Cheers, mostly

'Traitor' cry doesn't spoil banquet for KU, Williams

Roy Williams' decision to return for the awards banquet was questioned by some KU fans. AP

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Once more, with mixed feelings.

Roy Williams cried. Kansas fans cheered -- most of them, anyway.

But this time, Williams didn't stand in front of the Kansas faithful as the Jayhawks' coach. His appearance Thursday night at the team's annual awards ceremony came three days after he accepted the head coaching job at his alma mater, North Carolina.

"I know that this night is not about me," said Williams, who coached Kansas to the NCAA title game this year in the Jayhawks' fourth Final Four appearance in his 15 seasons. "It's about the 2002-2003 Kansas basketball team."

It was still about Williams for some, although threatened large-scale protests never materialized.

As the standing ovation died down after Williams' remarks, one man in the back of the crowd of 2,000 yelled, "traitor!"

Dave Collison, father of star forward and team MVP Nick Collison, drew cheers when he stood and told the protester, "You should be ashamed of yourself."

Williams, who flew to Chapel Hill on Monday for the announcement that he was the new Tar Heels coach, returned Wednesday after receiving a personal invitation to Thursday's awards ceremony and private banquet from Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway.

A parade honoring the Jayhawks also had been scheduled for Thursday, but the players voted to cancel it.

"I will admit that it's difficult," said Williams, who appeared increasingly relaxed as the evening went along. "The easy way out would have been not to come, but I would never do that to these players, because that would not show the respect for these players and what they did and what they mean to me."

The Kansas players, many of whom appeared grim-faced when Williams was first introduced, hugged him after his speech. But point guard Aaron Miles, the team prankster, couldn't resist one good-natured dig.

"I ain't going to lie," Miles said. "I was kind of mad at first ... but everyone's got dreams and goals, and you going to North Carolina is a dream of yours. I wish you well, but it's unfortunate you're not going to be a part of this special program anymore."

Some Kansas fans viewed Williams' return for one last appearance with his former team as an act of class. Others called it another slap in the faces of the Jayhawks' players.

Dozens of posters to Internet fan sites, already bitterly angry over Williams' decision to leave and what they perceived as his attempts to woo Jayhawks' recruits to North Carolina, were livid over his decision to come back for the awards ceremony.

Some suggested booing Williams, who turned down the Tar Heels three years ago but couldn't say no this time, whenever he attempted to speak. Others suggested greeting him with silence or walking out when he was introduced.

But Thursday night, there was little sign of protest when the buses carrying Williams and the team arrived at the university's Lied Center for the Performing Arts.

The only sign was carried by Carla Ingraham of Prairie Village. It read, "Thanks for 15 years."

"Thanks, coach. Appreciate you being here," said Ingraham, who described herself as a big Kansas fan even though she graduated from archrival Missouri.

Williams was obviously emotional when he hugged several of his former players on the way into the ceremony -- and obviously nervous when he waved to acknowledge the crowd's applause for the team's entrance.

The tone for the evening was set early, though, when the Rev. Virgil Brady made special mention of Williams and his family in his invocation.

"We are grateful for the ride we have enjoyed with them," Brady said, "and we send them forth with our continued love and prayers."

 

Related information

Stories

KU campus in dark mood after Williams' departure Williams gets settled in first day as Tar Heels coach

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video