Brad Rebukes

Brad Thorson wanted to rebuke Mike Rivera for his previously stated comments about the ongoing fued between houses. Apparently, he wants a truce...?

Two Poems by Darrell Stuckey II

Poetry is a hobby I love to do to release emotions that are built up inside, whether it's fear, joy, sadness. Or just a way to keep myself motivated.

"My Hero" I wrote as a reflection of the positive influence my Grandpa had in my life to bring me out of mourn.

"Blind Fear" I wrote as an inspiration of the inner thoughts before competition.

My Hero
As a child we tend to take things for granted.
We think we can fly, or that we’ll live forever.
Not realizing the value in life nor the sensitivity of it.
Not even how easy it can be lost through decisions, time, or neglect.
I use to think that mother could do anything,
Yeah she was my role model.
Her determination, passion,

and selflessness have made me who I am.
But there was a time that I was living aimlessly,
My faith was careless and my direction was pathless.
It was like I was trying to count the stars before night fall.
I remember when my night fall came and my stars were visible.
It was the first time I saw my grandpa’s name,
On the Wall of Fame at the Ranch for bowling a 300.
Or the first time I saw him hit a homerun at 50 years old.
Or maybe it was when he injured his neck going into 2nd base
And still returned to the field again.
It was these moments that gave direction,
Seeing him reach perfection bowling a 300 gave me hope,
And the desire to be the best in all that I do.
Seeing him hit multiple homeruns at 50 years old,
Made me realize that size and age is not only what matters,
But sound judgment, technique, and heart can get you further…
Gentle, Proud, and Loving,
My Grandpa is my Hero

Blind Fear
Sweaty palms, stomach turning, vision blurry
What is this feeling
Is it a result of something bad
Or the build up of something good
I don’t want to miss my opportunity
Especially if I know I should
Do I run, walk, it doesn’t matter
I just need to get there
Wright, wrong, maybe it can influence my character,
My integrity, or my reputation
I can’t risk it,
It was hard to build up,
Yet so easy to lose it
Sweaty palms, stomach turning, vision blurry
What is this feeling
Is it the result of uncertainty
Or the anxiety of being so anxious
I’ve done it before
So why does it always feel like the first time
Should I smile, yell, or frown
And hold my grin firm
It’s either me or him/her
Which one of us will be the better player
Is it the one who plays harder
Or the one who worked the hardest in preparation
If so maybe I shouldn’t have skipped those reps in the weight room
Or maybe I should have ran a little harder during conditioning
Okay here we go, come on get ready…
But why am I so nervous
Why so scared
What is this feeling
Ah, I know, it’s… it’s…
The fear, yeah that’s it
The fear of the unknown

- Darrell Stuckey II, Football

Jayhawk Spotlight: Mike Rivera

Yo! Matt Baysinger here with a few updates.

1. Though there were no submissions for most awful mugshot in the history of sports, it should be noted that the faux hawk will no longer grace the pages of kuathletics.com. It has since been replaced by my photo from my junior year. How's that for going retro? If the faux hawk photo was Bangkok Dangerous, then the old photo is probably closer to the likes of Wicker Man.

2. The air conditioning has not been functioning properly in my office for a few days. By not functioning, of course, I mean that I am sweating right now and the ceiling lights feel like the summer sun. Things could be worse though, atleast I am not this guy.

3. Last week was Spring Break, which means that I sat in my office and had the chance to look outside as long as Casey Wright left her door open. But more importantly, the downtime has proved to be the mother of ingenuity. While this blog is awesome, it occured to us that we don't have to stop with just a blog. From this point forward, we will not only be blogging, but we will also be vlogging. Because many of our student-athletes were busy frolicking on beaches and mountains, we brought in Mike Rivera - also known as King Leonidas in cleats. Mike recently worked out at the KU Pro Day, and will soon be busting faces in the NFL. He gives a glimpse into Pro Day antics, as well as some hilarious stories from his playing time at KU.


So without further ado, turn off your brain and turn up your speakers. This is the Hawk Talk Video Vault.

Hawk Talk: Joy Bunting, Swimming and Diving

Parents are Doug and Sherry Bunting... Sister, Tonya, played tennis at the University of Northern Colorado... A business major... Hopes to pursue a career in international business to travel the world.

So you have a sugar glider… why?

I don’t know. Five years ago this guy had one at the pet store and he was telling my dad and I about it and I really liked it… it’s like a squirrel - it’s pretty cool to have a squirrel, right? So I researched it and bought one, Phoebe, and then I bought Phelix so I had a male and female. I bred them and got 4 or 5 litters.

