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Volume 128 Issue 93
Thursday, March 12, 2015
kansan.com
COMMENTARY NFL players retire younger, focus on life after football
BASEBALL
Seven-time pro bowler and middle linebacker Patrick Willis — a staple of the 49ers defense for nearly a decade — was first to call it quits after eight seasons.
Tuesday, he gave his official retirement speech at the 49ers' Levi's Stadium, saying health was the ultimate factor in his decision.
His reason for retiring is completely justifiable and should be considered by others. But when a player as dominant as Willis retires prematurely it sends red flags to the other 31 NFL teams that one of their aging cornerstones could go as well.
There was once a time when NFL players brushed off concus.
sions and broken bones in hopes of returning to game action the very next snap. Sadly, many still do. But overall, protecting oneself for life after football has never been so evident in the NFL as it is today.
No longer are the days when every player wanted eternal glory in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or vast amounts of money. Some just simply want to survive.
Edited by Mackenzie Clark
However, walking away from a guaranteed contract of $15 million like Worilds did shows that NFL players' mindsets are starting to shift.
This week, three players made waves by announcing their early retirement from football, all of them under 30 years old.
Adjusted inflation of Brown's 1966 salary to today's money is $432,790, or just above rookie salary, so his decision to retire at 30 makes sense, given he was a star player and could most likely make that much as an actor.
Still, that was before lucrative contracts began making their way into the NFL. Brown's last salary for Cleveland was a meager $60,000, whereas rookie players today have a minimum salary of $420,000 if they make the team.
Followed by Willis was the retirement of Titans quarterback Jake Locker, who said Tuesday he no longer had the passion to play the game. Passion aside, I'm willing to bet the multiple blows to the head and injuries Locker sustained during his four-year NFL career were also a cause for concern.
Previous NFL players have retired early for various reasons, including Jim Brown, who wanted to take up an acting career in Hollywood.
Perhaps the most shocking retirement, though, came from Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jason Worldls. As a 27-year-old, he's not only entering the prime of his career, but he just had his most productive season with 7.5 sacks and 59 tackles. Rather than retiring for health reasons, Worldls claimed to be pursuing other interests, and who can blame him?
Kansas opens tournament play against TCU
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
Sophomore forward Landen Lucas swings around Texas freshman Myles Turner after dunking during the first half of the Jayhawks' Feb. 28 match up against the Longhorns. Lucas put in 25 minutes in the absence of freshman forward Cliff Alexander. Kansas put together a win, coming back from six points in the second half to win 69-64.
BEN FELDERSTEIN
@Ben_Felderstein
Kansas may be without its best player for the second round of the Big 12 tournament against TCU. Junior Perry Ellis was sidelined for the last game and a half of Kansas' season with a left knee strain.
Freshman Cliff Alexander is still riding the bench due to an NCAA violation. These are arguably Kansas' best two big men and they may be without both against the Horned Frogs.
"We're not at full-strength, but we weren't at full strength going down to Norman either," Self said. "Hunter [Mickelson], Landen [Lucas] and Jamari [Traylor] stepped up and played big. There is no reason why this can't be the case again."
Kansas' three back-up big men have been clutch in the absence of Ellis and Alexander. The three combined for 31 points in the Jayhawks' loss to Oklahoma in the regular season finale.
Kansas finished the season with the regular season Big 12 title and earned a bye in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. Kansas was eliminated by Oklahoma State in last year's tournament and won it all two years ago.
The Big 12 is as close as it has been in recent memory, and all 10 teams have legitimate chances of winning the tournament title.
"You can make a case for seven or eight teams winning if they get hot," Self said. "I think two keys to this year's is to be battle-tested and to be fresh. If you're those two things then you're as good as you possibly can be."
While Self said he understands the importance of winning the Big 12 tournament, he said he realizes there are bigger goals to the season. While winning an 11th straight Big 12 title is impressive, there is more to college basketball than regular season titles.
"I never thought winning the Big 12 tournament was that important," Self said. "It is important to win every time you play. It's the only time you can lose a game, and you're automatically looking toward the next game. The batteries recharge."
Kansas defeated TCU both
times they met this season, but both were close games. The two games were won by a combined 12 points. Sophomore Frank Mason III led the way with a combined 30 points in both games.
