Another meet, another win – but this one was still a little special. Senior K-State high jumper Erik Kynard has been wowing crowds since his freshman year and did it again over the weekend by setting the highest jump in an outdoor meet this season.

The Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, CA last week featured four competitors from the 2012 Olympic Games in London, including 2011 IAAF World Champion Jesse Williams. While Williams and Michael Mason cleared 7’7″, Kynard hit 7’8″ to both set a new Mr. SAC Relays record and ty his own school record. As noted above, his performance is also the new top mark in the outdoors this season.

“Erik jumped well. I think this was one of his best meets ever,” observed K-State Head Coach Cliff Rovelto. “We had a lot of solid marks today at both the meets we competed at in California. Probably, the most impressive was the men’s 4×400. All four guys ran really well.”

The Wildcat 4X400 team Rovelto was referring to ran the third fastest relay time in school history. The squad, consisting of Ifeanyi Otuonye, Carlos Rodriguez, Jay-J Parks and Chris Campbell,  finished fourth behind a team from Japan, Western Kentucky and the Big’s Texas Tech. K-State’s final time was 3:06.64, finishing .21 seconds behind Texas Tech.

Erik Kynard, Olympic Silver Medalist. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

Confident… flashy… talented… all words that aptly describe K-State track star Erik Kynard. After leaping over 7-07.75 at the 2012 London Olympics, another descriptor applies: Olympic Silver Medalist.

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Erik Kynard. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE.

On a day full of surprisingly early exits from the high jump competition, Erik Kynard maintained his focus. Kynard advanced to the Olympic high jump finals after clearing 7-06.00.

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Austra Skujyte with fellow competitors at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

It is undeniably true that Erik Kynard is certainly worthy of the extensive coverage we’ve given him. As the 6th-ranked high jumper in the world, he is KSU’s best hope for an Olympic medal. Having covered both his NCAA season, as well as his pursuit of a place on the United States 2012 Olympic Team, it is important to note that he is not the only K-Stater to be representing their country in London this summer. Five others will represent their respective countries in track & field during the upcoming week.

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Kate. (obscenity). Upton. Credit: RedCarpetDivas.com

“First and foremost, coaches, and then players, have to really recognize what are the issues. We’re in that process right now. We got a decent start on it (Monday), and we hope to continue through the week.” – Bill Snyder, doing a “Monday’s” joke.

Good afternoon and how the hell are ya!? I’m so glad you’re here, because on this week’s BSLSH, a grave injustice will be avenged! It has the nation talking, and word is Bill Snyder himself is aghast. Also–along with (of course) some thoughts on your very own K-State Wildcats–observations on the Star Wars vs Star Trek debate will be sprinkled in.

And, here…we…go:

