otherwise: Meaningless.
12. KU thumps oklahoma state, 75-57, in the final home game for seniors Danny Manning, Chris Piper and Archie Marshall. osu coach Leonard Hamilton agrees to allow Marshall, on crutches because of a knee injury, to limp onto the floor and take an uncontested shot with 1:33 remaining. Marshall missed.
13. Anthony Peeler scores 43 points, but KU wins, 98-89, March 8, 1992, and the Jayhawks cut down the nets after assuring a tie for the Big Eight Conference title. The Hawks fans gave Peeler a standing ovation.
14. Danny Manning scores 40 points in a 70-60 victory over notre dame on Feb. 8, 1987.
15. Wilt Chamberlain collects 46 points in a 102-46 massacre of nebraska on Feb. 8, 1958. At the time, the 56-point margin was the largest in Fieldhouse history.
16. Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich combine for 43 points March 1, 2003, in their last Fieldhouse game, an 89-61 victory over oklahoma state. It also was Roy's final game in the Fieldhouse. A month later, he left for north carolina.
17. Adolph Rupp, a member of KU's 1923 national championship team, brings kentucky to Lawrence for the first time Dec. 14, 1959. Wayne Hightower scores 33 points.
18. Raef LaFrentz, Billy Thomas and C.B. McGrath finish their careers undefeated (58-0) at home with an 83-70 victory over oklahoma on Feb. 23, 1998.
19. Jan. 24, 2004, Marian Washington's last game as KU women's coach. 3 days later, Washington takes a medical leave and a month later announces her retirement after 31 years and 560 victories.
20. KU spills Quin, 80-70, to wrap up the 100-year anniversary weekend celebration Feb. 8, 1998. At halftime, hundreds of KU players and coaches walk onto the court for introductions.
21. A crowd of around 14,000 shows up Nov. 19, 1955, to watch KU's freshmen sting the varsity, 81-71, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 42 points.
22. A school-record nine Jayhawks score in double figures in a 127-82 victory over iowa state on Jan. 7, 1989. That's also the most points KU has scored in a conference game.
23. Larry Bird tallies 22 points and grabs 13 boards in indiana state's 86-69 victory over virginia tech in the NCAA Midwest Regional final March 11, 1979.
24. Bill Bridges nabs 30 rebounds in an 86-69 season-opening victory over northwestern on Dec. 3, 1960.
25. Terry Brown drills a school-record 11 three-pointers and scores 42 in a 105-94 victory over north carolina state on Jan. 5, 1991.
26. Danny Manning tallies 27 points in a 100-66 blasting of Norm on Feb. 11, 1986. It's KU's biggest victory over that team in the Fieldhouse.
27. oklahoma state's Randy Rutherford scores 45 points, but KU holds 7-footer Bryant Reeves scoreless in a 78-62 victory that gives the Jayhawks the league title March 5, 1995.
28. Approximately 6,000 show up for the first Late Night extravaganza Oct. 14, 1985.
29. Terry Brown scores 26 points, pacing KU to a 73-60 victory over miami on Jan. 16, 1991, in a game that nearly was canceled because of the start of Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. Brown dedicates the game to a brother serving in the Gulf.
30. Several KU students unveil a banner made of shower curtains that reads Pay Heed, All Who Enter: BEWARE OF "THE PHOG" prior to a Feb. 22, 1988, game against duke.
31. A renovation project during the summer of 1974 covers the Fieldhouse's original dirt surface completely. A synthetic basketball floor is installed to replace the original portable raised floor. Five years later, a portable wood floor replaces the synthetic one.
32. Meaningless.
33. KU trails ucla by 15 points at halftime, but rallies to win by 15 (85-70) Dec. 1, 1995. No KU team has overcome a larger halftime deficit.
34. Nick Collison scores 24 points and has 23 rebounds before fouling out in 90-87 victory over texas Jan. 27, 2003, prompting TV analyst Dick Vitale to give Collison a standing ovation from press row. At halftime, KU gives retired coach Norm Stewart a rocking chair, to cheers of "Sit Down, Norm!" He does.
35. Alonzo Jamison shatters the backboard with a dunk during the 1988 Late Night.
36. Danny Manning's jersey is retired ..he Jayhawks beat georgia, 76-65, with Manning sitting in the student section.
37. In a Feb. 26, 1966, showdown between No. 6-ranked KU and No. 8 nebraska, the Jayhawks romp, 110-73, and cut down nets after clinching Big 8 title.
38. Jo Jo White scores 30 points in his last KU game, an 80-70 victory over colorado on Feb. 1, 1969. White received the game ball after coach Ted Owens' 100th career victory.
39. KU downs oklahoma state, 64-48, Feb. 3, 1969, for the 1,000th victory in school history. Coach Ted Owens had torn the seat of his pants in the second half and had to wear a towel around his waist in a postgame ceremony.
40. Meaningless.
41. Roy tries to start six seniors plus Raef LaFrentz before waving walk-ons Joel Branstrom and Steve Ransom off the court prior to tipoff of a 78-58 victory over kansas state on Feb. 22, 1997. What a trickster.
42. Jacque Vaughn's three-pointer at :0.2 in overtime gives KU an 86-83 victory over indiana on Dec. 22, 1993. Vaughn finishes with 13 points. Go to the "View My : Pics" on this space to hear the radio call of Jacque's game-winner, or click this text.
43. Four-time Olympic champion Al Oerter is among the KU competitors Feb. 3, 1956, in the first indoor track meet in school history. Kansas wins the dual with oklahoma in front of 2,000 fans.
44. Marian Washington posts 500th career victory, a 58-54 decision over oklahoma on Feb. 20, 1999.
45. A sellout crowd watches Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls knock off the Seattle SuperSonics in an NBA exhibition game Oct. 11, 1997.
46. Coach Dick Harp goes on the PA system Feb. 23, 1958, to beseech KU fans to stop booing opponent Mike Kirksey on the free-throw line. Harp is ignored, and the KU coach asks the official to call a technical foul on the fans. Kirksey makes three free throws, but KU wins, 85-81. What the hell was he thinking?
47. Meaningless.
48. A "Fill the Fieldhouse" promotion on Jan. 9, 1994, lures a record women's crowd of 13,352 that watches the Jayhawks edge colorado, 59-57.
49. The Harlem Globetrotters, featuring Lynette Woodard, appear Feb. 10, 1987, and, as usual, defeat the Washington Generals.
50. Days after winning the 1988 NCAA title, Coach Larry Brown holds an afternoon press conference in the Fieldhouse to announce he has turned down a job offer from ucla. Less than a month later, he bolts for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. Sounds contagious.
CLICK PHOGGY NIGHT IMAGE ABOVE
FOR VIDEO ON HISTORY OF THE HOUSE
Other highlights:
• Kansas leads coach Jerry Tarkanian's long beach state team 32-8 at halftime then hangs on for 69-52 victory Dec. 1, 1970.
• Eventual national champion cincinnati trips kansas state 69-64 March 18, 1961, in NCAA Midwest Regional.
