Page 10 University Daily Kansan, November 6, 1980
Sports
Turf toe tackles Bell for Oklahoma
By GENE MYERS Sports Editor
On the third play of the 1980 football season,
Walter Mack left the game and Kernell
came in. Bell has been the Jayhawks' No. 1
tallback ever since.
Bell has been in there except for rests, which are rare, and Jersey changes, which aren't.
But against Okhomaera Saturday, Bell won't be the tailback. His big toe injury officially was done in a 2015 game.
"He won't play," Head Coach Don Fambrough said after yesterday's practice. "No way."
Bell, who injured his toe in Kansas' 20-18 victory over Kansas State last week, has a chipped bone in the big toe of his left foot. But his ankle pain was from a swollen tendon of the toe.
THE INJURY HAS kept him from practicing this week and has forced him to walk with a
"At first, I thought this was not serious," Bell said. "It's not gotten any better. This is the first time I'll miss pay dirt. I've never missed a game in my life."
Bell's injury is known as turf toe in football
terminology. It is caused by the big toe constantly hitting hard artificial turf. Bell's toe had a workout against K-State as he carried 38 times for 216 yards.
"The turf is a lot harder than in high school." Bell said. "It's much worse, and misses good old field. All fields should have good old grass."
Fambridge won't say who will start in Bell's place. The choices are Mack, a junior, and Larry. The two will get the job.
"They're in a dead heat," Fambrough said.
Taylor ran for 59 yards in seven carries against K-State. Taylor's first carry came when Bell had to have a torn jersey replaced, the first time he was injured before his first carry to run 28 yards for a touchdown.
MACK DIDN't carry the ball against the Wildcats. He entered the game only once, when Taylor and Bell both were having jersey changes. A K-State timeout, however, gave Taylor time to replace Mack before his first play.
"It's not a problem without me," he said.
Even though Bell has gained 932 yards this season, the most ever by a Big Eight freshman, he said the team would not be hurt technically or on the field because of his absence.
*Taylor or Mack can do the job. Look at what last week and what Mack did against Syracuse.*
Mack's claim to fame is a comment he made after transferring to KU last season. He said he planned on winning at least one Heisman Trophy before his eligibility expired. He started the first part of the season at tailback and then lost the job.
Mack gained 257 yards on 72 carries, including a 124-yard game against North Texas State last
TAYLOR WAS INJURED before the start of last season and was redshirt. He has bounced between second and third on the depth chart with Mack all season.
said. "But it is so painful. There is hardly any way to treat it.
Bell's injury, even though he said it wouldn't affect the team, has affected the betting line of the game almost as much as Ronald Reagan's election boosted the stock market yesterday. The point spread from Harrah's Reno-Taho Sports division was 54 cents on advantage to a 19-point Okumaa advantage.
Bell's injury, while not overly serious, is ex-
tremely difficult and disabling. The best treatme-
nis is rest and the therapy.
"It's a pretty common injury." Fambrough
"You can't tape it like a finger or put a splint on it. About the only thing you can do is soak it to reduce the swelling."
The injury usually strikes running backs, but two other Big Eight players have the aliment right now. They are Missouri safety Jomie Poe and K-State defensive end James Walker.
“It’s an embarrassing injury,” Walker said. “When I tell people I have a big toe sprain, they kind of laugh.”
Poe calls his injury "Poe toe" instead of turf toe.
For Bell, the injury isn't anything to laugh about. He was a bit depressed yesterday.
"I really wanted to play against Oklahoma," Bell said. "They've got three more years at us, though. Right now, I'm out."
JAYHAWK NOTE: The injury report was good yesterday for the Kansas Jayhawks. Flanker David Vewrler, who had a slight ankle sprain, and ready to play against Oklahoma Saturday.
Kerwin Bell
Jeff Konek looks for a teammate to pass the ball to as Darnell Valentine and Booty Neal close in to defend. Assistant Coach Bob Hill looked on as the Jayhaws went through a scrimmage at press day yesterday in Allen Field House.
Jo Jo welcome at KU, but coaching staff full
Bv KEVIN BERTELS
Sports Writer
When White announced his retirement from professional basketball Monday, speculation arose that he would be added to the KU staff because of his close ties with KU and Owens.
Don't expect Jo Jo White to be added soon to the Kansas basketball coaching staff, Head Coach Ted Owens said yesterday.
BUT OWENS SAID yesterday that, although
we would be welcome addition to the staff,
there was a need for
"Jo. Jo would be a great asset, but I don't feel it to be a point to comment on his future." Owensa said. "Way," she replied.
