Monday, April 7, 2008
Despite the Lawrence Police Department’s forewarning that pedestrians would have to be respectful of motorists on Massachusetts Street after the basketball game, crowds swarmed cars and stopped traffic.
Several fans also took the opportunity to go streaking. Chris Flanders, Overland Park sophomore, said the people who danced naked on top of vehicles were “not cool,” but he said he shared their excitement.
Photo Gallery
Celebration
KU fans celebrate on Massachusetts Street after Kansas' 84-66 victory over North Carolina Saturday night.
“If they wanna go crazy, I support them, but I don’t want to see their dicks,” Flanders said.
Most motorists said they did not mind the congestion of people, but they did not appreciate people attacking their vehicles.
The Lawrence Police Department seemed to think the evening went well. In a press release issued Sunday, Sgt. Paul Fellers said no major events occurred Saturday night.
“Jayhawk fans are to be commended for their cooperation and consideration of other fans and the community during Saturday night’s celebration,” the press release said.
Lawrence police officers on Massachusetts Street Saturday night said they were not allowed to comment to the media. The KU Public Safety Office said that it could not comment because the event was being controlled by the Lawrence Police Department.
Wyatt Desk, a Lawrence resident who was a passenger in a vehicle, said he did not want people jumping on his car, but he did not think the police should interfere.
“I think that the police need to stay out of everybody’s business and let us do what we wanna do,” he said. “If we’re not hurting anybody, then what’s the problem?”
Heather Baker, a Lawrence freshman who was a passenger in a vehicle that night, said she was a KU fan and not an enemy, so she did not understand why fans were attacking her car.
Baker was annoyed that the police did not have control over the crowd. She said the police officers, who were standing in groups, needed to spread out.
“Instead of standing over there high-fiving people, they need to be over here directing traffic like they usually do,” Baker said. “This ain’t kick-it time.”
Bob Widman, a St. Joseph, Mo., resident who used to live in Eudora, said he thought it was great that traffic was stopped in the street. He said he and his wife Debbie expected there to be a riot, and they enjoyed the crowds.
“And we’re 50 years old,” Debbie said and started laughing.
Debbie said their 19-year-old daughter was also part of the crowd. She said she did not mind her daughter’s involvement because she knew her daughter would not get herself into trouble.
Katie Collins, Olathe sophomore, she said she did not think the police cared that fans were streaking.
Collins said that she did not want to see fans’ genitalia, but that their behavior did not disturb her.
“I think it shows their spirit,” Collins said and followed with a loud victory scream. “I’m not going to look, but whatever they wanna do.”
Julie Daniels, a Eudora resident who brought her young daughter and her 12-year-old nephew with her, said she brought the children with her so they could have the same experience she had when she was 11 and her parents brought her to Massachusetts Street in 1988.
Daniels said she had seen lots of children on Massachuetts Street that night, and she thought that was great. She said she had not seen any naked people dancing on cars.
Daniels said the police were doing a good job. She said a man tried to give her nephew vodka, and the police arrested him.
The police also arrested at least one man for peeing on a curb and several fans said the police confiscated their cans of beer.
— Edited by Jessica Sain-Baird
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