kansan.com
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY & KANSAN
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
COMMENTARY
BIG 12 CONFERENCE
WHAT WENT WRONG
in the fourth round Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Ortiz — who was sporting a jayhawk on his trunks — was able to back Mayweather into a corner and beate him with body and head shots while "Money" did his best to defend himself.
While Ortiz was trying to jockey for position on the shelled-up Mayweather, he caught him with an obvious, but possibly accidental, headburt. Ortiz was immediately pulled off and went to apologize to Mayweather whispering something in his ear before being separated by the referee again.
COMMENTARY
As the fight was about to resume, Ortiz was granted a break and went up to apologize for a second time. He offered Mayweather a hug, which was accepted briefly before Mayweather stepped back and shocked the building with a left and right hook, knocking Ortiz out before he had a chance to defend himself.
For the next two weeks, the Floyd "Money" Mayweather Ir. vs. "Vicious" Victor Ortiz fight will be getting national attention. Newsrooms will be buzzing about the events that took place, columnists will discuss the fight's ending, talk shows will wonder if Larry Merchant could have kicked Mayweather's ass 50 years ago, and the World Boxine Council will look on smiling.
After the fight, legendary 80-year-old boxing analyst Larry Merchant interviewed Mayweather in the ring where he confronted "Money" about the events leading to the knockout, which was considered by many as a cheap shot. Upon being asked if it was, in fact, a cheap shot, "Money" responded by telling Merchant that he "doesn't know shit about boxing," and that "HBO needs to fire your ass," to which Merchant now-famously said "If I was 50 years younger, I'd kick your ass."
Sportswriters like to throw around the phrase "the fight that can save boxing." It was used when Mayweather fought Oscar De La Hoya, it was used when De La Hoya fought Pacquiao, again when Mayweather fought Shane Mosley and again when Pacquiao took on Ricky Hatton.
One fight can't fix boxing
There may not be a single fight that saves boxing — even if Pacquiao and Mayweather finally decide to square off — but what there can be is a series of fights that draw attention and build interest in the sport, not just for one primetime night, but for multiple events. Then we sportswriters can talk about the fights that saved boxing, not the single event.
Edited by Ben Chipman
Sports fans couldn't have been more stunned by the series of transgressions that took place.
Behind all the hoopla and arguments over cheap shots, the undeniable truth is that during a weekend where there were countless need-to-watch college football and NFL games, the matchup that provided the most intriguing story — and best water cooler conversation — came from a sport many consider dead.
I honestly don't believe that today's two best boxers will'll get a contract done. However what "Money" proved last Saturday night is that even without setting up the potential "Fight of the Decade," boxing can make headlines — albeit not always for the right reasons.
A look at the events of the Big 12 breakdown
If all press is good press, the WBC should be on top of the world. In his post-fight interviews, Mayweather offered Ortiz a rematch, and danced around the question of fighting Manny Pacquiao, never officially saying that he wouldn't fight him.
4
SAVED BYE THE BELL
Senior wide receiver Daymond Patterson is helped up after injuring himself Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The bye week will give Patterson and other injured players extra time to prepare for the next game.
MIKE GUNNOE/KANSAN
Time to recover
Bye week will allow football team to heal and regroup after Georgia Tech
MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kansan.com
In sports, timing is often a crucial element in the final outcome of any game or season. For the Jayhawks, the bye week comes at a crucial point in their season as non-conference play closes and Big 12 play begins.
Limping into their bye week after an embarrassing 66-24 loss against Georgia Tech gives the Jayhawks a good opportunity to recuperate and recover from early-season problems and injuries.
The Jayhawks don't have a
"Were 2-1 and I think were moving forward," coach Turner Gill said. "It's good timing for us with where we at for a few little injuries."
long list of injuries putting holes in their depth chart, but they do have some key players who have been unable to play recently.
The defensive line is missing two starters because of injury. Without tackles Pat Dorsey and John Williams, the jayhawks clearly showed their lack of depth, allowing more than 600 rushing yards.
Senior receiver Daymond Patterson, a leader and veteran presence, has been out since suffering a groin injury in the first game of the season.
Yet Dorsey may have time during the bye week to recover to see the field next Saturday against Texas Tech. Dorsey injured his foot before the season and was expected to be out six to eight weeks.
Patterson is often the Jayhawks' first receiving target. His speed and shiftiness make him a big-play threat, something the receiving corps missed in his absence.
The coaching staff hopes to have him back in time for the start of conference play next Saturday.
Freshman receiver JaCorey Shepherd stepped up briefly with Patterson sideline. Shepherd, though, suffered an undisclosed injury that kept him out of the Georgia Tech game, but he should play against Texas Tech.
The Jayhawks will also use the bye week to correct a defense that has given up an average of 550 yards a game.
Far too often, players have blown assignments, missed tackles and looked downright confused in the Jayhawks' first three games this season. The opposing teams have gained an average of 8.5 yards a play, which is a recipe that won't produce many wins.
This is where first-year defensive coordinator Vic Shealy comes into play. Shealy took a lot of flak for what happened against Georgia Tech, and he'll use the bye week to make corrections.
"We'll go back into those first two ball games and pinpoint about half a dozen points where I know we're not where we need to be with some coverage issues," Shealy said. "There will be very specific marching orders placed on me by our defense."
- Edited by Jayson Jenks
READING THE GREEN
Junior Alex Gutesha lines up a put Monday morning during the Kansas Invitational at Alvamar Golf Club. Gutesha had three top-20 finishes while playing in 11 meets last season. Kansas finished the day in fourth place through two rounds. CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
Pablo Picasso once said "every act of creation is first an
Paul Please once said "every act of creation is first an act of destruction." The Southwest Conference dissolved in 1994. The Big 12 was founded that same year, but 1996 was its first season as a conference.
Four teams — Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech — joined the Big 12.
The Big 12 enjoyed a stable relationship for 13 years until Missouri governor Jay Nixon said the University of Missouri should join the Big Ten.
The Big Ten expanded in June 2010, but Nebraska, not Missouri, was added as the conference's 12th school. Colorado, along with Utah, moved to the Pac-10 to form the Pac-12.
Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M all remained in the conference, which looked to be saved for another 10 years after agreeing to new revenue sharing.
"Texas A&M is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference and will continue to be affiliated with the conference in the future," Texas A&M school president R. Bowen Loftin said in a statement in June of 2010.
Texas, the savior of the conference the summer of 2010, also turned out to be the eventual destructive force. Texas became too big for its own good until Loftin had enough. When the conference was created in 1996, Texas and the other Southwest Conference schools had to play by the Big Eight's rules. However, Texas wanted to play the conference championship game in Texas and restrict partial academic qualifiers in the league. Texas got what it wanted and the league's offices moved to Dallas.
Texas A&M was fine until Texas wanted to televise high school games. The Aggies wanted out of the conference and on Sept. 7 the Southeastern Conference accepted the Aggies as the 13th member.
The Longhorn Network set off a chain of changes as each school wanted to put itself in a favorable position. Connecticut and Syracuse went to the ACC, which increased its exit fee to $20 million if a school leaves.
Things seemed to be OK until Jan. 19. ESPN and Texas joined to create the Longhorn Network. All 10 presidents and chancellors agreed on the network. Texas was key to the conference remaining intact, which is why it was approved.
More will be uncovered soon, as Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech are looking to jump ship.
At this point, Kansas is waiting until everything unfolds and is weighing its options.
The Kansan will have continued coverage as conference realignment becomes clearer.
V
Edited by Jayson Jenks
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