Pro Baseball
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Cleveland defeated the defending champions 4-3 last night to advance to the American League Championship Series vs. Baltimore. Florida plays Atlanta at 7:07 tonight.
College Football
Oklahoma State swept the Big 12 players of the week. Quarterback Tony Lindsay, strong safety Trent Alexander and specialist R.W. McQuarters were honored.
Tuesday
October 7, 1997
Section:
A
Page 10
Pro Football
Denver is the only undefeated NFL team after it defeated New England 34-13 last night in Denver. The Broncos are 6-0.The Patriots are 5-1.
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All the wrong reasons enter Oklahoman's college choice
Sports don't cancel the value of an education
I've taken a lot of heat since I wrote my column Friday.
But, after Kansas bested Oklahoma — foiling my prediction — most of it was probably deserved.
My friends — all very exuberant Jayawk fans — have had the best time. There
are also my colleagues at the "Kansan." They thought it was pretty funny as well.
Yet, through all the Sooner jokes, I've noticed one question that seems to keep recurring, and it's the one that has captured my interest the most. Friends, students, alumni and fans all have asked me, in one form or another, "If you like Oklahoma."
Harley Ratliff sports@kansan.com
you like UniCollege football so much, why did you go to KU?"
football so often, why did you go to IRE?
The education. The campus. The student body. The professors. The social life.
William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. "The University Dally Kansan." New places. New experiences. New people.
That's why I attend the University of Kansas.
Maybe I missed the boat on picking a university.
I guess I should have spent more time with my high school counselor — I would have known better.
The prevailing opinion seems to be that you apply to several schools, decide which school's athletic department you like the most and sign up for enrollment.
I thought choosing a college was a bit more complicated than that. But, because I've been wrong before, I decided to do a little investigating.
First, I called KU Info — they seem to have the answers for everything. I talked to a very nice young lady from Wichita. She had recently transferred here, so I asked why she came to the University.
She mentioned some really silly reasons about what a great student body we have and how cool she thought Lawrence was.
Next, I called the office of admissions and talked to student employee Dain Kloner, a very nice young man from Minnesota. Very helpful. I asked him how he ended up at Kansas.
"I thought it was the best education for the money," he said. Terrible reason.
"I wanted to broaden my horizons," he said.
How frivolous
Are those the only reasons you came to the University?
Rattlist Is a Norman, Okla., junior in journalism.
"They have a really good pre-med program," he said. "That played a real important part in why I came here. I can't say enough good things about this university."
But aren't you a Golden Gopher fan? Weren't you excited when they made it to the Final Four?
"I was so excited," he said. "I'm a crazy Gopher fan."
I guess someone should have told Dain to stay in Minnesota. Forget that education fribble, forget the horizons crap, never mind the pre-med program. It's about time my friends, the students, the alumni and the fans clued Dain in to how you choose a school.
I would hate for him to keep telling all those prospective students such misguided things.
I came to KU for many of the same reasons that Dain mentioned. And, like Dain, I can't say enough good things about Kansas.
I love this school. I love this campus. I love the students. I love the way the Campanile looks from Carruth-O'Leary when the sun is setting and when the warm rays consume Mount Oread, illuminating the entire campus. I love Lawrence. I love it all. Just root for the Sooner.
I just root for the Sooners.
'Hawks basking in afterglow
Special teams, defense made victory possible
By Kelly Cannon
kcannon@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Diklahma fullback Jermaine Fazande gets upended in the backfield by Kansas free safety Tony Blevins. Blevins also returned an Diklahma punt 54 vards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Photo by Dan Elvasky/KANSAN
Two days have passed since Kansas defeated Oklahoma 20-17. but the Javawhacks are still enjoying their win.
The win came at an important time for Kansas. The Jayhawks' last game was a road loss to the University of Cincinnati. Kansas' next two games are on the road: Saturday at Texas Tech in Lubbock, and Oct. 18 at Colorado in Boulder.
"Obviously, it was a huge win for our football team," Kansas football coach Terry Allen said. "Statistically, I think we turned a lot of people's heads."
"We're pleased to be 4-1, and we're crossing our fingers to get to 5-1," Allen said. "I don't think anybody expected us to be 4-1, especially after losing to Cincinnati."
Kansas used its idle week between the Cincinnati and Oklahoma games to refocus on fundamental football, Allen said. The team also paid extra attention to special teams play. Of Kansas' 20 points Saturday, 14 came from special teams: two field goals, two point-after-touchdown kicks and a punt return for a touchdown.
"With Tony's (Blevins) punt return and Joe Garcia's 51- yard field goal, you have to believe sometimes," Allen said.
Allen said Kansas' kickers had been doing an exceptional job this year. Punter Dean Royal averaged 46.5 yards per punt Saturday, and place-kicker Garcia kicked two field goals and two PATs.
"Dean Royal struggled last year but has been doing an exceptional job this year," Allen said. "And perhaps the most pivotal play, when we had the opportunity to take the lead, came from a true freshman who kicked a 51-yard field goal that would have been good from 60."
Blevins said Vann's touchdown was an important moment for Kansas.
"I was getting frustrated," Vann said. "We needed something like that to happen during the game, and I think everyone else did too."
Kansas' final touchdown came from a 99-yard rushing play by running back Eric Vann. Vann became the fifth player in NCAA history to rush 99 yards for a touchdown. In fact, two of the five players to accomplish that feat were from Kansas: Vann and Gale Sayers in 1963.
"That is a long way to run, and I thought the
corner(back) was going to get him, but he ran out of gas," Blevins said. "That was a hua plau."
