🏀 KuBuckets Archive

I realize not everyone here attended KU, but a lot of did and a lot of famous people have connections to KU either directly or indirectly.

KU's Facebook page shared this story today from back in 2009 about Taylor Swift visiting KU for a day because on of her closest friends was on the swim team then.

https://www.kansan.com/news/taylor-swift-visits-university/article_8f1ec9a2-b47d-5b3c-992d-ef84dff4ac1c.html?fbclid=IwAR1KBDAWFLZcAnLoJhOVhbHW1kxXOCwZinx-X8EpuFITNCjsN3XEf91uMl8 ↗

Taylor attended some media class with her friend in Budig and I happened to have an anthropology class across the hall at the same time. Even as a history major, anthropology was boring as hell. Word spread very quickly that Taylor was there obviously and I waited outside after class hoping to meet her. I didn't get a picture with her because I couldn't afford a smartphone as they were still extremely new and expensive as hell, but I did get to meet her and tell her we shared a birthday (just not the same year).

My other celebrity encounter was the night that Kirk Hinrich had his jersey retired and I bumped into him on the second level concourse as he was leaving the arena to beat traffic and I was returning to my seat from the bathroom. I was able to get a picture with Kirk that night which was very cool.

If you had any celebrity encounters while at KU, this would be a good place to share those stories.

@Texas-Hawk-10 cool stories! Thanks for sharing.

@Texas-Hawk-10 we went out to mid court after a portsmouth invitational game and got a pic with Aaron Miles after his senior season. Great guy! Great venue too. At least it was, havent been back recently.

Also got pics with Micah Downs, Byron Eaton, Taylor Griffin and a couple other guys at Portsmouth their respective senior years.

I ran into David Beaty and Clint Bowen at the Sandbar once. Dudes were 100% not sober in the slightest lol

Met Danny a couple of times while on campus. Closed the double van door on Scooter Barry's hand like on my 2nd day on campus. I had not clue who he was, but when someone said "I hope that's not your shooting hand". As I was sitting right next to him, I looked at him and guessed he was on the golf team! So I asked him and he told me who he was. Name still didn't mean anything to me until he told me who his dad was. Nice conversation on our way back to campus. He was not injured in any way!

Darnell Valentine was practicing shooting in Robinson during the offseason and I was looking for a game. He asked me if I could rebound for him while he shot. He had his best season shooting in the NBA after that encounter so I think I must have really helped him!

@Texas-Hawk-10 you are younger than me lol. I’ve met several of the players over the years just being in town from time to time. Mitch Lightfoot came and said hi to me and my family at Jefferson’s downtown one summer. I also said just a hello to Devonte there. Had a beer with Tarik Black BWW down town after a game. The rest of the guys I met while my niece and nephew were getting autographs after the game. Sat next to Kirk Hinrich folks I think at the same game I met Tarik one time. Ran into Sherron several times at games.

@kjayhawks said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 you are younger than me lol. I’ve met several of the players over the years just being in town from time to time. Mitch Lightfoot came and said hi to me and my family at Jefferson’s downtown one summer. I also said just a hello to Devonte there. Had a beer with Tarik Black BWW down town after a game. The rest of the guys I met while my niece and nephew were getting autographs after the game. Sat next to Kirk Hinrich folks I think at the same game I met Tarik one time. Ran into Sherron several times at games.

My senior year, I lived in the Towers when that was still where the basketball team lived. I lived next door to Thomas Robinson and Elijah Johnson when they were freshmen. The Morris twins were at the other end of the floor and Mario Little and I don't remember who his roommate was that year were in the middle of the floor. There were also some members of women's basketball team on the floor as well, but I don't remember which ones. I was on a first name basis with most of the team that year. I don't really consider those to be encounters because that was everyday life for me during my senior year. I will tell you that playing beer pong against basketball players is an experience and not a great one if you're trying to win, but it was fun. Just about everyone I interacted with on that team was very cool and down to earth, with one exception, CJ Henry. His brother was awesome and caught way more crap than he deserved because he was the first OAD at KU and people tried blaming him for chemistry issues within the team. KU was the title favorites entering the tournament and had only lost 2 games all season to that point amd then the UNI disaster happened and Xavier was thrown under the bus by so many people after that game.

I also became friends with someone on the football team that I shared a class with and got here all about the Mangino situation and has strongly shaped my opinion on that matter which is Lew Perkins arrived at the right decision by firing Mangino, but handled that scandle in about the worst way possible. Basically, if Mangino wasn't fired, there was going to be a mass exodus of players after the 2009 season because very few kids wanted to play for Mangino anymore and I think that was pretty evident in how basically nobody within the football program was publicly defending Mangino and how lackluster the team was down the stretch in losing their last 7 games. I was told that the team had pretty much quit on Mangino by that point.