• An alumni game fills the Fieldhouse Feb. 7, 1998, featuring such former players as Kevin Pritchard, Walt Wesley, Bud Stallworth, Ron Loneski and John Douglas.
• KU pounds washburn, 99-56, on Nov. 25, 2000, for KU's 500th victory in the Fieldhouse.
• KU downs colorado 78-63 on March 9, 1957, to capture the school's last Big Seven title and first title since moving to the Phog.
• Steve Woodberry hits a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to give KU a 62-61 victory over oklahoma state for Roy's 150th victory.
• Lynette Woodard scores 24 points in an 80-59 victory over stephen f. austin and becomes the all-time leading scorer in AIAW history.
• Roy decides to leave KU, telling reporters in a brief Fieldhouse press conference on a staircase in April of 2003. Classic. He tells the rest of us from chapel hill with a big carolina backdrop behind him and a big grin on his face. Very diplomatic.
• Four days after undergoing surgery to repair anterior compartment syndrome in his right leg, Mark Randall scores 11 points in an 108-71 rout of marquette. KU registers a school-record 22 steals.
• Wilt Chamberlain grabs 36 rebounds in a 90-61 rout of iowa state on Feb. 15, 1958.
• KU clobbers brown, 115-45, Jan. 3, 1989, for the most lopsided win in school history. Milt Newton leads the Jayhawks with 23 points.
CLICK INTERIOR IMAGE ABOVE FOR
VIDEO OF THE MARCHING COBRAS IN THE HOUSE -
Special thanks to HitLines for the video
OPEN HOUSE
March 1, 1955
CLICK TIP-OFF IMAGE ABOVE FOR
PHOG BLOG PICTORIAL OF OPENING NIGHT -
"The Greatest Building on Earth, Ever - the pics"
There was exciting basketball and a whole lot more in Allen Fieldhouse on that dedicatory night of March 1, 1955. The half-time ceremony included a pageant with a cast of almost 300 people and introduction of a march, entitled Mr. Basketball, composed by Russell Wiley, professor of music. The ceremony opened with basketball players and trackmen practicing, graduates in caps and gowns, and ROTC students performing marching drills, all spotlighted on the basketball court. There was substantial halftime emphasis on the many intended uses for Allen Fieldhouse, for track, indoor baseball practice, commencement exercises, concerts and an armory.
As part of the pageant, a narrator interviewed a "Dr. Naismith" character who dramatically recounted the story of basketball. The interview began with a re-enactment of Coach Naismith’s experience in Springfield, Massachusetts in the 1890s, creating a game that could be played indoors during the winter. As the story progressed from Massachusetts to Kansas, Dr. Naismith met and befriended the young Forrest C. Allen, in 1905. The story shifted to focus on Coach Allen, a 35-minute act titled "The Story of Basketball," as he built his reputation as the "father of basketball coaching," and culminated with recognition of KU’s 1952 national basketball championship and KU’s part in winning the Olympic gold medal for the United States later that same year. As for "The Story of Basketball" pageant, it featured hundreds of actors in colorful, often humorous, outfits and a number of KU foreign students attired in their native clothing to emphasize the international aspect of the game.
Special note:
The Phog shares the same birthday, March 1, with:
Yellowstone National Park, the Peace Corps, Botticelli,
Chopin, Harry Belafonte, Glenn Miller, Burning Spear,
Ron Howard and Catherine Bach
Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy was the first to address the audience, saying: "Tonight we have paid tribute to the game of basketball. Kansas University has been the pivotal point of the game for the entire world." Then, Kansas Gov. Fred Hall officially presented the Fieldhouse to KU. Publisher Oscar Stauffer, representing the Kansas Board of Regents said: "By unanimous vote, the regents have named this Fieldhouse in honor of a great Kansan, an outstanding coach and a fine gentleman. This building also stands as a deep manifestation of the interest in the youth of the University."
Murphy drew a rousing ovation when he declared: "For just about every special occasion at the University, there has to be a queen, and tonight is no exception. Never has there been a more lovely and attractive regent to grace the campus than tonight's queen, Mrs. Forrest C. Allen," a special tribute to Coach Allen's wife, Bess. That's the only time Coach Allen was seen to lose his poise and brush away tears. Then, Coach Allen was introduced by the chancellor as "a man who not only has built great teams but sound men, as evidenced by the former basketball players assembled on the court tonight." More than 100 of Coach Allen's former players were on hand, and so were many members of his family. Responding to the standing ovation, Coach Allen quipped that since he had been "terribly sick" in bed in Boulder during the Feb. 22 game at colorado, he seriously doubted he would be well enough to make the dedication scene.
Noted for his memorable quotes and a tendency to speak at length on even ordinary occasions, Coach Allen, then 69 and near retirement, was uncharacteristically brief for this singular honor. "I began to think maybe this is it," Coach Allen joked. "Now the University can have the dedication of the Fieldhouse without breaking the long-standing tradition of no living person have a major university building named after him." The crowd roared again. Naming the arena after Coach Allen set a precedent for all Kansas schools, which previously had named structures only for people who had died.
Coach Allen stressed he first wanted to pay tribute to James Naismith for inventing the game of basketball and imparting so much knowledge and inspiration to him during their years together on Mount Oread. Finally, Coach Allen said: "I humbly accept this Fieldhouse as a tribute to all the players past, present and future at the University." Again, the crowd roared, and continued to express hearty approval when Kansas City alumni leader Scott Ashton presented Coach Allen with keys to a new Cadillac.
The historic halftime ceremony ended with the band playing "Auld Lang Syne" as Coach Allen went to the dressing room to rejoin his team that was being coached on opening night, at his request, by assistant Dick Harp. Coach Allen explained he wanted the players to win for KU and for themselves, not for him. "Underdog" KU led kansas state 44-33 at the half.
Among the guests on hand were:
• The Allens' sons - attorney Milton Allen and Dr. Robert Allen, and daughters Mrs. Jane Mons, Mrs. Mary Hamilton and Mrs. Eleanor Glenn.
• Bob Kennedy, president of the All-Student Council.
• KU athletic director A.C. "Dutch" Lonborg.
• James McCain, president of kansas state university.
• Larry "Moon" Mullins, ksu athletic director.