Hypothetically, if Phelix and Phoebe were to have had octuplets, what would their names be?

Well, I would stick with the PH theme. Phelip, Phelice, Phannie Phickle, Pheces, Phog, Phancy, Phabulous… those are pretty good. Though I don’t think Pheces will like his name, he is going to be the runt of the bunch.

How does it feel to be a Jayrock champion

It feels fantastic. It was pretty amazing to hear them say ‘swimming and diving’. The trophy is in our locker room – right next to the Jayhawk that is made out of tires. We got it at a team scavenger hunt.

What was it like to win after having some really hard years of not getting second?

Well I am only a sophomore, but I know the history. It was an amazing accomplishment, though the track geniuses of the past are gone. I didn’t see the track performance this year, we were back stage. I heard theirs was good, but obviously ours was better.

So you are from Greeley Colorado. Can you talk about the smell of Greeley for a little bit?

The smell of Greeley, my mom would say is a fresh smell – which I guess it kind of is. Dead cattle and manure is pretty fresh. But, it is not that bad sometimes, but most of the time it is pretty rank.

On a scale of Nicolas Cage movies, let’s say that Lawrence smells like Con-air. What does Greeley smell like?

Well. It smells like poop. Cow poop. Is that a Nicolas Cage movie?

What was it like to transition from club swimming to college swimming?

It was a huge jump to go from club to college swimming. College is on a whole different level, there is a lot of new stuff and a lot better competition.

What has been the highlight?

Big 12’s last week. We all swam really fast and we were really motivated. It is fun to be a part of swimming right now because the sport is getting so fast. It is really amazing.

Is it true that your parents own an ice cream shop?

Well, my grandparents started an ice cream business. Well, not an actual business, we travel to rodeos and stuff like the Greeley stampede. It is called Yoder’s homemade ice cream. My grandpa’s last name is Yoder, it is an Amish recipe. We have a trailer that he bought. It is a pretty cool trailer, not what you think of when you think of fairs. It is not carnie looking, it is legit! So my brother, my two cousins and I work inside of it. My grandpa bought a hit and miss john deer motor, it kicks, so when it gets going it is like put-put-put-put-POP! They used to use it back on farms to pull up water from the ground for the cattle, but we use it to make ice cream. It is on a pulley system and it turns the five gallon bucket that is surrounded another bucket of ice and salt. So that’s what I do when I go home, I make homemade ice cream! So if you come to the stampede, I’ll make you some! It’s the best ice cream, I am going to try to make it here with an ice cream maker sometime soon.

Swimming and diving has won the Jayhawk Champs competition for three years in a row. It has usually been between men’s basketball, swimming, football, and volleyball. This year, volleyball is ahead of you right now. Is swimming and diving going to step up down the stretch to make it four in a row?

We’re going to pull it out in the end. We have some stuff up our sleeve that we have already talked about. I don’t know what volleyball has going on, but we are ready to take it again. Four time champs.

You talked about how fast everyone is swimming right now. On that note, would you rather have your skin be made out of a Speedo LZR suit, or be able to breathe under water and have gills on your neck.

Breathe under water. Then you wouldn’t have to wear a scuba tank to go scuba diving.

But you would have gills on your neck.

It would be alright. I already have a scar that kind of looks like gills. I could always wear a scarf to cover them up. Or I could sport them, I mean I would have gills and no one else would!

Hawk Talk: Julia Guard, Rowing

Parents are Kimberly and Danny Anderson and Roger Guard... Stepfather, Danny, is Vice Provost of Academic affairs at the University of Kansas... Majoring in Geography and Business.

You are a Geography major. Can you find Djibouti?

Absolutely. Africa, on the horn!

Why Geography?

Well I usually tell people that I like to travel and that geography is interesting. Really thought, I took a bunch of business classes and hated them, so I wanted to get in something easier. I really like it though so I am happy with my major.

The new boathouse. What do you think?

We just want to put out a huge thank you to the student body because it was their vote that helped make it a reality by voting for it and it wouldn't be possible without all of our fellow Jayhawks! As far as the change that's happened, the practices are a lot harder. But it will only make us better. Also the laundry service is awesome. And it really helps with recruiting.

Describe your love for grape nuts and honey bunches of oats.

It all started earlier this year when my roommate Lauren turned me on to grapenuts. I have a quickly growing obsession of cereal mixed with yogurt. I probably have three or four bowls a day. Sometimes I’ve been known to do two or three at a time - definitely in the morning, definitely at night. This week we have been eating at the burge, and it has done the trick, but usually I do a few a day.

I also understand that you love chai tea latte’s?

