courtesy of Jack Alden

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"I can't believe I'm out here. These four years have gone by so fast. While you're doing it, it seems like a long time. But now that I look back, it's gone by in a flash. "When Jeff Carey and I were driving up here today, we saw a line all the way around the Allen Field House lawn and down past the baseball field. I was amazed. It was awesome. So I want to tell the fans, thank you, number one. You guys stand out in the cold, and you camp out all the time. The one thing that really gets us through tough practices is the idea of running out of that tunnel. We run out of the tunnel, this place goes nuts, and it makes everything worth it. I'd do anything to run out of that tunnel in front of this crowd of people, and I thank you for that. "My sister, Melissa, this is her claim to fame. She's scared to fly, so she took a train for 36 hours from Orange, California to Lawrence, Kansas. That's awesome. "When I was five (years old) or so, and I started playing sports, my dad had a big construction company and was doing really well. But he completely gave up his construction company and took another job with better hours so he could coach me every day in whatever sport I was playing. He did this because when he grew up, he didn't have the opportunities I had, and he wanted to make it the best for me. For that, Dad, I thank you so much and I love you so much. "When I think about this summer, I think about all the work I put into basketball, I think about coach staying, and the main thing I think about is what you went through this summer, Mom. The second week of June, you were diagnosed with breast cancer, and I remember driving you to the hospital, and I remember sitting there, and you were frozen. You couldn't even talk. So I kind of took over and asked questions and things, and I told you after that that no matter what you do, you're family is going to be in this with you. I am so blessed that you are here today. And a major reason why my mother is still here today is because of God. With all your people's prayers and thoughts and cards, it helped her so much. You guys were like her sixth man, and you were right there behind her, and I really appreciate that. "Coach Williams, nobody in my entire life has ever pushed me more or gotten more out of me in anything I've done in my entire life than you. Every single day to play for you is a challenge and an opportunity to get better. When you recruited me, you said you were going to push me every day to get better, and I definitely think I have, and I appreciate that so much. I'm a better player now because I played for you. And after four years, he finally admitted that he yells at me for no reason sometimes. We were doing a drill yesterday, and someone messed something up and he yelled at us. Then after practice he said, 'Guys, I'm never gonna yell at you for no reason. I'm always gonna yell at you because it's gonna make you better. Well, Eric, I yell at you all the time just for the heck of it.' So thanks for admitting that, coach, I appreciate it."

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