I Can Do Bad All By Myself: Kansas' Football and Basketball Teams Brawl

What a complete joke.

That's the only thing I can think of when I hear about the University of Kansas hosting their version of "The Outsiders" on campus not once, but TWICE this week in Lawrence.

My eyebrows were raised earlier this month when star wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe was suspended for the team's first game of the year against powerhouse Northern Colorado. KU easily rolled over the Bears 49-3, Mark Mangino made a "statement" and the team moved on. Some discipline.

But now the Jayhawks have gone too far.

It all started earlier Tuesday morning with posts on his Facebook account. Sophomore guard on the basketball team, Tyshawn Taylor, posted on his Facebook account at 11:12 a.m., "Keep my name out ya mouth for you get smacked in it," apparently angry at something or another.

But hey, that happens all the time. Everybody's guilty of posting something crazy or frustrated once in a while.

Then 30 minutes later, good old Tyshawn was at it again, this time saying, "Never get outta character... I'm always a G about it."

Oh... good. 

Around 6:30 p.m., the "G" that is Tyshawn Taylor was sent to the hospital (he would later post AGAIN on Facebook that his injury was obtained by punching somebody) for a dislocated thumb. Apparently the guy's got bad punching form.

So a KU basketball player goes to the hospital after being in a fight. Seems like a big enough deal for concern. After all, when Stefon Hannah and some of his teammates were involved in an altercation a couple of years ago at Mizzou protecting Hannah's girlfriend, the whole campus felt the effect. Half the team was suspended... literally

BUT, that's not the end of young Tyshawns' story.

He got into a fight on campus, in front of Burge Union in broad daylight on Tuesday evening.

And as it turns out, more members of his team were involved, apparently having his back against his opponents.

Who were... get this. ON THE KU FOOTBALL TEAM.

Yep. Kansas' football team and basketball team went all Civil War on campus in Lawrence. Aren't you guys supposed to be representing the same academic institution and athletic program? Don't you guys use the same training facilities? This isn't exactly extreme gang warfare. You're all going to school for free to play for the same fanbase.

And the best part of this story, is that they weren't done.

Wednesday morning, as if the two teams hadn't learned their lesson, the two groups went at it AGAIN. Outside of Wescoe Hall, again on campus, a football player was allegedly pushed down the stairs by a basketball player around 10 a.m. Police were called, and athletic director Lew Perkins confirmed the report.

These aren't small fish involved either. Allegedly, the whole skirmish was involved around football players having beef with star point guard Sherron Collins. You know, the same Collins that is a top NBA prospect? That is the face of the team?

There were more than 15 football players involved, along with basktetball players Mario Little, Morris twins, Taylor (again), Brady Morningstar, Travis Releford, Tyrel Reed, Thomas Robinson, Elijan Johnson "and others."

I'm not mathematician, but that's MORE THAN 10 BASKETBALL PLAYERS INVOLVED. ALMOST THE WHOLE TEAM!!

In addition, Briscoe was seen by eye witnesses at the scene. Like this guy isn't in enough trouble as it is???

Perkins said that the reports will be reviewed and the school will move forward accordingly, and that should be only the first step of a long punishment process.

If this doesn't get eaten up by the media, I don't know what will. Kansas swept the Briscoe issues under the rug, and also did a great job of ignoring the fact that starting freshman offensive lineman Ben Lueken was sent to the intensive care unit by running back Jacques Crawford this summer after Crawford allegedly hit him with a car. Crawford was kicked off the team and Lueken left the school.

My Tiger's take on this?

I feel bad for the students, and am ashamed of the adults.

Where is the structure? Not to base this completely off a rival's perspective, but Hannah was dismissed from the basketball team within a day of his altercation. Freshman Blaine Dalton was kicked off the football team for two alcohol-related arrests. This would not be tolerated where I go to school, nor many other institutions across the country.

Coach Mark Mangino as well as basketball coach Bill Self are in awkward positions. Self has tradition and history to uphold, yet if he punishes every player involved, he's going to have to forfeit games, and that might be the most humiliating option possible.

And Mangino has almost built a Big 12 North champ. The Jayhawks came into this season largely considered the favorites to win their first division crown. But when is enough enough with Briscoe? The guy's a walking problem, has already been suspended once this year, and now he's fighting on campus? Give me a break.

Team-oriented goals aside, these kids have to be punished. There is no way that two teams representing a Big 12 school can meet on campus TWICE IN 24 hours, fight each other, have the police called, and get away with it.

Standards have to be upheld at some point, especially when you're athletes are acting like thugs.

If KU hasn't reached that point before, they have now.