SLATE: Tributes from the Big 12 and a Call to Help Restore Hale Library

There may be very little in the way of K-State sports action to report, but there is important business to attend, nevertheless.

Track and Field

In the only real K-State sports news of the day, Shane Jackson at the Mercury introduced us to incoming freshman distance runner Cooper Schroeder, who won the 6A title in the 3,200 meter run this weekend. The Manhattan high graduate will be the third Schroeder sibling to run in the Big 12, following his sister, Alaina, who just completed her career at Kansas, and his brother, Jackson, who is currently on K-State’s track and field roster.

Big 12

Football seems especially conjoined to patriotism, and Big 12 schools took time to thank veterans for their service yesterday. Well ... 9 of the 10 did, anyway.

The Big 12 is neither a football nor a basketball conference this year. Apparently, it is a golf league. Four of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA championship hale from the heartland. The NCAA actually got it right, in this case, and refrained from pitting any conference foes against each other in the round of eight. Oklahoma State is the top seed and will play Texas A&M. Texas tied with Alabama for the 6th seed, but must have lost a coin flip, because they play 2nd-seeded Duke. No. 3 Texas Tech plays Alabama, and No. 4 Oklahoma meets No. 5 Auburn. Is it mere coincidence that none of those schools is north of the Mason-Dixon line?

Help for Hale

In perhaps the most important news of the day, K-State has launched a “Help for Hale” fundraising campaign. Fire at the venerable library a week ago today left smoke and water damage, and although insurance should cover the loss, the university likely must pay a $500,000 deductible. There is urgency to commence work, in order to restore the facility in time for the 2018 Fall semester.

Those who are in a position to help can visit: https://give.evertrue.com/ksu/help-for-hale