Guys and Gals, I need to tell you a story:
I received a phone call last Saturday Morning from none other then John Currie.
During the course of our conversation I was told that I was being disassociated from Kansas State University Athletics. My season ticket money was refunded, my Ahearn Donation refunded and my KSU-ku game ticket purchase was refunded.
Why you might ask??
Did I commit some NCAA violations that might get KSU into trouble?? No. Did I get into a fight in the stands, or threaten someone in KSU athletics?? No.
My "crime" ... too frequently questioning the direction and leadership of Kansas State Athletics on Internet forums, and asking to many questions.
Now had you listened to the conversation from last Saturday, you might have come away with the impression that I literally STALKED John Currie and his staff ... bombarding them with emails, phone calls and letters daily, and generally making their life miserable.
Now, if about 15 or so emails, and 1 letter over the course of FIVE years is your definition of stalking, then I am guilty. Of those contacts only 3 could be considered negative and one or two of the THREE negatives were out of line ... which I freely admit (there's only so much $hit basketball a 35 year KSU fan can take). But they were all words ... MERE words discussing the business of KSU athletics and threatening no one in any way. It's hard for me to remember, because some of this stuff was either totally harmless, or from so far back, I can't even remember what I said.
The most interesting part of the conversation was when John Currie started quoting Internet posts that I had made ... in some cases months, if not even YEARS ago. It was quite clear that the man had kept a file on me, and as he said, "You are not someone that we want associated with Kansas State Athletics." (I also believe that certain people who shall remain nameless who didn't like the fact that I refused to drink from the vat of Purple Kool-Aid made sure Currie saw some of my posts).
Currie apparently operates under the edict that you make one or two phone calls back to someone, answer their question, feed them a line ... and then they're NEVER TO QUESTION OR SAY ANYTHING EVER AGAIN TO ANYONE ANYWHERE!!! Kind of like when Stalin used to tell his military weapons designers, or generals that their next mistake would be their LAST mistake.
I guess Currie missed the posts where I defended him, like on the Radio deal and other things.
While I disagreed with many of the things being done with KSU athletics, I still purchased season tickets, I INCREASED my Ahearn Donation, I have been trying to get my parents to change their estate to include KSU athletics, I purchased bowl tickets even though I had no prayer of going in order to help KSU sell their allotment, and I bought tickets to games I had no hope of attending and gave them away so KSU would either sell more tickets, or they wouldn't end up in the hands of oppossing team fans. Heck I have no hope of making it back to the KSU-ku game, but I bought two tickets anyway and had already made arrangements to sell them for 1/4 their face value so they end up in the hands of a hardcore KSU fan.
I have my contacts ... from what I understand this doesn't happen to anyone unless they're fighting in the stands, or causing KSU trouble with the NCAA ... again, I don't fit the bill on any of that.
So, fairwarning to all my friends ... be careful what you say, or Herr Currie might send you packing too. Keep in mind, I am a nobody ... when I emailed or wrote (one letter) providing some input, I never thought or demanded for one second that they listen, I just spoke from concern and as someone who has followed KSU and the business of college athletics for 30 years now. I have to laugh ... at Auburn they still have AD's and boosters around that were involved in flying private jets to various places looking for Tommy Tubberville's replacement ... in secret. Those are the type of people that get "disassociated" from Athletic Departments ... not little old me type fans who just speak their mind.
Still a K-State fan all the way, I was here a long time before John Currie came around (like 25 years before) and I'll be here a long time after John Currie leaves. I have never been a "Oh well whatever you say" kind of person, and I guess I paid a price for my ways.
