Sports
PACIFIC SUNSHINE
After watching his team allow 28 points on Saturday, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said he will test the defense in practice this week. PAGE 3B
The University Daily Kansan
1B
Monday, August 25, 2003
Kickballers celebrate
By Mike Bauer mbauer@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
The Kaw Valley Kickball League held its all-star game, trophy presentation, and season-ending party yesterday. But that's not all the kickball league was about.
The party, held north of Memorial Stadium, lasted from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. Following the festivities, teams consisting of the two best players from each team played the league's final game of the season.
During the party, trophies were presented to the Wattlenck and Rudy's Pizzeria teams, which placed first and second, respectively.
second, respectively. The league's teams were composed of employees from various businesses restaurants and bars in the Lawrence area.
Natalie Winn, Lawrence senior and the two-year-old league's founder, said all the businesses that participated were locally owned, with the exception of Einstein's Bagels.
Scott Edwards, employee at Rudy's Pizzeria, worked with Winn to coordinate the teams, as well as get equipment, organize the schedule, and distribute and collect the equipment on game days.
Winn said the league had eight teams last year, then expanded to 20 teams this
"It's totally radical. This is the epitome of Lawrence."
Rosemary Blanke Topkea senior
year.
"This league has done its part to make the community tighter than it already is," Winn said.
Jesse Nelson, Lawrence resident and member of the Rudy's Pizzeria team, agreed with Winn.
"People who play tend to recognize each other on the street and not just give a 'Hey' or 'What's up.'" Nelson said.
said. Kieran McBride, Lawrence freshman, played in the league and looked forward to the game. He also offered his prediction for the game.
"I think the people are going to be too trashed to kick the ball," McBride said.
Winn said the night was not about partying, but relaxing before playing a competitive game.
Rosemary Blanke, Topeka senior, played on the Juice Stop team and said the league reflected the community.
"It's totally radical. This is the epitome of Lawrence," Blanke said.
Let it Ride all-star Jorde Matthews walloped a pitch down the first base line last night. rne Kaw Valley Kickball Association held its first all-star game and end of the season party near Memorial Stadium.
— Edited by Doyle Murphy
Athletics director hires UConn aide
By John Domoney jdomoney@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
When Jim Marchiony was hired as part of new athletics director Lew Perkins' vision for the Kansas Athletic Department, Marchiony knew tricks and gimmicks would not be a part of the plan.
"You can't do it with smoke and mirrors," Marchiony said. "You've got to have good promotional ideas, a lot of hard work, and you have to win. Part of it is getting people to know our student athletes; to try and create an attachment between the general public and the great kids we have here competing."
Marchiony was hired July 22 to be the associate athletics director of external affairs. He should be familiar with promoting the student athletes after being involved in college athletics departments since graduating from St. Bonaventure in 1976.
After spending 17 1/2 years working for the NCAA, including the last five as
the media coordinator for the Division One men's basketball tournament, Marchiony joined Perkins at the University of Connecticut in April 2002.
versity of Connecticut in spring.
When in came time to make a decision on whether or not to follow Perkins to Kansas, Marchiony knew it involved leaving behind many relatives, specifically his wife's family on the East Coast.
"It was difficult to leave all of that, including our family," Marchiony said of his departure from Storrs, Conn. "But this area is our second home. We lived here for 14 years when the NCAA was here. I literally wouldn't have moved anywhere else in the country at this time."
Marchiony and his wife, Mary Beth bought a house in Leawood, but Marchiony will assume a large role in Lawrence in his office on the second floor of the Wagnon Student Athletes Center.
Along with dealing with marketing, sports information and ticket sales. Marchiony has also been charged with the duty of creating revenue, which is something he enters with mixed emotions.
he enters the room with a
"Would I like it if revenue wasn't an
issue?" Marchiony said. "Sure. But it is. It makes you work harder and you accept it and move on."
Several things Marchiony will not accept are poor attendance at football and women's basketball games. At UConn, Marchiony was involved with a quickly developing football program and a women's basketball program that plays in front of packed arenas at home on a regular basis.
While Marchiony said he is looking for increased attendance at football and women's basketball games along with the olympic sports, he was quick to say he does not believe anything can be taken for granted concerning Kansas' most celebrated team.
"You can't ignore men's basketball." Marchiony said. "KU is very fortunate in that it has one of the premiere men's basketball programs in the country. But you can't just assume that it's going to happen year after year."
happen year after year. Although Marchiony admits he is still in a transition phase of getting acclimated to his new job and new surroundings in the department, he said he was excited to be a part of the plan of the man who has his office across the hallway.
Graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1976
THE MARCHIONY FILE
Worked for the NCAA for 17 1/2 years including his last five as media coordinator for the Division I men's basketball tournament
Lives with his wife, Mary Beth, and son, Donald, in Leawood
has his office activity. "Lew has a vision," Marchiony said. "I think we can be a part of something really special here over the next several years."
