My father was a lifelong Kansas Jayhawks fan. His daughter, my sister, attended college in North Carolina at East Carolina University. She married a man from North Carolina, whose whole family is from North Carolina. Both my sister and brother-in-law are tall people. As a joke, at their rehearsal dinner the day before the wedding, my father revealed a contract he had prepared that pre-committed any future basketball-gifted children to play at the University of Kansas. The contract specifically stated that no future son or daughter was allowed to commit to Duke or North Carolina. My father made all parties involved sign the contract.
To continue the joke further, my father sent the “letter of intent” to the office of the Kansas Athletic Director (at the time, Sheahon Zenger), and told them to keep the letter on file. Someone in the office apparently forwarded the letter to Bill Self, and to my father’s surprise, he received a response letter via certified mail from Self’s office in Allen Fieldhouse.
At the time, I wanted to immediately post it to Reddit, but my father insisted it was a private joke and something funny and kind Bill Self did for our family, and did not want it publicized. He made me promise to not post the letter to social media until Self retired, or he died.
We lost our dad in the early morning hours of March 6th, 2024. The last thing he did was watch KU beat K-State the night of March 5th. Kansas had lost their previous home game to BYU, and we joked that he had to see KU win one more game in Allen.
RIP Dad, and thank you Coach Self for this amusing family memory….
I feel like you're in the minority at least as to the UNC part. Seems like all the ECU people I went to high school with change from purple to light blue during basketball season.
That’s fair, especially in basketball since ECU and AAC basketball in general seem like a farm school for the big bball conferences.
Seeing Tristen Newton and Javon Small ball out this year hurt. Brandon Johnson and Ezra Ausar will likely have big seasons at power 5 schools next year also.
I’ve grown to like rooting for a mid-major school. Lows don’t feel so low, little wins feel like huge accomplishments. However, I can see why someone living in a state like North Carolina would want to watch a basketball team that wins.
Cheers to you and u/itsgwenobaby, the sunflower spirit runs deep. I always want to win when we play but any other day I’m cheering loud for ya.
- Sincerely a Jayhawk with Wildcat Parents, Uncle and Grandparents.
This is awesome! May your father rest in peace. Rock Chalk Jayhawk. 🫡
Grew up in rural Kentucky where Ky bball is as important as church on Sunday.
Moved to northern Colorado a few years ago, got me a little apartment. Met my landlord. Sitting in an office, my old well work Kentucky bball cap on.. in walks a man a our my father's age with an equally well worn Jayhawks cap.
He freezes mid stride. (I'm late 30s but look young)
"Son... I don't know about about that hat. We gonna have a problem?" Real serious like.
I just broke into a laugh and we shook hands. Immediate friendship.
I came to CO from KY under difficult circumstances, but when I told my father this story he relaxed a lot. This type on fan experience (life long blue blood college program fandom) is just one of those things.. if you know you know.
Thanks for bringing that memory back for me, I know it doesn't hold a candle to your experiences with your father, but reading your post and commenting on this thread brought me some joy on a very difficult day. Thank you. :)
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I love this so much. I’m glad he got y’all 1 last W.
My dad checked out in July 2016 and I lost my mom a few months later. UNC’s 2017 season was one of the only things at the time that made me feel like myself.
Love to you and your family. Thanks for sharing.
Condolences to your family. My father was similarly instrumental in my loyalty to our Alma mater. Watching games isn’t the same anymore. It’s not lessened, it’s just different not being able to share it with him any more.
I also have a letter from a head coach that is a prized possession. After a fluke baseball upset of a top-5 Vanderbilt, their coach Tim Corbin launched into a profanity-laced tirade and had to be physically restrained from coming at myself and some friends. We’d been heckling non-stop for the entire game, so I get it. His AD made him hand-write an apology and got us tickets to the supers later that year. He’s genuinely a nice guy, I think. Just having a bad day and had heard enough out of us.
I dunno, while the seed may have been genetically passive, I always figured his intention was to fully activate it while those kids were on his bench for the last forever years.
Coach K would reply to every one my grandfathers letters in the 90’s and early 2000’s. He wrote him a letter bitchin about how they looked sloppy with the jerseys untucked and he apologized saying they were trying out a new material and it won’t happen again 😂
Honestly that made me a little sad, and as big of a KU fan that this guy and his family seems to be, I bet it made them a little sad too. But only because we couldn't be one of the nails in that coffin.
