THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY APRIL 7 2009
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2009
SPORTS
7A
COMMENTARY
Start your fantasy homework now
The first pitches are crossing the plate for MLB teams this week, and for the first time in years I have resisted the temptress that is fantasy baseball
empress that is fantasy baseball.
Apart from football, I've feebly attempted to expand my fake sports ownership resume beyond the gridiron to hoops and hockey. But each time the commissioner usually scheduled the draft for 10 p.m. on a Saturday — seriously — and I'd give up on my auto-drafted team a week or two into the season. There was no time to keep up on Rick Ankiel's injury status.
I didn't even know I had Joey Gathright on my bench. Whatever.
While thoughts of "This is the year I get serious" still exist, this is no period for thoughts to wander too far from pigskin. Like NFL general managers, fantasy football owners sweat over weather, defensive match-ups and injury reports during the season. Like NFL GMs, we orchestrate trades and scour free agencies in
search of improvement. And like NFL GMs, we shouldn't sleep on the offseason — certainly not ones like this year's.
Come draft day, you never want to be That Person. You don't want to be That Person who brings an obnoxious significant other to the draft. That Person who can't pronounce Houshmandzadeh. And definitely not That Person who didn't do their homework during the offseason. Spend too much time apart from the football news wire and you'll be That Person Who Drafts Brett Favre in Round Three.
If you've yet to stay abreast
of this offseason's hot stove,
the obvious starting point is
45 minutes east to Arrowhead
Stadium: home of the Bernard
Pollard parlay. I'm still searching
for the high stakes fantasy owner
who slipped Pollard the Beniamins
before last September's Pats game.
Recall that, in one fell swoop,
Pollard brought New England
quarterback Tom Brady to his
knees, Matt Cassel to the spotlight
(and eventually to KC), former
Denver Broncos quarterback
Jay Cutler to tears and then
to Chicago, and an inebriated
Internet sensation Kyle Orton to
the Broncos in exchange for Cutler
Yes, you'll want to know that Cassel is only signed to a one-year deal, so he'll have the incentive to put up numbers comparable to last season's breakout 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns to land a hefty payday. You'll also want to remember who exactly comprises his offensive line and perhaps even try to get an idea of Larry
Johnson's mind-set in relation to his latest outfit. Seriously, the guy looks like he's trying to decide between being Flavor Flav and Larry the Cable Guy.
But I digress. The point is, if you're fired up about your baseball rotisserie league, then Godspeed. But if you're planning on drafting a fantasy football squad this August, you may want to know Favre is still retired (so far) and that Orton is draining a fifth of Jack Daniels somewhere in Denver right now.
Edited by Susan Melgren
NBA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
From left, Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer, and former NBA basketball players John Stockton, David Robinson and Michael Jordan hold jersies Monday in Detroit at the announcement that they were elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jordan elected to Hall of Fame class
DAN GELSTON Associated Press
DETROIT — Air Jordan has a new name: Hall of Famer.
Michael Jordan was elected to the class of 2009 on Monday, set for induction in September with his Dream Team teammates David Robinson and John Stockton.
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer are also part of a class announced in Detroit, site of the men's Final Four.
Springfield, Mass., home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Induction is Sept. 10-12 in
Jordan's Hall of Fame selection was a slam dunk after he retired as perhaps the greatest player in history. And he gave much of the credit to his college coach.
His soaring dunks, Nike commercials and "Air Jordan" nickname helped stamp him as one the most recognizable athletes around the world.
He finished a 15-year career with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards with 32,292 points — the third-highest total in league history, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
His final career average of 30.12 goes down as the best, just ahead of Wilt Chamberlain's 30.07.
Hawks finish fourth despite 40 mph winds
BY HALLIE MANN
hmann@kansan.com
WOMEN'S GOLF
rounds, going
80, 78 and 79 for
an overall stroke
count of 237.
"This was probably the toughest conditions I've ever played during," Powers said.
Even with the fierce winds, Kansas was able to finish fourth in
the tournament. The team finished with a score of 958 strokes, which put it nine strokes over third place finisher Oral Roberts University.
"I think we pulled together as good as we could." Powers said
Coach Erin O'Neil was pleased with the top-five finish at the tournament and said the team did well under the conditions. O'Neil said the team was able to keep playing well in the second round on Sunday, which showed they were able to stay in the game mentally.
Powers hit an 84 on the first round but shaved off 10 strokes to 74 for the second round on Sunday. On Monday, Powers scored a 79, which made her final score 237. Thiry was slightly more consistent across the three
With 30 degree weather and 40 mph winds, not many people would head for the golf course. But with a familiar course, sophomore Grace Thiry and junior Emily Powers found the edge they needed to put themselves in the lead for Kansas at the Susie Berning Maxwell Classic Sunday and Monday. After three rounds, the two layhawks were tied for 11th place overall.
"It's hard to hit shots when your hands are freezing and you
KANSANCLASSIFIEDS
"This is a good eye-opener for the team to see how they can handle themselves under these types of windy conditions."
Team 958 4th
Emily Powers 237 T11
Grace Thiry 237 T11
Sydney Wilson 240 T21
Meghan Gockel 244 T31
Meghna Bal 250 T47
ERIN O'NEIL Kansas coach
Junior Meghan Gockel tied
for 31st with a final score of 244 strokes. Gockel usually averages 80 strokes and she scored 82, 80, and 82 respectively. Sophomore Meghna Bal had a final score of 250 strokes and tied for 47th place overall. Bal scored 85, 83, and 82, showing an improvement as she
Finishing with a score of 240, sophomore Sydney Wilson tied for 21st place. Wilson scored 81 and 82 respectively in the first two rounds and 77 in the final round. It was Wilson's best finish since she went 243 strokes at the Central District Invitational.
adjusted to the course.
can't feel them," O'Neil said.
O'Neil said she thought the weather was a good warm-up for the Big 12 Championships coming up at the end of the month. The Big 12 Tournament will be held in Lubbock, Texas, which is usually a very wired course, O'Neil said.
"This is a good eye-opener for the team to see how they can handle themselves under these type of windy conditions," O'Neil said. "It will allow the girls to see what things they need to prepare mentally for."
FINAL SCORES
— Edited by Grant Treaster