The Happiest Place on Earth

This year, our family fulfilled a rite of passage by taking a pilgrimage to the happiest place on earth, DisneyWorld. Our girls, who just turned 6 and 4, loved every magical minute. Mom and Dad did too. And while we did our best to single-handedly save the U.S. economy- in a place where consumer confidence is still very high- the memories we brought home were more valuable than any of the souvenirs. A big thanks to our Florida friends who helped make our family vacation truly "priceless."

Rim Rock Revisited

Last weekend, I participated in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to go back in time and relive some of the glory days of my past. Well, not exactly. As an invited member of the KU Alumni Cross Country Team competing at Rim Rock farm (KU's famed home cross country course) against current college athletes, I was not exactly reliving the same experience I had a younger, fitter collegiate runner. My body had aged, but my competitive spirit and love of running hadn't diminished a bit. So, how did it go?

In an earlier blog post (Glory waiting to happen), I described the anticipated event: Regardless of fitness or injury, you can bet I'll be there to run alongside some of the best runners to suit up for Kansas. Just as appealing is the opportunity to run one of the most beautiful- and toughest- cross country courses in America. Add to that a heaping dose of pride, tested against a crop of current, enthusiastic Jayhawks, and I have all the motivation I need to get ready. I have 7 weeks. When I described the experiment to my wife, she said, "well that's an injury waiting to happen." I said, "No dear, the word you're looking for is 'glory.'

So, which would it be? Glory or injury? Believe it or not, a fair amount of both. In the first half-mile of the race, an old injury resurfaced from a workout leading up to the meet. A strained hamstring tightened, but allowed me to continue running. I decided to go with it, benefiting from the knowledge that I didn't have another one of these meets next week, or possibly ever again in my future. I ran easy, winced through the pain, but knew the worst I could do was pull it or tear it. In the meantime, there was a race to be run.



Although I had friends betting I would not break 30 minutes for the 8k race (which is about 4.9 miles), I stuck to my plan. First mile in 5:45, 12 minutes at the two-mile, 18 minutes at the three-mile. Right on 6 minute pace. I started to fatigue, hit the four-mile at 24:30, then passed a few more straggling freshmen from nearby community colleges to cross the line in 30:17. Fortunately, the Alumni Team did not need the services of its oldest member, as Paul Hefferon won the race, and the team placed 2nd behind KU's varsity squad by a mere 3 points.

I attended the post-race tailgate party with my wife and kids, catching up with former teammates and friends, and relishing whatever glory we had achieved. And although an injury had been sustained that day, my pride, at least, was still intact. I would live to run another day. (Photos by Chris Ronan. Top: Colby Wissel finishing. Middle: Joshy Madathil competes for the Alumni Team. Bottom: Chris Jones (right) and the author emerge from the covered bridge. Video by Lori Montgomery.)

Let the games begin

Today's opening ceremonies will usher in one of the most celebrated and controversial events of the new millennium. The Beijing Olympic Games, as IOC President Jacques Rogge has said, will provide an opportunity for the world to gain a better understanding of China, and for China's 1.3 billion people to better understand the rest of the world.

Should China have won the opportunity to host the Games? That's debatable. But I believe in the old adage "be careful what you wish for, because it may come true." China, famous for its strict and oppressive rule, has invited the world to its so-called coming out party. The awe-inspiring show, however, may not generate the intended effect, as China will be demystified before the world and ultimately held more globally accountable. That's a good thing.

In the months leading up to the Olympics, many called on world leaders to boycott the games. But to me, this is not a place for political posturing. (Imagine if Jesse Owens had not competed at the '36 games in Berlin.) The Games, and the spirit of Olympism, are dedicated to the highest ideals, set forth in the Olympic charter:

"Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles."

The pursuit of excellence. Mutual respect and fairness. Global unity. Let those ideals be the legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

2008 LIVESTRONG Summit

Earlier this year, I was chosen by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to be a delegate to the 2008 LIVESTRONG Summit, which is being held this weekend at the Ohio State University in Columbus. I'm excited to meet other cancer activists from around the country, particularly those from other research universities. Although we'll hear from some famous folks and leading cancer experts, including former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, Senator John McCain and, of course, Lance Armstrong, I think I'm most excited about the workshops.

Sessions will focus on topics like grassroots advocacy, building a volunteer army, organizing community events, engaging voters and holding leaders accountable. I know I'll learn a lot, and I'll be eager to get back to campus to enlist KU students, faculty, staff and members of the Lawrence community in this fight against cancer. There's a lot we can do. Watch this space for more. In the meantime, enjoy this video about the 2008 LIVESTRONG Summit.