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

I couldn't agree more, the guy could Coach, but was a guy that wouldn't put up with certain things. - -I remember when a player ran a kickoff or interception back for a TD but then show boated or like that Mangi grabbed the kid and told him what for -people all upset about that. - -These kids had a golden spoon in their mouths for their life, don't you dare touch my baby is the thought process of some of these kids. - -Football is a physical game in the 1st place and if a player can't stand up to a little discipline - then they shouldn't be in the game. - - Mangino was a good Coach.

@jayballer67 If kids have to learn how to accept being manhandled by coaches, perhaps it is reasonable to expect the older and more experienced coaches to learn how to accept mistakes and dumb plays without taking their anger out by manhandling players.

@mayjay said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@jayballer67 If kids have to learn how to accept being manhandled by coaches, perhaps it is reasonable to expect the older and more experienced coaches to learn how to accept mistakes and dumb plays without taking their anger out by manhandling players.

I backed Mangino 10000 % when it happened & I back him 10000 % now - - -no room for some classless act trying to show up another player or team. - you made a great play great, you wanna celebrate with your team mates great , BUT to try and show up another kid -screw that no room or that crap period an Mangino addressed it-- if it played out again I'd be backing him 10000 % again. kid has to learn from the Coach cause he had that spoon - -baby all his life, if a rough world out heee got to be sttrong enough to accept things and if you can't this world is gonna eat you alive. If a Coach hs to do that then so be it

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

The finger poke to Arist Wright was the straw that broke the camel's back with the team. There's another incident where he told a black player that did something he didn't like to go back to streets like your brother. There's numerous stories involving his conduct towards campus staff that was abusive, especially campus security. He was also ejected from his son's football game for berating the the refs.

There's a reason why other schools weren't calling even after the Orange Bowl and why it took him so long to get another coaching job and why he couldn't last in those jobs either.

There were definitely politics involved as Mangino and Perkins absolutely hated each other and Perkins actually wanted to fire Mangino after the 2006 season where KU lost 4 games late and could've easily been 10-2 that season, but was eventually talked into giving Mangino one more season and Mangino delivered the Orange Bowl season.

Mangino was just an asshole.

There are rumors about some stuff Bill has done or said to players at KU that certainly would raise eyebrows. Especially in 2023.

99% of college coaches are total assholes. At essentially all levels. NAIA, D1, D2, D3. Doesn't matter.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

The finger poke to Arist Wright was the straw that broke the camel's back with the team. There's another incident where he told a black player that did something he didn't like to go back to streets like your brother. There's numerous stories involving his conduct towards campus staff that was abusive, especially campus security. He was also ejected from his son's football game for berating the the refs.

There's a reason why other schools weren't calling even after the Orange Bowl and why it took him so long to get another coaching job and why he couldn't last in those jobs either.

There were definitely politics involved as Mangino and Perkins absolutely hated each other and Perkins actually wanted to fire Mangino after the 2006 season where KU lost 4 games late and could've easily been 10-2 that season, but was eventually talked into giving Mangino one more season and Mangino delivered the Orange Bowl season.

Mangino was just an asshole.

That's your opinion - -and your entitled - - there are assholes every where- -then you have perfect assholes right ?- -oh he POKED oh hell no - -don't be poking my baby - - , and heberated the refs - -wow there is a new one - -berate the official. - Have you seen Coach Self eve be-rate a ref ? -surely not. Mangino sticking up for his son's team thiking bad calls which probably was just like Coach Self sticks up for his guys when he thinks they are getting screwed over.

You know funny the multiple times I talke with Mangino seemed like he was just fine, not abusive with me, didn't be rate me - -hmmm imagine that , he must of been having an off night that night that asshole

@jayballer67 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

The finger poke to Arist Wright was the straw that broke the camel's back with the team. There's another incident where he told a black player that did something he didn't like to go back to streets like your brother. There's numerous stories involving his conduct towards campus staff that was abusive, especially campus security. He was also ejected from his son's football game for berating the the refs.

There's a reason why other schools weren't calling even after the Orange Bowl and why it took him so long to get another coaching job and why he couldn't last in those jobs either.

There were definitely politics involved as Mangino and Perkins absolutely hated each other and Perkins actually wanted to fire Mangino after the 2006 season where KU lost 4 games late and could've easily been 10-2 that season, but was eventually talked into giving Mangino one more season and Mangino delivered the Orange Bowl season.

Mangino was just an asshole.

That's your opinion - -and your entitled - - there are assholes every where- -then you have perfect assholes right ?- -oh he POKED oh hell no - -don't be poking my baby - - , and heberated the refs - -wow there is a new one - -berate the official. - Have you seen Coach Self eve be-rate a ref ? -surely not. Mangino sticking up for his son's team thiking bad calls which probably was just like Coach Self sticks up for his guys when he thinks they are getting screwed over.

