IN TOMORROW'S SPORTS SECTION: The Kansas baseball team tries its luck again against nationally ranked Wichita State.
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SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
10A
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
COMMENTARY
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2002
Jeff Denton
jdenton@kansan.com
Wichita State's coaching staff lacks class and respect
Tasteless.
Kansas freshman Chris Jones had just tossed a gem, but Wichita State University coach Gene Stephenson spouted off criticisms rather than compliments.
His No. 8 team in college baseball had been shut out for six-plus innings by one lanky left-hander and befuddled two-and-a-third innings by another. It made four errors. It mustered four hits. It left 12 runners on base. The superior team in the state looked stale and lifeless. It played bad baseball and lost last Tuesday. But Stephenson did not congratulate his opponent. He mocked it.
"We were no-hit though five or six innings by a slow-pitch softball pitcher," Stephenson mouthed. "He don't throw very hard. If he were that good of a pitcher, he would have been pitching a lot for this team. Lord knows they need it."
A true sportsman accepts losing. An honorable opponent does not divert the blame. No one is perfect. And even though a young and struggling team like Kansas thumped a mighty foe at Wichita State last Tuesday, respect was due. Especially when you sit in a throne of authority, as does Stephenson, who cast a spell on a sports-dry city when he took Wichita State from chumps to champs in little more than a decade.
In 1989, the Shockers won the College World Series. Winning gets you far. But winning for 20-some-odd years in a town without another dominant college sport buys you immortality, a limitless amount of lifelines. Stephenson's set. He has been and always will be.
Wichita adores Stephenson. It treats him like a king. But after the game, he acted like a peasant — selfish, rash and tactless. Stephenson called Kansas coach Bobby Randall the next day to apologize, he said. But Stephenson's tirade still miffed Randall.
“There’s a certain code of ethics you go by. There was a lack of respect,” Randall said. “It upset me that he would say that about our starting pitcher. Speed had nothing to do with it. Chris threw a spectacular game. I was surprised, definitely.”
But this mishap was small compared to the coaching catastrophe in 1999.
Before the first inning of a game between Wichita State and Evansville April 15, Evansville lead-off man Anthony Molina was allegedly timing the pitches in his stance, while the ball whipped into the catcher's mitt, as he stood 15 to 20 feet away from home plate. Wichita State pitching coach Brent Kemnitz had taught his throwers to throw inside any hitter if he dared to study the pitcher from the on-deck circle. Shockers right-hander Ben Christensen, who sported a wicked fastball that peaked in the mid-90s, made eye contact with Kemnitz. He then wound up and unleashed a heater.
The next sound was not the smack of the baseball hitting the leather mitt. It was the revolting crackle of a 90-mph baseball crushing the left side of Molina's face. The blow cracked three bones in Molina's cheek. A the one-inched size gash above his left eye rapidly morphed into the size of a plum.
The pitcher's decision to follow his coach's instructions made news throughout the country. Both player and coach were suspended.
Christensen never pitched again for
SEE DENTON ON PAGE 7A
BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS
Casey Spanish, junior infielder from Savage, Minn., recently broke a streak of batting woes. Spanish will try to end his hitting streak tonight against Wichita State.
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
Kansas hitter cures batter's block
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
Casey Spanish rounded first base following his second hit in Kansas' 5-2 loss to Texas Tech on Sunday. He retreated back to the bag, shook first base coach Brett McCabe's hand, and let out a deep breath.
But just a few weeks ago, a routine single was hard for him to muster. The junior came into the season full of expectations, following a sophomore stint where he hit .276 with three home runs and 13 stolen bases.
But an early season slump brutally attacked Spanish's bat. Through the first 20 games, Spanish was hitting just .083, and had a stretch where had just one hit in 37 at bats.
"I put a lot of added pressure on myself that I didn't need," Spanish said.
Tendinitis in his elbow and shoul
"I've stuck with the approach of being
relaxed and seeing the
ball and swinging at good pitches. So far, it's
been working
Casey Spanish
Kansas junior infielder
der didn't help matters either. Spanish eventually was dropped out of the starting lineup for a couple of games, and he sat in the dugout desperately looking for the cure to a hitter's worst nightmare.
Spanish was approached by Kansas coach Bobby Randall before the first pitch of the March 27 game against Baker, and the coach confidently said to him. "Today, the season starts for you."
