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SPORTS
1B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2002
A giant American flag is spread over the field in Memorial Stadium last October before KU played Oklahoma. Athletic events paid tribute last fall to the victims of Sept. 11.
Teams face security changes
By Jessica Tims Associate sports editor
year.
Air Force fly overs, American flags and singing "God Bless America" became a staple at many sporting events since last Sept. 11.
The University of Kansas showed its patriotism and paid respect to those affected by the World Trade Center and Pentagon disasters throughout both football and basketball seasons last
With the first home game three days after the first anniversary of the attacks on America, the University is promising one more weekend of patriotic events before returning to the traditional pregame and half-time.
But Kansas athletic officials said team travel and event security were two aspects of KU sports that would be forever changed.
Richard Konzem, senior associate
athletics director, said when a team traveled by air, it must arrive at the airport as much as an hour and 45 minutes early. Before Sept. 11, he said, a team could arrive as little as 45 minutes early.
"We don't have big group check-ins anymore," Konzem said. "In football we generally fly charters and we have for years. I think the biggest change there is the time on the tarmac. We have
SEE PATRIOTISM ON PAGE RD
"We are fortunate, most of the teams we play we can bus to, like K-State Missouri and even Oklahoma and Oklahoma State."
Richard Konzem senior associate athletics director
Observance to kick off football game
By Kelly McNearney Kansan staff writer
The world of sports provided symbolism, patriotism and the comfort of distraction after Sept. 11. The University of Kansas hopes to do the same this weekend.
University of Kansas Athletics Corporation officials have planned a small ceremony minutes before the 6 p.m. kickoff of Saturday's football game to commemorate the anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
The ceremony may have extra significance on a difficult day for coach Mark Mangino — a childhood friend of his died in the attacks. Mangino last spoke with his friend eight weeks before his death.
"I feel bad for all the people left behind, the families," Mangino said.
to honor Kansas residents who died in the Sept. 11 attacks, fans will observe a moment of silence before kick-off. The names of those Kansans who died will appear on the MegaVision.
Lee Johnson, KUAC director of marketing, organized the pregame ceremony. He said it will be understated but touching.
Following the moment of silence, 100 volunteers will bring a large U.S.-shaped flag onto the field. Lawrence firefighters and police officers, University police officers and military officials will carry the 50-yard flag to midfield before the national anthem.
Bill Howell, volunteer coordinator, said people were happy to help and participate in the ceremony.
"It's a chance to get involved in 9-11
ceremonies and opening day and every one wants to be involved," Howell said. "It's a way KU can say we're not going to forget."
An ensemble from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines will form the color guard at Saturday's game.
The KU Band will stick to its regular pregame show, but will perform a series of patriotic songs during halftime.
Contact McNearney at kmnearney @kansan.com. This story was edited by Amanda Sears.
Assistant leaves team
By Doyle Murphy
Kansan sportswriter
Citing personal reasons, Ken Conatser, offensive line coach, resigned after only two games at Kansas, coach Mark Mangino said yesterday.
Kansas will be without yet another member of its football program Saturday.
Jumnel Hidrosollo/Rebel Yell
Tight ends coach Brandon Blaney will take over for Conatser, and graduate assistant Richard Holt will cover Blaney's responsibilities with the tight ends.
The announcement came a week after the Jayhawks learned starting linebacker Banks Floodman will miss the season with an injured right knee.
"I don't think it will affect us," senior wide receiver Marcellus Jones said. "We're going to miss him dearly, because he was a real good guy, but I think that we just have to overcome the hurdle, and go harder in practice, especially offensive
Ken Conaster, offensive line coach for Kansas' football team, consults with coach Mark Mangino during Saturday's game. Conaster resigned yesterday.
Conatser came to Kansas with 24 years of college coaching experience.
No offensive linemen were available for comment.
guys."
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 8B
Volleyball team ends road stretch with win
By Jason Hwang
Kansan sportswriter
In the last game of a long road series, the Kansas volleyball team beat Wichita State University four games
Huskies Losing game one was the first loss for the Jayhawks in four previous matches against the Shockers.
games to one last night at Wichita State's Heskett Center.
"Wichita State was on their A-game in the first game," coach Ray Bechard said. "That game was more important to them than to us. They were fired up and played really well throughout the match."
Freshman middle blocker Josiane
Lima registered her second double-double, double digit kill and digs, with a match-high 17 kills and 15 digs. Junior outside hitter Sarah Rome also recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs. Freshman setter, Andi Rozum, set a season high of 46 assists.
Bechard said game three was crucial to the match. He said the urgency to win that game attributed to a team hitting percentage of .383.
Rome said the first game's loss reflected on the team's spirit.
"Tonight was good for us. Losing the first game showed our determination and heart," she said. "Being down one
SEE VOLLEYBALL ON PAGE 8B
Ryan Wood rwood@kansan.com
Sports give Americans distraction from reality
The visual images still haunt us. The emotions, still high. The anniversary, still somber.
It was one year ago today that the horrific events of September 11th changed every single one of us.
We continued to watch television, witnessing the disturbing footage over and over. We wanted to believe in our hearts that it wasn't true, that it would all just go away, but it never did.
The University of Kansas was no different from anywhere else in America that day. We cried at what we saw. We prayed for our safety. We lined up at blood centers, wanting so badly to help, no matter how minimal it might have been.
In the days following the attacks, sports shut down nation-wide. They had to.
Though Americans badly needed some joy in their world, they needed more to take a break from life, a time to grieve and figure out what happened.
A week later, sports made its return, and it did so with class and pride. The late Jack Buck, the legendary sports broadcaster, wrote a poem and recited it to 32,000 St. Louis Cardinals fans. Sammy Sosa made his traditional sprint to right field holding an American flag. A teenage kid, blessed with an incredible voice, belted the national anthem at the San Francisco 49ers game, sending chills down the spines of thousands.
"We're not going to make people happy." New York Yankees manager Joe Torre said at the time, "but maybe we can give people a couple hours away from all of this."
The tragedies of a year ago confirmed the significance of sports in America: so unimportant, yet so important at the same time.
I covered the Kansas soccer team's first home game after 9/11, against conference foe Oklahoma. I honestly don't remember too much from the game, but I'll never forget the image of 22 women lined up at midfield, hundreds more in the stands, and one beautiful pregame ritual, where everyone paid their respects to the flag while our anthem played on.
It meant a little more to me that day, and I'm guessing I wasn't alone.
One year later, the memories still sting. Life goes on, both in the real world and in the sports world. There's no doubt America was scarred, and you never lose scars. But the pain is starting to go away, a little bit at a time, and sports is just one of the Band-Aids we continue to use.
continue to use.
This Saturday, the Kansas football team will host to Southwest Missouri State in their first home game. Pregame tributes are scheduled to take place — not tons of them, but enough to let America know that we remember.
I urge you to take the time prior to kickoff to reflect on how this past year has changed you. Remember the patriotism, the pain and the pride. And, of course, wear your "KU First" shirts and display our nation's colors—red, white and blue.
Then, forget about it all for a few hours. Watch football. Cheer. Sing the alma mater. Wave the wheat.
After all, everyone deserves a break from the real world every once in a while. Thankfully, sports are there to give it to us.
V
Wood is a Lee's Summit, Mo., senior in journalism.