what we heard We'd like to take these fans back home with us." L.A. Clippers guard Brent Barry after playing a game in Japan yesterday. off the bench
friday,october 31,2003
2B the university daily kansar
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Jason Hwang jhwang@kansan.com
Heisman race down to three
Whether he will be able to play anytime soon is irrelevant. Bill Whittemore was never in contention in the minds of the national media for the Heisman trophy, given to the best Division I college football player. Whittemore is a great football player for Kansas, yet he is not among the elite players in the nation. Nothing against Whittemore, simply too many players are better. So here are three extraordinary players that are the setting the pace in this wide open race.
Jason White, quarterback, Oklahoma
Before this season started, experts questioned whether an offense would even exist this season in Norman, Okla. especially with White coming off yet another season-ending knee injury. Well, those theories were squashed immediately. All the senior quarterback has done is pass for 2,288 yards with 25 touchdowns, only four interceptions and a staggering average of 9.2 yards per completion. His 174.6 passing efficiency rating is the best in the nation. He had four touchdowns in the 65-13 victory over Texas. He also led the Sooners to key victories over UCLA, Missouri and Alabama.
Larry Fitzgerald wide receiver, Pittsburgh
Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver, Pittsburgh. He is the best college football player period and a front runner for the Heisman so far. This man is a pure game breaker who has used his talents in coach Walt Harris' pro-style offense. He's fast, runs very good routes and great hands, but his specialty is his height and his leaping ability. Just throw a lob into the end zone and he is unstoppable. Defensive backs would need pogo sticks to have a chance to deny Fitzgerald in a jump ball situation. He has already surpassed his total from last season with 1,018 receiving yards with five games to go. He tied the NCAA record with 12 consecutive games with a touchdown reception. He leads the nation in receiving yards per game, receiving touchdowns and is tied for total touchdowns for a non-QB. However, several factors will come between Fitzgerald and the Heisman trophy including the fact that he plays for what others consider a not as high profiled school, even though Tony Dorsett and Dan Marino played for the Panthers. Only three receivers have won the Heisman, the last being Desmond Howard of Michigan in 1992. Finally he's a sophomore and most voters unjustifiably discredit underclassmen who are in the running.
B. I. Symons, quarterback, Texas Tech
B. J. Symons, quarterback, Texas Tech Yeah, Symons plays in an offense that even I could toss a touchdown or two in despite my limited athletic skills. Coach Mike Leach's system should be given more credit for Symons' success, however, Symons does not put up gaudy numbers on accident. He leads the nation in touchdowns, completions per game, and total passing yards. He has passed for at least three touchdowns in seven of the eight games this season. This is coming from a senior in his first full year as starter following the Red Raider legend, Kliff Kingsbury.
Hwang is an Overland Park senior in communications studies
Greene picks for Survival Saturday
By Ryan Greene rgreene@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
Kansas vs. Texas A&M
Ramada旅业 You know, for the first time I was ready to pick against Kansas, then I woke up. Greene's Pick: Kansas
Michigan vs. Michigan State
Well, Michigan slayed the beast in previously 10th-ranked Purdue last weekend. Now it faces 10th-ranked Michigan State. East Lansing is where most of Michigan's hopes and dreams have been squashed over the years, but it's already suffered enough heartache for one season.
Greene's Pick: Michigan
Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Florida State vs. Notre Dame Gee, who do I hate more?
Utah vs. Air Force
Greene's Pick: Florida State
Utah coach Urban Meyer abandoned his Bowling Green team after last season, and now that he's gone, they're better than ever. The football gods will punish him for his stupidity this weekend at Colorado Springs.
Greene's Pick: Air Force
Every loss Nebraska has helps out Kansas' slim Big 12 North title hopes. Greene's Pick: Texas
Nebraska vs. Texas
Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma
Lightning definitely does not strike
brice.