• KATE UPTON WAS CALLED FAT. KATE #$@!ing UPTON!  Who has the right to do such a thing? Kate Upton is a goddess! Kate Upton’s picture is used in eye doctors’ offices to determine if patients can see! If the patient says, “She looks fat” the doctor immediately begins lasik surgery. Oh no! A woman who actually eats and looks DAMN healthy! Someone grab a halter and a set of bells!
• Speaking of bells… wow, that woman is gifted. 
• Collin Klein made the O’Brien award watch list for best college quarterback for the upcoming season. That’s pretty awesome. It’s amazing how far he has come. It wasn’t that long ago fans were debating between him and Justin Tuggle. Now, Tuggle has been moved to linebacker. No word, though, on who would be the better linebacker.
• It’s KATE UPTON! Come on! If she’s “fat”, I’m the ugliest person to ever exist! (Easy now… it’s a humor column and I’m adorable.)
• Sticking with football, EA Sports has Kansas State in the national championship this coming season (with an undefeated season to boot) in this year’s college football video game. It was done by the game simulating the entire season simply based on team statistics.
• Star Trek is on FX, and it was just stabbed in the face with a commercial.
• I’ve been surprised that many fans haven’t either A.) bought his/her K-State 2012 BCS National Championship shirt already, or B.) at least verbally declared the big trophy. C’mon guys! It’s EA Sports! We’re awesome! It’s inevitable!
• The blogger named “Skinny Gurl” — who I assume is some spelling-challenged 13-year old trust-fund tween — said of Miss Upton “Huge thighs, NO waist, big fat floppy boobs, terrible body definition — she looks like a squishy brick. Is this what American women are ‘striving’ for now? The lazy, lardy look?” YES.  Yes they are. And if that is what Kate Upton looks like, then YES A MILLION TIMES. Dinner time, Skinny Gurl… it’s time to watch MTV and not notice your mom’s botched boob job.
• The K-State basketball team is getting ready for Brazil. I sincerely hope all goes well for the guys and new head coach Bruce Weber. Seems like things are going smooth for the program and no one has had anything really negative to report. Which, is such a change since the last regime.
• The thing about Star Trek is that it’s more intellectual than Star Wars. And easy on the proton torpedoes and thermal detonators, Star Wars fans. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Star Wars has always been much stronger in story and themes. I even watched Episode 1 in 3D on opening night this winter. Yeah… I’m a fan. But the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek brings out the best in the franchise and does so in a super fun and intellectual way. There’s a lot going on and there is much more to keep up with.
• Oh yeah… K-State has an Olympian!!! High-jumper Erik Kynard is eight days away from the 2012 London Games. The Purple Pride from KSU nation has been cool to see for a sport that otherwise doesn’t get near the attention it deserves.
• I mean, Captain Kirk is born in the WORST possible situation. Some white bald guy with TATS comes from the future,  goes BLITZKRIEG on the SAME fleet his mom and dad are A PART OF and his dad is the ONLY ONE LEFT to save his mom, HIS OWN SELF… while being BORN, and 800 others by GOING KAMIKAZE! Luke, on the other hand, got to see Natalie Portman’s lady-parts. Point Star Trek.
• I spelled “blitzkrieg” correct on the first try.
• Kate, if you are reading this, I apologize on behalf of that terrible, angry 13-year old. You are perfection. There is nothing wrong with you. There is everything wrong with us. If you need someone to talk to… someone to lean on… someone to watch “Magic Mike” with, let me know. I’m here for you.

That’s it for this week, my friends. Join me and watch Kate Upton runway videos to protest this great debacle!

See ya next time. Go State.

Mandatory Credit: Douglas C. Pizac-US PRESSWIRE

Good day, boys and girls.

I hope you all had a fantastic Fourth of July, and that there was at least one non-serious, yet humorous, fireworks injury you all witnessed that can be told over drunken campfires for years and years to come. I had such an incident in high school.

My buddy lived by a river and we decided to have a fireworks war on one of its sandbars. Well, preceding the epic battle, my other buddy accidentally bulls-eye’d my right nipple with a roman candle from 20 feet away.

True story.

The legend goes that the roman candle ball “stuck” to my nipple for a good 10 seconds, before all the flesh that was left to burn had been consumed. I calmly sat down my Mountain Dew and jumped in the river. Granted, the next day and days later it looked like a charred, solid Iron-Man-esque circle was misplaced on my torso, but you better believe I fought the good fight in the fireworks war hours after the incident.

That was over a decade ago, but for those lucky enough to see my right nipple up close and personal, the scar is still visible. Yes, ladies, I technically have a third nipple area.

