For those who want to know what the bedroom of K-State wide receiver Yamon Figurs looks like, that answer is now at the click of a mouse.
A special section of the K-State Sports online now allows fans and prospective recruits to get an exclusive look at the lives of student athletes.
The Web site, http://inside.kstatesports.com, a part of Inside K-State Sports, now features an inside look at the homes of K-State athletes with a series titled “Cat Cribs.”
Sports Information director Garry Bowman said “Cat Cribs” is a take off on MTV’s “Cribs” – a show that features different celebrity homes.
Currently there are “Cat Cribs” video clips available online that present the homes of three K-State football players: linebacker Brandon Archer and wide receiver Yamon Figurs, who are roommates, and quarterback Dylan Meier.
Bowman said the “Cat Cribs” clips are designed to help fans and potential recruits see what life in Manhattan is like and how student athletes live.
“We wanted to humanize the players by showing their homes,” he said.
Bowman said the department has received a lot of positive feedback about the site. He also said there will be more “Cat Cribs” releases in the future.
Archer said he was excited about the video when the idea was brought to him.
“I thought it was an interesting concept to show people what average college-student athletes live like,” Archer said.
He said he thinks the site is a good way to close the gap between the players and the fans.
“It’s an interesting way to bring student athletes closer to fans,” he said. “They’ll be able to see that we’re not really so different.”
David Smoller, who designed much of the Web site, said one of the primary goals is to attract possible recruits to K-State.
“Prospective student athletes can see what practice, school, coaches and games look like,” Smoller said.
The site was launched during the first week of February. Additions to the site have been made in the past month.
“It’s hard to find another school that has a Web site like this, or at least one that’s free,” he said.
The site is a huge benefit for many reasons, Smoller said.
“In the past, fans didn’t have much access to football practices or seeing coaches talk to the players,” he said. “Now fans can participate in the program.”
Smoller said to expect more “Cat Cribs” clips that will feature athletes of many different K-State sports.