THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009
2B SPORTS
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I knew it was a touchdown 100 percent. My feet never left the ground. All I did was stand up on my toes and extended my hands."
— Santonio Holmes about his last-minute touchdown catch in Super Bowl XIII IX
Arizona and Pittsburgh's 162 combined penalty yards were the second most in Super Bowl history. Only Dallas and Baltimore combined for more penalty yards with 164 in Super Bowl V.
FACT OF THE DAY
nfl.com
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: In what state has Pittsburgh won half of its Super Bowls?
A: Florida. The Steelers lead the NFL with six Super Bowls and three of those came in the Sunshine State. They won Super Bowls X and XIII in Miami and Super Bowl XIII in Tampa.
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BEWARE OF "THE BLOG"
"Blog" Allen: For extended analysis and a wrap-up of the game against Baylor, check "Blog" Allen on Kansan.com.
Courtside: After a disapppointing end at Texas A&M. Jayson Jenks breaks down
Kansas' second-half miscues and looks at another impressive, yet overlooked, performance by Danielle McCray.
Warner bags groceries and MVPs
COMMENTARY
Eggs on top. Cans on the bottom. Frozen foods all go together. Don't forget to double bag.
to double bag.
That was the play Kurt Warner ran over and over as a grocery bagger at Hy-Vee in my home-town of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Back then, the only audible he called was paper or plastic.
To truly appreciate where Warner is, you have to look at where he was. And that starts as a benchwarmer at the University of Northern Iowa.
That's right. The two-time NFL MVP couldn't even crack a Division I-AA lineup until his senior season, when three-year starter Jay Johnson finally graduated.
Former UNI coach Terry Allen watched Warner bide his time. Allen said he wouldn't have been surprised if Warner transferred or quit altogether. But every day the Burlington, Iowa, native came back and slung it all over the field.
Warner was the Gateway Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 1993. Then he graduated and moved to the back of the line again.
"He represents perseverance," Allen said.
Booted by the Green Bay Packers, Warner came back to his college town and started working at Hy-Vee. He bagged groceries, stocked shelves and flashed a helpful smile in every aisle.
On a Sunday afternoon after church, before we went home to watch football, Warner bagged my mother's groceries.
Hopefully, I can still play some football. Warner said.
What are you going to do, my mom asked.
Five years later Warner was back in Cedar Falls to watch UNI play Central Washington. Trent Green's knee was still swollen and Warner had just started his first regular season game as a St. Louis Ram. The team was on a bye week.
After the game my mom and I went to talk to him on the field.
You've come a long way,my mom said.
Nine years, three Super Bowl appearances and two teams later. Warner still seems like a guy who expects to wake up from euphoria at any minute.
I'm living a dream, Warner said.
When you're post-collegiate years are spent stocking toilet paper, the Lombardi Trophy is more of a sick joke than a goal.
That's why he was still smiling Sunday night, even after watching San(An)tonio Holmes steal his second Super Bowl MVP in the waning seconds.
Don't misunderstand. He hurts just as I, and most of the state of Iowa, hurt for him. It's just that when you were never supposed to make it out of Iowa, it's a little easier to gain perspective on the whole thing.
Warner said he may retire. And without a second Super Bowl title, he may not get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
No matter. He still the greatest I-1 AA quarterback turned grocery worker turned Super Bowl MVP who ever lived.
And if he needs a job, the Cedar Falls Hy-Vee is always accepting applications.
the brew goes digital
Edited by Realle Roth
It's part blog, part column, part pop-culture melting pot. It's The Morning Brew. A daily dose of Kansas sports, college life and pop culture.
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BASKETBALL Leo Lyons back in lineup, scores career high of 30
COLUMBIA, Mo. — After one game in street clothes and four games coming off the bench, Leo Lvons got another chance.
Even after Lyons responded with a career-high 30 points against Baylor, Missouri coach Mike Anderson suspects he'll be tested again by the 6-foot-9 senior.
"It used to be if a coach told you to run through a brick wall, they would do it," Anderson said. "Now, kids question everything and that's how it is."
"Sometimes you have to be
a psychologist, the dad, the coach, the teacher, and the guys who do that the best, kids will respond to."
Lyons topped his previous best by three points in the 89-72 victory Saturday and gave Missouri (18-4, 5-2 Big 12) its first 30-point game since Thomas Gardner scored 30 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 10, 2005. He hit his first eight shots, went 14-for-15 from the free throw line and became the school's 38th 1,000-point scorer
Missouri won its first four games after Lyons was suspended for failing to pay a traffic ticket, an oversight discovered when he was stopped for driving with his lights off at night. Lyons
said he's been trying to win back his spot in practice, and a deflating loss at Kansas State on Wednesday gave Anderson a reason to shake up the lineup.
