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SPORTS
1B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2003
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Jonah Ballow jballow@kansan.com
Jayhawks may win battle but lose war
It all began in 1854 with two bordering states that had different laws regarding slavery. Those two states, Missouri and Kansas, would engage in battles before the Civil War, which involved burning, pillaging and murder.
Thus, the Border War.
The battles continue 149 years later between the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas in the form of athletics.
Before Oct. 23, 2002, the games played between the Jayhawks and Tigers were measured simply as bragging rights.
Then came the creation of the Border War Series. Missouri and Kansas compete in 17 competitions in different sports for the coveted Traveling Border War Cup. A scoring system awards points to the winning team. The team with the most overall points by June earns the trophy.
Who do we have to thank for this competition?
The Midwest Ford Dealers have sponsored the series, as you may have seen by its clever commercials.
In October, the Border War Series seemed like a great idea to spark fan involvement and to continue the rivalry between the two schools.
Missouri athletics director Michael Alden said the series would help both athletic programs.
"We are very pleased that the Midwest Ford Dealers have joined us in this venture, and we believe that their sponsorship will enable us to further enhance the exposure of our athletic programs through this series." Alden said.
As the season marches on, a sad truth about Kansas athletics is starting to develop. About a quarter of the way through the competition, the programs are not even by any rate.
The Tigers have dominated all but one match-up against the Jayhawks. The men's cross country team has earned the only point for Kansas in the Big 12 Championships. The team finished merely one position above the Tigers for eighth place overall. The volleyball team had two chances to gain points for Kansas but came away with zero in defeats at Columbia and in Lawrence. We all know what happened to the football team as they handed a whopping 3 points to Missouri. The soccer team also lost 3 possible points with a 2-0 defeat in Columbia. The women's swimming and
SEE BALLOW ON PAGE 3B
Jared Soares/Kansan
"I think it puts us in a position to control our own destiny," said sophomore guard Keith Langford after Monday night's 90-87 victory against Texas. Kansas will look to Langford, who is averaging 16.5 points a game, for strength when they take on Nebraska tomorrow at 1 p.m.
'Hawks recall past
team notes near defeat last year in Nebraska
By Doyle Murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Sophomore guard Keith Langford has come a long way since his days as an unproven freshman, and much of that journey occurred in about two seconds during last year's game with Nebraska.
With then-junior guard Kirk Hinrich on the bench with five fouls and Kansas trailing by 2 points, the Jayhawks planned to put the ball in the hands of their record-setting three-point shooter, former guard Jeff Boschee. But when the play broke down, there was Langford, looking at an open shot from behind the arc. Despite shooting only 25 percent from three-point range, Langford drained the game-winning shot without hesitation.
Flash forward a year. Boschee is
Opponent: Nebraska
Game Time: 1 p.m. tomorrow
Location: Lincoln, Neb.
TV: ESPN
Radio: KLZR 105.9 FM, KDVV 100.3 FM
gone, Langford averages 16.5 points per game as a starter, and Kansas (14-5 overall, 4-1 Big 12 conference) is headed back to Lincoln, Neb.
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 3B
Kansas can't slow down against No.8 Texas Tech
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
This weekend, the Kansas women's basketball team (9-9 overall, 2-5 Big 12 Conference)
Opponent:
Texas Tech
Game Time:
2:05 p.m.
tomorrow
Location:
Allen
Fieldhouse
Radio: KJHK
90.7, KLZR
105.9
will see if its recent swing of momentum can pay off against elite competition.
Tomorrow afternoon, No. 8 Texas Tech (17-2, 6-1) will ride into town looking for a
third consecutive victory. The Red Raiders are tied with Texas for the conference's top record. Despite the steep competition, Kansas coach Marian Washington feels it is better for her team to play against the best.
"They're not just one of the best teams in the conference, but they're one of the best teams in the nation," Washington said. "This is where we're going to be eventually, so being in that arena with them is just going to help this ball club."
The Jayhawks have picked up steam in their last two contests, snapping both a 21-game overall conference losing streak by defeating Texas A&M and a seven-game losing streak to rival Nebraska.
kemp had her career high with 26 points in Wednesday's victory over Nebraska. It was Kemp's second straight game in which she lead the Jayhawks in points. Kemp also leads the team in scoring with
The team has seen success thanks in large part to the offensive resurgence of sophomore guard Aquanita Burras and freshman forward Crystal Kemp.
SEE WOMEN ON PAGE 3B
Brandon Baker/Kansan
Freshman Crystal Kemp has averaged 20 points a contest in her last three games, including a career-high 26 against Nebraska.
