2B SPORTS
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
QUOTE OF THE DAY
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2009
"I think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball."
- Jack Lemmon
FACT OF THE DAY
Women's golf has finished in the top 10 in each of its tournaments this fall.
Kansas Athletics
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: Women's golf tied for seventh place at the NMSU Price's Give 'Em Five Intercollegiate Oct. 14. It did so behind a career-best performance from which golfer?
A: junior Meghan Bal, who tied for sixth place after shooting a career-low round of 71 in the first round and finished the tournament with three consecutive scores of 74.
Kansas Athletics
BIG 12 BASKETBALL Nebraska considered underdogs this season
Nebraska, which finished 6-10 in conference play and lost seven of eight on the road, returns all five starters, including senior Cory Montgomery, who averaged 15.2 and 7.3 rebounds last season
"I've heard some folks are saying we're a sleeper in the race," Cornhuskers coach Connie Yori said. "We were definitely a sleeper last year. At least we put our fans to sleep with how bad we were on offense."
Also, returning is senior Kelsey Griffin, who averaged 14.5 points in starting her first three years but missed last season with an ankle injury that required two surgeries.
Associated Press
MORNING BREW
Briscoe playing the big stage
D dzemon Briscoe might be the best receiver in the country.
Still
Despite the infamous drop. And the one before it. And here's why.
We'll start with my original concept. You see, about six days ago when this column was conceived it was going to be a "Dezmon Briscoe is the best wide receiver in the country." But then — well, you saw it. Do I have to relive it? I'm going to say no and save us the agony
By the way, I want to clear this up before I go any further. Kerry Meier is an absolutely phenomenal receiver. He's a precise route runner, has impeccable timing with his quarterback and is the proud owner of the best pair of hands in the Big 12 conference, if not the country. But he's not Briscoe. You know it. I know it. Ed Warriner knows it. It's why Briscoe was the guy on that fourth and six. It's why he was the guy on that desperation, three seconds left for a prayer hey by Todd Reesing. Meier, as much as Kansas fans (and quarterbacks) love him, doesn't get his hands above the entire Colorado defense like Briscoe did on that last play.
But anyway, as I was wallow ing in my post-drop misery, I
checked the box score. Eight catches for 154 yards and a touchdown? When the hell did that happen? How good does a receiver have to be for an eight catch 150+ yard performance to be a disappointment, regardless of an unfortunately timed case of the dropsies. (Side note, that was a hell of a play he made to even get his mitts on that ball. Hard to fault him on that one.) Briscoe, a 6-foot-3 manimal, has obviously raised his bar to an absolutely ridiculous level.
It's long been said among pilots that it's not the spin that kills you, it's the lack of a recovery (GOOSE!).
If I were a gambling man
(oh...wait...) I would bet my
non-existent farm on Dez having
a monster day this Saturday
And that's where the "might be" comes in.
Sure, it's the toughest second ary he has faced to this point. But Briscoe, as we learned last year, is a beast on the big stage.
Kid loves the bright lights. We witnessed this against the Sooners last year.
And against Minnesota in the Insight Bowl. Huge stage.Huge games.
No coincidences.
We have no idea how he'll rebound. He's never been THE guy at Kansas and not come down with the ball. Hell, when was the last time he didn't come down with the ball, period?
But more important, and far less of a certainty, is Briscoe's ability to overcome the mental hurdles of failure, though failure is too strong a word.
We'll finally get to see how he bounces back. We'll see the internal fortitude of this guy for the first time in, well, ever. As Briscoe lay on the field with ecstatic Colorado fans streaming past him, he looked defeated. He wearily unsnapped his chin-strap and covered his face with his hands. Need a picture of the agony of defeat? There it is.
He's going big this weekend. Double digit catches, triple-digit yards, multiple touchdowns big. And, no pressure, but he has to.
I'm thinking he returns to form, not that it ever really left him.
Briscoe can't afford to be weaired and defeated this weekend. He can't.
