Daymond Patterson loves PlayStation, loves sleeping, and loves Cinncinatti Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson. Makes sense. Johnson may be 6-foot-1 and Kansas’ freshman wide receiver is only 5-foot-9, but like Johnson, Patterson is a burner.

“He can flat run,” Kansas coach Mark Mangino said on Tuesday.

Because of his speed, Patterson may be able to fill a crucial role for Kansas this fall. Right now, Mangino has tabbed Patterson to start at punt returner this Saturday when Kansas begins its season against Florida International.

We’ll see how much Patterson plays on offense, but who knows? Perhaps Patterson, a true freshman from Mesquite, Texas, could give the Jayhawks their own version of Jeremy Maclin, Missouri’s playmaking dynamo. Or maybe at least be Jeremy Maclin-lite.

SPORTS, BLOGS AND TECHNOLOGY

Mario Cristobal, the head coach of Kansas’ week one opponent Florida International, is one of the most tech savvy coaches in the country. Sure, Cristobal’s team was lousy last year – they went 1-11. But Cristobal is part of a growing trend of football coaches who maintain their own blog on their school’s athletic website.

Cristobal’s blog, titled “Cristobal’s Corner,” gives fans an inside look at Florida International’s football program. Sure, Cristobal probably isn’t doing much of the “maintaining” during the season, but it still brings up an interesting point.

With the explosion of the internet, athletes and coaches have become extremely more transparent. And it’s become effortless for them to contact their fan base without using any of the old media channels.

Professional athletes like Tiger Woods, Curt Schilling and Gilbert Arenas can have their own personal websites and dispense information to the public without involving any of the old-school media types.

What’s it all mean? Well for one, it means my parents are starting to think I picked the wrong major. But really, all this new technology means is that fans can follow their favorite teams easier, which is good.

But “Cristobal’s Corner” made me think, could a Mark Mangino blog be far behind? And what you call it? Send suggestions to morningbrew@kansan.com.

A TRIP TO THE GREAT WHITE NORTH

Kansas’ basketball team is traveling to Ottawa, Canada this weekend for three exhibition games. In the words of Forrest Gump, you know, “It’s this whole other country.”

But sometimes it can be tough to tell a Canadian from a good ‘ol flag waving, red-blooded American. Most people know that Jim Carrey and Alanis Morissette come from Canada. But did you know Michael J. Fox is Canadian, and so is Kiefer Sutherland and Elisha Cuthbert?