9 Things You Learn While Living in a College Town for 9 Years

As I mentioned last week, we have just moved back to the county where I was born and raised. We are in the final stages of purchasing a small ranch property, which I am absolutely ecstatic about, but until we close we are living with my father [so I won't be sharing pictures or saying it's "our place" because it's not yet and I don't want to jinx it]. I've had lots of people ask me how I'm feeling, and to those folks I say, "thank you." Thanks for caring that my nostalgic heart is letting go of "a spot that I love full well" while moving back to another place that has a significant chunk of my heart.

The move has come with mixed emotions so below I share with you 9 Things You Learn While Living in a College Town for 9 Years.

1. Do NOT go to Wal-Mart, Target, Dillon's, Hyvee etc. the weekend before fall or spring semesters start. There will be a shortage of three-ring binders, frozen pizzas, Sterilite containers, bread, Spaghettios and bean bag chairs. Either go in early August or hold off until early September. You will be forever scarred and bitter if you go grocery shopping in the first two weeks that students are back in town.

2. After you live there post-graduation, you will notice differences between yourself and the students that are enrolled. When this happens, you are immediately known as a "townie." This is not a derogatory term - it implies that you are a resident year-round and have certain rights. Such as the right to complain about road construction that ONLY HAPPENS DURING SUMMER!

Oh look, another road closed. Now there is only one lone
 street on campus that is navigable.

3. Those professors you had during undergrad will gradually become your mentors and if you are supernaturally blessed, they will become your friends. It's pretty cool to become friends with people who have far more life experience, wisdom and insight than you do as a twenty-something. In some instances, you may even end up helping them with some aspect of their life, like babysitting or social media insight.

4. You will discover all the cool cultural haunts and restaurants that the college crowd doesn't frequent that often. In Manhattan, Kansas, it's the Konza Prairie and the Little Grill, among others.

Slow summer in Manhattan, KS.
@brandibuzzard on Instagram

5. When you go out to the bars with your townie friends, you'll reminisce about what the bars used to be like. "When I was in school, that was Next Door and when you walked in on a Thursday, you probably knew everyone, including the bartender, who promptly poured you a Lindsay Special."

Some of my favorite ladies at Rusty's.
That chica on the right is responsible for the always delicious "Lindsay Special"

6. You will eventually think of this college town as home, rather than "where I go to school." For example, if you go to some young professionals mixer and have to introduce yourself and say where you're from, you'll answer with "Manhattan" rather than your hometown.

7. Your place becomes the home base for new memories because when people come to town for weddings, football games, livestock sales etc., your place is where they want to crash. It's like a grown-up slumber party, with wine.

8. You inadvertently become part of the community. It may be becoming a member of a church, joining a civic group, playing on a town softball team or helping coordinate a city-wide event, but you will be woven into the community's activities and have a phenomenal opportunity to meet an even broader group of cool people.

and probably the most true and difficult learning...

9. When you move away, possibly to your hometown, it will be bittersweet. You'll be ecstatic to be living closer to family however, leaving behind the place that shaped who you are, helped you develop into a young professional and fostered some of the best relationships you'll ever have will make even the most stone-cold hardass shed a tear.


Adios, Manhattan.

Don't worry though, you can always plan reunion tailgate parties and cram several awesome memories into two or three days. The best friends remain that way across the miles.

What did you learn while living in your college town?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

The End of 101 in 1001

I usually am very organized and pride myself on having a fantastic memory, which is why I was really surprised when I checked my 101 in 1001 list and realized that I had run out of time. Crap. This is like a replay of this day.

So anyway, here are my 101 goals in 1001 - I've highlighted in purple the ones that were completed in time and the ones in green were in progress. There are comments on some that were in progress for your entertainment.

Start date: April 11, 2011
End date: January 6, 2014 (although I fudged it to the end of January so it's more like 1022 days)

Healthy Living
1. Run/workout 3x a week for 1 month
2. Run/workout 3x a week for 2 months
3. Run/workout 3x a week for 3 months
4. Run 5- 5K’s for Beef or Breast Cancer - I ran three and am already registered for the fourth.
5. Go to bed before midnight every weeknight for two weeks
6. Drink 64 oz of water every day for one month

