Thursday, April 24, 1980
University Daily Kansan
KC Chiefs await crucial draft day
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UPI) There's a relaxed atmosphere these days in the "war room" of the Kansas City
That's where Player Personnel Director Les Miller and his scouting staff plot the Chiefs' strategy each year for the college draft. Every club has one. It's where you can mold a dynasty or hasten a demise.
The right draft pick at the right time can put a Super Bowl bowl on your finger; the wrong pick can put you on the street. Witness the selection of Earl Campbell by the Houston Oilers on the first pick of the 1972 draft, the future selection of Roger Staubach by Dallas in the 10th round of the 1980 NHL Rockies by Pittsburgh in the 16th round of the 1984 draft.
AT THIS TIME during the past few years, tension and tightness blinded the Kansas City war room. It was as if every draft might be the last for Miller and his crew. And for good reason. Miller had to pay for the sinks of the Hank Stram administration—an administration that let a Kansas City dynasty crumble with a hunt-and-peek approach to the war.
The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV in 1920. But of the Chiefs' 17 nicks in the ensuite draft, not one is still in football. Of
their 16 picks in the 1971 draft, only two remain in football and neither with Kansas City. As a comparison, the current world champion Pittsburgh Steelers have seven players still in the NFI from that draft.
THEIR IS ONLY one of 15 packs still in the NFL. FROM KANSAS City's 1972 draft and the club went 0-for-13 in the 1973 draft. Strom's final draft in 1975 was 40-for-11. Those were better than from 1973, from 11-3 in their Super Bowl year to a loss 2-12 in 1977.
But Miller has gone about his job the last four drafts with a pretender a spirit of professionalism that had been lacking in Stratford.
And Miller didn't miss on many of his picks. His selects include John Wesley, Art Stall, Gary Green, Whitney Paul, Thomas Howard, Gary Barbaro, Gary Spani, Mike Bell, Frank Manhuaheli, Sly Hurst on defense and Tony Reed, Terry Lee.
Miller went on a limb last year by taking his front office into dealing two second round picks to Houston for the right to select quarterback in the first round of the MVP award, the mark - Fuller was in the starting lineup by mid-season.
MILLER ALSO has the foresight to select Eric Harris in the fourth round of the 1977 draft, although the Memphis State cornerback had already signed with the Canadian Football League.
Harris earned All-Pre-acclaim two straight years north of the border and has decided to play in the next season. This year, Harrison will be playing with the Prevent Kansas City from having the finest young cornerback tandem in the league next season with Green and Cody Wilson.
Kansas City believes it has turned the corner leading back up the road to respectability finishing 7-9 in 1979, and the pressure is now off Miller. No longer is every one of his draft picks expected to step right into the startling lineup.
IT'S "FILL" time—fill a need here, fill a gap there. The Chiefs have the 11th overall choice of the open round and for the first time in four drafts, Kansas City won't be expending its top selection on defense.
Kansas City's needs are, in order, offensive line, wide receiver, tight end, running back and outside linebacker. Forget about quarterback-Fuller and rookie helmet player, they'll need additions former Notre Dame signal caller Trom Clements.
Tennis team out to end Oklahoma State jinx
By JIM SMALL Sports Writer
Ask any Big Eight tennis coach what it takes to win the conference title and he'll tell you one thing: Beat Oklahoma State.
The KU men's team has a chance to beat Oklahoma State tomorrow. It's not the Big Eight meet, which isn't until mid-May. But the Big Ten is on its way. The Jacks will play Colorado on Saturday.
Oklahoma State, which is the top-ranked team in the conference, has won the championship three years running. The players have the inside track again this year.
"OKLAHOMA STATE is by far the best team in the conference," KU coach Mark Hosking said. "They have beaten the
second, third, and fourth best teams in the conference by 8-1 scores this year."
Graham Thams, No. 6 singles player for the Cowboys, also said that his team would repeat as champions.
"I would say that it is looking pretty safe," Thams said. "The most consistent teams usually win the championships, and right now we are the most consistent team."
The two teams met earlier this month in the semi-finals of the Oklahoma City University Invitational. Oklahoma State won the match 8-1.
"We were all a little surprised that we won so easily," Thams said. "But we are not taking Kansas lightly this time. We are fired up to beat them by the score."
KANSAS WILL counter Kaskow with David Theist on No 1. Sings, Although Theist to kaskow when the two met in City, Housing said that Theist should win.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Dave can beat Kaskey. Dave lost to him before but he was injured then and he is healthy now," he said.
Oklahoma State is lead by Chris Kaskow.
Hosking's optimism does not carry over to the remaining matches, however.
"we should win with Dave at No. 1 and we should win the No. 1 doubles match, if we win at any of the other spots we will be very lucky," he said. "I hate to say it, but
we are going to get beat. The question is how bad."
Kansas will have another test in store on Saturday as it faces fourth-ranked Colorado.
WITH FIVE returning starters and a half of the five, Colorado looked to be a top contender at the outset of the season. However, things have not been going well for the Buffaloes this season.
"They have been having some problems this year," Hocking said. "But they are still a good team. It is going to be a very close match. I think the score will be 3-4. We will either win 5-4 or lose 5-4. I just hope that we can win." "They have been having them play us."