• Fred "Tex" Winter, ksu men's basketball coach.
• E. C. Quigley, former KU athletic director.
• Charles Marshall, Fieldhouse architect.
• Charles Bennett, general project contractor.
• John Brown, building supervisor.
Kansas held on to defeat favored ksu, 77-67, even though ksu narrowed the gap to three points on three occasions in the final 10 minutes. "There was no way we were going to let k-state beat us on this night," said sophomore Gene Elstun, who led the Jayhawks with 21 points. "Imagine being remembered as the KU team that lost to k-state the night the Fieldhouse was dedicated. We could never live with that." The very first crowd of 17,228 is still the largest in Fieldhouse history for a basketball game, and always will be unless the fire marshal disappears or another 1,000 seats are installed. There was no TV coverage of note for the dedication game. There is below, however.
CLICK FIRST GAME IMAGE ABOVE
FOR OLD-SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
CLICK 50th LOGO IMAGE ABOVE FOR PHOG BLOG
PICTORIAL OF 50th ANNIVERSARY -
"The Greatest Building on Earth, Ever - the pics"
University of Kansas officials released a commemorative logo celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first game played in Allen Fieldhouse, dedicated on March 1, 1955. The commemorative logo was designed by KUAC graphic designer, Vince Jacobson, with assistance from Agape Marketing Solutions in Overland Park, and the Collegiate Licensing Company.
The Jayhawks again played and defeated kansas state in a repeat performance which featured Kansas players and cheerleaders in 1955 uniforms, the Big Jay mascot from 1955, and a Fieldhouse which remained essentially the same as it was on day number one. Each fan in attendance found on top of their seat a commemorative 50th Anniversary logo T-shirt and a replica program from the opening night in 1955. After the game, fans were given commemorative keychains. The game was also senior night, as fans bid farewell to Wayne Simien, Aaron Miles, Keith Langford and Micheal Lee, and they the fans.
CLICK 5 CAUCASIANS IMAGE ABOVE FOR
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF GOLDEN GAME -
Special thanks to D-REW for the video
2005 FACE-LIFT
CLICK RENEWED FIELDHOUSE IMAGE ABOVE FOR PHOG BLOG
PICTORIAL OF THE 2005 RENOVATIONS -
"The Greatest Building on Earth, Ever - the pics"
During the summer of 2005, the Fieldhouse was given a serious make-over. New lighting was installed, much to the displeasure of many fans, making night games much more camera-friendly. Four new 9-by-13-feet national championship flags were hung on the North wall under a new Pay Heed, All Who Enter: BEWARE OF "THE PHOG" sign. New jersey retirement banners which added the years the players competed at KU and years broadcaster Max Falkenstien covered KU sports were hung on the South wall. The center rafters now have individual banners depicting KU’s conference titles and Final Four appearances. Also, a State of Kansas flag hangs with the Stars and Stripes and KU flag on the South wall.
New fold-back seats were installed for the wine & cheesers, and the bench-seating and isles were given a fresh coat of paint. A new sound system and new windows were installed. A new court floor was put in. Most noticeable, a brand new state-of-the-art scoreboard was hung, giving fans, players and coaches a 360° view of replays on the four giant video screens. Finally, the Booth Family Hall of Athletics, a museum devoted to the history and tradition of Kansas athletics was erected where the front East entrance used to be. The famous statue of Coach Allen was repositioned directly in front of the museum, with some 3,600 granite pavers surrounding its base in the form of a basketball going through a hoop. The individual tiles are engraved with the names and wishes of donors who jumped at the chance to be immortalized on this sacred ground. Six-inch square and 12-inch square pavers, inscribed with the donors' messages, were available. The smaller pavers required a donation of $350; the larger pavers required a donation of $600. The granite pavers were produced by Hutton Monument Co. of Lawrence and Topeka.
Booth Family Hall of Athletics
The Booth Family Hall of Athletics is an $8 million, 26,000 square-foot museum attached to the East side of Allen Fieldhouse. This facility opened in January, 2006, and is open year-round. The Hall honors KU's historic athletic programs, its coaches and student-athletes, past and present. There is also a gift/fan shop located in the Hall.
The Hall was made possible through more than $5 million in gifts and pledges from the children and grandchildren of the late Gilbert and Betty Booth, longtime Jayhawk fans and Lawrence residents. Booth family members who pledged their support to the Hall are David and Suzanne Booth of Los Angeles, and their children, Erin and Chandler; Mark and Lauren Bacich Booth of London, and their children, Miles, Coco and Cyrus; Mark and Jane Booth Berkley of Tescott, Kansas, and their children and spouses, Stuart and Tina Berkley, Elizabeth Berkley, and Melissa and Marco Ungaschik. Also, The Ward family, of Russell Stover Candies, has pledged at least $7 million to help preserve the limestone and steel building.
Groups are welcome and you can schedule a tour by contacting the Booth Family Hall of Athletics at (785) 864-7050. Parking is available in the parking garage just to the North of the Fieldhouse. Hours of operation are Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed on Sunday. On home basketball game days, the Hall is closed 3 hours before tip-off and re-opens 90 minutes before game time.
The Booth Family Hall of Athletics is divided into six different exhibit areas:
• Game and The Gear - Highlights the 18 current athletic teams at KU and focuses on the recent athletes and achievements.
• The Story of Sport - This area takes you on a walk through the history of Kansas athletics, beginning in 1879 with the introduction of baseball, up to the most recent events. This section also features two Olympians cases and a case dedicated to Wilt.
• KANSAS Experience Wall - Exhibits traditions of Kansas athletics, including "Crimson and Blue," the marching band, cheerleading, fan traditions, rivalries, and the media.
• Hall of Champions - Display contains many of the conference and national championship trophies, as well as the Hall of Fame wall.
• Basketball Legacy - Section honors the history of basketball at Kansas. It features photos and stories about James Naismith, Phog Allen, Marian Washington, Lynette Woodard and the venues of KU basketball. The original center-court floor of Allen Fieldhouse highlights this area.
• The Jayhawk Walk - These two hallways lead into the Phog and display the retired basketball jerseys. Also displayed is the original Beware of "the Phog" banner.

