Austin Peay/Kansas “Stretch”

It likely is a “stretch,” but there is a link between Austin Peay and their first round, NCAA Basketball Tournament opponent, “all powerful” Kansas.

Before the “all powerful,” clearly “A Wizard Of Oz” reference, note that Austin Peay, the Tennessee governor for whom the school is named signed the law prohibiting teaching Charles Darwin’s evolution theories in Tennessee Schools.

This led to The Scopes Monkey Trials. William Jennings Bryan, fairly likely part of L. Frank Baum’s Kansas set book, “The Wizard Of Oz” defended the backward position prohibiting teaching Darwin’s theories.

Yet he was a brilliant man. So “Oz,” Kansas, a stretch and it will take an “Oz” type miracle for 26 point underdog, Peay to beat Kansas. Wonder what that is on the silver standard Bryan suggested and likely was an “Oz” theme.