OPINION: Students react to tragedy. SEE PAGE 4-5A. INSIDE: Jewish students prepare for holy days. SEE PAGE 7A
8A
SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Jay Kral or Sarah
Warren at (785) 864-4858
or sports@kansan.com
THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 2001
Big 12 officials announced yesterday that Kansas and other conference schools would play football on Saturday, but that doesn't make it right.
Playing ball wrong move for Big 12
Who are they to tell student-athletes that they have to focus on sports now and perform to the highest of their abilities just days after what could be the defining moment of their young lives?
Allen Bohl, athletics director, said in a press release yesterday that the Big 12 athletics directors felt that playing a football game was "the best course of action based on directives from the President."
The Pac-10 and Big East postponed all athletic events through Sunday.
Some conferences felt that college football was the last thing that its student-athletes and coaches should be thinking about.
The Pac-10 voted early Tuesday night to halt this week's athletic events. Mike Tranghese, the Big East commissioner, said his conference unanimously voted to postpone Saturday's games after a conference call with other major-conference commissioners.
Words can't describe the horrible atrocities that happened Tuesday in New York City and Washington, D.C. — only feelings can.
No. 6 Florida State and No. 10 Georgia Tech, neither of which are in the Pac-10 or Big East, suspended their game.
And right now, those emotions shouldn't be about finding a starting quarterback, winning the Heisman trophy or a national championship.
America has bigger things to worry about.
Sports have always been an escape from reality and an everyday part of many of our lives, but not today.
Anywhere you go, you won't be able to forget what happened Tuesday morning in New York City and Washington. D.C.
Bohl said in the press release that playing the games would be a "return to normalcy" and a chance to "represent our sorrow and sense of mourning in respect to those people who lost their lives."
How does a halfback dive at Memorial Stadium on Saturday pay homage to the thousands who perished in the terrorist attacks?
Despite my opinion, others agree with Bohl and they have a defendable argument.
People mourn differently and playing a game on Saturday might give people a sense that everything will return to the way it was.
But it won't.
Never again will we be able to walk through an airport the same way. Who won't give a passing thought to the World Trade Center's twin towers when they're inside a downtown high-rise? Will we ever feel safe inside a stadium with 50,000 people?
When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, the NCAA canceled all Saturday games. The NFL played that weekend and took a publicity hit because of it.
But this isn't about good or bad press. It's about a nation experiencing emotions it hasn't felt for generations.
Honestly, if Kansas wins on Saturday, will there really be anything to cheer about?
Stop the games. Resume them next week.
Pacey is an Issaquah, Wash., senior in journalism.
Big 12 football still on for Saturday
By Brent Briggeman Kansan sportswriter
Kansas football players cheered when coach Terry Allen told them the news they'd been waiting for — they would play football on Saturday.
"It's time to move on," said Mario Kinsey, who will make his first start at quarterback on Saturday against Wyoming.
Big 12 Conference officials considered postponing Saturday's games in the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
The players began practice yesterday afternoon still wondering if the game would be played.
Allen, who found out about 4 p.m. told the players an hour later as they gathered at the end of practice.
Gathered around Allen in their customary circle after practice, players cheered that the period of uncertainty had ended, though some players had
"Yes and no," said senior captain Nate Dwyer when asked if he thought it was appropriate to play under the grim circumstances.
mixed feelings about the decision.
"You can't really stop the world because this happened. But at the same time, you want to stop and take a look at it and correct, obviously, what's going on." he said.
In 111 years on football, Kansas has had only one game postponed because of outside circumstances — a 1963 game against Missouri that was pushed back a week because of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Yesterday, after three conference calls between Big 12 athletics directors and presidents and chancellors, they decided not to postpone Saturday's games.
All college football games scheduled for tonight have been postponed.
Allen Bohl, Kansas athletics director.
said the Big 12 chose to heed to President Bush's advice and continue with life as usual. Bohl said it was a unanimous decision.
The Kansas game won't be held in usual fashion, however.
Wyoming will travel to Lawrence by bus, whereas they would normally fly. The team will leave this morning.
Kansas players will wear American flag decals on their helmets, security will be increased and special memorial ceremonies will take place before kickoff.
Among the ceremonies will be a singing of "God Bless America."
A portion of the ticket sales from all NCAA games played Saturday will be donated to the rescue efforts in the Northeast.
- Yesterday, the Big East Conference postponed six games involving its teams.
Other major conferences, including the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big
Ten and Pac-10 have yet to officially announce decisions on whether to play or not.
■ Among other games postponed earlier were Saturday matchups of Arizona State at No. 14 UCLA and San Diego State at No. 21 Ohio State.
The Southeastern Conference chose to not postpone its games because of the terrorist attacks.
Two other big matchups in Florida have been postponed, with yesterday's announcement that No.10 Georgia Tech at No.6 Florida State won't play on Saturday.
On Tuesday, No. 13 Washington's game at No. 1 Miami was suspended and tentatively rescheduled for Nov. 24.
Kinsey slated to start at quarterback; Dyer will also play
- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Allen says freshman QB may bring more to the table
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswriter
When Mario Kinsey started the second half of Saturday's loss to UCLA, it seemed that the Kansas coaching staff hadn't fully decided who would be the Jayhawk's starting quarterback.
