In a recent article by our own Britt Zank, he suggests that no matter the outcome of the current FBI investigation, the Kansas Jayhawks are not victims. He’s wrong.
If you are not a fan of the Kansas Jayhawks, it’s probably hard to understand why the current FBI investigation is so important to their fans. Basketball at the University of Kansas is unlike anything anywhere else.
Kansas fans don’t understand mediocrity. We pride ourselves on the rich history and tradition that comes with being a Kansas Jayhawk. The 14 straight conference titles that Bill Self and his Jayhawks have racked up is a very big deal. It’s a sign of dominance. It’s proof that Kansas is something special. No other team in college basketball can say they’ve done what Kansas has done.
Kansas fans have a tight knot in their stomach right now. The majority believe that Kansas is innocent in this case, and the evidence we all currently have says the same. Jayhawk fans want to do things the right way and they want to win the right way. Most importantly, they all know Kansas doesn’t need help to dominate the Big12. They can do it the right way.
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Speculation here and there of vacating wins means vacating conference titles. Rumors of Bill Self being fired or skipping town have now emerged. Even if it is apparent that this boils up from fake news and over-analyzation, it makes fans nervous.
Zank’s Article
This nervousness causes an uproar against those who are rooting against the Kansas Jayhawks, or at least appear to be. The article written by Zank was an obvious article by someone who has the job of covering a team he is not a fan of. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. He probably needed to shower twice after writing that piece, as he didn’t say anything in a bashing sense.
Where he got it wrong, is the suggestion that since Kansas is Kansas, they can not play the victim card. They absolutely can. He mentions all of the talented players Kansas has had, all the wins and all the titles they’ve collected, as well as all the money the university has made.
If there was to be a stunning turn of events where Kansas was found guilty of something, none of that stuff matters that Zank suggested. The fluctuation of talent would surely slow down at the least. Who wants to go to a school on probation, or one that is in the NCAA doghouse? All the wins and titles he uses in his defense would be gone, meaning they don’t exist, meaning they never happened.
Then there is the money issue. Kansas makes money due to the talent they bring in, and the wins that they tally up. Take the talent and wins away, then the only money Kansas will be making is that from the eventual lawsuit against the Adidas brand. That’s a stretch by certain means, but it brings truth as well.
The meaning of victim
The definition of victim is as follows.
- a person harmed, injured or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action.
- a person who is tricked or duped
The word victim literally describes Kansas in this instance. Ask yourself if the investigation harms Kansas in any way? Perhaps their reputation, which some would say has already been damaged. Perhaps the recruitment of future stars as well. I guarantee you if Romeo Langford doesn’t sign with Kansas, there will be words written on how this debacle helped him make his decision.
The current situation has Kansas playing the victim by being duped by those representing Adidas. Since all that can be said is that Kansas did not know of any wrongdoing, it’s fair to say they were tricked and duped. The Jayhawks are most definitely a victim in this case. The definition itself says so. No argument, no debate.
I know Britt Zank well. I respect him and enjoy his work. That doesn’t mean I agree with him. It’s alright for one another to disagree, it always has been. Zank’s approach is similar to others across the nation. It was a gutsy move for sure.
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If a billionaire gets robbed at gunpoint, and the thief only escapes with a five dollar bill, that billionaire is still a victim. It isn’t ok to rob him just because he can afford it. In Zank’s article, it appeared that was his stance, Kansas is Kansas and that’s why they aren’t victims. In reality, Kansas is Kansas and that’s why they ARE the victim.