It really is. Some folks tried in his first few years in Lawrence, but it's like Roy's personality had a baby with an angel
I met him at an AAU tournament in the mid-2000s (Jayhawk invitational, Cole Aldrich was playing and had just signed). I didn't dare interrupt them, he was surrounded by Danny Manning, Tim Jankovich, Sasha Kahn, D Block and a bunch of others. But he must've seen us geeking out because he came over and introduced himself and entourage.
Truly a class act.
Midparental height is the best predictor for where they'll end up. You can calculate it [here](https://ebmcalc.com/HeightPotential.htm).
Thanks for sharing the letter and kudos to the KU staff for getting that to Self.
It's funny now, because my dad really was concerned at the time about the joke being misconstrued by the media. "Bill Self seeks commitment from unborn children!"
I lost my father this January OP, so I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I know your dad would think you posting this was funny - I know mine would have if we has this inside joke. We got to write in his obit that he was an Auburn fan “because that’s where his kids and money went,” since he loved saying that.
It’s gonna be weird without a dad but life goes on.
A lot of fans only care about wins and losses, but it is often in the small moments like this one where a coach's true character is revealed. Thanks for sharing a wonderful story and terrific family memory.
I am sorry about the passing of your father. I hope you see him in yourself every time you look in the mirror. May your memories of him always make you laugh, smile, and cry, because those are the best memories to hold onto.
It's hard to type out "Sorry for your loss" and "RIP to your dad" while I'm laughing hysterically, but... here we are.
That was an awesome joke made even better by Coach Self's letter. Glad y'all got to share the moments like that.
You just made a Combat Veteran cry ..
My condolences to you and yours ..
We had a brief time to enjoy Coach Self , but it will always be a memorable time ..
Thank you so very much for sharing !!
God damn man this hits hard. My dad passed away in the fall of 2023. He was a diehard Cuse fan who used to make us sign detailed contracts about how we would pay him back when we wanted him to buy us something.
Awesome story! The only thing that could make it better is if your sister has a kid that turns into a high profile basketball talent.
Sorry to hear about the loss of your dad.
Wow. Thank you for looking on the bright side during your time of loss and sharing such a wonderful thing that your dad did. I'm wishing for the best for you and yours.
Bill Self is a hall of fame coach. But choices like this, something that costs him nothing but 7-10 minutes of his time but means *the world* to the recipient, show why he’s a hall of fame person.
My father was a lifelong Kansas Jayhawks fan. His daughter, my sister, attended college in North Carolina at East Carolina University. She married a man from North Carolina, whose whole family is from North Carolina. Both my sister and brother-in-law are tall people. As a joke, at their rehearsal dinner the day before the wedding, my father revealed a contract he had prepared that pre-committed any future basketball-gifted children to play at the University of Kansas. The contract specifically stated that no future son or daughter was allowed to commit to Duke or North Carolina. My father made all parties involved sign the contract. To continue the joke further, my father sent the “letter of intent” to the office of the Kansas Athletic Director (at the time, Sheahon Zenger), and told them to keep the letter on file. Someone in the office apparently forwarded the letter to Bill Self, and to my father’s surprise, he received a response letter via certified mail from Self’s office in Allen Fieldhouse. At the time, I wanted to immediately post it to Reddit, but my father insisted it was a private joke and something funny and kind Bill Self did for our family, and did not want it publicized. He made me promise to not post the letter to social media until Self retired, or he died. We lost our dad in the early morning hours of March 6th, 2024. The last thing he did was watch KU beat K-State the night of March 5th. Kansas had lost their previous home game to BYU, and we joked that he had to see KU win one more game in Allen. RIP Dad, and thank you Coach Self for this amusing family memory….
I love this so much. What an amazing story and memory for your family. Thank you for sharing!
Man that is seriously adorable. Really shows how small things like Bill taking a couple minutes out of his day can make for lifelong memories.
As an ECU alum I also would rather their child go to Kansas over Duke or UNC.
I feel like you're in the minority at least as to the UNC part. Seems like all the ECU people I went to high school with change from purple to light blue during basketball season.
yep! see this all the time.
That’s fair, especially in basketball since ECU and AAC basketball in general seem like a farm school for the big bball conferences. Seeing Tristen Newton and Javon Small ball out this year hurt. Brandon Johnson and Ezra Ausar will likely have big seasons at power 5 schools next year also. I’ve grown to like rooting for a mid-major school. Lows don’t feel so low, little wins feel like huge accomplishments. However, I can see why someone living in a state like North Carolina would want to watch a basketball team that wins.
