Page:
8A
The University Daily Kansan
Sports
Messing with tradition
The Rams will switch their colors from Super Bowl-winning canary yellow and royal blue to navy and gold. Like they'll win a Super Bowl now.
SEE PAGE 7A
Inside: The women's basketball team signed Shanell Law, a 5-foot-9 guard from Los Angeles yesterday.
Inside: In the first round of the Stanley Cup, the defending champion Dallas Stars aren't taking the Oilers lightly.
SEE PAGE 6A
THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2000
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Jayhawks trounce Wichita State
By Shawn Hutchinson sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
There was no lack of a scoring punch for the Kansas softball team last night at Wichita State.
The Jayhawks simply poured it on the Shockers with a 22-run assault during a two-game sweep at Wilkins Stadium. To put the offensive outburst in perspective, the Hawks had only scored four runs in their last six games and only 21 runs in their last 16 games combined.
So why did the Jayhawks all of a sudden find their missing bats yesterday against Wichita State?
"In a season that was lacking runs, we made up for it in one day," said Kansas coach Tracy Bunge. "We hit four home runs. The kids were really patient, and they got some good pitches to hit. It
was nice to see the kids relax and keep swinging the bats because good things happened."
The Jayhawks, 24-23 overall, turned things up in the fourth inning when they scored their first run. Kansas followed that up with a run in the fifth. two runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh. Highlighting the game for the Jayhawks were senior shortstop
Christy McPhall, who hit her second home run in as many days, and Clopton, who improved to 12-10 on the season.
"I think we had the right pitches called and their players weren't on top of their games," Clopton said. "We're swinging the bats really good right now."
Those bats kept swinging in the second game when Urquhart, Campbell and Stanwix hit the roundtrippers. Urquhart finished the game with four
hits in five at-bats and three runs batted in. Campbell added three RBI, and five Jayhawks totaled two or more hits.
"This definitely helps batting averages," Bunge said. "It just feels good to see the kids smiling again."
The Jayhawks were mired in a five-game losing streak before pulling out an emotional 2-1 victory against the Missouri Tigers at Jayhawk Field on Tuesday. Kansas won the extra-inning thriller when Shelly Musser beat a throw home in the tenth inning.
With that win and the two-game sweep against the Shockers, the Jayhawks have now won three in a row. They hope to keep that momentum on Saturday and Sunday when they'll face off against Baylor in Waco, Texas.
'Hawks prepare for spring battle
"This does a lot for our confidence level," Bunge said. "We're heading into our games this weekend against Baylor, and we feel like we can take two."
Kansas running back David Winbush sprints around the corner during practice yesterday. The Jayhawks have their final practice today before a spring game scheduled for Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Kansan file photo
By Allan Davis
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Today is the last practice before the spring game, but it will be a slightly different type of practice. The team will practice as two different squads in preparation for Saturday's spring game, which will be at 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. The cost is free.
The five co-captains — lineman John Oddonetto, linebacker Tim Bowers, safety Carl Nesmith, running back Moran Norris and quarterback Dylen Smith — will split up and draft players for the two teams. But there will be coaching input into the selections.
"I have some guidelines as far as what set of captains go together and what other set of captains go together," said coach Terry Allen. "We'll choose it up so that at some time before the afternoon on Thursday, everybody knows which team they're on and actually have an opportunity to practice."
Allen said that the purpose of breaking up the first and second teams and having a draft to select the two teams was to make a competitive game, but he said it wouldn't be pretty.
"I don't suspect there'll be a whole bunch of yards," Allen said. "I think there'll be a lot of inconsistencies. But it'll be a game."
"I think it's a great honor, actually," he said. "Being an offensive lineman, you don't get noticed at all, really. The only people that appreciate you are the quarterback and the people that get the ball, and that's about it."
Oddonetto, as an offensive tackle, hadn't expected to be elected a co-captain.
