Sports
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This weekend's match-up
The Kansas football team and its opponent tomorrow, Iowa State, both feature struggling defenses. PAGE 6B
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The University Daily Kansan
sports commentary
Friday, November 21, 2003
Keith Langford klangford@kansan.com
Perspective comes from tragedies
My thoughts jump from topic to topic, so if today's column does not mention much about basketball then I apologize. I know that when I agreed to write this it was supposed to be an inside look at the team and the team's progress, but today I'm going to take it a little further. I was once told that anything you have to say is important, but it becomes twice as important when you have people to listen. Now, I don't know how many of you actually read this, but I know some do, so this is kind of like a personal thought process I am going to go through with you.
Writing this has helped me become more expressive. Not that I wasn't before, but the power of words is uncanny when you have people who read and think about them.
I am sure that someone reading this may be saying, "what in the hell is he talking about?" Well I'll tell you. On Monday of this week I received some of the worst news I have in a long time. My uncle, who is more like a second father to me, was diagnosed with cancer in his kidneys and liver. I was nearly in tears when I first heard. It was the worst thing my mom could tell me. My uncle already gets dialysis for his kidneys, which means he's not able to have a transplant. This is the second time it has shown up and he has decided not to do anything about it. He could be hospitalized at any moment, yet every time I talk to him or see him, he always asks how I am doing or what I need. So I'm thinking about this and then I think about my grandfather, who passed away during my sophomore year of high school, and I am seriously stressed out. I did not feel like practicing, hell I did not even care about basketball at that point. I had just received an assignment for a class that I wasn't paying attention in, on top of that, my professor made a joke about making "shout outs" on the next assignment.
Well this is another shout out. I was walking out of Stauffer-Flint Hall, mad at the world when I walked by this girl. I had never seen her before. She said something that made me feel so much better; it helped me out the rest of the day.
Two words: "Nice column." That may seem like the smallest thing ever and in retrospect it probably was, but at that point and time during the day that is what I needed and whether she knows it or not, I'm thankful. If she's reading this, this is a shout out to her.
sometimes we get caught up in trying to be accepted by other people and we forget to be ourselves. And sometimes it is better to be Keith Langford from Texas, rather than No. 5 on the basketball court. A lot of people take what they have for granted and I have done that more than enough times. I lost my grandfather and when it happened I felt so guilty. A lot of times when grandparents call, you know how you act. The token "yes grandma," "yes grandpa," and you go on your way. But people are what is important in the grand scheme of things. I would trade every point, dunk, Final Four ring or whatever for my uncle and grandfather's sake, but I can't. But I do feel that I have a better perspective on what is important to me. If you can look at yourself at the end of the day and be satisfied with what you see in the mirror, regardless of what your name is, then I believe you have accomplished something. This has been on my mind all week and I can finally let loose. Or maybe I will just let loose on the court. The famous umpire, Steve Palermo, said it best when he talked to the basketball team on Wednesday.
"Carpe diem," he said. "Seize the day, in Latin." A theme I plan to live by, especially tonight, when Tennessee-Chattanooga comes to play.
Kansan File Photo
Langford is a Fort Worth, Texas,junior in journalism and a guard on the men's basketball team.
Aaron Miles, junior guard, and the rest of the Kansas Jayhawks start the regular season against Tennessee-Chattanooga Mocs tonight.
Kansas to tip off new era versus Tenn-Chattanooga
By Chris Wintering cwintering@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Bill Self has already been through two exhibition games as the Kansas men's basketball coach. Even so, he said tonight's regular season opener against Tennessee-Chattanooga would trigger first-game jitters.
"I think that this is the start of a new era and one that I am in charge of," he said. "I am sure there will be some butterflies."
On top of the nervousness, there will also be some added pressure. Kansas hasn't lost a home-opening game since 1972.
"I really haven't thought about the 30-game home winning streak, but it is a very nice streak and I hope
WATCH THE GAME
- Kansas v. Tenn-Chattanooga
- 7 p.m. tonight at Allen Fieldhouse
- Channel 13 on Sunflower Broadband
it continues. It needs to continue," he said.