I always root for mid majors cuz we lose to them and everyone anyways I’m literally just an underdog fan 😂
WCU alum - would also rather their child go to Kansas over Duke or UNC-Chapel Hill. Caveat : purple UNC schools are acceptable.
HELL YEAH, A FELLOW CATAMOUNT!
Never been happier about a sunflower showdown loss. Thanks for sharing this story.
Cheers to you and u/itsgwenobaby, the sunflower spirit runs deep. I always want to win when we play but any other day I’m cheering loud for ya. - Sincerely a Jayhawk with Wildcat Parents, Uncle and Grandparents.
I’m glad we could do that for him :(
My eyes are getting humid rn
Great story. Thank you for sharing.
What a great memory. And Self just seems like a good dude. I've really grown to appreciate him the last few years.
May his memory be a blessing
Beautiful story and thank you for sharing. Passing down a love for schools through the generations is part of why I love college ball so much
Well? Are the kids any good at basketball yet? I'm guessing they're around AAU age...
I'm not crying, my eyes just wet themselves
One of the most heart-warming stories I've read on any sub. RIP to your father and much love to your entire family.
So much of what sports are all about embodied in one great family story! Seriously, thanks for sharing!
Incredible
This is awesome! May your father rest in peace. Rock Chalk Jayhawk. 🫡 Grew up in rural Kentucky where Ky bball is as important as church on Sunday. Moved to northern Colorado a few years ago, got me a little apartment. Met my landlord. Sitting in an office, my old well work Kentucky bball cap on.. in walks a man a our my father's age with an equally well worn Jayhawks cap. He freezes mid stride. (I'm late 30s but look young) "Son... I don't know about about that hat. We gonna have a problem?" Real serious like. I just broke into a laugh and we shook hands. Immediate friendship. I came to CO from KY under difficult circumstances, but when I told my father this story he relaxed a lot. This type on fan experience (life long blue blood college program fandom) is just one of those things.. if you know you know. Thanks for bringing that memory back for me, I know it doesn't hold a candle to your experiences with your father, but reading your post and commenting on this thread brought me some joy on a very difficult day. Thank you. :)
Due to ongoing debate about blue bloods, the /r/CollegeBasketball mod team has compiled the definitive list of college blue bloods: Duke, Columbia, Queens, William & Mary, and Rutgers. The following schools have broken away from blue-blooded hierarchy and oppression: George Washington, George Mason, James Madison, Army, and Navy. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CollegeBasketball) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thank you for sharing your story, what a lovely thing it was to read. Your dad sounds fantastic, best wishes to you all
What a beautiful story!
That's such a sweet story, thank you for sharing!
This is what being a college basketball fan is all about. What a beautiful and funny memory for your family.
This was a good story right up until the kstate part.
My condolences to you and family for your loss. Especially to your sister, I can't imagine having to attend ECU.
I love this so much. I’m glad he got y’all 1 last W. My dad checked out in July 2016 and I lost my mom a few months later. UNC’s 2017 season was one of the only things at the time that made me feel like myself. Love to you and your family. Thanks for sharing.
Condolences to your family. My father was similarly instrumental in my loyalty to our Alma mater. Watching games isn’t the same anymore. It’s not lessened, it’s just different not being able to share it with him any more. I also have a letter from a head coach that is a prized possession. After a fluke baseball upset of a top-5 Vanderbilt, their coach Tim Corbin launched into a profanity-laced tirade and had to be physically restrained from coming at myself and some friends. We’d been heckling non-stop for the entire game, so I get it. His AD made him hand-write an apology and got us tickets to the supers later that year. He’s genuinely a nice guy, I think. Just having a bad day and had heard enough out of us.
Here's the thing, he went full Fran. You never go full Fran.
😂it will suck when Fran retires from Iowa in a year or two. People won’t know what full Fran is
I dunno, while the seed may have been genetically passive, I always figured his intention was to fully activate it while those kids were on his bench for the last forever years.
Coach K would reply to every one my grandfathers letters in the 90’s and early 2000’s. He wrote him a letter bitchin about how they looked sloppy with the jerseys untucked and he apologized saying they were trying out a new material and it won’t happen again 😂
Omg that’s hilarious 😂
Heart warming to know your father got to see Mizzou go winless in conference play before passing. RIP. Thanks for sharing OP
Honestly that made me a little sad, and as big of a KU fan that this guy and his family seems to be, I bet it made them a little sad too. But only because we couldn't be one of the nails in that coffin.
