Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KA
KANSAS HOPES TO SWEEP UMKC SERIES
Jayhawks to face Kangaroos after victory against Sooners. SOFTBALL 68
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2009
WWW.KANSAN.COM
BARBECUE SAUCES A GOOD SCALE FOR TEAM
Football players rate from Sweet BBQ to Blazin': MORNING BREW 2B
PAGE 1B
SPRING GAME DEBUT
Weston White/KANSAN
Kale Pick, freshman quarterback, tries to evade a tackle during the Jayhawks' April 11 spring game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. If Pick becomes the backup quarterback, Kerry Meier will relinquish his quarterback duties and play exclusively as a wide receiver next season.
Pick gunning for No.2 spot
Redshirt freshman being considered to replace Meier as the Jayhawks' backup quarterback
BY STEPHEN MONTEMAYOR
smontemayor@kansan.com
There was a moment during Saturday's spring football game that won't likely garner many YouTube hits, although it shared the message of a famous sound bite.
That exchange likely took place during the first three possessions by Pick's White team. His first few series in front of a Memorial Stadium crowd consisted of two three-and-outs and an interception by junior safety Darrell Stuckey.
In his best Allen Iverson impression, coach Mark Mangino relayed a conversation he had with a wired freshman quarterback Kale Pick early in the game: "I had to have a little talk with him to settle him down. I said, 'It's practice, it's practice. It's not a game — it's practice.'"
"I had to explain to him to do
the coaches tell you just like
any other day at practice and carry out your assignments," Mangino said. "And he settled down and he did some nice things."
Pick — who is being considered to take over junior wide receiver Kerry Meier's backup quarterback duties — shortly thereafter engineered an 11-play, 70-yard drive in the second quarter that culminated in the White team's only touchdown, a 15-yard shot to junior receiver Raimond Pendleton.
"It was just a big scrimmage," Pick said. "I definitely agree with Coach that it's nothing more than what we do in practice, there's just people watching."
Pick completed just two passes in the first quarter, but any nerves soon appeared to fade away. From then on, Pick completed 14 of 20 passes for 154 yards and finished
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 3B
Violations put players returns in question
Kansas will enter the summer with one of the nation's top receivers coming off suspension while its third leading rusher from 2008 may not return to the team.
up and some tasks that were asked of him to complete before I reinstate him," Mangino said. "When he has those tasks completed — when he meets all the guidelines I set for him — I'll reinstate him, but not until then."
Sophomore wide receiver Dezmor Briscoe, who had 92 receptions for 1,407 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2008, did not appear at Saturday's spring game and has been suspended all spring for a violation of team policy. Coach Mark Mangino expected to meet with Briscoe Monday, leaving his reinstatement before spring's end pending established objectives.
"There are guidelines set
On Saturday, Mangino also announced the suspension of junior running back Jocques Crawford for a violation of team rules. Mangino said that Crawford's suspension involved a second team policy violation in a relatively short period of time and that his return to Kansas was questionable.
"I am taking a look at his situation and he will not participate the rest of the spring," Mangino said. "I'll be honest
with you, I don't know his status, whether he'll be back or not."
Mangino was asked if the suspension had any relation to a previous incident in which sophomore offensive lineman Ben Lueken was struck by a vehicle and briefly hospitalized. Mangino told reporters that he could not comment on the matter, citing an ongoing investigation into the altercation that occurred April 5 at Jayhawker Towers.
Crawford finished 2008 with 62 carries for 232 yards and four touchdowns. He was expected to figure largely into the team's backfield plans this season.
Stephen Montemayor
TRACK & FIELD
Kansas Relays start Wednesday
BY JASON BAKER
jbaker@kansan.com
Since they began in 1923, the Kansas Relays have brought in some of the best collegiate track and field athletes in the country. Even coach Stanley Redwine competed, back in the early '80s when he was on the University of Arkansas track and field team. He competed in the medley events.
The 82nd Kansas Relays begin Wednesday and the team is excited for its only home outdoor meet to be underway.
