THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
SPORTS
5B
PGA
Stricker showing playoff prowess
BY JIMMY GOLEN Associated Press
NORTON, Mass. — Steve Stricker laughed off the suggestion that he is golf's Mr. September — the player who's floured the most in the PGA Tour playoffs.
Then he went out and won the Deutsche Bank Championship — his second victory and sixth top 10 in 10 FedEx Cup events. No one has more wins, more top 10 finishes, or more rounds in the 60s in the playoffs in the $2\frac{1}{2}$ years since the tour conceived the end of the year points race.
Not even Tiger Woods.
"We're taking up space in his world," Stricker said on Monday after shooting a 4-under 67 to win at TPC of Boston and take over the top spot in the FedEx Cup standings. "We all know who the guy is out here. I'm just happy to be in the position I'm at and with the opportunity to do something special for myself. He's done enough other special things, maybe let somebody else do something special."
The tour created the playoff
system — and its $10 million bonus — in 2007, hoping to copy the cachet of the tournaments that team sports have long used to crown a champion. It may not be as celebrated as winning a major (or even leading the money list), but whatever challenge the points race has posed, Stricker has responded.
He won The Barclays in 2007 and finished second to Woods in the FedEx Cup that year. Last year, when Woods was recovering from a knee injury, Stricker finished 14th.
"He's done enough special things, maybe let somebody else do something special."
Championship.
"My goal coming into these first three events was just to make sure that I played well and remained in the top five so I could have a chance to win it all," Stricker said. "I think this pretty much does it."
With a second place finish at The Barclays last week and a victory in Boston, Stricker took over first place in this year's standings, 909 points ahead of Woods.
STEVE STRICKER
Golfer
With a FedEx Cup title, Stricker could even make a case for Player of the Year.
Because the points are reset after the BMW Championship in Chicago, Stricker is assured of being no worse than the No. 2 seed in the season-ending Tour
Of course, Woods has a tidy little argument as well.
Hes won five times this year, to three for Stricker. Woods has won more than $8 million, to Stricker's $6 million. Woods failed to win a major this year, but Stricker
has never won one. And Woods is still No. 1 in the world, though Stricker moved up to No. 2 with his victory on Monday.
Stricker's six top 10 playoff finishes is tied for the most with Camilo Villegas. Stricker is one of three golfers, along with Jim Furyk and Sergio Garcia, who has played in all 40 playoff rounds.
NFL
Vick goes back to school, speaks against dogfighting
BY JOANN LOVIGLIO
Associated Press
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick speaks to students at Nueva Esperanza Academy in Philadelphia yesterday. Vick told the students his decisions imperiled the goals he had set for himself since childhood.
PHILADELPHIA — Michael Vick, speaking to a group of Philadelphia high school students Tuesday, warned against the dangers of peer pressure and offered himself as a cautionary tale of what can happen when someone is a follower instead of a leader.
The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, who served prison time for running a dogfighting ring, addressed a rapt audience of 200 freshmen on their first day at Nueva Esperanza Academy, a North Philadelphia charter school. He urged the students to make the right choices and to resist the temptation to follow the crowd.
"I didn't choose to go the right way, which led to 18 months in prison, which was the toughest time of my life," he said. "Being away from my family, being away from my kids who I adore dearly, and being away from the game of football, doing something so foolish, and I wish I could take it all back.
"I was influenced by so many people when I should have been a leader, not a follower."
The 10-minute talk marked Vick's first anti-dogfighting public appearance in Philadelphia since he signed a one-year, $1.6 million deal with the Eagles on Aug. 13. At the time, he expressed a desire "to be part of the solution and not the problem" by speaking to children around the country about dogfighting.
Speaking without notes, Vick told the hushed assembly Tuesday that his poor decisions imperiled
the goals he had set for himself.
"Growing up, I had dreams ano
I always wanted to have this great,
lavish life and make it to the NFL,
go and accomplish great things
and leave a great legacy. That was
my goal from a young kid," Vick said.
"My future was promising ... at some point, I got sidetracked. I started listening to my friends and doing some things that were not ethical and not right."
He said he tried to do the right things at school and at home, "but I had another side to me, and it was a dark side."
Vick visited the school with Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. Pacelle has said he met with Vick in prison
at the quarterback's request and that Vick sought to work with the group after his release.
Vick and the organization are working on "a national campaign to try to reach especially young people so we can all be voices against organized animal fighting," specifically dogfighting and cockfighting, Pacelle said.
"It's really a test of our character as individuals about being good to those who are less powerful," he said.
Once the highest paid player in the NFL, Vick was suspended from the league following his conviction in August 2007 on charges of conspiracy and organizing the dogfighting ring. He was released from federal custody July 20.
Avoiding injury is key for Alexander
Receiver filling big shoes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander runs with the ball during the first quarter game against Illinois Saturday in St. Louis. Alexander had a big opening game with 10 catches for 132 yards in Missouri's 37-9 victory.
BY HARRY PLUMER Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri coach Gary Pinkel had high hopes for Danario Alexander when he recruited the Marlin, Texas, native. After two injury-filled seasons, the Tigers wide receiver appears ready to live up to those lofty expectations.
Alexander had career bests with 10 receptions and 132 receiving yards in Saturday's 37-9 win over Illinois in the season opener for both teams. The Tigers host Bowling Green on Saturday in their home opener.
The win over Illinois came in St. Louis on the same field where Alexander broke his wrist in the 2007 season opener, forcing him to miss three games and allowing Jeremy Maclin to emerge as the Tigers' go-to receiver.
Now, Alexander is hopeful that he'll finally stay healthy and fulfill his promise.
Staying healthy has been the biggest obstacle in Alexander's career.
"It was relieving to know I could still play at a high level," Alexander said. "It felt good to leave the game healthy."
After the injury in 2007, Alexander returned for an eight-catch, 117-yard performance against then No.2 Kansas in a win that sent the Tigers to the Big 12 championship game. In that loss to Oklahoma, Alexander tore the ACL in his left knee.
After surgery, he tore the ligament again the following spring, forcing him to miss the first two games of the 2008 season. He finished the season with just 26
catches.
The Tigers came into this season with a lot of questions after losing Maclin, tight end Chase Coffman, quarterback Chase Daniel and other stars to graduation or the NFL. Pinkel and new offensive coordinator David Yost believe Alexander will play a key role in guiding a rebell offense now under the control of sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
"It was great to end the game and have him walking off the field and excited and happy," Yost said of Alexander.
Six of Alexander's catches against the illini came on third or fourth down.
He gets open," said Gabbert, who was 25-for-33 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. "He can also take a 1-yard catch and make it a 30-year gain."