TRACK: Senior Katy Eisenmenger has climbed to the top of the Big 12 rankings for the mile. See page 6A.
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
8A
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2002
COMMENTARY
Brian Hanni
bhanni@kansan.com
Candy offers witty messages from the heart for athletes
For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite Valentine's Day traditions has been eating those little candy hearts with the cheesy expressions. Everyyear, I'll buy a giant bag and because they're so addictive, I'll usually have it finished off in a couple days.
Some of my friends think I'm crazy and try to tell me that my favorite candy tastes more like Pepto-Bismal tablets, but I'm not listening to any of that garbage. Others have tried to tell me that the only good thing about my hearts are their cutie messages. Can you believe that?
sages. Can you help me use these kinds of phrases anyway? When's the last time a guy earned points with his girlfriend by saying "FAX ME." And what's up with "MOON BEAM"? Yeah, like that's going to turn her on. Honestly, through out all my years of eating these things, I've never understood most of their phrases or to whom in the world they could possibly apply. Until now.
This year, I took a long, hard look at the new assortment of sayings and quickly stumbled upon a hidden meaning buried deep within their sugar-coated layers. There actually was an audience for these things. They were written with the Athletics Department in mind.
Oh yes, my friends, go and have a look for yourselves. The writing's on the heart. I won't give all their secrets away, but here's my main list of hearts and how they relate to lav hawk sports.
"GOOD 4 U" This heart belongs to senior wide receiver Harrison Hill, who recently was approved for a sixth year of eligibility. Hill's already had a great career at Kansas, and should flourish next fall in his final season as a Jayhawk.
"URA STAR"Drew Gooden, this one's for you. You've made the jump from KJHK sports talk to the Jim Rome Show.Congratulations.I hope you'll still have time for the little people now that you've made it big nationally.
how many you "MISS YOU" This heart has Jaclyn Johnson, Jennifer Jackson and Brooke Reves' names written all over it. The three seniors from last year have been sorely missed on this year's women's basketball team.
"GO GIRL" This heart goes to Tracy Bunge and her softball team loaded with seniors. Bunge has turned the program into the second best sports team here at Kansas.
"LOVE HIM" You've gotta love Mark Mangino. Even if he wasn't your first choice for the football coaching job, you have to like this guy. He's got great command over his team, what looks to be a solid recruiting class and has already showed plenty of wit in dealing with the media.
"I HOPE" This one expresses the feelings of many Jayhawk fans for Bobby Randall's baseball team. The Kansas skipper deserves a great season and needs one badly.
"SWEET TALK" This heart was made with the hype around this year's men's basketball team in mind. It's sweet, indeed, to hear people on the national scene saying what local fans have believed for so long — this team is for real.
"URA 10" This heart is clearly meant for Kirk Hinrich. In addition to wearing the number 10, Kirk gets top ratings on everything he does. He's the most complete player on the team.
"LOVE 2002" Roy, this one's for you. You'll always remember and love the year 2002. It's the year you'll win your first national championship. How do I know? Its all in the hearts.
Hanni is a Topeka senior in journalism
Sophomore second baseman Ryan Baty looks to grab the ball for an out against Ottawa as junior short stop Casey Spanish backs him up. The KU baseball team opened their season with a 10-6 win at Hogelund Park Tuesday.
Teammates dominate the field
By Ryan Wood
Kansan sportswriter
Looking at junior Casey Spanish and sophomore Ryan Baty out on the field, one might think they were in the wrong place.
Baty, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound second baseman, and Spanish, a 6-4, 215-pound shortstop, may seem a little too big to be patrolling the middle infield for the Kansas baseball team.
But the two don't see their size as a problem. More like an added bonus.
"I think if anything, it's an advantage," Baty said. "I can cover more ground. It's a little out of the norm to see someone 6-4 playing second base, but if you look at the trend that's being set in professional baseball, you're seeing it a lot more now."
Baty assumed the role at second base after missing all of last year with a dislocated shoulder, which he suffered just weeks before the start of the 2001 season. He said the now-healthy shoulder was ready to take on the strains of playing everyday.
"It's better than ever," he said. "After a full year of rehab, it's stronger than it ever was."
Spanish, last year's second baseman is moving over to shortstop for the first time in his collegiate career. John Nelson, the starting shortstop for the last four years, is now playing professionally in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
"Playing second the last two years, you kind of get used to it over there," Spanish said. "But whatever is best for the lineup and for the team, I welcome
it. It's going to be a fun time."
In it, Spanish hit .276 with three home runs and 21 RBI's in his sophomore campaign. He also stole 13 bases in 17 attempts. Despite their size, Baty and Spanish both possess hidden speed that can surprise opponents.