Greene's Pick: Oklahoma
This is the best game of the weekend, but I'm pulling for the Trojans. I think USC is the only team that can give Oklahoma a run for its money, so I'd like USC to take it all the way to the Sugar Bowl.
Greene's Pick: USC
Miami vs. Virginia Tech
virginia Tech already pulled its annual choke, so now it can get their throats stomped on again. As the Hurricanes roll, they end the Hokies' season in the process.
Washington State vs. USC
Greene's Pick: Miami
Ball State vs. Northern Illinois
I'm going on the expert advice of my buddy who plays lacrosse at Ball State that it'll get shredded this weekend. Daniel, you'd better be right.
Greene's Pick: Northern Illinois
The final score will be about 100-95 here as two of the nation's worst defenses and best offenses go head to head. Whoever hits triple digits first wins. I'll say Tech.
Colorado vs. Texas Tech
South Carolina vs. Mississippi
Greene's Pick: Texas Tech
Greene's Pick: Mississippi
Eli Manning quietly has Ole Miss in contention for the SEC title. South Carolina is a pretty easy obstacle, and a good opportunity for him to pad his stats.
Albany vs. Wagner
I've gone to the coin-flipping method for this one.
rowing
Greene's pick: Wagner
Greene is a Vernon Hills, Ill., senior in journalism
Rowing team to race against new competition in regatta
This weekend's Head of the Chattahoochee regatta in Gainsville, Ga., will be a challenge for the rowing team as it faces some unfamiliar foes, coach Rob Catloth said.
"We're going to see some competition we haven't seen this year," Catloth said.
Catloth said the unseen teams are primarily from the south, such as Miami, Clemson and the University of Texas.
"It's definitely going to be a different competition because we haven't seen these schools," said Jennifer Ebel, Southlake, Texas, sophomore.
The rowing team will be racing from Nov. 1-2, with only the varsity members racing. The members will participate in singles, doubles, open fours and open eights races.
Catloth said the team will face stiffer competition in the singles and doubles races, but his hopes are to improve the team's performance in the open eights
Kansas athletics calendar
-Mike Bauer
races after the Jayhawks took four positions in the top-five of the open eights races at the last regatta in Iowa. This regatta will be the Jayhawks third for the season. Their next and last regatta for the fall will be the Sunflower Showdown in Manhattan, Kan., against Kansas State University Nov. 8.
swimming Swim, dive competition matches Tigers,'Hawks
Today
The Kansas swimming and diving team resumes its season against Missouri at 2 p.m. tomorrow in the Robinson Natatorium after a one-week hiatus. The Jayhawks finished sixth in the Big 12 Relays, Oct. 17 in Ames, Iowa. On Oct. 18, they defeated Northern Iowa and Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, taking eight first place finishes.
Last year, Kansas lost to Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Senior Kristen Johnson took first place in the 200-yard breaststroke. Three Jayhawk relay teams went 1-2-3 in the 400 yard freestyle relay race.
—Jason Hwang
Soccer vs. Oklahoma State 3 p.m., Super-Target Field
Cross Country at Big 12 Conference Championships Austin, Texas
Saturday
Football at Texas A&M 12:30 p.m., College Station, Texas
Natatorium
Swimming vs. Missouri 2 p.m., Robinson Natrium
Rowing at Head of the Hooch, Gainesville, Ga.
Sunday
Rowing at Head of the Hooch, Gainesville,
Ga.
Monday
Calif
Men's Golf at The Prestige 2003, La Quinta,
Calif.
Women's Golf at Edinburgh Palmettro
Invitational, Kiwail Island, S.C.
Free for All
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
Call 864-0500
I have a better word to describe Omar Wilkes: Taken. He has got a girlfriend, so back off ladies.
-
Ryan Greene, we all get the point that you are in love with Bill Whittemore. Ask him out already.
The Associated Press
Boston's Ramirez waiver deadline approaches
BOSTON — Manny Ramirez makes so much money that even the biggest spenders in baseball don't want him.
