Tuesday, March 28, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Iowa coach denies being abused
Former teammates say Knight struck players
The Associated Press
Former Indiana basketball star Steve Alford denies a report that Hoosiers coach Bob Knight once punched him when Alford was a plaver.
Alford, former coach at Southwest Missouri State and now the coach at Iowa, said comments about the alleged abuse by his former Hoosiers teammate, Rick Calloway, were incorrect.
"Nothing along those lines ever happened," Alford said Sunday in a statement issued by the Iowa sports information department.
Calloway told the Houston Chronicle he once saw Knight punch Alford and slap forward Daryl Thomas on different occasions during practices.
"We were all standing in a circle one day, and he (Knight) just turned around and punched Steve right in the stomach, and for a minute and a half Steve couldn't breathe." Calloway said in Sunday's
Chronicle. "I was shocked. I wasn't really surprised he hit someone, but I never expected him to hit Steve, his golden child. But Steve put up with a lot."
Calloway also told the *Chronicle* that Knight didn't abuse all of his players when he got angry, only those he knew wouldn't fight back. He said Thomas was one of those players.
"Coach knew the guys he could hit or realy get into, and those he couldn't," Calloway said. "Daryl was a big guy (6-foot 7, 240 pounds), but coach knew what type of personality Daryl had. He (Knight) was mad at him, and Daryl was sitting in his chair, and he (Knight) just came up and slapped him, and it was hard. Then he realized what he did and said, 'Go ahead and hit me back.'
"Yeah, he realized what he did was all wrong, so he knew he had to try and correct it by telling Daryl to hit him back. But Daryl hit him real soft, and I remember when we got back to the dorm room we were like, 'Man, you should have hit him hard.'"
He played a year in the NBA in Sacramento, but now runs a swimmingpool construction company in Houston.
Calloway started as a sophomore on Indiana's 1987 national title team and transferred to Kansas for his senior year.
Calloway said he was breaking his 12-year silence on Knight after seeing how another former Indiana player, Neil Reed, has been vilified for his recent comments about the issue.
Two Indiana University trustees agreed last week to investigate Reed's claims against Knight.
Other than saying he didn't remember choking Reed, Knight has refused comment on the incident.
Attempts by *The Indianapolis Star* to reach athletics director Clarence Doninger on Sunday were unsuccessful; Knight was at a baseball exhibition game Sunday in Winter Haven, Fla.
In an interview with CNN/Sports Illustrated, Reed claimed Knight choked him during a practice session, prompting numerous denials from former Hoosiers players and coaches.
In the Chronicle article, Calloway praised Reed for speaking out.
"Everybody says he's lying about all the abuse at Indiana, but he's not," Calloway said about Reed. "It took a lot of courage for him to come forward like he did."
Cubs, Mets to begin season in Tokyo
The Associated Press
TOKYO — In pursuit of a true World Series, major league baseball will take on an international flavor this week when the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs start the season at the Tokyo Dome.
Clearly, the game has never looked — or tasted — quite like this.
"I think opening day is always opening day, no matter where it is," said Mets catcher Mike Piazza.
Maybe, but put it this way: No one ever saw an opposing player bow to the crowd at Yankee Stadium.
Come tomorrow, when 1 billion yen-a-year star Sammy Sosa strolls to the plate in the first inning, that could happen. Of course, a whole lot of people back home would probably miss it.
The first pitch is scheduled for 4:08 a.m. Fox Sports Net is televising the game for anyone who is awake at that hour.
When the NFL, NBA and NHL ventured to Tokyo, they adjusted starting times to fit audiences in North America. Baseball officials did not want to disrupt Japanese schedules for the first regular-season games outside the continent, hoping to build better relations.
Organizers expect a sellout crowd of 50,000 paying about $115 for the top ticket. The attendance will be announced as 55,000, however, because that's the tradition at this ballpark ruled by the Tokyo Yomiji Giants.
"When we agreed to play, we knew there would be certain inconveniences," Cubs president Andy MacPhail said. "There are tradeoffs involved. And we believed it was appropriate, given the direction we are taking baseball."
But it's completely the wrong way, contended St. Louis slugger Mark McGwire. The Cardinals originally were picked for the 20 hour trip and turned it down last summer, led by Big Mac's opposition.
"The Japanese have their own brand of baseball over there," he said. "Our game is too international as it is. It comes down to how much money can they make."
Commissioner Bud Selig didn't see it that way.
"If this was sheer greed, this wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Economics are a secondary issue."
Then again, the players are making out OK. They're all getting $25,000 each for the games — which count in the standings — and most got to fly in first class.
They've also had the chance to enjoy Japanese culture, be it seeing the Imperial Palace or kabuki theater in person, watching sumo wrestling on TV or shopping in the famous Ginza district.
To help adjust to the jet lag, the teams will get three days off after leaving Tokyo.
So while other clubs still are in spring training in places such as Vero Beach, Fla., Clearwater, Fla., and Tempe, Ariz., a bunch of
Mets went out for a dinner of Kobe steaks. They would have found stranger fare at the concession stands at the Tokyo Dome.
