Story by Tully Corcoran
LAWRENCE — Brandon Rush’s national championship ring sat in a dusty corner in the bowels of Allen Fieldhouse.
Rush had fumbled it for the second time in three minutes. Ironically, the second fumble came as Rush was saying what the best part of Kansas’ national championship ring presentation ceremony, a private event of present and former players and coaches in Allen Fieldhouse.
“Just getting these,” Rush said, pulling his ring out of its velveteen case.
He then sent it crashing to the floor.
“Damn,” he said.
A lot of things have changed for Rush since he earned that ring. He’s rich, now. But he’s found it difficult in his quick trip back to re-acquaint himself with the Lawrence nightlife.
“I couldn’t even get into Abe’s last night,” he said, citing his failed entry into Abe and Jake’s Landing (the place was full). “They shut us down last night.”
Rush isn’t planning on wearing his ring around and showing it off for much longer — “That’s not me,” he said. He’s giving it to his mother, Glenda, who has his Final Four ring and all those Big 12 championship rings.
Darnell Jackson has no such plans for his mother, Shawn.
“She’d lose it,” Jackson said. “She’ll carry it around in her purse and leave her purse around and somebody can take it out of there.
“You could take it to a pawn shop and probably make a lot of money.”
Jackson said he wouldn’t be wearing his ring around, either. Some of his Cleveland Cavaliers coaches called him Friday to congratulate him on getting the ring. He’s the only Cavalier who has a national title ring, but he’s not planning on rubbing that in.
“I’m a rookie, they could stick me in the steam room,” Jackson said.
Jackson said he’s settled into Cleveland. He bought a three bedroom house and a bunch of furniture recently. Says he loves playing with Lebron James and Ben Wallace.
But being in Allen Fieldhouse again got him a little nostalgic.
“I was going through campus today, just remembering walking to class, not going to class,” he said. “Me and Mario (Chalmers) was talking about how we just wish we could go in that tunnel one more time, just skip practice and play in the games, and just start all over.”
Tully Corcoran can be reached at (785) 295-5652 or tully.corcoran@cjonline.com.
Source: http://www.cjonline.com/