I have probably had a few hundred this semester. I get them everywhere – it is low calorie, and I love hot drinks in the winter. It is the best of both words. Hot chocolate makes me feel guilty, but there is no guilt in the chai tea latte. They are close to a five-spot each time – but I save money with all the cereal I eat!

Are you jealous of the Dundie Award on this desk?

Yes, I am a huge office fan! I got hooked this year, I have been catching up ever since. I have all the dvd’s. It all started with my crush on John Krasinski – the guy who plays Jim. He’s a hottie. His love for Pam is just touching. Paired with Michael Scott’s character, it all just kills me. I love dry humor. The office is definitely a top notch show

If you worked at Dundler Mifflin, what department would you work in?

Sales. I would want to get in on the pranks and show Jim whats up - even though his pranks are unbelievable.

How would you describe Michael’s leadership style?

He is a leader unlike any other I have ever met. But if he ran a business school, I wouldn’t join. It would be entertaining, but I wouldn’t learn anything. He is such a good guy deep down, but he is such an idiot.

Who would win a fight between Andy and Dwight?

It would be the most pathetic fight ever. Though they did fight in the parking lot when andy ran him over with his car. I think Dwight would win because he has hidden weapons all over the office that he could use at will. It would be a fun fight.

Starboard or port – which is better?

Starboard! That’s what I row. I don’t know that I really think it is better – it is just what I have to do. When you are backwards on the boat, I row to the left. My left – coxswain’s right.

What is catching a crab?

When you don’t pull through your oar fast enough or not squared right. It catches wrong in the water and flips the oar upsidown. It makes the whole boat rear off to the side and the whole boat has to basically start over - teammates would not be happy. It has never happened to me in a race, only in practice. It is the worst thing ever!

What does the rowing team do to get pumped before a race?

Everyone is actually really quiet and focused. We just get ready, get stretched, game face on. After every race we sing the alma mater.

Tell us something about your teammates?

Brooke and Carrie like to think of themselves as comedians, but that is up for debate. Nobody is super flashy with their talents, though I am pretty amazing with handstands.

So I hear you went for a swim in the Kaw river?

Oh man, This year, on a normal day of practice I was sitting bow. One of the coxswains ran us into an intake – a giant cement block. She didn’t see it – Sarah Best. The boat got crunched. There was no warning. In the middle of a stroke, my feet got ripped out of my shoes and I did a backflip out of the river. There was nothing stopping me. I was completely n shock, coach Rob had to pull me into the launch. I was shocked but we were all laughing about it 15 minutes later.

Raisins - box or bag?

Bag, you get more. I probably have 1000 calories of raisins a day. I can eat them constantly. They are amazing. I also eat dried pineapple. I tried craisins once, but they don’t do it for me, they have too much of a punch.

Would you rather spend one week locked in a room with Angela Martin, or go on a cross country roadtrip with Kelly Kapur?

Well Angela has a lot of cats. My heart tells me I would go with Kelly for the conversation, but I think I would choose Angela because she reminds me of my roommate Lauren and I am so used to that anyway.

Hawk Talk: Monica Dolinsky, Soccer

Personal: Captain of six-time state championship club team Carmel Cyclones ... Cyclones won the 2007 US Youth Soccer National Championship in the U-19 Division ... Led the Cyclones to the Regional semifinals in 2003 and 2004 ... Coached by Gene Lindley ... Played on the Indiana State ODP team and Regional Team from 2000-04. Parents are John and Diane Dolinsky ... Has two siblings, Paul and Kris ... Majoring in architectural interior design.

Walk us through the experience of winning U-19 Nationals with the Carmel United Cyclones.

That was probably one of the best soccer memories I have had so far. We went to regionals seven times. But when I was 18, we won Regionals and Nationals in Frisco, Texas. It was pretty exciting, it all happened so fast. Emily Cressy was there at regionals as well, she won golden boot for her age group.

What was your favorite birthday party ever?

I love food, and I get to pick dinner for my birthday.

So if your birthday was tomorrow, what would you have?

I’d have some steak and seafood – lobster, shrimp, crab, mashed potatoes, corn, veggies, green beans. I like all food. For dessert, I’d have cheesecake with strawberries on top.

Tell us about your brothers Paul and Kris.

Once, my brother Paul got the three stripes shaved in the side of his head. I think that is pretty embarrassing, I wish I had a picture. That was probably in 1994.

What does the name Beth West mean to you?

Oh man. I didn’t think it was a big deal. They wrote about it in the paper. I didn’t even notice her on the field.

Apparently, you punched her!

Yeah, apparently things went down. But I don’t remember trying to hit her. I am not an aggressive person.

