2B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"College baseball coaches are unanimous about keeping the tradition and atmosphere that they've come to expect in Omaha. There is no resentment. We don't want to go anywhere other than to Omaha."
— Larry Templeton, NCAA baseball committee chairman on Omaha's decision to build a new stadium for 2011
FACT OF THE DAY
Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium has been the home of the College World Series since 1950. The stadium seats 23,100 and welcomes the top eight college baseball teams every season.
— cwsomaha.com
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: What is Kansas' all-time record at Creighton?
A: 1-7. The Jayhawks haven't played in Omaha since 1997 and their last victory was in 1994. Coach Ritch Price is 2-0 against Creighton, with the victories coming in Lawrence and Kansas City, Mo.
KU Athletics
JOBS
Kansan hiring for sports positions for spring, fall
The University Daily Kansas is looking for aspiring sports writers to help with spring sports coverage. Help is needed with the coverage of rowing, spring soccer, club sports and intramursals.
No experience is required.
No experience is required.
Check jobs.ku.edu for information about applying for these positions. Please contact sports editor Andrew Wiebe at awiebe@kansan.com for additional information.
— Andrew Wiebe
COURTS
Jurors in Castroneves case ask for transcripts
MIAMI — Jurors deliberating the fate of Brazilian race car driver Helio Castroneves and two others charged with evading U.S. taxes asked Monday for transcripts of testimony by two tax lawyers who were called by the prosecution to describe how Castroneves' finances were structured.
The request, which was granted by U.S. District Judge Donald Graham, followed a question Friday from jurors about a key aspect of tax law. The 12-person jury began deliberations Friday after six weeks of testimony and did not reach a verdict Monday. They will continue Tuesday.
Gastroneves, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, his sister and business manager Katiucia Gastroneves and Michigan lawyer Alan Miller each face more than six years in federal prison if convicted on conspiracy and tax evasion charges.
Prosecutors say Castroneves failed to pay more than $2.3 million in taxes between 1999 and 2004. Castroneve insists he is innocent and paid all the taxes he owed.
Spring performances are saucy
COMMENTARY
Recently, when discussing the quality of a teammate's play, my buddy Mattie — a goalie on Kansas' club lacrosse team* — introduced a mind-blowing grading system.
Associated Press
*Kansas defeated Missouri Saturday 7-4. The Border (Showdown) Trophy Civil War Sword finally returned to Lawrence. Yes, they don't play for a drum but, instead, a freaking Samurai sword.
Anyway, he said, and I quote, "On the Buffalo Wild Wings Scale, his shot is Honey BBQ." My jaw dropped, my eyes grew misty. It was a revelation. And with so the spring football game in the books and the team about to close up shop until training camp, let us employ this beautiful scale in grading spring football.
Two quick caveats: This experiment will absolutely exceed The Morning Bear's allotted space, so the complete scale will be available on the football blog. Through the Uprights, which can be found at Kansan.com/blogs. Second, Buffalo Wild Wings features 14 regular flavors of wing sauce ranging from the mildew, Sweet BBQ, to the hottest, Blazin'. For this scale's purpose, Blazin' will be the highest attainable rating, Sweet BBQ the lowest and the various sauces in between will be awarded at my discretion. Without further ado, let's start the revolution...
BLAZIN': Junior quarterback Todd Reesing could not miss, completing his first seven passes and
finishing the
mismatch with
16 of 22 pass
attempts for
221 yards and
a touchdown in
just one half. His
favorite target
was sophomore
wide receiver
Lohn tha n
Reesing
Wilson, who led Kansas with seven receptions, 133 yards and a touchdown, taking advantage of the increased looks he saw in suspended sophomore Dezmon Briscoe's absence.
MANGO HABANERO: Billed as "Two sensators, one sauce."
Who better to award this to than junior running back lake Sharp? Sharp was a factor on the ground and in the receiving game as usual, rushing seven times for 63
yards and a touchdown and converting a shovel pass from Reesing into a 30-yard gain. Honorable
mention goes to sophomore running back Rell Lewis, who saw increased time because of junior Jocques Crawford's suspension.
Sharp
Lewis turned heads on several highlight reel plays, but his inability to reach pay dirt while at the goal line suggests his performance is worthy of
Caribbean jerk status: still impressive, just a bit milder.
Crawford
SPICY GARLIC: Coach Mark Mangino indicated that competitions at linebacker and guard would continue through the offseason. Junior linebacker Jake Schermer continued his strong spring by
leading the Blue defense with eight tackles and should be a fixture in the predominately two-linebacker nickel package the Kansas defense has
Schermer
been featuring. At guard, sophomores Carl Wilson and Sal Capra fought their way to the starting lineup Saturday, and their performance was much appreciated by freshman center Jeremiah Hatch as he transitioned from his 2008 slot at left tackle.
"They are a big help because
even if they haven't started much they still have more experience than I do with the offense and I look to them for help quite a bit." Hatch said.*
*Told you this would be extensive. Remember to visit Through the Uprights for the full study. I leave you with our lowest rating:
SWEET BBQ: Barbecue should always have a little spice, a little kick to it, and this distinction denotes a player who should be one thing
but instead disappoints. Nobody who took the field Saturday really did this. But a player who finished among the NCAA's top receivers (Brisco) and a
player who figured largely into this year's backfield plans (Crawford) being suspended certainly left an unwelcome taste.