"I'm sure he wants to take time to decide what he wants to do with his life."
mute, a two-time All-America guard with KU in 1968 and 1969, has been unavailable for comment since announcing his retirement. He is visiting his parents in St. Louis.
WHITE. A seven-time All-Star with the Boston Celtics and Most Valuable Player of the 1978 NBA playoffs, said late this summer that he would pursue a coaching career after his retirement. Who, played for the Golden State Warriors last year, signed with the Kansas City Kings in September to be closer to his Lawrence home.
"I'd love to coach," White said when he signed with the Kings. "But nobody's offered anything to me."
He said then that a KU coaching position would be one that he would take.
"That would have to be one of my goals," he said. "This is my home."
Owens said he would welcome White as a volunteer coach.
"At this point, we don't have any openings." Owens said. "The NCAA tells you exactly how to get into."
WHITE. WHO played his way into shape this
summer with the Jayhawks, had played in all 13 games with the Kings this season before he retired. He had averaged 6.4 points a game while playing 18 minutes a game as a backup for Phil Ford. It was one of the few times in his career that he wasn't a starter.
"I promised myself that when I was dogging it or could not play the way Jo Jo White can play, it was time to step down," he said at a press conference Monday in Kemper Arena. "I just promised myself that it was time for Jo Jo White to retire and leave space for the younger people."
Darnell Valentine, a senior guard on the KU team who has been compared often with White, said the team could benefit from having White on the coaching staff.
"He has been helpful to all of us," Valentine said. "When he is out there, he is like a coach on the floor. He probably knows more than the coaches above him."
"He is in a situation where he could do a lot of things. I don't know what he is going to do."
JAYHAWK NOTES: Area sportswriters, photographers and cameramen invaded Allen Field House for the basketball media day yesterday afternoon to meet team members and watch a scrimmage. The turnout was better than in past years but didn't compare to the hours when it came to Lawrences for the Big Eight Skywriters meeting with the football Jayhawks.
Art Housey sprained an ankle last week in practice and will not practice for a week or more, Owens told writers who saw Housey on crutches yesterday.
KU's only freshman would like to have his name pronounced 'the way his ancestors insisted' (Bradford, 1985).
"Nobody gets it right," Jeff Konek said. "I'm pretty used to it."
Forget world problems; it's basketball season
By KEVIN BERTELS
Sports Writer
Forgot about all that. November is certainly not the time to worry about trivial things such as world peace or foreign policy. No, November is the time when you can unveil the invelling of the latest version of KU basketball.
The citizens of the United States elected a new president. There is a conflict in the Middle East. Iranian militants have held 52 Americans hostage for 369 days.
The 1980 variety of the basketball Jayhawks commands more attention because of their ability to score.
THOSE DEVELOPMENTS are an 18-10 season followed by a 15-14 season. Not bad by the standards of some schools but at KU, students and alumni have been spoiled by more victories than losses. South Carolina is tucky and North Carolina. Anything less than a Big Eight championship and postseason play
In fact, at the end of last season, KU basketball was in its most confused state in recent memory. After Owens was given a vote of confidence by Athletic Director Bob Marcurn, rumors began to spread that he was considering accepting a job as head coach at Oklahoma.
won't do. For that reason, the job security of Ted
would continue for 17 years, in was question
offer the 1978-80.
AT ONE POINT, it appeared that all three would be gone, yet as the 1980-81 season opens all three are still wearing the crimson and blue. And, instead of transfers, hirings, firings and drafts, Owens is concerned with rebounding, shooting, defending and attitudes.
Meanwhile, star guard Darnell Valentine was said to be leaving for the big money of pro ball. Ricky Ross, one of the country's most recruited high school players as a senior at Wichita South High School, was talking of transferring to Wichita or Wichita State after his freshman season.
Mitchell's junior college statistics certainly indicate that weight hasn't been a problem. At Amarillo, Texas, Junior College, he averaged 26.6 points a game, but more importantly, he grabsed 13.6 rebounds a game, en route to being named to the Juco All-American team
most after the last two seasons. Particularly, he blames last season's record on poor rebounding. To remedy that, Owens went looking for big men. He found a very big one. At 6-10-foot, junior Victor Mitchell is an average college center, but his weight distinguishes him from the norm.
"I REALLY DON'T know what is the best weight for him," he said. "Victor is a big man. As long as he can measure up to what is necessary, get the job done, I don't care what he weighs."
Also needed on the boards for the Jayhawks
will be Art Housey, a 6-foot-10 senior center, and Kelly Knight. 6-foot-7 to5ohmmer center.
