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The University Daily Kansan
Soccer's a kick
Bashar Abdullah scored eight goals in a 20-0 Kuwait win against Bhuton Monday. It was the greatest show of force Kuwait had seen since the Gulf War.
Sports
Inside: The men's basketball team dropped to No. 24. The women are out of the AP Top 25 poll.
SEE PAGE 8A
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2000
Inside: Former Indy car driver Tony Bettenhausen Jr. died in a plane crash yesterday.
SEE PAGE 6A
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Fans pay last respects to Thomas
Above: Fans were able to view and pay their final respects to Chiefs player Derrick Thomas yesterday at Arrowhead Stadium. Thomas died Feb. 8 in a Miami hospital. Right: Thousands of fans, some of whom waited for more than 30 minutes to get on the field, file down the stairs. Photos by Brad Dreier/KANSAN
Chiefs, NFL fans flock Arrowhead for observance
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
By Zac Hunter
KANSAS CITY, MO. — It was a perfect day for football.
Fifty-degree temperatures and mostly sunny skies would have set the stage for a great day of Chiefs football at Arrowhead Stadium.
Sadly, though, not one of the 22,750 people who arrived at the stadium were concerned about football. They were there to pay their last respects to Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas, who died Feb. 8.
in the east end zone, where he terrorized opposing quarterbacks with the help of the crowd, Thomas' body was displayed for friends and fans to view for the last time. His body was surrounded by flowers and framed pictures under a white tent, which visitors passed through.
Next to the tent was a large area where visitors left objects that ranged from flowers to football cards, paying homage to their fallen hero.
Overhead, still-picture collages of his greatest moments as a player flashed on the JumboTron while soft music played on the public address system.
Outside the stadium, members of a local
church greeted those coming to visit Thomas' body with filers that pictured him sacking John Elway on one side and a story from the Bible on the other.
"We do know that wherever he is at he would want us to do this," said Mark Velder, Kansas City area resident, Denver Broncos fan and Thomas admirer.
Perhaps the greatest sign of the respect Thomas acquired throughout his career was the numerous people in Broncos attire waiting in line to pay their respects.
"He's the greatest linebacker ever to play the position," said Dave Kennicutt, Kansas City, Mo. "The man needs to be in the Hall of Fame. The man needs his number retired in this stadium."
A large group of people gathered at the stadium before the gates opened at 9 a.m., and people flowed in steadily all day.
Earlier in the day, at exactly 12:01 p.m., a B2 Stealth Bomber provided by Whiteman Air Force Base flew above Arrowhead as a tribute. Right after, members of the Chiefs organization, including owner Lamar Hunt and coach Gunther Cunningham viewed the body.
For those unable to attend the viewing yesterday, there will be a public memorial at Kemper Arena from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.
As popular as Thomas was on the football field, the overwhelming sentiment of the fans at the stadium was that they would miss him for his actions off the field.
"He just worked with the kids, and the kids loved him for what he did for them," Donna Barnes, Kansas City, Mo., said. "It's like a part of the city has died because he is gone."
Kansas to defend 3-0 record
Though the weather has been a little chilly, the Kansas baseball team is still hot after sweeping the University of Texas-San Antonio last weekend.
By Amanda Kaschubis sports@kansan.com
Konson sportwriter
The Jayhawks, 3-0, are the only unbeaten team in the Big 12 Conference, and they will try to improve their record at 3 p.m. today when they face rival Rockhurst, 2-1, at Hoglund Ballpark.
Senior Ryan Schmidt will start on the mound for Kansas. Schmidt started eight games last season for the Jayhawks, posting a 2-4 record. Coach Bobby Randall said he also would use juniors Eric Thompson, Sam Gish and Jeff Nelson out of the bullpen.
Schmidt will try to duplicate the performances of pitchers last weekend, when junior Pete Smart threw a complete game and shut out San Antonio in the first game. Senior Rusty Philbrick and sophomore Jeff Davis also pitched well, Randall said.
"With Rockhurst, we will face one of the best pitchers in the area," he said. "Pitchers can change the course of the game — ours did last weekend. It was a big accomplishment to win a doubleheader and rare to sweep a series. But we still need to increase our quality of play."
