SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, November 10. 1992
5
'Hawks' bowl bid survives despite loss
By David Bartkoski
Kansan sportswriter
The question for Kansas at the beginning of the season was whether it was a bowl-caliber team.
The Jachawks, now 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Eight Conference, have won three of four NCAA championships.
Now, the only question for Kansas is what bowl will call the Jayhawks
The 'Hawks' 49-7 loss to No. 7 Nebraska may have spoiled any chance of the Jayhaws going to the World Series, and there is an appearance in one of several other bowls.
The top two teams in the Big Eight are guaranteed bowl berths by a seven-member bowl coalition. The coalition consists of the Orange, Cotton, Sugar, Fiesta, Gator, Blockbuster and Hank Occhowl bowls.
The Aloha Bowl can choose either the third- or fourthplace team in the conference. The game is played on Christmas Day in Honolulu.
The champion of the Big Eight Conference will play in the Orange Bowl, and the second-place team could play in any of the seven bowls), depending on the selection of the bowl commit-
He said the Jayhawks needed to post victories in their last two games to be considered for a Fiesta Bowl bid.
"Kansas is a team we can't ignore," he said. "We will be very interested in you."
De Raad said that Nebraska's decisive victory against Kansas would not necessarily sour the Jayhawks' chances to play in the Fiesta Bowl.
Boston College and Colorado have recently suffered big losses but remain candidates for the Fiesta Bowl, De Raad said.
Tom Starr, associate director of sports for the John Hancock Bowl, said he thought Kansas already would
be chosen by another bowl by the time the Hancock committee chooses its teams.
"I think Kansas will be one of the top three teams in the Big Eight," he said. "I think the Fiesta or Blockbuster will get the Big Eight runner-up, and the thirdplace team will go to the Aloha Bowl."
Bob Frederick, athletic director, said representatives of the Aloba Bowl had shown interest in the Jayhawks.
He said the fact that the Kansas men's basketball team will play in the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii from December 27-30 would not have any bearing on accepting a bid from the Aloha Bowl.
This week's game with Colorado could help develop the bowl picture.
"We have to play out the rest of the season," Frederick said. "We're still not out of the title chase. There still could be a tie."
Kansas safety Kwamie Lassiter tries to corral Nebraska tailback Derek Brown during Saturday's 49-7 loss.
If the Jayhawks beat the Buffaloes and win their final game against the Nets, they will win.
the Big Eight Championship. But Nebraska must lose two of its last three conference games.
[Kansas loses to Colorado, it could
play against Missouri for third place in the conference.
The Jayhawks are also eligible play in the Freedom, Copper, Hall of
Fame, Liberty, Peach and Independence bowls.
Bowl committees will announce their final decisions on Dec. 6.
BRIEFS
K-State's Gallon, NU's Alberts earn honors
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Linebacker Trev Alberts of Nebraska and running back Eric Gallon of Kansas State were named players of the week Monday in the Big Eight Conference.
Alberts had eight tackles, including two quarterback sacks, as the Nebraska defense held off the Kansas offense in a 49-7 nationally televised game. Alberts also was credited with hurrying the quarterback four times in the game that left Nebraska alone atop the conference standings.
Gallon rushed for a season-high 164 yards on 24 carries as Kansas State ended a four-game losing streak with a 22-13 victory over Iowa State. He scored two touchdowns, including a career-long 56-yard score.
Gallon won offensive honors in a split vote over tight end Gerald Armstrong of Nebraska, who had three receptions for 60 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over Kansas.
Canseco will stay with Rangers next season
ARLINGTON, Texas — Jose Canseco will return to the Texas Rangers next season because he decided not to exercise an option to demand a trade.
The Associated Press
Because Canseco was in the middle of a multi-year contract when the Rangers obtained him from the Oakland Athletics in August, he could make the request.
He would have become a free agent and forfeited the remainder of his contract, $13.6 million through 1995, had the Rangers not been able to deal him.
"The Rangers" organization has been nothing but accommodating," Canseco's agent, Dennis Gilbert, said Sunday. "Jose likes everything about the situation here. He wants to make them a winner."
Canseco will be paid $4.1 million in 1993. He hit, 244 with 2 homers and 87 RBIs last season.
The CNV / USA
Today preseason
coaches poll for
men and
women's
basketball was
released
yesterday. Both
Kansas teams
are ranked.
CNN/USA Today Poll
Men's preseason rankings
1 Michigan
2 Duke
3 Indiana
4 Kansas
5 Kentucky
6 Seton Hall
7 North Carolina
8 Florida State
9 Memphis State
10 Arizona
11 Georgetown
12 Louisville
13 Iowa
14 Tulane
14 Georgia Tech
14 Oklahoma
1UCLA
1Cincinnati (tie)
18 Texas
20 Connecticut
21 Michigan State
2Nebraska
2Iowa State
2New Mexico State
Source: USA Today / CNN
Mariners hire Piniella
The Associated Press
SEATTLE — Lou Pinella, who managed Cincinnati to a world championship two years ago, was named manager of the Seattle Mariners today.
The announcement of Pinella's signing was made by John Ellis, president of The Baseball Club of Seattle, which owns the team, and Martins general manager Woody Wood-
Pinelli, 49, takes over a club that had the worst record in the American League last season after posting its first-ever winning season in 1991.
Pimiaila said he knew that the team had struggled in the past, but that he was looking forward to working with the Japanese-led management team, as well as with former Reds star Ken Griffey Sr., who will be batting coach.
