WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16,2005
SPORTS
goal for
MLB
Pujols wins MVP
First baseman ends Barry Bond's streak
BY RONALD BLUM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Albert Pujols won his first National League MVP award, defeating Andruw Iones in a close vote Tuesday.
The St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman ended Barry Bonds' four-year winning streak, receiving 18 first-place votes and 14 seconds for 378 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jones, the Atlanta Braves center fielder, got 13 first-place votes, 17 seconds and two thirds for 351 points.
Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee got the other first-place vote and was third with 263 points.
"It's awesome when you hear people compare yourself with Barry." Puilots said.
AP file photo
Pujols was second in the NL with a .330 average, five points behind Lee, and hit 41 homers, trailing only Jones, 51, and Lee, 46. Pujols tied for second in RBIs with 117, 11 behind Jones.
He played in 161 of 162 regular-season games despite being bothered nearly the entire season by plantar fasciitis, a heel injury that he also felt in 2004.
The 25-year-old Pujols has put up remarkable statistics in his first five major league seasons, averaging 40 homers and 124 RBIs to go with a .332 average.
He was third behind Bonds and Adrian Beltre in last year's MVP voting after finishing fourth as a rookie in 2001 and second to Bonds the following two seasons. Bonds missed most of this year with a knee injury after winning the award four straight times to increase his total MVPs to a record seven.
"I think he deserved it. He was the right choice," Jones said. "He had the most solid season average-wise, home run-wise and RBI-wise."
Jones led the major leagues in home runs for the Braves, and batted .263. He has won eight straight Gold Gloves.
The Cardinals led the majors with 100 victories this season and breezed to the Central title. Pujols was the driving force on a team
Albert Pujols, first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals,
was selected as the National League's Most Valuable
Player by the Baseball Writers' Association of America
on Tuesday. He was the Cardinals' first MVP since 1985
and ended Barry Bonds' four-year winning streak.
that lost Scott Rolen and other key players to injuries.
Atlanta went 90-72 and won its 14th straight division championship. Jones was the only Braves player with more than 21 homers or 78 RBIs.
Puiols, who gets a $200,000 bonus, won the 15th MVP award for the Cardinals, the first since Willie McGee in 1985.
By finishing third, Lee triggered a $750,000 increase in his next 2006 base salary to $8.75 million.
Florida first baseman Carlos Delgado, who was sixth, earned five points toward the 30 he needed by the end of 2008 to guarantee a $16 million salary in 2009. He would get 10 points for winning the MVP, 20 if he was a World Series MVP and 10 if he was a league championship series MVP.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3B
In Snyder's first season as head coach, Kansas State limped to a 1-10 finish. Next season, Snyder endured another losing season, but this time at 5-6. One year later, in 1991, Kansas State won seven games for the first time in 37 years, and Snyder was named Associated Press Big Eight Coach of the Year and was named National Coach of the Year by ESPN.
Coach
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Jeromey Clary, senior offensive tackle for the Wildcats, said Snyder addressed the team in the locker room Monday night and revealed his decision. Clary said that at first, he thought Snyder was going to tell them someone in the Kansas State family had died. But after Snyder told him he was leaving, Clary was shocked.
In 1993, Kansas State went 9-2-1 and earned a trip to the Copper Bowl. It was just the second bowl appearance ever by the Wildcats. It would mark the first of 11 straight postseason appearances for Kansas State.
In all, Snyder's accomplishments are long and impressive. They include 11 winning seasons, four Big 12 North Division titles and one Big 12 Championship. Snyder also coached 45 All-America selections and 42 NFL draft picks.
"I just sat in my locker with tears going down my face," Clary said. "You feel like you could have done more for him while you were here. But he told us not to think about that. It will be great to play for him one more time this weekend, and the stadium will be electric."
Weiser said he would not focus on picking a replacement for Snyder until after Saturday's game with Missouri. He said Snyder would be involved in picking his successor.
Snyder said he would be happy to help Weiser in any way possible. Snyder also said that he and his family would be staying in Manhattan and that he
would still be involved with the athletics program. Snyder's official title will be special assistant to the athletic director.
Snyder talked with the media for about an hour and thanked everyone for their support of the program. When it was over, Snyder left the room to a loud ovation from reporters and supporters. Snyder went over and hugged his family. He then exited the room with his children and grandchildren by his side.
"I don't know how I'll deal with it," Snyder said. "I really don't know. I'm going to find out. In the last 12 hours or so I've heard ample pieces of advice. A dear friend of mine told me if you are going to retire, you better retire to something. I don't know what I'm retiring to, but then when I thought about it, I said, 'That's silly, I'm retiring to my family.' Whatever else grows out of that, time will tell."
— Edited by Alison Peterson
Dominance
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
In 1998 he even had Kansas State one victory away from playing for the national title but lost to Texas A&M in the Big 12 Championship.
The formula he used to build his program was epic.
Every year, he scheduled three of the worst nonconference opponents around and used those easy victories to qualify for bowl eligibility.
He heavily recruited junior college players, and while his freshmen were developing, he had juco athletes such as Michael Bishop, a quarterback who guided the Wildcats to 11 victories in 1998, and Quincy Morgan, a wide receiver now with the Dallas Cowboys, ready to play at a high level.
But that system won't work for whomever Kansas State Athletic Director Tim Weiser hires as Snyder's successor.
All reports say Weiser is looking for replacements within the K-State family tree, and though
One of the candidates might be able to come in and guide the Wildcats to the occasional winning season, but duplicating Snyder's success will be impossible.
K-State has become a national joke because of its nonconference scheduling, and the Wildcats have gotten away from playing teams that assure them three automatic victories.
some of the best college coaches — Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, Kansas' Mark Mangino and Arizona's Mike Stoops — were assistants under Snyder, none will leave their current head coaching jobs.
That means an assistant coach will most likely be hired.
Academic requirements have also been raised for junior college transfers, so the new coach will have to focus more on high school seniors.
Winning that battle will be difficult, especially now that Kansas football is on the rise.
During the last three years, freshman quarterback Kerry Meier, freshman defensive lineman Caleb Blakesley and former running back John Randle — each premier high school recruits in the state of Kansas — chose the Jayhawks over the Wildcats.
But the biggest problem Snyder's replacement will deal with is following Snider.
Wildcat faithful have grown accustomed to winning, and that's why a small amount of fans were pushing for Snyder to step down after two losing seasons.
But they forget even Snyder was 1-10 in his first year on the job.
He had no expectations and all the time in the world to turn Kansas State around, though. The next coach won't.
If he struggles,he will be fired.
If he succeeds, there's always the chance a more prestigious school will lure him away.
No, there will never be another Snyder. That's why you won't see K-State put together another run like it has during the past decade.
♦ Robinett is an Austin, Texas,
senior in journalism. He is
Kansan sports editor.
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