SE: K-State Fans Showcase the Ultimate "Cat Caves"
Apr 15, 2020 | Sports Extra
Last month, we asked K-State fans to show off some of the Cat Caves where they watch the Wildcats on game day and keep their favorite K-State memorabilia. They didn't disappoint.
We're excited to share two of our favorites in today's Sports Extra, but please keep sending us photos and videos throughout the spring. We hope to share more Cat Caves with you soon!
Justin Sullivan – Andale, KS
What's the story behind your Cat Cave?
I decided to go to K-State where I met my wife. We're both K-State grads. When we were engaged and finally got a house, I just wanted a place for some of the things that I collected through college. Knowing some of the athletes, getting their autographs, or going to bowl games and some pretty memorable games in Manhattan, I held on to those types of things.
What's your most prized possession?
A 1970's whiskey decanter of Willie Wildcat. It was a gift from my mother-in-law, she's kind of an antique junkie. It's probably the nicest thing she's ever done for me.
How has your collection grown over the years?
I grew up a Notre Dame fan as an Irish Catholic. I appreciate the mantra of "Play Like a Champion Today" not only in athletics, but in life itself. Growing up in Kansas City, I'm a big Royals fan, a big Chiefs fan. In the NBA, my patronage was always to Jordan and the Bulls.
But all in all, it's K-State sports. My basement is mainly dedicated to football and basketball, but with my student-athlete daughter [K-State Soccer junior Maguire Sullivan] I've got the K-State Soccer crest and some of her accolades.
What's the most unusual thing in your Cat Cave?
Some people go, why do you have a life-size mannequin? I participate in a foundation called No Stone Unturned, it's a therapeutic learning center for children with special needs and their home base is in Manhattan. A former athlete, Eric Wolford, and his wife run that. Every year in the summer, they do a Wildcats for Charity weekend. Me and some friends have been doing it for years and years, and via the auction, you're able to win things.
Knowing that I'm a big fan, my boys kept pushing me and saying, "You need that mannequin." I'm like "I don't need a mannequin, I've got no place for it." Well if you've been to an auction it's about having a good time, they kept saying "Go get it, go get it." Next thing I know, I've got this mannequin and I'm taking it home. I had to justify to my wife why I had this mannequin. But he's fully dressed, we call him Willie and he's downstairs.
What's your favorite K-State sports memory, whether in your Cat Cave or Manhattan?
Beating Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship was probably the most memorable, seeing one of my favorite players, Darren Sproles, have the game of a lifetime. Seeing Michael Beasley and the boys beat Kansas in Manhattan is probably another one. And then sticking it to Nebraska in a snowstorm. I could go on and on, but as you get older, the wins that are really meaningful are the ones you spend with family and celebrate together.
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Dan Welch – Wichita, KS
What's the story behind your Cat Cave?
My Mom is Dr. Kelly Welch, she was a pretty famous professor at K-State for many years, so I was born and raised in Manhattan, and she was the one that ingrained a love for K-State in me. We've been season ticket holders since the early 90's. Growing up, every Saturday in the fall that's what you did, you went to K-State football games. When people say they bleed purple, that's how we were. I have some autographed footballs from the late 90's when I went to fan appreciation events, but I don't think the actual collection started until 2013.
What's your most prized possession?
If I had to narrow it down, my whiskey decanters. Back in the 70's there was a company that did different college sports teams. That's probably my number one. Number two is probably the Michael Bishop autographed stuff. He's the guy that, for me, growing up, he was the dude. To be able to meet him and see how cool he really is, that was special. Number three, my grandpa had this little stuffed gorilla when I was growing up. When you squeeze his hand, he plays the fight song.
How has your collection grown over the years?
It really started off with one panoramic photo from my wife and then my uncle had a couple pieces of turf from Wagner Field in the 90's and then in the 2000's. When I had those main pieces, I was like, "I could really design the whole basement around this."
From there it kind of become a passion, like "I've got to fill these walls up now." So really, eBay is where I got a lot of stuff. And then Twitter has been a great resource to get in touch with former athletes.
What's the most unusual thing in your Cat Cave?
When they tore down the old Vanier Complex, there was a worker out there who was working by the dumpster. I had a buddy go up and ask if we could dig through this dumpster for stuff and the guy said, "No, but here's a rock that I know for a fact is from the wall in Bill Snyder's office." And so, he gave me a piece of limestone that was from Bill Snyder's old office. Now that's complete hearsay and the guy could've been blowing smoke, but he seemed pretty genuine and confident about it.
What's your favorite K-State sports memory, whether in your Cat Cave or Manhattan?
1998 against Nebraska was the first time I ever cried, like genuinely cried. I was fairly young then but that will forever be in my mind. 2006, the Texas game where the Longhorns came in with Colt McCoy, and Ron Prince and Josh Freeman upset them. That was the first time my wife ever cheered at a K-State game. That was a big moment in our relationship.