Marriage
7. Have a date night with Hyatt each week for two months
8. Scrapbook our engagement, wedding and honeymoon
9. Celebrate one of life's little achievements once/month for 12 months
10. Complete name change on social media sites, social security card, financial accounts, passport, driver's license etc – this SUCKED: read moreabout that process here.
11. Celebrate our 1 and 2 year wedding anniversaries in a unique way
12. Watch 5 movies that Hyatt loves that don't interest me - (Apocalypse Now, Papillon, X-Men, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Anchorman 2)
13. Have Hyatt write a letter to me to open in 5 years
14. Write a letter to Hyatt to open in 5 years
15. Make a list of 101 reasons I love Hyatt
16. Pick out two dogs for the FroBuzz home upon returning from Australia

Aren't they adorable? By now I'm sure you've seen lots of media about Rooster the rodeo dog and Cricket, shy but feisty border collie. (@brandibuzzard on Instagram)

Goals That Might Pain Me To Complete
17. Do a vegetarian challenge for one week
18. Watch Food Inc. - infuriating

19. Watch An Inconvenient Truth

20. Eat a salad - a vegetable one: this too, sucked. Here’s a picture to prove it

21. Wear heels every day for 1 week
22. Replaced with the last goal in "Keeping in Touch" - 102. Have mother/daughter weekend @ lake
23. Don’t chew on fingernails for 1 whole month - May -- July 2011
24. Refrain from purchasing any item of clothing, accessory or footwear for 1 month
25. Eat 5 exotic/uncommon foods  - (Thai seafood 4/12/2011, Tofu Steak 5/2011, Kangaroo 6/2011, Crocodile 7/2011, Octopus 7/2011)

Keeping in Touch
26. Coordinate a tailgate for one of the following teams: KSU, KC Royals, Ohio State Buckeyes or the KC Chiefs - ended up doing this for KSU homecoming in 2012 and also in 2012 for KC Royals game.

Some great gals at a great game - that lady on the bottom right is getting married this weekend. Wahoo!

27. Call /visit my grandparents once/month for 12 months
28. Organize and go on a mother/daughter day with Diana & Madie
29. Attend 6 of Kristy’s sporting events/school events/4-H stuff - (Bourbon Co. hog show, Bourbon Co. beef show, biddy ball game, Allen County steer and hog show, KJLS)

Can't believe she's all grown up and showing cattle! Seems like just yesterday I was watching her learn to walk *Sniffle*
(@brandibuzzard on Instagram)

30. Visit 5 friends who have moved away – Sharita, Washington; Becca, North Dakota; Mandy, Iowa; Jessie, Texas; Kelly, Minnesota.

This is the famous Seattle gum wall - people keep saying 'gross!'
 Yes, it is gross but it's not like we were licking it or anything!
(@brandibuzzard on Instagram)

31. Visit Brice in A-town
32. Go fishing with my dad
102. Have a mother/daughter weekend at the lake

Professional Development
33. Defend my thesis by May 2012 – I defended in June of 2012. Dammit.
34. Publish an agriculture article in HPJ, KLA or publication/newspaper of similar demographic - May 2011 (Grass and Grain, Farm Talk)
35. Promote agriculture at community meeting or conference 3x
36. Develop a personal mission statement
37. Join learnersdictionary.com Word of the Day to broaden my vocabulary - June 2011
38. Consolidate/forward all email accounts down to 2
39. Post 3x/week for 1 month on Buzzard’s Beat - April and May 2011

Financial Conquistador-ism
40. Save $5 for each item on this list completed
41. Save 10% of every paycheck for 6 months
42. Learn to do my own taxes
43. Take Dave Ramsey finance course with Hyatt
44. Balance checkbook every month for 12 months
45. Create a family budget w/ Hyatt and stick to it for 3 months
46. Discover my credit score 47. Track Hyatt and I's spending for 3 months; evaluate and make changes
48. Complete a no-spend month
49. Pay off my small credit cards - Maurices, Victoria's Secret

Because I Want To
50. Purchase a new truck
51. Muster the courage to play blackjack in a casino - preferably win
52. Fly first class (even if it's only from KC to Dallas)
53. Go rock climbing
54. Acquire new square toed boots (preferably exotics)

Love these beauties that the Ninja gifted me with for my birthday last year!
(@brandibuzzard on Instagram)

55. Face 3 fears - (claustrophobia 7/2011, heights 8/2011, [third fear is a secret but was conquered in 2012)
56. NOT have a baby before I'm 2757. Scuba dive somewhere exotic - Great Barrier Reef 7/2011
58. Create a wardrobe I love. (This is defined as a closet full of clothes I am equally happy to wear)
59. Find the perfect cocktail dress - color insignificant – (but it’s purple, fyi)
60. Become a lifetime member of the K-State Alumni Association