Edited by Brandy Entsminger
Phillies broadcaster Kalas, 73, dies
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Radio and TV broadcaster Harry Kalas, whose baritone delivery and signature "Outta here!" home run calls provided the soundtrack to Philadelphia baseball for nearly four decades, died Monday after collapsing in the broadcast booth before the Phillies' game against the Washington Nationals. He was 73.
Philadelphia Phillies announcer Harry Kalas died Monday after being found unconscious in the broadcast booth before a game against the Washington Nationals. The 73-year-old broadcaster was famous for exclaiming "Outta here!" when Phillies players hit home runs.
"We lost our voice today," Phillies president David Montgomery said. "He has loved our game and made just a tremendous contribution to our sport and certainly to our organization."
Familiar to millions of sports fans outside Philadelphia for his voiceover work with NFL Films, "Harry the K" was beloved at home. Since 1971, he was the man who was the bearer of news — good and bad — to those who followed the losingest franchise in major professional sports.
When the Phillies won their second World Series title last fall, Kalas — who normally called only the middle three innings on radio — was in the booth for the last out of the clincher. He then joined the on-field celebration, grabbing a microphone to sing Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes."
That song was among several Kalas standbys that endured him to Phillies supporters. Another: He would call horners by a certain Hall of Fame third baseman by noting the player's full name — "Michael Jack Schmidt."
Many people asked Kalas to record outgoing messages on answering machines — or more recently, cell phone voice mail — using his "Outta here!" line. And he always complied with those requests, said Philies radio broadcaster Scott Franke.
"Players come and go." Franzke said, "but 'Outta here!' — that's forever."
Kalas didn't get to call the final out of Philadelphia's other title, in 1980, because Major League Baseball prevented local broadcasts of the World Series games. But Phillies fans complained and the rule was later changed.
A recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for his contributions to the game, Kalas was one of the last long-time announcers closely associated with one city, Another, Vin Scully, threw out the first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers' home opener Monday, marking his own 60th year with that club.
"He was not only a multitalented fellow with a wonderful voice. He
was a lovely guy. I mean, everybody liked Harry. The city of Philadelphia will just be in mourning because they loved him so much," Scully said. "I'm happy for him that his team was world champions last year, so he had the thrill of that."
There was a moment of silence in Kalas' memory before the Philies-Nationals game, and at other baseball stadiums around the country Monday.
To a whole generation of football fans, Kalas also was a signature figure.
Joining NFL Films as a narrator in 1975, he did the voiceover for "Inside the NFL" from 1977 through 2008.
Kalas predecessor John Facenda "was the 'Voice of God' and Harry Kalas was the 'Voice of the People,'" NFL Films president Steve Sabol said in a written statement.
"In many ways, Harry is the narrator of our memories. His voice lives on not only on film, but inside the heads of everyone who has watched and listened to NFL Films."
Softball UMKC, 5 p.m. Lawrence
TODAY
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
Fidrych acquired the nickname "the Bird" because of his resemblance to the Big Bird character on the "Sesame Street" television show. During games, he would bend down and groom the mound with his hands, appear to talk to the baseball and slap high fives with teammates in the middle of the diamond.
later owned a trucking business.
He started the 1976 All-Star game in Philadelphia after opening the season by recording seven wins in eight decisions.
Baseball
Creighton,
6:30 p.m.
Omaha, Neb.
Softball UMKC, 7 p.m. Lawrence
WEDNESDAY
Track & Field Kansas Relay All day Lawrence
Baseball
Creighton, 6:30 p.m.
Omaha, Neb.
MLB
Track & field
Kansas Relays,
All day
Lawrence
THURSDAY
SATURDAY
Baseball
Texas Tech,
6:30 p.m.
'ubock, Texas
FRIDAY
the American League rookie of the year in 1976 when he went 19-9 with a 2.34 ERA. He spent all five of his major league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, compiling a 29-19 record and a 3.10 ERA before his career was cut short by injuries.
Track & field
Kansas Relays
All day
Lawrence
The Worcester, Mass., native
BOSTON — Former All-Star pitcher Mark "the Bird" Difrych was found dead Monday in an apparent accident at his farm. He was 54.
Fidrych attempted a comeback in 1983 with the Boston Red Sox and went to their Triple A team in Pawtucket, R.I. But he never pitched in the majors after 1980 and retired in 1983.
MLB Former pitcher Fidrych, 54. found dead on farm
Worcester County district attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said a family friend found Fidych about 2:30 p.m. Monday beneath a dump truck at his Northborough, Mass., farm. He appeared to be working on the truck. Early said.
Tennis Texas, noon Lawrence
The colorful right-hander was
Baseball
Texas Tech. 5 p.m.
Lubbock, Texas
Track & field Kansas Relays All day Lawrence
Soccer
South Dakota, TBA
Omaha, Neb.
Women's golf
Lady Buckeye
Invitational,
All Day
Columbus, Ohio
Rowing
All day
Oak Ridge, Tenn
Men's golf
Texas A&M Aggie
Invitational
College Station,
Texas
But he tore knee cartilage during spring training the following year and was placed on the disabled list until May 24. He sustained a shoulder injury in July 1977 and ended up pitching in just 58 games during his major league career.
State police detectives are investigating the circumstances of his death, Early said.
During that season he pitched 24 complete games.
Associated Press
PIVOT POINT