Orange Bowl picks KU - The Capital-Journal

[Lzen]

http://cjonline.com/stories/120307/haw_222349859.shtml
Jayhawks will face Hokies in Miami
By Tully Corcoran
The Capital-Journal
Published Monday, December 03, 2007

LAWRENCE — The juices splashed and ran down James McClinton's chin in this, the ultimate celebratory move for a defensive lineman.

Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins walked into KU's meeting room with a bag of oranges, and everybody knew. The Jayhawks were Orange Bowl-bound, and McClinton could think of only one way to celebrate. He caught the orange, jammed it into his mouth and chomped off a bite bigger than Miami.

Kansas has an allotment of 17,000-18,000 tickets, on sale at orangebowl.org.

"I thank the Lord for this game," he said.

And that was the general sentiment. For a program that has never been to a BCS bowl and hasn't been to the Orange Bowl since 1969, Sunday's announcement, coming at the tail end of the winningest season in Kansas history, was hard to take for granted. Especially for tight end Derek Fine, who committed to what once was a moribund program and was on the team in 2003 when the Jayhawks went to another Florida bowl, the Tangerine Bowl.

"I like oranges better," Fine said. "They taste better, they're bigger."

Win or lose, playing in the Orange Bowl means the 2007 Jayhawks will go down as one of the top three teams in Kansas history, alongside the Orange Bowl teams of 1947 and 1968. For a program that five years ago was a conference laughingstock, 2007 has been one giant leap.

"It was just great to stand in that room and watch those kids when they found out," KU coach Mark Mangino said. "It was like when my kids were knee-high and it was Christmas morning."

The selection pairing the No. 8 Jayhawks (11-1) against No. 3 Virginia Tech (11-2), as always, is not without controversy. And it didn't spare any hearts, especially those in Columbia, Mo. Missouri, which beat Kansas and is ranked a spot higher in both major polls, lost to Oklahoma on Saturday night in the Big 12 championship game. Sunday, fell out of the BCS entirely, accepting a bid to the Cotton Bowl.

"Missouri and Kansas were basically back-to-back next to each other," said Orange Bowl CEO Eric Poms. "With the result of the (Big 12 championship) game, having a two-loss team versus a one-loss team was probably the biggest thing we looked at. We knew whatever way we went, you could make a case for the other side."

There were no tears shed in Lawrence, where Joe Mortensen was asked if he felt sorry for the Tigers.

"No," he said.

There also wasn't much suspense in Lawrence, not within the Kansas athletic department, anyway.

Since Saturday, Perkins had been working the phones, literally all day and all night, talking to bowl representatives, ironing details, scenarios and, to a lesser extent, making KU's case. He felt all along KU would wind up in a BCS bowl. He just didn't know which. Heading into Saturday's games, KU was a candidate for the Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar bowls. Once Illinois qualified for BCS play, KU was eliminated from Rose Bowl contention. Once Hawaii qualified, the Sugar Bowl was out. Then game the Orange Bowl, which got to choose its teams ahead of the Fiesta Bowl.

"The Orange Bowl was very strong, really pursuing us," Perkins said. "We were talking quite often, regularly through the whole process.

"The good thing that I was pleased about was everybody was interested in Kansas. That was the most important thing."

If the Orange Bowl hadn't chosen KU, the probability the Fiesta Bowl would have was "very strong," Perkins said. Instead, the Fiesta took West Virginia and Oklahoma. Since the BCS rules allow just two teams from one conference into its bowls, that left out Missouri, which brings up the song that has played all season at KU, a tune about the Jayhawks' schedule, which includes no wins against teams ranked in the final Top 25 and ranks among the softest in the nation.

Perkins said the schedule was never part of the discussion.

"We don't have any argument," Perkins said. "We're in the BCS. So we have no argument. Our schedule didn't bother us. We don't have to be apologetic about anything. What people don't realize is schedules are made a long way out, so you don't realize how things are gonna happen, and we had no problem with our schedule. We're playing in the Orange Bowl."

As it is designed to do, the Orange Bowl will create an intriguing matchup between the nation's No. 4 defense and Kansas' No. 6 offense. But that is a discussion for another day.

Sunday, the Jayhawks were soaking the moment, and the orange juice.

"It's been a great journey here for my five years," senior running back Brandon McAnderson said. "The opportunity that's in front of us is huge."

Tully Corcoran can be reached at (785) 295-5652 or tully.corcoran@cjonline.com.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by KevB

This is easy. Have you talked to her yet? Tell her if KU wins, you'll take her out to dinner at the restaurant of her choice. If VT wins, she takes you out. Win-win for you, 'cause you get a date out of it either way. Cook each other dinner is another option.

Exactly....maybe try to get together for the game even if others are there, good times

[Skip Towne]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

So I just bought this house and I live next door, here in Denver, to a smokin hot KU alum. I am a VT alum...how can I work this to my advantage?

I doubt if she'll lower her standards.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

you all played your A game to beat our C game and had to hold on for the win. get over yourself.

OU bent you over and spanked you. Now Arkansas is going to put on the strap-on and take you all to the woodshed to finish you off.

arrowhead hawk is that you?

KU played its C game hahaha, love it

[Garcia Bronco]

I'll try. She really is a 9 or 10.

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

I doubt if she'll lower her standards.

That's one of my skills...I can get any woman to lower her standards.

[CupidStunt]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

VT is a top 40 team.

[KC_Connection]

Haha, so many MU whiners. I love it.

