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Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
The Kansas men's basketball team is ranked No. 2 in this season's first Associated Press poll.
Friday
November 7,1997
Section:
B
Page 1
Pro Baseball
Royals chairman David Glass said Kansas City did not change leagues because the fans were split. Milwaukee switched to the National League yesterday.
College Football
Texas Tech officials announced yesterday that the Red Raiders will not accept a bid for a postseason bowl game or the Big 12 Championship because of its NCAA violations charges.
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Sunflower Showdown
No matter the score, both teams will lose
I'm not going to ridicule Kansas State, the education it provides or the demographic consistency of its student body.
I (unfortunately) pay taxes and actually care about the quality of education the state institutions provide. I know and am related to a lot of people at the other school. And I'm certain that the student bodies are more similar than either would
more similar than either would like to admit.
And the game doesn't matter anwav.
Oh, it has mattered when, after defeats in football the last three years, I have returned to southeast Kansas or have seen my two brothers who attended K-State.
For the last three years, I have logically replied to insults and the like:
Kristie Blasi
1. K-State is not Kansas' biggest rival. My training to be a Kansas Student Ambassador taught me this. The correct answer is Missouri. Unfortunately, I think this only applies to people who remember when the Mizzou
is bigger or to people who are from the greater Kansas City area. Color the rest of the state purple or crimson and blue, but don't mix the colors.
2. Wait until basketball. For your information, the dates are Jan. 17 and Feb. 14 this season. But Wildcat fans seem to believe that one win on the turf is more important than two on the court.
3. Purple is ugly. It's just a color preference. Really.
4. At least our school song does not resemble "I've Been Working on the Railroad." What is that, and must the KSU Band play it all the time? There should be laws
the ARC Lakers take the mike if they should be laws.
5. The Jayhawk might be a mythical mascot, but that Powercat is a lifeless graphic. That doesn't look like a cat any more than Willie does.
The game hasn't been played yet, but both Division I football-playing universities in Kansas already have lost.
Both schools are losers if a sold-out game featuring a
A big reason for the lack of respect is lack of schedule strength, Kansas State played and defeated Northern Illinois, Ohio and Bowling Green in its non-conference schedule this season. Next year, three directional schools — Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Northeast Louisiana — are set to collect the gate receipts, get knocked off by the supposed K-State football powerhouse and go back to their Mid-American, Midwestern Collegiate and Southland conference races.
certain bowl team and a possible bowl team is relegated to pay-per-view by television officials in charge of the Big 12 Conference contract. Not only does the snub limit fan access to the game, but it damages recruiting for both schools when they try to compete in the Big 12 region.
Two of Kansas' three nonconference fees hail from conferences at least have guaranteed slots in bowl games. And Jayhawk schedule makers have dared to schedule a Big 10 team (gasp!) in consecutive years during my college career and even agreed to meet Florida State this decade. They lost the game, but the Seminole shutout landed the Jayhawks on national television wearing uniforms other than shorts and tank tops.
Now, neither football team can get even on regional television with regularity unless Nebraska is the opponent.
Schedule strength is a major factor in football reputation. But football in the state of Kansas has a lot to overcome.
The defining moment in Kansas-KState football was in 1987. A glory year for either program it was not. I was watching football on a Saturday afternoon with my dad and three brothers when ABC's John Saunders informed his national audience that Kansas and K-State had tied 1717 in the Battle of the Bads.
He said that on national television. And he was right. The Jayhawks finished the season 1-9-1 and the Wildcats were a witness 0-10-1. Unfortunately, a lot of folks think he still is right.
But I guess the Wildcats, bound for another Cotton Bowl, will play host to the Holiday Bowl-bound Jayhawks tomorrow anyway.
Kansas 10, Kansas State 7 in overtime.
Kansas 10, Kansas State 7 in overtime
I can't wait for holiday vacations
I can't wait for holiday vacations.
'Cats will go wild against KU
I want to tell you a little secret: I used to be a Jayhawk. You can stop writing the angry letters. I realized the error of my ways, didn't I?
Some of you may call me a turncoat. I call it a wise move.
For reasons not pertinent to this column, I left KU to pursue other interests. When I returned to college, I chose K-State because I had a sister here, and I knew no one in Lawrence. My sister said, "You'll love it here, I promise."
She was right. After two years at the school on top of Mt. Oread, I never found a comfortable niche. If I had, I wouldn't be writing this column.
After a week in Wildcat Country, I found a niche, along with three other ex-Jayhawks with the same problem. I am thankful I made that decision, because I have received opportunities here I would have never seen at KU.
This year's Wildcat team is doing that and then some. Bill Snyder said in Tuesday's news conference that match-ups would be key for this game. After looking at the numbers, there is no comparison; the 'Cats top every category.
compete in its first New Year's Day bowl game. I can't predict how long modern-day KU football fans (if there are any) will have to wait for that to happen.
I got the opportunity to see a team
Sun Dee Mills
And the 'Cats? Behind the biggest offensive line in school history, the Wildcat running game is set to break school records. EDGE' CATS
I got to experience a roll-up-your-sleeves, smash-mouth type of football played the same way every day.
Kansas State Collegian Sports Editor sundee@ksu.edu
OFFENSIVE LINE: Piece of cake. The 'Hawks have switched players in their positions so much, reading the death chart must be dizzying.