KU Fights Cancer

The University of Kansas is emerging as a leader in the fight against cancer. Last month, KU announced the opening of a Phase I clinical trial for a new ovarian cancer drug, Nanotax, developed by researchers at the KU Cancer Center. The new drug is a reformulation of the common chemotherapy drug, Paclitaxel, which is administered intravenously. Unpleasant side effects have been attributed to the solvent mixed with the drug for delivery.

The development of Nanotax by KU researchers was significant for two reasons. By breaking Paclitaxel to nanopartical form, they were able to mix it with water, allowing the drug to be administered to a patient's abdomen.

"By removing the source of the negative side effects, we believe Nanotax will be a less toxic treatment," said Roy Jensen, director of the KU Cancer Center.

Nanotax is also significant because it is KU's first "bench to bedside" drug, which means it was discovered, tested and brought to clinical trial by KU scientists at the KU Cancer Center. This fact significantly enhances KU's quest to obtain NCI designation for the KU Cancer Center. Kansas City remains the largest metropolitan area in the U.S. not served by an NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the university has made attaining the designation it's top priority.

KU has had a lot of big wins this past year, but this news was truly worth celebrating.

Olympic Hero: Eric Shanteau

Have you ever heard of Eric Shanteau? If not, you will soon.

Eric Shanteau trained his whole life for a shot at making the U.S. Olympic swim team. Although he was not picked among the favorites to make the team, he qualified for the trials this year, and came in prepared to swim the race of his life. He stunned everyone, save perhaps himself, when he touched the wall in second place, earning a trip to Beijing. Imagine, the weight of preparing your entire life for one short race.

Now imagine the weight of learning, just one week before that race, that you have cancer. Shanteau, diagnosed with testicular cancer just before the trials, used that knowledge to inspire the performance of his life. Then, almost immediately after making the team, he faced an agonizing decision. Skip the Olympics–his lifelong dream–to have surgery to remove the cancer as quickly as possible, or prolong the potentially life-saving procedure to fulfill his Olympic dream.

He chose the Olympics. Cancer would have to wait.

Although doctors will monitor him closely and pull him out if the cancer appears to be spreading to quickly, Shanteau's brave decision will bring national and international attention to a disease affecting 1.4 million Americans. He will not only be swimming for his country, he'll be inspiring cancer survivors worldwide and motivating leaders to join the fight.

Sound familiar? Since starting the Lance Armstrong Foundation in 1997, the 7-time Tour de France winner–and cancer survivor–has focused the spotlight on a disease that hits 1 in 4 families. Through his celebrity and the popularity of those now ubiquitous LIVESTRONG yellow wrist bands, Armstrong's fight has enlisted other notable cancer activists, such as Elizabeth Edwards, Ted Kennedy and the late Tony Snow. Last night on the ESPY awards, many people probably learned for the first time that ESPN personalities Stuart Scott and Robin Roberts were also recent cancer survivors when they presented the Jimmy V. Award for Perseverance. No one is immune. It's everyone's fight.

Although cancer affects millions worldwide, I am encouraged by the increased visibility the cause is receiving, thanks to those who are brave enough and able to capture the spotlight and keep it focused where it should be, on ending this dreaded disease. I've highlighted the efforts of Lance Armstrong before in my blog, as well as those behind Stand Up To Cancer. At the Olympic Games, Eric Shanteau will make his mark on the world, and his contribution will be greater than gold.

It's Complicated

To prepare quickly for the Aug 30th cross country race at Rim Rock, I knew I'd have to adjust my regular summer training, consisting of moderately paced runs between 6 and 10 miles. Time to step it up with some interval work. Besides, I remember I used to visit a track near my home. It sounded like a good idea anyway, but, like so many things, my relationship with the track is complicated.

I used to love the track. Back in college, we had a very close relationship. I saw her everyday. We spent a lot of time together- sure there were some rough patches, but we had some great times too. Unfortunately, some time after college, I fell in love with other things, like cheeseburgers, a good beer, and well, we stopped seeing each other.

So I was a little apprehensive visiting the track last night for the first time in years. Would she even remember me? Would she be glad to see me, or not? Maybe, I thought, I could just pick it up where I left off...

No chance. Turns out, the track did remember me, and she wasn't happy about the way I had left her. Now, I found myself pleading for her forgiveness, and mercy. No such luck. She kept reminding me how long it had been, how I was taking things too fast. She said, "take it easy, we've got a lot of catching up to do." She was right. I was jumping the gun, so we slowed things down.

After a long night of getting reacquainted, I think we may be able to patch things up. I don't think I'll ever love her the way I once did, but maybe, one day, we can become friends again. We'll just have to take things very slow. One step at a time.

