Kansas’ Wayne Simien talks about Sherron Collins’ senior night speech, being the KU team chaplain, the 2005 first round loss to Bucknell and why his 2003 transformation off the court means so much to him today (run time is 6:57; transcript below the jump).
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Lost Lettermen: This is Jim Weber from LostLettermen.com and I’m joined by Kansas’ Wayne Simien.
I also wanted to ask you about your playing days at Kansas. Obviously a legendary career. My first question for you is you gave one of the greatest speeches in senior night history at Phog Allen Fieldhouse. What were your thoughts on Sherron Collins’ speech, which was another memorable one?
Wayne Simien: Right. I thought Sherron gave a great speech. That I was there in person and it was great being able to see how they set up all the trophies of the championships that he won and the teams that he on right there behind him kind of setting up the backdrop.
And hey it doesn’t matter how eloquent someone sounds or the depth of the things that they’re talking about. If someone gets up on senior night and speaks from their heart then that makes it a good speech in my eyes. And I really feel like that’s what Sherron did. He got up there and shared what his teammates and his coaches meant to him, the fans and his family and it was really sincere. And I thought that it was heartfelt and I thought that he did a great job in sharing those things with so many people.
LL: I know you’re the team chaplain for Kansas. Now will you travel with them on the road during the Tournament?
WS: Yeah, I’m not going to travel with them to the preliminary rounds. My wife and I just had our third child recently and so I need to stay pretty close to home to help out with the kids. But I do plan on going to the Final Four. I’m going to be doing some coaches’ ministry there with the NABC and hopefully the Jayhawks will meet us up there in Indianapolis. But I went to the practices the last couple of days and sent them off yesterday so hopefully they’ll come back victorious during the first round in Oklahoma City and then in St. Louis and I hope to meet them in Indianapolis.
LL: I want to ask you about your career in particular. You went to two Final Fours. One of the greatest Jayhawk careers ever. But how sour of a taste in your mouth did it leave that you lost to Bucknell in your final game?
WS: That was a tough battle. It was great because throughout my whole career I was able to experience both the highs and the lows of the NCAA Tournament. Going all the way to the championship games, two Final Fours, then losing in the first round.
But I understand that Bucknell game. It was disappointing that we lost in the first round. Looking back on that game it was just one of those things where I’m content with how I went out there and gave it everything that I had. Like I did every time when I stepped on the court, particularly my junior and senior seasons.
I don’t really have any regrets or am bitter looking back. It would’ve been nice to have own the game and continue to look forward, absolutely. But when I look in the mirror or when anybody ever brings that game up, it’s like hey, I went out there and gave it everything that I had. And Bucknell was the better team that day and that’s just one of the great things about the NCAA Tournament. And I think that’s the thing that makes it so special. And so that’s just how I kind of see that.
LL: And you had a shot at the very end that would’ve won it. Obviously it was a very difficult, kind of a Christian Laettner-type shot, but do you ever replay that in your head and say, “If I just had put a little more on it …”?
WS: No because it actually felt perfect went it left my hands. It had been a shot I that I had been successful in taking several times before. I actually think that the running hook off the backboard from the free throw line that the guy hit the play before, I think that was even a more impressive shot there.
It’s actually funny because I hit that exact same shot on the exact same pay for the Miami Heat during a preseason game that next year. But yeah it was a Christian Laettner-esque shot kind of, except where we didn’t have the same outcome.
LL: Yeah. And what would you say your favorite memory of Kansas is? I know you had such success on the court. Is it something on the court that stands out to you or something off the court? You obviously underwent a huge transformation there.
WS: Yeah, I would really say it was that last transformation that took place in 2003 when I gave my life to the Lord. That really far surpasses any amount of points scored or any Big 12 championship won or any All-American honor that I was able to attain during my career there. It’s something that I’m mostly excited about. It’s something that I can still continue to use and build upon today.
You know all the trophies and stuff, all that stuff is getting old and dusty and people are forgetting about those types of things. But I’m really able to use my Christian faith now and transferring it to the full-time ministry and to really see people’s lives impacted from an eternal perspective is far greater to me than putting a ball in the basket, entertaining the people for a few hours.
That’s one of the things that I’m most excited about off the court. That’s what I get really fired up when I reminisce about my career at the University of Kansas.
LL: Last question for you; what’s it like when you walk onto campus these days? I’ve been on campus where people see players at the wheel and they just stop traffic. What’s it like when you walk back there and everyone recognizes you?
WS: Since I live here in the community and I’m around pretty regularly. I’m on campus once or twice a week doing ministry work and so people get a chance to see me and come up to me pretty regularly so I wouldn’t say that I stop traffic by any means but a lot of people still come up during games or if I’m out and about in town and comment on being a fan or supporting what I’m doing now in the ministry and it’s great.
I really feel like I’m returning back to being a fan because that’s how I started out, being a Kansas kid living just down the road from Lawrence. And I was a fan who had the opportunity to come here and play and be successful and now I’m returning back to being a fan as well. So it’s great to be able to do that and to know that I was a part of such a great basketball tradition here at the University of Kansas.
Check out Waynen Simien’s site here: http://iamctg.org/ssp/home
Got a question or comment? E-mail him here
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