To all K-State students, faculty, sports administrators, donors, alumni, the city of Manhattan and all the loyal fans around the country — Thank you.
Since the Elite Eight game, I have received countless e-mails and Facebook messages to thank my teammates and myself for helping to restore K-State to the national stage as a top program in our conference. All of you have been thanking us and the coaches, but we really should be thanking you. You all have helped to make this year one of the best in our basketball program’s history.
Thank you for making Bramlage Coliseum feared by opponents and nationally recognized as the “Octagon of Doom.” Thank you for standing in line for hours, so you could be in the first few rows to cheer us on. Thank you for sticking behind us after close games early in the season when everyone else was criticizing us. Thank you for showing us so much love on campus after wins AND losses. Thank you for the signs of endearment and your boisterous cheers; we may not have acknowledged them during the games, but they never went unnoticed. Thank you for packing Bramlage during the snow blizzard when we played Xavier. Thank you to the young man that e-mailed me and told me he couldn’t afford a hotel, but drove up to Salt Lake City anyway and slept in a tent on the street because he “wouldn’t have missed those games for the world!” Thank you for making the tournament games in Kansas City and Oklahoma City home games. Thank you to all the families that traveled hours to make it to weeknight home games. Thank you for showing your K-State pride and helping our school break the attendance record for College GameDay. Thank you for treating us like family even though we might not have ever met. Thank you for believing in us – We knew during road games we had the whole city of Manhattan behind us. Also, thanks to our coaching staff because they believed that we could be special and they helped make us believe it too. Thank you to our families that made trips to come and see us play in person. Thank you to our number one fan, who was always Row 1, Seat 1. I am sure you will not be forgetting this season anytime soon, but just know we will forever be thankful and K-State proud. Simply put – THANK YOU for being there for us, in spirit AND in person. We could not have accomplished anything without you.
Always a Wildcat,
Chris Merriewether