Spanish went 2-for-3 with four RBI,
He was right.
and since then has been the player that everyone - including himself - knew he could be.
"Ive stuck with the approach of being relaxed and seeing the ball and swinging at good pitches," Spanish said. "So far, it's been working."
Since the victory over Baker, Spanish has hit .385 (15-for-39) with 10 RBI and four stolen bases. He's started the last eight games at first base, and his hot bat has put him back near the top of the batting order.
"He just worked at it, and kind of got it out of his head," Randall said. "He's one of our best hitters. Casey's the one guy probably that has been the most consistent lately."
Randall will need Spanish's bat tonight when Kansas (16-17) travels to Wichita for a 7 p.m. game against Wichita State (24-8).
SEE SPANISH ON PAGE 7A
Gooden to announce decision at press conference Friday
Roy Williams announced yesterday that junior forward Drew Gooden would have a news conference 4 p.m. Friday regarding his decision to stay at Kansas for his senior year or declare for the NBA Draft.
CHRISTINA NEFF/KANSAN
Kansas coach Williams said he gave Gooden information Sunday afternoon from 10 NBA teams and the NBA office that advises undergraduates, and that he would meet with the First Team All-American Monday afternoon about Gooden's options. Williams said he and Gooden chose Friday for the announcement because the coach would be out of town on recruiting trips until then.
Kansas coach Roy Williams jokes with reporters about how the salaries of NBA players compared to those of reporters. Williams announced yesterday in a press conference that junior forward Drew Gooden would have a press conference 4 p.m. Friday.
"It really is a difficult decision." Williams said. "Each person has different dreams, different goals. For me to say what I would do could be 180 degrees from what Drew would do.
Williams said he didn't know what Gooden's decision would be, but expected to know before Friday's news conference.
"The amount of money that you're talking about is unbelievable. Yet I
think there's no price you can put on being a kid."
Pierce left in 1998.
Gooden hinted a few times last season that he was leaning toward leaving Kansas for the NBA. He would be the first Jayhawk under Williams to leave school with eligibility since Paul
The coach added that he would meet with juniors Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich today about their draft prospects.
Doug Pacey
Golfer's game on upswing after recent sizzling play
By Ryan Greene Kansan sportswriter
Everything is starting to come together for Chris Marshall.
The Stanley junior has been on fire on the links lately for the Kansas men's golf team.
Marshall's journey through his college career has seen constant improvement on the course, and with his love for the sport and desire for excellence, his game could continue to advance.
Chris Marshall
"A lot of hard work is starting to pay off, and he practices more than anyone on the team," coach Ross Randall said. "Despite all the traveling, he makes every workout and also works out on his own. It's not overnight success, it's just the result of a lot of hard work and dedication."
A typical day for Marshall involves working out from 6:30 to 7:30 in the morning. After his afternoon classes, he heads to the course for an evening of practice until the sun goes down. When he returns home, Marshall finishes any leftover schoolwork, and many nights has to pack to leave the next morning for a tournament.
In two recent outings, Marshall seems to have played his best yet.
He placed third overall at the Stevin
He placed him son Ranch Invitational, held March 25-26 in Stevinson, Calif., behind teammate Casey Harbour.
At the Western Intercollegiate, held April 8-9 in Santa Cruz, Calif., Marshall's second-place overall finish paced the Jayhawks to fourth place out of 17 teams and gave them their ninth straight top-eight finish. His three-round score of 208 was a career best.
"I've changed my attitude a lot. Trying to change my perspective on my golf game has been big.A change of attitude is the biggest change from last year to this year."
Chris Marshall Kansas junior golfer
Marshall was ranked 92nd in the March 20 Golfweek Sagarin Rankings, and as of the April 9 edition, he had moved up to 75th.
He is climbing up the college ranks, but he still aspires to get better before his days at Kansas are over.
"I've been working really hard on my goals, what I'm trying to do, and where I'm trying to go," Marshall said. "I've changed my attitude a lot. Trying to change my perspective on my golf game has been big. A change of attitude is the biggest change from last year to this year."
Marshall attributes the team's success this year to the team's chemistry, on and off the course.
"It makes it easier when all of your teammates are your friends." Marshall said. "We're all out there just having fun. Living with your teammates, who are also your close friends, helps as well."
Marshall will most likely enter next season as Kansas' top golfer. He and Randall both said Marshall's work ethic
SEE MARSHALL ON PAGE 7A
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