Wildcat Fans Have Food for Thought

San Antonio could be just the place for hungry Arizona fans as they prepare to watch the Wildcats take on Mississippi on Friday.

A story this week in the Arizona Daily Star said San Antonio was rated as the nation’s “third-fattest city” in a 1997 survey, in part because of a plethora of restaurants. The story went on to list some of the city’s finest dining establishments, including one called the Pig Stand.

Although there is more than one Pig Stand in San Antonio, the one north of downtown claims to be America’s first drive-in, the story said.

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As basketball fever escalates in Kansas, T-shirts featuring the image of Coach Roy Williams and an imaginary monkey named Stank’em are the hottest item in the state.

“This is a little embarrassing,” said a grinning Williams, holding up one of the shirts.

Williams almost wishes he had dreamed up another strategy to motivate his team before last week’s second-round NCAA game against Syracuse. In what has now become one of the most chronicled stories in Jayhawk history, Williams invited his players to knock the monkey off his back and help the team advance to the Sweet 16.

Now they’re headed for San Antonio and a game against top-seeded Illinois in the regional semifinals on Friday. Also going to San Antonio is another shipment of the $16 T-shirts.

Williams doesn’t know the significance of “Stank’em,” but Kansas aficionados say it’s a tribute to shooting guard Billy Thomas, who said “stank’em” when he made a three-point basket. Thomas played at Kansas from 1995-98.

“It’s one of Billy’s Louisiana expressions,” center Eric Chenowith said.