Backup tight end Jason Gulley, who was suspended for one game earlier this season for violating team rules, is out for the season. Gully broke his foot in Saturday's game and will need surgery.
If Kansas wins two more games this season it will qualify for a bowl bid. Kansas 'last bowl appearance was in 1995 at the Aloha Bowl in Hawaii. The Jayhawks finished 10-2 that season.
"That is what our goal has been all season —do anything we can to get to a bowl game." Vann said.
- Injured linebacker Jason Thoren, who did not play on Saturday, is expected to return against Texas Tech this weekend.
"We were overly optimistic when we thought he'd play against Oklahoma," Allen said. "But we talked to the trainers, and they said he should be ready to go against Tech."
Kansas' quarterback controversy will not go away. Allen said that he would have to evaluate who the starter would be against Texas Tech.
Martial artists win at Worlds
"We'll still be in a position where we can use the two," Allen said. "We'll know after Tuesday."
Kuk Sool Won club members spar to victory in competition
By Kristie Blasi
kblasi@kansan.com
Sports editor
A Kansas club team has at least four world-class athletes.
Three members of the Kuk Sool Won club team placed at the annual World Tournament this weekend in Houston.
Kuk Sool Won is a Korean martial art. The tournament involved both sparring and technique competitions.
Jon Lindsey, Kansas City, Kan., graduate student, placed third in red-belt techniques, which is a competition based on agility and execution and includes defending against attacks.
Walter Dimmick, assistant professor of systematics and ecology, placed first in the staff weapons competition and fourth in techniques in the first-degree black belt division.
Darin Mangan, Garden City senior, placed second in the blue-belt division of the form competition, which involves a series of predetermined martial-arts movements.
Dimmick, who is also the club's instructor and faculty adviser, said that about 800 martial artists competed at the 23rd annual tournament. Competitors traveled to Houston from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Venezuela. The Kansas club has participated for the past four years.
Dimmick has been training in Kuk Sool Won since 1981. The club is open to participants at various stages in their careers. Mangan has been a member for about 10 months.
"I thought it was really amazing because there were a lot of people competing," Mangan said. "The actual competition is about a minute long with quite a few moves and jumpspin crescent kicks. There were a lot of variations among the competition."
"I'm very pleased with the performances," Dimmick said. "The students at KU train hard."
Walter Dimmick, faculty adviser to the Kuk Soul Won club team, throws Jon Lindsey, Kansas City, Kan., doctoral student, during practice. Both Dimmick and Lindsey placed at the World Tournament last weekend in Houston. Photo by Geoff Krieger/KANSAN
"I like it because it seems really practical and it's a really good workout — kind of an all-around workout." Mangan said.
"It was a thrill to be there," he said. "Everybody was having fun. It was serious in a way, but in another way it wasn't real serious. We were talking and joking with guys we competed against in the sparring a minute before it began.
Mangan said that the competition was worth the workouts.
"It is meant to be fun instead of a he's-my enemy type of competition," he said.
Dimmick said the club emphasized practicing instead of competing, and many members chose not to attend the organized competitions.
The Kuk Sool Won Club meets from 8 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday in 209 Robinson.
Men's golf team trails Miami, Ohio, by one
The Kansas men's golf team is one stroke behind the University of Miami, Ohio, after two rounds at the Legends of Indiana Intercollegiate in Franklin, Ind. The final round will begin today at 8:30 a.m.
The Jayhawks are 11 shots under par for the tournament. Sophomore Ryan Vermeer and junior Chris Thompson are in position to contend for their second individual titles of the season. Vermeer won the Kansas Invitational and Thompson won the Missouri Bluces Intercollegiate.
Vermeer is tied for second with a score of 138 after shooting 68 and 70 in the first two rounds on the par-72 course. Thompson is one shot behind Vermeer and is tied for fourth place after shooting 70 and 69.
Another Jayhawk in the top 10 is sophomore Brad Davis, who is at 3 under par with one round remaining.
Senior Brad Barnett is No. 47 with a score of 148. Freshman Jim Gates, who is participating in the first golf trip of his collegiate career, is tied for 83rd with a 157 total.
Nebraska's Steve Friesen leads the individual race at 137. Vermeer is tied with Ball State's Jamie Broce, who is playing on his home course.
The Kansas women's golf team is in ninth place after two rounds in the Big 12 Fall Preview in Columbia, Mo. The Jayhawks scored 637 in the first two rounds. No. 25 Oklahoma State leads the field with a score of 603.
Women's golfers ninth in Fall Preview
Sophomore Susan Tessary is the leading Jayhawk at No. 21 with a 12-over-par score of 156. Freshman Jamie Tucker is in 29th place with a 159 score. Senior Beth Reuter is tied for 33rd at 180. Freshman Ashley Bishop has a two-round score of 162, for 40th place. Junior Mandy Munsch, who came into the tournament with a team-low 79.5 average, is tied for 53rd after rounds of 86 and 81.
Chasing the Cowgirls is No. 23 Texas Tech, No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 20 Texas and No. 26 Missouri.
Texas Tech's Brooke Lowrance and Oklahoma State's Maria Boden are tied for the lead in the individual championship with a two-round score of 146. Par for two rounds is 144.
The Big 12 Fall Preview will conclude today with the final round, which begins at 8:10 a.m.
Kansan staff reports
CLARIFICATION
Because of a reporter's error, yesterday's "Kansas" reported that 1,000 athletes participated in the 1997 Kansas Relays. More than 3,500 high school and college athletes competed at the annual track and field meet.
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