University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

Page 28 text:

Celebrating Ramadan I About 400 non-Muslim KU students and Lawrence residents took part in the Ramadan Fast-a thon on October l8'h. Participants vowed to abstain from food, drink, tobacco, and sex for the day The Muslim Student Association has held this event for three years. The event was originally held at the University of Tennessee in 2001. The Islamic communities that participate at 250 college campuses attempt to demonstrate the values of compassion and charity in order to reduce hunger and homelessness in their various communities Dr. Moussa El-Bayoumy, director of the Islamic Society of Lawrence, gave a small introduction to the fasters explaining the importance of Ramadan and its emphasis on the third and fourth pillars of Islam, namely fasting and charity. The event included several presentations and explanations of Z certain Islamic religious practices and sayings UDK l0!l9 ' Q

Page 27 text:

IFQQ 17 ig+ K V, Vi fur ' ga ff I P5 X if 5 K '1-A jj I F 4' j Worxiagginvefzfime U A G K 0 K F1' avis struggles to pull himself aww craft. He anrioiunces Kansas football in the fall, Kansas basketball in the winter and spring, and Royals baseball throughout the summer. Before he started announcing Royals games, Davis was a sports talk show host on KMBZ in Kansas City. Davis still hiidto do his gig with KMBZ when the J ayhawg-'were onethe road. Producer-engineer of the J ayfhhwk network Bob Newton, who used to room with Davis on road trips, remembers the moming broadcasts aleftoo well. He'd be up at the crack of dawn--tl1at'booming voice on the phone doing his morning sports reportf' Newton said. f'And Ild open one eye and look over there and heis sitting in his shorts on the bed with his legs crossed, media guides and newspapers and stat sheets spread out all over the bed, doing, fBob Davis, 980, KMBZ sports' And I'd look over and say, 'If people could only see this.' And he goes, 'don't tell anybody. ' Respected among peers Those who work with him-Newton, his football broadcast partner David Lawrence and Jayhawk Radio Network general manager Angela Haar-all say the same thing about Davis: hels great at what he does. He doesn't make mistakes so itls hard to get a mistake to tease him on because he's just really good at what he does, Lawrence said. Newton and Lawrence both said even though Davis is so talented, he doesn't let it go to his head. Davis has gotten to where he is by knowing his place Qgtobep 2006 The J ayhawker X!Sf!.'f-9159? at an 5,1 51 i 'Tve always thought the game was the thing, Davis said. f'People might like an announcer but they really tune in to hear the game. And thatls what they're interested in-not so much hearing your head rattle. But don't let Davis fool youg when people tune in to hear a Jayhawk broadcast, they're going to be entertained-as he admits when he calls himself a journalist and an entertainer, Davis is also entertaining off the air. His co-workers said on road trips he always tells stories and makes them laugh. He used to get Max Falkenstien, his former partner in the booth, laughing so hard that Falkenstien would tell him, uDon't make me laugh. I'm going too hoarse. I'm not going to be able to talk during the game. Davis said he's the same person on and off the air. You,ve just got to be yourselff, he said. I listened to a lot of people growing up and I don't think I cautiously patterned myself after anybody. But I think the thing about sports casting is there are probably about as many ways to do it as there are people doing it. And I don't think you can be somebody you're not. If you have enthusiasm, I think it has to be genuine and not forced. I know some guys who rarely get excited or are excited at a time when it's really not time to be. I just think you have to be what you are and hopefully it works? Davis doesn't try to hide that he's a Jayhawk fan, but he's a broadcaster tirst. I think he's got the perfect balance of being a homer and being a journalist, Newton said. When the Jayhawks score a touchdown, one of their biggest fans can be found in the radio booth-leaping out of his chair and excitedly telling the world. His heart and soul are in those broadcasts, Haar says. He's as fired up as those people in the stands are-if not more. Heis got that same energy as the people taking the goalposts down ' 6 607 Yearbook Page O25 in the broadcasts.

Page 29 text:

V. mwwwr Jw 'SSW ,fu 1 ww-lug 'Q 4:1 ldv iidiiiq, -r I I A. Qbk ., X 'J 11 ' in