"Ive got to work hard every day and I've just been trying to make an effort to work hard and be a better leader," Lyons said. "I guess he knows that and he gave me another chance."
SUPER BOWL Soldiers cheer on teams mid-morning in Iraq
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq — With its six big-screen TVs, assorted beer and a menu of chicken wings and pizza, it looked like any bar hosting a Super Bowl
party. But this was the chow hall at Camp Victory, the sprawling U.S. military base on the outskirts of Baghdad.
The kickoff was at 2 a.m. Monday, but that didn't stop some 660 raucous soldiers from cramming into the dining hall to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23. Cardinal fans sat on one side while Steelers fans congregated on the other, many swinging their yellow "Terrible Towels."
"It was definitely a nice break to give people something to look forward to," said Capt. Brooke Rhode, 28, from Hustisford, Wisc.
Associated Press
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY
Men's basketball Baylor, 8 p.m. Texas
TUESDAY No events
WEDNESDAY
Women's basketball Colorado, 7 p.m. Lawrence
Men's golf
Hawaii-Hilo
Invitational
Kona, Hawaii
THURSDAY
Men's golf
Hawaii-Hilo
Invitational
Kona, Hawaii
FRIDAY
Tennis Illinois, 2 p.m. Champaign, Ill.
Softball
UTEP. 2:30 p.m.
Phoenix, Arizona
Softball
Softball
Arizona, 5:30 p.m.
Phoenix, Arizona
TENNIS
Swimming & Diving
Iowa State, 6 p.m.
Lawrence
Track & Field
New Balance
Collegiate
Invitational
New York, N.Y.
Men's golf
Hawaii-Hilo
Invitational
Kona, Hawaii
BY JOHN PYE Associated Press
Federer in tears after Australian Open loss
MELBOURNE. Australia — Roger Federer had nowhere to hide.
Rod Laver was about to present the cup to Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal, Federer stood on the court, having just missed his first chance to equal Pete Sempra's record 14 Grand
Slam singles titles.
He was sobbing. He couldn't speak.
"In the first moment you're disappointed, you're shocked, you're sad, then all of a sudden it overwhelms you." Federer finally said, referring to his 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 loss to Nadal in a momentum-swinging, 4-hour, 22-minute title match Sunday night.
"The problem is you can't go in
the locker room and just take it easy and take a cold shower. You're stuck out there. It's the worst feeling. ... It's rough."
Nadal, the first Spanish man to win the Australian Open, beat Federer in Grand Slam finals on clay and grass last year. He added the missing link Sunday with his first major title on hard courts.
The 22-year-old Spaniard is 5-2 against Federer in championship matches at the majors — 3-0 in the last three — and 13+6 in career
meetings. The most riveting was Nadal's five-set, 4-hour, 48-minute win over Federer at Wimbledon last year, ending the Swiss star's five-year reign on grass.
Now, 40 years after Rod Lover last won the Grand Slam — all four majors in one season — Nadal is the only man who can emulate him in 2009.
Federer had been the most likely of the recent contenders, missing by one in 2006 and 2007 — losing to Nadal at Roland Garrros both
"God, it's killing me," Federer said, crying, as he tried at first to accept the runner-up plate. He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: "You deserved it. You played a fantastic final."
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years. Clay remains his obstacle.
And the French Open was the only major missing in Sampras' career.
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After collecting the trophy from Laver, on the court named for the Australian great, Nadal put his arm around Federer.
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Nadal seemed pained by Federer's anguish.
Nadal was in the final of a major on hard courts for the first time, having been knocked out in the semifinals of the Australian and U.S. Opens last year.
"Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now," Nadal said. "Remember, you're a great champion, you're one of the best in history. You're going to improve on the 14 of Sampras."
Even this time, he had to struggle to make the last weekend. He held off a fellow Spanish left-hander in Fernando Verdasco on Friday in 5 hours, 14 minutes — the longest match in the tournament's history.
Federer went into the final on straight sets wins over No. 8 Juan Martin del Potro and No. 7 Andy Roddick after having to rally from two sets down to beat Tomas Berdych in the fourth round.
Nadal ranked this title high on his list of six majors.
"Very special, for me," he said. "A dream win here, one Grand Slam on hard court. I worked very hard ... all my life" to improve "outside of clay. Today was really lot of emotions on court. I was there with the best player I ever saw."
Nadal said he'd be trying to break the record for most major titles, whoever holds it. He said he knows how tough it is to win every one.
4
"You have to be humble," he said.