University Daily Kansan / Friday, November 20, 1987
Sports
11
Jayhawks not counting on Tigers being uninspired in season finale
By CRAIG ANDERSON
Staff writer
One might think Missouri was in for an emotional letdown tomorrow against Kansas after it battled 2. no ranked Oklahoma last week before losing 17-13. Kansas players and coaches aren't counting on the Tigers being down.
Kansas coach Bob Valescue said he threw out both teams' records when considering the Kansas-Missouri matchup. The future is now when the Javahaws plunged the Tiger's, he said.
"I've heard it both ways," said senior defensive tackle Von Lacey. "Really, we can be worried about anybody but ourselves when getting ready."
The Kansas-Missouri game is the longest college football series west of the Mississippi River. 95 games, and is the second-longest nationally. Wisconsin and Minnesota have played each other 96 times.
The Jayhawks and Tigers have met every season, excluding 1918, since 1891.
Kansas coaches probably would like to forget last year's game. The Tigers jumped to a 31-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 48-0 victory. Valesente lead he was disappointed by his players' effort in that game.
"It was an embarrassing football game," he said. "We got so far behind in the second quarter that we didn't give a lot of effort. I don't sense that ever happening again."
Though Kansas has been beaten by some similar scores this season, Valesente said the attitude of the 1987 team had improved.
"Our players this year haven't thrown in the towel," he said. "They're still out there fighting every day in practice and on game days."
This season, the Kansas offense has been slowed by inconsistent play at quarterback. Sophomore Kelly Donohoe and freshman Kevin Verdugo each have started five games this season. Neither player has started more than three games in a row.
"Quarterback" is a position where no one really has stepped forward and taken control. "Valese said. It's been a real disappointment. What we have gained,
though, is two quarterbacks with a lot of experience in games. There's nothing like the emotion of a game."
"I just want to get Missouri," said Dionhoe, who will start tomorrow's game. "They embarrassed me last year. If everybody gets the fire in their heart that I have, we'll go beat them. They really put it to us."
'Our players this year haven't thrown in the towel. They're still out there fighting every day in practice and on game days.'
Bob Valesente Kansas football coach
Kansas football coach
Missouri has alternated quarterbacks with more success than Kansas this season. Sophomore John Stollenwerck and junior Ronnie Cameron have been the Tigers' top two signal-callers. Stollenwerck ranks fifth in the Big Eight Conference with 786 passing vards.
Valesent said he thought the Tigers' alternating quarterbacks could pose problems for the Jawhaws. Missouri runs the wishbone offense.
Although the Kansas defense had trouble containing the last wishbound offense they faced, Oklahoma's, Valesene said he didn't expect as much trouble from the Tigers' version of the triple-option offense.
"If you have a double-barrel shotgun, you might as well use both barrels," he said of Stollenwerck and Cameron. "Their skill people make a lot of big plays."
"Oklahoma runs every option known to man," he said. "Missouri doesn't run as many options and concentrates more on a power type of scheme."
Tomorrow's game will mark the final appearance of 22 Jayhawk seniors: Lacey, Mike Orth, Milt Garner, Mike Rogers, Rick Bredesen, Marvin Mattos, Ron Caldwell, Stacy Henson, Ray Hoover, Steve Isham, Ric Hieth, Rob Foster, Bryan Howard, Jim
Davis, Bob Pieper, Teddy Newman, Mark Parks, Murphy Ray, Brad Wedel, Eldridge Averv, David White and Guv 0 Gara.
Fifth-year senior Avery said he would miss playing football next season. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Carson, Calif., native started most of the games he played in since his freshman year.
"I'm upset because when I came here I thought KU was going to be a winner," he said. "I haven't got anything to brag about now when I go home."
Lacey said that despite a somewhat uneventful career at Kansas, he looked at his four years as a college football player as a positive experience.
"I have a great feeling going into my last game," he said. "Just being a major college football player for four seasons means I have accomplished something that not a lot of people get the chance to even try. I have set no records and don't have any plaques named after me, but I feel my college career has been successful."
"This bump has been there for weeks," he said. "Every time I get hit it get reminded it's there. If it's not one thing, its another. It makes me first practice when I pulled a harring.
Getting through this season has been trouble enough for Lacey. He talked of the injuries he had received as he touched a bump on his forehead that was the size of a walnut.
"I broke my hand early in the year and then had a real bad ankle sprain. I know, though, that I have a reward coming to me at the end of the season. I've gone to school for almost free and now I will be able to concentrate on graduating."
Kansas will try to concentrate on transforming a good week of practices into a good performance tomorrow. Valesente said he had been impressed with the team's work this week.
"The team has responded well this week," he said. "I expect us to come out with a lot of emotion and play hard. We've played hard all year."
Kansas Jayhawks
Coach Bob Valentez
Record: 1-8/1-0-5-1
Game 11
Last Week: The Jayhawks shut out Oklahoma State in the first quarter, but then fell apart for a 49-17 loss.