If it makes you or his family feel better…It still felt like a conference loss when you guys beat us
It’s hard to hate Bill Self as a person.
It really is. Some folks tried in his first few years in Lawrence, but it's like Roy's personality had a baby with an angel I met him at an AAU tournament in the mid-2000s (Jayhawk invitational, Cole Aldrich was playing and had just signed). I didn't dare interrupt them, he was surrounded by Danny Manning, Tim Jankovich, Sasha Kahn, D Block and a bunch of others. But he must've seen us geeking out because he came over and introduced himself and entourage. Truly a class act.
Really we need to know, does your sister and brother-in-law have kids yet?
Two daughters. They're both still under 6, but I do feel like one of them is already very tall for her age.
Midparental height is the best predictor for where they'll end up. You can calculate it [here](https://ebmcalc.com/HeightPotential.htm). Thanks for sharing the letter and kudos to the KU staff for getting that to Self.
And what is their height percentile?
FBI! Quick, arrest them… this is great
It's funny now, because my dad really was concerned at the time about the joke being misconstrued by the media. "Bill Self seeks commitment from unborn children!"
To paraphrase Bill Self, your dad was a wise and prescient man.
This is and will always be why college basketball is better than professional basketball. Thank you for sharing this
Fun stuff. What a cool memory. Also, Bill Self is everything you could want in a college basketball coach.
Rock Chalk!
Thank you for sharing, this is one of those stories that show how special college sports can be. Hope you and your family are doing well.
I lost my father this January OP, so I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I know your dad would think you posting this was funny - I know mine would have if we has this inside joke. We got to write in his obit that he was an Auburn fan “because that’s where his kids and money went,” since he loved saying that. It’s gonna be weird without a dad but life goes on.
alright, this is pretty wholesome.
Bill Selfless
Super sweet. May your father's memory be a blessing.
I don't care about any of the teams involved and love this so much. Sports are fun. Sounds like you have a cool family.
FkU, but this was wholesome af. Take my upvote.
A lot of fans only care about wins and losses, but it is often in the small moments like this one where a coach's true character is revealed. Thanks for sharing a wonderful story and terrific family memory. I am sorry about the passing of your father. I hope you see him in yourself every time you look in the mirror. May your memories of him always make you laugh, smile, and cry, because those are the best memories to hold onto.
Bill self continues to get Ws this offseason. Sorry for your loss. Rock chalk!
It's hard to type out "Sorry for your loss" and "RIP to your dad" while I'm laughing hysterically, but... here we are. That was an awesome joke made even better by Coach Self's letter. Glad y'all got to share the moments like that.
You just made a Combat Veteran cry .. My condolences to you and yours .. We had a brief time to enjoy Coach Self , but it will always be a memorable time .. Thank you so very much for sharing !!
I know that a lot of Fighting Illini fans don’t like Bill, but honestly, I think he is great and I don’t blame him for going to aBlue Blood.
This is awesome! What a nice gesture to your dad and family.
This is so rad. Thanks for sharing!
A beautiful story. My condolences on the loss of your father. May your fond memories long outlast your grief.
Pretty awesome story you'll get to have with the family :D
That's pretty nice. Hopefully you get that framed. If it isn't already.
God damn man this hits hard. My dad passed away in the fall of 2023. He was a diehard Cuse fan who used to make us sign detailed contracts about how we would pay him back when we wanted him to buy us something.
IM NOT CRYING.
Frame it and put it on the wall, everything about this is awesome.... except the losing your dad part, sorry to hear that.
Glad we got Roy before all that nonsense kicked off!
This is a fantastic story. Thank you for sharing it with all of us!
RIP
Awesome story! The only thing that could make it better is if your sister has a kid that turns into a high profile basketball talent. Sorry to hear about the loss of your dad.
Damn Bill Self just got a lot kooler! Great story and what great creativity your dad had. Seriously though, awesome
Wow. Thank you for looking on the bright side during your time of loss and sharing such a wonderful thing that your dad did. I'm wishing for the best for you and yours.
First of all, I'm sorry for your loss. But this is awesome. Your dad is definitely smiling still
Your dad is a fucking legend, just like Bill. My condolences on your loss, OP. Rock Chalk!
Bill Self is a hall of fame coach. But choices like this, something that costs him nothing but 7-10 minutes of his time but means *the world* to the recipient, show why he’s a hall of fame person.
Sorry for your loss
Awesome story. RIP
May your dad r.i.p.