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Sorry we're late today, but I got eight hours of completely uninterrupted sleep -- without the use of medication -- for the first time in forever, so your suffering is totally worth it. As an olive branch for my utter disregard toward your anxieties, I present to you this photo gallery from the Star covering yesterday's Royals game, by which I mean "here's some more K-State Day at the K pictures." You'll want to click left, i.e., backwards, so you don't have to click through fifty pictures just to get to Jeff Mittie. (And aren't those three pictures of the Western Kingbird amazing?)
It's Monday, which means that we get to remind you of three more entries in BracketCat's countdown: Friday, #66 Matt Kleinsorge; Saturday, #65 Aaron Bennett; Sunday, #54 Terrale Johnson. Derek's still driving in reverse, as evidenced by Saturday's look into the TCU Horned Frogs. And we've had two dispatches from Ahearn down in Brazil; Friday, he went and communed with nature, and then Sunday he related his experience watching Brazil survive penalty kicks with a house full of anxious Brazilians.
Normally, I'd lead off this section with any K-State news, then mention relevant things from other schools. That will not happen today, because it's simply not the lead football story. Yesterday morning, former Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen, who had a very brief stint in camp this spring with the Rams, died in a traffic accident. It's actually sort of relevant to us on two counts. One, it was likely Lutzenkirchen would be headed to Manhattan for the Auburn game; two, Lutzenkirchen had recently begun writing for SB Nation as a special contributor, so this is sort of a familial loss. (I highly recommend the three pieces Lutzenkirchen wrote for the mothership, especially the last one in which he discusses the awkward situation caused by his sister choosing to play soccer for Alabama.)
There are more important things about Lutzenkirchen's life than this, including his somewhat surprising (given his religious convictions) defense of Michael Sam which actually caused some Auburn fans to condemn him, but perhaps the most compelling observation you can make about what sort of guy Lutzenkirchen was is to look at the reaction of Alabama fans especially, and SEC fans in general. They're all in mourning, and it's not just lip service. It would be a stretch to suggest that Lutzenkirchen was "beloved" by Alabama fans, but he was certainly respected and in most cases actually well-liked by them. If that's not a guy whose loss lessens us all, I don't know what is. Godspeed, Philip.
Kellis Robinett checks in with Bill Snyder and discusses the relatively high number of commits the Wildcats have landed before June's even ended. We also finally have confirmation from Snyder himself that Collin Klein is rejoining the program.
Jason Greenberg of the Cartersville (Ga.) Daily Tribune-News dropped a piece with interview quotes on K-State's latest commit, RB Kalin Heath. Turns out K-State had another helping hand in his recruitment: his cousin is T.L. Ford, who'd originally committed to K-State before switching to North Carolina-Charlotte in a move which, as you may recall, smelled suspiciously like the Wildcats doing either Ford or Charlotte a favor. (Or maybe it was all a gambit to help get Heath this year...)
CBS's Dennis Dodd has a pretty good commentary on the general situation in the wake of the conclusion of arguments the O'Bannon trial. (No, the rest of the media, the trial isn't over. Just the arguments. Get with the program.)
Dolph Simons at the Lawrence Journal-World says that having a track around the football field isn't nearly as embarrassing as the product they've been selling on the field. He may have a point.
The Star's Kathleen Gier caught up with Jeff Mittie at the K yesterday, and Mittie says the team is "ahead of schedule".
Why isn't the media going to forget Leti Romero any time soon? Because it's still happening. Alabama is refusing to grant guard Daisha Simmons permission to contact other schools for purposes of a transfer -- and Simmons has already graduated.
Both Kevin Haskin at the C-J and Katie O'Keefe at the Star eulogize Steve Anson. There will be a public memorial at 4pm today at Falley Field in Topeka.
At the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Erik Kynard and Amanda Bingson repeated as national champions in, respectively, high jump and hammer throw. Devin Dick, in what might be his final official performance as a Wildcat, took eighth in the decathlon. Devin Field finished 11th in both the long jump and triple jump. Some Wildcats may turn up at the IIAF World Junior Championships in Eugene, but those entries aren't finalized yet.
Up in Canada, meanwhile, Alyx Treasure captured the Canadian national title in the high jump. It's her first major national title, although she was also Canadian Youth champion and Junior High champion previously.
Andrew Wyder of the Muscatine (Ia.) Journal profiles Iowa Central CC thrower Brady Grunder, who's part of Cliff Rovelto's recruiting class for this year.
Incoming freshman Bryna Vogel won the Lynette Woodard Award, presented to the Wichita area's best female high school athlete.
Kelly McHugh reports on senior Taylor Johnson and her future after volleyball.
Five Johnson County teenagers stole a goat and took it to McDonald's, presumably to buy it a Happy Meal or something. Back in my day, this was considered hijinx. Now, it gets you arrested.