6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2008
KICKER
(CONTINUED FROM 1B)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach in September nabbed a fan who will suit up at place-kicker on Saturday. Matt Williams hit a 30-yard field goal during a contest on Sept. 20 and Leach was so impressed that Williams will be the Red Riders' starting kicker against Kansas.
Aponavicius of Boston College played his first game of organized football against Virginia Tech and hit two field goals. A graduate assistant spotted Aponavicius kicking field goals in 2005 and invited him to join the team.
However, rarely has a student been pulled from the stands and added in the same season.
Leach was searching the stands for a kicker because his have been worse than awful. Senior Cory Fowler and freshman Donnie Carona have combined to hit only 4-of-8 field goals and missed six extra point attempts.
Mangino said he's been so frustrated that he considered grabbing someone from the stands, but never acted on the impulse. Still, he understands the logic.
"Hey, in this profession, you do what you've got to do to win," Mangino said. "If there are a couple
of guys running around our stadium here that can cover Crabtree, we would invite them to come down"
You hear that wannabe Jayhawk athletes? Show the man what you've got.
Lubbock is becoming the haven for walk-on athletes. Former basketball coach Bob Knight opened his roster for one walk-on in 2006.
The difference was that the Red Raiders' fiery coach used a reality show on ESPN to find his lucky man. The spacey football coach opted for an in-between quarters giveaway contest.
"That's vintage Mike Leach" Mangino said.
Edited by Scott R. Toland
QUARTERBACK
(CONTINUED FROM 1B)
over a multicultural peace group called Reach Out.
"My extracurricular activities make me who I am," Parker said. "I want to help out and use my influence to make a difference at school and use my faith, beliefs and honor to set an example and help with the community."
Parker's decision to get involved with those activities has translated to even stronger leadership skills on the football field
- where he has been able to honelose skills since his first varsitystart as a freshman.
So what would Parker look like in Crimson and Blue?
"I love the teamwork there and the coaches' love for the players," Parker said. "They are a team in everything that they do. It is a great school."
You've got to believe that the Jayhawks' spread offense would have Parker licking his chops. However, Reesing will be closing the books on a stellar career during Parker's presumed freshman year. Wouldn't someone as motivated as Parker expect to start right away?
"It'd be an honor to play behind (Reesing) and would be a great situation that would make me better," Parker said. "You've got to follow before you lead."
Okay, well what about Kale Pick, who will have had the opportunity to get familiar with the offense for five semesters before the start of the 2010 season? Or incoming freshman Jordan Webb — who has verbally committed to Kansas?
That's all right, Parker says, he's love to contribute at wide receiver and tailback while he waits for the chance to line up under center. Furthermore, if and when Parker starts as quarterback, the opportunities for options or other trick plays are endless.
Parker said he was not yet close to settling on a school but hoped to make his decision by February. It is a big decision for Parker. One that he says is based on faith, the best fit for his talents and the best academic situation.
Mark Mangino and Co.: It is not too late. What you have here is a no-risk investment, with benefits that will spill over into all sectors on campus.
Simply put, David Parker embodies all that we've come to expect out of layhawk athletes. Don't squander an opportunity to add him to the list of model student athletes who have made their mark here — both on and off the field.
Don't make me tell you "I told you so" if and when Parker runs and passes all over you in 2009-2012 — either as a rival, in a non-conference game or in a crushing bowl loss. I won't mince words.
Furthermore, please don't make me tell you "I told you so" when Parker comes to town to deliver a leadership seminar, initiates steps towards multicultural peace and diversity or does something further to make a true difference to people of all walks of life — regardless of if they tailgate or not.
Edited by Scott R. Toland
the year and soon after said his goal was 2,000 yards rushing this season. He has rushed for only 124 yards and three touchdowns on 41 carries after rushing for more than 1,900 yards last year at Cisco Junior College.
and help each other when one needs advice.
RUNNING BACK (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
"Hewatched our game so he was critiquing me a little bit on the kickoff return and he thought me getting hit was funny"
If Crawford had gone to Tech as a safety, then there could have been a Crawford brother on offense and defense.
wanted to be in."