In defense of logos

Yesterday, a jury sided with the University of Kansas in its lawsuit against Joe College for selling t-shirts that infringed upon KU's trademarks. This should have been an open and shut case. Still, there are a lot of people out there who just didn't get it and viewed the case as an example of a big, bad university out for profits. How can you own the word "Kansas?" they wondered. How can you own the color blue? Simple. You can. You can within a given context. Put Kansas on a blue t-shirt and sell it in Lawrence, Kansas, then yes, common sense tells you that's a KU t-shirt.

What about letters- can you own a letter? If so, who owns the letter A? Sesame Street? Well, if you're in Oakland, selling green hats with As on them, I'm guessing Major League Baseball will have a problem with that. If you're in Tuscon, Arizona selling navy blue hats with a red letter A on them, the University of Arizona might believe they have the right to do that. In Big 10 country, how important is the letter M to Michigan? Or the word "Wisconsin" printed in white on a red shirt? Now, put Wisconsin on a green shirt and sell it in Florida- not only will no one think it's a Wisconsin University t-shirt, no one will buy it. Why? Context.

Context matters. Now I'm no attorney, but I know that sometimes the letter of the law is what matters. Other times, it's the spirit of the law. Larry Sinks, owner of Joe College sold shirts that clearly were intended to capitalize on a local affinity for the University of Kansas. He would admit as much, so the context here is obvious. But rather than obtain an official license granting him the right to sell KU merchandise, he willfully tried to skirt the system by selling shirts KU would never approve under a licensing agreement. Sure, there's a market for tasteless, inappropriate t-shirts, but this isn't a "free speech" issue. It's commercial.

It's not free speech for me to sell a basketball jersey that says "Jordan" with the number 23 on it. I'm pretty sure Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls and maybe even Nike would have something to say about that. Sinks knew what he was doing, and he foolishly believed he had every right to do it. It reminded me of the man who ran across the street when the light was red and the sign said "Don't Walk." The man argued, "well the sign didn't say anything about running!"

Context is important. The law is important. Certainly there are more important things than logos to defend in the world, but I believe there are two kinds of people. There are those who endeavor to understand and do the right thing, and there are those who will try to get away with things, using whatever justification they can. I believe yesterday's ruling was more than just a legal victory for KU. It was a victory for common sense.

Glory waiting to happen

In the fall of 2007, Colby Wissel crossed the finish line at the NCAA national cross country championships to end his prolific career as KU's last cross country All-American, and the sport's first back-to-back All-American since 1959. Now, the KU alumnus is forming a team of KU alumni to compete again at Rim Rock Farm in the Bob Timmons Invitational on August 30th.

Regardless of fitness or injury, you can bet I'll be there to run alongside some of the best runners to suit up for Kansas. Just as appealing is the opportunity to run one of the most beautiful- and toughest- cross country courses in America. Add to that a heaping dose of pride, tested against a crop of current, enthusiastic Jayhawks, and I have all the motivation I need to get ready. I have 7 weeks.

When I described the experiment to my wife, she said, "well that's an injury waiting to happen." I said, "No dear, the word you're looking for is 'glory.'" I'll keep you posted.

Kindred Spirits

Last night I watched one of my favorite movies from my teenage years, The Natural, starring Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs, an aging, journeyman ball player on his quest to become the best who ever played the game. I always loved the movie and was drawn to Hobbs' character for some reason, but I never really understood why until last night, when he uttered the famous line, "God I love baseball."

Roy was no saint, as this espn.com article attests. But what I admired about his character was not his virtue; it was his unapologetic passion for the game. Sadly, it's all too rare to find this characteristic in others, since so few people are willing to wear their loyalty on their sleeve for fear of public scrutiny. If you were to simply ask people "what are you passionate about," many would find the question invasive and awkward. But I recently met someone who, like Roy Hobbs, was so dedicated to her passion that I immediately connected with her.

I met "Tanya" at a training workshop for LeaderShape counselors. LeaderShape is an immersive week-long leadership camp that is a transforming experience for participants. Tanya was the co-lead for our session, and the very first thing she said when introducing herself to us was, "LeaderShape is my favorite thing in the world. I love it." So in the first minute of knowing her, I knew everything I needed to know about her. I knew her passion.

At the conclusion of the camp, she said we had a "kindred spirit," which was flattering. It told me she understood my passion as well. But to those who know me, and even those who have just met me, it's not difficult to figure out what I care about. After all, I'm not a tough nut to crack. I don't care about much, but the things that are important to me, I care deeply about them, and people know that. I find that I relate well to those who are similarly unapologetic about their passions, whether they are educators, politicians, athletes, ...or, apparently, even fictional movie characters.

Independence Day

Celebrating the birth of our nation this fourth of July weekend, I recall my favorite fourths over the years, which have a familiar routine. Burgers are usually involved after a day at the pool or playing in the yard. Sparklers, Popsicles and fireworks over Lawrence complete the scene. But perhaps my favorite tradition, I'm almost embarrassed to say, is when we go inside at the end of the day to watch "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS. The fireworks over our nation's capitol are a special treat each year, reminding me of the best 4th of July ever, in the summer 1994.

