"Wyandotte basketball is an afterthought."
"Wyandotte doesn't matter anymore."
These are statements I hear all the time from fans in Kansas City, Kan., about the Wyandotte Bulldogs boys basketball program.
The statements frustrate me because they are blatantly false.
A memo to Schlagle, Sumner Academy, Washington and Harmon fans: Wyandotte basketball, like it or not, will always be KCK's team.
I say this having no connection to Wyandotte. I graduated from Sumner Academy. I rooted hard for the Washington Wildcats when I was growing up.
(Full admission: I hated Wyandotte when I was a student back in the day.)
In other words, there's no personal agenda reason for me to think KCK is Wyandotte's town. Just the facts.
Despite the decade-long slump Wyandotte basketball has underwent, the Bulldogs basketball team is the face of KCK athletics.
Three years ago, I traveled to Salina, Kan., to cover Sumner Academy's run to the 4A state tournament. Talking to other members of the media there and them knowing I was from KCK, Wyandotte was the first team brought up. Not Sumner. Not Harmon. Not Schlagle. But Wyandotte.
Questions to me about Wyandotte's struggles dominated the discussion.
Two years ago, I traveled to Topeka, Kan., to see the Wildcats begin their march for a possible state title. The same thing happened. It's not Washington or Sumner's faults, of course.
But Wyandotte Bulldogs basketball is engrained not just in KCK, but across the State of Kansas.
When looking at the history, why not?
Wyandotte, of course, has won 20 state titles. They've had five undefeated seasons, 30 appearances in the state title game, 62 appearances in the state tournament and nearly 130 postseason.
All of those are state records, along with these: 35 wins in one season, 74 consecutive wins at home and 35 straight victories in the state tournament.
Though teenagers may not appreciate it, tradition matters. And it still matters.
While Trinity Hall, Terry Moore, Cortlin Banks and other good Bulldogs players never did win a state title game, they have the opportunity to say "we played for Wyandotte."
That means something – so much to the point that the late Paul Splitorff talked about Bulldogs basketball during a college basketball game between the UMKC Kangaroos (the college Trinity Hall now plays for) and the Kansas State Wildcats.
Wyandotte Bulldogs basketball is known to everyone with an interest in high school sports in Kansas.
Wyandotte also does a phenomenal job exhibiting their basketball dominance. All 20 state title trophies are viewable in Shublom Gymnasium, which itself is a treasure. Tradition reeks all over Wyandotte.
There are no track title banners in Shublom Gymnasium. There are no football banners – or any other banners hanging in that gym.
Just basketball. The way it should be.
Another unique aspect of Wyandotte's program – they have the name of the county on the jersey. As silly as that sounds, it resonates among some fans in KCK.
Along with Bishop Ward, Wyandotte has the biggest and most passionate group of alumni in KCK. Again, that's important.
Though Sumner Academy has won two consecutive small-class championships and four since 1998 and Washington may be the hottest program in Kansas City right now, the history of KCK athletics will always be found on 25th and Minnesota Avenue.
In some ways, Wyandotte is still the best job in the city. If a good coach finds his way into Shublom Gymnasium with a good situation, he could capitalize on Wyandotte's tradition and relaunch it, as Randy Springs did in the early 1980s.
The Bulldogs have struggled the past decade. No question about that.
But don't ever write off Wyandotte basketball.
The right coach at Wyandotte could make KCK's other basketball programs an after-thought.
.gif)