You know funny the multiple times I talke with Mangino seemed like he was just fine, not abusive with me, didn't be rate me - -hmmm imagine that , he must of been having an off night that night that asshole

https://www.kansan.com/news/manginos-university-parking-history/article_aa64f621-c2f5-5328-96c9-9af44ae63af5.html ↗

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/09/28/mangino-expresses-regret-over-incident-at-sons-prep-game/62077839007/ ↗

https://www-tampabay-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.tampabay.com/archive/2009/11/20/former-players-criticize-mangino/?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&outputType=amp&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16891071737040&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tampabay.com%2Farchive%2F2009%2F11%2F20%2Fformer-players-criticize-mangino%2F ↗

@Texas-Hawk-10 yep, this is 100% accurate. Not only did the players want him gone, the boosters did too. He was not liked by literally anyone at KU by the end. When you’re a middle manager and lose the people below and above you, it’s over. And honestly I think now he knows it. You don’t see him talking trash about KU like you saw Leach (RIP Pirate) talk about Tech.

@FarmerJayhawk said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 yep, this is 100% accurate. Not only did the players want him gone, the boosters did too. He was not liked by literally anyone at KU by the end. When you’re a middle manager and lose the people below and above you, it’s over. And honestly I think now he knows it. You don’t see him talking trash about KU like you saw Leach (RIP Pirate) talk about Tech.

There was some issues with recruiting local high school guys too with him (not that it improved after he left) and that would have been a problem sooner or later.

The Mangino mess is arguably one of the worst handled by administration in college athletics. To me if it was really that bad, they should fired him and had Warinner be the interim head coach. Sweet Lou is the worst athletics director in Kansas history and Wichita State history only people worse IMO are the one’s involved in sex related scandals. Mangino is a hot head period, not really any argument on that front. Do I think most good coaches are? Yes, is Bill Self? Most likely yes if you read beyond the streak and the KU books that I have. Zero question that front as well several things Self has done could get a less valued coach fired. My saying is “winning assholes are okay, losing assholes are gone”. I had 2 close friends on that final KU football team. They both told me the offense loved Mangino. The defense hated him. I remember the likes of Sharp, Meier and Ressing defending him. Some kids can’t handle being yelled at or any accountability whatsoever. Never had a coach yelling at me bother me too much. Heck my middle school football coach would grab your face mask and chew you out. Take his metal whistle and beat you on the helmet with it while cussing you out. I always liked him, he lived 2 doors down from me til a couple of years ago. We live in a very soft world these days. Easy times create soft people, hard times create strong people. The tide will tip again the way we are headed. Being a hiring manager getting anyone below the age of 30 to show up on time and not be on their phone 3/4s of the day is nothing short of a miracle. I’m getting off topic lol

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@jayballer67 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

The finger poke to Arist Wright was the straw that broke the camel's back with the team. There's another incident where he told a black player that did something he didn't like to go back to streets like your brother. There's numerous stories involving his conduct towards campus staff that was abusive, especially campus security. He was also ejected from his son's football game for berating the the refs.

There's a reason why other schools weren't calling even after the Orange Bowl and why it took him so long to get another coaching job and why he couldn't last in those jobs either.

There were definitely politics involved as Mangino and Perkins absolutely hated each other and Perkins actually wanted to fire Mangino after the 2006 season where KU lost 4 games late and could've easily been 10-2 that season, but was eventually talked into giving Mangino one more season and Mangino delivered the Orange Bowl season.

Mangino was just an asshole.

That's your opinion - -and your entitled - - there are assholes every where- -then you have perfect assholes right ?- -oh he POKED oh hell no - -don't be poking my baby - - , and heberated the refs - -wow there is a new one - -berate the official. - Have you seen Coach Self eve be-rate a ref ? -surely not. Mangino sticking up for his son's team thiking bad calls which probably was just like Coach Self sticks up for his guys when he thinks they are getting screwed over.

You know funny the multiple times I talke with Mangino seemed like he was just fine, not abusive with me, didn't be rate me - -hmmm imagine that , he must of been having an off night that night that asshole

https://www.kansan.com/news/manginos-university-parking-history/article_aa64f621-c2f5-5328-96c9-9af44ae63af5.html ↗

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/09/28/mangino-expresses-regret-over-incident-at-sons-prep-game/62077839007/ ↗

https://www-tampabay-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.tampabay.com/archive/2009/11/20/former-players-criticize-mangino/?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&outputType=amp&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16891071737040&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tampabay.com%2Farchive%2F2009%2F11%2F20%2Fformer-players-criticize-mangino%2F ↗

you point out him regretting his son's game - -what do you expect him to say. I was a Mangino fan and still am. always will be, kinda funny too, then we can always bring up how people were on Mangino about his weight, how he was so big brunt of all kinds of ridicule.