That was the year my brother and I went to D.C. to begin an internship on Capitol Hill for Senator Kassebaum. We took in the show with our friends on the Capitol grounds, brought our own apple pie, and watched the crowds gathered on the mall. It was THE place to be, and if you ever have the chance to celebrate the 4th in Washington, you should go. It was an incredible time to be in Washington, and someday, I hope to take my family back. This year, however, you'll find me playing outside with my girls, or at the grill with a Sam Adams. Here's to a safe, All-American holiday weekend, with all the best to you and yours. Cheers!

Olympic Uniforms Unveiled

Today, Nike unveiled the new uniforms designed for the U.S. team competing this summer in Beijing. The design sports the familiar red and contrasting light & dark blue scheme, reminiscent of those worn at the Sydney games of 2000. An additional design feature is a stylized, tattoo-inspired graphic, called "We the People," depicting symbols of America's patriotic and cultural heritage. And then there's the technology.

According to Nike, "Another innovation for the Nike Swift Suit was Aerographics; Nike’s engineered mesh system that was added at the back to increase cooling. Now the suit has a 7% drag reduction over the Nike Swift Suit for Athens, which translates to .02 seconds in the 100m. The new version is made with 100% recycled polyester yarns, fitting into Nike’s Considered design ethos. Now, Nike has combined its fastest ever Nike Swift technology with an environmentally preferred material." All I know is, they look good. All together now, "U S A! ...U S A!"

Must See TV

I love this time of year. I love it not only because I enjoy running outside in the Kansas heat and humidity, but I love being inside too, watching some of my favorite events on TV. Let's start with the Cubs.

With the hottest record in baseball heading into June, the Cubs have one of the best home field advantages in all of sports. Taking in a game at Wrigley Field is a singular experience any time, but in the summer, with a hot dog and an Old Style, there's no better place to be. Especially this summer. After all, it's been exactly 100 years since the Cubs last won it all. It's been 10 years since I lived in Chicago, but- as it turns out- they sell hot dogs and Old Style in Lawrence, Kansas! And thanks to WGN, I can enjoy the friendly confines from my family room. Go Cubs Go!

Meanwhile, heading into the 4th of July weekend, we're also right smack in the middle of Wimbledon. Now, I'm no tennis player, and I'm not even much of a tennis fan 11 months out of the year, but when Wimbledon rolls around, I watch every match- and I mean every match I can. I don't know if it's the all-white rule at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the strawberries and cream, or maybe its just Maria Sharipova. Whatever it is, Wimbledon is a classic- and a tradition that is not to be missed.

Finally, to top it all off, this is an Olympic year- something I look forward to four years in advance, when sign at the closing ceremonies reads "See you in Beijing!" Currently, the U.S. Olympic Trials are taking place in Eugene, Oregon, the Mecca of running, also known as "track town USA." Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, is the sport's cathedral, so anytime the trials come to Eugene, it's a special event. And by the time 08.08.08 rolls around, I'll be ready to watch the Opening Ceremonies- for the first time in HD.

Throw in the Tour de France plus new episodes of My Boys and Burn Notice, and you can bet I'll be glued to my TV all summer. That is, when I'm not out running... fueled, of course, by hot dogs and Old Style. Ah, summer.

The Girl Effect

Last month, the Nike Foundation and Peter and Jennifer Buffett announced a $100 million investment in, well, girls. They call it “the girl effect”: the ability of adolescent girls in developing countries to bring unprecedented social and economic change to their families, communities and countries.

As the father of 2 girls, I can assure you there's no more powerful force in the world than the potential of a girl when given a chance. There are a lot of causes out there, approaching the world's challenges from many different angles. This one that makes a heck of a lot of sense to me. Check it out.

Stretching the Brand

This week, the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and Demand Media announced the launch of LIVESTRONG.com, an online community dedicated to healthy living, built on the brand essence of LIVESTRONG (e.g. health, fitness, nutrition, balance), a brand Nike created and nurtured for the LAF in 2003.

Containing more than 600,000 pages of content, LIVESTRONG.com includes more than 15,000 videos and articles, 50,000 questions and answers, plus personal profiles, photo galleries, discussion groups, personal action plans, recipes, interactive tools and calculators... (whew) let's face it, it's a behemoth. More to the point, it's a stretch.

I get the strategy- it's an evolution of the brand, leveraging it's key attributes. I'm just not sure I buy it. Where does it leave the foundation? I'm looking at my little yellow LIVESTRONG wrist band today, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Yesterday it said I was united in the fight against cancer. Today, however, I think it says a lot more ...and means a lot less. Let's watch- I could always be wrong.