My Interests

I'd like to meet:



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PICTORIAL OF EACH MEMBER OF THE CAST AND CREW -
"Wheat Wavin'"

THE FANS ARE IN THE HOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUSE

THE ROCK AND THE CHALK

COACH 'EM UP

Kaaaaaaayyy U-U....Kaaaaaaayyy U-U

Top 5 Moments in the Phog

CLICK ANY IMAGE BELOW FOR
INDIVIDUAL VIDEOS OF THE PHOG'S TOP 5 MOMENTS

#1 : THE STILT'S DEBUT

#2 : STALLWORTH INFLICTS MISERY

#3 : 150-95 CLAWING OF KENSUCKY MILDCATS

#4 : WILT RETURNS

There is no sun like that which shines
through the windows into this cathedral

#5 : OPENING NIGHT - MARCH 1, 1955

Allen Fieldhouse East

CLICK '88 CHAMPIONSHIP IMAGE ABOVE FOR THIS
SPACE'S VIDEOS, ALSO UP IN "VIEW MY : VIDEOS" -
Thanks to Kevin, Jill, Carly & Phog.net for the videos&nbsp

The future Allen Fieldhouse East

CLICK SPRINT CENTER IMAGE ABOVE FOR
OFFICIAL SPRINT CENTER CONSTRUCTION WEBCAM
AND THE REST OF THE WEBSITE

Phog's Friends' Photos
Robaire & Big Jay at the Fieldhouse East

Kristi and the other Phog Phanatics

1,000 WoRDS' shot of the new Phog East

Kirk vs. Nick courtesy of Gutti Sr.

Shonna proposed to in the House

Student Seating T8
Kasey &nbsp Bryon Erin JENNY

jules Christy horhey Annie

Wine & Cheesers T8
Micheal Tiffini Brian Terry

Doug Daisy Mike Chris

Heroes:


