Sports > Kansas State Wildcats

Posted on Wed, Nov. 11, 2009

e-mail	print	RSS	reprint
AIM	Digg it	del.icio.us	Facebook

Gregory is Wildcats' answer man

The K-State quarterback loves to spend his spare time soaking up sports trivia, much to his teammates' delight.

BY KELLIS ROBINETT

The Wichita Eagle

MANHATTAN — When Grant Gregory is away from class and off the football field, he spends most of his time reading about sports.

His favorite Web site is ESPN.com, and he enjoys discovering fun facts about players and coaches from around the country. If he stumbles across an interesting article on a college football stadium, even better.

The Kansas State senior quarterback enjoys it all, and puts that information to use. Just ask teammate Wade Weibert.

"He's probably the most entertaining guy to watch sports with," said Weibert, a junior center. "He knows so many facts and so much information. It doesn't matter what sport it is, he'll tell you something interesting about someone who's playing."

He often goes so far as to correct the commentators.

Some have suggested he try to become one after he finishes college. That's certainly a job he could see himself accepting.

"I'd love to," he said. "I'd have to break in and go a long way, but football is my life. If I don't coach, I want to do something with it."

Gregory's teammates say he would excel in that position. In his one season with the Wildcats, he has already shared enough random football information with them that he's earned the nickname "Rain Man."

"I know more useless football information than any person you'll ever meet," Gregory said. "I've forgotten more about football than most people know at my age."

During K-State's weekly news conference on Tuesday, Gregory's football knowledge was put to the test.

Give us a random fact about a college football stadium, one reporter asked.

Gregory grew up hoping to be an architect, has always been fascinated by college football stadiums and still collects their miniature versions today. He didn't hesitate.

"The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York, is named after the Carrier air conditioning company, but they don't have air conditioning in the building," Gregory said. "It's in New York. It's cool up there. They don't need air conditioning."

What about Missouri, the team K-State will play in its final home game of the season on Saturday?

"Faurot Field-Memorial Stadium," Gregory replied. "They had 71,000 for the Texas game this year. Listed capacity is right about at 68,000. It's named after (longtime coach) Don Faurot. They call the student section The Zou."

Gregory could have gone on for much longer. He says he knows everything there is to know about "30 or 40" of the top Division I football stadiums in the country. His four favorite stadiums are Oregon's Autzen Stadium, The Horseshoe at Ohio State, Oklahoma's Memorial Stadium and the Rose Bowl.

Collecting information on them is one of his hobbies. Weibert says it's something that defines who he is.

"When he gets going like that, it's really amazing," Weibert said. "I really like it. He's just a fun guy to hang out with."

Bowl standing — Kansas State has six wins this season but is still one victory away from becoming bowl eligible. Six is usually the magic number to land a bowl bid, but two of the Wildcats' victories have come against opponents from the Bowl Championship Subdivision.

Only one of those wins can be used for bowl eligibility.

On Tuesday, Snyder was asked if he would be in favor of changing the rules so both those wins counted.

"I think the rule is fine," Snyder said. "That was our issue.... We knew what we were getting into. It was either that or play 11 games. It would have been the same. We had our chances early and didn't take advantage. That's our deal."

Basketball signings — Today marks the beginning of the early signing period for college basketball recruits, and Kansas State has two players ready to sign.

Will Spradling, a 6-foot guard from Shawnee Mission South, and Shane Southwell, a 6-6 guard from New York, have each reportedly made oral commitments to play for the Wildcats.

Nino Williams, a senior at Leavenworth High who averaged 16.6 points last season, has orally committed to K-State but has said he will play at a prep school in 2010-11 before joining the Wildcats.