Anyway, on to this week’s BSLSH…

• How about K-State’s Erik Kynard, eh? He made Team USA in the high-jump and is the first active K-Stater to make an Olympic team since Nathan Leeper did so in the 2000 Sydney Games. Leeper was also a high-jumper. Kynard is officially the coolest person in Manhattan.
• Speaking of cool people, how about the man behind K-State track and field… head coach Cliff Rovelto? He not only trains Kynard, but is also the coach of the other two members of the Team USA high jump team, Jessie Williams and Jamie Nieto – both professionals. KSU has a reputation in the track and field circles as being “High Jump U” and Rovelto is a big reason for that. It’s extremely rare that all three athletes who make an Olympic team share the same trainer – and even Rovelto, who is normally excruciatingly humble – admitted to me last week that he didn’t recall another instance of that happening in his 20-plus years of being in the track and field scene.
• I watched WWE “Raw” the other night with one of my friends, who is a major, major fan. I learned a lot.
• Seriously, though… Rovelto is the real deal. He may be the most successful – and most internationally respected – head coach in K-State history who isn’t named “Bill Snyder”.
• Well, Anderson Cooper is gay. In other shocking news, Kim Kardashian is famous because her family is rich and she banged Ray J on the internet, chicks dig “Magic Mike”, Willie the Wildcat is actually a student, and peanut butter and jelly have the makings to combine for an easy on-the-go sandwich.
• There was way, way, way too much Ray J, and not near enough Kim K in that one. It’s sad to say, but I’m afraid if Ray J’s, uh… “private parts” left his body and committed a crime, there’s a good chance the millions of us that have seen the video can draw a composite sketch of what the perpetrator looks like.
• Hey, Lebron James is a champion now! It’s like he’s a whole different person now! (Cleveland disagrees.)
• Am I the only person that thought the KU basketball marijuana bust was the most ridiculous thing ever reported? Wow… college kids smoke pot. What a huge piece of “breaking news”. Next they are going to tell me Anderson Cooper is gay.
• What the hell has happened to The History Channel? What’s “historic” about some hillbilly shooting an alligator in the face?
• Alligators are pro-gun control. Which is historic, because they used to be anti-gun control during the Civil War. Also, they are aliens.
• So, Michael Beasley is a Phoenix Sun, now? I sincerely hope that works out for him, but if he wants to take a break from the astute life advice he gets from Spongebob Squarepants, I know a K-State high-jumper that can throw down some real tips for being a one-of-a-kind athlete.
• The WWE taught me it’s never good to ask out the other wrestler’s girlfriend. I will never ask out another wrestler’s girlfriend, nor a girl wrestler’s girlfriend.
• When will Sean Hannity announce he’s gay?
• If you haven’t seen Texas A&M’s “SEC welcome” video, do yourself a favor and check it out. I’m confident Octomom’s decision to do porn was more inspired and in more professional taste.

And that’s what’s making Bill Snyder laugh SO hard this week, my friends. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a high school buddy to track down and a roman candle to purchase.

See ya next week!

Erik Kynard. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE

Normally this site doesn’t use exclamation points in headlines, but Erik Kynard is a special case. The first Kansas State undergrad to represent the United States as an Olympian since Nathan Leeper in 2000, Kynard finished second to Jamie Nieto in the 2012 United States Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.

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Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE

5 of 13 finalists have K-State connections

K-STATE SPORTS INFORMATION

June 23, 2012

EUGENE, Ore. – NCAA high jump champion Erik Kynard advanced to the final of the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials with ease on Saturday evening at Hayward Field. With the top 12 jumpers slated to advance to Monday’s final, Kynard was one of only four jumpers to clear all three bars cleanly with no misses.
Kynard cleared bars at 6-10.75 (2.10 meters), 7-00.50 (2.15m) and 7-01.75 (2.21m) on his first attempt each time. He will compete for the chance to wear the Red, White and Blue on Monday night at 7:50 p.m. Central, 5:50 p.m. Pacific time.

The field battled poor weather as heavy rains came and went throughout the competition during the second day of the Olympic Trials from TrackTown USA.

K-State Head Coach Cliff Rovelto also had three professional jumpers who train with him in the competition. They along with Kynard represent the only four jumpers to clear all three bars cleanly on Saturday evening.