Limestone & Steel
Welcome to the Phog, the greatest bulding on Earth, ever. To know the unique feeling of wonder and amazement this building instills, one really has to experience a men's game in person, preferably a conference game. If you've been inside, you know exactly what that means. If you have not, just trust that whatever you may perceive from television will never compare. And, get your butt to a game!
In the meantime, enjoy and maybe learn about our House from this space. You'll notice this space does not assume the personality of the Phog. It is, instead, about the Phog. It is not about the players, or the coaches, or even the fans, although it certainly highlights all of them. All of the images on this space (except the top image and "the Phog" banner upper right - at least until it is figured out how to do that), as well as some text, are links to videos, other web sites, other sections of this space itself, interactive elements and much more. Each link will create it's own page on your computer, so you don't have to go back and forth, and can simply close the page when you're done.
CLICK PHOG IMAGE R FOR
THE PHOG ON WIKIPEDIA
This space also tries to demonstrate the Hawks fans' sportsmanship we are famous for. Yes, we know we're the best, we'll tell you so, we might even make fun of you, but we also know humility. We're not about bashing. This is KU, not ou, dammit!
You may notice a total lack of reference to a certain school to our East. The mere mention of it's name is so profound and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here. Quite frankly, it makes the House stink. So, while it is certain some friends will name them in this space's comments, please try to keep it to a minimum. Besides, for the most part yer preachin' to the choir here. Also, too many images and embedded elements make for a slow and irritating space. Therefor, the majority of images are up in the blogs, and most non-linked videos are in the "View My : Videos" section. Go check 'em out! It's best to open each blog individually because they each contain so much code, rather than clicking the "View All Blog Entries" link.
So, if you send a video or other embedded object as a comment, and it doesn't remain on the space, don't think it wasn't appreciated or enjoyed. Sending a text or image link to the object solves that problem. Despite the amount of "stuff" on this space, it's hoped it still runs smoothly, without all that skipping and download time. I think you'll find it does.
There are 3 sections in this space devoted to "friends." The "Student Seating T8," offered to those in school, especially at KU, and the "Wine & Cheesers T8" will change from time to time. Make your case! The "Phog's Friends' Photos" needs your help. So, please send photos as a message which somehow show the House, and please send them already hosted with their own URL.
Special thanks need to be made to several outside entities, without whom this space would not have the flair it does. Throughout the space you will see thanks made for specific elements. Not otherwise or properly credited, but equally important are: The Rock Chalk Zone at rockchalk.com, the Official Athletics Website of the University of Kansas at kuathletics.cstv.com, and KUsports.com with Lawrence Journal-World and 6 News. Also, thanks to: The Kenneth Spencer Research Library, eventful.com, Google Satellite Maps via PERLJAM.NET, crwflags.com, kucheer.com, LAWRENCE.com, and Todd Griffin at tremendous.com.
CLICK "PAVER" IMAGE BELOW FOR
OFFICIAL 2005-06 MEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE -
This has EVERYTHING about KU basketball (will update)
The Armory
• Harry Belafonte, 1968 — First event in Phog's concert series
• The Beach Boys, April 30, 1972
• Elton John, October 13, 1972
• Alice Cooper, April 15, 1973
• Sonny and Cher, October 13, 1973
• Yes, December 6, 1974
• ZZ Top, May 7, 1977
• Cheap Trick, April 12, 1980
• Kansas, March 8, 1981
• The Doobie Brothers, April 27, 1989
• Bob Hope, 1982
• Bill Cosby, October 5, 2004
• Robert F. Kennedy, March 19, 1968 — Three days after he declares for presidency, Kennedy speaks to a crowd estimated at 20,000 (largest in Allen Fieldhouse history)
• Dole and Clinton, May, 21, 2004 - Bill Clinton speaks at the inaugural Robert J. Dole Institute Lecture Series
• First graduation, May 31, 1959 — Ceremony moved inside for first time due to inclement weather
• "The Day After," November 20, 1983 — Fieldhouse serves as site of triage for wounded in movie filming
"The Day After" was aired on ABC November 20, 1983. The film portrays a fictional nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviets, as seen through the eyes of residents of Lawrence and Kansas City, and several farms situated near nuclear-missile silos. The film was written by Edward Hume and directed by Nicholas Meyer. It was the idea of ABC Motion Picture Division president Brandon Stoddard.
Nearly 100 million Americans, half the adult population of the U.S., watched "The Day After," a record audience for a made-for-TV movie. It is said that then U.S. president Ronald Reagan burst into tears after watching the movie at a private screening. In 1987 the film was shown on Soviet television. It was released theatrically in 40 countries. The film received twelve Emmy nominations and won two.
Due to its controversial nature, most of the advertisers bailed out at the last minute. Then, in a landmark move, the network decided that no commercials would be shown after the bombs dropped on screen. "The subject matter was so powerful at that point that to cut to a commercial would have been ludicrous," Meyer said. "Even they (the network) were overwhelmed by the incongruity of going to ads for oven cleaner after annihilation."
Immediately after the broadcast, Ted Koppel hosted a live panel discussion/debate to help viewers cope with what they'd witnessed. Dr. Carl Sagan, Henry Kissinger, Robert McNamara, William F. Buckley and George Shultz were among those who participated.
