10A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY,APRIL25,2002
SPORTS
Kansas City Chiefs' defensive lineman may take team to unexpected heights
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For just about anybody's draft to be a big success, there has to be a sleeper.
Some relative nobody must come leaping out of the late to middle rounds and cause everyone else in the NFL to regret they ignored him.
Even if he doesn't succeed in raising the Chiefs level of play, he'll take their team IQ to new heights.
Scott Fujita could be that guy for Kansas City this year in a draft that was almost completely dominated by defense.
"I know one thing, he's the brightest guy on our football team," said coach Dick Vermil. "He's a 4.0 graduate of California at Berkley and also a very talented guy who can play linebacker for us."
Adopted by Japanese parents, the 6-foot-5, 248-pound Fujita
already has a degree in political science and is working toward his masters.
"I have a lot of interests." he said. "I'd love to see myself playing in the NFL for 10 or 15 years."
Fujita is certain to get a long look from the Chiefs, who went into the draft looking to upgrade their defensive line and linebacker corps, in that order. The line was taken care of in the first round with a trade with Dallas to move up two spots and take 311-pound Ryan Sims of North Carolina.
But the only linebackers they collected were seventh-rounder Maurice Rodriguez of Fresno State and Fujita, who started all 11 games for Cal and had 41 tackles, including 13 behind the line of scrimmage.
"I'm going to come in and try to contribute right away," he said. "But if it doesn't work out, I'd probably see myself getting into
"I thought about going back for the MBA, but I also have the master's in education if I ever decided to teach. Maybe after an NFL
the business side of things. At Cal,
I tried to cover all bases.
Kansas City Chiefs. It doesn't get any better than that."
With a run defense that was 27th in the NFL during a 6-10 season, the Chiefs virtually ignored offense in the two-day draft.
After swapping with Dallas in a deal that ran late and almost allowed Minnesota to get Sims, the Chiefs selected defensive end/tackle Eddie Freeman of Alabama-Birmingham in round two.
Then, with three picks in the final rounds on Sunday, they
opted for two linebackers and one running back.
"I think you could say it was a defensive-oriented draft," said president and general manager Carl Peterson. "You really never know until they come and play and make you better. Then you can say it was a successful draft."
With their fourth pick Sunday, the Chiefs went for Omar Easy, a fullback from Penn State who was third on his team with 196 yards and a touchdown on 45 carries.
The success of the Chiefs' offseason program will hinge in large part on how well Willie Roaf can rehabilitation after surgery on his right knee. The former Pro Bowl left tackle, who was signed as free agent from New Orleans, is working out at the stadium complex at least four days a week.
Catcher collision helps friendship, Royals victory
"Everybody raves about how he's doing, doing a lot of things real well," said Vermeil.
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There's noting like a violent collision at home plate to cement friendship between two catchers.
Kansas City's Brent Mayne came steaming around third and crashed into Detroit's catcher Mike Rivera in the sixth inning yesterday with such force the ball went flying and Rivera went sprawling.
Mayne then touched the plate, helping the Royals beat the Tigers 8-2 on a teeth-rattling play that both men admired.
"It's something you respect when you play like that," said Rivera, who lay on his back motionless for a few moments. "I would have done the same thing. That's how the game is supposed to be played — hard."
As a catcher himself, Mayne knows firsthand how his counterpart felt.
"I've had a lot of collisions, on both ends," he said. "You don't like to do it. But it was the
right play, and he knew that, too. It was a tough one for him."
When Mayne came to bat two innings later, the two even slapped each other on the back.
"He said, 'Are you OK?' Rivera said. "I told him, 'No hard feelings. I would have done the same thing. That's how the game is supposed to be played.'"
Neifi Perez doubled home two runs off Steve Sparks (1-2) in the sixth, putting the Royals on top 4-2. Later that inning, Mayne singled and came around to knock Rivera down on Carlos Febles' double.
Jeremy Affeldt relieved Royals starter Chris George with one out in the sixth and got his first major league win with 3 2-3 hitless innings. Affeldt struck out five.
"I'll take my win. I'll treasure it." Affeldt said. "But it's only April. I've got five more months to go."
Powerful winds gusting more than 35 mph placed tricks on fielders all game.
One example was Mike Sweeney's drive to left in the fourth looked like a home run for sure, and Tigers outfielder Wendell Magee raced back toward the wall. But then the ball seemed to hang in the air a moment. Magee tried to switch directions, and he wound up on his knees as the ball fell in, while Sweeney reached second base.
After Joe Randa walked with one out in the fourth, Perez lined a drive into the gap in left-center and the ball skipped past center fielder Andres Torres, who was backing up left field Magee. Both runners scored, giving the Royals a 2-10 lead. Torres was charged with an error and Perez was given one RBI.
Sparks went 5 2-3 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits.
In the sixth, Magee hit what would have been a routine fly into center field, but the wind-swept ball dropped in at Carlos Beltran's feet, resulting in a double. Shane Halter then hit an RBI double, chasing George.