Missouri Tigers
Coach Woody
Widenhofer
Record: 4-6/2-4
WR - 2 Quintin Smith, 5-11, 175, Su
LT - 70 Jim Davis, 6, 86, 290, Sr
LG - 68 Jay Allen, 6, 325, Jr.
JR - 69 Buddy Budaer, 6, 325, Jr.
MB - 68 Michael McGuffey, 6, 285, Sr
RL - 71 Bob Pieper, 6, 280, Sr
TE - 86 John Baker, 6, 230, Sr
OB - 14 Kelly Donohoe, 5-11, 175,
RT - 14 Arnold Snell, 6, 185, Jr.
MF - 14 Arnold Snell, 1, 185, Sr
WL - 1 Wille Vaughn, 5-11, 185, Jr
PK - 29 Klaus Kamp, 5-10, 195.
LE— 82 David Gordon, 6-4, 230, Jr.
LT— 90 Eldridge Aidney, 6-3, 265, Jr.
RT— 97 David White, 6-4, 285, Jr.
RE— 73 Ted Newman, 6-4, 240, Jr.
LLB— 60 Kyle Scherker, 6-6, 215, Jr.
LF— 70 Jeffrey Fitzpatrick, 6-18 Miller Garner, 6-1, 200, Jr.
LCB— 80 Rodney Matern, 5-1, 180, Jr.
FS— 6 Clint Nomore, 6, 200, Jr.
SS— 32 Marvin Matta, 6-4, 210, Jr.
P— 48 Pich Rieh, 5-11, 190, Jr.
Last Week: Missouri put a scare into Oklahoma, forcing the Sooners to come from behind for a 17-13 victory.
Series: The Kansas-Missouri rivalry is the longest series west of the Mississippi River, at 95 games, and the second-longest nationally. Wisconsin-Minnesota have played 96 games. In a tight series, Missouri holds a 44-42-9 advantage.
History: The Tigers added insult to a rough end of last season for the Jayhawks with a 48-0 victory at Lawrence. Kansas had won the previous three meetings between the two schools.
Coverage: The Kansas-Missouri game will be carried locally by the Kansas Jayhawk Network. The game can be heard in the Lawrence area on KLZR (106 FM) and KLWN (1320 AM). Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.at Fauru Field in Columbia. Radio station KJHK (90.7 FM) will also provide coverage of the game.
Dan Ruettimann/KANSAN
Ex-Kansas City Royals shortstop Buddy Biancalana spoke yesterday about the media's effect on sports figures.
Biancalana famous thanks to the media
By DARRIN STINEMAN
Biancaalana, who became a cult hero during the 1985 World Series by batting 278 with a 435 on-base percentage for the champion Royals, yesterday spoke to associate professor of journalism Max Utsler's Communications in Society class about the media's effect on sports.
Former Kansas City Royals shortstop Buddy Biancalana may be the most famous mediocre baseball player in the United States since Bob Uecker started doing beer commercials. And yesterday he said he has the media to thank for it.
Staff writer
After batting .188 during the regular season in 1985, Bianca-lana's play in the Series earned him a spot on the David Letterman Show. He said it was that experience that catapulted him into the national spotlight.
"Everyone talks about Letterman to this day," he said. "Before that, I wasn't really well known, because I hadn't really done anything to deserve attention. After Letterman, I was recognized by everyone, and I still am to this day."
A tape of Biancalana's appearance on the show was shown to the class before he spoke.
Letterman had Biancalana on the show more or less as a gag, calling him "the ultimate underdog." Letterman also showed a "Buddy Biancalana hit-counter" that incorrectly showed Biancalana's lifetime hits at 11, alongside Pete Rose's #4 204.
Biancalana played along with the theme, presenting a baseball bat to Letterman that he said he had used for half of the season.
"There are no ball marks on it," he told Letterman.
But in life after Letterman, the media hasn't been so kind to Biancalana. He was traded to the Houston Astros at the beginning of last season after making two errors in the Royals first five games. He said the media may have played a big role in the transaction.
"That's the other side of it," he said. "They made me look a lot worse than I was. I had a good spring, and I even hit 260."
BiancaLCanal said handling the media was a big concern when he went to professional baseball out of high school.
"The media is very powerful," he said. "In my opinion, it's more powerful than any political office, including the president of the United States. It's a very important part of the game. You have to get along with these people."
During the World Series, the media was particularly difficult to deal with because there were so many journalists covering the event, he said.
"That was absolutely phenomenal," he said. "I've never seen anything like it. When I was going through it, I didn't realize everything that was happening to me. But the phone is still ringing, all because of my TV (exposure)."
Some issues, such as drugs in professional baseball, have been sensationalized by the media, Biancalana said.
"Drugs are not a problem in baseball," he said. "I'm sure a few guys do drugs, but as far as a problem — no. There probably a bigger drug problem on this camp (than in baseball)."
