Friday, April 30, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 5
Sports teams at Columbine benefit from company aid
The Associated Press
ARVADA, Colo. — Columbine High School junior Matt Wells took time out from the grieving world around him to crack a smile, chew on some sunflower seeds and talk about baseball.
"It's just good to be smiling and laughing," the 16-year-old said.
Wells, a catcher on the Columbine High School varsity baseball team, watched the junior varsity play Arvada West High School on Wednesday. His classmates smiled and cheered as they played ball, just eight days after teen-age gunmen killed 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves.
Among other things, the gunmen had complained about their treatment at the hands of athletes at Columbine. When they burst into the library on April 20, one of the gunmen yelled: "All jocks stand up! We're going to kill every one of you."
Since the massacre, the suburban school has become a sealed crime scene. Hundreds of backpacks and other personal belongings abandoned in the crisis still litter the hallways and classrooms. School athletic equipment is also unavailable, probably for the rest of the school year.
But thanks to an outpouring of donations and support from the community and the sports world, Columbine's baseball team has uniforms, gloves, balls and everything they need to get back on the field.
Without the equipment and clothing donations, the Columbine Rebels would have been forced to end their season. Wells said.
"We wouldn't have played," he said. "We wouldn't have been able to."
The baseball team has received an estimated $5,000 worth of clothing and gear from Reebok, Mizuno, Denver Athletic Supply and other sports companies. The gifts included dozens of bats, stark navy blue uniforms, never-worn leather gloves and even athletic socks.
"They're taking care of us," said Robin Ortiz, the Columbine baseball coach. "I hate to say it, but it's been like Christmas at times."
rest of the season.
"For a lot of them, it's a chance to start healing," he said.
Team members decided they wanted to play out the rest of the season.
"For a lot of them, it's a chance to start healing," he said. Some players also had the chance to realize a dream. The Colorado Rockies opened their doors to Columbine players Monday, allowing the team to work out in their hitting cages and tour Coors Field.
The Rockies worked with the Denver Police Activities League to help coordinate the donations and support. Nick Arcuri, director of the activities league, said he hoped the efforts showed the teens they were not alone.
The community outpouring has touched some Columbine students. Katie Crona, a junior varsity soccer player with the Rebels, said her team received new uniforms from Adidas and assistance from rival Arapaho High School.
"They've been so wonderful to us." the 14-year-old freshman said. "It's so nice to know they care."
So.ne players said the donations and support will encourage them to play better. But Wells said he is more interested in simply trying to have fun and move beyond the tragedy that put his life on hold.
"It's like getting back to normal life," he said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bob Baffert knows he made the right choice.
Final entry given prime Kentucky Derby spot
The Associated Press
But early Wednesday, with a 10 a.m. deadline closing in for entering horses in tomorrow's Kentucky Derby, he paced at his barn, cell phone in hand, owners waiting in the wings to see if Baffert would enter his filly. Excellent Meeting.
Finally, after a week of suspense, Baffert figured three chances are better than two in his bid for an unprecedented third consecutive Kentucky Derby victory.
"We entered General Challenge with Gary Stevens; we entered Prime Timber with David Flores; and Excellent Meeting is in the Derby with Kent Desormeaux," Baffert said Wednesday at Barn 33, where his two Derby winners, Silver Charm and Real Quiet, were
walking the shedrow. "The filly is doing great, I feel she earned her way into the race, and I think she's good enough to win the Derby."
At Wednesday evening's draw for post position, Baffert found out where his horses stood — and only Excellent Meeting ended up in a prime spot, No. 6 in a full field of 20 3-year-olds.
Prime Timber will leave from the No. 14 post, and General Challenge from the No. 15 slot. Because the regular starting gate holds only 14 horses, an auxiliary gate will be added for the other six entries.
John and Betty Mabe own both General Challenge and Excellent Meeting, and the entry was made the 3-1 early-morning favorite by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.
Prime Timber, owned by Aaron Jones, was the second choice at 7-2.
while Menifee, trained by Elliot Walden, was the third choice at 5-1
General Challenge and Prime Timber finished 1-2 in the Santa Anita Derby, while Excellent Meeting has an impressive four-race winning streak and seven victories in 11 career starts.
Of course, being the favorite is nothing these days for Baffert. And he doesn't really care that it's been 20 years since the favorite won the Derby.
"I was the favorite last year with Indian Charlie," Baffert said. "But we knew Real Quiet was doing the best of the two. You can talk about the jinxes and all that, but who would have thought that a horse that got beat in New Mexico was going to come win the Derby last year? So I think you can throw all that out."
Excellent Meeting also is entered in Friday's Kentucky Oaks, meaning
Baffert has until an hour or so before the Oaks' 5:47 p.m. post time to make a final decision on the filly.
Silverbulletday, also trained by Baffert and owned by Mike Pegram, is the odds-on favorite in the Oaks.