Faster. Cheaper. Better?

Faster? Yes, please.
Cheaper? Thank you.
Better? Are you kidding?
Apple's announcement yesterday that the revolutionary iPhone would be getting an upgrade surprised few people. Rumors abounded that the new versions would take advantage of the faster 3G (third generation) network with speeds approaching broadband. And while most early iPhone adopters were willing to sacrifice speed for mobility, those days are dwindling. Meanwhile, the biggest obstacle to iPhone purchases, not surprisingly, was price. So Apple announced significant cuts, dropping the 8GB iPhone from $399 to $199. Meaning, you'll start seeing a lot more of them.

But the real surprise (to me anyway) was the announcement of iPhone 2.0. Apple had already revolutionized "smart" phones with a new touch interface and multiple applications that take advantage of OS X's advanced graphical user interface, as well as features like multi-touch, built-in GPS and accelerometer. Developers–like kids in a candy store–are already producing amazing apps, soon to be available at the new "App Store." Apple also threw in support for Microsoft Exchange, catering to enterprise users demanding push email, calendar and contacts, enabling the iPhone to take on (and overtake) the industry leader, Blackberry.

Apple didn't have to make it better. Faster? Yes, please. Cheaper? Thank you. But better? Once again, Apple sets the standard for innovation, while their competitors can barely keep up. Not only will the iPhone become a new standard, much like iPod became the brand standard mp3 player, iPhone 2.0–in my opinion–will become the third major computing platform. Effectively there is now Mac OS X, Windows, and iPhone. And pretty soon, your Blackberry with QWERTY keyboard will be as outdated as a rotary-dial phone.

Have you ever...

Heard of Brandi Carlile? She was the opening act at last night's Sheryl Crow concert in Kansas City, and she absolutely blew me away. That's why I love opening acts. I love the discovery. And while Carlile is definitely a fresh face, she's hardly new.

She described herself in a 2005 Rolling Stones profile (10 Artists to Watch) saying, "I get all sorts of comparisons but never to one person. It's more like, 'Sheryl Crow meets Patsy Cline,' which makes me feel good. At least there's some originality there."

Carlile skyrocketed to fame last year when the title track of her new album, The Story, was featured on TV's highest rated show, Grey's Anatomy (if you missed it, please watch below). Compilation soundtracks, like those from Grey's, Scrubs or other shows, are a terrific launching pad for many up and coming artists. It seems like I've found most of my favorite artists this way, including Carlile.

The pint-sized country rocker is small, but packs a voice that is, in a single breath, both beautifully melodic and explosive. NPR did a nice interview with her a year ago that showcases her voice, and her Web site offers tracks that are definitely worth hearing, such as Have You Ever, reminiscent of Patsy Cline, or Sarah Mclauchlin singing with Texas crooner Robert Earl Keen. Also check out Turpentine and Until I Die to get a sense of her vocal presence and control. She also does a cover of Radiohead's Creep that'll give you chills.

Last night I watched her cover Patsy Cline and sing on stage with Sheryl Crow, so I can tell you the comparisons are not merely earned. Brandi Carlile stole the show.*



*And I'm not just saying that because Sheryl Crow is a missouri grad.

Chicago: Candidate City

With yesterday's selection by the IOC, Chicago went from being an "applicant" city to becoming a candidate city for the 2016 games. Chicago will join Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro as the final four host city candidates and observe the Beijing Olympic Games this summer. A year from now, IOC officials will visit each city, and the final selection will be made October 2, 2009.

Congratulations to one of America's greatest cities and one of the world's greatest sports destinations. As a former Chicago resident, I'm thrilled to see the city get the chance to share its charm with the world. I blogged about Chicago's bid a year ago and will keep you posted on the bid process. And in 2016, you can bet I'll be there.

LIVESTRONG Day 2008

LIVESTRONG Day 2008 was a huge success, thanks to many of you in the KU community. LIVESTRONG KU hosted a Campus Walk for KU faculty, staff, students and Lawrence community members. Meanwhile, Oread Books held a sale in honor of LIVESTRONG Day, and several sororities purchased LIVESTRONG wristbands for members to wear, in addition to all of you who chose to wear yellow on May 13th in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF).

KU came out in force to support the fight against cancer, and we'll be doing even more in the months ahead. We've already established a local LIVESTRONG Army recognized by the LAF, and Rueben Perez and I have been selected as delegates to the LIVESTRONG Summit in July. Our goal is to position KU as a national leader in the fight against cancer, and for that, we'll need your help. But for now, enjoy this look back at the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG Day 2008.

Historic Milestone

Last night marked a milestone in this year's presidential election as well as in our nation's history. Barack Obama earned enough delegates to become the presumptive democratic nominee, becoming this country's first black candidate for president representing a major party.

