what we heard
monday, november 3, 2003
off the bench
Greene positive about this week's losses
the university daily kansan 9A
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
Kansan sports writer
You know, losing seven times feels much better than 40.
It's a rare feeling, however, as I have not had a week as good as 8-4 in what feels like a decade.
Wrong picks? Ah, the only one I guess I'm really embarrassed about was taking Miami to beat Virginia Tech.
My selections of Kansas, Texas Tech and Wagner were all decent picks that I almost got right.
Of the seven to kick me this week, the
two big winners wer Matt Seger (9-3) and Jason Plagman (10-2).
Kudos also go to Richard Johnson, dean of stu
dents, who beat me for the second time (9-3).
Maybe he'll talk to my geology teacher about boosting my grade or something. Plagman's pick sheet was very impressive. His only misfires came in the Colorado vs. Texas Tech matchup and the weekly throw away game between Albanv and Wagner.
I give him credit because he was able
"I just remembered how much we struggled last year when Whitmore went down," Plagman said. "I was totally shocked that Barmann played as well as he did."
to man up enough to pick against the Jay-hawks. I still couldn't do that.
Seger, on the other hand, still took the Jayhawks. Maybe more people will pick Kansas next week against Nebraska following Adam Barmann's five-touchdown performance in College Station, Texas.
Major credit has to be given to Michigan and Texas this weekend. Both defeated top-10 teams to salvage their seasons and give a nice positive outlook.
On the flip side, what the heck happened to Miami?
If they are not ranked this week, then the polls are just plain garbage.
I'm sure it's excited that now they have another Vick to look forward to facing in the next couple of years in Michael's younger brother Marcus.
The up-and-coming sleeper after this week has got to be Mississippi.
For the first time with Eli Manning at quarterback, the Rebels are actually consistently winning games this season.
So while an 8-4 record is nice, next week will hopefully be more prosperous.
Until next Saturday, keep kicking.
Kenyans dominate marathon
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Kenyans again ruled the New York City Marathon yesterday, with Margaret Okayo smashing the women's course record for the second time and Martin Lel winning his first marathon ever.
Okayo won the New York race for the second time, dropping to her knees and kissing the ground after crossing the line in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 31 seconds.
She shattered her 2001 course record by nearly two minutes.
Reigning world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya was second among the women in 2:23:04, followed by Lorah Kiplagat, a native Kenyan who became a Dutch citizen this year, in 2:23:43.
They also beat the previous course record.
"I didn't know I was going to break my own record, but I was just trying to do my best." Okavo said.
Seven of the top 10 men and four of the top 10 women were from Kenya. Five of the last seven men's champions have been from Kenya.
Lel was timed in 2:10:30. Defending champion Rodgers Rop of Kenya was second among the men in 2:11:11 and countryman Christopher Cheboloch was third in 2:11:23.
The top three men last year were from Kenya.
"I am very happy because for sure we are representing our country." Lel said.
"I didn't know I was going to break my own record, but I was just trying to do my best."
Margaret Okayo Kenyan runner
The top American man was Matt Downin of Bloody Brook, N.H., in 17th place in 2:18:48.
The best U.S. woman was Sylvia Mosqueda of Los Angeles in 10th place at 2:33:11.
Lei and Okayo each won $10,000,
with Okayo getting a $60,000 bonus for
finishing under 2:23.
With 35,104 entrants for the 26.2-mile run through the city's five boroughs, Okayo beat a strong field. And she did it on a warm day, with the temperature in the 60s.
Nine runners were bunched through the first half of the race, including Okayo, Kiplagat, formerwinner Ludmila Petrova.
Ndereba and 2002 NYC Marathon winner Joyce Chepchumba.
At the halfway mark, the women were on pace to set the record after covering 13.1 miles in 1:12:04.
Okayo, Kiplagat and Petrova pulled away from the front-runners at the 17-mile mark.
Ndereba started to make a move around mile 18.
With Kiplagat opening a small lead
over Okayo, Ndereba passed Petrova for third.
But Okayo turned it on.
She overtook Kiplagat for first and cruised to victory. Last year, she finished fifth after having back problems and was taken to the hospital after the race.
This year, she spent three months training for the NYC Marathon in the northern Italian town of Brescia.
"She's a strong runner up and down hilly courses like this," said her coach, Gabriele Rosa. "Good for Athens, that's a hilly course, too. She'll run the marathon in the Olympics."
Ndereba was attempting to join Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway as the only woman to win in New York, Boston and Chicago.
It was not a good day for the American women.
Marla Runyan, who finished fourth in New York last year and fifth in Boston this year, was among the early leaders.
But she tangled with Ndeeba at a water station between miles 7 and 8 and fell behind. She finished 20th.
Christy Nielsen-Crotts dropped out at the 15th mile and Jen Rhines almost pulled out at mile 22.
Julio Rey withdrew after twisting his right ankle while reaching for water at the first station around the 4-mile mark.
Rey, who was attempting to become the first Spaniard to win in New York, finished second in the world championships this summer.
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--performance in more than a decade.
