K-State Slate: 8.23.10

Yes, at long last, we're going to get the Slate rolling again.  Or try to anyway.  With football season less than two weeks away and school starting up again, there may actually be enough headlines to fill up this post again.  If nothing else, it may mean the front page is no longer covered in FanShots.

Before anything else, check out BracketCat's position preview for the running backs, posted last night.  He'll be doing one of these for each position group as we get ready for the opener against UCLA.

Football

K-State DE finds his purpose, TCJ (Austin Meek) -- So it looks like all the rumors were true.  Brandon Harold was hurt.  He had attitude problems.  He had some academic issues.  But he says that's behind him now, and that's an important first step.  Actions will speak louder than words, but I'd rather hear Harold saying this than not saying anything at all and continuing to be a mystery.

Foketi to fight for LT job, TCJ (Meek) -- A good look at the battle to replace Nick Stringer.  Also brings up a good point regarding injuries.  A lot of schools have made headlines with key injuries during camp.  Here's hoping K-State has stayed relatively injury free thus far, but we wouldn't have heard about the injuries if they had occurred anyway.

Thompson hopes to escape Banks' shadow, The Mercury, (Cole Manbeck) -- A 5'7" wide receiver would ordinarily feel pretty short on a Big 12 football roster, but I'd have to imagine it's even more noticeable when he's lining up with Brodrick Smith and Chris Harper.

Coffman looks sharp in open practice, The Mercury, (Manbeck) -- I prefer hearing he played well to hearing he played poorly, but gametime will be the true test for Coffman this year.  The general consensus from those at the open practice seems to be Coffman and Lamur good, Klein not so good.

Basketball

KSU to host Virginia Tech, The Mercury.  The Cats will take on the Hokies on November 16 as part of one of ESPN's orgies of basketball goodness.  Quite the schedule Frank Martin has put together this season.  Speaking of...

Curtis Kitchen gives us a summary of what K-State faces in the non-conference schedule this year in basketball.  Let's just say that if they can handle that schedule, they can handle anything.

Other

The Explanation Debacle: For those who listened or are otherwise interested, the TCJ's Tully Corcoran and Austin Meek give their takes on Jason Whitlock's three-hour long trainwreck of an explanation for why he left the Kansas City Star.  I'd give you mine, but I was on a plane from Atlanta to KC, not that I was interested in hearing Whitlock's story, anyway.

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini got mad at the media last week and banned them from practice for a few days.  Nebraska's media offered typically tepid criticisms, fearful of angering their overlords at UNL.  Bill Snyder smiled at the whole idea of "access" to football practices.

Alas, I would like to close this post as we usually do, with a few witty entries in the K-State Collegian's "Fourum."  However, it appears the Fourum has gone the way of the dodo.  I'm as outraged as anyone.