— Edited by Neeley Spellmeier
Women's basketball welcomes coaches
Kansas coach Marian Washington had to look no further than the former Big 8 Conference to fill
Big 8 Conference to in a pair of vacancies on her staff.
her star
Kate Galligan, a guard for the University of Nebraska from 1993-1996, was named assistant coach, and Keshana Ledet, a Jayhawk from 1994-1996, was given administrative assistant.
Washington
Galligan comes to
Galligan comes to the University of Kansas from the University of Texas-Pan American, where she was an assistant coach for two years.
"I'm really delighted to have coach Galligan join our coaching staff," Washington said. "She was a standout player at the University of Nebraska, a real hard worker on the floor, and a strong contributor for their program."
A Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native, Galligan excelled for the Cornhuskers. She ranked in the top-three in Nebraska in three-pointers and is 17th on the all-time Nebraska scoring list. The guard helped lead the team to the NCAA Tournament her senior year, earning honorable mention All-Big 8 honors in the 1995-1996 season.
Galligan will help Washington with the guard development and assist in recruiting.
give me equipment and assist in recruiting. "I'm very happy to be back at a school with a lot of tradition and working with a coach that is really one of the legends of the game," Galligan said. "It is very good to be back in the Big 12 Conference and closer to my family."
Galligan replaces Pam DeCosta, who accepted a head coaching position at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla.
Ledet also will join Washington's staff this year. While at Kansas, she helped the Jayhawks to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. She was a contributor in Kansas' 1995-1996 campaign, when the team won the Big 8 Conference title and advanced to the Sweet 16.
title and advanced to the best.
"It's always great to have some of your past players want to come back and want to be involved." Washington said. "We are fortunate to have had an opening that made it possible for Keshana to come back to Kansas. She's been coaching at the high school and junior college level and was a very successful player for us here at Kansas."
Ledet will assist in Kansas' academic support and conditioning programs.
Edited by Michael Owells
Whittemore talent overshadowed by losing record
This column was written with a little hesitation.
The University Daily Kansan already ran a feature on Bill Whittemore in the Back to School issue, and virtually every story on the Kansas football team this year will at least mention the senior quarterback.
Yeah, there was some reservation about over-hyping the Jayhawk captain, but if the local press doesn't tout Whittemore a little, no one else will. ESPN's Trev Alberts recently previewed the alleged top signal callers in the Big 12 Conference with no mention of Whittemore.
All Whittemore did last year was finish fourth in the Big 12 in total offense, despite playing only seven full games, behind the conference's worst offensive line. His 246 yards a game last season were nearly 30 more a contest than Kansas State's Heisman Trophy candidate, Ell Roberson.
Of course the reason the football world, outside the heartland, is ignorant to Whittemore lies in the fact that despite his best efforts, he could only lead the Jayhawks to two victories last season.
will not change this season.
So far in August practice he's displayed an even sharper passing arm than last season, when he showed he was also a very capable runner. He's a Peyton Manning and Steve Young hybrid with a quiet, cool personality, a confident smile and a slow Tennessee drawl, that says "I'm a winner" without actually uttering the words.
without actually uttering the words. His track record backs it up. He led Brentwood High School to district titles in Tennessee and was named the state's Mr. Football as a senior. At Fort Scott Community College, he was the Jayhawk Conference most valuable player.
Jayhawks to two Pistons Yet, anyone who spends time around Whittemore can't help but think maybe that will change this season.
Shane Mettlen
smettlen@kansan.com
Sure, it's sort of a joke. Quarterbacks of 2-10 teams don't win the Heisman, except in the hearts of their diehard fans, no matter how good they might be. Whittemore will never win the Heisman, but maybe, just maybe, he can earn some of the national recognition he deserves. The Jay-
Yes, Whittemore has risen to the top of every level of football he's played. That's one reason that slowly, but surely he's earning the nickname "Billy Heisman," at least on the KU campus.
The first four games of the season are winnable for this Jaihawk squad, and if Kansas enters the September 27 matchup with Missouri 4-0, a least a few people outside the state might take notice. The Tigers will likely be ranked in the top 25 when they come to Lawrence and boast Brad Smith, a high caliber quarterback in his own right, adding a little spice to the annual Border War game.
annual Border war game. Of course, Kansas might not start 4-0. Even if they do, Whittimore will probably remain one of the hidden gems of college football. Years from now he'll likely only be remembered by the most loyal Kansas fans. His legacy could end up being that of the possibly the best college quarterback never to lead his team to a winning season.
to a winning season.
Butthen you watch him for a while. You see the respect he earns from his teammates, the confidence his coaches have in him, the pure talent he carries onto the field. You see all that and you think, "maybe this team could win a few games. Maybe they could even go to a bowl."
Maybe they could ever give Maybe they will, maybe they won't. It's too early to tell. This team has too many unknown variables to accurately predict what's in store. The defense will rely on highly touted, but untested, newcomers. The receiving corps should be improved, but anything would be an improvement over the seemingly infinite number of dropped passes last season.
number of dropped passes it's
It's anyone's guess what their record
will be, but there is one thing for certain
about the 2003 Kansas Jayhawks. If any-
one can lead them to success this year,
it's Billy Heisman. No maybe about it.
Shane Mettlen is a Lucas senior in journalism. He is Kansan sports editor.