THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
SPORTS
3B
NFL
Chiefs defense shows signs of life
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tank Tyler (93) runs drills during NFL football training camp in River Falls, WI. A defense that was the main culprit in last year's 2-14 debacle is beginning to sit, showing signs of slowly returning to life. What's more, in a wild reform of form, the Chiefs are even applying pressure to the passer.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Buried beneath Kansas City's 0-4 preseason record and all the anxiety over a stinky offense, a bit of good news is trying to peek out.
A defense that was the main culprit in last year's 2-14 debacle
is beginning to stir, showing signs of slowly returning to life. What's more, in a wild reversal of form, the Chiefs are even applying pressure to the passer.
Yes, Chiefs fans, when one of your guys tackles the other team's quarterback behind the line of scrimmage, it's still called a "sack."
"It seemed like they were talking about it every time I turned on ESPN."
That's a term Kansas Citianshad little occasion to use all through the 2008 season, when the Chiefs set a 16-game NFL record for pass-rushing futility by taking the quarterback to the ground a paltry 10 times. They needed a sack in the season finale at Cincinnati just to break into double figures.
TANK TYLER
Defensive lineman
Kansas City Chiefs
"It seemed like they were talking about it every time I turned on ESPN," defensive lineman Tank Tyler said with a wince. "Then when we went back home, we got teased all the time — 'You guys can't sack the quarterback.' I blamed myself."
But it was easy to put all that out of their mind, as long as they avoided friends, canceled the newspaper and stayed glued to the Weather Channel.
They can sack the quarterback
now, at least in the preseason. In four games, admittedly all losses, the Chiefs racked up seven sacks out of their new 3-4 alignment. Also a big help, they say, is a more confident and aggressive attitude hewn from head coach Todd
Haley's unrelenting in-your-face approach.
"I'm encouraged defensively overall," said Haley. "A lot of guys were asked to do some different things, some things they weren't used to doing. And most of them responded."
In a bit of a surprise, two-year starting safety Bernard Pollard was released in the final cutdown. Seeing plenty of action at that position will be veteran Mike Brown, who signed a free agent contract in June.
Almost immediately after taking over from Herm Edwards
Haley installed the 3-4 defense. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, after seeing his Chiefs outscored 440-291, got out of town ahead of the posse and was replaced by Clancy Pendergast, also coming over from Arizona.
Also taking a big hand is linebackers coach Gary Gibbs, who was defensive coordinator the three previous years in New Orleans. And making a major on-
field contribution to this massive overhaul of one of the league's worst defenses has been veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel.
"Everybody on the defense motivates each other, especially a guy like Mike Vrabel," Tyler said. "He
made a couple of plays last week (against St. Louis) that got me real excited. He's an older veteran and plays with a lot of passion and enthusiasm and it feeds off to a lot of the young guys."
Brought over in a trade with New England along with quarterback Matt Cassel, Vrabel's experience on four Super Bowl teams has provided badly needed leadership and locker room presence
in a place that's witnessed only six wins the past two seasons.
"It makes a lot of difference because it's not often that you hear guys speak up and talk out there," Tyler said. "That's one of the leaders we have. Everybody is picking up their game a lot."
"Everybody on the defense motivates each other, especially a guy like Mike Vrabel."
Tyler, moved from defensive tackle to nose tackle, had a team-best nine tackles in the 17-9 loss to the Rams. That's unusual for the nose tackle in a 3-4 alignment
TANKTYLER
Defensive lineman
Kansas City Chiefs
designed to let ends and linebackers make the bulk of the stops.
"Coach told me, 'You're in the middle of the defense. Every play is yours.' And I kind of took that to heart and I wanted to just go out and play my position and make
plays." Tyler said.
Since he was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round in 2007, Tyler is 6-26. He and his teammates are tired of avoiding people, weary of grabbing the TV remote and then hesitating.
"It doesn't feel good to lose and we don't ever want to get that losing feeling back." he said. "This is a new season for us."
SOCCER (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Junior midfielder Erin Ellefson centers the ball during the first half of Saturday's game against Rhode Island. Ellefson played 66 minutes and had one shot on goal in the game, as the Javahwets went on to win 3-1.
it's hard to keep that going." Francis said. "I didn't feel like we were as efficient with the ball and then the chances that they got came from us making some poor decisions. We can't do that."