Becoming Cultured, Crafty, Organized and Design-y
61. Print off and organize all photos
62. Organize Buzzard family photos
63. Compose/make/compile Buzzard family tree
64. Design and print my own custom thank you notes
65. Frame and hang my Bachelor's and (eventually) Master's degrees – this would be a lot easier to complete if KSU would send me my damn diploma.
66. Design and print our Christmas cards for 2011
67. Make a coffee table book out of my travel photography
68. Purge and donate old clothes from closets at least three times
69. Watch the sunrise and sunset in the SAME DAY - Lamington National Park - 6/2011
70. Attend an opera, symphony or musical - Love Never Dies 9/2011

Learning New Things
71. Learn to play piano
72. Learn how to make Grandma’s fried chicken, chicken n’ noodles and divinity candy
73. Learn how to fit a steer
74. Learn to drive the boat – I’ve driven the boat but still need more work.
75. Learn to change the oil in my truck
76. Learn to shoot a compound bow

Personal Development and Paying It Forward
77. Volunteer once/month at a breadbasket, food pantry or other comm. service 6 times – got this done 3 times
78. Spend under $10 on a meal & give a $10 tip
79. Donate 25,000 grains of free rice through Freerice.com (7270)
80. Write a letter to myself to open in 5 years
81. Donate hair to Locks of Love (again)
82. Start/keep journal for 12 months (1/12) – this is moving to my next list.
83. Earn someone's respect
84. Forgive someone (but never forget)
85. Say 'I love you' EVERY day for entirety of 1001 days
86. Read one book of the Bible every month for 12 months
87. Memorize a verse from the Bible every week for ten weeks
88. Attend church once/month for 12 months (3/12)
89. Tithe 10% of every paycheck for 6 months
90. Read the books from this list – fail. I only got about five read but am reworking the list and adding to next list.

Miscellaneous/Fun Stuff
91. Cook dinner every night for a week straight (M-F). Every night must be a new recipe.
92. Go see a sporting event that I've never watched before - Easter 2011, Footy game
93. Make a cheesecake and pumpkin pie....from scratch
94. Send a secret (or 2) into Post Secret
95. Attend the K-State basketball game where they retire Jacob Pullen's jersey – this was hard to do since they haven’t retired it yet but we have season tickets so I’m on the right track.
96. Drastically change my hair
97. Watch a movie based on a Nicholas Sparks book and DON'T fight back tears
98. Post every day for 1 month on From Oz to Aus
99. Play golf 3x in the 1001 days
100. Bake and decorate a birthday cake for a loved one or friend
101. Start a new 101 in 1001 when this one is complete

So, to summarize I completed 51 goals, while another 10 are in progress and if I had until April (like I had originally thought) I would have completed another seven goals. Now that I have done this I know how to write better goals for the list (which is completed and will be posted later this week). For example - #91 Cook dinner every night for a week straight using a new recipe is pretty unlikely since the Ninja is never home for a week straight so a better goal for the next list is Make a new recipe every week for six weeks.

That's just one example of improving my goals, there are many more.

Has anyone else made a 101 in 1001? I'd love to see them and would certainly link to it!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Random Smattering of Life and the Last Stella Chickens Were Kidnapped

Yeah, yeah it's been three weeks since I last blogged. I don't have any excuses - I've been busy and just never got around to it. But y'all are important to me so I'm going to commit to one post a week - even if it's just a picture of horses, the Kansas prairie or this adorable little fart-bucket:

His name is Rooster. #RoosterTheRodeoDog to be more specific.

Last week was busy - we got Rooster, the Kansas FFA Convention was in full swing and rodeo season officially started for me. Wahoo - summer is officially here!

And since we're talking about cool things - check this out:

Oh hey, Tre Walker.

 

That fella right there is Tre Walker - linebacker (#50) for the K-State Wildcats, ag business major and one of the nicest guys I have ever met in my life. No lie. He was the special guest speaker for the third general session of the Kansas FFA Convention and that guy can motivate and inspire an auditorium full of young folks in about three seconds flat. I may frame this and put it next to my photo of Rodney McGruuuuuuder.

 

Some sad news - whatever evil varmint got the first eight Stellas returned a few weeks ago and claimed the last two. It had to be something small enough to get through a hole the size of a softball - it drug my little Stellas out the top of a door. #mean. 

 

So, in short, we no longer have any chickens. A lot of folks have said, "just buy some more." But if I couldn't protect the first little chicks, why would I want to bring more home to the same doom? I think we will wait until next year until we can retrofit the chicken coop to be more protective of the little chickies.