We're excited to share two of our favorites in today's Sports Extra, but please keep sending us photos and videos throughout the spring. We hope to share more Cat Caves with you soon!
Justin Sullivan – Andale, KS
— Justin Sullivan (@ksu9795) April 7, 2020
What's the story behind your Cat Cave?
I decided to go to K-State where I met my wife. We're both K-State grads. When we were engaged and finally got a house, I just wanted a place for some of the things that I collected through college. Knowing some of the athletes, getting their autographs, or going to bowl games and some pretty memorable games in Manhattan, I held on to those types of things.
What's your most prized possession?
A 1970's whiskey decanter of Willie Wildcat. It was a gift from my mother-in-law, she's kind of an antique junkie. It's probably the nicest thing she's ever done for me.
How has your collection grown over the years?
I grew up a Notre Dame fan as an Irish Catholic. I appreciate the mantra of "Play Like a Champion Today" not only in athletics, but in life itself. Growing up in Kansas City, I'm a big Royals fan, a big Chiefs fan. In the NBA, my patronage was always to Jordan and the Bulls.
But all in all, it's K-State sports. My basement is mainly dedicated to football and basketball, but with my student-athlete daughter [K-State Soccer junior Maguire Sullivan] I've got the K-State Soccer crest and some of her accolades.
What's the most unusual thing in your Cat Cave?
Some people go, why do you have a life-size mannequin? I participate in a foundation called No Stone Unturned, it's a therapeutic learning center for children with special needs and their home base is in Manhattan. A former athlete, Eric Wolford, and his wife run that. Every year in the summer, they do a Wildcats for Charity weekend. Me and some friends have been doing it for years and years, and via the auction, you're able to win things.
Knowing that I'm a big fan, my boys kept pushing me and saying, "You need that mannequin." I'm like "I don't need a mannequin, I've got no place for it." Well if you've been to an auction it's about having a good time, they kept saying "Go get it, go get it." Next thing I know, I've got this mannequin and I'm taking it home. I had to justify to my wife why I had this mannequin. But he's fully dressed, we call him Willie and he's downstairs.
What's your favorite K-State sports memory, whether in your Cat Cave or Manhattan?
Beating Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship was probably the most memorable, seeing one of my favorite players, Darren Sproles, have the game of a lifetime. Seeing Michael Beasley and the boys beat Kansas in Manhattan is probably another one. And then sticking it to Nebraska in a snowstorm. I could go on and on, but as you get older, the wins that are really meaningful are the ones you spend with family and celebrate together.
---
Dan Welch – Wichita, KS
— Dan Welch (@welch119) April 6, 2020
What's the story behind your Cat Cave?
My Mom is Dr. Kelly Welch, she was a pretty famous professor at K-State for many years, so I was born and raised in Manhattan, and she was the one that ingrained a love for K-State in me. We've been season ticket holders since the early 90's. Growing up, every Saturday in the fall that's what you did, you went to K-State football games. When people say they bleed purple, that's how we were. I have some autographed footballs from the late 90's when I went to fan appreciation events, but I don't think the actual collection started until 2013.
What's your most prized possession?
If I had to narrow it down, my whiskey decanters. Back in the 70's there was a company that did different college sports teams. That's probably my number one. Number two is probably the Michael Bishop autographed stuff. He's the guy that, for me, growing up, he was the dude. To be able to meet him and see how cool he really is, that was special. Number three, my grandpa had this little stuffed gorilla when I was growing up. When you squeeze his hand, he plays the fight song.
How has your collection grown over the years?
It really started off with one panoramic photo from my wife and then my uncle had a couple pieces of turf from Wagner Field in the 90's and then in the 2000's. When I had those main pieces, I was like, "I could really design the whole basement around this."
From there it kind of become a passion, like "I've got to fill these walls up now." So really, eBay is where I got a lot of stuff. And then Twitter has been a great resource to get in touch with former athletes.
What's the most unusual thing in your Cat Cave?
When they tore down the old Vanier Complex, there was a worker out there who was working by the dumpster. I had a buddy go up and ask if we could dig through this dumpster for stuff and the guy said, "No, but here's a rock that I know for a fact is from the wall in Bill Snyder's office." And so, he gave me a piece of limestone that was from Bill Snyder's old office. Now that's complete hearsay and the guy could've been blowing smoke, but he seemed pretty genuine and confident about it.
What's your favorite K-State sports memory, whether in your Cat Cave or Manhattan?
1998 against Nebraska was the first time I ever cried, like genuinely cried. I was fairly young then but that will forever be in my mind. 2006, the Texas game where the Longhorns came in with Colt McCoy, and Ron Prince and Josh Freeman upset them. That was the first time my wife ever cheered at a K-State game. That was a big moment in our relationship.
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