Sports
University Daily Kansan / Thursday, September 27, 1990
9
Second player selects Kansas Shawnee Mission South's Gurley says KU program has it all
Shawnee Mission South's Gurley says KU program has it all
By Derek Simmons
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas basketball team received its second oral commitment this week when Gurley, a 6-foot 5-swingman, said yesterday that he would sign a letter of intent with the team in order to play first day of the early signing period.
Greg Ostertag, a 7-1 center from Duncanville, Texas, announced his intention to sign with Kansas on Monday.
Gurley averaged 21.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists for Shawnee Mission South, last year's undefeated Kansas Class 64 state champions.
Gurley said several factors led him to select Kansas over the University of Southern California, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Oklahoma State.
"It wasn't just one thing," he said.
"No place compares to KU. They
have one of the best coaches, a winning tradition, and KU is only about 20 minutes from where I live.
"I would have gone to New York or California to find a school that had everything I wanted, but I didn't need to. I could have gone to North Carolina, but why travel halfway the country when KU is right here?"
"Recrutting was getting to be really hectic," Gurley said. "I wanted to be able to enjoy my senior year."
Gurley echoed Ostertag's reasons for making the early announcement of his intention.
Since the announcement, the pace basn't slowed down
"When I got home here there was a truck from channel 4 here, and guys with cameras, and then the Kansas City) Star called and then the Topeka
and Wichita papers," he said. "It'll be this way for a couple of days, then everything will settle down."
Shawnee Mission South Coach Paul Sexton said Gurley would fit into the Kansas program well.
Gurley's greatest weakness is defense. Sexton said.
"We play an offense pretty much like Kansas does," he said. "We run a passing game, and he has great court vision. He's probably the best all-around player I've ever couched."
"He's good on defense, but he can be better," Sexton said. "He'll have to take more in the pain. He guarded Cortez Barnes in the playoffs last year, and did a好 job, but he just got down in the blocks a little more."
Gurley agreed with Sexton's analysis of his defensive skills.
"I tend to pace myself on defense when I get tired," Hurley said. "I slack off and coast a little when I should go hard on every play."
Gurley said Ostertag's announcement did not affect his decision.
Gurley said he would be surprised if Shawnee Mission South repeated as state champions this year.
"I really decided last Thursday," he said. "I had to canvase visits to Nebraska and Oklahoma State, and then I made the announcement."
"We were surprised last year," he said.
"I met Ostertag when he was up for his visit a couple of weeks ago. He's big. Very big. Maybe we can get a few more bids."
NCAA rules prohibit coaches from commenting on players until after they have officially signed with the school's program.
Miami may join Big East or ACC
The Associated Press
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami hopes to join the Big East or Atlantic Coast Conference and has eliminated the Southeastern and Metro conferences from consideration, school officials said yesterday.
Remaining an independent in all sports is "not very appealing at all" and "very, very low on the priority of athletic director Sam Janko-kouch said.
Some sort of affiliation with the Big East appears most likely. Officials from that league plan to visit the Miami campus soon, though it's uncertain whether ACC officials will pay a visit. Jankovich said.
“Both bring an awful lot to the table.” Jonkovich said “the (ACC) is a lot more traditional and has been in existence longer than the other. The Big East has been there for 11 years and is getting better all the time.”
The board will make a final decision by Oct. 16, barring unforeseen developments. Foote said.
Miami has yet to receive an invitation to join a conference, and Jankovich and university president Edward Foote have yet to make a recommendation to Miami's executive board of trustees, Jankovich said.
Jankovich met with Big East offi-
cials Tuesday in Boston. He and
other Miami officials met yesterday
for a press conference the SEC and
Metro from consideration.
Foote said the primary reason for that decision was the university's large number of alumni, students and institutional students with ties to the Northeast.
"In the Big East, we have the highest concentration of our alumni from that region, outside the state of Florida," Foote said. "To be able to play quality intercollegiate athletics in an area where we have lots of
students and lots of alumni is cer tainly an advantage.
"On the other hand, the ACC has a significant impact on the Washington-Baltimore market, where we also get a lot of students."
In response to Miami's announcement, SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer said no invitation had been issued to the school. He said the league was happy with its present 12 school alignment.
Larger television markets on the East Coast also figured in Miami's decision to discontinue discussions with the SEC and Metro, Foote said.
The ACC expanded to nine teams with the addition of Florida State last month, and assistant commissioner Kyle Holmes also increased the possibility of further expansion.
"We've very flattered Miami is considering the ACC," Mickel said. "The 'ACC certainly is not aggressively seeking expansion, but in this day and time we are obviously willing to keep our options open."
