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University Daily Kansan / Wednesday. April 1, 1992
SPORTS
Green takes coaching job at Oregon
By Lyle Niedens
Kansan sportswriter
Jerry Green is leaving the Land of Oz for the Emerald City.
Green, an assistant to Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams for the past four seasons, was named basketball coach at Oregon yesterday. Oregon's campus is in Eugene, Ore., commonly called the Emerald City.
Green, 49, had been rumored to be the primary candidate for the position, which was left vacant two weeks ago after former coach Don Monson relinquished his job and was reassigned within the Oregon Athletic Department. Monson compiled a 116-145 record in nine seasons as coach of
the Ducks.
Jerry Green
Green will take over an Oregon program that finished 6-21 this season, last in the Pacific 10 Conference with a 2-16 mark. Oregon won the first
NCAA tournament championship in 1939 but has not been in the NCAA tournament in 31 years.
Green said Bill Byrne, Oregon's athletic director, made the decision an easier one for him but that it would be difficult leaving Kansas.
"The most difficult part about accepting the job at Oregon is leaving Roy Williams," Green said. "He has been like a brother to me. It's also difficult to leave the players and the staff at Kansas. In my mind, the program at Kansas has come a long way in a short time.
"I would feel badly leaving Kansas if the program was shaky, but I think it is solid as a rock. I think the program is at a level, or at an even higher level, than where we expected it to be four years ago."
Green signed a five-year contract worth about $200,000 a year, including $60,000 for a shoe contract with Nike. That is about $35,000 more than Monson received from the Oregon-based
shoe company.
Green said he was excited to coach in the Pac-10, one of the premier conferences in college basketball.
Green said he was not by him that Byrne wanted to talk to him about the Oregon job. Byrne and Green met for five hours Friday.
Last year, Green interviewed for coaching jobs at Virginia Tech and South Carolina. He previously was coach at the University of North Carolina-Ashville, where he accumulated a 150-108 record from 1979 to 1987.
"I am very,very happy for Jerry
Green," Williams said. "I think it's a great day for Oregon basketball.
"It is a blow for me personally. Jerry has been extremely important to our program's success the last four years. It will be a tremendous challenge for me and my staff to compensate for the loss of one of the most competent basketball people anywhere."
Green's departure leaves Kansas with three assistant coaches: Kevin Stallings, Steve Robinson and Mark Turgeon. But an NCAA rule limiting each school to one coach and three assistant coaches is scheduled to go into effect next season, so Green probably will not be replaced, Williams said.
"I don't anticipate any changes on
our staff," he said. "With the NCAA's ruling, I feel comfortable with our staff."
Bob Frederick, Kansas' athletic director, said he was thrilled for Green.
"It is also a credit to Roy Williams and the Kansas program that they hired an assistant from Kansas," Frederick said.
Green said he planned to meet with Oregon's players and Monson's assistant coaches today. He said he would not ask any of the players to give up his scholarship, even though 11 players on scholarship are freshmen and sophomores.
DeBerg returns to reserve role with Tampa Bay
The Associated Press contributed information to this story.
The Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. — Plan B free agent Steve DeBerg returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yesterday the same way he left four years ago — as Vinny Testaverte's backup.
The Bucs, who dealt DeBerg to the Kansas City Chiefs to clear the way for Testaverde to develop without the pressure of having an experienced veteran looking over his shoulder, signed the 38-year-old quarterback to a two-year contract.
DeBerg enjoyed the best seasons of his 14-year career in Kansas City, helping the Chiefs to the playoffs the past two years. But he lost his starting job to Mark Vlassic last season and was left unprotected under Plan B.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but DeBerg, who would have earned $1.8 million if he had remained with the Chiefs and made the team next season, reportedly had been seeking about $1.2 million plus incentives from the Bucs.
"I didn't come here for the money. I had other offers for more," said DeBerg, who also had discussions with the Phoenix Cardinals.
However, the NFC's oldest player stressed that the prospect of working with Testaverde and Bucs coach Sam Wyche again outweighed financial considerations in his decision.
"I came here No.1 because I have great respect for Sam Wyche, and think he's going to do a great job," DeBerg said. "No.2, I came because I love Tampa Bay. This is where I want when I'm finished playing."
"I came because I love Tampa Bay. This is where I want to live when I'm finished playing."
Steve DeBerg
Former Chiefs quarterback
Wyche, who worked with Deferg as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers in 1979, said Testaverde would go on to play for the Giants, being given every opportunity to succeed.