Nike, KU join forces dress teams
By Kevin Flaherty
kflaherty@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
Keith Langford switches shoes at halftime if he plays badly. Thanks to Nike, the University of Kansas Athletics Corporation can allow Langford to keep his unique habit.
Kansas signed a four-year contract with Nike that ends in June 2005. In the deal, Nike donated men's and women's basketball, football and cheerleading uniforms and shoes, while discounts, such as two-for-one shoes, are given for other sports, said Richard Konzem, Kansas senior associate athletics director. Konzem said that Nike had been sponsoring Kansas for years.
"Our initial contract was about eight years ago, and we entertained offers from Nike and Reebok." Konzem said. "We eventually went with Nike, and they offered free merchandise for all sports."
Nike's later contract did not have the all-inclusive offer, Konzem said.
Not only do the basketball and football teams receive free uniforms, the coaches for those teams are paid money to have their players wear the Nike swoosh, Konzem said.
The exact details on those contracts cannot be released, Konzem said.
Because Nike outfits most of the Jayhawk teams, they will periodically present KUAC with concepts for new uniforms. The choice is then up to Kansas to accept or decline the proposed change. For the most part, KUAC works with Nike during the changes.
Paul Vander Tuig, Kansas trademark and licensing director, said that he worked with Kansas football coach Mark Mangino in designing new football uniforms unveiled at the 2002 spring game.
"The first thing was that coach wanted to change the color to make it darker." Vander Tuig said. "It's not that navy is better than royal, but navy sells better."
Mangino also had ideas about the numbering of the jerseys, Vander Tuig said.
As director of trademark and licensing, it is Vander Tuig's job to put an identifying university mark on the uniforms. The mark on the football uniforms is a small Jayhawk on the yoke of the collar.
Konzem said that it was not unusual for a team to change its uniform in the off-season.
"We always modify the jerseys slightly from year to year," Konzem said. "We don't change the whole thing, but it could be as simple as changing the width of a stripe."
Sports that do not get free merchandise are allowed to find separate shoe sponsorship, like the men's golf team which is sponsored by Footjoy, a major golf shoe retailer.
Edited by Ryan Wood
Jayhawks host final season indoor home track meet
By Chris Wintering
cwintering@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Tomorrow will be the last opportunity to see the men's and women's track teams compete at home during the indoor season. Kansas will host the Jayhawk Invitational today and tomorrow in the Anschutz Sports Pavilion, located immediately west of Allen Fieldhouse.
This is the second consecutive meet Kansas has hosted in Anschutz, and coach Stanley Redwine said last week the home field advantage helped the team place second in the KU/KSU/MU Triangular.
"It's important for the team to have the fans at the meet, and it was really great last week for our fans to get a chance to
see us at home," Redwine said.
Redwine said he wanted the team to continue its early season success and improvement.
Tomorrow's competition will include all NCAA schools and any junior college that placed in the top 15 at the National Junior College Indoor Championships last year. Kansas, Cloud County Community College, Johnson County Community College, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Lincoln University, McKendree College, Northwest Missouri State, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts University, Southwest Baptist University,
"Last week we had a really good meet, and we want to continue to have our athletes breaking school records and qualifying for the nationals," Redwine said.
"It is important for the team to have the fans at the meet, and it was really great last week for our fans to get a chance to see us at home."
Stanley Redwine Kansas track coach
Southwest Missouri State, Truman State and University of Missouri-Kansas City compete tomorrow. The field events begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m., and the track events run from noon to 4:15 p.m.
So far this season, the sprinters have given the team an early-season lift with junior Leo Bookman winning the 200-
meter dash and senior Anson Jackson winning the 60-meter hurdles last week for the men's team. Junior Robbie Harriford won both the 60-meter and 200-meter dashes last week for the women's team.
"The strength of our team is that we are well rounded. Right now the sprinters are competing strong, but we will continue to improve as a team," Redwine said.
"For us, every event is a key event, and the team is the most important part," Redwine said.
Today's section of the event will include National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics schools and junior colleges that did not place in the top 15 at the National Junior College Indoor Championships last season. Baker University, Benedictine University, Butler County Community College, Central Methodist College, Coffeyville Community College, Colby Community College, Cowley College, Haskell Indian Nations University, Lindenwood University, Missouri Valley College, McPherson College, Park University and Pratt Community College will compete today.
Redwine stressed that despite track being somewhat of an individual sport, he believes in the importance of a team mentality.
The field events run from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today, and the track events start at 1 p.m. and end at 5:15 p.m. Both days of the event are free and open to the public.
— Edited by Amber Byarlay
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