Resolution and Resolve

It’s the Fourth of July weekend! Celebrate, and stay safe, healthy, and happy!

There’s plenty of actual news to share, so let’s just get right to it.

K-State

— Following the events of the past week, Kansas State football players have called time on their boycott of the school, partly in response to steps taken by the administration to foster diversity and inclusion on campus.

— The university has announced an action plan to address racial and social injustice on campus, including efforts to increase recruitment and retention of students of color.

— K-State Athletics has also identified new initiatives in its Diversity and Inclusion plan, now in its fourth year. Those initiatives include, for example, giving the basketball teams time off on Election Day to encourage voter participation.

— As TB noted earlier this week, Kansas State has a long history of inclusiveness and it’s time to carry the banner higher and honor the former Wildcats who broke new ground and made it possible for other athletes to follow in their footsteps. This idea got a nod of approval in Kellis Robinett’s weekly K-State Q&A.

— Kudos also to BotC commenter MrTossBack for a well-researched and thoroughly documented proposal for renaming various campus buildings and facilities.

K-State Sports

— 65 Kansas State athletes made the Big 12’s academic All Rookie team, including 17 with a perfect GPA, the top performance by any conference school.

— Athletic director Gene Taylor made the Top 10 (#8) on Stadium’s list of the best athletic directors in the country.

— Several spring sports athletes at Kansas State are planning to come back for their lost year of eligibility, including rower Logan Frost, who intends to wrap up her rowing career in Manhattan while also starting nursing school.

— High jumper Tejaswin Shankar is keeping busy with training, and took the time to break down the science of high jumping and the importance of fitness in a long interview with an Indian media outlet.

College Sports

— Is college football back in the fall? Maybe, but it looks less likely as coronavirus cases surge across the country. Also, college students continue to behave like college students, whether it’s going to crowded bars without much social distancing, or taking bets at Covid19 parties.

— EDIT: Kansas has suspended all voluntary workouts after several positive Covid19 tests in the football program.

— Potential bad news for Clemson football as South Carolina governor Henry McMaster announced he would cancel college football in the fall if coronavirus cases in the state continue to increase.

— Texas A&M has been hit with sanctions by the NCAA. Penalties for violations include one year of probation, a $5,000 fine, and a six-month show cause notice for head coach Jimbo Fisher. S-E-C, S-E-C!!

— Athletic departments across the country are trimming their budgets to account for the Covid19 crisis. Oklahoma is cutting $13.7 million from its operating expenses, including a 10% salary reduction for those earning more than $1 million. Iowa announced a similar cut, of about $15 million, from its budget, as did Nebraska, which is cutting $43 million over the next three fiscal years. Similar budget cuts forced UConn to eliminate several non-revenue sports recently.

— Potential good news on the schools front, as some countries in Europe have reopened schools and there is little evidence of Covid19 super-spreader events at these schools. Keep your fingers crossed for the fall!

The Eternal Debate

Finally, as you get ready for your weekend of socially-distanced summer celebration, I leave you with one of the great Kansas State questions of all time: Jake Waters or Daniel Sams? You decide.