Patterson has threatened to cut my pay in half if I didn't get an article so Boss Man, this Blog's for you!I've been on the road a lot lately promoting our student loan/scholarship program that I am glad to be a part of at the Kansas Masonic Foundation. I've met many wonderful counselors who in 2010 do not wear the same counseling hats they did 30 years ago when I was a teen. Due to budget cuts and teen pressures, counselors typically don't even have time to fill their coffee cups once they walk in the school doors.
Imagine showing up at Yates Center High School like I did a few years ago. It's a Monday morning, around 9, when I stop to visit with the counselor. I'm told she won't be available because over the weekend a senior boy committed suicide because his girlfriend broke up with him. She was now counseling young people along with area counselors that were called in from Eureka, Iola and Burlington.
Or at Northern Heights recently. Northern Heights, the first Kansas high school to consolidate over 40 years ago, is located near Emporia. A couple of months ago, three teens were driving near Americus when their truck rolled after swerving to miss an oncoming vehicle. Three precious young lives were lost. The counselor there told me two days later it was the worst day of his professional life.
One day this past week I visited seven high schools in the Manhattan area. Two counselors I never got to meet that day because they were busy dealing with crisis situations in their school.
These people bring passion to their jobs. One example is Angelo at Shawnee Mission Northwest. I was at a financial aid night there this past week. About 150 people were there. When he started the program by introducing the main speaker and me, the enthusiasm spilled out of his mouth. Dickie Vitale I'm not, but Angelo's energy immediately connected inside my body and my Vitalism was ready to explode by the time I got the microphone.
Sometimes counselors grieve for their own brothers and sisters. Dan Roberts, a man I called a friend as he was counselor at Chase County and Hartford high schools, was killed one year go when he had a heart attack while driving south of Emporia.
Thank you counselors for all you do! Without you, young people would not be able to play sports, march in the band and enjoy all the extracurricular activities that are offered to young people. Good stuff as we Celebrate Life Through Sports!
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As I predicted on this site back in August, the K-State Wildcats may be going bowling in New York next month.
The Kansas City Star reported this week the Pinstripe Bowl would love to have the Wildcats playing in their Dec. 30 game at Yankee Stadium.
K-State, 6-4 heading into Saturday's game at Colorado, is already bowl-eligible. It will be K-State's first bowl game since 2006. Only Baylor has had a longer drought of no bowl games among Big XII teams.
Pinstripe Bowl Executive Director Mark Holtzman made it clear who was being targeted the most.
"If it was today, it would be Kansas State," Holtzman told The Star. "And we would be thrilled by it."
Of the eight bowl games affiliated with the Big XII, the Pinstripe Bowl picks seventh. Of the seven conference teams that are now bowl eligible, K-State has the fewest number of wins.
It was reported Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Iowa State and Texas are also on the Pinstripe's radar. However, only A&M is currently bowl-eligible. A&M has Nebraska and Texas left; Iowa State closes out with Missouri and Texas ends up with Central Florida and A&M. K-State fans, you need to root for Mizzou to beat Iowa State but probably more importantly, A&M to beat Texas.
I think K-State will play in one of two bowls: Pinstripe or Holiday. K-State's other game left is at North Texas on Nov. 27. If K-State wins both games, an 8-4 record should land them in San Diego at the Holiday Bowl. The Holiday Bowl loves the Wildcats. OK, they love the 10,000 fans that will travel as well!
If K-State splits its final two games or loses both, the Big Apple will welcome the Little Apple with open arms.
Andy Williams is right. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
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Lastly, my tip of my Wildcat hat to Tex Winter, who earlier this week was honored at halftime of the KSU-Virginia Tech game. Winter, who coached the Wildcats to great success in Ahearn Fieldhouse, went on to coach at Marquette, Washington, Northwestern and Long Beach State before assisting Phil Jackson's nine NBA championships.
Tex will be inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend.
"Here's the thing about Tex that's so good," Bob Knight, the analyst for the ESPN broadcast that day, told The Topeka Capital-Journal. "There's nobody I met I liked any better than Tex, or I thought cared more about the game of basketball like he did.
"Tex really, really likes the game of basketball. That was great to see, and I appreciated that from the time I first knew him until today. And then on top of that, Tex as an oustanding basketball coach."
Tex, now 88, lives with his wife Nancy in Manhattan with their son, Brian. Tex suffered a stroke last year which makes it difficult for him to speak.
Congratulations, Tex! It's about time!
To that, I say thank you for reading. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! .
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