Mizzou fans, picture this…
Chase Daniel takes Missouri back to the Big 12 Championship game, but this time he delivers a performance for the ages and absolutely crushes Oklahoma. The following April, Daniel is drafted by the Oakland Raiders on the second day of the draft. During the next couple of seasons, JaMarcus Russell struggles with injuries and Daniel becomes one of the better back-ups in the league. His play even helps the Silver and Black win a few games.
Is that a nightmare or what? (It also requires a huge suspension of disbelief, but that’s not the point here.)
Well, for us K-State fans that is exactly what we are going through.
Fresh off carrying K-State to its first Big 12 title, Heisman finalist Darren Sproles was drafted by the Chargers. I wanted him to play for the Chiefs so bad, but it didn’t happen. We could certainly use his return ability these days. Anyway, whenever I see him break one I can’t help but jump up and yell in glee. Then, when the whistle blows, I remember what team he plays for and hunker back down into my seat. It’s tough, because I absolutely love the kid. I was at that game when he single-handedly demolished OU, who I absolutely loathe. I’ll never forget that night. I mean, how can I not still be smitten over a player who’s both the “little engine who could” (at 5-foot-6 he’s the shortest RB in the NFL) and the greatest KSU player ever?
Sproles was just named the AFC Special Teamer of the month, causing me to swell with pride. Then I remembered that he no longer wears Purple and Silver, but rather Navy and Gold (and sometimes Powder Blue). What a dilema, right? Really, it’s the exact opposite of what a lot of us had to deal with when the Chiefs selected Neil Smith, who at the time was a star for the hated Huskers (well, hated by about 90% of us, if not more).
What do you do when your guy becomes the enemy? You root him on when he’s not playing against your team, and hope that his success doesn’t directly correlate into success for his team. That is, unless he plays for the Broncos. Then you boo and throw stuff at your TV every time you see him. What do you do when the enemy becomes your guy. You have no choice but to embrace him, at least until he becomes the enemy again (I just threw up in my mouth).
Addicts, sound off on “sleeping with the enemy.”
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I kind of know the feeling. I always enjoyed watching John “the Diesel” Riggins play after he left KU but never enough to want him to do damage to the Chiefs. Gale Sayers, who’s career at KU was too long ago for me to remember came close to being a Chief but ended up with the Bears and as a result never had to worry about him haunting the Chiefs. And, like Riggins, he never played for an arch-rival within the division. John Hadl’s stint at KU was well beyond my memory so there was never any problem for me hoping to see him get sacked frequently as a Charger.
Curious thing about Neil Smith; when he was at Nebraska he was a scurrilous dog. After he signed with the Chiefs, he became a pretty alright guy. Then, he left the Chiefs and went to the Broncos where he became a traitorous, scurvy, dog. The guy had more ups and downs than Paris Hilton.
My best friend goes to K-State….My girlfriend goes to Nebraska….My brother goes to KU…and my other good friends go to MU….
I, however have little to no NCAA loyalties…
Chase Daniel will help noone win any games in the NFL…oh dear, i may eat those words one day…
I completely understand. Not only is Darren Sproles a good player, he’s a good person. I have to root for him even when he plays us (then I root harder for someone else on the Chargers to screw up so we can win).
I have always felt the Universities in states with no pro teams got much more fan support on a broader scale than those in states with pro teams with a big following
I’ve been fortunate enough to experience quite the opposite… my favorite D-I school’s (Cal, my school is D-II UC Davis with only JT O’Sullivan to claim in the pro ranks) best player ended up becoming the greatest tight end to ever play the game and spent his entire career in KC.
That’s pretty damn cool, Sudden. Lucky you