The Jayhawks have only seven defensive linemen this spring. In Kansas' 3-4 defensive set there are three defensive linemen, and there are barely enough defensive linemen to make two teams. But Allen is prepared, just in case a defensive lineman goes down.
"You could have a guy get hurt and all of a sudden a guy flip-flipping in two different jerseys," he said. "It's not going to be a perfect scenario, but we're healthy enough to give it a try."
Oddonetto faces the Jayhawks' defensive line every day in practice.
"At the beginning of spring, we were questionable if they were going to be able to go. You know there's three d-linemen on each team," he said. "They've improved a lot. They've done real well with their numbers."
One of the seven defensive linemen is junior college transfer Marquis Hayes, 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, who is trying to add more weight to help him deal with heavier offensive linemen.
"I'm trying to get it done," Hayes said, "but it seems like it's not progressing real good. I guess I've got to eat better."
Hayes is also working with strength and conditioning director Fred Roll to ensure the weight is added as muscle and not as fat.
Hayes, a defensive end, grapples every day with the offensive linemen, but, as teammates, there is a limit to the level of combat.
"It's very humorous that we'll be going at it in practice, and we'll become enemies," he said. "But soon as practice is over with, we just become friends again and talk about the stuff that we did to make each other better."
Inside linebacker Dariss Lomax, who suffered a slight tear of his medial meniscus (cartilage on the inside of his knee) in Saturday's scrimmage, will not play in the spring game.
"It's not something that they need to jump into right now and go in and have the arthroscope (arthroscopic surgery)." Allen said. "They can afford to wait and see if it heals. They're going to rest the knee for a week. Worst-case scenario, they go in and 'scope it. Best-case scenario, after a week they don't have to 'scope it."
Lomax is expected to be ready to play in the fall.
Browns set sights on defensive gems for No.1 pick
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND — The second time around hasn't been any easier for the Cleveland Brown's. They again have the No.1 overall pick in the NFL draft and two players they'd like to use it on.
And complicating matters is the talk out of New York that the Jets might dangle their four first-round picks in an attempt to get the No.1 selection.
"To me, this is a much tougher decision," said Dwight Clark, Cleveland's director of football operations, who in 1999 was choosing between quarterbacks Tim Couch and Akilli Smith. "We truly haven't made up our minds."
Cleveland has narrowed its top choice to either defensive end Courtney Brown or linebacker LaVar Arrington. Penn State's
to get him. Last year, the Brown got their quarterback. This time, they want a guy who can get the QB.
terrific tandem of All-Americans. The pair has been measured, timed, interviewed and scrutinized ad nauseam the past few weeks.
Initially, the Brown's wanted Peter Warrick, Florida State's elusive wide receiver as a weapon for Couch, their top pick a year ago. But Warrick's stock has been falling like the NASADAQ following a disappointing 40-yard dash time in his predraft workout.
That's the consensus around the league, and it's why the Browns can't lose by selecting either player. So Cleveland's decision could come down to intangibles like leadership or personality. Or perhaps the ability to sign the top pick.
"I'm agonizing over those two," Clark said.
The Browns think the 6-foot-3,250-
"It's not that Peter has dropped off," Clark said, "but the other guys are very special."
Arrington is big, fast and reminds some of Taylor or Jevon Kearse, who as a rookie last season, single-handed.
"He's Lawrence Taylor," Clark said.
pound Arrington, could be the impact player they need to build their defense around.
iy improved Tennessee's defense and took the Titans to the Super Bowl.
Brown's coach Chris Palmer loves Arrington's versatility and would use him as a down lineman in passing situations or use his 4.5 speed to cover running backs or wide receivers.
Associate Sports Editor Commentary
linebacker Jamir Miller about switching to the "strong" side, so that if the Browns take Arrington, they could play the rookie on the "weak" side where he could better make plays.
Palmer already has spoken with outside
Arrington's stormy relationship with Penn State coach Joe Paterno — the two butted heads for three years — could persuade the Brown to favor Brown, the more quiet and humble of the Nittany Lions.
