I covered the KU game on Friday at Johnny’s Tavern in Olathe, and ended up being part of something pretty amazing.
After interviewing fans, editing sound and calling in my reports, I ended my shift and sat down to watch the rest of the game. My wife was supposed to meet me at Johnny’s, but my son was a little upset about the prospect of a car ride, so she decided to stay home. So….I ended up at a table by myself.
After a short while, a middle-aged man named Kevin sat down across from me and started to make conversation. I was alarmed at first because he was wearing a Missouri Tigers shirt. My alarm didn’t last long.
Kevin ended up being the best companion you could hope for during a big game. He cheered for KU right along with me, even high fiving me during the big plays. We had good conversation, shared photos of our kids and enjoyed a nice afternoon.
Soon after, I did something I never thought I would do. I cheered for the Tigers against Cornell. I did so again on Sunday against Marquette.
After meeting Kevin, I decided I would pull for the Tigers, and every other Big 12 team until the end. Unless, of course, they’re playing KU.
It just goes to show that even bitter rivals can find some common ground once in awhile.