Kansas hasn’t encountered anything like this in months.

This afternoon, the football players filed off the Barry University practice field, where the Jayhawks are preparing for the Orange Bowl in Miami, completely drained. It was not because the workout was any more demanding than the weekly regimen Kansas perfected in Lawrence this season. In fact, Kansas coach Mark Mangino and junior cornerback Aqib Talib said the practice’s structure was the same.

The difference was the notorious Miami heat, which hasn’t hibernated for the month of December. Senior center Ryan Cantrell doused water all over the back of his neck to cool off, junior tackle Anthony Collins walked extra slowly and gasped for air and even Talib fought to catch his breath as he addressed the media at the end of practice.

“It’s hot like two-a-days,” Talib said. “But we’re out here working hard; it’s going to pay off.”

So hard that Talib said he couldn’t imagine the first two practices being any more productive. The 82-degree weather and muggy humidity has served as a backdrop that the Jayhawks have embraced.

“We know it’s going to be hot,” Talib said. “The game is at night but it’s still probably going to be hot. Just for practice, we’ve been staying really hydrated.”

It’s hard to believe that less than two days ago most of the Jayhawks were bundled up in layers of clothing fighting the freezing conditions of a Midwest winter. When they boarded the team buses to return to their hotel after practice, no one wore any more than a T-shirt and shorts.

The South Florida afternoon should serve as a nice opportunity for the team to relax and enjoy the surroundings. A team beach party is scheduled for the afternoon but the players will be free to spend their time as they please after it.

“Growing up in Austin I always dealt with the heat,” sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing said. “So I love it and I’m happy to be down here.”

NOT SO HOT

But the warmth the Jayhawks are enduring hasn’t transcended into Miami’s American Airlines Arena – home of the NBA’s Miami Heat, who are playing ice-cold.

I spent my first night in Miami at the arena watching the Heat play against their in-state foe, the Orlando Magic. The Heat lost, as expected, 121-114. But Dwyane Wade made the $35 ticket well worth it.

Wade tied a career-high with 48 points on 16-for-21 shooting and added 11 assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Despite Wade’s performance and a great game from rookie guard Daequan Cook, the Heat found a way to lose.

Losing seems to be the only thing Miami excels at. At 8-22, it currently has the second-worst record in the NBA.