6B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2008
PICK'EM Kansan sports staff forecasts this weekend's games
Games
RUSTIN DODD
KANSAN REPORTER/SPORTS WRITER
DODD@KANSAN.COM
MARK DENT
KANSAN SPORTS WRITER MDENT@KANSAN.COM
TARA SMITH
ASSOCIATE KANSAN SPORTS EDITOR TSMITH@KANSAN.COM
ASHER FUSCO
KANSAN SPORTS WRITER AFUSCO@KANSAN.COM
CASE KEEFER
KANSAN SPORTS EDITOR CKEEFER@KANSAN.COM
Kansas @ Missouri
7p.m. Saturday, ESPNU
KU
KU
KU
KU
KU
Texas A&M @ Kansas State
3p.m. Saturday, ESPN
ATM
ATM
ATM
USC @ UCLA
2:30p.m. Saturday, CBS
Wolley BRUINS
Wolley BRUINS
Wolley BRUINS
Wolley BRUINS
Clemson @ Duke
5p.m. Saturday, ESPN
T
T
T
T
Ohio State @ Tennessee
2:30p.m. Saturday
T
T
T
T
MEN'S BASKETBALL (FROM 1B)
Jayhawks. Nine of the 11 Missouri losses in the series since 2002 came with Snyder as coach.
The poor record of the Tigers
and Snyder combined with the Jahwaws' consistent strong play may have made the rivalry less healthy, but they didn't kill it. Regardless of one team's power, the thrill of playing each
Kansas will likely find it harder to do that this season. Forget the
'There's always been some bad blood between Kansas and Missouri. Each year it's still a big game no matter what."
to go down there and take care of business."
TYREL REED Freshman guard
other will never die. Rush may not care as much about rivalries, but most of the other players do. Freshman Tyrel Reed, who's from Kansas, can't wait to play Missouri for the first time.
3-11 record of Missouri since 2002, this year's team is good, albeit inconsistent. The Tigers let the entire conference know they'd be tough when they manhanced Texas at
"There's always been some bad blood between Kansas and Missouri," he said. "Each year it's still a big game no matter what. Even if one team is more dominant, I think the rivalry is still there."
"That kind of stuff kind of stays in the back of your head." Robinson said. "We're playing really well right now. We don't want to take any steps back so we have
And although Kansas has been doing most of the winning lately, its losses to Missouri have been painful, especially the last one. The Jayhawks lost to the Tigers in Columbia 89-86 in overtime in 2006. Former player Christian Moody missed two free throws at the end of regulation. One point would've given Kansas the victory.
Heartbreaking losses like that have provided fuel for the players to be ready to go every time they travel to Columbia. Senior guard Russell Robinson still thinks about the 2006 game.
New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau responds to a reporter's question during a media availability at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., on Thursday. The Patriots play the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship Sunday.
home last Saturday, winning 97-84.
Or did they get the Big 12's attention?
Missouri followed up that victory with a setback loss at Iowa State Wednesday night.
>> NFL
Plus, it's a rivalry. Both teams will be up for the game. Kansas' dominance and Missouri's swoon during the past few years may have sucked some of the life out of the rivalry, but it's still alive, even if one team hasn't been in the best shape recently.
"We won't be overconfident going into Columbia," Self said. "Missouri got everyone's attention in the league the way that they handled Texas in the second half and dominated the game. That'll be a great atmosphere. It always is and of course, that'll be a big game."
The loss didn't help the Tigers gain any legitimacy, but Kansas coach Bill Self knows Saturday's game will be a test for his Jayhawks. Coach Mike Anderson's defense always speeds teams up. Newcomer DeMarre Carroll is having a good season so far, and Self said forward Leo Lyons is making the same type of progress for Missouri that Darnell Jackson is making for the Jayhawks.
Chargers end 13-year matchup
BY HOWARD ULMAN
Associated Press
Associated Press
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The last time Junior Seau played in an AFC championship game, his team was given little chance to beat the top seed.
In January 1995, the Steelers won their first playoff game in a rout, while the Chargers eked out a onepoint victory that set up the matchup between those teams the following weekend.