Either way, we knew this would be a historic race, pitting the first black man who would be president against the first woman, but what is most satisfying to me, is how race and gender became secondary. Even though votes seemed separated as much by demography as ideology, the campaigns were primarily issue based.

Race and gender became the focus only for fleeting moments. Obama's association (and disassociation) with an outspoken pastor seemed to indicate more of a cultural divide than a political one. And Hillary's gender only seemed to be an issue when her husband (and his potential impact on her presidency) came into the picture. Despite these instances, both candidates held their own, and proved they were ready for the office. And Americans proved they were ready too.

Hillary will leave a tremendous mark in American politics. Although I would never have voted for her or her policies, she showed an unrelenting commitment to issues and prepared this nation for the inevitability of a truly capable female commander-in-chief. As for Obama, his legacy continues to be his transformational leadership and the movement he started that has swept the country. Could you describe it in one word? Can we elect Barack Obama? By now, I think you know the answers.

Stand Up

I had lunch today with Jan-Eric Anderson, a good friend of mine at Barkley- the KC agency that has emerged as a leader in the cause marketing movement thanks largely to Mike Swenson, Barkley's EVP, CMO (and KU grad). My visit reminded me of something special that happened last week in the fight against cancer that I thought was worth sharing, and I'm sure the folks at Barkley would agree.

Laura Ziskin, a movie producer and cancer survivor, aggressively launched Stand Up 2 Cancer to help make cancer a national priority, lining up celebrities like Katie Couric and Lance Armstrong as well as partners, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Lee Jeans (a Barkley client) among many others. Perhaps most impressive is that Stand Up 2 Cancer has lined up ABC, CBS and NBC to donate airtime to a special one-hour show on September 5th designed to "educate, inspire and entertain."

I think it's amazing what can be accomplished when we come together and leverage our talents and resources for a common cause. Enjoy this PSA.

What happened?

I'll tell you what happened. This week, Scott McClellan's new book "What Happened" was in the news. The former White House press secretary writes openly and with candor about how the Bush administration manipulated the media and public perception about a war that he claims should never have been fought.

McClellan certainly has credibility to make such claims, and judging by the eerily consistent reactions to the book coming from the White House (if I had a dime for every time I've heard "that's not the Scott I knew") his point on the administration's ability to hammer home a message is more than plausible.

But let's analyze this? What could have motivated him to write such a book, and why now? Well, I can think of two possible reasons. George W. Bush is probably one of the most unpopular Presidents with incredibly low approval ratings. In other words, there is an incredibly lucrative market and high demand for an anti-Bush expose- especially one from an insider, and especially now, heading into the election. I'm sure it'll have a short shelf-life, but from a marketing standpoint, McClellan published his book at the peak of public interest, suggesting his motive (or at least his publisher's) was profit.

The other possible reason? Perhaps conscience. In any case, the mouth piece for the administration–who would know better than anyone–is accusing the White House of "spinning" out of control. Maybe McClellan had a change of heart, but I also know that he's capable of spinning a yarn himself. It'll be a fascinating read, but we're left to wonder whether McClellan's story is influenced by the public's demand for such a tale, or–just maybe–it is the truth about "what happened."

Relays Weekend

The Kansas Relays took place last weekend, and one of my best friends was inducted into the Relays Hall of Fame. Michael Cox came all the way from Florida, and Sean Krider, our good friend and teammate, traveled from California for one fun-filled weekend in Kansas.

The weekend culminated, as you might guess, with a test of fitness- to see who among us could break 60 seconds in a quarter. First up was Mike, who mustered at 63 at his advanced age in borrowed shoes and boxer shorts. Sean stepped up next, the least-likely to be fit among us. Krider crossed the line in 60 seconds flat. I prolonged my embarrassment to the end, crawling to a 67. From the group picture, you can tell which among us ran slowest, fast and fastest based on our tortured expressions of joy and agony.

Earlier that night, I had the honor of being emcee at the Hall of Fame banquet, and I also had the pleasure of introducing Mike, the final inductee. Rather than describe the unique situation it presented, I'll simply include my remarks below:

It’s sounds funny to say, but finishing last is Michael Cox. Competing as a Jayhawk in the early 90’s, Cox won multiple Kansas Relays titles in the Sprint Medley, the Ed Elbel Distance Medley and the Bill Easton Four Mile Relay from 1991 through 1995. Individually, he won the Glenn Cunningham Mile two years in a row, narrowly missing the magical 4 minute barrier in a stiff wind in 95, then redeeming himself with a thrilling sub-four minute victory in 1996. Cox’s clocking of 3:59.2 put him among just a handful of former Jayhawks ever to go under the four-minute mark. During his incredible career, Cox was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Performer in 1992, 1995 and 1996, making him one of only 3 athletes in Kansas Relays history to earn the award 3 or more times. Here to introduce Michael… is me.