Would I have like to see him lose for his health - - Dam Straight, anyone ever think maybe he had tried - - quite possible he had an over active thyroid - skum bags always throwing shots , jokes about his weight - - -that's his decision, if he was happy with himself the way he was - -then so be it- -it's his body and like I always said - -his weight had NOTING to do with the way the guy could -- but I got the perfect theory as to why he was overweight - -probably cause he was such a asshole as we have been told

@kjayhawks said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

The Mangino mess is arguably one of the worst handled by administration in college athletics. To me if it was really that bad, they should fired him and had Warinner be the interim head coach. Sweet Lou is the worst athletics director in Kansas history and Wichita State history only people worse IMO are the one’s involved in sex related scandals. Mangino is a hot head period, not really any argument on that front. Do I think most good coaches are? Yes, is Bill Self? Most likely yes if you read beyond the streak and the KU books that I have. Zero question that front as well several things Self has done could get a less valued coach fired. My saying is “winning assholes are okay, losing assholes are gone”. I had 2 close friends on that final KU football team. They both told me the offense loved Mangino. The defense hated him. I remember the likes of Sharp, Meier and Ressing defending him. Some kids can’t handle being yelled at or any accountability whatsoever. Never had a coach yelling at me bother me too much. Heck my middle school football coach would grab your face mask and chew you out. Take his metal whistle and beat you on the helmet with it while cussing you out. I always liked him, he lived 2 doors down from me til a couple of years ago. We live in a very soft world these days. Easy times create soft people, hard times create strong people. The tide will tip again the way we are headed. Being a hiring manager getting anyone below the age of 30 to show up on time and not be on their phone 3/4s of the day is nothing short of a miracle. I’m getting off topic lol

I want to push back on something you bring up without you probably even realizing you're brining it up. The three players whose names you mention that supposedly had zero issues with Mangino are all white whereas the players who were the most outspoken against Mangino were black players. I can also tell you definitively that not everyone on offense loved Mangino. My source of information on this was someone who was an offensive skill position player on those teams.

I think there was a bit of a racial element involved. Not that Mangino is necessarily racist, but that he lacked awareness as to the connotations of his actions toward black players and how that would be perceived because he didn't know how to deal with a lot black kids from an urban setting because that's not his background.

I coach at a school that is predominantly black and Hispanic and I can tell you there are absolutely things I can't say or do without risking my job because I'm not black or Hispanic. I can also say with certainty that the majority of my black athletes do not come from two parent households and that does have a huge impact on those kids and how they perceive male authority figured, especially white ones. It's very much becoming a part of black, American culture unfortunately because of issues beyond the control of those kids. I can also tell you it's fairly common for my male, Hispanic students and athletes to not have much respect for their female teachers because they've been raised in Machismo culture in which women are trained to be subservient to men and that leads to a lot of culture clashes between male, Hispanic students and black, female teachers.

@jayballer67 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@jayballer67 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

The finger poke to Arist Wright was the straw that broke the camel's back with the team. There's another incident where he told a black player that did something he didn't like to go back to streets like your brother. There's numerous stories involving his conduct towards campus staff that was abusive, especially campus security. He was also ejected from his son's football game for berating the the refs.

There's a reason why other schools weren't calling even after the Orange Bowl and why it took him so long to get another coaching job and why he couldn't last in those jobs either.

There were definitely politics involved as Mangino and Perkins absolutely hated each other and Perkins actually wanted to fire Mangino after the 2006 season where KU lost 4 games late and could've easily been 10-2 that season, but was eventually talked into giving Mangino one more season and Mangino delivered the Orange Bowl season.

Mangino was just an asshole.

That's your opinion - -and your entitled - - there are assholes every where- -then you have perfect assholes right ?- -oh he POKED oh hell no - -don't be poking my baby - - , and heberated the refs - -wow there is a new one - -berate the official. - Have you seen Coach Self eve be-rate a ref ? -surely not. Mangino sticking up for his son's team thiking bad calls which probably was just like Coach Self sticks up for his guys when he thinks they are getting screwed over.

You know funny the multiple times I talke with Mangino seemed like he was just fine, not abusive with me, didn't be rate me - -hmmm imagine that , he must of been having an off night that night that asshole

https://www.kansan.com/news/manginos-university-parking-history/article_aa64f621-c2f5-5328-96c9-9af44ae63af5.html ↗

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/09/28/mangino-expresses-regret-over-incident-at-sons-prep-game/62077839007/ ↗

https://www-tampabay-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.tampabay.com/archive/2009/11/20/former-players-criticize-mangino/?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&outputType=amp&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16891071737040&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tampabay.com%2Farchive%2F2009%2F11%2F20%2Fformer-players-criticize-mangino%2F ↗

you point out him regretting his son's game - -what do you expect him to say. I was a Mangino fan and still am. always will be, kinda funny too, then we can always bring up how people were on Mangino about his weight, how he was so big brunt of all kinds of ridicule.

