Some of you may have noticed a tweak to the KC Confidential masthead…
A year or so ago, after moving to Lawrence, I kind of half-assed launched a companion website called Lawrence Confidential. The objective; take advantage of my being stationed here in LA and try and offer this laid back, basketball-crazy burg an alternative news and entertainment option.
After all, with the exception of the odd tabloid that came and went over the years – the Lawrence Journal World and the small town boss hawgs in the Dolph Simons family had thingspretty well buttoned up when it came to what passes for news here.
Alas I was too ambitious, a crazy year got the better of me and I didn’t have the horsepower to make a full time go of it.
The flip side of that coin?
As the recently defrocked editor of the Journal World told me the other day, this town is just too sleepy, too content, too complacent. And frankly, I have to agree.
There’s a handful of business dudes who run roughshod over the populace – often with the blessings of KU – and the rest of the folks are divided among those to whom college basketball is the center post of their lives and/or they’re suffering from a lifelong affliction of chronic shoulder shrugging.
Because when you get right down to it, after a little more than a year of living here, I haven’t the foggiest notion of what defines this town, outside of basketball and the mundane presence of the university and its ubiquitous student population and rental properties.
Let me drill down a bit further…
There are no true, standup civic leaders in Lawrence, not one…not really.
Just self-dealing, vested interests. That and a 95,000 strong herd of “contented cows.”
So I’m basically crying, “Uncle!” but not totally.
It took too much time to just manage a separate site. Time that I could have better spent writing a story of four every week. And by consolidating the two, that’s what I hope to accomplish.
I’ve always thought of Lawrence as a suburb of Kansas City.
That’s why I wrote about it so often in my column in the Kansas City Star. Some sports fans from Missouri and K-State thought it was because I was a homer for the Hawks, but I’m an Arizona dude. And now that I’m bunking here, the cult-like status of the Jayhawks is a total turnoff, rest assured.
No, I write about KU and Lawrence because it’s a satellite of Kansas City. Cowtowners come here for all sorts of reasons – to shop, buy clothes, dine out, partake of entertainment options – just like I did.
Pardon my saying so, but damn few people in Kansas City make a habit of hanging out in Columbia, Missouri or Manhattan, Kansas. Nor do they care much what goes on in those towns outside of sports or some dramatic crime happening.
So I’m pretty sure that most of the topics I write about involving Lawrence or KU will be of some interest to many KC Confidential readers.
Things like Starbucks screwing over the locals. Rumors about KU coach Bill Self‘s sex life. The nastiest, rodent-infested movie theater in the region and the health department that continues to turn a blind eye to the situation.
So as I prepare to turn out the lights and direct the other site here, allow me to liberate a few stories for you in the next day or two that ran on Lawrence Confidential in the interest of maybe showing you what you missed, what you might expect and preserving them for posterity.
Thanks for listening…
Drink the jayhawk fool-aid Hearne, drink freely of the fool-aid.
Yes.
hearne…seems your new hometown is having a murder surge.
What is going on in Lawrence. would be interested to know your
take from the inside scoop.
Ask and you soon shall receive.
Are those REAL tattoos?
Yes.
“As the recently defrocked editor of the Journal World told me the other day, this town is just too sleepy, too content, too complacent. And frankly, I have to agree.”
Potts is still in Lawrence? I figured he would have scurried back to the east coast by now.
hearne…I keep suggesting stories for you to writeabout…
I’m gonna have to start charging you.
And while you’re at it…since news broke yesterday about the best d lineman
in the nation…maybe we get y our entire writing crews opinion about
sam.
I can see it now…whinery says its all a leftist communist conspiracy plot to take
over Americas favorite sport…..yes.
Ah yes, where would we all be without your kind advice?
Best “D” lineman in the nation? Good God! Try not to be such a homer, H-Man. There are (17) to (20) other D-lineman projected to be drafted before Sam.
Hell Harley, Sam wasn’t even the best defensive end on his own team. That distinction goes to Kony Ealy.
Harley probably knows Michael Sam and his family from his lawforlife.com efforts. In fact, I would bet money that if Michael Sam ever goes down for Sodomy, Harley can get it reduced to “Following Too Closely.”
tell that to sporting news….usa….all the major
rating services in America!!!!! was kony unaninimous
choice.
Kony had a great year…I just go by what the real
experts in evaluating talent say….now what
you think you know.
I’ve read your comments…not too bright…and this
one surely provesthat you’re not correct again.
They’re both great players…had great years….
but sam got all the big big big big time awards
across the nation from the people who are experts.
you don’t know anything compared to the experts…
so refrain from comments like you made here. It
makes you look stupid…especially to MU fans!!!!!!!!!!!
your friend
Harley
little jimmy…..why would you doubt Harley….did you read
what I said…best d lineman in nation.
NOt my opinion…but Sporting News (I think they know
more than you) plus about 3 or 4 other very well known
organizations that named him one of the best…that
statement I made didn’t mention his draft position because
many drafts said he was too small for that position.
as far as being best in the nation…I think the people who
really know football at the college level know more about
talent than you and you’re little stupid comment.
Learne to read boys…it will make you more successful
in the real world…..
In my opinion he’s the best although your ignorance
makes me realize that maybe you should learn to
use data from expeerts instead of trying to show Harley
is wrong..
remember you two boobs…Harley is never wrong!!!!!!!!!!
go read sporting news or that he was unanimous selection
then get back to me.