Continuing the streak may not be easy. The Mocs return three starters from a team that went 21-9 last season. Chattanooga also looked strong during its two exhibition games, scoring 131 and 107 points.
Chattanooga is guard-oriented, which means the Jayhawks will have to have strong perimeter defense, something the team struggled with in the exhibition season. Self said the Mocs'leading
SEE MEN'S BASKETBALL ON PAGE 3B
'Hawks'goal:Get to bowl
Bill Whitmorem, senior quarterback, will start tomorrow's game against Iowa State. He returned to practice Monday, and coach Mark Mangino said he was pleased with Whitmorem's range of motion.
Whittemore's return fuels postseason bid
By Ryan Greene rgreene@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Following last Saturday's 44-21 loss at Oklahoma State Kansas football coach Mark Mangino stated that this weekend's game against Iowa State will define his 2003 Jayhawk squad.
With good old No.4, senior quarterback Bill Whittemore,
WATCH THE GAME
- Kansas v. Iowa
  State
- 1 p.m. tomorrow at
  Memorial Stadium
back at the helm, expectations are high. It all looks so simple. Kansas needs just one victory to even its record at 6-6, become bowl eligible and put itself in position to end a seven-year postseason drought.
Whittemore returned to practice Monday, and Mangino
was pleased to see the senior's range of motion become smooth enough over the course of the week to name him the starter.
Mangino said earlier in the week that if Whittemore did play, he would run the lahwacks' normal offensive package.
With Whittemore starting, everyone else on the team, not just his offensive supporting cast, feels much more confident.
"It's pretty exciting and I'm glad he's back," junior safety Tony Stubbs said. "He's getting to play his last college game at home, so I'm happy for him."
The Kansas quarterback situation has looked like a carousel since Whititemore's injury.
Junior John Nielsen and sophomore Brian Luke split duties after Whittemore was injured in the Kansas State game, but neither was able to move the offense effectively.
Freshman Adam Barmann looked like Whittemore's second coming in his debut against Texas A&M, throwing for 294 yards and four scores. But Barmann struggled the next two games, including last weekend's defeat at Oklahoma State, where he suffered an ankle injury and was replaced by Luke.
Even though Luke and Barmann have shown flashes of brilliance in recent weeks, neither has been able to lead the team to a victory. The receivers agree Luke and Barmann are just as talented as Whittemore, but a certain intangible Whittemore brings makes him the best choice when healthy.
"I guess Bill's just more experienced than they are," freshman receiver Charles Gordon said. "In time, they'll be able to be on his level."
Aside from the emotional high the team is on with Whittemore's return, there is still a goal at hand that everyone on the team agrees cannot be overlooked.
"We have to beat Iowa State," junior center Joe Vaughn said, "and then take it from there."
Edited by Joey Berlin
The Jayhawks will face their first test tonight, opening the regular season against MKC at 7 in the Swinney Recreation Center in Kansas City, Mo.
UMKC to test Kansas in opener
By Jesse Newell
jnewell@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
In its final exhibition game, the Kansas women's basketball team allowed only 28 points to St. Louis Goldstar. The Jayhawks held Goldstar to just 21
WATCH THE GAME
Kansas v. UMKC
7 p.m. tonight at Swinney
Recreation Center
percent shooting and 11 points in the first half.
W he n asked what she felt needed the
most improvement, the response given by coach Marian Washington turned out to be quite a surprise.
"Our half-court defense without a doubt," Washington said. "We've just got to keep getting better
with it."
The Jayhawks will receive their first real test tonight, opening the regular season against UMKC at 7 p.m. in the Swinney Recreation Center in Kansas City, Mo.
- Washington said the Kangaroos' offense would challenge the lavwhawks.
"We know that we're going to have to have better half-court defense when we face them," Washington said.
Washington's emphasis on defense has started to rub off on her players as well.
"I think our team's doing great right now," freshman forward Lauren Ervin said. "The only thing is, we need to work on getting our defense a little stronger."
Kansas allowed an average of 46.5 points in its two preseason games, but Ervin said the statistics
SEE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ON PAGE 38
TALK TO SPORT** Contact II Henslev and Shane Mettlen at PORTS@KANSAN.COM
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