The deal is for three years, with an option for a fourth, and is worth about $2.5 million, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported today.
Griffey's son Ken Jr. plays center field and anchors the Seattle lineup.
"From the beginning, there was somewhat of a consensus he was our man," Woodward said before the announcement was formally
made.
Woodward interviewed other candidates for the managing job, including Tom Treblehorn, Dave Johnson and Doug Rader, but Piniella was the only one introduced to the club's new Japanese-backed ownership.
Piniella spent two days in Seattle last week discussing the Mariner's top coaching job with team executives. He made no secret of his interest.
i'veye got a good organization led by a good baseball man, Woody Woodward, and a group of local owners who are committed to winning. "he said."
Woodward has said that hiring a veteran manager such as Piniella would show the Mariners' new owners are committed to winning.
The Mariners have had only one winning season in their 16-year history. Manager Bill Plummer and the entire coaching staff were fired in mid-October after the team went 64-98 this year, finishing last in the American League.
Piniella and Woodward worked together with the New York Yankees in 1986-1987, when Piniella was manager and Woodward ran the front office.
First-year coach confident about future of tennis team
By David Dorsey
Kansan sportswriter
Although the Kansas men's tennis team lost its final tournament of the fall season on Saturday, first-year coach Michael Center said he liked the direction his young program would take when the spring season began.
Kansas lost to Nebraska 4-3 in the second round of the single-elimination Region V Playoff in Des Moines, Iowa. But the Jayhawks defeated Iowa State 6-1 on Friday and, overall, Center said his team played well.
"We competed harder than any other team." Center said. "We just came up a little short."
Nebraska is the top-ranked team in the Big Eight Conference, but Center said that when conference play begins next April, the Jayhawks will be ready. Kansas finished second in the conference last spring, behind Oklahoma.
"It's a decent conference, but I don't see anybody that's a top 10 team," he said. "I think that the team that stays together and works hard on it will be able to be the team that does well in the conference."
"And we're right up there. Nebraska was very fortunate to beat us. I think that with the youth of this team that there's no reason that we can't improve. Nebraska is more of a veteran team, so, I think as the year goes on we're going to catch up."
Four of the top six Kansas players competed for the first time in college singles play during the weekend tournament, clearly indicating the team's youth.
"That's like having a basketball team and starting three or four freshmen," Center said. "1"
thought they handled themselves really well and I'm real proud of their efforts."
The Jawahars are led by senior Carlos Fleming, who will take the role of being the top-seeded Kansas player, moving up from the No. 3 position he held last season.
"Carlos Fleming is our top guy, and I think he's the guy everybody looks up to." Center said.
Fleming, who lost to Mattias Mueller of Nebraska on Saturday, said he looks forward to his new role.
"Last year I walked on the court knowing that I would win, he said. "Now I realize that this year will be a lot more competitive. I took the summer off from playing, but last weekend I felt I competed very well. It's starting to come around."
This fall, the players not only had to adjust to their new roles, but they also had to adjust to Center being their coach.
Scott Perelman, who coached last season, took a coachjob with Tennessee. Center, former Kansas women's coach, took over the men's program in August.
"It was a definite transition," Fleming said. "Perelman emphasized that we perform to his expectations. Center balances it and emphasizes being a well-rounded player. That balance is welcome because he gives us more liberty to express ourselves on the court."
Center said the transition was not as easy as had thought.
"It has taken a couple of months to really see them play in different situations," Center said.
"But now I think I have a better feel for what we're capable of doing. We're starting to come together and we're playing better."
Steelers' Green fails NFL drug test
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers, in contention for their first division title since 1984, received a huge blow yesterday when tight end Eric Green was suspended for six games for violating the NFL's drug policy.
There was no immediate word on why Green would have failed a drug test, but an NFL representative who did not want to be identified said it was not for using steroids.
The drug-related suspension was the third in two seasons for the Steelers, who had never won a playoff game and running back Tim Worley
were suspended in 1901. The two were the only NFL players suspended for drug violations last season.
Long funked a steroid tests, and Worley was suspended after twice failing tests for cocaine. He is sitting out this season after missing two mandatory drug tests this past winter. Long is now out of football.
Green's suspension means he cannot return until the final week of the regular season. He was the Steelers' chief offensive weapon last season until he broke an ankle late in the season. He has been overshadowed somehow that this season by the emergence of running back
Barry Foster and wide receiver Jeff Graham.
Green, who missed four games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, had four catches for 41 yards in the Steelers' 26-20 loss Sunday in Buffalo. He has 14 receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns this season.
The NFL's biggest tight end at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, Green had 41 catches for 582 yards and a team-high six touchdowns last season despite missing the final five games with a broken ankle. He had 13 touchdown catches in 24 games in his first two NFL seasons. He was the Steelers' first round draft choice in 1990.
Come in this Tuesday and help "Big Daddy" himself celebrate his birthday!!!
GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT!
The University Daily Kansan is looking for photographers who are interested in producing quality work for an award-winning newspaper.
...
Qualifications needed:
Qualifications needed:
1. previous photo experience
2. your own equipment
(i.e. camera, lenses, flash, etc.)
3. desire to work with a large newspaper staff
4. flexible schedule
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Apply to:
Justin Knupp
Kansan Photo-Editor
111 Stauffer-Flint Hall, 864-4810
Please bring a portfolio or clips with you