It turns out the Kansas State crowd didn’t even need to hear the song “Sandstorm” to conjure a thundering “F*** KU” chant.
For a game as hyped and as talked about as the K-State versus KU men’s basketball matchup Tuesday night in Bramlage Coliseum, nothing short of President Richard Myers himself walking onto the court was going to stop the crowd from channeling seasons of frustration, disappointment and heartbreak into the one tool it had at its disposal: intimidation.
Even the announcers at ESPN couldn’t help but hush up and hear the reverberating, but clear, “F*** KU” that rang out through the arena (and on national TV).
It was a stunning resurgence of a vulgar chant against K-State’s in-state rival, the University of Kansas, that had largely died down over the past few years following pleas and punishments from groups like K-State Athletics and the Student Governing Association, in addition to reprimands from the likes of Myers, band director Frank Tracz and legendary former K-State football coach Bill Snyder.
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Just over a year ago, Myers spoke out against the chant and said it gives K-State an ugly reputation that has hurt donations to the university.
“We have heard from many supporters and alumni about the chant,” Myers said at the time. “Almost universally, they are disappointed with the unflattering image of our university the chant portrays. This hurts our ability to solicit donations and raise money for scholarships. It’s unproductive and can sully our reputation.”
A decades-long tradition, K-State fans have chanted the “F*** KU” chant to just about anything with a beat, but mainly the now infamous “Sandstorm” by Darude. The song, once a mainstay of K-State’s in-stadium playlist, is now rarely heard at K-State sporting events — if ever.
At the half, K-State trails KU 30-33.
