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SPORTS
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WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2002
Soccer co-captains lead differently
By Nikki Overfelt
Kansan sportswriter
Although they have three different ways of leading, Lindsay Hunting, Brianna Valento and Nikki Wahle are the co-captains who Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis will rely on to lead the team in its quest to return to the NCAA tournament.
Francis said Hunting's actions in the mid- field spoke louder than words.
"Hunts is a little more quiet. She's not as vocal as Brize and Nikki, but she leads more by example," he said. "She's not going to yell at you, but she demands you maintain a certain level."
John Nowak/Kansan
Hunting agrees.
"She is very physically hard. She knocks people around." Francis said. "I think the other kids respect that she is willing to sacrifice and get in there. They are glad she is on their team."
While Hunting is quiet, Valento uses her physical play to guide her teammates.
Francis also said once Valento, a returning starter at defender, sets her mind on something she does whatever she needs to do to accomplish it, and that this passion is another way she leads on the field.
"She is one of the most intense, if not the most," he said. "She hates to lose. She always demands high levels all the time from other people as well as herself."
Valento said she wants to lead by communicating with her teammates and by making sure they understand what their roles are.
Also a returning starter and a leader in the back, Wable especially sees herself helping
Brie Valento, St. Paul, Minn., junior, Nikki Wahel, Overland Park senior, and Lindsay Hunting, Ontario, Canada junior comprise the trio of captains for this year's women's soccer team. The Jayhawks are hoping to beat last year's record-setting season beginning with an exhibition game against Southwest Missouri State on Saturday.
SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 3B
Eric Braem/Kansan
Tim Childers from Malls Barber Shop and Andy Phelan from Emerson Biggins gave their predictions for the coming football season. Barbers and Bartenders are often discussing the coming sports season while they
Men behind stools split on pigskin picks
Kansan sportswriter
By Doyle Murphy
Barbers and bartenders have debated sports for almost as long as athletes have played them, so it should be no surprise that they have a few opinions about the upcoming football season.
Opinions were split, but if Bobby Kasper, a bartender at Molly McGee's, is correct, Kansas Coach Mark Mangino is heading for a successful first season. He predicts the Jayhawks will finish 7-4.
"I'm going optimistic," Kasper said.
Jeff Brown of Malls Barber Shop does not share Kasper's bright outlook.
"If we finish .500 it will be a great season." Brown said.
He also said Big 12 champion Colorado will make it two in a row for the Buffaloes over Texas.
If they did not agree on records or Big 12 champions, bartenders and barbers alike were optimistic about Mangino. Most said they think Kansas will be invited to a post-season bowl in the next five years.
"Mack Brown (Texas Coach) will find a waver not in win again." Brown said.
Tim Childers, a barber at Malls Barber Shop, said not much can be expected of a first-year coach, but he said Mangino will instill the fundamentals necessary for a solid program.
Childers, who recently moved to Lawrence, said he learned much of what he knows about Kansas football from former Kansas player, assistant coach and coach Don Fambrough. Childers said Fambrough is a regular in the shop.
"We will see basic football, competitive football." Childers said.
new to many of the barbers and bartenders questioned.
Mike Dinkel, a bartender at Old Chicago, said it was common to see the Jayhawks in Old Chicago. Former coach Terry Allen often held pizza parties for recruits in a back room. Dinkel said Mangino was not a regular, but he made a big impression when he visited.
"I've seen Mangino in here once." Dinkel said. "Bja appetite."
Coaches and players as patrons is nothing
Contact Murphy at dmurphy@kansan.com.
This story was edited by Andy Samuelson.
Two players compete for starting setter spot
Bv Jason Hwang
Kansan Sportswriter
The Kansas volleyball squad returns an experienced team, losing only one starter to graduation. The departed senior was setter Molly LaMere.
Coach Ray Bechard said the setter's role is crucial to the team's success and is pleased to see both players' strong work ethic during the workouts.
Ashley Bechard, sophomore, and Andi Rozum, freshman, are competing for the vacated position.
"That is a position that is vital to the team," Bechard said. "These two have been working hard in the two-a-day practices, going through special sessions everyday. We'll see some very good things in that position."
Jamie Morningstar, senior defensive specialist, said LaMere was crucial to the team
and would be dearly missed.
"Molly meant everything to us. She was an outstanding setter and friend," Morningstar said. "She pushed everyone on the team. She worked really hard and set a great example to everyone."
"I can't replace Molly. No one can. It's impossible." Bechard said. "But hopefully I can set some of the traits that I saw in her for a year and carry them over to this year's team."
