I started waiting tables at "On The Border" and one night I was busing my tables, when I kept hearing "Roy Williams" from the table of 8 people next to me. My curiousity got the best of me. I approached the man that kept saying Roys name. "Excuse me, but are you talking about Roy Williams of Kansas?" I asked. "Yeah we're just talking about how he is coming back here when Dean retires." I had had enough. "Ummm, no he's not." The man looked taken back. "Why do you say that?" he asked. "Because I was raised in Kansas, I went to KU and I know about Kansas basketball." The rest of the table had a look of "Oh shit." The man turned to face me and replied, "C'mon Kansas is a good school, but it doesn't compare to the tradition that North Carolina offers."
My face getting red... "Oh yeah, not the tradition huh? Well let me ask you a couple questions. Who invented basketball? Wasn't it by a man named James Naismith? Now where did he coach? Wasn't it Kansas? Ever heard of Phog Allen & Adolph Rupp? Yeah they're from Kansas too. I KNOW you know who Dean Smith is. Well he was born in my home town, Emporia KANSAS." I gave the guy a chance to counter, but he didn't say anything. I then concluded. "I am not putting down Carolina. I think it is a great school with a storied past, but don't automatically concluded that Roy is going to come running when Carolina calls." I smiled and walked away. I thought for sure I would be out of a job that night. Not something you really want to say to a paying customer in front of all his friends. But damn it felt GOOD!!!
It was like that all the time in Carolina. EVERYONE thought Roy was coming back. "You know Roy just bought a beach house down in South Carolina. Yeah it's going to be great when he comes back." Man I got sick of it. All you Kansas fans should really appreciate the decision he made. I know it was not an easy one.
The 96-97 Season came. I was the happiest Kansan in North Carolina. I drove my car with pride. "Yep you see that plate? that's right JAYHAWKS BABY!!!!" (go ahead and say that in your best Dick Vitale voice). I was flying high all season long. Yes I had become a Freak for Kansas Basketball. While waiting tables every spare second would be spent in the bar section, in front of the TVs. I paid other waiters/waitresses to do my side work so I could stay updated. So I could witness as many slams by Jacque Vaughn, Raef LaFrentz & Paul Pierce as possible.
Then it happned. No i'm not talking about the MU loss. That one hurt, but nowhere near as bad as the Arizona loss. I was devastated. Crushed. Going the whole season and only losing by 5 points the entire season. Impressive! But damn that loss hurt!