Has anyone noticed that the first big game of the basketball season against Michigan State is scheduled the day before Thanksgiving Break when we all have to be out of the dorms? That is kind of messed up.
Now that Whittemore's gone I think that we should bring in Air Bud.
performance in more than a decade.
All I have to say is that KU volleyball rocks. How did Abby Jacobson and Jill Dorsey not make it into the Women of KU Calendar? Damn they should be.
performance in more than a decade.
Nice article Keith. Your writing needs as much work as your jump shot and your defense.
Nebraska quarterback not to blame for loss
The Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. — Even though Nebraska's offense struggled all day against Texas, there was never any discussion about replacing quarterback Jammal Lord with Joe Dailey, assistant coach Turner Gill said yesterday.
That's not to say the idea didn't cross Gill's mind during the Cornhuskers' 31-7 loss in Austin on Saturday.
"I just gave it a thought," said Gill, who coaches the quarterbacks. "I did not discuss it with Coach (Barney) Cotton or Coach (Frank) Solch or anybody of that nature. It was just a thought in my mind."
Cotton, the offensive coordinator, and coach Solich stayed with Lord as the Huskers turned in their worst offensive
"I did not discuss it with Coach (Barney) Cotton or Coach (Frank) Solich or anybody of that nature."
Turner Gill
Nebraska assistant coach
Nebraska's 53 yards rushing was its lowest since at least 1979. The Huskers' 175 total yards were their fewest since they had 171 against Miami in the 1991 Orange Bowl. Gill said Lord was not entirely to blame.
"It was our whole offensive football team not doing things the right way," Gill
said. "And then in some cases they (Texas) just outplayed us."
Nebraska was held scoreless until Lord threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Matt Herian early in the fourth quarter.
Lord rushed 21 times for 22 yards and finished 5-of-15 passing for 122 yards. He was intercepted once and sacked five times.
"On occasion, you may say you make a change at the quarterback spot, to change up the routine and bring in energy," Gill said. "But in that game, we did not talk about bringing him in."
Dailey, a freshman, has appeared in five games. He saw his most action on Oct. 25 against Iowa State. He played the entire second half but did not lead any scoring drives in a 28-0 victory.
open Herian on a deep pattern and was far off-target with several short throws.
on-target with several short throws.
Gill said Lord was hampered by pass-protection that broke down, and some of the receivers' patterns were not sharp.
Against Texas, Lord under threw a wide-
"It goes deeper than just the receiver and the quarterback," Gill said. "A lot of things have to happen whether it's a straight drop-back pass or a rollout. We have to execute better."
The Huskers play at Kansas this week before returning home Nov. 15 to play Kansas State. They close the regular season at Colorado on Nov. 28.
"Our players have to learn from this and move forward," Gill said. "That's what our approach will be. We'll keep everything positive. We have three quality ball games left. We've got to bounce back and get ready to go."
swimming
Missouri swimmers defeat Kansas for fifth straight time
The Kansas swimming and diving team lost the Border War to Missouri Saturday 153-147 at Robinson Natatorium in Lawrence.
This is the fifth straight time that Missouri has defeated Kansas.
The Jayhawks had nine first-place finishes with eight of those coming in the first 10 events.
Junior Amy Gruber led the team with four first-place titles.
Gruber was in a 200-yard medley relay team with seniors Whitney Sondall and Ashley Dower and freshman Hannah Bakke with a winning time of 1:46.89.
She captured the 50-yard (24.28 seconds) and 100-yard freestyle (52.47 titles.She was also part of two first place relay teams.
The Bigelow, Ark., native was also in a 400-yard freestyle relay (3:30.57) with Dower, senior Kim Bolin and junior Aly Colver.
"This meet was a good example of how exciting our sport can be with some heated competition," coach Clark Campbell said. "The difference between how we competed against Missouri last year and today was just phenomenal."
Sophomore Gina Gnatzig won in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:53.92 and the 200-yard backstroke events at 2:04.95.
Sondall clocked in at 57.64 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke for first place and Bakke took the 100-breaststroke title (1:06.01).
Freshman Shelly Noonan won her first career diving title in the one meter event with a composite score of 244.41.
The Jayhawks will compete in a home dual 6 p.m. Friday against Southwest Missouri State at Robinson Natalorium.
-Jason Hwang
tennis
Henman gets Paris Masters takes home $522,000 prize
PARIS - Tim Henman ended a disappointing season on a high note yesterday, beating Romania's Andrei Pavel 6-2, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (2) to capture the Paris Masters title.
Henman threw his arms into the air, applauded on his racket and then threw it into the crowd after Pavel delivered the championship point into the net.
"It's been an incredible atmosphere. I look forward to coming out to defend my title next year," Henman said as he accepted his trophy.
Henman had slipped to No. 40 in the rankings last month from a career-best of No. 4 in 2002.
And shoulder surgery late last year sidelined him for the first two months of the season.
Looking relaxed and confident, the 29-year-old Briton scored an impressive 50 winners and eight aces against Pavel.
It was his 11th career title and his first trophy at a Masters.
Henman, a four-time Wimbledon semifinalist, takes home $522,000 in prize money.
- The Associated Press
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