 

So that's my life update for the past three weeks. The upcoming weeks will be full of more rodeos, puppy days, grilling (beef, yum!), a trip to Washington state and hopefully some lake time.

 

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~



Ranching Awesome - Thriftshop Parody

I love Kansas and I won't list all the reasons why but contributing to that long list is that all the best farm song parodies come from Kansas.

First there were the Peterson Farm Bros and their two big hits: I'm Farming and I Grow It & Working Farmer Style.

Then, the kids at Wallace County High School in western Kansas came up with this little diddy about the school lunch program and gained a ton of national attention - We Are Hungry.

And the next installment of Kansan farmer prides comes to us from Klingenberg Farms. Say hello to Ranching Awesome - a play on Thriftshop by Macklemore.

You guys have got to check this out - it's hilarious but oh so informative. The video shows a lot of cattle, pasture burning in the spring, K-State (holla!) and some cute little dancing farm girls! They talk about the different cuts of beef, Omega-3's, fixing farm equipment - seriously, you will die laughing but will also probably learn something too! And then you'll have it stuck in your head.

Enjoy!


Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changing

Here - listen to this while you read. It will be stuck in your head all day.


I've had a few changes in the past week or month or so. I've lost count of the time.

First -- see that badge over there --->  I'm on Facebook now. If you've got a hankering, head on over and g"Like". If nard feelings. When I hit 200 likes on Facebook I'm having a giveaway! Whoopee!

Secondly, I also added an option in the sidebar to have my blogs emailed directly to you if you're not into the whole online reader thing. I'm all about options. You're welcome.

Thirdly, it's time for a 101 in 1001 update! Didn't see that coming did ya?

I'll start with the goals I have accomplished since the last update.

Accomplished Goals

 --Eat a salad - a vegetable one -- THIS SUCKED. But I have proof..

At Olive Garden, I had what Melissa calls, "the Cadillac of salads" - well I like Benz' and this Cadillac was horrible. I thought I was going to yack at the table. My Aussie friends thought it was funny until they realized I was serious.

-- Wear heels everyday for 1 week - also quite painful but successful. Made me feel very fancy! Even bought horse feed while wearing a pair! I took a picture but of course have been unable to locate it for proof.

-- Coordinate a tailgate for one of the following teams: KSU, KC Royals, Ohio State Buckeyes or the KC Chiefs -- Big party during the KSU vs. OSU game. Lots of fun was had - actually, we had ALL the fun!

K-State won - Big XII Champs!

 
-- Organize and go on a mother/daughter day with Diana & Madie  - did this shortly after Christmas. My credit card yelled at me later.

-- Pay off my small credit cards - Maurices, Victoria's Secret - this felt really good.

-- Call /visit my grandparents once/month for 12 months- just for the record, I plan to continue talking my grandparents' ears off any chance I get.

-- Become a lifetime member of the K-State Alumni Association -- BOOM!

I am far more jacked about it than the Ninja is - this was our joint graduation gift this summer when both defended in June. Success! Two Masters of BS in the house!

-- NOT have a baby before I'm 27  - I turn 21+6 in 3 months so it's safe to say I accomplished this one

-- Spend under $10 on a meal & give a $10 tip - on my way back from Tampa I had a hotdog at a fancy bar/grill. It was by far the cheapest thing on the menu and there was college basketball to be watched so I went for it. My waiter's face lit up when he saw the tip. I've been there before (5 years at the Hut) and I know how good it feels to see a big tip. Pass it on waiter man.

-- Memorize a verse from the Bible every week for ten weeks - here they are taped up on my bathroom mirror.

-- Bake and decorate a birthday cake for a loved one or friend - I did this for a friend this past summer but forgot to take a picture and document it.

-- Celebrate our 1 and 2 year wedding anniversaries in a unique way - I told you here about our first anniversary and here about our second. The Ninja is the bomb.

 Goals in progress (there are a lot of these so I didn't list them all):

-- Run 5- 5K’s for Beef or Breast Cancer - 1) Winter Runderland 5K   I can't find the picture of me running but I wore one of my breast cancer t-shirts. Don't ever let anyone tell you running a 5K is easy. It sucks. I got out of bed the next morning and fell on the floor. Legs = jello.

That's me in the pink - didn't finish last and most importantly didn't walk once!

