WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2002
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3B
When name-calling isn't insulting
Fans name kids pets after favorite players on team to show support
By Dong Pacey and Brent Wasko
Kansan sportswriters
Avid Kansas basketball fans are taking their devotion to a new level—naming their children and pets after players.
Scott and Jodi Schlesener of Perry agreed that if the Jayhawks were still in the NCAA Tournament when their baby was delivered, the child would be named after senior guard Jeff Bosche.
Jodi thought the deal would be a safe one because the baby wasn't due until April 3, after the upcoming national championship game.
But the couple's child came early, March 21, the day before Kansas defeated Illinois. Jodi lived up to her end of the bargain, agreeing to name the baby Deavynn Boschee Christine Schlesener. Scott wanted the child's first name to be Boschee, but Jodi said she couldn't handle that.
"One of my friends told me about it and some lady called my house last night, telling me to watch the 6 o'clock news," Jeff Boschee said. "I didn't get to see it, but it is flattering to be recognized like that."
But he didn't have the Schle-
sener's family dog, Raef LaTerrier, named after him, like former Jayhawk forward Raef LaFrentz.
"Raef's going to have to comment about that," joked Boschee.
Another Jayhawk fan has similar plans to the Schleseners'. An unnamed man told the 10,500 fans over the public address system at the post-Midwest Region Finals rally at Allen Fieldhouse Sunday that he was planning to name his unborn child "Keith Langford" after the freshman guard on the team.
Langford said he wasn't sure how to take that.
"I didn't think the guy was serious," he said. "I appreciate that he felt that way, but that is a bit extreme. I can't say if that's right or wrong. I'm glad they think so highly of Kansas basketball."
Hinrich's ankle better
Kirk Hinrich's ankle is almost 100 percent, the junior guard said, but he'll still wear the air brace that he has worn for the last three games.
"Against Oregon, that's the best it has felt in awhile," the junior guard said. "I hardly even think about my ankle anymore. The only thing that reminds me of it is that brace."
Kansas trainer Mark Cairns said it was in Hinrich's best interest to wear the brace because his ankle had not healed completely.
Still, some Stanford fan Internet boards claimed Hinrich's ankle injury against Holy Cross
two weeks ago was a charade meant to give the Jayhawks an excuse if they lost to the No. 16 seed Crusaders.
"Somebody told me that it was orchestrated about how severe Kirk Hinrich's ankle was," Williams said. "No one in the world was more worried about Kirk Hinrich's ankle than I was. If it was made up, he fooled me."
Games on MegaVision
Jayhawk fans who don't have the opportunity to travel to Atlanta to see Kansas play in the Final Four can watch Saturday's game against Maryland on the Memorial Stadium MegaVision, the video board located in the south end zone.
Kansas officials said there were plans for a party at the stadium during the game but nothing had been finalized.
Crabs and ribs
Kansas Congressman Dennis Moore, a 1967 University of Kansas graduate, and Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer, a 1963 graduate of Maryland, have placed a friendly wager on Saturday's National Semifinal game between their alma maters.
Moore promised Hoyer two pounds of Kansas City-style barbecue ribs "in the unlikely event that the Terrapins are victorious."
If the Jayhawks win Hoyer will provide Moore with two pounds of Maryland crabs.
"I plan on having a nice crab
"I hardly even think about my ankle anymore. The only thing that reminds me of it is that brace."
dinner as I cheer the "Hawks in the championship on Monday night," Moore said. "Everyone knows that aside from Wildcat burgers and Tiger stew, a Jayhawk's favorite meal is turtle soup."
No North Carolina
Kirk Hinrich Kansas junior guard
Something will be different for Roy Williams at the season's Final Four. He won't have to face the Tarheels. The first two times Williams went as Kansas' coach he faced his former school and mentor, coach Dean Smith.
"I hadn't even thought about that." Williams said.
The Jayhawks beat the Tarheels in the National Semifinals in 1991 to advance to championship game, but lost to eventual national champion North Carolina in 1993 in the National Semifinals.
Contact Doug Pacey at dpacey@ kansan.com or contact Brent Wasko at bwasko@kansan.com. This story was edited by Kristi Henderson.
SOFTBALL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
spring break, playing 11 games, including a series split against Baylor last weekend. Playing during spring break meant the Jayhawks didn't have to worry about the daily grind of classes.
"We all talked about how nice it would be if we just had softball to do." Pierce said.
Bunge added that although the team didn't have class, the Jay hawks never really escape the pressures of the class
room.
"It wasn't a total break."
Bunge said. "We still had girls
Tabb
who were meeting with professors while we were here and some had tests to come back to on Monday."
Notes:
Senior outfielder Leah Tabb was named the Big 12 Player of the Week. Tabb hit .500 in five games last week, including five hits, four runs and one RBI. She reached base in every game and leads Kansas with a .556 batting average in Big 12 Conference
play. Tabb is the third Jayhawk to be named Big 12 Player of the Week this season. Senior outfielder Christi Musser and freshman outfielder Serena Settlemier were chosen earlier this season.
Contact Brox at abrox@kensan.com. This story was edited by Anne Mergenmeier.
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- based on survey responses from 1,620 students. Surveys administered by the KU Office of Institutional Research and Planning (2001).
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