By Richard Crowson
Shockers everywhere, at events long ago or happenings just the other day, always have something interesting to say. Take this sampling as a Shock Talk example:
“The WSU Alumni Association and the entire Shocker Nation want to applaud the young men and their coaches who took us with them on their amazing NCAA Tournament run – the first Shocker team to reach the Final Four in 48 years. We’ve cheered until we’re hoarse, celebrated like crazy and shed a few tears at the heartbreakingly close 68-72 loss to Louisville on Saturday. Through it all, we’ve never been prouder to wear the yellow and black. Thank you, Shockers, for the fun and excitement. We are satisfied.”
— The alumni association’s message emailed after WSU’s loss to the Cardinals on April 6, to its alumni members, friends and Shocker fans who traveled on the association-sponsored trip to the Final Four games in Atlanta and those who cheered on the Shockers from back in Wichita and from locales around the world.
“There was a war in our neighborhood last week. One of our best friends is a LaSalle grad. He was pulling all kinds of trickery, decorating our mail box, posting things on my FB page. Don’t worry, I got him back. I even had my wife, Nancy, take the wheat hat down to his mailbox to decorate it. But the best picture of the week was this one of my daughter posing as WuShock. She was ready for their next attack. So glad that game turned out as it did. It was hard directing the troops from Tokyo, but it was a battle worth fightin’.”
— Opera pro and longtime Shocker fan Alan Held ’83, writing from Japan about fan hijinks leading up to WSU’s March 28 blistering win over La Salle, 72-58, in the Sweet 16 at LA’s Staples Center.
Featured on everything from license plates to the daily-special menu boards of restaurants and grills from California to Chicago and Indianapolis to the nation’s capital, the Wichita State Shockers were on everyone’s mind as they made their way from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles on their march to Atlanta and the Final Four. In March and April, the WSU Alumni Association heard from Shocker fans all across the country. Here are just a few of their messages:
Ross Rogers, airline pilot: While Mike ’71 and Debbie ’94 Kennedy were in Los Angeles with hundreds of other Shocker fans, Rogers was in Indianapolis. He sent Mike the photo below, left, and this message: “I was going to walk in the cold to look for a new restaurant. Around the corner, I saw no reason to walk further. They were good.”
Brian Wells ’87, owner of Crew Bar + Grill in Chicago: If Wichita State had lost to heavily favored Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament, Wells would have had to dress up as Flo from the old TV show Alice. He made this unique bet the Sunday before WSU’s Elite Eight victory over the Buckeyes with his business partner Steve Milford, an OSU alum.
Susan Pompeo ’79: The photo below, center, is of the D.C. congressional office of her husband Mike Pompeo, U.S. Representative for Kansas’ 4th congressional district, which was “shocked” with Shocker posters, banners, signs and memorabilia as Wichita State headed to Atlanta’s Georgia Dome and the Final Four.
Tom Holstad ’72 of Pleasant Hill, Calif.: Back in December 2012, Holstad sent in the photo below, right, with this note: “Just thought The Shocker mag would like to show California Shocker Pride.” On April 1, he wrote, “On to the Georgia Dome! The Final Four: how crazy exciting is this!” And on April 6: “So proud of our Shockers – David and the Goliaths!”
