I am a Kansan, born and bred. I have been a Chiefs fan and a Royals fan for as long as I can remember. If you ask another Kansan, they would probably say the same thing. But why is it that when it comes to colleges, everyone has this insane rivalry?
I understand a little healthy competition, that's great! That's how sports work. You cheer for your team/school and hope they win. But the one thing that absolutely bothers me is when college fans think it's OK to belittle and tear down the other team, even if they are from the same state. Come on, people, we cheered for the Royals when they won the 2015 World Series (Go KC!), but if the Kansas Jayhawks and the Kansas State Wildcats play each other, it's all the about name calling and booing. Don't even get me started on social media after the games. It is just absolutely sickening. For example, if KU beats KSU, the KU fans tear down KSU, saying that it was "an easy game" and "what else is new? We won!" But when Wichita State was in the Final Four back in 2013, the whole state of Kansas cheered them on. Why can't we all just be like that? Why can't we all just be "Kansas fans?"
For as long as I can remember I have always been a KU fan. My parents graduated from Emporia State, and we never really kept up on their sports. But we did watch KU games because Lawrence was only 40 minutes away, so why not be KU fans? There was this one time I will never forget, when I was at a Community College back home and it was during the NCAA Basketball Tournament back in 2014. I saw that some guy had tweeted, "Why do JCCC students (the community college) cheer for KU? They don't even go there." Excuse me? I can't cheer for the Jayhawks because I don't go to your school? Alright, but wouldn't you want a ton of fans cheering for your school during the Final Four? I personally was offended that he said that.
Being a Wildcat was the best thing I ever did. I am so in love with Manhattan and the campus. I have made some amazing memories here. I will still admit that I watch KU games whenever I have the chance, just like I keep up with KSU all year long. Believe it or not, but not everybody wants to be a Jayhawk (this is the part where I get angry texts or comments from KU fans, but whatever). I have actually had some people in my classes that are from Lawrence. Which is kind of funny, but also refreshing, in my opinion. The amount of KU license plates that I have seen in Manhattan is pretty shocking. I know KU fans that go to KSU because they like the town and the campus better. But that doesn't mean they aren't a fan. I love both schools but I just like KSU's campus better.
I just hope that one day we can all come together and become Kansas Fans! The best and most beautiful I have ever seen was when the Royals won the World Series in 2015 and they had a parade in downtown KC. Someone took a picture of the city from above, and all you could see was a sea of blue from the Royals fans. Now, why can't we do that and cheer on our Kansas schools? I'm sure I will have a bunch of people who agree with me on being a fan of the state. This is our home and we need to support one another and enjoy college sports like we do with professional sports.
My name is Taylor, and I am a Kansas Fan!