The Boston Red Sox placed him on irrevocable waivers Wednesday, and teams have until 1 p.m. EST today to claim the slugging left fielder.
If he's claimed, Boston would get nothing in return but would unload the contract, the second-richest in baseball history. If he isn't claimed, he would remain with the Red Sox.
The New York Yankees' payroll of $164 million — not including postseason and award bonuses — is the highest in the major leagues, but they have no interest in claiming Ramirez, a top baseball executive familiar with the team's plans said yesterday on the condition of anonymity.
Ramirez has five years and $101.5 million remaining on a $160 million, eight-year contract, and would get an extra $1 million if he switches teams. He is scheduled to make $20.5 million next season.
That price leaves few teams in a financial position to claim him and pay the entire amount. It also could hurt Boston's ability to keep some of its other stars who can become free agents after next season, pitchers Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe, shortstop Nomar Gar-
ciaparra, catcher Jason Varitek and right fielder Trot Nixon.
"We're not permitted to comment on waiver issues," team president Larry Lucchino said yesterday through his assistant.
The Red Sox refused to confirm that Ramirez was placed on waivers. Clubs often place many of their players on waivers to gauge other teams' interest and to lay the groundwork for trades.
The move, first reported by The New York Times and Boston Herald, was confirmed yesterday to the Associated Press by the baseball executive.
Calls to Ramirez's agent, Jeff Moorad, and Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein were not returned.
"When you put a player through waivers, you're letting teams know they don't want anything in return," said Scott Boras, a prominent agent who negotiated Alex Rodriguez's $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas.
Ramirez was placed on waivers two days after the Red Sox announced they would not exercise their option to bring back manager Grady Little. The Red Sox made it to the seventh game of the AL championship series and tied the Yankees 5-2 with one out in the bottom of the eighth.
Little left Martinez in the game, and New York tied it with three runs in the
eightth then won on Aaron Boone's homer in the 11th. Afterward, Little was criticized severely by fans and newspaper columnists for sticking with Martinez.
In 12 playoff games, five against Oakland and seven against New York, Ramirez hit. 265.
He signed as a free agent with Boston on Dec. 13, 2000, and John Henry's group bought the team in February 2002.
Ramirez spent seven seasons with Cleveland then hit .306, .349 and .325 over the next three years with Boston. He led the AL in batting in 2002 and was second to teammate Bill Mueller's .326 in 2003. He has 111 homers and 336 RBIs with the Red Sox.
"This club inherited this contract. Their analysis must consider something other than his performance on the field." Boras said. "When you look at his on-the-field performance, I think he's performing at a very high level. Obviously, the club must have other factors in their decision."
In 2003, Ramirez led the AL with a.427 on-base percentage and 28 intentional walks, outstanding numbers for a team like Boston that places special emphasis on a player's ability to get on base. He also had 37 homers and 104 RBIs.
Ramirez is a diligent student of hitting, often analyzing video studying tapes of
himself at the plate. But he is an average, often nonchalant fielder who lacks lustle on the basepaths. The Red Sox would have plenty of hitting without him since they set a major-league record last season with a .491 slugging percentage.
They also would lose some of his quirks.
He was benched by Little late in the 2003 season after he missed a crucial series against the Yankees with a sore throat and fever, yet got together with New York infielder Enrique Wilson to reminisce about their days in Cleveland.
Then Ramirez didn't show up for an appointment with the team doctor, and when he joined the club the next day he sat on the bench but said he was "too weak" to pinch-hit.
And in a game at Yankee Stadium in September, Ramirez tossed the ball into the stands after making a nice catch, thinking there were three outs when there were only two.
Ramirez was signed as a free agent by former Boston general manager Dan Duquette and is scheduled to make $20 million in 2005, $19 million in 2006, $18 million in 2007 and $20 million in 2008.
He also is still owed $5 million of his $16 million signing bonus. The team holds $20 million options for both 2009 and 2010.
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