"It was a special meet then and even more special now as a coach to host a prestigious meet like this," Redwine said.
"It gives our family, our athletes' families and fans the opportunity to come and see us compete at a home meet," Redwine said. "The Relays have always been a huge meet for the track team and for the University and we're excited to be hosting it."
SCHEDULE
When: 10 a.m.
Wednesday
What: Hepathlon,
decathlon
Where: Memorial
Stadium
For senior Corey Mims, who will be competing in the 800-meter run, getting the chance to compete at home is exciting.
"As an athlete, any home meet is a big meet. You want to get out
Weston White/KANSAN
BASEBALL
SEE RELAYS ON PAGE 3B
Jayhawks surpass preseason projections
Sophomore left feilder Casey Lyle slides into home plate unrestrained for his only run against Oklaahoma State. Kansas was 13-6 Saturday afternoon.
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
There's a renaissance happening in Lawrence, but not at any art school. This isn't a rebirth in the artistic sense — unless the turning of a double play means the same to you as does a work by Davinci — but a revival of Kansas baseball.
No. 24 Kansas to be exact. The new and freshly ranked layhawks are set to play their first game as a ranked team since May 2006
tonight against Creighton. It's only fitting that the game will be televised and played in Omaha, Neb., at the famous Rosenblatt Stadium, home to the College World Series.
It's the first team-wide recognition that Kansas has received after grabbing plenty of individual weekly awards, cementing a surprising season to say the least. With only four seniors on the rosters,
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 3B
No. 24 Kansas vs
Creighton
6:30 p.m.
Rosenblatt Stadium
Omaha, Neb.
COMMENTARY
Benefits of staying until end of games
I remember the exact moment I decided to never leave a Royals game early.
All was going well in the game too: The Royals were up 7-2, going into the top of the ninth with fireballer Mike MacDougal on the mound. I stood and applauded as he jogged on the field to the Scorpions" "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and a frightening video montage.
August 9, 2005. It was my birth day, and an important one: my 16th. It was my first time driving to something other than school without my parents by my side I was so excited my hand shook as I handed the parking pass to the parking attendant.
It was the perfect way to celebrate the biggest birthday I'd had so far.
Too perfect, evidently.
I think pink socks would have made a better gift.
One Indian double led to another, and another, and another. The Indians threw in some singles too. A homer off Jimmy Gobble, the pitcher who came in to stop the bleeding, made the score 13-7 Cleveland.
Ambiorix Burgos both walked and balked in a run to lose two different games. Joel Peralha wasn't much better. From then on, I always resolved to stay or watch until the end of the game, just to see what the Royals closer would do to lose the game.
I had more confidence in Mike Tyson becoming National Scrabble Champion than in the Royals' bullpen.
But on a rainy Sunday afternoon at the K, that all changed.
Soria finished the game with a curveball that Robinson Cano swung at when it hit catcher John Buck's glove. It was "The Mexicutioners" third save in three appearances. He's coming off a season where he picked up a save in 42 of 45 opportunities and held a 1.60 ERA.
The Royals had a two-run lead on the Yankees in the ninth. As I usually do in these situations, I thought back to my worst birthday ever and Mike MacDougal's entrance to the game. Similar song: this time, "Welcome to the Jungle". Similar montage: lots of fire, lots of fastballs.
And I still wondered what Soria would do to lose it.
But it wasn't a similar result, Joakim Soria, the Royals' All-Star closer, made the Yankee batters look foolish. Hideki Matsui watched a fastball hit the outside corner and walked back to the Yankee dugout shaking his head, Xavier Nady looked like a little leaguer in striking out.
The Royals actually have a closer who doesn't open the game for the opponents. The game is effectively shortened to eight innings
I can now officially say that I have confidence in the Royals to win a game they are leading in the ninth inning.
I might even leave a few games early this summer to avoid the highway traffic. It's a birthday gift given three years, eight months, two days and seventeen hours too late.
But at least it's finally here.
—Edited by Susan Melgren