4B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2008
KICK THE KANSAN: WEEKTWO
Pick games. Beat the Kansan staff. Get your name in the paper.
This week's games:
1. Stanford at No.15 Arizona State (predict score for tiebreaker)
2. No.8 West Virginia at East Carolina
3. Mississippi at No.20 Wake Forest
4. No.12 Texas Tech at Nevada
7. Kent State at Iowa State
5. Air Force at Wyoming
6. No.17 South Florida at Central Florida
8. No.15 BYU at Washington
9. Minnesota at Bowling Green
10. Akron at Syracuse
Name:
E-mail:
Year in school:
Hometown:
Rules:
1) Only KU students are eligible.
2) Give your name, e-mail, year in school and hometown.
3) Beat the best prognosticator at the Kansan and get your name in the paper.
4) Beat all your peers and get your picture and picks in the paper next to the Kansan staff.
5) To break ties, pick the score of the designated game.
Either submit your picks to KickTheKansan@kansan.com or to the Kansan business office, located at the West side of Stauffer-Flint Hall, which is between Wescoe Hall and Watson Library.
KICK THE KANSAN WEEK ONE RESULTS
Congrats to Samuel Cruse, Davenport, Iowa, junior, for taking home the Kick the Kansan week one title. Cruse finished 9-1, kicking the 11 college football forecasters from the Kansan. Cruse's only mistake was picking Clemson to beat Alabama. Natasha Parman, Derby senior, Britton Alexander, Leesville, La, junior, and Dan Holmes, Olathe senior, also kicked the Kansan by
finishing the week 9-1. But Cruse won the crown by accurately predicting UCLA to beat Tennessee in the weekly tiebreaker. Parman also chose UCLA, but Cruse's predicted score of 38-24 was closer to the game's actual final score.
Alas, week one of Kick the Kansan was not without a bout of controversy. Case Keefer, the Kansan's basketball beat writer, contends he picked Alabama
to beat Clemson, yet when his picks appeared in the paper on Friday, Keefer had tabbed Clemson. So instead of finishing 9-1, Keefer had to settle for 8-2. E-mail documents prove that Keefer did in fact choose Alabama. So although Keefer's week one score was thrown out, Keefer is protesting that his season-long total should reflect his 9-1 mark in week one. Stay tuned.
FANTASY FOOTBALL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco eludes a St. Louis Rams defender. Flacco is one of four NFL rookies who could bring in unexpected points in this year's fantasy leagues.
Rookies bring unexpected points These four first-year players could be sleepers on fantasy rosters
It should come as no surprise that there is a stigma that comes with drafting rookies in fantasy football. Let's face it — predicting which rookie will have an explosive inaugural campaign is similar to trying to predict the winner of American Idol after the first round of auditions. Most fantasy experts will advise you not to draft rookies if you can help it, but let's throw all caution to the wind here. Owners in keeper leagues pride themselves on being able to pick the stud rookie who will turn into the cream of the crop, so why shouldn't you be able to indulge in that pride as well? In fact, if you are in a large league with more than 12 teams, chances are you will have to keep a couple of first-year players on your roster. Here are the ones you should watch.
KEVIN SMITH running back, Detroit Lions
JOE FLACCO quarterback, Baltimore Ravens
Smith proved that he could carry an entire offense and still be effective in his time at the University of Central Florida. Smith carried the ball 450 times in his final year of collegiate ball and now he is ready to carry the load for an NFL team. According to NFL.com, the Lions signed Rudi Johnson to be Smith's backup on Monday. The Lions rely on a pass-heavy offense, but Smith has all the tools that can help balance the offense out.
NFL.com reports that Ravens coach John Harbaugh has named Flacco the starting quarterback. It was no secret that the team wasn't pleased with the way that Kyle Boller had progressed, and Troy Smith is more likely a career backup than a viable option as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The Ravens had faith enough to reach up and take Flacco in the middle of the first round in last April's draft. He is the obvious choice to start with the skill set he has, which easily beats that of either of his competitors at the position. He will be a guy to watch as the season progresses.
JAMES HARDY wide receiver, Buffalo Bills
When your two starting receivers don't measure more than six feet, it isn't a bad decision to draft a 6-foot-5 rookie. That is
exactly what Buffalo did when it drafted Hardy. He isn't listed as a starter, but he could become second-year starting quarterback Trent Edwards' best friend if wide receiver Lee Evans struggles as he did last year. Hardy could be a big target in the end zone for Edwards and may see his playing time increase the farther the Bills get into the red zone and the further the season goes on.
JONATHAN STEWART running back, Carolina Panthers
Stewart had injury problems at the end of his career at the University of Oregon, but don't let that scare you. He proved he was a strong, powerful back in his performances at the NFL combine before the draft. DeAngelo Williams tops the depth chart at running back for the Panthers right now, but he hasn't had much more experience than Stewart in the NFL. Williams is more of an elusive back, but Stewart is a workhorse that could turn into a fantasy stud like the Arizona Cardinals' Edgerrin James back in his prime. The two will likely share carries in the first weeks of the season, but don't be surprised if Stewart eventually carries the load and takes over the starting spot.
Edited by Brenna Hawley
NFL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Even
BY DOUG TUCKER ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chiefs' Albert may start Sunday
Informational meeting Monday, Sept. 8 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.Blake 109
Washington, DC, and Topeka
D. C. Interns with Representative Nancy Boyda
Spring 2009 Internships
D. C. Interns
In Topeka, experience the legislature, firsthand, while maintaining a regular KU class schedule.
All Majors Welcome!
Be part of the 25th Anniversary Class of Washington interns in 2009 -- special programs, speakers, and social events.
KU Interns at Capitol
Can't make it? Contact Prof. Burdett Loomis. 515 Blake Hall. 785-864-9033 bloomis@ku.edu
But head coach Herm Edwards said not giving the 6-foot-5, 316-pounder the start would appear to be a betrayal of the commitment he's made to turning the roster over to young, growing players.
though he missed almost all of training camp, rookie Branden Albert may start at left tackle on Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs open their season as $16\frac{1}{2}$-point underdogs at New England.
Compounding the challenge for the first-round pick out of Virginia, Albert played guard almost all his college career.
A sprained foot caused Albert to miss all but the first five days of training camp. He was in uniform for the last exhibition game against St. Louis but did not play.
"He's just another young one
who's going to have to play. That's OK. That what's we said we were going to do," Edwards said Tuesday. "We stuck to our guns on this whole process and now it's time to go play. You can't start questioning what you're doing when it's time to go play. You have a certain way you're going to do things around here now and I think it's good for the organization. I think we will reap the benefits."