And they haven't decided.
Kansas Coach Terry Allen announced yesterday that Kinsey would start Saturday against Wyoming.
He said Zach Dyer, who started the Jayhawks' first two games, would also get a chance this weekend, but that Kansas would rely first on the right arm and quick feet of its redshirt freshman.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Mario Kinsey will make his first career start as a Jayhawk Saturday against Wyoming. Kinsey was suspended the first game of the season but split time with junior Zach Dyer in last week's loss to UCLA.
"We will start Kinsley at quarterback," Allen said. "We've given Zach an opportunity to start, but there's always been competition there. I only think that it's fair to give Mario a go, but both quarterbacks will play."
Kinsey watched Dyer lead the offense in Kansas' two touchdown victory against Southwest Missouri State.
teammates faith that he could shoulder the offensive load — that he could make the offense work and let his defense rest.
Suspended for the season opener, Kinsey stood on the sidelines with a white towel draped around his shoulders.
After operating as the No. 2 quarterback against UCLA, Kinsey displayed elusiveness and excitement that gave his
"During the last game, he made a couple of really good and athletic plays out there," said 6-foot-5, 240-pound senior linebacker Algie Atkinson.
"It made me happier because on third-and-long he would make a first down. It gave me a little more chance to rest. If he makes the plays in the game, I think he should be in there playing. It's not that difficult."
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
"I did a lot of things well and a lot of things not too well."
Mario Kinsey KU quaterback
Sticking with one quarterback has been difficult for Allen because he has said that both Kinsey and Dyer provide the offense with similar looks.
But last Saturday, it was Kinsey who moved the offense more effectively. That was one of the main reasons why he earned his first-ever college start, Allen said.
In his first series at quarterback against UCLA, Kinsey rolled to his left before zipping a ball across his body to wide receiver Roger Ross for a first down.
He danced around the Bruins for 50 yards on a variety of option runs and quarterback
scampers
He also led his team to its first touchdown on a 13-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by a one-yard run just before halftime.
But as much as Kinsey excited the crowd Saturday, his game also fluttered.
He completed only two of his first seven passes and finished 6 of 16. His first touchdown pass
was thrown to UCLA linebacker Ryan Nece, who ran back the interception 22 yards.
Kinsey also launched a first-down pass intended for wide receiver Brandon Rideau that soared 10 yards over his head out-of-bounds.
"I did a lot of things well and a lot things not too well," Kinsey said after the UCLA game. "But I think that I picked up some
ground out there."
The strides he made were enough to convince his coach to give him a start.
Allen said, "To win the game at the quarterback position, maybe Mario brings a little more to the table."
Contact Denton at 864-4858
Women's golf team celebrates success
By John Domoney
Kansan sportswriter
Yesterday was a day of rest for the Kansas women's golf team. The Jayhawks, recouping from their trip this past weekend to Myrtle Beach, S.C., didn't practice.
The team also used its day off to think about its performance at the Unlimited Potential/Bay Tree Classic.
Although the 14th-place finish at the tournament doesn't seem too impressive, the team was pleased as it finished ahead of 17 teams in the field with a combined score of 966. The Jayhawks nearly missed finishing higher as they were only five strokes behind 11th-place finisher Southern Mississippi that shot a combined 961.
As far as the first tournament of the fall was concerned, Coach Nicole Hollingsworth said she was impressed with her team's performance.
"I don't see it as a disappointment at all," Hollingsworth said. "When you beat 17 teams, it's a good start. If we could have shot a little better score on Sunday, it would have been a lot better."
The usually sunny Myrtle Beach didn't greet Kansas warmly as the skies dumped 12 inches of rain on the area last week before the tournament. The abundant rainfall caused the tournament to be moved to the green course of the Bay Tree Golf Plantation, instead of the silver course, which was originally scheduled.
This abrupt change in location had Hollylnessworth convinced that her team
Tougher course or not, Kansas still put together solid rounds to land in 13th place after Friday's opening round, and the Jayhawks remained in 13th place after Saturday's second round.
"We felt we had an advantage going in because four out of five players had a minimum of six rounds on the course," Hollingsworth said. "It was a huge disadvantage on our part, and it was a much tougher course."
was denied an advantage that it would have enjoined.
Although the Jayhawks slipped a spot to finish 14th, they returned to Lawrence upbeat and were satisfied with their placing.
"I think it was a good opening tournament," junior Heather Rose said. "There
were a lot of teams there that we were able to bear."
Rose led the Kansas attack as she tied for 45th, including a final round 6-over par 78, which was the team's best round. Junior transfer Jill MacDonald tied for 52nd, and junior Tiffany Krugelg tied for 69th. Along with Krugelg, sophomore Jennifer Bawanan tied for 69th, and junior Kristy Straub finished in a tie for 81st.
This afternoon Kansas returns to practice at Alvamar Golf Course where they must prepare quickly for their next tournament at the Mary Fossum Intercollegiate in East Lansing, Mich., on Saturday and Sunday.
Contact Domoney at 864-4858