SLATE: Random Kansas State tidbits for your Monday morning

It’s that time of year, friends. With the exception of the upcoming NCAA track championships, there’s very little in the way of scheduled news to report for the next three months. We’re going to be relying on random snippets of stuff, but you’re used to that process by now.

We start today’s rundown with news that is not connected to K-State, but is still important enough to bring to your attention. It’s a sad week in Baton Rouge as legendary Louisiana State running back Billy Cannon passed away on Friday. The death was reported to news outlets by LSU itself but not until yesterday, and per the New York Times obituary by Frank Litsky, LSU did not release a cause of death.

Cannon, twice a unanimous All-American selection, won the 1959 Heisman Trophy while leading LSU to a share of a national championship before becoming one of the stars of the fledgling American Football League. Cannon spent time with Houston and Oakland before finishing his career with a six-game stint in Kansas City, earning two AFL All-Star team nods, one AFL rushing title, and three AFL championships. While doing all that, he earned his dentistry degree and went into practice after he retired.

But Cannon had a dark side. Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983, the Hall rescinded his pending induction four days before it was to occur due to his guilty plea as part of a counterfeiting scheme. He spent 30 months in prison for that transgression, but afterward regained his dental practice and — not without struggle -- rebuilt his life.

Throughout, however, Cannon had remained a seminal figure in LSU lore. Our hearts go out to Tiger Nation on their loss.

Football

At Rivals, Rob Cassidy is examining the most over- and underachieving programs in college football as measured by their expected success compared to draft picks. You will be unsurprised to discover K-State is among the top five overachievers.

You will be shocked to discover the Wildcats aren’t even in the top two overachievers in the Big 12, however.

On Friday, Cassidy will release a more detailed breakdown of the Big 12.

Meanwhile, James Lumalu at Busted Coverage brings this little gem to our attention: if you’ve ever seen the Purple Haze tailgate bus at a game and thought, “Man, it’d be cool if that was mine,” guess what? It can be. The owner’s trying to unload it on Facebook for eight grand.

Basketball

Otis Kirk at NBC Sports runs down his thoughts on NBC’s way-too-early pre-season top 25, a ranking on which K-State holds down the number nine spot.

Mack McClure at the Mercury reports on the baffling continued absence from the rafters at Bramlage Coliseum of a women’s jersey with the number 10, and its wearer’s absence from K-State’s sports hall of fame. That’s right, Laurie Koehn is, somehow, still waiting despite teammates Nicole Ohlde and Kendra Wecker getting the rafter honor at their final home games.