Long Beach State's Karina Camocho scored in the 76th minute, but the Jayhawks squeaked Long Beach State's attack for the rest of the half.
On Sunday, Francis thought his team took a step backward in the first half even though it defeated Rhode Island by the same score as it defeated Long Beach State on Friday.
"I think a lot of the decisions we made were just tired decisions," Francis said. "It was probably my fault, we probably should have made changes earlier."
Francis' team also had a team-record eight offsides penalties. Francis said the whistles were frustrating because the team had watched Rhode Island on tape and knew the team would try to draw Kansas offsides.
"It took away a lot of opportunities that we had a good buildup with good ball in." Francis said about the offsides calls. "But we were a step too far forward which is just a focus issue."
Williamson recorded her first college goal after converting a cross from Cressy in the 41st minute.
However, Rhode Island quickly responded on a header by Rhode Island defender Amanda Thomas. Williamson said she thought the defenders just lost their marks in the box and that allowed Thomas to find space.
At halftime, Francis decided to make a couple changes to the line-up. subbing in senior Julie Hanley to replace freshman Kat Liebetrau as goalkeeper and moving senior Kim Boyer from forward to left back to replace Noble.
In the 58th minute, a Kansas free kick hit a Rhode Island defender and fell to the feet of Dolinsky, who scored what would end up being the game winner from eight yards out. Dolinsky didn't talk up the goal afterwards: She admitted she barely got to the ball before it went into the back of the net.
But as Francis said after the game, the team found a way to win.
Kansas takes on Denver at the Colorado College Invitational Friday in Colorado Springs. The game will be a rematch of the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament in which the lajahyws knocked off the Pioneers 2-1.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Edited by Nick Gerik
MLB
Buehrle's eight-start drought ends with White Sox victory
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — Mark Buehrle won for the first time since pitching a perfect game on July 23, ending his eight-start drought by leading the Chicago White Sox over the Boston Red Sox 5-1 Monday.
Carlos Quentin homered as Chicago took three of four from the AL wild-card leaders.
Buehrle (12-7) outpitched Josh Beckett (14-6), scattering eight hits over seven-plus innings.
The White Sox lefty had been 0-4 with a 5.44 ERA since his gem against Tampa Bay.
Buehrle gave up a first-inning run and then pitched his way out of several jams. Leading 3-1,
he gave up a leadoff single to Victor Martinez in the eighth and was replaced by Tony Pena, who struck out Jason Bay and Mike Lowell.
Quentin's two-out, two-run homer in the bottom half off reliever Hideki Okajima put the White Sox up four.
Mark Kotsay continued to hurt his former team, hitting a two-run single in the third for a 3-1 lead. Kotsay, designated for assignment by the Red Sox on July
Buehrle (12-7) outpitched Josh Beckett (14-6), scattering eight hits over sevenplus innings.
Beckett, who hasn't won since Aug. 12, gave up three runs and six hits over seven inning
He retired his final 10 batters and was able to keep the ball in the park, something he failed to do in his five previous outings when he surrendered 14 homers.
24 and traded to Chicago for Brian Anderson four days later, had homered in the first two games of the series and finished with six RBIs in the four game set.
Beckett hit Jayson Nix with a pitch to start the third and Scott Podsednik followed with his second single of the game.
A sacrifice moved the runners up and A.J. Pierzynski hit an RBI
The Red Sox loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth on two singles and a walk, but Buehrle got Martinez on a flyout.
field corner but was thrown out at the plate on a relay from shortstop Alex Gonzalez.
with one out in the sixth before Buehrle struck out Rocco Baldelli and Jason Variket.
Jacoby Ellsbury singled to lead off the game, stole second, moved up on a grounder and scored on Kevin Youkilis' single.
Boston had first and second
WEEKEND BLUNDERS?
DUI/DWI/OUI/MIP
Theft Charges
Drug Charges
Kotsay tried to score from first on Quentin's double into the left.
Jermaine Dye walked and moved up on a wild pitch, putting runners at second and third before Kotsay dropped a soft single into center.
Kerns Law Office
John W. Kerns, Attorney at Law
785.856.2228
www.criminaldefensekansas.com
grounder that tied it at 1.
KNITTING CLASSES
Enroll now at www.yarnbarn-ks.com
YARN BARN 930 Massachusetts
Open Daily: Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30; Thur to 8 1-4
look for us Thursday on campus for FREE TICKETS!