"Any time you throw up nine zeros, you keep putting the pressure on the other team's offense," he
Smart, who gave up only three hits at Saturday's game, said he didn't expect to go the distance.
to celebrate
what you did
quickly and
move on. in
baseball, you
can win one day
and not play so
well the next
day."
Since practices began in January, Randall has been stressing aggressiveness at the plate
Randall: Pleased with the team's improvement so far
and it showed last weekend.
Junior Doug Dreher hit .583 with three doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored. He was named Big 12 Player of the Week yesterday.
"I'm excited and pleased to win the award," he said. "But I'm even more pleased that we swept the series. It's
difficult to win three straight from any team, and I think that reflects the improvement our team has made in the past year."
Overall, the 'Hawks hit 239 for the weekend. Senior Shane Wedd and junior Brandon Smith each hit a home run to add to the offense effort.
Now the Hawks have to focus on Rockhurst, ignoring their best start since 1987.
"We're just thinking about winning the next game," Randall said. "We had a lot of clutch hits and lots of guys contributed. It was a good start, but that's all it was. There's nothing that we can't improve upon."
Kansas Baseball Notes
A few players are nursing pains: Freshman second baseman Ryan Baty is recovering from a separated left shoulder and will return in two to three weeks. Sophomore Jason Appuhn, a starter in the outfield, is suffering from a calcium deposit on his rib cage that may have to be removed in surgery. Sophomore outfielder Matt Van Alsburg is suffering from a hernia and will have surgery this week. Junior pitcher Brandon O'Neal, who lead the team in ERA and home runs last season, is suffering from tendinitis in his throwing elbow. His status is questionable for upcoming action.
B-1 All-Stars to play in intramural game
By Ryan Malashack sports @kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
After a brief half-game suspension, Phi Psi B1-1 referred to by the team as the B1-Stars will be back to its antics, and maybe even some basketball, at 7 tonight in an intramural basketball game at Robinson Center.
The team was suspended two weeks ago for playing music when they entered the court, wearing wigs and being carried off by the crowd after a victory.
Team Captain Erik Lund said that the team discussed the situation with Mary Chappell, recreational center services director last weekend. Lund said he was pleased with the meeting and that he was looking forward to the matchup.
"We're going to have a lot of fun playing tonight," Lund said. "There should be a big crowd, and we're bringing back a lot of stuff for the game tonight."
He said there might be as many as 200 people in attendance.
Chappell described last Tuesday's incident as a combination of faults between the two parties.
"With that meeting, we were able to sort out what really occurred, and it was a little bit of faults on both sides," Chapell said.
One of Chappell's main worries throughout the situation was the safety of players on both teams.
"My concern has been the safety issue, and we've cleared that issue up," Chappell said. "We want to keep the spirit of the game, but we don't want anyone to get injured. We're mostly looking for good sportsmanship from them."
Thrower aims for spot in Sydney
Kansas athlete looks to improve join Canadians
By Sarah Warren sports@kanson.com
Kansas sportwriter
"First I'm asked, 'Are you a basketball player?'" Russell said. "Next, when I say no, it's 'Are you a football player?' And then I have to tell them I'm in track."
It's hard to miss Scott Russell.
The stares come first, then the questions.
At 6-foot-9 and 275 pounds, it's hard to put an eye past him.
Truth be told, he was a football player, and he also was a basketball player. He even played volleyball in high school. Yet heaving a javelin more than 200 feet down field was where he saw his future.
"My family was a basketball family," said Russell, whose father coaches a local college team. "My oldest sister played, my brother played. My youngest sister is in eighth grade right
Russell easily could have spent his college years in a basketball arena with basketball coaches from Marqueet, Eastern Michigan and Detroit Mercy phoning him up at his home in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
now, and she's like all of us, she's been playing since she was four."
"Don't get me wrong, I miss the other sports," Russell said. "But I really saw everything paying off right away in track. I didn't see anything beyond high school in basketball."
Russell, a sophomore, owns the Big 12 Conference meet record in the javelin throw at 252 feet, the Kansas records for the hammer at 213."7 and the 35-pound weight throw at 73.6."
Give him a shot put, discus, javelin or hammer throw, and he'll throw it as far as he can, which generally is farther than anyone else can even hope to do.
Now, he lives to throw.