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by frazod

Yes, OU spanked us. The Jayhoax were spared that indignity this year - it'll be fun to watch them beat you even worse next season. I know that you know they would have done the same to you, although it's amusing to watch you idiots bluster to the contrary.

Scoreboard, loser.

OU would have beaten any team in the country the way they played the 2nd half on Saturday and no, I don't think KU would have beat them regardless.

I could really give a shit what you think about KU's game. I went to every game except A&M this year and know quite a bit about football for me to conclude that KU was not on top of it's game against you tools. You all were on quite a high after beating us, so it must be real hard for you all to look like complete chumps again. Enjoy the Cotton Bowl douchebag!

Missouri = America's bitch...seriously, nobody but people who live in Missouri have any respect for you jackasses

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

OU would have beaten any team in the country the way they played the 2nd half on Saturday and no, I don't think KU would have beat them regardless.

I could really give a shit what you think about KU's game. I went to every game except A&M this year and know quite a bit about football for me to conclude that KU was not on top of it's game against you tools. You all were on quite a high after beating us, so it must be real hard for you all to look like complete chumps again. Enjoy the Cotton Bowl douchebag!

Missouri = America's bitch...seriously, nobody but people who live in Missouri have any respect for you jackasses

Just because your weasel whore of a AD sucked off the Orange Bowl guys doesn't mean anybody gives a shit about wasteland Kansas either, KUnt. I was at the MU/KU game and saw what we did to you. Your pussy excuses are almost as pathetic as you are. YOU LOST. You suck. We're better, and you know it.

And enjoy getting creamed in the Orange Bowl by a real team (you LOSE to real teams, remember?). I know I'll love it.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by frazod

Silly little KUnt. Your "C" game? Newsflash - THAT'S ALL YOU'VE GOT. Worked great against your high school non-conference schedule and Baylor. But against a real team? Not so much.

Yes, OU spanked us. The Jayhoax were spared that indignity this year - it'll be fun to watch them beat you even worse next season. I know that you know they would have done the same to you, although it's amusing to watch you idiots bluster to the contrary.

And as for Arkansas, who knows what will happen? All I know is, the 109s had the chance to take take us to the woodshed and got beat down and exposed.

Scoreboard, loser.

Ok, so OU pounded MU and MU slipped past KU. That means OU would have beaten KU even worse? That's sound logic.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

MU will be a pissed off team against Arkansas.....

Yep, MU sounds pissed.

As the news began to filter through the second floor hallways at the Reynolds Alumni Center on Sunday night, the grim faces of many Mizzou athletes told the story of the night.

“It’s just a shame we got locked out,” said All-America tight end Martin Rucker. “How does that happen? Mathematically, logically, it just doesn’t make sense.”

By the time the Fox network BCS bowl selection show began at 7 p.m., Rucker and his teammates had already left the building. They couldn’t bear to watch it. They had been instructed to take the high road and go with the company line that they’re “excited” to be Cotton Bowl bound.

But Rucker, the senior who has seen Missouri football grow from inconsequential to important, couldn’t play the game. In the course of 48 turbulent hours, he’d watched his team go from No. 1 in the country with a legitimate shot at a national championship bid, to disappointed and disgusted outsiders with their noses pressed to the glass watching the BCS dance cards being handed out.

Someone asked if this obvious slight was further proof of how badly college football’s top division needs a playoff system to decide its national champions and perhaps prevent a situation like this where Mizzou was unjustly left on the outside looking in.

“I don’t know if you need a playoff system to see that it doesn’t make sense that one team (Illinois) lost three games and lost to you, and you only lost two games, and they’re going to a BCS game and you’re not,” said Rucker with a resigned shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t think we need a playoff system to understand that, do we?”

You could see the disappointment in their faces as the players got the
official word and most of them quietly left the alumni center without saying a word. “I have a bunch of players who have a bunch of frowns,” said Pinkel.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Ok, so OU pounded MU and MU slipped past KU. That means OU would have beaten KU even worse? That's sound logic.

Slipped past? That's rich. Only a gift touchdown drive from the refs made it close. That and the fact that Pinkel foolishly let his foot off your throats. There was his biggest mistake.

Of course, I guess your "sound logic" is that Kansas would have beaten Oklahoma because they crushed Baylor, right?

[beer bacon]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Haha, so many MU whiners. I love it.

To the 'ship!

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by frazod

Just because your weasel whore of a AD sucked off the Orange Bowl guys doesn't mean anybody gives a shit about wasteland Kansas either, KUnt. I was at the MU/KU game and saw what we did to you. Your pussy excuses are almost as pathetic as you are. YOU LOST. You suck. We're better, and you know it.

And enjoy getting creamed in the Orange Bowl by a real team (you LOSE to real teams, remember?). I know I'll love it.

I know we lost, but we didn't play our best game. I know it, you know it, but can't accept it.

Enjoy Dallas jackoff...I'll be watching Arkansas beat the piss out of you in South Beach

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

I know we lost, but we didn't play our best game. I know it, you know it, but can't accept it.

Enjoy Dallas jackoff...I'll be watching Arkansas beat the piss out of you in South Beach

Keep it up with the pussy excuses, you pathetic KUnt. You and your "best game" aren't shit.

But you sure thought it would be, didn't you? You strolled into Arrowhead thinking your undefeated mighty Jayhawks would sweep aside the poor little tiggers and you would gloat and bask in your magnificent glory. But instead, your dreams just curled up in a ball and died. And I was there to see it, hear it, FEEL IT. And I GOT OFF ON IT. It was so supremely satisfying that I can't even express how much I loved it.

How does that make you feel?