Okay, let’s stop and think about this. How many times in life does an opportunity like this come along? My best friend, who beats me my entire career, making a fool out of me in practice and in competition, and now,…well, let’s just say I’ve got a microphone and lots of ammunition.

Actually, this isn’t as easy as it sounds. It’s not so much a matter of quantity- oh I’ve got lots of stories I could tell about Mike- it’s a matter of quality. After all, there may be children in the audience. So, I have to choose carefully… Okay, no problem. I think I’ve got this. I’ll start with 2 words- the best 2 words I can think of to describe Mike. Mike is a “unique talent.”

I learned this the day I met him- we shared a recruiting trip to KU together. I was already aware of his “talent” – both of us were undefeated in high school- but while I was narrowly squeaking out wins in Kansas, Mike was in Hannibal Missouri winning races all alone by incredibly large margins. His times, including a 9:06 2-mile, ranked among the top in the nation. Whatever respect and admiration I had for Mike as a competitor was immediately called into question when in walked this guy with a long, black leather trench coat and a mullet- I almost expected to find a guitar flung around his back like Jon Bon Jovi. Once I got to know Mike more, I learned just how “unique” this talent really was.

Mike is what we like to call a free spirit. Since I’ve known him, he’s lived in 4 time zones, he’s been a professionally sponsored athlete (in track, sure, but would you believe racquetball), he surfs, snowboards, climbs mountains, can fix a harley- and, apparently, my dishwasher. But Mike’s a team player too. I recall in a demonstration of team unity, in 95 Mike in the Sprint Medley relay wearing a pink and blue “unitard.” Mike was also a team leader- several times being named Jayhawk of the Year and he was a co-captain with me, he was always quick to reach out to freshmen and take the underclassmen under his wing. Let me tell you, it made quite an impression on those young ladies.

We all reminisce about our favorite “Mike Moments” both on and off the track. Many recall the year at Big 8’s at Iowa State when we won the 1500 in a four-minute mile equivalent, and then just an hour later ran to a second place finish in the 5,000 in 14:11. I remember running indoor with Mike at Iowa State, watching him come dangerously close to breaking 4 for the first time, winning in 4:02. I got so caught up in the excitement, I forgot I was running in the same race! Luckily, I remembered that lesson at Nebraska, when Mike’s 4:01 effort pulled me through to my best time ever in 4:07.

But in my opinion, Mike’s greatest performance came during the weekend that he broke four minutes for the first time, right here at the Kansas Relays in 1996. Few people know that he woke up the next morning and won the nationally competitive Trolley Run in Kansas City. Even FEWER people are aware of the event that took place between those two runs, at the post-relays party Saturday night. Needless to say, Mike won that “clothing-optional” race as well.

This would be a good time to tell you that Mike and I- for as close as we are- we’re very different. And I’m not just talking about the 10 seconds separating our mile pr’s. A newspaper article during our last cross country season when we were co-captains noted the differences between us, talking about how I wore a suit and tie to my summer internship on capitol hill, while Mike worked at a camp in the Rockies teaching kids to survive living off the land.

With our differences, we went on that season- the most influential time of my life, to become cross country All-Americans- a feat no 2 KU teammates had accomplished 30 years. And that’s where my story ends. The greatest thing I can say about Mike, is that he’s a friend. He’s challenged me in many ways- In my life, I’ve traveled with Mike to Canada and Mexico. I have gone surfing with him in the pacific, and I’ve climbed Long’s peak in Colorado. And we’re just as close today, as we were back then.

He’s a friend, a teammate, a co-captain, an All-American, and Mike- today, it is my honor to welcome you to the Kansas Relays Hall of Fame.

No Place Like Kansas

Couldn't pass up the chance to share this cartoon, sent to me by a good friend. It ran in the Charlotte Observer April 10th following KU's victory in the NCAA title game. After beating North Carolina in the semifinal, UNC coach (and former KU coach) Roy Williams was shown wearing a Jayhawk sticker and cheering on his former school, much to the disdain of his current employer and carolina fans nationwide. For KU fans, Roy's visible show of support was enough to forgive all sins, and it confirmed the sentiment of one sign spotted at the Alamodome that read "Kansas: Birthplace of North Carolina Basketball."

Deja View?

How weird is this? The November 20th, 2006 cover of Sports Illustrated featured Julian Wright with Mario Chalmers in the background, peeking just to the right of Julian. The latest SI cover, commemorating KU's championship, features Mario Chalmers on the cover...and if you look closely enough, you'll see Julian Wright, who left school early to join the NBA, peeking to the left of Mario.

