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Rock Chalk Talk: Basketball
Anything pertaining to basketball: college, pro, HS, recruiting, TV coverage
Anything pertaining to basketball: college, pro, HS, recruiting, TV coverage
I'd say the Old Barn still has some "juice" left in it...
6 years 2 months ago #16606
by konza63
“With kindest regards to Dr. Forrest C. Allen, the father of basketball coaching, from the father of the game.”
1936 inscription on the portrait of Dr. Naismith, displayed above Phog Allen's office desk at KU.
The games on Saturday and last night underscored that any rumors of the death or demise of Allen Fieldhouse were greatly exaggerated. 
In all seriousness, we KU fans were naturally a bit concerned when our venerable home-court advantage seemed to lose some of its sheen in the midst of some odd upsets this year. In such times, it might have been easy to forget the broad sweep of time and succumb to giving a little extra time to that tiny little inner voice in one's head saying "Man, what is up with the Fieldhouse? Is the magic gone?"
But then, West Virginia happened. The best home comeback and win of the year, given how much our backs (and #14) were up against the wall. That was a "Nail Biter Where the Ghosts of Allen Come Flying In Just in the Nick of Time" kind of fieldhouse game.
And then, OU happened. The most authoritative, hitting-on-all-cylinders statement game of the season. That was a good old-fashioned woodshed fieldhouse game. One of those "Don't You Come 'Round Here No More" ... "We Are Kansas!" ... swag-meister ... rollicking ... kick-back-and-enjoy ... party-in-the-aisles ... "meet you afterwards at the Hawk or Wheel" kind of games. One where all of the charm and good vibes of the Old Barn are prominently on display. One where the action on the court is off the charts, the vibe and energy of the building is palpable and contagious, where you've got jersey-rafters ceremonies, you've got scores of former players returning to watch, you've got the scoreboard blasting out the pre-game goosebumps video, you've got Holly Rowe walking past 13 rings on the wall, you've got Dickie V turning his head on a swivel and wailing on about "Wrigley" and "Fenway" and "the shrine"... and you've got KU starters flexing their biceps and jumping up and down with laughter on the bench as the backups get into the groove and do their thang on the court as well.
The Old Barn was dressed to the nines last night, figuratively speaking. And she still looks divine and carries herself the same.
Rock Chalk, baby...
In all seriousness, we KU fans were naturally a bit concerned when our venerable home-court advantage seemed to lose some of its sheen in the midst of some odd upsets this year. In such times, it might have been easy to forget the broad sweep of time and succumb to giving a little extra time to that tiny little inner voice in one's head saying "Man, what is up with the Fieldhouse? Is the magic gone?"
But then, West Virginia happened. The best home comeback and win of the year, given how much our backs (and #14) were up against the wall. That was a "Nail Biter Where the Ghosts of Allen Come Flying In Just in the Nick of Time" kind of fieldhouse game.
And then, OU happened. The most authoritative, hitting-on-all-cylinders statement game of the season. That was a good old-fashioned woodshed fieldhouse game. One of those "Don't You Come 'Round Here No More" ... "We Are Kansas!" ... swag-meister ... rollicking ... kick-back-and-enjoy ... party-in-the-aisles ... "meet you afterwards at the Hawk or Wheel" kind of games. One where all of the charm and good vibes of the Old Barn are prominently on display. One where the action on the court is off the charts, the vibe and energy of the building is palpable and contagious, where you've got jersey-rafters ceremonies, you've got scores of former players returning to watch, you've got the scoreboard blasting out the pre-game goosebumps video, you've got Holly Rowe walking past 13 rings on the wall, you've got Dickie V turning his head on a swivel and wailing on about "Wrigley" and "Fenway" and "the shrine"... and you've got KU starters flexing their biceps and jumping up and down with laughter on the bench as the backups get into the groove and do their thang on the court as well.
The Old Barn was dressed to the nines last night, figuratively speaking. And she still looks divine and carries herself the same.
Rock Chalk, baby...
“With kindest regards to Dr. Forrest C. Allen, the father of basketball coaching, from the father of the game.”
1936 inscription on the portrait of Dr. Naismith, displayed above Phog Allen's office desk at KU.
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