Reigning world champion Jesse Williams was perfect on Saturday as well as 2004 Olympian Jamie Nieto and former NCAA Division II champion Jim Dilling. They will all be in the field of 13 jumpers in the field on Monday as there was a tie at 11th place.

One future Wildcat also made the final in the high jump. Zack Riley grabbed one of the final spots as he and two others tied for 11th. He advanced despite not clearing the third bar in the poor conditions with the top 12 originally set to move to the final. Riley signed a National Letter of Intent in February out of Renn Lake Community College in Illinois and has a personal best jump of 7-05.00 (2.26m) and is an NJCAA champion.

Rovelto said Kynard did a good job of jumping in the wet conditions after doing so in winning his first NCAA title last year.

“I thought Erik looked very good,” Rovelto said.”Jesse, Jim and Jamie also jumped well, particularly under the rainy conditions. It was also nice to see Zack Riley make the final.”

Monday’s final can be followed with live results provided by flashresults.com. Fans can also keep up with the action via Twitter by following the handle @kstate_gameday. NBC Sports Network will have two hours of coverage airing from 8-10 p.m. CT as well.

In earlier action at the U.S. Trials on Friday, former K-Sate track star Christian Smith competed in the first round of the 800 meters. Smith finished sixth in his heat, crossing the finish line in 1:49.21. He finished 25th overall to miss his bid at repeating as a member of Team USA at the Olympic Games. Smith qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games in the 800 meters.

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

Two former K-State athletes competing at Olympic Trials

K-STATE SPORTS INFORMATION

June 21, 2012

Olympic Trials Notes Package 

Olympic Trials Bio Blast 

Live Results: U.S. Olympic Trials – Canadian Olympic Trials

U.S. Olympic Trials T.V. Schedule

MANHATTAN, Kan. - A trio of Kansas State Wildcats are preparing to chase their Olympic dreams this month. Back-to-back NCAA high jump champion Erik Kynard is hoping to qualify for Team USA this weekend and senior heptathlete Ryann Krais is set to compete on the final weekend of the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials next week. Freshman Alyx Treasure is ranked No. 2 in her native Canada and has her sites set on a spot on the Olympic team in the women’s high jump as well.

The U.S. Olympic Trials begin Friday in Eugene, Ore., where action will run through July 1st at legendary Hayward Field. TrackTown USA will be buzzing with the best athletes in America looking to represent the Red, White and Blue in London this summer for the 2012 Olympic Games. The Canadian Trials are slated for June 27-30 in Calgary.

Kynard leapt a new school record at the NCAA Championships as he is the first Wildcat to clear 7-08.00 (2.34m). His mark also broke the Drake Stadium record in a dramatic high jump competition that saw the Wildcat and three-time NCAA champion Derek Drouin battle. Kynard is set to compete in the qualifying round of the high jump on Saturday at 4:20 p.m. Pacific time. The field will be narrowed down to 12 competitors at that time before jumping in the final on Monday at 5:50 p.m.

Krais won the Big 12 title in the heptathlon and also indoors in the pentathlon. At the NCAA meet, she finished 14th outdoors and fifth indoors. She has seen success in TrackTown USA, where she finished second at the 2011 USA Championship in the heptathlon. Last year, Krais scored 6,030 points to finish second and narrowly miss a spot on Team USA for the IAAF World Championships.

Treasure is one of the most decorated young athletes from Canada. She won the Canadian Junior Championship last season and then stepped up to compete against older competition and finished fifth at the Canadian Championship. She finished fifth at the Big 12 outdoor meet this season as a freshman and won the indoor crown. She enters the Canadian Track and Field Trials ranked No. 2 at 6-00.50 (1.84m). She trails Jillian Drouin, sister of Indiana Hoosier Derek Drouin, by three centimeters. The qualifying round of the high jump is slated for 5:30 p.m. June 28 with the final the following day at the same time.