Don’t try to deny Harley….look at old man baldy chuck..
he’s tried and look at his life situation!!!!!!!!!!hahahaha
Sorry, Halinator. When you are drafted in the 4th or 5th round and 15 or 16 other defensive linemen are drafted BEFORE you, there isn’t much question that you are NOT the best D-Lineman in the nation. Period. this isn’t an opinion. It’s fact. Kiper and all the other draft “experts” have him projected at a 3rd to 5th round draft pick. It appears I am not the only one that thinks he is NOT the best D-Lineman in the nation.
you’re an idiot…can you read…..then why
didn’t the other linemen win unanimous
all American…sporting news top d lineman…
I never mentioned his draft spot or anything
about his draft..
many times (as I will school you in this) the
top player in the position is not drafted before
others less talented.
how many quarterback were drafted behind
tebow…..how many all American players
in college get picked further down the
board than others who weren’t given the
big awards.
Not a homer…sam had a great year according
to the experts IN COLLEGE!!!!!
they don’t base those college awards on
where a guy gets drafted….
Idiots like you do!!!!!! How many all
americans are drafted after others who
werenbn’t chosen by usa/sproting news
etc….it happens all the time.
You’re an idiot!
REMEMBER DUMBY….THIS….
when you get unanimous selection as all
American those same people who voted
probably realized that sam was considered
by talent scouts (not some amateur idiot
like you) to be a little too small for his
position in the pros. some considered making
him a linebacker like what seattle did.
But nooooooooooooooooooooooo…idiiots
like you who argue from fantasy ideas wants
to continue arguing when the facts are
pretty evident.
As I said…Harley is always right….you are
wrong again.
Letm e repeat that…Harley is right…..
go to sporting news…read what they said…
even they said he probably would go in the
mid rounds….but THEY STILL MADE HIM
one of the best dlinemen in the nation.
Fools always try to impress people.
You are a fool…but you don’t impress people.
Ive received emails already from people
on this issue and resoundingly they
say that you are a freaking loser and you
are wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
read my commenyts.
You obviously pay a lot of attention to what
I write having said I’m a “homer” etc…etc…
for that I thank you for reading all my
comments.
I’m one of the few on here who is highly
read besides probably wislon and glaze.
Youfollow me like a little dog.
Now go back to your dog house.
thanks.
Your friend
Harley
let me make this point…I do count you
as one of my valuable followers. You read
everything I write. And I thank you
for that. I have never read anything you
write because you don’t say anything besides
worthless garbage.
Poor, poor Harley. It would be a nice change if you could articulate a point without name calling. For some reason, I’m an idiot, a dog, a freaking loser and a “dumby”. I think you meant dummy, but what do I know. Do you know me? Have we met? Once you start slinging around insults and name-calling, you’ve lost the debate. Now, listen to me carefully. Winning awards to NOT make you the “best” anything. It makes you an award winner (see UNDRAFTED Collin Klein). I know these distinctions are difficult for you to understand, But give it a shot. Hell, ESPN Scouts rate him the 12th best defensive lineman. Repeat, the 12th. Now, go rant and rave and name-call those ESPN “idiots”. Don’t they know Harley says he’s the “best”?! Thanks so much for reading more of my “garbage”. I’m curious how you can respond to something you don’t read.
“As the recently defrocked editor of the Journal World told me the other day, this town is just too sleepy, too content, too complacent. And frankly, I have to agree.”
Potts is still in Lawrence? I figured he would have scurried back to the east coast by now.
He bought a house here for his one year jaunt at the Journal World.
Don’t think he’s in any hurry to leave but my guess is he’ll be here for a while anyway. Lawrence may be sleepy, but it’s a nice place to visit.
Who exactly makes the boring trek to Lawrence “to shop, buy clothes, dine out, partake of entertainment options”?? I don’t know anybody that does this — and that includes even my beaker friends out in JoCo. Other than partaking in such activities before or after a basketball game, I’m not sure there as many people making that trek as you think. They sure as hell aren’t driving there from up here in God’s country north of the river.
Word of advice (or personal plea) — tag any post about Lawrence with “Quantrill’s Revenge” so those of us not drinking the kool-aid can keep on walking.
Easy Markus…
I’m not saying it’s a wholesale migration, KC to LA. But I don’t know many people who travel to Blue Springs, Independence, Raytown, Fill-in-the-Blank either.
That said, Lawrence is part of the KC eco system and by my measure, a far cry of greater interest than towns a two to three hour drive away…unless you grew up or went to college there.
I’ll do you a favor by trying my best to make whatever I write about in LA worth your while. Starting first thing tomo morning.
Don’t miss it!
shopping in Lawrence…didn’t the kmart shut down?
target in Lawrence? restuarants…is your buddys
steakhouse still open or did they burn that down too?
bars….? how about comedy? they have comedy in
lawrnce don’t they….?
tourist atrractions? uh..fambroughs bench?
they do have allen field house but even you are bored
with that whole scene.
money…wealth….lots of that in Lawrence…uh nooooo!
lawrnce is a major business center …lots of top ceos
and business movers and shakers? uh no….
more to come dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Lawrence Super Target is still open. First in the KC area, FYI.
My buddy’s steakhouse? Dunno.
It’s just a very sleepy town with way too much preoccupation with basketball.
rods steak house?
Rod Anderson? never went there it was dead on arrival however many years ago.