DeBerg started 34 games for the Bucs from 1984 to 1987, the year Testaverde entered the league as the NFL's top draft pick. He asked to be traded because at age 34 he was not ready to accept a backup role.
His best pro season was 1990, when he threw for 3,444 yards and 23 touchdowns with just four interceptions while leading Kansas City to an 11-5 record. His performance slipped last season (2,965 yards, 17 touchdowns, 14 interceptions) after missing nearly a month of training camp in a contract dispute.
In 14 seasons, he has thrown for 31, 455 yards, with 183 touchdowns and 189 interceptions.
Justin Knupp/KANSAN
Goalie games
Working to improve his goal-tending abilities, Darren Hendricks, Leavenworth sophomore, dives for a shot kicked by a member of the KU Soccer Club. Hendricks and the rest of the team were practicing yesterday afternoon at the Shenk Complex.
Jayhawk softball team beats Pittsburg
Kansan staffreport
The Kansas women's softball team improved its record to 21-5 yesterday after sweeping a doubleheader from the Pittsburg State University Gorillas at Wild Red Berry Field in Pittsburg.
The Jayhawkswon the firstgame 7-0 in six innings. Sophomore pitcher Stephani Williams improved her record to 13-2 after pitching a shutout, which featured one hit and eight strikeouts.
Senior shortstop Christy Arterburn led the Jayhawks' offense by going 3-for-4 at the plate. Arterburn also stoie two bases. Senior third baseman Camille Spitaleri added a triple play and two RBI for the 'Hawks. Senior outfielder Jennifer Frost went 2-for-3 for Kansas at the plate.
In the second game, Kansas defeated Pittsburgh 5-1. Junior pitcher Jill Bailey improved her record to 2-2 with five hits and no doubles in innings. Bailey allowed only five bins.
Junior Shanna Cole sparked theJayhawks' offense, going 3-for-4 with one RBI and two stolen fors. Spitaleri and Frost each added an RBI. Freshman Lora Richardson added a triple play. Arterburn stole two bases; Cole and Sack each stole one.
Kansas held Pittsburg, a division II school, to six hits in the doubleheader. The Jayhawks had 18 hits after 52 trips to the plate in both games.
Kansas will play a doubleheader today against Wichita State University at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium. The first game will begin at 2 p.m. and the second at 4 p.m.
Shockers defeat 'Hawks 6-1
By Jerry Schmidt
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team jumped out to a 1-0 lead over Wichita State last night, but a six-run sixth inning proved to be too much for the Jayhawks to overcome as the Shockers downed Kansas 6-1.
The defeat dropped the Jayhawks' record to 16-12 overall. The top-tanked Shockers improved to 25-1. Kansas has now lost eight of its last 10 games.
Kansas got on the board in the second innning on an RBI single by freshman outfielder Alex King, putting Kansas on top 1-0. The score stayed that way until the second innning, when the Shockers rallied for five runs.
The Shockers' Todd Dreifort tripped and scored on Doug Mirabell's sacrifice飞. After two walks by Kansas sophomore pitcher David Meyer, Joey Jackson hit a two-run double down the left-field line. Later in the inning, Richie Taylor hit a two-run triple, making the score 5-1. The Shockers added another run in the sixth inning and sealed the victory.
Kansas coach Dingham said the sixth inning took the wind out of the Jayhawks' sails. He blamed himself for not taking Meyer out sooner.
"I thought Meyer pitched well," Bingham said. "I'm disappointed in myself for not getting him out earlier. We lost our composure in the sixth inning."
Meyer went five and a third innings, giving up four runs on four hits. He walked four hitters and struck out six. His record dropped to 3-2. Shocker pitcher Mike Brandley went six innings for the victory, raising his record to 1-1.
Bingham said the 'Hawks had trouble at the plate and were hitting too many fly balls.
"We couldn't put anything together," he said. "There were some good at bats, but we got the ball up in the air. You're not going to hit for a high average that way."
Junior catcher Jeff Niemier led the Kansas offense by going 2-for-3.
Kansas home baseball to make TV debut
By Jerry Schmidt
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team will get a taste of television exposure when they play host to the No. 1-ranked Wichita State Shockers at 7 tonight at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium.
The telecast will mark the first time in Kansas baseball history that a game home will be televised. The game will appear locally on KSMO, Channel 62. The station will pick up the feed from KAKE-TW in Wichita.
Eva Lopez, program director at KSMO, said the response had been tremendous on the game.
"College baseball is becoming more popular, and it was a good opportunity. "Loespaid. "There is desire for local sports coverage."
Loper said the two stations decided to get together again after the Kansas-Wichita State basketball game broadcasted jointly on Jan. 8.