KU track team seeks second circuit title
Rounding the final curve of the Midwest relys circuit, the KU women's track team will travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Drake Relays this weekend.
Drake is the last stop on the relays circuit. The two previous stops were the Texas Relays three weeks ago and the Kansas Relays last weekend.
"There'll be some pretty好 jumpers there from Drake and Nebraska who didn't jump at KU. he gives Halverson some good advice." so she wilson said. "But think she can win it."
The Jayhawks picked up one first-placed pick in the win over McKinley in a jury victory in KU COOP. Teri Anderson said McKnight had a good chance to repeat her performance this season.
McKNIGHT'S 19-4' jump at KU left her short of qualifying for the May AIAW Outfits Championship in Europe, One
McKnight said she would qualify this weekend.
"I only three inches of qualifying and I'm getting closer each week," McKnight said after her jump at KU. "I'm pretty sure I can get at a dribal."
Kansas did quality two hurdles last week. Lori Lowrey and Gwen Pess both qualified in the 100-meter hurdles, and Lowrey made it in the 400-meter hurdles.
"These two girls looked really good in the hurdles," Anderson said. "They'll be a strong point for us at Drake."
ANOTHER STRENGTH for Kansas will be Robb Small. Small finished second in the put and shot in the discuss at KU. She set a personal best with a 4-14 leave in the
Kansas will make some lineup changes in its relay teams following time trials this week. In the major water polo, Dee joins
dout from Topeka's Highland Park High School who won the outstanding female performer award at the Kansas Relays. Anderson said that Bentley, one of the top recruiters in the nation, had narrowed her choices to Kansas and Arizona State.
Carson Anderson, Roinie Wilson and Lori Green-Jones. She replaces McKnight. In the 1602 relay, Pam Schabarth and Vicki Hartzell replace Michelle Hertzell and replaces Katherine and Jones.
After this weekend's meet, Anderson said she hoped to sign Jocelyn Bentley, a stan-
Recognizing K.U. Women
--ion on the Status of Wome
Reception following in the Watkins Room
"That is what I like!"
Saturday, May 26th
1st Annual Volleyball Tourn.
(ICHABOD'S BACKYARD)
CHEEP BEER
Games April 26 and May 3
1:00 Each Day
GRAND PRIZE-TROPHY
$3.00 Team Fee
Bring Your Team and Supporters!
--leadoff walk and a single before Bosetti's three-run shot to left field.
The HMS Pinafore
To announce the arrival of
The girls with the anchors are coming round To announce the arrival of
Brett's bat returns thanks to movies
By MIKE EARLE Sports Editor
KANSAST CITY, Mo.-George Brett is finally feeling comfortable again at the plate, and for American League pitchers that's bad news.
Brett, who has been burdened with a 202 batting average, ripped three hits in the first inning and scored a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. He credited a Royals' highlight shot as the key to his success.
"I just closed my stance up a little and concentrated on hitting it up the middle."
"I just haven't been feeling com- mon tonight," she said, on a tonight I watched a Royal's highlight film where I was hitting doubles and triples. I got a bat and tried to imitate
"A ballplayer can go down to Florida and "Everything is easy." Brett said. "Then you come back to Kansas City and the league up in the league years you up."
UP THE MIDDLE was the only place Brett hit the ball. After grounding it, he turned up the ball and double to the wall, and eventually scored on Hale in the fourth in the game to score the life at 14-1.
In the sixth the Royals scored. In the seventh Brett hit a sharp grounder up the middle to score Willie Wilson, who then put that The Royals up by two cuts.34-1
But that leak disappeared when by the end of September he peeled over the wall in the eighth ingram. Bosetti, who came into the game hitting 186, ruined a fine pitching performance that would have been his last.
After giving up a first-inning double to Bosetti, the Blue Jay center player, Leonard limited Toronto to only three hits in the next six innings.
But in the eighth Leonard gave up a
"I felt good," Christenson said, "as good as I felt all year."
Left-handed reliever Gary Christenson came in to leaven Leonard with no outs and did what manager's expect relief pitcher to do. He struck out John Patterson and boy Bob Howey ground out and finished the inning by striking out Otel Vee.
BFTER CHRISTENSON'S 1-23 inning. AFTER he had his third of the game, two RBI and a tie for the game, he slammed a triple to right center field, and then hit RBI of the evening and the Rivals.
Frey couldn't be upset with McRae's or John Wahner's batting performances.
"Yeah, I got them 1-2-3, but there were three right-hand batters coming up." Christensen said. "I wasn't upset at the frenze's decision at all."
As good as Christensen looked on the eighth inning, KC manager Jim Fresy still didn't send him to the mound for the ninth. Right-hander Dan Quinceshire played the game, but Christensen was credited with the victory, his first in the majors.
FREY'S DECISION to play reserve Wathan paid off again. Tuesday night he waded into a 7-6 match McFee now has a six-game hitting streak, and has gone 8-14 in three the streak. Wathan, who went 2-6 with 4-hit safety in six of his last seven matches, hit safely in six of his last seven games.
"I want to stay in the lineup, I'm really feeling great," Wathan said. "I'm really relaxed seeing the ball really good."
The victory gave the Royals two of the three games with Toronto. The KC club, now 74 and 2/12 games behind Oakland, Baltimore in Kansas City tomorrow.
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