Jankovich said an expanded Big East could take several forms. Three of the league's nine members — Pittsburgh University, Boston College and Syracuse University — play major college football as independents. The football-playing schools might affiliate with the Southwest Conference to fill out their schedules. Jankovich said.
Remaining an independent in football and joining the Big East in other sports would also be a possibility, Jankovich said.
Big East officials investigating expansion have limited their discussions to Miami, said Chris Plowsky, assistant commissioner of the Big East.
National College Sportswriter's Football Poll
"If Miami's interest in us continues and we can work out something and they could become part of our picture of the city, an addition to our league," she said.
1. Notre Dame (24)
2. Florida State (9)
3. Auburn (1)
4. BYU (1)
5. Michigan
6. Tennessee
7. Virginia
8. Nebraska
9. Miami
10. Oklahoma
11. Texas A&M
12. Washington
13. Southern Cal
14. Houston
15. Illinois
16. Ohio State
17. Clemson
18. Florida
19. Colorado
20. Arizona
Sports briefs
Writers from the following schools participated in the poll; Texas, Kentucky, Miami (Fla.), San Diego State, Colorado, Clemson, Notre Dame, Illinois, Syracuse, North Carolina State, Florida State, Purdue, Brown, California, Utah, Southern Methodist, Penn State, Indiana, Auburn, Kansas, Ball State, West Virginia.
The Kansas men's tennis team was ranked 23rd nationally in the Volvo Tennis/Collegiate Tennis rankings yesterday. This marks the fourth straight year the Kansas men have ranked Last year, they were 25th.
KANSAN
Junior Eveline Hamers was ranked ninth in the nation for women. That is the highest ranking any Kanea tennis player has ever won.
Kansas tennis player ranked 9th in nation
Senior John Falbo was ranked 23rd, and seniors Chris Walker and Craig Wilder were ranked No. 20 in doubles.
The Kansas City Chief waived punter Kelly Goodburn yesterday and re-signed his preseason rival to the roster.
Goodburn had been the Chiefs' punter since the third game of the 1987 season. In 48 career games, he won 30 times for a 40.2 yard average.
Chiefs punt Goodburn,
sign preseason kicker
Bryan Barker, 26, had been released from the Chiefs on Aug. 28, the day National Football League required to rim rosters to 60 players.
In three games this season, Goodburn punted 17 times for a 38.4-yard average with six inside the 20 and two touchbacks.
By Chris Oster
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Athletic Directors from Big Eight Conference universities met yesterday but made no decisions concerning conference realignment or financial restructuring.
Barker punted seven times in the preseason for an average of 41.6 yards. He put four within the opponents' 20 with no touchbacks.
"We've recommended to the faculty representatives that the conference commissioner should contact the Southwest Conference," he said, "to indicate our willingness to discuss about ways in which the two conferences could participate in future television ventures.
Kansan sportswriter
Bob Frederick, KU athletic director, said a joint television venture with the Southwest Conference was discussed.
Kansas' faculty representative is Del Brinkman, interim executive vice chancellor.
Athletic directors request TV deal
The issue of redistribution of money will have to wait for further study
From staff and wire reports
"We have agreed to continue to study the issue," Fredrick said. "No decisions were made at all. There was a lot of different possibilities."
Before the meeting, Oklahoma athletic director Donnie Duncan said that certain money matters were scheduled be discussed.
of non-conference TV revenues." Duncan said. "Not just football, but football and baseball. But it is discussion only."
The current distribution method used by the conference is one of the worst in the nation for teams that bring the bulk of the money to the conference. If a football team has its game televised, it receives $2 million revenue. The other conference schools each receive one-ninth.
"We want to discuss financial issues, specifically the distribu-
Oklahoma is the only Big Eight school which is a football and basketball power.
One financial issue dealt with was the distribution of money from the NCAA basketball tournament.
Frederick said that a different formula used by the NCAA for tournament revenue distribution had not changed the Big Eight's policy of splitting the money equally between the eight schools.
The new NCAA distribution method bases the amount of money given to each conference on schools' performances in the past six tournaments. The old method based the distribution on each university's performance in the current year's tournament.
Running is existence for Kansas harrier
"So we already know what we will receive this year," Frederick said.
By Juli Watkins
Kansas sportwriter
Kansas senior pumped up for final year
Kansan sportswriter
He likes to wear his hair long because it makes him feel strong.
soon, he said
"But Coach
makes me cut it
to travel."
Although no hair does not fail below his shoul ders now, it can cased down his back through
Stewart Gillin
much of last spring's track season.