Kansas coach Dave Bingham said he welcomed the opportunity to be on TV, even if it is a match-up with the No. 1 team in the country.
"We're very excited about the TV game," Bingham said. "It's an opportunity to put our team on display."
The Shockers have held the top spot in the country since the preseason polls were released in January. Wichita State will enter the game 25-1 overall after last night's 6-1 victory against Kansas.
The Jayhawks will enter the game on a skid, having lost eight of their last 10 games. Bingham said that he had tried many cures for the 'Hawks woes but that he could not seem to break his team of its ineffective play.
"It's a coaching challenge when you are not playing well," he said. "We've tried a couple of methods."
Pritchard considers his options after pro basketball experience
By Lyle Niedens Kansan sportswriter
Kevin Pritchard sits on some steps in a hallway of Allen Field House as if he has never left.
Everyone from Kansas assistant coach Steve Robinson to Jayhawks play-by-play announcer Bob Davis acknowledges the presence of the former All-Big Eight Conference guard.
Pritchard smiles as he waxed nostalgic about Lawrence and the University of Kansas, where he persevered years later yearsafter starter for the Jayhawks.
"A lot of things change,"
Pritchard said. "But a lot of things
stay the same."
For now, though, it's just another temporary stop for Pritchard, who came to Kansas in 1986 as a highly touted recruit from Edison High School in Tulsa, Oka., and left in 1990 as the fifth all-time leading scorer in Jayhawks basketball history.
Three NBA teams and two years later, Fritzell card is back in Lawrence.
My No.1 goal is to come back here after I'm done with the NBA."
Kevin Pritchard Former Kansas basketball player
spondence course in psychology. The course will help him get closer to degrees in sociology and communications. He said he was about a semester away from completing the dual degrees and said with all the courses he had taken, he might add a psychology degree.
But he wishes he were doing something else — namely, playing basketball. He was cut by the Boston Celtics earlier this season after appearing in 11 games.
That came after being released in the preseason by the San Antonio Spurs, who obtained Pritchard in a
trade with the Golden State Warriors before the season. Pritchard spent the entire 1990-91 season with the Warriors after they drafted him in the second round of the 1990 NBA draft.
So while it may seem that his career as a player is at a standstill, Pitchard said giving up hope at a professional level was at the furthest thing from his mind.
"It would be really easy for me to come back to school, put up my tennis shoes and put the ball away, but I can't do that." "There are too many options for me."
One of those options, Pritchard said, is playing basketball in Europe, but he is holding out hope that the Celtics will resign him this summer.
"I played pretty well, and they liked what I did," Pritchard said of his time spent with Boston, where he averaged 12.4 minutes and 4.2 points a game. "It was just a situation where contracts came into play."
The same thing happened with his release by San Antonio, he said.
The 6-foot-4 guard who helped lead Kansas to the NCAA championship in 1988 said the rigors of everyday NBA
life — and the improved talent — was a big adjustment last year at Golden State, where he played in 62 games, averaging 3.9 points a game.
"I thought I was a pretty good player, but you get up there, and you realize you're not that good," he said. "Those second guys off the bench are so good, and that makes the starters look even better. It was a real eye-opener.
"I shouldn't have made it my first year, but I should have made it this year. Because I was a better player about everything."
"We liked Kevin. He did a good job while he was here, although he didn't get a lot of opportunities," Volk said. "What he offers is some flexibility. That's something we find attractive in a third or fifth guard role."
Celtics executive vice presidentand general manager Jan Volk said he liked what Pritchard did in his time with Boston, but that several factors, including who the Celtics draft this summer, would affect whether he would be resigned
"What do old point guards do? Become coaches," he said.
"My No. 1 goal is to come back here after I'm done with the NBA. But barring injury, I'm going to play as long as I possibly can."
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he thought Pritchard would make a fine college coach.
"He's such a great competitor, and he has a genuine love for the game," Williams said. "You are have those qualities, 'when you are an excellent candidate.'"
"I love Lawrence and want to live here." Pritchard said. "I always want
Until then, Pritchard will continue searching for a team to play for. Meanwhile, he said, after his test he will go back to Nashville, where he is staving with his parents.
In two or three weeks he plans to return to Lawrence, where he wants to buy a small house, he said. In addition, he will be conducting two summer basketball camps, one in Lawrence and one in Dodge City. He also plans to play in some NBA summer leagues.
Kansan file photo
Kevin Pritchard is the fifth all-time leading scorer for the Jayhawks. to say Lawrence is my home because I feel it is."