-- Attend 6 of Kristy’s sporting events/school events/4-H stuff  (3/6)- (Bourbon Co. hog show, Bourbon Co. beef show, Woodson County Beef preview show)

-- Visit 5 friends who have moved away -- Mandy, Iowa; Kelly's wedding, Minnesota;

-- Learn to do my own taxes - just started getting everything together for this and am actually excited!

-- Frame and hang my Bachelor's and (eventually) Master's degrees  -- I have the frames, I am just waiting on the dang MS to come in the mail!

-- Donate 25,000 grains of free rice through Freerice.com (7270) 

So that's about it! As I said, there are a lot of goals that are in progress so if you're interested you can see the whole list here.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~ 

All Things Encompassed

This post will boast of all my favorite things in life. Whoopa

This is what I did this weekend...

No, I'm not a big fan of running the chutes but Podge only has one useful wing right now due to shoulder surgery so I popped the gate for 7 hours to be helpful. and got sunburned. On a happier note, rode Friday/HB and she didn't buck and she also got two new pairs of shoes. Such a well-dressed lady.

And watched this guy coach the Cats to a 7-0 start and a #3 BCS ranking - I don't want to brag, but I've already put in my ticket request for the 'Ship. Snyder for President!

Also, this guy is unstoppable. He's gonna get the Heisman and be the first Wildcat ever to earn one. And the best part is that he doesn't do it for himself - he does it for Bill, Wildcat Nation and the K-State family.

Collin: "It's ok Geno - Oklahoma didn't think we'd win either. You should call Landry Jones and see if he has time for you to cry in each others beers."

It was a great weekend, as usual, to be a Wildcat. We've got Tech this weekend, at home - should be a good game.

What did you do this weekend?

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

p.s. I've got another giveaway in the making - stay tuned on Wednesday for the details!

Flinchbaugh-isms

If you've been involved at any level with ag policy or follow K-State media streams, you've no doubt heard of THE Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh. The man is a living legend - he's been an agriculture economics professor at Kansas State University for over 40 years and his ag policy class fills up within the first two days of enrollment every year. Like clockwork. He is also a long-time advisor on ag policy to politicians of both parties. There is an inelastic demand for his sarcasm, wit and no holds barred political ideas. You may not always agree with him but you will always maintain respect for him.

He also hates KU - a man after my own heart. Sigh.

Last week, Dr. Flinchbaugh was the chosen speaker for the Alpha Zeta Fall Event addressing the topic of economics and ag policy. This is not a summary of his speech (sorry) but simply me sharing some of my favorite anecdotes and one-liners that I've heard over the years from sitting in his class and attending other events.

- There isn't a problem in the world that a good dose of moderation wouldn't solve

- If you don't vote you don't have the right to [insert word for female dog]

- Don't ever write agriculture off for a lack of power

- What do you get if you drive through Lawrence really slow? -- A degree

- What they need is a good dose of horse sense

- If you are against bio-tech, you are in favor of starvation

- If I were a part of this Congress, I’d be too embarrassed to go home.

There are a ton more of these - if you are a K-State student and you haven't taken Ag Policy, you are most certainly missing out on one of the most pertinent, useful and interesting courses offered in any agriculture curriculum across the nation. Even if you aren't an ag person, this is definitely worth your time.

For those of you who have taken the class - what's your favorite Flinchbaugh-ism?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

We Are Hungry - School Lunch Parody

Song parodies with an agriculture twist aren't going to stop anytime soon. In light of the recent school lunch policies and the continual mindset that some people have about conventional farming practices, the internet is alive with young minds belting out popular hits with altered lyrics.

First there were the Peterson Farm Brothers and I'm Farming and I Grow It (which has over 7 million views, by the way).

Then, Lil Fred put out his version of 'Call Me, Maybe' with "Farm It Maybe", which has over 1 million hits.

Most recently, the kids at Wallace County High School in Sharon Springs, Kansas (yeah, that's right another Kansas group - we're the bomb) have come up with this awesome gem of a video.

Introducing..... We Are Hungry


I think these guys and gals hit the nail right on the dang head. Kids are active and need food to play sports, keep their minds sharp and have enough energy to get through 6-7 hours of class per day. You can watch it here but also head over to YouTube and give them a thumbs up or a nice comment. They're doing their part to increase awareness of a flawed school nutrition program.

Oh and that kid in the I Heart Beef shirt (from Kansas State University - booyah) is a good family friend named Callahan Grund. The kind of kid you want to be friends with because he's a hardworker, funny and good-natured. His mom is in the video too and apparently she makes some good meatloaf.