So if Beth West was here with us, would you apologize?

Yeah! I don’t mean to hurt people. I don’t mean to be mean!

Where was the College Football National championship game your freshmen year? Oh man. It was on ESPN and I was trying to figure out where it was being played. I asked my little brother and he texted me that it was in ‘Glendale, Ariz’, so I told everyone that it was being played out of the country, in Ariz. Everyone still makes fun of me for it.

So when the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke out, did you ever consider changing your name?

Nobody has ever asked me that. That’s so great! I used to want to make a press release when I was in 4th grade. I used to get made fun of, but I wanted to make sure people knew it wasn’t me. At first I thought it was cool, like I was on the news or something. But then I understood what actually went down and didn’t want to anymore.

Describe your love for the Olive Garden.

Oh man, the Olive Garden. We went yesterday, all the way to Topeka and back. Whoever is on their marketing team is awesome. The commercials… well, they stopped serving the commercial special on Sunday. It was supposed to be shrimp pasta with creamy garlic sauce. I was so excited to go, but then I was so upset. I told the waitress I was rattled, I didn’t know what to order for the longest time so I got ravioli and breadsticks. Oh, the breadsticks!

Would you rather wear sweats every day for the rest of your life, or never be able to wear sweats again.

Wait, what!? Oh my gosh. This puts me in a pickle. I’d have to go with never… oh man… I guess never wear them again. Who told you I wear sweatpants everyday!? I am torn, but I couldn’t wear sweats to my wedding. Final answer.

Worth the Wait

Well, Ladies and Gents, the day you have all been waiting for is finally here. No, they aren't holding a no-holds-barred cage match pitting brothers Kevin Arnold of The Wonder Years and Corey Matthews of Boy Meets World, but something nearly as epic. Yes, I am talking about my first post on Jayhawk Chalk Talk.

Let me first apologize for taking so long to make my first entry, but as you know, anything worth having is worth waiting for. Now, people have asked me, "Paul, how do create the magic that just comes spilling out of your fingers into the computer screen and finally into my face?" It is hard for me to quantify my art, much like it is difficult to explain exactly how Matt got his hair to do what it did in his head shot. If I had to say, however, I would say my posts are a mixture of genius, strong coffee, and techno music, with just a dash of whatever it is that makes White Castle so awesome.

I have also been able to rest soundly at night knowing that the world is in safe hands. Matthew Baysinger and Bradley Thorson are highly competent bloggers (or is it bloggists?) with whom I would trust my life in a game of World of Warcraft or Halo. They, along with yours truly, are just a free sample of the deliciousness that is KU Athletics. We are a multi-talented and extremely good looking bunch, us Jayhawks. When we aren't winning bowl games or cutting down nets, we enjoy many pasttimes such as reading, knitting, or settling down in our Snuggies for a quiet movie night at home. One of my favorite hobbies is playing music. In fact, 100% of my classes this semester are music classes. Granted, I am only taking one class and it is a beginners class for piano, but you get the point.

So, naturally, being a piano player that on a scale of Super Bowl Quarterbacks is somewhere around a Trent Dilfer, I decided to make my debut performance a couple of weeks back at the Jazzhaus down on Mass St.(A couple of ex-Jayhawk footballers have a band and so graciously let myself and my roommate Chris Gorney (who will likely make many more appearances on this blog for his antics, which are also simply known as "Gorneys") play with them. I, of course, was on keyboard and Chris played the djembe (a hand drum) while Micah Brown and Jeff Foster melted faces up front on guitar/vocals. I came in after they played a couple of songs (probably so that the crowd could mentally and emotionally prepare themselves for what was about to happen). We laid down a sweet rendition of The Killers' "All These Things That I've Done" as well as a shortened version of "Come Sail Away" of Styx fame. After the final song, the crowd, those of them that still had the strength to walk, carried us down the street declaring that no musicians should ever be allowed to play live music in Lawrence again because they had just heard perfection and it is the last beautiful sound that should resonate through the streets of our fair city... or something like that, I can't remember.

Yes, my friends, there is a lot to know about us. Sometimes you live, work, and learn right next to people and all it takes is reaching out to them to find they are just extraordinary people. Like that time I lost a baseball signed by Babe Ruth in my neighbor's yard and his dog took it and I spent all summer trying to get it back that culminated with the dog chasing my friend Benny around the neighborhood only to find that my neighbor actually played with Ruth and had a baseball signed by the whole Yankee team. So let that be a lesson to you, Chalk Talk fans, and until next time... stay sweet. Rock Chalk.

Paul "Got His Mouth Lookin' Something Like a Disco Ball" Hefferon