Splish splash
Details page 6
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday November 24,1987 Vol.98,No.67
Published since 1889 by the students of the University of Kansas
(USPS 650-640)
Valesente fired as Kansas football coach
Frederick says team must make progress
Staff writer
By CRAIG ANDERSON Staff writer
Kansas football coach Bob Valesente was fired yesterday by Athletic Director Bob Frederick. Valesente was offered a position as an associate athletic director, but he declined the offer.
Frederick said that he made the decision Sunday night after many weeks of deliberation.
See related stories p. 9 and 12.
"It was not an easy decision to make," he said at a news conference. "In recent days some have said this is an academic issue or an alumni-versus-faculty issue. It was an issue of progress of the football team on the field. In the last two years there hadn't been an improvement."
KUAC's chairman resigns in protest
By MIKE CONSIDINE Staff writer
Anthony Redwood, chairman of the Kansas University Athletic Corporation for the last five years, announced his intention to resign yesterday to protest the firing of football coach Bob Valesente.
"It was an unprincipled decision, and I'm protesting it the only way I can," Redwood said. "I feel the integrity of the University itself is at stake. This is one aspect of the athletic program I feel I can't live with."
At a news conference in Summerfield Hall. Redwood announced that he had called an emergency meeting of the KUAC board at 3 p.m. today in the Phillips Room of the Adams Alumni Center. Redwood said that his resignation would be formally announced at that time.
Kansas Athletic Director Bob Frederick said, "I respect his opinion and his decision to do so if that's what he feels like he should do. He's given
In a prepared statement, Redwood said that during the past decade, Kansas football had a history of revolving coaches and a quick-fix philosophy. He said that Valesite was denied the opportunity to see his program through to success.
"He should have been kept on at least for another year but preferably for the length of his contract," Redwood said. Valesente's contract lasts two more years.
Redwood said that Frederick told him of the decision at 8 p.m. Sunday. Redwood said that he phoned the KUAC board to call the meeting after a second conversation with Frederick.
Although KUAC by-laws state that the decision to hire and fire coaches belongs to the athletic director. Redwood said that he thought the board should have been involved.
"I would have liked Bob Frederickr to preferably have discussed it with the board last week when it was at issue," Redwood said. "If that was
The house keeps rockin'on into the record books KU needs one more victory at home to break Big Eight Conference record
a victory for the Jaiyahws in their home opener against Pomona-Pitzer would mean more than another tally in the win column. It would also mean a mark in the Big Eight Conference record book
With a victory over the Division III Sightchens, Kansas would set a Big Eight Conference record for consecutive home victories, with 49.
Story by Javan Owens
live home!
The all-time record for college baseball rests comfortably with Kentucky. The Wildcats were invincible at home during a streak of 129 straight home victories from 1943 to 1955.
1953 Altogether, the Jayhawks have a 311-40 record at Allen Field House since it opened in March 1955.
since it opened in the late 1980s. Oklahoma's record-setting 48 consecutive wins was ended by an 87-70 loss to the Jayhawks in Norman in 1986. Ironically, it was Oklahoma that last defeated Kansas at home four seasons ago, 92-82 in overtime.
Kansas tied the Big Eight record in the final home game of last season when they defeated Kansas State 14-67. Kansas ended up 15-4 at home and
25-11 overall.
But the Jayhawks would have to wait for this season's home opener to break the record. The exhibition victories against the Soviet National team last season and the Italian National team this season do not count toward the streak.
count down
All-American forward Danny Manning said he often thought of continuing the streak throughout this season. Manning, who has never lost a home game during his three years here, would like to complete his playing days at Kansas without being defeated in his own territory.
defeated us in this match.
"It's been a lot of fun," Manning said, "we've been able to say we haven't been beaten at Allen Field House in three years. I hope it can be four. We don't want to get beat at home."
nofire.
Kansas coach Larry Brown seems unaffected by all of the attention given to the home winning streak, however. He said in a recent press conference that breaking the home winning streak record was not first priority with him.
The Jayhawks, as well as visiting teams, discount Kansas' home court advantage this season. Because of
hurtly with him. "I'm not worrying about streaks," Brown said.
Brown said. Brown said nothing about the Pomona-Pitzer game or whether he thought St. John's could stop the Jayhawks just shy of 50 straight at home.
At the top of Brown's list of concerns was seeing whether the Jayhawks could get some more games at Allen Field House at the end of the season.
home.
The game against Pomona-Pitzer is more of a way of thanking Sagehen coach Greg Popovich, who served as a volunteer coach with the Jayhawks last season, Brown said.
scheduling problems, the Jayhawks will be on the road for five straight games at the end of the season, when they would be at their best. Brown
Floyd Temple, Kansas assistant athlete director, said the atmosphere at the field was electric to have graced the Jawahres more than a home-court advantage
Temple said that the advantage was more overwhelming now than it was two years ago because of the new seating arrangements in the field house.
noles.
