UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, April 20. 1993
11
Former Sooner shakes his past
Charles Thompson seeks a second chance opportunity in the NFL
The Associated Press
He is like a name straight out of yesterday, pulled from the recesses of the mind. And now, with the NFL draft coming up, Charles Thompson hopes teams will judge him not on the notoriety of his past but the promise of his future.
Thompson, the guy in the middle of the mess when the Oklahoma program came tumbling down, has declared for the draft.
He arrives with decent credentials. More than 1,000 yards rushing and almost 500 more receiving as tailback for NIA champion Central State of Ohio.
And he arrives with a history
Thompson's problems were well documented when the Sooners went south Oklahoma was placed on three years probation in 1988 by the NCAA, which, faced with the evidence of guns and cocaine, decided the program was out of control.
He was the wishbone quarterback who confounded defenses. He gained 1,016 yards in 1988, running for 824, passing for 192 and taking Oklahoma to a national championship showdown in the Orange Bowl against Miami.
And then, it all came apart.
In February, 1989, with trouble
brewing all around the Oklahoma program, the quarterback was arrested, caught by the FBI selling 17 grams of cocaine for $1,400 to an undercover agent. The error in judgment — "I was naive," he said — cost him 17 months in prison.
"It was a turning point for me," Thompson said. "It wasn't easy. When you slide in morals, you can either continue downward or lift yourself up. I learned a lot about myself. In life, you learn that everything that happens is an opportunity. I wanted to take advantage of that opportunity."
When Thompson got out, Terry Jones, an assistant coach at Central State who played at Oklahoma, brought his name up to Billy Joe, the ex-NFL running back who is the coach at Central State.
"I didn't know about the business at Oklahoma. I never heard of him there," said Joe, who said he paid attention to the pros and African-American college football. "I knew something negative had happened and he was involved. When he was brought to my attention, they told me what he was involved in. They asked if I would be willing to help. I visited with him a few times and decided he was a fine young man who realized his mistakes. All he wanted was an opportunity."
“If he never played it would have been good enough that he was in school and getting his life back together.”
cerned. Thompson is nearing his degree in accounting.
"Central State threw me a life presevered," he said. "It offered me a chance, an opportunity to get my life back together regardless of what happened before. I believed in myself, in my inner strength. I kept my goals in sight."
The gamble paid off for all conwomen's field, as Olga Markova of Russia won for the second year in a row, in 2:25:27, the fastest in the world this year.
Joe called him a model citizen, who often spoke to groups on campus about his problems.
"People don't understand the problem and what it can lead to," Thompson said. "It sounds like it's not so bad. I always thought it wasn't as bad as it is. Believe me, it's bad."
Now, a month short of his 25th birthday, he is up for the draft. There have been conversations with Houston, Cleveland and a few other teams. His size, 5-foot-9" and 184 pounds, is sometimes cited as a negative.
"He's definitely an NFL prospect. Without question. A little small, perhaps, but he's muscular and tough," Joe said. "He's committed to the game. He wants to play."
It might not happen in an eight- round draft. He could get a chance as a free agent.
"The little guy has a place in pro football," Thompson said. "I think guys like Joe Morris and Dave Meggert proved that. They got respect for the little guy."
Big Eight commits to the Aloha Bowl
"After eight rounds, you're on a string anyway," Thompson said. "There are a lot of options out there. I'm looking forward to it."
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Big Eight Conference has agreed to a deal with Aloha Bowl Charities, Inc., which guarantees the conference's third place football team a spot in the 1983 and 1984 Aloha Football Classic.
Athletic directors from Big Eight schools approved the plan in a meeting Friday, and the agreement was finalized yesterday. Big Eight officials said.
Last season Kansas played in the Alaoha Bowl defeat Brigham Young University 23-20.
With the agreement, the Big Eight has three teams locked into bowl competition following the 1993 season. The league champion plays in the Orange Bowl, and the second-place team is guaranteed a bowl appearance through the Football Bowl Coalition.
Each team in the 1993 Aloha Bowl will be paid $750,000
"It is the feeling of the Big Eight athletic directors that the Aloba Bowl has established itself as one of the premier bowls games," said Carl James, league commissioner. "Last year's experience was nothing but positive, and we look forward to continuing that for the next two years."
Different Kenyan wins hot Boston Marathon
Russian woman repeats with year's fastest time
The Associated Press
BOSTON — A Kenyan won the Boston Marathon. Surprisingly, it was not Ibrahim Hussein, the two-time defending champion and three-time winner.
Instead, it was little known Cosmass N'det, a 23-year-old running only his second marathon. He swept into the lead about two miles from the finish and beat Kim Jae-Yong by about 70 yards yesterday, in 2 hours, 9 minutes, 33 seconds.
Ndiett was 11th at the halfway point of the race. He made his big move during the second half of the race when most marathoners generally wilt, particularly over the draining stretch of Heartbreak Hill. The chance of such a comeback appeared even slimmer yesterday because of the unusual heat — 60 degrees at the start, 73 at the finish.
'Ndeti, who made his marathon debut in December, finishing second at Honolulu, also said he was not bothered by the heat, which took its toll on many of the other top runners.
"In Kenya, I was training in very high mountains," N'deti said. "So I was feeling nice when I was climbing the hills here."
While N'deti was scoring a major upset, there was little surprise in the
Markova became the first women's repeat winner since Rosa Mota of Portugal won in 1987-88.
The men's race was competitive throughout. Because of the weather, the men went out conservatively, and for more than half the race, several runners took turns in the lead.
At 18 miles, the front of the pack had dwindled down to unheralded Luckez Swartboot of Namibia, running his third marathon, and Kim, winner of the 1992 Seoul Marathon. Closing on them was N'deti, second at the 1992 Tokyo Half-Marathon and 10th at the 1992 World Cross Country Championships.
At the 24.3-mile point, N deti caught the front-facing Swarbori, ran alongside him for 40 seconds, then surged into the lead.
"I was watching him," N'deti said.
"When you are running with somebody, you can tell if he is tired."
N'deti's intuition was correct. Swarttobole couldn't keep up the pace, and N'deti was on his way to a victory that was worth $65,000 in prize money, a place on the Kenyan team that will compete in the World Championships at Stuttgart, Germany, in August, and the prestige, honors and accolades that go along with being a Boston winner.
Jayhawk Bookstore "At the top of Naismith Hill!" Hrs: 8-5 M-F, 9-5 Sat, 12-4 Sun
IT'S COMING TOMORROW!
Shape up for Summer! FREE Aerobics Class - Call NOW for an appointment
NO JOINING FEE from now until the end of school $139.00 OFF mustbringcoupon •$24/month• expires 4/27/93
BODY
BOUTIQUE
The Women's Fitness Facility
749-2424
9th & Iowa • Hillcrest Plaza
*Over 60 aerobic classes/wk
*Step aerobics offered
*2 aerobic rooms
*Co-ed classes offered
*10 tans for $25
*Nautilus & free weights
ONE WEEK ONLY•ONE WEEK ONLY•ONE WEEK ONLY•ONE WEEK ONLY•ONE
ONE WEEK ONLY!
order your
JAYHAWKER YEARBOOK
&
COMMENCEMENT VIDEO
both for only $45
(a $ 59.95 value!)
New Days Because of Last Week's Rain
April 19 thru April 21 * 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. * Wescoe Beach
Any Questions? Call the Jayhawker Yearbook @ 864-3728.
ONE WEEK ONLY!
WEEK ONLY • ONE WEEK ONLY • ONE WEEK ONLY • ONE WEEK ONLY • ONE WEEK