Morningstar said LaMere not only impacted their success on the volleyball court, but also their own lives.
Ashley Bechard has one more year of collegiate experience than teammate Rozum but played in only five games last season. Bechard said the workouts last spring and summer as the only setter on the team would help her out
Ashley Beachard said while she could not completely replace LaMere, she hoped to carry her volleyball attributes onto the court.
Rozum is one of two freshmen joining the squad. Coach Bechard said Rozum's playing time with her club team had helped her substantially in her transition from high school to playing in the Big 12, one of the toughest volleyball conferences in the nation.
this season.
Rozum said she welcomed the competition for the setter's role, which would keep the quality of the setter's position intact.
"I'm excited to have the competition." Rozum said. "We've been working together and pushing each other more, which helps the team."
Rozum said her teammates have encouraged her a lot since the first fall practice and she has not had any moments of discouragement.
Despite the competition, both Rozum and Bechard have been supportive of one another.
"The competition has been really friendly." Rozm said. "She has taught me new things
that others have taught her in the past. Whatever helps the team is all right by me."
"Andi is a great teammate. So we are help ing each other a lot," Bechard said. "Whoever gets the spot, we'll support each other."
Rozum, Ashley Beehard and the rest of the Kansas volleyball squad will get a chance to showcase their skills in the Crimson and Blue Scrimmage this Saturday, Aug.24.
Coach Bechard said that both will have equal opportunity to play in the Crimson and Blue Scrimpage and the opener against Creighton to see who best fills the role of starting setter.
"Early on, each setter needs an opportunity." Bechard said. "I would expect that both get to play. Eventually one will win the starting role."
Contact Hwang at jhwang@kansan.com.
This story was edited by Katie Teske.
Levi Chronister
SlamBall: the sport that won't ever exist
SlamBall is a joke.
I also know because I sat through 30 minutes of the glorified slam dunk contest Saturday night, watching Janisse and his Rumble squad top the Mob.
How do I know? Any so-called sport which makes former men's basketball player Jelani Janisse into "The Intimidator" is, by definition, lacking in the qualities which require respect from rational people.
For those of you fortunate enough not to have seen this pathetic excuse for a sport, SlamBall is a four-on-four contest combining various sports, mainly basketball and hockey, with a few trampolines mixed in for TV ratings — I mean fun.
The positions are different from regular basketball as well. Each team has a handler (point guard), two gunners (shooting guards or power forwards) and a stopper (center).
Along with high-flying antics that seemed very derivative of many NBA mascots' halftime shows, SlamBall features full-contact play. Well, it does underneath the basket, at least, as each team's stopper is allowed to manhandle anyone who attempts a dunk.
The game is also supposed to feature body checks on players bringing the ball up the court. In my half an hour of viewing, though, I saw just one hit on a ball handler. If you have a rule allowing checking — a rule that is supposed to be a major selling point to potential fans — wouldn't you take advantage of it?
It is this type of physical play that earned Janisse his new moniker from his teammates, according to an interview a couple weeks ago on 1320 AM's Rock Chalk Sports Talk.
The former backup for Ryan Robertson and Jeff Boschee is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, according to the official SlamBall web site. That is 20 pounds heavier than his playing days at Kansas.
Janisse may be the heaviest handler in the six-team league, but someone just an inch shorter and 20 pounds heavier than Marlon London shouldn't intimidate many athletes.
Janisse isn't the only one on a high horse about this farce. Rumble coach Ken Carter, who once locked his undefeated Richmond (Calif.) High School basketball team out of the gym because of poor grades, told his team at halftime, "God is a SlamBall fan and he loves the Rumble."
Actually, coach Carter, I'm pretty sure God thinks SlamBall is an abomination and the fourth sign of the apocalypse.
You'd think someone with the high morals Carter has shown in the past would know better than to get involved in Slam-Ball, let alone claim that the Almighty One cared about who won or lost. I guess it just goes to show the power of the almighty dollar.
Speaking of selling out, the color commentator on TNN's broadcasts is Reggie Theus, who spent 13 years in the NBA and was a two-time All-Star.
Apparently money is stronger than loyalty, however, as early in the game Theus said SlamBall was "harder than regular basketball.
The man is getting paid to hype the game, but come on. You'd hope he would have a bit more respect for his former employer.
Theus wasn't done, though. After a meaningless Mob dunk at the end of the game. Theus said "that sends a message for the future." SlamBall has a future? God help us all if that's true.
Chronister is a Lawrence senior in journalism. He is the sports editor.