Would I have like to see him lose for his health - - Dam Straight, anyone ever think maybe he had tried - - quite possible he had an over active thyroid - skum bags always throwing shots , jokes about his weight - - -that's his decision, if he was happy with himself the way he was - -then so be it- -it's his body and like I always said - -his weight had NOTING to do with the way the guy could -- but I got the perfect theory as to why he was overweight - -probably cause he was such a asshole as we have been told

That's fine to be a fan, but to be blind to his actions because you had a few interactions that don't match up with numerous stories out there is just refusing to take the rose colored glasses off amd realizing that Mangino was not a popular person within a lot of the KU community that had daily interactions with him.

Let me ask you something, do you ever regret your behavior in a situation where you know you did nothing wrong, or do you regret it in situations where know you were in the wrong? Mangino regretting his actions is him knowing he went too far, bit he apparently didn't care enough to actually change and grow from that situation based on the numerous stories about him during his 7 years at KU.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@jayballer67 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@jayballer67 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Interesting about Mangino. My impression up to this point was he was just a victim of modern day political correctness that can't handle a macho coach being physical with a player or two, but who truly loves that player at the same time. There was a HS coach in Madison who was highly successful, put numerous players in the NFL and slapped a guy on the helmet during a game which many fans and parents saw and forced the guy out. That's the type of thing that I though Mangino was bing forced out by.

The finger poke to Arist Wright was the straw that broke the camel's back with the team. There's another incident where he told a black player that did something he didn't like to go back to streets like your brother. There's numerous stories involving his conduct towards campus staff that was abusive, especially campus security. He was also ejected from his son's football game for berating the the refs.

There's a reason why other schools weren't calling even after the Orange Bowl and why it took him so long to get another coaching job and why he couldn't last in those jobs either.

There were definitely politics involved as Mangino and Perkins absolutely hated each other and Perkins actually wanted to fire Mangino after the 2006 season where KU lost 4 games late and could've easily been 10-2 that season, but was eventually talked into giving Mangino one more season and Mangino delivered the Orange Bowl season.

Mangino was just an asshole.

That's your opinion - -and your entitled - - there are assholes every where- -then you have perfect assholes right ?- -oh he POKED oh hell no - -don't be poking my baby - - , and heberated the refs - -wow there is a new one - -berate the official. - Have you seen Coach Self eve be-rate a ref ? -surely not. Mangino sticking up for his son's team thiking bad calls which probably was just like Coach Self sticks up for his guys when he thinks they are getting screwed over.

You know funny the multiple times I talke with Mangino seemed like he was just fine, not abusive with me, didn't be rate me - -hmmm imagine that , he must of been having an off night that night that asshole

https://www.kansan.com/news/manginos-university-parking-history/article_aa64f621-c2f5-5328-96c9-9af44ae63af5.html ↗

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/09/28/mangino-expresses-regret-over-incident-at-sons-prep-game/62077839007/ ↗

https://www-tampabay-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.tampabay.com/archive/2009/11/20/former-players-criticize-mangino/?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&outputType=amp&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16891071737040&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tampabay.com%2Farchive%2F2009%2F11%2F20%2Fformer-players-criticize-mangino%2F ↗

you point out him regretting his son's game - -what do you expect him to say. I was a Mangino fan and still am. always will be, kinda funny too, then we can always bring up how people were on Mangino about his weight, how he was so big brunt of all kinds of ridicule.

Would I have like to see him lose for his health - - Dam Straight, anyone ever think maybe he had tried - - quite possible he had an over active thyroid - skum bags always throwing shots , jokes about his weight - - -that's his decision, if he was happy with himself the way he was - -then so be it- -it's his body and like I always said - -his weight had NOTING to do with the way the guy could -- but I got the perfect theory as to why he was overweight - -probably cause he was such a asshole as we have been told

That's fine to be a fan, but to be blind to his actions because you had a few interactions that don't match up with numerous stories out there is just refusing to take the rose colored glasses off amd realizing that Mangino was not a popular person within a lot of the KU community that had daily interactions with him.

Let me ask you something, do you ever regret your behavior in a situation where you know you did nothing wrong, or do you regret it in situations where know you were in the wrong? Mangino regretting his actions is him knowing he went too far, bit he apparently didn't care enough to actually change and grow from that situation based on the numerous stories about him during his 7 years at KU.

OK. you just go ahead a b a hater everybody is entitled- -and your entitled.

I don't have any tremendously crazy celebrity encounter stories while at KU in the mid/late 80s...but one or two kinda interesting.