Representing the Reagan administration, Secretary of State Shultz was in full damage- control mode, making comments such as: "The only reason we have for keeping nuclear weapons is to see to it that they are not used." The U.S. Department of Defense had said they would cooperate with ABC if it was made clear in the script that the Soviets launched their missiles first, something Meyer and producer Robert Papazian were at pains not to do. It was also during this gathering where Sagan first introduced the phrase "nuclear winter" into the American lexicon (an event actually depicted in the film). He presented the vivid analogy that the arms race between the U.S. and Soviet Union was akin to "two men standing waist deep in gasoline, one with three matches, the other with five." After the broadcast, many stations offered teams of counselors staffing "800 numbers" to help distraught viewers.
CLICK "THE DAY AFTER" IMAGE ABOVE FOR
CLIP OF THE FIELDHOUSE IN THE MOVIE
Hume and Papazian ended up selecting Lawrence due to access to a number of good locations: the university, a hospital, football and basketball venues, farms and beautiful countryside. Meyer and Hume figured because Lawrence was a real town, that it would be more believable, and that Lawrence was a perfect choice to be representative of Middle America. The town boasted a "socio-cultural mix," sat near the exact geographic center of the continental U.S., and their research told them that Lawrence was a prime missile target with 150 Minuteman missile silos nearby.
Casting directors strolled through shopping malls in Kansas City looking for people to fill small roles. The daily newspaper in Lawrence ran an ad calling for locals for extras in the film, and a professor of theater and film at KU, Jack Wright, was hired to head up local casting for the movie. "We averaged about 400 or 500 extras a day," he recalls. "A few days it was in the thousands." The majority of the farmers were played by KU professors, including such notables as Herk Harvey, Charlie Oldfather and William Kuhlke. Out of the 80 or so speaking parts, only 15 were cast in Los Angeles. The remaining roles were filled in Kansas City and Lawrence. Thousands of local extras, most of them KU students, poured into Allen Fieldhouse which, in the story, was the only place left on campus big enough to accommodate the many wounded. One set of cut scenes involved a battle between groups of surviving students over the remaining food stocks. The two sides were to be the school's athletes versus the science students under the guidance of John Lithgow's character.
Meyer urged ABC to dedicate the film to the citizens of Lawrence, and ABC complied. As for its lingering repercussions on Lawrence, "The Day After" is still the biggest film or television production to ever converge on the city. "I persist in the conviction that part of the reason this film struck such a nerve is that Kansas is an icon," said Lawrence attorney Charles Whitman who had a speaking role in the film. "It may be an icon everywhere. It partly has to do with 'The Wizard of Oz.' It partly has to do with the idea that that's where your mother lives. Everybody's grandma lives in Kansas. The idea that nuclear war could happen here was just too much for people to deal with."
• Al Oerter, February 2, 1956 — Four-time Olympic champion Al Oerter is among the KU competitors in the first indoor track meet in school history. Kansas wins the dual with oklahoma in front of 2,000 fans
• Jim Ryun, Feb. 23, 1967 — Ryun sets a world record in the 880 with a time of 1:48.3 in a dual meet against osu
• Late Night at the Phog, October 14, 1985 - Approximately 6,000 show up for the first Late Night extravaganza
• The Harlem Globetrotters, February 10, 1987 - Featuring Lynette Woodard, the Trotters defeat the Generals
• NBA exhibition game, Oct. 11, 1997 - A sellout crowd watches Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls knock off the Seattle SuperSonics
• Alumni game, Feb. 7, 1998 - Fieldhouse is filled for game featuring such former players as Kevin Pritchard, Walt Wesley, Bud Stallworth, Ron Loneski and John Douglas
• Kirk & Nick, October 15, 2006 - Hinrich and Collison return for re-match of the Chicago Bulls vs. the Seattle Supersonics
• Days after winning the 1988 NCAA title, Coach Larry Brown holds an afternoon press conference in the Fieldhouse to announce he has turned down a job offer from ucla. Less than a month later, he bolts for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs
• Talking to reporters in a brief Fieldhouse press conference on a staircase in April of 2003, Roy says he's leaving. The rest of us get his "goodbye" from chapel hill with a big carolina backdrop behind him
• Kansas University volleyball, October 18, 1996 — School-record 14,800 fans watch a pre-Late Night match
CLICK VOLLEYBALL IMAGE BELOW FOR
VIDEO OF OTHER EVENTS IN THE PHOG
Father Figure
CLICK STATUE IMAGE ABOVE FOR OFFICIAL
KU ATHLETICS WEBSITE FOR ALLEN FIELDHOUSE
As timeless as the 9-foot bronze statue of Coach Forrest "Phog" Allen outside the Fieldhouse may seem, its history is actually a relatively short one. The statue was commissioned and sculpted by Kwan Wu, a Chinese immigrant and Overland Park resident. Wu also created the George Brett statue at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Deggingers' Foundry, Inc. of Topeka performed the final statuary work, and it was completed at a total cost of $140,000 - $175,000. The statue was dedicated on a cold winter day before a game against middle tennessee state on December 13, 1997 (the 100th year of KU basketball), also the 90th anniversary of the first game Phog Allen coached.
The idea of raising a statue in Coach Allen's honor had already been attempted at least since his death in 1974. A foundation had been formed, an advisory board had been recruited, the Allen family was enthusiastic, the University chancellor was supportive and a sculptor had been selected. However, the project had originally been conceived as a commercial venture, against the wishes of the University’s Endowment Association. The advisory board had been recruited without the expectation that they would either give or ask others to give, and there was still some controversy swirling around the competition in selecting the sculptor.
Finally, another group persuaded the advisory board to take assignments. Otto Schnellbacher (also an All-American football player), stepped forward to put his name on the line by arranging for some personal solicitations, signing letters, and talking it up to everyone he saw during the basketball season. Finally, the group received a gift of $7,500, which ended up being the largest gift they would receive. Once they were able to convince people it was going to happen, with or without them, they wanted on board. They wanted their names attached to the project, cast in bronze and printed in the dedication program. A project that was a year-and-a-half in organizing was over in a few months.