"I think people are going to look at us and think that we can't move as well or run as well," Spanish said. "I think that's going to play to our advantage. Not just in the field, but everything, whether it's running the bases or whatever."
Coach Bobby Randall said he is eagerly anticipating a full season with the two playing side-by-side on the infield.
"Defensively, Casey is our best infielder," he said. "Ryan works at it
really hard, and he's a good infielder, too. He's been hurt two years in a row now. I don't think there's anybody hungrier to play than he is."
girl to play Baty proved Randall right on Tuesday, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two doubles and 4 RBI in the Jayhawks' 10-6 victory over Ottawa.
With Spanish moving across the diamond. Baty was quick to dismiss any possibility of his roommate and good friend being upset about making room for him.
"Casey's a shortstop," Baty said with a smile. "He was born to play shortstop."
Contact Wood at rwood@kansan.com. This story was edited by Angela Cox.
Team to spend Valentine's in Vegas
By Ali Brox
Kansan sportswriter
For those with significant others, Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate. But for members of the Kansas softball team, Feb. 14 is when they travel to Las Vegas for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Softball Classic. This forced some members to rearrange their plans, but for senior shortstop Courtney Wright, her sweetheart will be right there with her.
"Well, actually my fiancé is driving up to Las Vegas," Wright said. "We're only getting each other cards because we're saving up for our wedding."
Wright has only a card for her fiance, but she has a suspicion he might get her a present even though they've agreed
not to. She also has an inkling they might not get much time alone while in Las Vegas.
"Hopefully we'll get time by ourselves, but my family is also going to come too, so it's probably just going to be a family Valentine's dinner," Wright said.
Senior second baseman Amy Hulse and her boyfriend decided to celebrate Valentine's Day before the team left. Her boyfriend cooked Tuesday night, and the two exchanged gifts.
Megan Urquhart also won't spend Valentine's Day in Lawrence, nor will the senior third baseman celebrate her 22nd birthday in Lawrence. Fortunately, her parents are making the trip to the tournament to help her celebrate both.
"Actually, my parents and my aunt and uncle are taking me out to the Bellagio Steakhouse, and we're going to eat out on the lake," Urquhart said. "We're all going to eat at the restaurant and then go hang out on the strip."
Urquhart doesn't have any idea what she's getting for Valentine's Day or her birthday, but she knows it won't be chocolate. She hasn't eaten chocolate in about six years.
"My mom, I don't know if she'll bring it, but she usually makes me strawberry heart cakes for my birthday, but I don't know if she's going to make them this year or not," Urquhart said.
Contact Brox at abrox@kansan.com. The story was edited by Kyle Ramsey.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Mike Castoro, right, proposes to Kansas shortstop Courtney Wright. Last season, Castoro proposed at home plate after a 2-1 loss to Oklahoma.
Jayhawks fighting, playing better, coach says
By Jessica Scott
Kansan sportswriter
As the final buzzer rang last night at Allen Fieldhouse, a middle-aged woman held up a sign reading, 'We support you coach Washington! Go Jayhawks!'
Clapping in appreciation, Kansas coach Marian Washington exited the court with a slight smile on her face and for good reason.
Although the Jayhawks lost to Nebraska 77-70 last night and extended its school-record losing streak to 15
games, Washington said she felt good after the improvement that she witnessed in her team.
"We've struggled trying to get 40 minutes out of our club and I think this game we started playing 40 minutes of basketball," Washington said. "As I said to them in the locker room, there's no question that they're fighting better and playing better together."
Kansas (5-21, 0-13 Big 12 Conference) fought through a tough first half with Nebraska (15-11, 5-8) and led 34-30 at the break. Senior guard Selena Scott scored eight points in the opening half while sophomore guard Leila Mengue scored all of her six points in the first.
Washington said Menguc provided an instant spark off the bench for the Hawks, even after leaving the court five minutes into the second half with a bloody upper lip.
"I knew coming into this game what
"She did a great job," she said. "Leila is so feisty — she was able to get her hands in there. Leila was very instrumental in the first half. She got hit pretty hard but I just thought she played great for us."
I could and couldn't do so that really boosted my confidence," Menguc said. "I felt like we had the upper hand all through the game. Everybody was on the same page and it was really fun playing out there."
The Cornhuskers, led by junior Keasha Cannon who scored 13 of her 15 points in the second, led by 10 with 2:14 left. Kansas refused to fold and fought back with steals on the defensive end, and gave themselves a few more seconds of time by stopping the clock with timeouts.
BEE WOMEN ON 6A