Any punk fans out there? Remember guitarist Billy Zoom of X? Me and my roommate at the time picked him up from the airport when X was coming to town for a concert. he was crazy! fun crazy. We took him to KJHK and showed him around. He wanted to steal just about every old piece of equipment they had. Lucky we were his drivers, so he had no way to get away with it. we even stopped by our place to pick something up, and he wanted to steal one of my old guitar amps. Real nice, friendly guy for a drunken rock star. The funny part? He would walk around with a guitar pick stuck to his forehead ALL DAY! hilarious.

Ran into Danny multiple times. he was very outgoing and energetic. One time before practice at the Fieldhouse, me and a bud were kicking the soccer ball around on the track inside (they still have that?). Danny came over and wanted to play. Hilarious watching a 6-11 guy trying to juggle the soccer ball. His knees were basically at the height of my head!! Larry was screaming at him to join practice. He was having a good ole time, ignoring him.

@Texas-Hawk-10 hey you could be a 100% right buddy. Obviously the “send you back to the street to get shot by your homies” is pretty racist if he actually said that.

@kjayhawks said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@Texas-Hawk-10 hey you could be a 100% right buddy. Obviously the “send you back to the street to get shot by your homies” is pretty racist if he actually said that.

Raymond Brown was the player Mangino said that to shortly after Brown's brother had been shot.

Mangino's first coaching job was while he was working for the Pennsylvania turnpike in Western PA. He coached at a small NAIA school Geneva College. My sister and her husband have both worked there since 1990, although I'm not sure they were ever accosted by Mark Mangino. Their town BTW is the home of Joe Namath and the Miller brothers of college hoops infamy. Right across the Beaver river is New Brighton, home of the Franconas of baseball fame. Pistol Pete and Mike Ditka played HS ball for Press Maravich right across the ohio River from both of those towns. Very productive area!

@jayballer67 Not sure if you understood me, but I've been under the impression Mangino was unfairly removed. After reading Texas Hawk, I've changed my mind. Pretty tough to defend him I think.

Mangino was a potential liability to get a complaint for harassing other individuals in the athletic department and on campus. He simply didn't have any anger management control at the time.

Its also why no one would touch him afterwords. Serious liability at that time regardless of what he did on the field.

Under 30 something’s just can’t take jokes about their recently murdered siblings smh what soft asses

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

Mangino's first coaching job was while he was working for the Pennsylvania turnpike in Western PA. He coached at a small NAIA school Geneva College. My sister and her husband have both worked there since 1990, although I'm not sure they were ever accosted by Mark Mangino. Their town BTW is the home of Joe Namath and the Miller brothers of college hoops infamy. Right across the Beaver river is New Brighton, home of the Franconas of baseball fame. Pistol Pete and Mike Ditka played HS ball for Press Maravich right across the ohio River from both of those towns. Very productive area!

@jayballer67 Not sure if you understood me, but I've been under the impression Mangino was unfairly removed. After reading Texas Hawk, I've changed my mind. Pretty tough to defend him I think.

it's ok buddy. everybody has an opinion and entitled, maybe I'm a little more sensitive about this as he is family to me

@FarmerJayhawk as I said got a little off topic, if thats what you took out of my post my apologies. In no way am I defending that if it was said by Mangino. Taking and giving a butt chewing are different than that. I’d promise you sitting behind KUs bench like I have before HCBS has said some stuff you wouldn’t like.

@kjayhawks Oh, don't get me started on the cell phone. Whoops. TOO LATE. Here we go. And I don't necessarily think it's the age of the person, but their character. I know 75 year olds that have the stupid thing fused to their hand and are on it until they pass out at night from exhaustion. My kids are 40 and 32 and yeah, they use their phone, but I'm proud that they know when to use it.

I'll put off some people here - sorry in advance. I'm a Christian and the more I think about it, the more I believe the cell phone is Satan's greatest tool since sex was invented. It is a giant distraction from the things that we should be taking care of. Family. Friends. Jobs. Not to mention the dangers of texting and driving.

OOOPS - gotta run. I've got a text. Good thing traffic is light.....

@nuleafjhawk Did sex have to be invented? Comes pretty naturally!! OK, this thread is now officially derailed.

@jayballer67 Mangino is family?

@wissox ☠️ hahahaha

@kjayhawks those damn 30 something’s can’t even sit behind KU’s bench and listen to Self they’re so soft and on their phones smh

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@nuleafjhawk Did sex have to be invented? Comes pretty naturally!! OK, this thread is now officially derailed.

@jayballer67 Mangino is family?

ya, I know don't mis understand. I myself have always considered individuals that have been associated to KU, they have been family, and I mean a part of Jay Hawk Nation. - Now whether it was a good experience or bad , they have been family - -that's all

@jayballer67 Ok, thanks for clearing that up.

@wissox said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@jayballer67 Ok, thanks for clearing that up.

I understand came across kind vague NP

@FarmerJayhawk I just call it like I see it buddy, this generation is softest and laziest. Hard truth

@jayballer67 Well, you have been full of surprises over the years, and you have been around forever, so I just figured I missed Mangino being a brother in law, or step-uncle or something!