"I love his demeanor and the way he plays mind games with players," Clark said. "But criticizing the head coach is not good and not acceptable, and you just can't do it in this atmosphere. But I'm sure if LaVar did that, he may have had a reason and we'll try not to give him a reason."
But during his visit with the Browns last week, Arrington got a chance to explain his past problems with Paterno, and said he and the coach had patched things up.
Matt James
sports@kansan.com
Softball coach characterized by passion, love for team
Earl Weaver and Billy Martin could have learned something from Tracy Bunge — a little something about intimidating an umpire. The Kansas softball coach doesn't kick dirt on them like Martin did with the Yankees, scream profanities or kick her cap across the infield like Lou Pinella did a few years ago with the Seattle Mariners — though she occasionally gives her visor a good frustration toss.
She doesn't need to do any of those things because Bunge can flat out stare a hole in an umbrel. And her negotiating prowess was on full display Tuesday against Missouri.
In the top of the fourth, Kansas shortstop Christy McPhail blocked second base with her leg as a Missouri Tiger tried to steal. The runner looked to be out, but the ump said safe. For the third time in the game, out came Bunge — not enraged, but determined.
After an animated discussion at second base, the umpire did something umpires never do. Ever. He consulted another umpire about a judgment call. If there's one thing they teach in umpire school, it is never, ever, ever, ever, ever (a thousand more evers) change a judgment call.
Well, this umpire must have been paying some attention in school because after a brief chat with the first base ump, he motioned that the runner was still safe. But even convincing him to discuss a safe/out call, which he was in perfect position to make, is quite an accomplishment. This is what the Bunge glare can do.
At 6-foot-1, she just looks intimidating, towering over most everyone on the field. She is one of the most intense, and at the same time supportive, coaches you will ever watch.
It is often stylish to be the calm, cool and collected coach. But Bunge doesn't care about what's in style. She high-fives her players. She jogs out to her third-base coaches box. She laughs and jokes with everyone, and if you watch carefully you'll sometimes catch her doing a little dance between innings.
She doesn't care about percentages. She substitutes when her "gut feelings" tell her to. She says she can see in a player's eyes if they're going to get a hit or not.
Hulse's error wouldn't have been so frustrating except the Jayhawks were down 1-0 at the time and ended up not scoring in the inning. The 'Hawks have had trouble scoring runs all year, and as Bunge marched back to the dugout at the end of the inning, Hulse sprinted out to her position without looking at her imposing coach. Bunge glared her all the way out to second without breaking stride.
Mostly Tracy Bunge just loves softball. She'll talk about it for hours. She loves to coach it, and she loves to play it. From 1983-86, she threw 44 shutouts and struck out 642 batters as a Jayhawk pitcher. Her career ERA was 0.68. She even hit 15 homers and scored 123 runs as a batter.
But in the next inning, there she was, talking to Hulse with a smile and encouraging her to get a hit. Bunge coaches with her heart on her sleeve, but is quick to forgive. She wants this team to get big hits. And she's tried everything to score runs. She has her speedy lineup stealing bases left and right.
She was a two-time Academic All-Big Eight player, well-spoken and — in a word — engaging. Her players say she expects the best of them in the classroom and on the field. Sophomore Amy Hulse was reminded of that Tuesday when she lost concentration and was doubled-up off of first base with two runners on and no outs.
"As a coach you sometimes have to create some things," she said. "If their catcher has slow feet we're gonna take advantage of that."
Her aggressive style of creating things sometimes gets runners thrown out at home — two in the Missouri game.
"We finally get a base hit with a runner in scoring position, and I'm not going to waste that opportunity," Bunge said with confidence.
She doesn't sugarcoat anything. She says if it takes a perfect throw to throw out her player at home, then you give credit to the field.
"I would do it 99.9 percent of the time the same way. I don't doubt it one bit."
And you better believe that no one is questioning her judgment calls.
James is a Hugoton senior in journalism.