Stewart Gillin is a senior on the Kansas track and cross-country teams. He is the top runner on Kansas' 11th-ranked cross-country team.
"At this point in my life, my running is the definition of my existence." Gillin said. "If I'm not running well, I am not happy."
Gillen rides the 3,000-meter run during the indoor track season and the steeplechase during outdoor track, which consists of a 3,000-meter run with barriers set up in five spots around the track. A steeplechase during the hurries during the seven and a half laps around the track.
"All a steepechlease is, in one word, is guts," Gillin said. "It's total pain after one lap. When you are in cross country, it takes a few miles before the pain sets in. In a steepechlease, you hurt after the first lanc."
Gillin said that he preferred cross-country to track and that he began to compete in the steeplechase because it was an event similar to cross-country running. His best time is a 9-10 second, for the Florida Invitational last year.
While a member of the Johnson County Community College team, Gillin set a school record in the event with a time of 9:23. He placed second in the College Nation and was one honor from earning All-American honors.
Gillen came to Kansas in Fall 1989 as a junior. He is majoring in secondary education and English, with a minor in psychology. He plans to graduate in Spring 1992 and pursue a teacher career after graduation.
"I want to teach college English literature," he said. "I want to teach a lot of the great books that aren't being taught, like 'Catcher in the Rye.' In most college English class books, there are few days or sometimes a week. I want to cover books in-depth for three weeks instead of one."
In addition to his career plans, Gilin said he would continue to run, but running is something he knows may not always be there.
"I've learned not to take anything for granted in my life because some day it may not be there," he said.
Gillin said he realized this after his parents' divorce when he was 15
He said that he was still close to both his parents but that their separation had given him a cynical outlook on life.
"What defines me is that I can't count on anyone but myself or trust anyone but myself," Gillin said. "On the more positive side, I also learned that if I am going to do anything with me, I'd need to work at least 100 percent effort and hard work."
Gary Schwartz, cross-country and track coach, said Stewart was a hard worker.
"He's not a rab-rah person." Schwartz said. "There are a couple of ways to be a leader. One by taking verbally, and one by example
"As an athlete, he has really helped improve our cross-country team the last two years. He's a very good cross-country runner and a very good competitor. His major contribution has been in the area of cross country, but I think he's going to have a good track season this year."
Right now, Gillin is concentrating on his cross country season, knowing it will be his last.
Gillin said he had great respect for Coach Schwartz and his program.
"This is my last year of eligibility for cross country, and I'll do indoor and outdoor and then I have one more indoor season I will use next year."
"I like Coach Schwartz because he believes that every runner is different and has his own method of training," he said.
Gillin said members of the Kansas team supported each other.
"We never try to compete in practice," he said. "If someone is having a good day and goes out on their own, that's time. Sometimes you have to work harder to fill all the time, chances are you're going to be burned out or injured."
Running is an intregal part of Gilin's life, and those he runs with and against him. Schwartz said that Gilin's slightly eccentric percussionist takes him lightly but that his individuality was an asset to the team.
"I like Stewart," he said. "Stewart keeps everyone loose. He's his own person and that's refreshing."
Chiefs will train in cool Wisconsin next season
The Associated Press
LIBERTY. Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs confirmed yesterday that the club would leave Liberty — home of their training camp for the past 28 years — to get into shape in cooler Wisconsin air.
The team signed a contract to conduct their month-long training camp in River Falls, Wis., in 1919 and 1992. Reports have circulated for weeks that the team planned to move.
"Ours is a business in which we must always be looking for ways to improve," Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson said. He believe holding training camp in Wisconsin gives us that opportunity.
Peterson said the site at the university of Wisconsin-River Falls would put the Chiefs closer to other three NFL teams — New Orleans, Chicago and Green Bay — that hold camps in the state. Another reason
for the move was Coach Marty Schottenheimer's concern about the high temperatures in Missouri during January and August, when the camp is held.
Peterson said the move from William Jewell College in Liberty should not imply any dissatisfaction with the school. He said the Chiefs had "a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the college."
In Wisconsin, where the Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers 21-3
"This is big news in River Falls," said UW-River Falls Chancellor Gary A. Thibodeau.
Sunday, people around River Falls were more pleased about the move then the game.
Liberty officials were told of the decision in advance.
"Obviously it's a great loss to us," Mayor Glenna Todd said. "It's truly an end of an era. They have been a burden and pride to us for more than 20 years."
Crossed paths
Brian T. SchoenuKANSAN
Kansas lacrosse player Chad Kingsley outruns an opponent while looking for a pass. The club defeated a Kansas City team Saturday