@kjayhawks huh I wonder which generation raised them. Personal responsibility and all that must stop at parenthood. Otherwise each generation would have to come to terms that they were bad parents by their own standard.

@FarmerJayhawk parenting definitely is some the issue for sure. Some it is the school system and society in general. My wife was a school teacher for 10 years and wasn’t allowed to fail kids that never came to class or turned in any work. Both parents having to work in todays world is part of the issue. Accountability is lacking right now on all fronts.

@kjayhawks been in education for 16 years and never been told I can’t fail a kid. Now there’s a legitimate question to be asked about what a teacher did to attempt to support a kid. But every teacher I’ve met who says they aren’t allowed to fail kids have not been telling the full truth. They may have been strongly encouraged to give the kid more opportunities to show growth or held accountable for parts of their job as a teacher that they may not have done for that kid. But when push comes to shove, one person is allowed to put that grade on the report card and sign off on its validity. And if an admin told me I HAD to pass a kid or else I lose my job, well then there’s a good time to ask for that in writing for evidence down the road. That’s where teachers unions are actually a good thing.

@kjayhawks said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@FarmerJayhawk I just call it like I see it buddy, this generation is softest and laziest. Hard truth

I had a much longer response oroginally, but shortened it to this.

Which generation are you referring to? Gen Z or Millennials?

Also, what do you think the root causes of being soft and lazy are?

You even said it yourself already that in many families today, both parents have to work. Think about that. Why is it necessary for both parents to have to work to provide for a family when that wasn't the case when I was kid or when you were a kid?

I teach 7th grade (12-13 year olds) who have never seen an increase in minimum wage in their lifetimes despite cost of living increasing by over 40% in their short lives so far.

We're going on 14 years now without an increase in federal minimum wage. A full time minimum wage job is just over $15,000 per year before taxes. Minimum wage was never intended to be a poverty salary, it was intended to be the minimum living wage needed for a family to have the bare necessities to survive.

A family could could live off a minimum wage job a generation ago. Now, even with two parents making minimum wage, they're still going to be well below the poverty line basically anywhere in America. It takes a person working 96 hours per week on minimum wage to earn the average living wage in the U.S. That's basically 2.5 weeks of work in one week to make a living wage.

Another reality is that most people in entry level jobs can't afford to live alone, they either have to remain at home or have roommates to afford rent. Cost of living is also why many couples are choosing to not have kids because they see the financial struggle of others with kids and realize they can't afford kids.

Could be argued that the softest generation is the one who seems to be incapable of letting go of both financial and political power despite clearly running politics and the planet into the ground.

may be time to lock this thread!

We have stayed civil right?

It's certainly not the feel good celebrity encounter thread it used to be...

I don’t think this thread is too bad @benshawks08 you also have to understand just because you’ve had that experience doesn’t mean everywhere it’s the same experience, even when I was in school several good athletes never showed up but still played every Friday night. @Texas-Hawk-10 I definitely think the cost of living is part of it. Some it is the parents just giving stuff without earning it. If I wanted something as a kid I bought it. My parents gave me some food and a twin mattress on the floor. So I started delivering papers at age 9. Kids now days either don’t work or show up late and don’t actually work while there. I’ve got a brother that manages a wal mart in North Carolina, tells me the exact same thing I see here. Unwilling to work and on phone all day. Maybe y’all think the future is in good hands with our youth and worlds headed in a good direction. That 💯 fine and you are welcome to have that opinion, I just don’t see it.

@benshawks08 more evidence if you want is to read the book the blindside that’s more factual than movie there is a lot of talk about the teachers just passing Micheal to not create problems. To teach anyone anything first they have to be willing to show up and learn. I’m guessing you don’t teach in the inner city where I spent some of my youth and my wife taught.

Common sentiment. Every generation has gotten worse over time yet the world is an objectively much, much better place than it was a half century ago. 🐦 View Tweet?s=20

One of my favorite sites https://www.humanprogress.org/datasets/ ↗

@FarmerJayhawk I think the 90s were peak humanity lol

@kjayhawks I only ever commented on my experience which does happen to be in inner city Austin. But I also know that the way school works is teachers give grades and that is one power that hasn’t been taken from them. The best ones assess the knowledge and skills of their students to the best of their abilities. Some give grades so they don’t have to deal with helicopter parents. Some do it because a kids only joy on life is playing a sport and think that one grade that one grading period isn’t worth the risk of that kid dropping out or worse. Some do it because they are afraid of their principals. Others because they know deep down they didn’t give that kid their best effort. And you are right, I can only speak to the experience I’ve had working with thousands of teachers as a teacher and a district employee who supports teachers. I’m sure someone somewhere has told a teacher they have to pass a kid but I also know that teacher almost definitely had training that taught them that was wrong and there were other options.

