![]() ![]() I know it’s not going to be easy but make no mistake: We’re going to get this thing turned around. The adversity this program has been through over the last decade was never going to turn me away in fact, it’s one of the biggest reasons why I signed with KU. Want to know something else the naysayers didn’t get during my recruitment? They’re phenomenal people for that (and about a million other reasons). They didn’t want to put that extra weight on my shoulders, so they kept that opinion to themselves and let me choose my own path. Only recently did I learn that they were “silently praying” for me to stay home. But they didn’t push me here - nor anywhere else, for that matter. Don’t get me wrong: My parents are both diehard Jayhawk fans, so much so that the workout room in our home has framed copies of just about every Sports Illustrated issue that’s featured KU. ![]() Of course, the story of why I chose KU couldn’t be told without mentioning my mom and dad, Freda and Ryan - though maybe not for the reason you’d think. Like pretty much everybody else within the Lawrence city limits that night, we made our way down to Mass Street. I was only seven years old, but I remember how Mario’s shot got my parents out of their seats and running around the house. My introduction to that came on April 7, 2008, the date the KU men’s basketball team won the national title. The other thing you should know about Lawrence? The people who live here bleed crimson and blue. For someone who isn’t from here, seeing just how friendly the people are can be a bit of a culture shock, but in a good way. They’ll strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Through random acts of kindness, the folks who live here go the extra mile for complete strangers. Have you ever heard the term “Midwestern nice”? I’m here to tell you it’s real. If you’re skeptical on that last one, I invite you to just trust the process (shoutout to Pizza Shuttle - I wouldn’t know what to do without you).Įven more than its places, though, Lawrence is about its people. I love explaining to people - or better yet, showing them - how cream cheese and bacon can come together to create the perfect slice of pizza. I love devouring a plate of wings at Jefferson’s, but still leaving enough room for a scoop or two of cookies and cream ice cream from Sylas and Maddy’s. I love walking up and down Mass Street, something that can be worth your time even if you don’t end up buying anything. ![]() Here’s what they never understood: There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here, right now.įor me, Lawrence is more than just the city I’ve lived in my whole life. As they tried to talk me out of committing to KU, their message always sounded the same: “Why are you doing this? You have a chance to go somewhere else, somewhere that’s established. I still remember what the skeptics told me during my recruitment. ![]()
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