Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
KANSAS TENNIS
Both the men's and women's tennis teams made the NCAA tournament yesterday.
Thursday
May 6,1999
Section:
B
Page 1
SEE PAGE 3B
Kansas Swimming
How do some Kansas swimmers spend their summer? Some of them spend it helping little kids.
SEE PAGE 4B
Pro Baseball
Yesterday's major league baseball - Sammy Sosa homers, Mark McGwire doesn't.
SEE PAGE 5B
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Contact the Kansan
Sports Desk: (785) 864-4810
Sports Fax: (785) 864-0391
Sports e-mail: sportsekansan.com
Singles' win extends postseason
Sophomore tennis player Micah Zomer has slipped into the line-up at just the right time. The men's team has qualified for the NCAA tournament which begins May 14. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
By Melinda Weaver
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
It is the situation in which athletes hope to find themselves. The team is tied in a playoff game on the opponent's home court and the victory falls in the hands of one athlete. The opposing crowd taunts while the athlete's teammates try to provide a little encouragement.
Kansas men's tennis No. 6 player Micah Zomer did not expect to find himself living that dream in a Big 12 Conference tournament win that ended in a NCAA tournament berth.
Zomer, typically a reserve player, had played only two spring matches before last Friday's match against No. 22 Texas A&M. But, he found himself in the No. 6 spot against the Big 12 No. 6 singles champion after Kansas' No. 2 singles player Kenny Powell did not play because of disciplinary reasons
"I if had lost, it would have been the seniors' last match," the sophomore said. "I had to do it for the team. If you can't inspire yourself to win in that situation, there's something wrong."
Earlier, sixth-seeded Kansas had tied the score 3-3 against the third-seeded and host Aggies when Kansas freshman Rodrigo Echagaya came from behind in the third set and won 3-6, 7-6 (10-8), 7-5 in the No. 4 singles match. The other two victories came from freshman Alex Barragan in his No. 2 singles debut and freshman Quentin Blakeney at No. 5 singles.
With the score tied, the attention was focused on Kansas' Zomer and Juan Armamburo of Texas A&M.
"Coach Riley was on the court with me, coaching me all the way," Zomer said. "I looked and listened to him, and I could see my teammates in the stands. I don't know how I stayed calm. I really wasn't that calm."
However, he had spent most of the spring as a reserve on the team.
Zomer had been in this position before. Last season in Montgomery, Ala., the team was tied 3-3 against UNLV in the Blue and Gray tournament. Zomer's third-set win clinched the team's victory.
"Zomer is a reserve player who has spent a lot of time in practice trying to stay prepared," coach Mark Riley said. "That could be the toughest job on the team."
Zomer said that he was ready for the physical aspect of the game, but he was a little unprepared for the mental chal-
"It's tough to come through for the team when you haven't been playing, but I became more comfortable as the match went on."
Zomer said that Riley helped him to stay in focus.
But Riley said he used very basic advice to keep his player in the match.
"I just told him basic things." Riley said. "I tried to put thoughts into his mind about what to do, where to put his serve, and when to go to the net. The biggest thing I told him
during the break was that it was going to come down to who wants to win more and who works harder on the points."
When Zomer won, the team ran down the stairs from the stands, charged the court and dog piled the winner.
"I have a lot more confidence now," Zomer said. "I beat a very good player. Just the fact that I could beat that kind of a player showed me that I could swing with the big boys."
The victory helped the Jayhawks to reach the NCAA tournament, which begins on May 14 in Dallas.
Baseball team still trying to earn coach's 400th win, also playing for themselves
By Matt Tait
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Every cloud has a silver lining. And for the Kansas baseball team this season, that silver lining has been the key of sophomore short stop John Nelson. Although, barely shining through at times, Nelson's play has put a bright tint on an otherwise dreary day.
Nelson who leads the team in 10 offensive categories, has surpassed expectations that followed his stellar freshman season.
Nelson's .320 average is tops on the team. He also leads the team in hits (58), doubles (13), triples (6), RBI (36), total bases (95), slugging percentage (.525), walks (29), on-base percentage (.413) and steals (15).
Despite all of Nelson's personal achievements, he would bargain them away for a win.
The Jayhawks finished Big 12 Conference play with a 4-26 record. That was good for 10th in the conference and marks the worst conference winning percentage by a Kansas team since the 1987 squad was 3-21 in the Big 8.
During a career-high, 15-game hitting streak Nelson said, "I'd trade all of the accolades for some wins for the team."
Although the part of the season that counts toward the postseason is finished, the Jayhawks have six games remaining and are hoping to finish the season strong.
"We just want to come out, play hard and try to get some wins," catcher Shane Wedd said. "People think we have nothing to play for, but we're playing for ourselves."
Unfortunately for Nelson and the team, the season is winding down, and those wins did not come.
The next opportunity for the 'Hawks to earn the win will be tonight when Oral Roberts comes to town as part of a four games in four days series.
Another thing that the 'Hawks are playing for is coach Bobby Randall's 400th career coaching victory.
The first two will be at Hoglund Ballpark tonight and tomorrow, and the next two will be at Oral Roberts at J.L. Johnson Stadium in
The Golden Eagles come to Lawrence the owners of an impressive 36-11 record. On top of leading the Mid-Continent Conference, Oral Roberts has flirted with national rankings all season. Led by Ryan Neil who is hitting .464 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI, coach Sunny Galloway's squad is poised to make the postseason.
Game one will be tonight at 7 and sophomore Pete Smart is expected to make his second career start. His first start came last weekend against Kansas State. Smart pitched well during five innings, scattering nine hits and holding K-State to just four runs. Despite Smart's strong start, the 'Hawks went on to lose the game earning Smart a no-decision.