TURN TO PAGE 2B FOR A BIG 12 TOURNAMENT BREAKDOWN
Ellis recorded 23 in the last matchup and pulled down seven boards. TCU has proven it can compete in the Big 12 this year. Horned Frog senior Kyan Anderson is a solid point guard who can lead a team.
"I do think whatever team we will play will certainly give us everything we want and more," Self said. "Even if we play well, TCU is very capable."
— Edited by Emma Seiwert
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
Sophomore guard Frank Mason III splits Texas defenders on his way up to the rim during the second half of the Jayhawks' Feb. 28 win. Kansas heads into the Big 12 tournament today against TCU at the Sprint Center in Kansas City.
Softball opens at home with Jayhawk Invitational
DEREK SKILLETT
@derek_skillett
The No. 24 Jayhawks will return to Lawrence this weekend to host the Jayhawk Invitational and will face off against Northern Colorado, Idaho State and Nebraska-Omaha. This will be the first time the Jayhawks will play at the new Arrocha Ballpark, which is now located in the new Rock Chalk Park complex in Lawrence.
The Jayhawks are coming off competing in the Stetson Tournament, where they lost their second game of the season to Chattanooga 0-4. However, Kansas won the tournament, defeating Chattanooga in the championship game last Sunday.
The Jayhawks also moved up in both national polls (ESPN and USA Today) from
The Jayhawks will open the weekend against the Northern Colorado Bears at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The Bears come to Lawrence with a 5-6-1 record, most notably upsetting No.-21 Tulsa on Feb. 8 by a score of 2-0. The Bears are most recently coming off a 6-8 loss to Colorado State.
No.25 to No.24. This is the third straight week the Jayhawks have been nationally ranked.
NORTHERN COLORADO
On offense, the Bears are led by senior infielder Melissa Marcocecchio, who is second on the team with a .389 batting average. Marcocecchio leads the team with 14 hits. Senior infielder Kaitlin Flynn leads the team with 11 RBIs off 13 hits on a .382 batting average. Flynn leads the Bears with four home runs.
NEBRASKA-OMAHA
Sophomore pitcher layne Reddacliff leads the pitching staff with a 3.10 ERA and has allowed 59 hits and 33 runs while striking out 25 batters. Reddacliff enters the game with a 4-4 record this season.
IDAHO STATE
On offense, the Bengals are led by sophomore outfielder Kacie Burnett, who leads the team with a .433 batting average, 26 hits and 23 runs scored. Senior catcher Vicky Galasso ranks second on the team with a .410 batting average, 25 hits and 14 runs scored. Galasso leads the
The Jayhawks will face off against the Idaho State Bengals at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Bengals come to Lawrence with an 11-11 record. Their most notable game* came against now-No. 10 UCLA on Feb. 5, which they lost 3-13.
The Jayhawks will close out the weekend by facing off against the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The Mavericks come into Lawrence with a 9-9 record. The Mavericks have faced some tough opponents this season, most notably losing 0-8 to now-No. 8 Georgia on March 1. They have also lost to Notre Dame, which re-
team with 25 RBIs and seven home runs.
Junior pitcher Bailey Foster leads the Bengals' pitching staff with a 2.84 ERA. She has allowed 25 hits and 11 runs and has struck out 11 batters. Junior Sophie Slagle ranks third on the pitching ranks with a 4.45 ERA and has allowed 63 hits and 39 runs, but leads the team with 23 strikeouts.
cently dropped out of ESPN's Top 25 poll, by a score of 0-7. On offense, the Mavericks are led by sophomore outfielder Lia Mancuso, who leads the team with a .333 batting average and has 17 hits, 12 runs scored and six RBIs. Senior outfielder Allie Matthewso ranks third on the team with a .322 batting average and leads the team with 19 hits, 16 runs scored, 14 RBIs and five home runs.
cently dropped out of ESPN's Top 25 poll, by a score of 0-7.
Senior Kat Barrow leads the Mavericks' pitching staff with a 3.03 ERA and has allowed 35 hits and 17 runs while striking out 23 batters. Freshman Jaylee Hinrichs ranks second on the pitching staff with a 4.30 ERA and has allowed 34 hits and 25 runs while leading the team with 27 strikeouts.
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- Edited by Mackenzie Clark
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