Crawford took over the kick returner duties for the Oklahoma game and returned his first career kick for 42 yards. It's been a struggle for Crawford, who has had to adjust to not being the main running '1' kick for the first time in his career.
"I try to be confident in my and just wait for my time to coil and be patient," Crawford sai "Jake had a few breakout games the past two, three games, so he is doing what he can do. I just hope that ne day, my time comes like it."
"I try to be confident in myself and just wait for my time to come and be patient."
"I thought about it a lot," Crawford said. "At one point in time, I was like it might be kind of nice to have a Crawford on this side of the ball and a Crawford on that side of the
foot fracture and may take a red-shirt this season, meaning he won't be playing in Saturday's matchup. But the two still talk almost daily
ball. I did keep that in mind a lot, but when it came time for me to sign, defense just wasn't what I wanted to do and I wanted to go play offense somewhere."
JOCQUES CRAWFORD Kansas running back
— Edited by Br. Hawley
Aaron Crawford is out with a
Crawford came to Kansas as the National Junior College Player of
Crawford said. "I didn't think it was funny, but we just joke around like that. He loves me and I love him. We talk a lot."
47 because at the Pro-Am, it was a team of five," Thomas said. "It's hard to score 47 points without rest."
Jon Goering/KANSAN
The exhibition games prove the 6-foot-3 guard from Jersey City, N.J., has the talent to make an impact for the Jayhawks immediately this season. Kansas coach Bill Self has also praised Taylor's skills. Self said a player like Taylor was a rarity at Kansas.
The performance was definitely the biggest highlight since Taylor moved to Lawrence in June, but it wasn't the only one. Taylor thrilled the crowd at an open scrimmage as part of Bill Self's basketball camp this summer when he scored 19 points, had four rebounds and three steals.
TAYLOR (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
"He's one of those few guys who you can recruit to Kansas that is better than his hwv." Self said.
Rivals.com ranked Taylor as only the 77th best player in the nation in the recruiting class of 2008 — second-lowest out of the five incoming freshmen. He might not have come in with much hype, but the outlandish 47-point game in July is helping to change that.
He started all three exhibition games during the team's Labor Day weekend trip to Ottawa, Canada, and averaged 14 points — the second-most of all the lawthaws.
"I was just going. It was fun," Taylor said. "That's the highest I've ever scored in a game before."
Edited by Scott R. Toland
Tyshawn Taylor, freshman guard drives to the basket Friday night at Allen Fieldhouse during the late Annual Night scrimmage. Taylor scored 42 points in a summer league game in lieu of a first-round game.
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NHL
Palin to drop first puck at St. Louis Blues' game
ST.LOUIS — Republican vice presidential candidate and self-proclaimed "hockey mom" Sarah Palin will drop the ceremonial first puck Friday night at the St. Louis Blues' game against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Blues say the Alaska governor and running mate of Republican John McCain confirmed Wednesday that she'll make a stop at Scottrade Center.
Palin has scheduled an appearance at a rally Friday morning at Missouri State University in Springfield.
The Blues said more details will be announced Thursday.
Associated Press
PHILOSOPHY LECTURE SERIES
What Does a Liberal Society Owe the Disadvantaged?
What Do We Owe the World's Poor?
Loren Lomasky Cory Professor of Political Philosophy, Policy and Law, University of Virginia
4:00-5:30 p.m.
October 24, Hall Center Conference Hall
Lomasky is the author of Persons, Rights and the Moral Community (Oxford, 1987) for which he was awarded the 1990 Matchette Prize (best philosophy book published during the preceding two years by an author under age 40). He co-authored with Geoffrey Brennan Democracy and Decision: The Pure Theory of Electoral Preference (Cambridge, 1993), and he edited with Brennan Politics and Process: New Essays in Democratic Theory (Cambridge, 1989). His essay "Is There a Duty to Vote?," also co-authored with Brennan was awarded the 2003 Kavka/UCI Prize by the American Philosophical Association.
This event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.
785-864-4798 hallcenter@ku.edu www.hallcenter.ku.edu