Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Everyone knows about the presence of the Phog in Allen Fieldhouse. Opponents must Beware, Pay Heed and so forth. The men’s basketball team has won 41 straight games at home and is 77-6 there under coach Bill Self.
But you can’t overlook what the baseball team has been doing next door to Allen Fieldhouse all season long either. After Sunday’s doubleheader sweep over Nebraska, the Jayhawks are now 21-3 in Hoglund Ballpark. They are looking to improve on that record when they take on Chicago State twice today.
But which Kansas team’s home résumé is more impressive? We’ll give the contenders three rounds to show their stuff.
The Hog vs. The Phog.
Let’s get ready to rumble.
Round One: quality of victories
Just like Sherron and Cole, Buck Afenir and Tony Thompson have taken down their fair share of less-than-quality opponents in their home arena. The Jayhawks in the Fieldhouse took down Florida Gulf Coast, Jackson State and Albany. The Jayhawks next door have defeated the likes of Northern Colorado, Baker and Missouri Valley College.
Not too much difference yet.
But the baseball team swept then-No. 1 Texas and then-No. 17 Oklahoma State at home. They also stole one out of three games from then-No. 7 Baylor. The hoopers? Yes, they destroyed Missouri, soundly defeated Tennessee and dispatched Siena, but they did not defeat the highest ranked team in the country.
Advantage: The Hog.
Round Two: atmosphere
Opponents walk into Allen Fieldhouse to the jeering of 16,300 fans game in and game out. When the outcome is all but decided, the fans belt out the Rock Chalk Chant.
In 23 home games so far this season, the baseball team has drawn a total of 19,845 fans. At Sunday’s doubleheader, Nebraska’s fans were significantly louder than Kansas’. The Rock Chalk Chant had to be played over the stadium’s speakers at the end of the game.
Advantage: The Phog.
Round Three: the difference between baseball and basketball
Kansas basketball rarely loses at home. But neither do other basketball programs. Memphis and North Carolina both lost just once at home last season. Top programs defend their home court.
In baseball, the home field advantage is not as clear cut. Top-ranked North Carolina has lost seven games at home. No. 10 Georgia Tech has lost five.
In MLB, teams win 54 percent of games at home. While college teams may win a bit more in their own stadiums because of the bigger gap in the quality of teams, the difference isn’t huge.
Defending your home field is a lot tougher in baseball, where the impact of the fans is not as important. The Jayhawks have done it incredibly well this season.
Advantage: The Hog.
And there you have it. The Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse are tough to beat, but they defend their home court only a little better than their national competition. The Jayhawks in Hoglund Ballpark have defended their house against quality opponents like few others in the country have.
Opponents should still Beware of the Phog, but they should Beware of the Hog as well.
— — Edited by Casey Miles
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