KU MU T-Shirt war

[irishjayhawk]

(image removed by request of alleged copyright holder pending confirmation)

You know what the best part of Kansas and Missouri having their best ever seasons at the very same time is? The entire nation will get exposed to what is possibly the most bitter and hateful rivalry in the country in all it's glory (or shame, if you prefer). You can have your Ohio State v. Michigan or Alabama v. Auburn, but the last time I checked nobody from Columbus ever went to Ann Arbor and systematically executed every man they could find while burning the town to the ground. And certainly nobody made t-shirts later celebrating that fact.

But that did happen in 1863 in Lawrence, KS when William Quantrill led his band of "Bushwackers" to the "Jayhawker" stronghold and went on a 4 hour rampage that would become known as the "Lawrence Massacre" - one of the ugliest episodes of the brutal 10+ years of fighting along the Kansas and Missouri border. While the Civil War has become the South v. the North in most people's minds, the fighting in fact began as a violent guerrilla conflict between the abolitionists in Kansas and the slave holding Missouri settlers (more or less, like many guerrilla campaigns there were quite blurred lines at times). In many ways, those old wounds have never quite healed - Grandpa Simpson will be be deep in the cold, cold ground before he recognizes Missour-ah as a state, for example.

Those t-shirts seen above that some Missouri fans are making for the showdown at Arrowhead in two weeks are celebrating the Lawrence Massacre and in fact have Quantrill's visage and slogan emblazoned on the back - "Raise the Black Flag and Ride Hard Boys. Our Cause is Just and Our Enemies Many". Talk about going straight past normal levels of fan behavior and making a hard right turn into loony land, that might be the single most offensive gameday t-shirt I've ever seen. Kansas fans are now responding with t-shirts sporting noted violent Kansas abolitionist John Brown (who led a massacre of his own and the 1859 Harper's Ferry raid that really kicked off the Civil War powder keg) with the slogan "Keeping America Safe From Missouri Since 1854" - a mock-up of those t-shirts can be seen here.

This game is going to be played on a neutral site at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City - home to huge parking lots for tailgating and beer sales in the stadium during the game. It's going to be for a berth in the Big XII Championship Game at the very least, and a shot at the National Championship at the most. Liquored up fans sharing the same parking lots and stadium, some who are celebrating their history of brutal violence against each other? Two fanbases who hate each other, with the chance to not only continue their own dream season but also to end the chance of glory for their rivals? Yeah, no way that doesn't end up without at least a few folks in the slammer. It's going to be a fun Saturday for the KCPD and Jackson County Sheriffs.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/...to-the-ground/

[Simplex3]

Originally Posted by Valiant

Not really no one is glorifying the violence.. They are glorifying Kansans getting owned/destroyed by people from Missouri.. People are looking way too much into this..


It is no worse then the Muck Fizzou shirts..

How many people died during the Muck Fizzou Massacre?

[irishjayhawk]

Originally Posted by Simplex3

How many people died during the Muck Fizzou Massacre?

3045730495 + 1

[kcpasco]

Originally Posted by RunRunPassPunt

You guys should be the Missouri Bushwhackers.

Why would we want to name our school after a bunch of pro slavery inbred thugs.

[Third Eye]

Originally Posted by pikesome

It's going to be bad. I've been happy enough with the Jayhawks so far I haven't felt the need to get stupid but if we take care of business this weekend, it's going to get real bad.

I'm sure both teams will take care of business this weekend. They are both considerably better than their competition. Even if they start out slow because they are looking ahead to next week, both teams should win easily.

[Buck]

Who thinks either team can beat OU?

[Third Eye]

Originally Posted by Cro

Who thinks either team can beat OU?

OU is vulnerable outside of Norman. Just ask the Buffaloes. Plus, the crowd in Texas is likely to be anti-OU regardless of who they play.

[irishjayhawk]

Originally Posted by Cro

Who thinks either team can beat OU?

I think KU can. And I think MU can (and should have).

Having said that, KU has to take out MU to play them. MU has to take out KU just to get revenge so, it's really early to talk about beating OU for any team.

[pikesome]

Originally Posted by Cro

Who thinks either team can beat OU?

This year? Both. Neither. Who knows? KU even being in a position to play for a Big 12 champ, maybe, let alone talk of a NC is down right crazy talk. Mizzou was supposed to be good this year, I think they fricken sped past just "good" though. Them playing for a conf champ is only a little less crazy.

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Third Eye

OU is vulnerable outside of Norman. Just ask the Buffaloes. Plus, the crowd in Texas is likely to be anti-OU regardless of who they play.

I do remember when KSU beat OU that year.

Which brings up an unrelated point, how can you go to the Nat'l Championship game without even winning your own Conference?

[Simplex3]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

I'm no history expert, but wasn't the burning of Larryland retaliation for the Hawkers burning Osceola, MO? If we're playing the PC game, shouldn't the glorification of the name "Jayhawk" be just as offensive as that T-shirt?

Actually, it's kind of humorous that the Missouri fans missed the point that they're second fiddle even when it comes to burning towns.

[pikesome]

Originally Posted by Cro

I do remember when KSU beat OU that year.

Which brings up an unrelated point, how can you go to the Nat'l Championship game without even winning your own Conference?

The high school popularity contest that is college football.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Cro

Who thinks either team can beat OU?

MU/KU both should readily destroy OU on a neutral field..

[Buck]

Lets say KU/MU beats OU in the Big XII Championship game, The winner will be in a BCS bowl obviously, but what about the Loser?

Do they go to the Holiday Bowl?

Cause if so I want OU to lose, and USC is likely going to finish 3rd in the Pac-10.

This means OU-USC in the Holiday Bowl here in San Diego...

[Simplex3]

While we're renaming things using historical information, let's not forget some of the original names put forward for KCMO, including:

Port Fonda
Rabbitville

and my favorite:

Possum Trot.

http://www.kcmo.org/kcmo.nsf/web/kchistory?opendocument

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Simplex3

While we're renaming things using historical information, let's not forget some of the original names put forward for KCMO, including:

Port Fonda
Rabbitville

and my favorite:

Possum Trot.

http://www.kcmo.org/kcmo.nsf/web/kchistory?opendocument

Suppose KC was Rabbitville or Possum Trot, what do you think the name of the Chiefs would have been? Roadkill? , sorry had to.