Kansas can't afford it. The Jayhawks need him.
He's THE guy.
And if he proves it again, scratch the "might be." He is the best receiver in the country.
THURSDAY YOUTUBE
SESH
I had to do this one in a show of solidarity for Briscoe. **It's a) fitting for the above column, and b) one of the most impressive plays.**
SESH
So type Dezmon Briscoe into your YouTube search and watch the tacklers drop like so many flies.
Follow Tim Dwyer at twitter.com/timdwyer
Edited by Jonathan Hermes
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
reserve lineman Jimmy Burge for Saturday's homecoming game.The redshirt freshman player is serving a one-game suspension.
TODAY
Tennis
ITA Regionals,
Norman, Okla.,
All day
FRIDAY
Associated Press
Soccer vs. Nebraska,
3 p.m.
Tennis
KU Tournament,
All day
SATURDAY
Swimming Arkansas/Florida, Fayetteville, Ark., 2 p.m.
Volleyball vs. Missouri, 7:30 p.m.
Football vs. Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m.
Tennis KU Tournament, All day
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Lady Bears picked by coaches to win Big 12
ball. She understands there's so much more to basketball than dunking.
Baylor 6-8 freshman Brittney Griner set a record with seven dunks on Jan. 23 in Houston Nimitz's victory over Aldine.
BIG 12 FOOTBALL Freshman suspended for homecoming game
SUNDAY
"She's going to be a very good basketball player. Right now, she's probably known more for her dunks than anything."
"I've never seen a girl that can effortlessly dunk it any way she wants left-handed, right-handed, two-hand jam," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. "I think the only duck I've not ever seen her do is the windmill. But there's more to Brittney Griner than just dunking the basket.
Baylor was picked by the coaches to win the Big 12 title, which Mukley said came as a surprise because the Lady Bears lost four starters, including their top three scorers.
Soccer vs. Iowa State, 1 p.m.
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri defense will be without
Tennis KU Tournament, All day
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Bradford unsure of future
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford attempts to get up after being injured on a sack by Texas' Aaron Williams during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Dallas Oct. 17.
NORMAN, Okla. — Just when it seemed as if Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford was ready to make a decision about his future, the injured Oklahoma quarterback decided he needed more time to think about it.
Bradford called off a news conference scheduled for Wednesday night. Coach Bob Stoops said Bradford needed to gather more information before choosing what to do about his injured right throwing shoulder.
"He just wasn't ready to fully answer everything that'll want to be asked and for sure what he wants to do just yet, until he has a few more people to visit with." Stoops said after the Sooners' practice. "That's it. I won't say another word about it."
Bradford was coming off of one of the most prolific passing seasons in NCAA history when he opted to come back for his junior year instead of entering the NFL draft this year. He was considered a top quarterback prospect after throwing for 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns last season.
Bradford was initially hurt just before halftime in the season
opener against BYU and returned to play one full game before being re-injured during Oklahoma's second drive in a 16-13 loss to No. 3 Texas on Saturday.
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Bradford said after the game that he wouldn't make a decision about his long-term plans until after the season. He said before re-injuring the shoulder that surgery remained a treatment option. He was initially diagnosed with a Grade 3 sprain of his AC joint, and Stoops said X-rays and MRIs have shown no new damage.
"Sam's whole situation, he'll have something to say when he knows what his path will be, and that isn't right now," Stoops said. "I'm not the one to answer it. He will. And I will once he feels he's ready to and knows for sure what he wants to do."
Bradford's primary reason for returning to Oklahoma was to pursue the national championship that he narrowly missed out on last season, when the Sooners lost to Florida in the BCS championship game. An Oklahoma City native, Bradford has also spoken about how Oklahoma football was practically a pro sport to him as he was growing up.
"I think it's extremely difficult for him, coming back for all the right reasons, wanting to have an opportunity to go compete on the football field, compete for championships and then having all those things taken away from you," quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel said.