Arrowhead is where K-State wants to be

Before the Kansas State football team traveled to Los Angeles to take on UCLA in the Rose Bowl, a hot topic of conversation was how excited the Wildcats were about playing in such a historic stadium.

Just about everyone on the roster admitted they were very much looking forward to the trip. But their words were nothing compared to what they had to say about playing in Arrowhead Stadium this week.

Everyone is thrilled about it.

“I’m very excited,” senior offensive lineman Nick Stringer said. “I’ve been to quite a few football games there growing up. I’ve always dreamed about playing in that stadium. To be able to play there with this team is something really special.”

Fellow offensive lineman Wade Weibert said he can’t stop thinking about what it’s going to be like to play where the Chiefs play.

“It drops your jaw a little bit to think that you’re on the same field that so many other great players have been on,” said Weibert, presumably referring to past Chiefs squads. “I’m a really sentimental player, so I look at those sort of things. What kind of stadium am I going to play in? That’s special to me. I think about how neat it’s going to be. Even leading up to the game I’m thinking about it.”

Added backup running back Keithen Valentine: “I think it is going to be an honor to play on an NFL field, a lot of great players have played there, so I think that it will be fun.”

The only down side to the trip is that a mediocre crowd is expected. Late last week, athletic director John Currie said not even 40,000 tickets had been sold.

It is a busy weekend for Kansas City sports, what with the Chiefs playing the very next day and the Kansas Lottery 300 going on as well.

But even if area sporting fans are spread out across other areas, that can’t change the fact that K-State has fared very well in Arrowhead.

The Wildcats are 3-1 there with wins over Iowa, Cal and then No. 1 ranked Oklahoma in the 2003 Big 12 championship game. To some, that is the greatest win in K-State history.

Their only Arrowhead loss came to OU 27-24 in the 2000 league championship game.

Coach Bill Snyder said he also thinks well of playing in Kansas City.

“I think that it is an enjoyable stadium to be in,” he said. “I have been to a number of Chiefs games and we have played there several times. It’s a big, spacious stadium. The locker rooms are very accommodating; it’s a fine place to play.”