Tulsa, Okla.
"It helps my confidence even more to be out there for the first pitch," Smart said.
Jayhawk alumnus adjusts to the NFL
Edited by Melody Ard
By Mike Harrity sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
The 49ers called me in the fifth round of the draft and said they were going to draft me with one of their next picks. Then, Bill Walsh called me after the draft and said, "I was a jerk. I was the reason why we didn't draft you. But you're our top priority now, and you'll be our second-string left tackle."
Dan Dercher's phone was ringing soon after the NFL draft was completed April 18. Though the former Kansas offensive tackle wasn't drafted, 15 teams called in hopes of signing him as a free agent. Dercher signed with the 49ers and spent the following weekend at their Santa Clara, Calif., practice facility. From a 300-page playbook to sharing the huddle with future Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, pro football is going to take some getting used to for Dercher. The following is from an interview conducted yesterday:
I probably could have gotten more money from Philadelphia (Eagles), Chicago (Bears) and Carolina (Panthers), but the 'Niners are a great organization.
the hardest thing will be learning the playbook. We had a 300-page playbook and that was only for a minicamp. You had to learn about 50 pages for each practice. Our playbook here (at Kansas) wasn't that big because we just put in different game plans for each week. You learned the basic plays that we'd use against that week's opponent.
I was a little scared the first practice, but I got into the groove. We did full one-on-one pass rush drills. I was going against Charles Haley and I beat him a couple of times. Then, by the second or third time, the other veterans started giving him some trouble about being beat by a rookie. So then he brought a bull rush on me with no pads on. They said that's
pretty cheap; no shoulder pads on and this guy's going to try and bowl me over
Iran second-string. I was in the huddle with Steve Young about half of the time. He introduced himself and said he liked to get to know all the guys in his huddle, so he was real cool. He's also the best athlete on the team. We did a thing called a beep test, which is basically how many consecutive 20-yard dashes you can do. There's a beep, then you run 20 yards, then it beeps again, and it keeps getting faster and faster. It lasts until you can't
go anymore. Steve Young was the best on the team; he did it 125 times.
Bill Walsh and (Director of Player Personnel) Terry Donahue came out and talked to me at practice and said the coaches are saying great things about me and they're really happy to have me. My offensive line coach said, "I
Dercher: Excited about future with the 49ers
hope you're glad you came here. You had an excellent minicamp." It seems like I can be around there for awhile.
I'm waiting to get my signing bonus today or tomorrow. I'm probably going to get a car, but that's about it. I'll put the rest of it away.
The NFL is a lot more laid back than college football. The guys are all grown men. That's a hard thing to get used to. You want to go hang out with the guys, but these guys also have families to go home to. But it's also a job now, so that's the way you have to look at it. You're competing with other guys to make money. And if I can play for a few years, I'll be financially secure and be smart and invest money, that's great. If not, I can always say I played with the best for awhile.
— Edited by Kelli Raybern
Commentary Columnist says thanks to athletes for openness
Sometimes Jacque Vaughn left through the back door.
But sometimes, after playing his heart out, going through post-game rituals and talking to the press, he wanted to leave.
Even when the former Kansas guard played a great game, Vaughn would sneak out of Allen Fieldhouse through the door not surrounded by adoring fans.
It wasn't that he didn't like the fans or enjoy signing autographs.
It is not an uncommon occurrence
So,he would just slip away.
At times, college athletes just want to do their jobs, and go home.
But, as fans, we constantly demand more from college athletes. We want them to sign more autographs, pose for more pictures and talk to us more.
As media members, we want more access and increased interview time, and we demand that college athletes answer our sometimes asinine questions.
We forget that these athletes are not mak
Some adore the attention, but others just want to quietly leave.
But we as fans and media refuse to let them do that—even once in a while.
ing the ridiculous amounts of the money professional athletes make. These athletes participate in college athletics to pay for school, have fun or prepare for a professional career.
Spencer Duncan
sports@kansan.com
But we must remember that these are just college students playing a game.
As a journalist, I have a responsibility to ask athletes tough questions, and I expect them to answer.
Nearly five years ago, I walked into the Kansan newsroom.
The sports editor told me I could cover golf and tennis, and to go to Alvamar golf course and interview the golf team.
As I started driving, I realized I had no idea where the golf course was.
I wasn't going to call my editor and admit that, so I drove around until I finally got directions. I arrived at practice after it ended and walked into a room where the golf team was sitting around, shooting the breeze.
I was invited to sit with the team and participate in a regular after-practice routine: Talking about golf, girls and whatever else.
Since that day, Kansas players have allowed me to watch and interrogate them.
These athletes have let me experience some of the most emotional and personal moments of their lives.
When things have gone bad, athletes have allowed me to talk with them about personal tracedies and defeats.
I have seen football players cry after gut-wrenching losses and basketball players privately pray before a game. I was there when swimmers dealt with the death of a friend and teammate and when cross country runners broke down and fell to the ground vomiting unable to finish the race.
When life has been good, the athletes have always been willing to open up, especially in victory.
It hasn't all been rosy. I have been critical and demanding. I have questioned athletes and their teams.
Some athletes have told me to go away, threatened to beat me up and called me names. But those were rarities.
And in some cases I have understood the frustration.
As fans and media members, we forget that many college athletes just want to do their job and go home.
So, as this is my last column at the University of Kansas, I want to thank those athletes who allowed me into their lives even when they did not want to.
And I want to tell them all that sometimes it is all right to slip out the back door.
Duncan is a Topeka senior in journalism and english.