Evidence of the RU rebounding woes last season is found in the fact that forward John Crawford led the squad with a mealy 4.8 a game. The 6-foot-8 senior will be counted on for more on the boards this season as well as an improvement on his 7.9 point average.
ONCE THE BIG man have swept the boards clean, Owens can concern himself with another problem, that of shooting. One look at the KU team, she filled with guards, and the problem seems solved.
Junior guard Booty Neal, sophomore guard Ricky Ross and junior forward David Magley all are considered "pure" shooters, but only Magley was able to shoot 50 percent last season. Neal missed 20 percent of shots from the types of shots that the players take and not from the ability of the shooter, Owens said.
"I don't care who takes the shot," he said. He was concerned that, as a team, we shoot good shots.
Darnell Valentine, preseason All-America and considered one of the finest ballhandlers in the country will lead the Jayhawks again this season. He could have been picked in the first round of the NBA draft but chose to remain at KU, a show of pride. Owens said.
"There is no question that he would have gone in the first round." Owens said.
"When he decided to play one more season at KL, he had one thing in mind. He wanted to finish [flipping]."
Teamwork, something that was lacking in the last two seasons, is a partner of good team attitude and is being stressed this season more than before. According to Owens and many of the players, the attitude of team members is better that ever before.
"All of a sudden seniors and juniors who were freshmen and sophomores a couple years ago know what it's all about," he said. "Our team basically in the last two years has suffered from immaturity. Immaturity and a lack of rebounding."
Country's top squad ducks scheduling KU basketball team
Kansas has the finest basketball player in the women's game. KU also have the finest team in Kansas history. But the Jayhawks, who are by far the most recent last season, wong can't be seeing that team this year.
Old Dominion, two-time national champions, declined to play the Jayhawks this season. The Monarchs dominated KU last season 90-59, but are hiding this season.
Their two big players, Nancy Lieberman and Inge Nissen, are gone. Old Dominion wants to wait until KU's two big players, Lynette Woodard and Sheila Lehrant, are gone. too.
"They want to play us next year," Head Coach Martian Washington said. "They want to wait until we lose a couple of our big guns. That's the truth."
IF THAT IS INDEED the reason, then it’s a bishop league on the part of Old Dominion.
mattle on the Jayhawks and most other teams in the country. Anne Donovan, a 8-6 center, shadows any woman on the court. Lieberman was the Wade Trophy winner the past two seasons, proclaiming her the best in the college game.
The Monarchs still have a definite height ad-
Old Dominion's refusal to play KU shows,
PATTI
ARNOLD
however, that the Jayhawks are team to be reckoned with this season, a theory backed up by some research.
Delta State, the Orange Bowl Classic and the home Jayhawk Classic are gone.
But Old Dominion isn't the only big name missing on the Kansas schedule this season.
BUT THE REASONS those games are gone is different from the Old Dominion excuse.
The Region Six qualification rules state that a team must be in the two top in regional play to advance to the regional tournament in March. The team must have won three games in Pittsburg State, Wichita State and Creighton.
KU played Wichita State two times last season and won both games. Kansas State won the best three-of-five from KU last year, but the Jayhawks won in the finals of the regional tournament. The win sent KU to the sectional tournament. The Jayhawks got to the second round before bowing to the national runner-up, Louisiana Tech.
KU had to give up dates it could have filled with top-top competition to play each of the two teams.
will be playing regional competition from Jan. 27 to Feb. 17.
**THIS YEAH COULD be the best chance Kansas has to get to the national tournament. Woodward is a senior, and she is only 390 points from becoming the highest scorer in women's basketball history. She stands to become the second four-time All-American in history. RU is one of the few teams Woodward could most of the publicity this season, but she isn't the only one who deserves it.
Already, the attention is being focused on Woodard for the Hanover Christmas Tournament, which will be played in Madison Square Garden. Woodard is the drawing card of the
SEVERAL OF THE teams Kansas will face this year are fine basketball teams, but none have the national prestige of Old Dominion. KU will compete to two of the biggest tournaments in the country.
Last year's regional qualification rules had all of the teams meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, for a tournament, with the two top teams and a possible at-large team advancing to the sectional tournament. That freed the schools to schedule the best possible ononsets.
IN KU's case, that competition was necessary, because the region wasn't that strong. KU should have no trouble getting into the sectional tournament, but once it does, the real competition begins. Poor competition cannot prepare a team to play in a national tournament.
tournament, and the attention on her un-
doubtedly will reflect upon her teammates.
Washington admitted that her regional opponents weren't too strong, but said that with some additional focusing on the programs, they were bound to get better. But while those teams are building their programs, the Jayhawks are building a program on its way to the top.