Mets went out for a dinner of Kobe steaks.
There's sushi, naturally, and the popular eel bento box — cooked eel surrounded by odd-colored side dishes. There's sake and hot tea, too.
There's a diverse look in the stands, in addition. Some fans cover their faces with little surgical masks because in this polite society, people who are sick don't want to cough on anyone.
There are lots of unusual traditions in Japanese ball, actually.
For one, players normally do not sign autographs. For another, players are paid for postgame interviews. Home-run hitters are immediately presented with a large doll, which they often throw into the stands.
Ceremonial first balls are thrown out with the visiting team's leadoff man standing in the batter's box. There is no standard league ball, either — each team has its own, all smaller than those used in North America and often varping in size.
The treatment of umpires varies as well.
Ums in Japan routinely are pushed around without penalty. And there's no trace of arrogance — last season, umpire Toshiyuki Tanaka suspended himself for three games for blowing a call.
"That shows you the difference right there," said Marty Foster, one of the four major league umpires who will work the Mets-Cubs series. "I don't think you'd see that back home."
Cyclones coach apologizes for colorful outburst
DES MOINES, Iowa — Gov. Tom Vilsack said yesterday he would not criticize Iowa State University basketball coach Larry Eustachy for a nationally televised, obscenity-laced fight with a referee.
"I suspect that if the cameras were on in the households of thousands of Iowans watching
The Associated Press
that game, maybe at points of time in that game we would have all been embarrassed by our conduct," Vilsack said. "I was pretty wound up about it."
Iowa State lost 75-64 to Michigan State in the NCAA Midwest Regional finals Saturday night in Auburn Hills, Mich.
Eustachy was ejected with 9.9 seconds remaining after a
tirade against referee Curtis Shaw. The exchange came when Iowa State's Michael Nurse was called for a fifth foul while frantically trying for a rebound.
Michigan State then hit six free throws — the foul on Nurse and the two technical fouls against Eustachy.
"I'm sure the coach, if he had it to do over again, would have perhaps avoided the second technical," Vilsack said. "Coach Eustachy has done a tremendous job with that program."
The Cyclones, who were bidding for their first Final Four appearance since 1944, finished the season 32.5.
Eustachy said after the game that he apologized to his players for the attack.
Hal Sutton wins tourney holds back Tiger Woods
The Associated Press
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Hal Sutton saved his praise for Tiger Woods. He first wanted to make sure he beat him in The Players Championship.
With steel-blue eyes that have seen as much trouble as triumph the past two decades, Sutton hit 17 of 18 greens on one of the most demanding courses for a one-stroke victory against Woods on yesterday in a tournament delayed a day because of rain.
"He's the greatest player in the game," Sutton said of Woods, who pushed him to the final hole. "It's OK to praise him now. I don't have to go hit another shot with him out there."
Sutton, who finished with a 1-under 71 to finish at 278, became only the fourth player to go wire-to-wire in The Players Championship. The victory was worth $1,080,000, compared to the $126,000 prize he won in the same tournament in 1983.
Woods, who had a 71 to finish at 279, earned $648,000. Through seven events, he has won more than $3.2 million, the third-highest total in PGA Tour history. Even more daunting, he has finished first or second in 10 of his last 11 events on the PGA Tour.
"I've won my share, and I also lost," Woods said. "But the key is always to keep putting yourself in position."
Sutton had a point to prove, and he drove it home with a gritter, nearly flawless performance in which he closed with seven solid pars. And on this day, even Woods was no match.
Still, for a man who won the PGA Championship at 25, then resurrected his career to become a Ryder Cup star at The Country Club in September, Sutton called his victory the greatest day in his golfing life.
All week, Sutton refused to believe Woods was too good to be beaten. He insisted the final round was not "Sutton vs. Woods," but both players against a challenging course.
"Any time you win on this golf course, you've had to overcome your nerves. You've had to show courage," Sutton said. "And then for Tiger to be the one that I was playing in the last group and having to beat, that makes it special."
Woods, as always made it exciting.
"At least I made Hal work for it," Woods said.
"He wasn't going to have a nice stroll up 18 with no pressure on him. We had a good battle."
Three down with three holes to play. Wood hit a 5-iron into 12 feet on the par-5 16th and made the eagle putt, stepping off to the side for that famous uppercut he first introduced on the TPC at Sawgrass six years ago when he won his first U.S. Amateur.
Sutton's lead suddenly was down to one, with two of the most terrorizing holes the Stadium Course has to offer. The par-3 17th played the easiest it had all week because of overnight rains and only a slight breeze.
But it's still an island, a patch of turf that Sutton failed to hit in the third round in making a triple bogey, his only score worse than par over the final 45 holes.
Woods hit a wedge that spun back into the rough and had to make a 6-footer to save par, while Sutton hit the middle of the green for a safe par.
On the 18th, Woods hit a 2 iron to the fairway and, hitting first, watched his 6-iron catch a swale to right of the green. He pitched up to a couple of inches for par, and victory finally belonged to Sutton.
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