@benshawks08 well I’m glad it works for you. My only question is would you pass a lid that never came to your class, was a star football play that your superintendent said he would fire you if not?

The kid wouldn't be playing at our school. Every wed. the kids and their parents plus coaches get their grades. Thurs-tues those kids that are failing and/or missing work or need to makeup tests go every am from 8-8:30 to those classes they are assigned to. If they miss they have lunch detention and those add up to Iss. If you care about your sport or activity you don't want your coach on your rear. Starts new every wed. Kids w/good grades don't start til 8:30 'cept on wed.
As far as kids go, I'd say I'm impressed w/about 80% of our HS kids! We have a great school district and great community and parent support. 10% are not fun! They have crappy parents! Kids do no wrong. The mouths are filthy, no respect. The rest I feel so sorry for, live with gma, work a job til late, just don't have a chance.

@kjayhawks said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

@benshawks08 well I’m glad it works for you. My only question is would you pass a lid that never came to your class, was a star football play that your superintendent said he would fire you if not?

I would fail that kid and then I would leave that school and district because that kid is being set up for failure in life by not being held accountable. I would also tipoff someone at the state education agency level to investigate that superintendent because if he's threatening someone's job over an athlete's grade, there's probably a lot of other shady, unethical, and probably illegal stuff going on in that district.

I've never had an administrator have an issue with me failing an athlete. My athlete's that I coach also know that if they ever get caught skipping class, that they're missing game time.

I also have zero issues with failing an athlete and have failed my best basketball player, and eventually kicked him off the team because he refused to complete his daily work in my class.

@FarmerJayhawk Wow, that website, something else to waste precious summer hours on perusing!

@kjayhawks said in Celebrity Encounters at KU:

I don’t think this thread is too bad @benshawks08 you also have to understand just because you’ve had that experience doesn’t mean everywhere it’s the same experience, even when I was in school several good athletes never showed up but still played every Friday night. @Texas-Hawk-10 I definitely think the cost of living is part of it. Some it is the parents just giving stuff without earning it. If I wanted something as a kid I bought it. My parents gave me some food and a twin mattress on the floor. So I started delivering papers at age 9. Kids now days either don’t work or show up late and don’t actually work while there. I’ve got a brother that manages a wal mart in North Carolina, tells me the exact same thing I see here. Unwilling to work and on phone all day. Maybe y’all think the future is in good hands with our youth and worlds headed in a good direction. That 💯 fine and you are welcome to have that opinion, I just don’t see it.

In regards to parents giving their kids things without working for something, that's not new to Gen Z kids. You said that when you wanted extra spending money, you got a paper route. That's great, but is again showing a lack of understanding issues current kids deal with. Jobs like that simply don't exist anymore. A lot of these traditional first jobs for kids are going away due to digitizing, outsourcing, and automation so many kids don't have those opportunities anymore because the amount of those jobs just simply don't exist anymore.

My first job was at a grocery story as a cashier, bagger, and cart person when I was 14. I still go to that grocery store pretty regularly and now there's usually only 1 cashier working with no baggers due to the amount of self checkout registers they have now. There's also usually only 1 person getting carts, maybe 2 people during peak hiurs for the check out and carts. When I worked there, there was usually about 8-10 people working during peak hours.

This is just another example of systemic issues facing young Millennials and Gen Z kids that older Millennials, Gen X, amd older generations didn't have to deal with.

One of my students made me a celebrity....kind of. In Baton Rouge there's a business called the Hip Hop Ice Cream Shop. One of my students started it and polled people on facebook about snowball (snowcones) flavors. I said "Duh, coffee", because I had a rep (still do!) of drinking a lot of coffee, so she said she'd name a snowcone after me. I'm on the menu. If you look it up, my flavor is just above "Thug Passion". I can't wait to get back there some day and buy one!

@wissox I hope the names aren't grouped by theme. I have always suspected you are a celeb, though.

I've twice had boys ask for makeup work the last week of the semester because they were failing and needed this grade for their scholarships. One had signed with LSU football, the other Memphis. I looked at them with a look like please don't pick me up and throw me across the room, and said no. I don't know what ever happened to the kid going to LSU, but the Memphis kid had to go to JUCO, made it to Memphis and graduate and years later sent me a note thanking me for loving him enough to be tough with him. He's now a successful educator.

@wissox Great job, you made a difference! I imagine you did that many times and you'll never even know. 🥳

@wissox sweet. Found it with teh googlez.

@wissox that’s pretty cool bud

@Texas-Hawk-10 Parents can teach their kids to have a strong work ethic, or to be lazy and self absorbed. Everything that's been talked about here (except celebrities) is on the parents. It doesn't matter if it was in the 1950's, 1990's or now. You can choose to raise them however you want.

I'm not disagreeing with you - just rambling. My parents taught me that.