"Based on what he threw last year, we thought he'd have a really good shot at making it," said Lorri LaRowe, throws coach and fellow Windsor native. "Tm
And, although he is hovering at the top of the collegiate throwing world, Russell has decided to set his sights even higher. In August, Russell will try out for the Canadian Olympic team.
Sports Editor Commentary
excited because he's from my hometown, and being a fellow Canadian, that just adds to it."
"Throwing the weight indoors is really hard on his back," LaRowe said. "Since he's almost 6-foot-10, not throwing indoors would be better for him to prepare to throw javelin."
LaRowe began preparing Russell for his trials attempt in the fall, and sacrifices soon had to be made.
Russell, who was Kansas' leading indoor scorer last season, decided to become a redshirt this year's indoor season.
"One of their throwers even broke my indoor record. It stung a bit but really."
"At our first meet, Wyoming basically came here to throw against me," Russell said.
"It's easier on his body, and we have a lot more time to work on technique and getting stronger in the weight room," LaRowe said. "It's hard for him not to compete indoors, though, watching kids throw and knowing you can do it."
Russell found out just how hard sitting out could be at the first indoor meet of the season, the Kansas Invitational on Jan. 8.
See ATHLETE on page 7A
Scott Russell holds the Big 12 Conference meet record for the javelin and the Kansas records for the hammer and the 35-pound weight throw. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
Mike Miller
sports@kansan.com
Star athletes who hit it big should donate
What would you do with $25,000?
Buy a new car? Pay off school loans? Maybe donate it to an institute of higher learning?
Sure, 25 grand is a huge amount of money that most people don't have available - let alone are willing to donate to a place that just sucked that much or more from their wallet.
But Chiefs' wide receiver Kevin Lockett, 1996 Kansas State graduate, recently donated $25,000 to K-State on behalf of his Lock-ett Up Foundation. A new academic center was dedicated in his name, complete with 24 computers and a large study area — exactly the kind of thing athletes should do for their schools.
Unfortunately, most athletes aren't that generous.
Some would argue that athletes already have given back to their schools by playing in a certain sport that provides the school with an immeasurable amount of pride and satisfaction. If the athlete plays football or basketball, chances are he also assisted in generating revenue for the school.
So, what would you do with $36 million?
If you're former Jayhawks football player Dana Stubblefield, you keep it all.
The trade-off is fair, but if someone succeeds in his or her chosen profession, it's reasonable to give some money back to the University.
Stubblefield, who played here from 1990 to 1992, signed a seven-year, $36 million deal with the Washington Redskins two years ago. Now, the University has several projects coming up, including a new multi-million dollar weight room.
What greater gesture of appreciation could there be than donating a huge chunk of money to your alma mater in its time of need? The Dana Stubblefield Weight Room. It has a nice ring to it.
He could set a precedent for a slew of recent athletes who have hit the jackpot. Football players Gilbert Brown, Tony Blevins and basketball players Greg Ostertag, Reaf LeFrentz and Paul Pierce all are making big bucks and all could donate to Kansas. They wouldn't even have to donate to the Athletics Department.
Gale Sayers, football legend who played at Kansas from 1962 to 1964 and then starred with the Chicago Bears, donated money to the School of Education after he made money as a stockbroker.
It was a precedent set by other Kansas alumni, all of whom made money outside of athletics.
Ray Evans, football and basketball player in the 1940s, donated tens of thousands of dollars through the years as a Kansas City banker.
Forrest Hoglund, whose $1.8 million in donations resulted in the ballpark that bears his name, was a baseball player at Kansas from 1954-56. The chairman and CEO of Enron Gas and Oil Co., Hoglund has said that his desire for Kansas to have a first class facility was the driving force behind his donations.
Jim Herschberger, a track sprinter form 1950 to 1952, gave more than $750,000 for track renovations during a 20-year period — money earned from his oil business.
These donations and others became necessary for the University to build new facilities, both in the Athletics Department and in schools.
Former athletes do pay back their scholarships in some form — about 300 have in the past 10 years — but that's just the start. If the recent graduates who have hit the sports jackpot would donate money to Kansas, it would set an incredible precedent for future athletes. The money could be used for anything in the athletics department or the University, and the athlete would be immortalized in a gesture of incredible kindness.
That way. everyone wins.
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Miller is a Cheyenne, Wya., senior in journalism
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