When the statue was moved for the 2005 Fieldhouse renovations, 6 and 12-inch granite pavers were placed around the statue at the entrance of the new Booth Family Hall of Athletics in the East lawn of the Fieldhouse. Some 3,600 pavers now surround the statue, shaped in the form of a basketball going through a hoop and inscribed with donors' messages. The smaller pavers required a donation of $350 while the larger ones were $600. The pavers were produced by Hutton Monument Co. of Lawrence and Topeka. "This was actually a suggestion made by several of the many devoted KU fans we spoke with as we began planning the Booth Family Hall of Athletics," said Lew Perkins, KU athletics director. "They wanted a way to express in a permanent way the love they have for KU athletics. They felt this was the perfect way and the perfect time to do that, and we agree."
In the Rafters
CLICK BANNERS IMAGE ABOVE FOR PHOG BLOG
PICTORIAL OF ALL FLAGS AND RETIRED JERSEYS -
"In the Rafters"
During the 2005 Fieldhouse renovations, four new and larger 9-feet-by-13-feet national championship banners were hung high on the North wall commemorating the 1988, 1952, 1923 and 1922 title squads, under a new Pay Heed, All Who Enter: BEWARE OF "THE PHOG" sign. These flags as well as the new Beware of "the Phog" banner were created by New England Flag and Banner. They were provided a picture of the original Beware of "the Phog" banner and thus created a "homemade" look to the sign. Also, new jersey retirement banners which have added the years the players competed at KU and years broadcaster Max Falkenstien covered KU games have been hung on the South wall. The center rafters now have banners depicting KU’s conference titles and Final Fours. Also, a State of Kansas flag hangs with the Stars and Stripes and the KU flag on the South wall.
The original criteria for retiring a player's jersey included being named college basketball's player of the year, MVP of the NCAA Tournament or a four-time All-American. The criteria were expanded prior to the 2002-03 season to include consensus first-team All-Americans, two-time first-team All-Americans and Academic All-American of the Year. At KU, jerseys are retired, not numbers.
There have been some other temporary banners in the Phog. On Nov. 14, 1997, during the first game of the season against santa clara, the floor in Allen Fieldhouse was named the James Naismith Court, in honor of the inventor of basketball and KU's first basketball coach. That same evening, a banner commemorating 100 years of Kansas basketball was also unfurled on the South wall of the Fieldhouse. On Feb. 20, 1965, fans were shocked during a game against kansas state when a pair of 6-feet by 12-feet banners displaying "Go Cats, Kill Snob Hill Again" were unfurled on the East and West sides of the scoreboard with eight minutes left in the first half of KU's 88-66 victory. A wire stretching to the South end of the Fieldhouse enabled ksu terrorists to trip the banners. Oh, and from time to time, there are swallows flying around up there.
"THE PHOG" BANNER
Another Phog icon which seems as antique as the Fieldhouse itself is the Beware of "the Phog" banner. However, its story is not much older than that of the Coach Allen statue. The banner and its message were conceived by then KU student Todd Gilmore, a 1988 graduate in architecture, while he was sitting in his Professional Practice class one day in 1988. Someone, Gilmore doesn't remember who, thought up the idea of using shower curtains. So, 10 shower curtains were pinned together, creating the beginnings of a banner roughly 35 feet long and 6 feet tall. Another KU student, Mike Gentemann, created the lettering for the banner.
"The idea came from several arenas across the country," said Gilmore, who now works in St. Louis. Ultimately, says Gilmore, "I took it off John Carpenter's movie 'The Fog' and the saying in the movie, 'Beware of the fog.'" Gilmore says the banner was finished in one evening. Painting credits have been given to: Brad Oliver, Larry Valenza, Scott Harrison, Neal Angrisano, Tom Kippenberger, Kevin Dervin, Michael Dervin, Hank Dickenson, Eric Miller, John Robinson, Mark Herschman, Todd Schnatzmeyer and Mike Neighbors. Shower curtain credits to Rob Evicker and "a friend of his," and sewing by Donna Griffin.
100 feet of rope was drawn through the top of the shower curtains, strung between the catwalks atop the Fieldhouse by tying a shoe to one end of the rope and throwing it over, and then tied down to the last row of seats. Gilmore and the other creators first hung the banner from the catwalks of the Fieldhouse before the February 22, 1988, KU game against duke, and then took it home after the game. They didn't hang the banner again until the Jayhawks played oklahoma state later that season, Danny Manning's last game at the Fieldhouse. Gilmore again took the banner home thinking it was his forever. It wasn't until just before his graduation that he learned otherwise. "The story I heard was that Phog Allen's granddaughter saw it and wanted it put up permanently," Gilmore said. As you may know, Gilmore relinquished the banner.
That original banner (displayed in the upper right corner of this space) is now exhibited in Booth Hall at the Fieldhouse. There have been 2 newer versions of the original since it was taken down before it fell to pieces. "The" banner #2, a much more symmetrical and stylized version of the original, was replaced during the summer of 2005 by the current retro version referenced above. The message remains the same.
Voice Recognition
CLICK BOB & MAX IMAGE ABOVE TO HEAR THEM
CALL THE FINAL SECONDS OF THE '88 CHAMPIONSHIP
As KU's revered football and basketball voice, Bob Davis paints game-day images in brains all across the Midwest that make spines vibrate and pulses race. Davis, a 10-time winner of the Kansas Sportscaster of the Year award, will begin his 23rd season as the play-by-play voice of the Jayhawks in 2006. In addition to his work with KU, Davis has been the TV voice of the Royals for the past 10 years. Prior to his stint with the Jayhawks, Davis spent 16 years announcing Fort Hays State University games, earning a spot in the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. A native of Topeka, Davis graduated from Topeka West High School and Washburn University. He lives in Lawrence with his wife, Linda.