"Sitting in my hotel room in Pittsburgh and hearing all the cheers and pep rallies that were going around and all the Super Bowl videos that were being taped, everything was against us," the Patriots linebacker said. "The yellow towels were flying around. It was definitely a time when we thought we were against the world."
But San Diego won 17-13 in Pittsburgh then went on to one of the toughest losses in Seau's 18-year career, a 49-26 rout by San Francisco in the Super Bowl.
So Seau and safety Rodney Harrison, a rookie on that 1994 Chargers team, are working hard to avoid an upset that can stop New England's unbeaten season one game shot of another Super Bowl appearance.
But he knows expectations can fall short. Didn't the Patriots squander a 21-3 lead in last year's AFC title game and lose to Indianapolis, 38-34?
Thirteen years later, the Chargers aren't given much of a chance against the perfect Patriots on Sunday, the day after Seau's 39th birthday.
game, whether it's your career," the 35-year-old Harrison said Thursday. "I think I have a greater appreciation now that I'm older."
Seau sees many comparisons between this year's San Diego team and the one in 1994 — the last two Chargers club to reach the AFC championship game.
"I tell the young guys, 'Don't take anything for granted because at any point in time it can be over with, whether it's a season, whether it's a
"The major comparison is that they're confident," he said. "We look forward to moving on, growing every day to the day it comes we have to go out and perform."
Seau and Harrison will play against the Chargers as teammates for the first time in their long careers. Both missed last season's 24-21 upset playoff win at San Diego
Sunday's game, then, should have some special emotions for them especially since Seau is a native of San Diego.
Right?
"I try not to get too Oprah with it and know that it's just another game and know that I'm so happy for the city of San Diego, my hometown," he said, "it's going to be a challenge of the game of football, nothing more."
Harrison, a fiery, hard-hitter like Seau, also prefers to show his emotions on the field.
with injuries.
"It's just special to be in the AFC Championship." Harrison said. "I don't know necessarily facing the
We've lost our lease!
at 2907 W.6th St. on January 19th before moving to the new Shenago location at 15th & Wakarusa.
Shenago Lounge invites you to a final BLOWOUT PARTY
"Thank you friends and patrons for 27 great years here!"
Clete
write the books I do." Evening with Sara Paretsky
January 22,2008 7:30 pm
Lawrence Arts Center Auditorium 940 New Hampshire St.
Chargers makes it any more special"
Book signing immediately following the event.
For more information, call 785-864-4798 or visit www.hallcenter.ku.edu
o-sponsored by the Raven Bookstore and the Lawrence Public Library.
The Patriots have spent the week building up the Chargers as the best team in the NFL since Thanksgiving. They were 5-5 before the holiday but 8-0 since then.
New England coach Bill Belichick likes to point out that his team has won fewer games in that stretch. But that's because they had a playoff bye and are 7-0 after Thanksgiving — but 17-0 overall.
KU HALL CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES The University of Kansas
San Diego coach Norv Turner isn't surprised that Belichick fawned over the Chargers.
"Everyone knows that New England right now is playing the best football in the league and it's going to be a real challenge for us." Turner said.
Tom Brady's 50 touchdown passes and Randy Moss' 23 scoring catches are NFL single-season record. So are the 589 points the Patriots scored.
But the advanced age of their defense may be catching up. They allowed three scoring drives of at least 80 yards in last Saturday night's 31-20 playoff win over Jacksonville after giving up four touchdowns in a 38-35 win over the New York Giants
The Chargers' defense is younger with a knack for creating turnovers. They led the NFL with 30 interceptions and 48 takeaways then added two interceptions and one fumble recovery in last Sunday's 28-24 playoff win at Indianapolis. All-Pro cornerback Antonio Cromartie's 10 interceptions led the league.
"It's remarkable the things we've done defensively," Turner said. "It seems like one guy tips (the ball) and it goes up in the air and one of our guys finds a way to get it."
The Patriots also have some pretty solid defensive players.
On Sunday, for the first time in 13 seasons, they'll play again as teammates in an AFC championship game.