One former Wildcat will be in Eugene scouting the action for Team USA. All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up both indoor and outdoor, Gwen Wentland-Mikinski is a member of the USA Track and Field coaching staff for this year’s Olympic Games. She will serve as the women’s assistant coach for jumps.

Two other former Wildcats will be competing for a spot on the team as well. Amy Mortimer looks to qualify in the 1,500 meters. She will run the qualifying round on June 28. Olympian Christian Smith will be running the 800 meters, hoping to make the team again after a dramatic diving finish to qualify in 2008. The first round is set for 5:20 p.m. Friday with semifinals at 4:45 p.m. Saturday. The final will be Monday at 7:47 p.m.

NBC will be providing live coverage from the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. The network will air coverage Saturday and Sunday as well as the final two days of the meet. The newly launched NBC Sports Network will also have coverage Friday and June 25-29. Check your local listings for times and to see if your cable or satellite provider carry NBC Sports Network.

The Canadian Track and Field Trials will be broadcast on CBC Sports. Check your local listings for times and to see if you get the network. The network will air two hours live on television and another two hours of live online steaming on its website.

Fans will be able to follow the action at the U.S. Olympic Trials online with live results provided by flashresults.com. Updates will also be available on Twitter. Those wanting to stay in the know in that manner, can follow @kstate_gameday as well as @USATrack_Field. Hashtags #KStateTrack ,  #London2012 and #Eugene2012 will be used throughout the U.S. Trials. Information from Canadian Trials can be followed on @AthleticsCanada with a live results link available atwww.2012trials.ca.

Erik Kynard. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE

High jumper up for track and field’s top collegiate honor

June 18, 2012

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State high jumper Erik Kynard successfully defended his NCAA title earlier this month in becoming only the eighth jumper in collegiate history to clear 7-08.00 or higher. For his performance this season, the USTFCCCA has named him a semifinalist for The Bowerman Award.
The Bowerman, the Heisman Trophy of track and field, was introduced in 2009 and is presented annually to the top male and female NCAA track and field athletes in the nation and sponsored by the USTFCCCA. The award honors former University of Oregon head coach Bill Bowerman. In addition to his history of success at Oregon, he was instrumental in helping establish the system of autonomous federations to control individual sports in the United States today and also is credited with helping fuel the jogging craze in America during the 1970’s. Bowerman was a cofounder of Nike and is most recognized within the company for his creation of the waffle sole by pouring rubber on a waffle iron.

Kynard was announced as one of 10 semifinalists for the award. The list reads like an exclusive club with all 10 semifinalists winning at least one NCAA title this season. Two semifinalists won two events at Drake Stadium earlier this month.

With his jump of 2.34 meters (7-08.00), Kynard tied for fifth all-time in the collegiate ranks. He has turned his attention from defending his NCAA crown to making the 2012 Olympic Games. Kynard is set to jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Saturday afternoon in Eugene, Ore. If he makes the top 12 during the qualifying round on Saturday, he will make next Monday’s final in hopes of finishing in the top three and earning the right to wear Red, White and Blue in London.

The Bowerman Advisory Board will deliberate before announcing three finalists on June 29 with the winner announced in December. Kynard is the first semifinalist for the award from the Big 12 Conference in its brief history.

2012 The Bowerman Semifinalists
Name, School, Event
Donn Cabral, Princeton, Distance
Jordan Clarke, Arizona State, Throws
Tim Glover, Illinois State, Javelin
Charles Jock, UC Irvine, Mid-Distance
Erik Kynard, K-State, High Jump
Cam Levins, Southern Utah, Distance
Tony McQuay, Florida, Sprints
Maurice Mitchell, Florida State, Sprints
Andrew Riley, Illinois, Sprints/Hurdles
Alexander Ziegler, Virginia Tech, Throws

Previous Bowerman Men’s Winners
2009: Galen Rupp, Oregon, Distance
2010: Ashton Eaton, Oregon, Combined Events
2011: Ngoni Makusha, Florida State, Sprints/Jumps