Another SI Cover for KU

National Champions

The Kansas Jayhawks have won it all. And how’s this for poetry: KU now holds the distinction of having the most wins of any title team in NCAA championship history. And in ‘88, KU won the championship with more losses than any team in history. So KU apparently can claim the best team- and the worst team- ever to win it all.

As Jayhawks celebrate around the world, I thought you would enjoy these images from a remarkable night in Lawrence, Kansas. Downtown was crazy last night, and the crowd was simply amazing. I can think of no better place to be in the world right now than at the University of Kansas.




Okay, so let's get back to football. Bring on mizzou...

Roy Revisited

So, it's here. The moment we've all anticipated- the moment I have dreaded- when KU will finally face North Carolina and our former coach, Roy Williams. I'm not sure I'm ready for it, but honestly, I'm not sure I'll ever be ready for it. I guess I sort of hoped Roy would retire before ever having to play us. No such luck.

Am I still bitter he left KU? Yeah, I am. Roy's departure hurt. It made us look bad. The greatest coach in America, who had said that there was no better place than Kansas to coach, changed his mind. KU's reputation as the nation's premier basketball institution- including a claim on the game's founder and the country's best coach- was not merely undermined, it was disproven, and by the most credible of sources. Just the symbolism of Roy's departure hurt KU's stature in the basketball world. And it stung the fans, who believed him when he said "I'm stayin'."

Do I blame him for leaving? No, not really. No coach can be blamed for wanting to coach at his alma mater. And Roy, for his part, was always honest about his dual loyalties, even though many of us couldn't understand it. I respect the man, and as a KU fan I'm grateful for everything he did for us during his 15 years as KU's coach. But I won't cheer for him.

Some may think it's petty, but I can't cheer for Roy. It's not personal. I don't cheer for Duke or Syracuse, Arizona, UCLA, Kentucky or any other school besides KU. Particularly rival schools. And North Carolina clearly is a basketball rival of KU's. I guess that's the price he paid for joining a competing program. I certainly hope Roy has a good life, and I wish him all the success in the world- when he's out on the golf course- but as the head coach at North Carolina, I hope he doesn't win another game...

Especially the one against KU.

Do you Hulu?

Look out YouTube, there's a new Web site looking to capitalize on the popularity of Web-based video. Hulu.com is a new venture born of a partnership between NBC/Universal and Fox, along with several other partners, including Sony Pictures. Unlike YouTube however, which features low-quality user-generated content, Hulu serves up high-quality movies and TV shows on demand, for free (the service is ad supported). A typical 30 minute TV show would include 2 15-second promos at the beginning and end, plus one 30-second spot during the show. Advertisers feel that showing fewer ads will make them that much more memorable.



My take? I don't think Hulu.com will change the way people consume entertainment, but I agree with Entertainment Weekly when it said this will be just "one more way" people consume what Hulu calls "premium" entertainment. My only problem is with the assumption that people will accept the advertising model. When I encounter an ad that blocks me from the content I've tried to access, I view it about as happily as a pop-up. I try to close it or fast forward it, and when I can't, I'm not only less receptive to the message, I suddenly have negative feelings for the advertiser.

In an increasingly on-demand world where we can time-shift virtually any content, advertising that is forced is both unwelcome and increasingly antiquated. Although Hulu will suggest their model is permission-based, I think the industry needs to find new ways to reach (and interact with) audiences. Otherwise, solutions like Hulu will be viewed as somewhat less helpful than a DVR that enables millions of viewers to save programs and fast forward through the ads. Watch the video and make up your own mind.

Academic Differences

A report released Monday by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports compared graduation rates at the four number 1 seeded schools in the NCAA tournament. The results put UNC heads and shoulders above the rest, graduating 86% of its players compared to KU (45%), UCLA and Memphis (40%). The report, however, measured a period from the '97-98 school year through '00-01. Central Florida's release of such outdated data is misleading, irresponsible and opportunistic.

That's strong language. After all, the data is intended to highlight possible trends. The reason I take offense is simple. Since the time the study was conducted, KU's basketball program has a different Head Coach, a different academic adviser and a different A.D. Do those three positions have an impact on graduation rates or the extent to which they are a priority at a school? Absolutely. Could changing those three positions initiate a renewed committment toward academic progress and even change a trend over the course of 7 or 8 years? No question.

Central Florida's report would almost be irrelevant were it not for the national data that can be drawn from such a study, repeated over time. I guess the thing that gets me is the implication that North Carolina, under Head Coach Roy Williams, demonstrates a stronger commitment to academic progress than Kansas. With all due respect to Coach Williams and his staff, he was at Kansas during the length of the study, along with the program's academic adviser. It's unfair to compare this year's four number 1 seeds- their current coaches, players and athletic departments- using such outdated data. Whether KU fans like it or not, a lot has changed since Roy left, but KU's commitment to academic excellence remains as strong as ever.