QUARTERBACK: With 'Cat quarterback Michael
Bishop ranking fourth in the Big 12 in passing efficiency and sixth in total offense, there is no contest. Bishop has thrown 54 competitions in 130 attempts with 6 interceptions. He has thrown for 1,051 yards passing and has 391 rushing yards under his belt.
RECEIVERS: Once a weakness for the 'Cats, the receivers have stepped up. Bishop's improved passing has nurtured the skills of receivers Darnell McDonald and Gavin Peries and tight end Justin Swift.
Jayhawk sophomore Zac Wegner will see his fifth start tomorrow and has 44 completions on 94 passing attempts for 576 yards this season. Yawn EDGE: CATS
The Hawks' Michael Chandler has the most receptions, with 17 (dess than two a game!) for 260 yards. He is followed by Eric Vann, a running back... hmm. EDGE: 'CATS
DEFENSIVE LINE/LINEBACKERS: The 'Hawks are strong. With experience on their side, they have recorded 27 sacks, with linebacker Ron Warner responsible for 12.5 of them.
Against Oklahoma, Vann posted a 99-yard touchdown run, the fifth player in NCAA history to do so. Vann ranks 11th in the Big 12 in rushing, but guess who's right above him? Cat back Erik Hickson, EDGE'CATS
RUNNING BACKS: Vann will need to be contained.
Still, the **Cats** are second in the Big 12 and fifth in the nation. "Nuff said." EDGE: CATS
SECONDARY: The 'Hawks boast being second in the Big 12 in pass defense, only giving up six TDs through the air this year.
And the 'Cats? No. 1 in the Big 12, No. 6 in the nation; the 'Cats have given up no aerial TDs in the past 30 quarters. EDGE: 'CATS
KU fans will retaliate. They will say I left KU because I was flunking out and K-State was the only school that would take me. Only I (and the registrar's office) know that's not true. They will say that our mothers have only three teeth and that we ride tractors to class. Only we know that's not true. You won't hear them saying anything about football, the subject at hand. That's because they have nothing to say.
K-State45,KU6
Robert Davis, Topeka junior, lights the bonfire to kick off the football rally in preparation for the Jayhawk's game against K-State. Last night's rally started at 7 pm , next to Memorial Stadium, and brought out about 100 supporters of the KU football team. Photo by Pam Dishman/KANSAN
Kansas didn't start the fire, but fans the flame anyway
By Kelly Cannon
kcannon@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Flames, fans and the football team kicked off the trip to Manhattan with a bonfire at the base of Campanile hill last night
Omicron Delta Kappa and the Student Alumni Association sponsored the second annual 'Keepin' the Fire Alive' rally. The rally is designed to get the football team and fans ready for the Kansas State game.
Kansas football coach Terry Allen, director of athletics Bob Frederick and Chancellor Robert Hemenway, along with the football team and about 100 chilly fans attended the rally.
"What we see here are the diehard Jayhawk fans," Hemenway said. "You didn't know if it would rain or be cold, and you came anyway. You are the kind of fans we need if we're going to beat K-State Saturday."
The bonfire started slowly, literally. ODK president Robert Davis lit the wood pile, but the flames didn't take off until after the rally was officially finished.
Amy Gagnon, vice president of ODK, said the rally was better attended than last year's.
Allen thanked the fans, the band and spirit squad for their
"We'd like it to get even better," Gagnon said. "It could be a great event if we could get the faithful students out."
"You won't be treated well," Allen said. "You will have to handle yourself with class."
attendance. He also warned them about how they would be treated in Manhattan.
Allen said the team had had an exciting home season, and that the 1997 season was far from finished.
"We will bring the Governor's Cup back to Lawrence," he said. "Our football team is here. We're building this bonfire. We'll always make an effort to be here on the Thursday or Friday, if we play at home, before we play those awful Wildcats."
Kickoff for the K-State game is 1:10 p.m. The game can be seen on pay-per-view.
Jayhawks versus Wildcats, round 95
The Governor's Cup—and a year of bragging rights—are at stake this weekend for the Kansas football team.
Kansas outside linebacker Ron Warner dives after Kansas State running back Mike Lawrence. Kansas will face Kansas State this Saturday in Manhattan at 1:10 p.m. photo by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
By Kelly Cannon
"We are anxious to play this game," Kansas coach Terry Allen said. "There are so many kids in our program from the state of Kansas, you don't have to make a big bighype for this game."
A win would mean Kansas is bowl game eligible for the second time in the last three years. A loss would be the fifth consecutive time Kansas has fallen to Kansas State.
K-State is 7-1, second in the North division of the Big 12 Conference and ranked 18th nationally.
"It will be a measuring stick for our program." Allen said. "If we can get a win, that would probably as big a win as we've had around here in a few years."
The Wildcats are led by quarterback Michael Bishop.
"Bishop obviously scares you more because of his athleticism and the things he can create," Allen said.
Bishop is K-State's second leading rusher, for an average of 89 yards a game.
Kansas outside linebacker Ron Warner said Bishop is one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12.
"He can scramble a lot, he can throw the ball, or just roll it out," Warner said. "He's kind of like (Texas') James Brown and (Texas Tech)'s Zebbie Lethridge. There are a lot of good quarterbacks in the Big 12."
Allen said the Jayhawks would have to disrupt K State's rhythm.
"Bishop is a great quarterback, but he's prone to making mistakes," Allen said. "We have to cause those mistakes, get them off tempo."
Kansas leads the series 61-28-5. Kickoff is set for 1:10 p.m. in Manhattan. The game will be televised on pay-per-view.