Way to go guys - this is fantastic and had me grinning from ear to ear! Keep up the good work!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

I'm Farming and I Grow It - Kansas Boys Go Viral

I'm Farming and I Grow It

Really? Does it get much catchier than that? I bet you have the LMFAO song stuck in your head now but good luck remembering the old lyrics after you've heard the much funnier and pro-ag version.

This video has been shared by about every ag blogger on the face of the Earth but I was at a conference this whole week and am behind the times (as usual) and am just now getting to it. So without further ado, I give you I'm Farming and I Grow It.


Why is this video so awesome? Let me count the ways:

1. The  Peterson boys are from KANSAS. I don't need to remind you of my undying faith, love and support of all things Kansas. So proud of our rich, traditional heritage of agriculture and smart kids!

2. The video has over 800,000 views. Holy crap - can you say viral? UPDATE: THE VIDEO NOW HAS OVER 1,000,000 VIEWS!  Update again: 1.6 million views in three days!

3. It was featured on Good Morning America and also on http://www.cnn.com/!


4. There are over 1500 comments and from what I could tell, only one negative one. Surprise surprise making fun of their cut-off shirts. The rest are thanking the Peterson boys for bringing attention to farming and for their hard work producing food.

5. The Kansas City Star featured an article about them. Good work boys.

6. Another update: the Peterson Farm Bros are on Facebook so go like them and Greg Peterson is on Twitter (@GregPeterson33) - they are headed to New York for Fox News!

 Is it stuck in your head now? Good. I also hope that the visions of hard working farmers and ranchers is stuck there too.

Way to go Kansas boys!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~  

I cried at work

WARNING: This post is not eloquent nor well written but it is chock full of emotion. If you're looking for a more well-written post, go here.

As most of you know, I am a huge hopelessly devoted K-State fan and although I don't blog about them very much, since this is mostly an #agblog, that doesn't lessen my passion.

For example, I didn't post when our football team was only favored in four games but instead went 10-2 and earned a Cotton Bowl berth (where we were unfortunately defeated by the very classy Arkansas Razorbacks).


I didn't post when our men's basketball team beat Mizzou twice- something no other team in the Big 12 could achieve; not even that other Kansas school in Lawrence. Most schools fell to Tiger paws by a significant margin. Not our Cats..
I didn't post when made it to our fourth NCAA tourney appearance in five years.

But I'm posting now because I'm heartbroken and mad.

Our beloved Frank Martin is leaving K-State because he has accepted the head basketball coach position at the University of South Carolina.
South Carolina. A Southeastern Conference (SEC) school - a school in a conference which, except for Kentucky, cares solely about football. I don't exactly know how we're going to recruit a new coach when our AD drives away loyal, passionate coaches to football supporting, losing basketball program schools. Sad, sad story.

This is pretty much all John Currie's fault - in my opinion. It's no secret that Athletic Director John Currie and Frank Martin don't get along and when Currie benched Jamar Samuels before the Syracuse game, which we ultimately lost, without consulting Frank - that was the final straw. Rumors  began flying on Twitter on Friday and most of Wildcat Nation believed it to be untrue since Frank hadn't said anything and seriously, why would he go to South Carolina? Over the weekend, Frank was a guest commentator for the Elite Eight games on CBS and showed no signs of leaving and said nothing was final, as rumors continued to fly.

However, the bomb hit on Monday that our man was leaving.

John Currie didn't even try to keep him - just let the best basketball coach KSU has had since Lon Kruger walk away to a program that finished LAST  in the SEC. A winning coach who, besides coaching five consecutive 20-win seasons without the help of Bill Walker or Michael Beasley, is one of the most loyal and stand up men K-State has seen in a long time. Integrity, passion (for K-State and the game), loyalty - all values he possessed. The man would go to bat for any of his players and we knew just how much he cared for them when he shed tears discussing Jamar Samuels' final game.




I cried in the breakroom at work when I heard the news. Frank Martin brought the glory, fierceness and excitement back to K-State basketball that we hadn't been seen in years.

I highly doubt Frank Martin will ever read this post but for what's it's worth:
Coach,

You are going to be missed by a Wildcat Nation 50,000+ strong. A nation who, until 2007, was used to mediocrity and didn't expect wins. You introduced passion, excellence and new life to a sour program. We came to embrace your rough exterior, knowing all along you would stand up for any of your men - which you've proved time and again.

I will likely become a USC basketball fan - solely because of you. You'll always be a wildcat to me and I hope that once John Currie is gone you will return to KSU and continue your tradition of excellence.
EMAW,
Brandi Buzzard