Tweet
As Kung Wu stated earlier today, there is great excitement as SN has candid access to a Wichita sports icon, Mike Kennedy. Mike and I sat down recently and chatted about many things Wichita State athletics. Part 1 of our Q & A will make ShockerPhi especially happy, as he/she wanted Mike to talk about the Shockers joining the American Conference. That was one of the many topics we talked about, so here we go...
SHOXMVC: "Mike, moving to the American Athletic Conference has WSU fans excited about the future of Shocker athletics. What will you miss about the MVC and what are you most excited about moving forward in the AAC?"
Mike Kennedy: "Initially, the thought of leaving the Valley was a little difficult for me because I have grown up with it and I am so aware of its rich history, back to the days when it was the "Valley of Death". Unfortunately, it is a long way from that right now, and many of the schools which have been good, and possibly could be again, are facing serious financial issues which make it even more difficult than ever to climb back to the level of play they have demonstrated in the past. Therefore, I feel it was imperative for WSU to explore its options, and to be able to land in a conference the caliber of the American Athletic without having to bring back football is almost literally a dream come true. What I will miss about the MVC are the people. People in the conference office like Doug Elgin, Jack Watkins, and Mike Kern, and other broadcasters like Art Hains, Dick Luedke, Mike Reis, and Dave Snell are not only respected professional colleagues, but longtime friends, and while I'm sure we will bump into each other occasionally, it certainly won't be as frequent. I am excited about the level of competition in the AAC, not only in men's basketball, but in all of our sports, and it is almost certain to raise WSU's level of recruiting and it's own level of play in all of those sports as well. I am equally excited to travel to a lot of great cities, broadcast from outstanding facilities, and make friends with my new colleagues, some of whom have already reached out to me, and who seem to be a close-knit and congenial group."
Keep in mind Mike went to WSU and grew up watching the Shockers in the hey-day of the sixties. He has great memories of the battles with Cincy, Louisville, Memphis and later on Tulsa. As stated, Mike will miss the Valley, but it is time to move on. Thanks to Mike for his insight. Any thoughts from our members?
SHOXMVC: "Mike, moving to the American Athletic Conference has WSU fans excited about the future of Shocker athletics. What will you miss about the MVC and what are you most excited about moving forward in the AAC?"
Mike Kennedy: "Initially, the thought of leaving the Valley was a little difficult for me because I have grown up with it and I am so aware of its rich history, back to the days when it was the "Valley of Death". Unfortunately, it is a long way from that right now, and many of the schools which have been good, and possibly could be again, are facing serious financial issues which make it even more difficult than ever to climb back to the level of play they have demonstrated in the past. Therefore, I feel it was imperative for WSU to explore its options, and to be able to land in a conference the caliber of the American Athletic without having to bring back football is almost literally a dream come true. What I will miss about the MVC are the people. People in the conference office like Doug Elgin, Jack Watkins, and Mike Kern, and other broadcasters like Art Hains, Dick Luedke, Mike Reis, and Dave Snell are not only respected professional colleagues, but longtime friends, and while I'm sure we will bump into each other occasionally, it certainly won't be as frequent. I am excited about the level of competition in the AAC, not only in men's basketball, but in all of our sports, and it is almost certain to raise WSU's level of recruiting and it's own level of play in all of those sports as well. I am equally excited to travel to a lot of great cities, broadcast from outstanding facilities, and make friends with my new colleagues, some of whom have already reached out to me, and who seem to be a close-knit and congenial group."
Keep in mind Mike went to WSU and grew up watching the Shockers in the hey-day of the sixties. He has great memories of the battles with Cincy, Louisville, Memphis and later on Tulsa. As stated, Mike will miss the Valley, but it is time to move on. Thanks to Mike for his insight. Any thoughts from our members?
Comment