Simple said that new bleachers installed last year to alleviate seating problems and add to the field屋's capacity also added to the home court advantage by capturing the sound of cheers on the court. Before, he said, noise from the crowd escaped through the bleachers.
escaped through at the gate.
"We have an attractive arena." The most attractive feature is when it is full. When the screams from 15,800 fans reach the court, it gives the players that extra drive. ...
extra drive.
Temple said that of the KU season ticket holders, 48 percent were students. Because the students have to compete for the best seats, their enthusiasm often can be measured in the long lines waiting for the field house to open on game days.
"We have a lot of campers, too," Temple said. "Just watch them camp out so they can get behind the team and pull for them."
Kansas must battle Tigers and schedule for conference title
Story by Darrin Stineman
after leading the Big Eight Conference race near the end of last season, Kansas had to settle for a second-place tie when it was ambushed in its 'last three conference road games. With its consecutive conference road games set near the end of the Jayhawks season, they will be hard to see of delia vu this year.
Kansas' last four league games Iowa State, home against Kansas State, and then on the road again to Colorado and the Nebraska. The Jayhawks had their intrastate at home, 84-67, but they lost the three road games, knocking them out of contention for the conference title.
pressed to avoid a teeing of deja vu this year.
Kansas' last four league games last season were at
'This season, Kansas is scheduled to take on Kansas State, Oklahoma, Missouri and Colorado on the road before ending the season at home against Oklahoma State. Television commitments caused some of the scheduling difficulties, and the schedule became more rigid as the year progressed, because the other conference teams' schedules were being finalized.
The Jayhawks' tickets were printed before the finaliza
GAME 14
Saturday Feb.20,1988
Jayhawks
DUKE
The first draft of the schedule had the Jayhawks playing five conference road games, but the schedule was altered to four. Because of the changes, the date of the Hampton game was printed on the tickets as Dec. 21, but it is now scheduled for Jan. 16, and the Nebraska game, which was printed on the tickets as being Jan. 27, is scheduled for Feb. 16.
Kansas coach Larry Brown had hoped to reach an agreement to change the dates of some conference games when he met with the conference coaches Nov. 1 in Kansas City, but nothing was resolved.
tion of the schedule, and subsequent changes have made the schedule's dates inconsistent with those on some of the tickets.
ing to worry about it.
"I is ironic that the conference gives you the schedule, and then when we find out Kansas has four conference road games they say, 'Oh, by the way, it's up to the in-
come (to change it).'"
"That was a joke going to the conference and saying I've got four conference road games in a row." Brown said. "When you go to them on Nov. 1st, it's not fair to them. The coaches didn't give us four conference road games, the conference did. It's a big joke, so I'm not going to worry about it.
stuttgart. He said he was trying to keep a positive outlook despite the grim situation.
despite the grim situation.
"I'm not going to worry about it, and I don't want our kids to worry about it," he said. "We'll be playing our best basketball at the end of the year anyway."
WE CAN MAKE YOUR WINTER WARMER.
I can make your Winter
can make your Wii Warmer with one of our many great tasting hot treats, all made with our distinctive frozen yogurt, which is 96% fat-free with almost half the calories of premium ice cream.
TOW. When
specialty treats featuring
our delicious, hot
toppings - fudge,
caramel, cherry
and apple.
711 W. 23rd Lawrence
© 1987 TCBT Systems, Inc.
ssible, then at least he should
oken to the assembled board
time the decision was
d."
Available Now At
KANSAN BASKETBALL PREVIEW member 23, 196.
erick said, "From individual saints and from letters. I feel now where most of the people board stood on the issue."
board school on the board.
n board member Sue Glatter.
No students were consulted.
'n seek out student opinion.'
ward has three student repetatives.
wood praised Valesente's comit to recruiting freshmen foot-ayers who were capable busi- he said that Frederick didn't efficient consideration to Val- attention to academics
rick said, "We're coming situation where the previous ad academic difficulties. Bob hard to gain the respect of
See KUAC, p. 12, col. 5
Joe Wilkins III Special to the KANSAN a news conference with his ons about his firing.
hen students did not lock lly that is when students are
les, such as a stereo, from a
overreaction, Flail said.
ident's valuables were safe
the effort of loading and
ieves
that auto burglaries and only when students were their cars. Every time to load valuables in their he car afterward, he said. Arts should never load the y go home.
g travel
al Nebraska and western y today.
but a couple of inches (of he question," said Johnn 'an, senior; a member of
uis area, the panhandle of n Texas were expecting
s uncertain, Dollis said, it snow will fall in central showers developing in the other service operates a
or students traveling by eady made their reservation Service representative
mostly gone," she said,
but they're more expen-