Conference volleyball tourney opens
By ROBERT WHITMAN
Staff writer
Jayhawks will face fourth-place Kansas State after finishing fifth in Big Eight
KANSAN graphic
Any match the Kansas women's volleyball team wins in the Big Eight Conference tournament this weekend in Salina will be a bonus.
The Jayhawks, who finished fifth in the conference race, will play fourplace Kansas State at 6 p.m. today at the Bicentennial Center. The winner of the match will play the conference champion, nationally-ranked Nebraska, at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
Kansas, 12-19 overall and 3-8 in the conference, has lost both matches it has played against K-State. But senior settter Monica Spencer said there is no other team she would rather play in the opening round.
The championship game will be played at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Even though the Wildeats have won both matches, they haven't had a easy time with the Jayhawks. The conference match in Manhattan went five games before K-State won the match. Spencer said the pressure was on the Wildcats.
"They're the most like us," Spencer said. "They are about our size. We can match up with them."
Coach Frankie Albizt said she didn't mind playing Kansas State, but would have preferred to play Iowa State, the third-place team. Kansas lost to the Clones twice this season, but went to five games in both losses.
"I'd say we're the underdog," she said.
"With Kansas State, our major problem is that we block ineffective-
"We also have trouble with their serve. They have one player who is fifth in the nation in aces," said Albitz, referring to K-State's Kristi Jacquart.
ly," she said. "They have girls who jump really well. They have sort of a delayed arm swing that, when you go up for a block, they don't hit the ball until you're on your way down.
"A bad pass doesn't hurt our offense as much as it hurts, say, Oklahoma, who likes to use that quick set in the middle." Albizt said. A bad pass is good for the serving team, she said, but an ace is a point.
Good serving by the Wildcats can hamper the Jayhawks's passing to the setter, which in turn can hamper the offense.
The winner of the tournament will
The Jayhawks finished third in the conference last year and defeated K-State in the first round of the conference tournament. They lost to Oklahoma in the semifinals.
receive an automatic berth in the NCAA championship tournament.
Albitz said if the Jayhawks beat K-State, they will equal last year's result. "That's pretty good," she said.
Even though Nebraska is favored to win the tournament, according to a poll of all the conference volleyball coaches, Albiz said the "Huskers were not going to walk through the tournament uncontested.
"They can be beaten by somebody if they're not careful," she said. "I think all the Big Eight teams are getting closer to them."
K-State signs two forwards
The Associated Press
Britt, Fliff, Mich., averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds for Coffeyville last season. Through the first two games this year he's averaging 17 points a game. Michigan, Purdue, Oklahoma and San Diego State had also been interested in him.
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Two forwards, Reggie Britt of Coffleville Community College in Kansas and Jeff Malham, a high school star from Broken Arrow, Okla., have signed letters of intent to play basketball at Kansas State.
Malham, who like Britt is 6 feet 6, averaged 17 points and five rebounds a game for Broken Arrow last season. He chose Kansas State over Arkansas, Wyoming, Rice, Colorado State and Tulsa.
Another conviction made in Wills case
The Associated Press
Donald Burgess, 39. of Ottawa, was found guilty by a 12-member jury in Franklin County District Court after approximately three hours of deliberation.
OTTAWA — The second of four people charged in the stabbing death last summer of a former Kansas State University basketball star was convicted yesterday of aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Burgess, who was scheduled for sentencing Dec. 18, faces a minimum of five to 15 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years to life. His wife faces a minimum of three to five years and a maximum of 10 to 20 years when she appears for sentencing Dec. 8.
Two other men. Charles Tevis, 34, of Carbondale and Michael Hicks, 36, of Wellsville, are scheduled for trials next month on charges of aiding and abetting a second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of Wills. No one has been charged with the actual slaying of Wills, who played at K-State from 1978-80.
His wife, Sherrell Burgess, 24, was convicted Nov. 6 on a lesser charge, aiding and abetting involuntary manslaughter, in connection with the stabbing death of Jari Wills, 29, during a July 25 fight at an Ottawa tavern.
Robert Pinet, the court-appointed lawyer for Burgess, said he would file a motion for a new trial within 10 days. "Generally, I have great faith in the jury system. But in this instance, I was sadly disappointed," Pinet said.
Burgess testified at his trial that Hicks used a racial slur against Wills, a black, when the former basketball player walked into the Ottawa tavern. Burgess testified that Wills thought he was responsible and began jabbing a finger into his chest.
"Jari kept trying to tell me not to call him a nigger any more and was trying to fight it." "Burgess testified." "I didn't see any sense in it, so I tried to stop it."
Burgess appeared emotionless when Judge Jules V. Doty read the verdict but sobbed silently with his face in his hands and was consolved by family members and friends as the court cleared.
He said that after the figh, he heard Hicks and Tevis say Wills had been "cut good."
Burgess said he was cut by broken glass during the fight and thought maybe Wills had been cut the same way.
Both Burgesses testified at Sherrell Burgess trial earlier this month that Hicks stabbed Wills.