Volume 126 Issue 113
kansan.com
Monday, April 28, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY AANSAN
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COMMENTARY Union unnecessary to change system
its a change the schools don't want and a change that will be met with some blowback, but its a change that's become inevitable.
A few weeks removed from the landmark decision by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that scholarship football players at Northwestern University (NU) are employees, the ruling will go through the appellate process we all knew was coming.
But this is more about having a strong enough voice to call for and institute - a change in college athletics.
Don't be mistaken, the NCAA and it's conferences will still retain the vast majority of the authority in the player-establishment relationship, but there'll be some more visible checks and balances.
And even though the Wildcats players voted via secret ballot on whether or not to form a union last Friday, the votes will be withheld until the NLRB members in Washington decide regardless of what the majority of the players think.
So, all we can do is wait.
Somewhere along the way, the NCAA realized that for how much attention their student athletes garner, the players would eventually use their grand stage to shout about the injustices of their world.
Two weeks later the NCAA announces unlimited snacks and meals for its athletes.
Ask and you shall receive. We didn't have to wait long for that, mostly because the NCAA couldn't afford to wait.
Then moments later he said how his school, under NCAA rules, wasn't able to properly feed the team that we now only need to refer to as National Champions.
Oh right, that was three weeks ago, when after carrying his team to the national championship and being named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, University of Connecticut (UConn)'s Shabazz Napier went after the NCAA twice in a matter of minutes.
It's right to question whether or not the student athletes will ever truly have a so-called seat at the table with the NCAA, but they can make themselves just as visible by speaking up on their own. With how much media attention there is on the top programs, athletes are more than likely to incite louder voices to join them just by speaking honestly and openly about the system. Just ask Napier.
The more people who keep pushing for change, the less time we'll have to wait to see it happen.
What happens at the NLRB appeal in Washington may very well pale in comparison to what the court of public opinion believes.
"That's the tough thing about it." Napier told reporters then. "They call us student athletes then they take us away from our school."
Edited by Amber Kasselman
Napier criticized the NCAA's postseason ban on the Huskies after a poor Academic Progress Rate score kept UConn away from March Madness in 2013.
THE MORNING BREW
Clippers owner causes controversy over alleged comments PAGE 10
BASEBALL
Junior infielder Justin Protocacio hits the ball for a run against Missouri State on April 23. The Kansas baseball team won all three games in its series against Baylor this weekend.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
SHANE JACKSON sports@kansan.com
the Cowboys of Oklahoma State. Their fourth consecutive loss came at the hands of a bullpen meltdown against Missouri State in a midweek matchup at Hoglund Ballpark.
Previous Jayhawk closer, senior Jordan Piché was moved into the Friday night starting role after junior Wes Benjamin had season-ending Tommy John surgery. In just his fourth start in his Kansas career, Piché pitched his first complete game, allowing a single hit and shutting out the Bears in a 1-0 victory in game one.
The lone hit came from a leadoff single before he ultimately settled down. He
For the first time in a couple weeks, the Jayhawks (26-20) have plenty to rejoice about after sweeping conference foe, Baylor University (19-25), in a three game series down in Waco, Texas. This past weekend's sweep over the Bears marks the first time the Jayhawks achieved such a feat, and came at the most vital point of their season.
Coming into this weekend's matchup against the Bears, the Jayhawks were riding a four game losing streak after being on the receiving end of a sweep in Stillwater against
walked a pair and recorded five punch-outs in his fifth victory of the season to push his record to 5-5.
After the pitcher's duel Friday night, the bats came alive in Saturday afternoon. In just the second inning, the Jayhawks scored six runs off seven hits, en route to their 10-2 victory Saturday afternoon.
With the convincing win, not only did Kansas secure its second conference victory of the season, but locked in coach Ritch Price's 1.000th career win in his valiant career, which consists of 35 years and four different levels.
On Sunday, Price and his Jayhawks got their brooms out
to complete the season-defining sweep. Senior Tucker Tharp took matters into his own hands, driving in a career-high five runs batted in, aiding to an 8-5 Kansas victory. The senior understood after being swept in Stillwater how important it was to pick up those three games in Waco.
"After last weekend everyone was pretty down," Tharp said. "It's tough to come back after getting swept, especially when you're right in the middle of the pack in the Big 12."
As if this weekend couldn't get any better for Price, Sunday's victory marked his 600th career victory at the division level after he tallied
his 1,000th in all levels on Saturday.
With the series sweep, the Jayhawks now move to .500 in conference play at 9- 9 while the Bears fall to the bottom tier in the Big 12 at 5-12 in conference play.
The Jayhawks will look to extend their win streak to four when they face in-state rival Wichita State on the road Tuesday. The Jayhawks took the first meeting at Hoglund Ballpark 4-2 back on April 1.
Edited by Amber Kasselman
SOFTBALL
Baylor sweeps Kansas in Texas over weekend
The Baylor Bears swept the Kansas softball team at Waco, Texas, this weekend. No. 14 Baylor put 19 runs up on the Jayhawks, only allowing Kansas one run.
Baylor's pitcher Whitney Canion is hard to go up against, considering she is the leading pitcher with strike-outs in conference play. Canion also has the lowest ERA in the conference. She boasts a 1.23. The second leading pitcher, University of Oklahoma's Kelsey Stevens, holds a 1.63.
AMIE JUST sports@kansan.com
Up next for the Jayhawks is a series against the Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m.
"You have to give a lot of credit to Baylor and its senior class," coach Megan Smith said. "I admire what they've done and accomplished."
"We're facing an All-American and national team pitcher, who is phenomenal and has been for several years," Smith said. "I thought that we had some good at-bats against her"
AMIE JUST/KANSAN
Junior infielder Chanin Naudin hits the ball straight down against Texas Tech in Lawrence on April 18. The Kansas softball team lost all three games against Baylor in Waco, Texas, this weekend.
Edited by Amber Kasselman
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