If Excellent Meeting goes in the Derby, it would be the first time since 1984 that two fillies ran for the roses. Three Ring, who won her last two races by 6 1/4 lengths and 14 lengths, respectively, is the other. In '84, trainer D. Wayne Lukas sent out Althea and Life's Magic.
"Right now I think she will run in the Derby," Baffert said, "but I've been known to change my mind. A few times."
If all 20 start, it would be the first full field since 1984, and just the 13th time there been a field of 20 or more horses. After 23 started in the 100th derby in 1974, Churchill Downs limited the field to 20.
Rams release lineman to seek leading rusher
The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams have freed up salary cap money aimed at signing Marshall Faulk. But it cost Zach Wiegler his job.
Wiegert, a three-year starter on the offensive line, agreed to a $3.2 million contract just a little more than a month ago, when he was named the Rams' transition player. He was released Wednesday as the Rams began trying to sign Fauk the AFC's second-lead
grandfather rusher last season. St. Louis acquired Faulk from Indianapolis two weeks ago.
Wiegert's contract like
most NFL contracts, was not guaranteed.
"Zach was totally shocked and hurt and disappointed and angry," said his agent, Jim Steiner.
The Rams flew Wiegert to St. Louis from Nebraska, and coach Dick Vermelia broke the news to him — face-to-face — in a meeting that lasted more than an hour Wednesday at Rams Park.
"It's a tough thing to do, and not a lot of fun," Vermeil said. "The timing isn't great."
Vermeil said he didn't want to cut a defensive player because the defense had taken some hits to
fund the teams offseason makeover on offense. Linebacker Eric Hill was released, and the Rams chose not to re-sign free agent linebacker Roman Phifer and free agent cornerback Ryan McNeil.
"Now we have an opportunity to get another outstanding offensive player (Faulk), and I couldn't go back to the defense and get the money from that side of the salary cap." Vermeil said. "Zach is the victim. He's the victim of the salary cap procedure we have in the National Football League. That's all there is to it."
Steiner said, "it's a terrible way to do business."
By definition, a transition player is supposedly one of a team's better players. Under league rules, a player given the transition designation is entitled to a one-year salary equal to the average of the 10 highest paid players at that position in the previous year. For offensive lineman, that number this offseason is $3.187 million.
In return for making that one year offer to a player who would otherwise be an unrestricted free agent, the team gets the right to match any contract offers from other teams.
"When you're 'transitioned' and you accept it, certainly you would think that the club would act responsibly and ethically by honoring that contract," Steiner said.
Kentucky center, guard to transfer
The Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Center Michael Bradley, who set a Kentucky record for field goal percentage, and guard Ryan Hogan have left the team, giving the Wildcats only seven returning scholarship players.
Bradley's departure creates a potentially gaping hole at center for the Wildcats, who are still awaiting a decision by Bradley's backup, Jamaal Magoire, on whether he'll leave early for the NBA draft.
"I'm disappointed that Mike and Ryan have decided to leave the University of Kentucky, but we wish them well in their future endeavors," coach Tubby Smith said in a statement.
Smith was unavailable for further comment.
Kentucky athletic director C.M. Newton said both players told him they thought it was in their best interests to transfer without giving any further reason.
"It's disappointing when you have any young man leave your program prematurely," he said. "In this particular situation, it's some concern because of the timing of it. It's very late for us to be notified of this."
Newton said the rash of transfers in college basketball this spring was not just a Kentucky problem, but a national problem that needs to be addressed.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, added one inside player yesterday when junior-college transfer Nate Knight, a 6-foot-8, 220
pound forward-center, signed a national letter of intent to play for the Wildcats. Knight is the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers forward Travis Knight.
The Wildcats still have three available scholarships to give if Magloire decides to return for his senior season, and four if he departs, team spokesman Brooks Downing said.
Bradley, a 6-10 center, started all 37 games last season and averaged 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game.
re briefly led the nation in field goal percentage and finished the season shooting a school-record 65.7 percent from the field.
Hogan, nephew of former Kentucky star Kevin Grevey, started twice and played in 35 of 37 games. He averaged 3.7 points in 9.5 minutes per game.
Bradley and Hogan have not decided where they will transfer, the school's statement said.
Neither player was available for comment.
Bradley's departure creates big questions about the Wildcats' inside game, once expected to be a strength.
John Stewart, a 7-foot Kentucky recruit from Indianapolis, collapsed and died while playing in an Indiana high school regional tournament in March. Another Kentucky recruitment from the fall, 6-9 forward Marquis Estill of Richmond, Ky., has undergone surgery on both knees.
Kentucky finished 28-9 last season, falling one game short of making its fourth straight NCAA tournament Final Four appearance. The Wildcats will add two highly touted freshmen next season, 6-10 forward Marvin Stone of Huntsville. Ala., and 6-4 guard Keith Bogans of Alexandra, Va.
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