Chris Piper, a four-year letter-winner who played forward on KU’s 1988 national championship basketball team, will replace Max Falkenstien as analyst on Jayhawk radio broadcasts next season. Piper started 69 of 129 career games played for KU from 1985 to 1988. He started all 36 contests his junior season (1987) and 33 of 34 his senior year, the title season. Piper averaged 6.6 points and 4.7 rebounds his junior year and 5.1 ppg and 3.8 rpg as a senior.
Piper, who also was a member of Lawrence High’s 1983 Class 6A state-championship team, has worked games on the Jayhawk Television Network the last 14 years. He also has been a studio analyst for Big 12 TV games the last six years. Piper, 41, is also an owner of Grandstand Sportswear and Glassware, a Lawrence-based firm that produces licensed collegiate merchandise.
"As I've said before, no one can 'replace' Max," said KU athletic director Lew Perkins, "but Chris Piper is a broadcast professional who knows our program and who will contribute color and insight into our basketball broadcasts." Davis called KU games during Piper’s Jayhawk days.
CLICK PIPER IMAGE ABOVE FOR
OFFICIAL KU ATHLETICS TICKET OFFICE WEB SITE
HAPPY MAX
After more than 1,750 basketball games and 650 football games, Max Falkenstien, the "voice of the Jayhawks," has retired. Max broadcast his first sporting event in March, 1946, an NCAA tournament game between KU and oklahoma a&m. Max's first official KU broadcast was a KU vs. tcu football game in 1947 (a 0-0 tie). The next year Falkenstien formed the KU Sports Network with State Farm Insurance, convincing stations in Wichita, Colby, Dodge City, Pittsburg, Coffeyville, Garden City and Kansas City to join. That network still exists, but 1947 was Falkenstien's only season on it. Max and Wilt Chamberlain did a Topeka sports and music radio show together at WREN called "Flippin' with the Dipper" while Wilt was at KU. Before that, Max had done a similar show with Clyde Lovellette. He continued to call KU games until 1983. At that time, Bob Davis was brought in, but Max returned to join Bob as the color commentator.
When he was a junior in high school, Max walked into WREN, then a Lawrence radio station, and asked for a job. Max was program and station manager of WREN radio from 1955-67, and was head of news and sports at WIBW radio and television for four years after that. Then after a one-year stint as the first general manager of Sunflower Cablevision, Falkenstien spent 22 years at Douglas County Bank, retiring as a senior vice president. Falkenstien's father, Earl, was business manager of the KU athletic department for 33 years.
A native of Lawrence and a KU alumnus, Max's commemorative jersey No. 60, representing his 60 seasons broadcasting KU athletics, was unfurled high on the Southwest wall of Allen Fieldhouse at halftime of the 2006 colorado game, his last broadcast in the House. During the ceremony, Max reminisced about the many KU radio partners he broadcast with over the years, singling out Gerry Barker, Bob Fromme, Al Correll, Jim Fender, Paul DeWeese, Jerry Waugh, Fred White, David Lawrence, Bob Newton and, of course, his good buddy, Bob Davis. Now, his name will hang next to 27 KU basketball players, most of whom he covered.
Although officially retired, Falkenstien still works part-time at the bank, performs public relations work for Brandon Woods Retirement Center and plays racquetball and golf as often as he can. Max’s "retirement" will be an active one. Max will continue to have a presence on the radio network while also performing duties for the athletic department as KU’s new "special assistant to the athletic director" during the 2006-07 school year. Falkenstien will produce short media spots titled "Max’s Memories" to feature his recollections of past KU athletes and contests. Plans are for the spots to be played during broadcasts of games and perhaps the football and basketball coach shows.
CLICK MATURE MAX IMAGE BELOW L FOR
VIDEO ON MAX'S CAREER AND RETIREMENT
CLICK YOUNG MAX IMAGE BELOW R FOR VIDEO OF
MAX ABOUT RADIO SHOW WITH WILT AND WILT'S RETURN
CLICK WHITLOCK IMAGE BELOW FOR PHOG BLOG
WITH 2006-07 MEN'S & WOMEN'S SCHEDULES AND PLAYERS -
"The 2006-07 Season"
Jason "Big Sexy" Whitlock is a sportswriter for The Kansas City Star, currently the primary writer for the KU basketball program, a former contibutor to ESPN and a former radio personality for WHB and KCSP sports stations in Kansas City. Whitlock played offensive tackle at Warren Central High School in Indiana, where he blocked for quarterback Jeff George. He went on to play football at Ball State University. Jason hosted a radio show for four years between 2000 and 2003 on 810 WHB, but in 2003 he bolted to the new competitor KCSP. Then he abruptly quit on air in March of 2005, slamming the station for its lack of credibility and saying he needed more time for his writing.
Whitlock is the celebrity spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. He has guest-hosted several ESPN shows, including "Jim Rome is Burning" and "Pardon the Interruption." He also appeared regularly on ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" until he was fired from ESPN in September, 2006, for criticizing the network and its contributors. Subsequently, he joined AOL Sports. Jason recently published his first book, "Love Him, Hate Him: 10 Years of Sports, Passion and Kansas City." Apparently we don't get a choice, we have to do both.
Chaff
KU BASKETBALL: PUMP IT
Special thanks to Annie for the video
CLICK DRAWING BOARD IMAGE ABOVE L FOR
HOW THE HAWKS GET A 3 FROM KIRK
CLICK KIRK IMAGE ABOVE R FOR
VIDEO OF KIRK DRAINING THE SHOT
CLICK TICKET IMAGE ABOVE FOR
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE HOUSE
CLICK SEATING IMAGE ABOVE FOR
INTERACTIVE VIEW FROM ALL SEATS
CLICK AERIAL IMAGE ABOVE L FOR INTERACTIVE
HAWK'S EYE-to-SATELLITE VIEW OF THE HOUSE
CLICK MAP IMAGE ABOVE R FOR INTERACTIVE
MAPQUEST DIRECTIONS TO THE PHOG
Rock Chalk Jayhawk Go KU
Special thanks to Rhonda for the video

My Blog

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