}
THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2009
SPORTS 17B
COMMENTARY
'Billy Madison' offers compelling comparisons to KU offseason events
In an effort to bring all of the offseason happenings together in one column, I am using one of my favorite movies, "Billy Madison," to not only get back into school spirit, but to enlighten sports fans and students with lines from one of the most ridiculous movies ever made. I'll start with one of the most memorable songs in movie history:
1. "Back to school, back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool."
Congratulations, Dezmon Briscoe! As Kansas fans have found out in the last week, you
will make coach Mark Mangino, your family and all Kansas football fans proud because you stepped up, packed up your lunch box, sharpened your pencils and became eligible just in time for school and the football season. Thanks for putting fears of your ineligibility to bed; not only will you and all students be going
back to school, but I hope you can take some of those Big 12 corners to school and fail them in their efforts to stop you.
2. "I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight! Oooohhh, back to school!"
Welcome all new recruits!
Tie your boots, and get ready
for one heck of a ride. Billy
Madison may have had some
help from his maid, Juanita,
but you recruits are on your own now.
Dear Quintin Woods (KU's latest addition to the defensive end position).
Your 6-foot-6 frame and 230 pounds are perfect numbers for starting fights. But please, wait until you line up against a Northern Colorado tackle or tight end to really put a pounding on someone so that the fans won't have to sing "Owww, back to school."
Sincerely, KU students
3. Frank: "I think Billy and his girlfriend are playing water polo or something"
Jack: "Hey, maybe they're play ing Marco Polo. Marco!"
Frank: "Polo! Jeez, that was a
great game." (while Ms. Vaughn pummels Billy)
One person I would not play Marco Polo with would be Darrell Stuckey. The preseason all-conference safety might not look as good as Veronica Vaughn, but he hits a little harder. Big things are expected as this football season starts, and Stuckey has the game to fulfill those expectations. I'd love to hear a Texas receiver yell out Marco, so we could all see what happens when Polo finds him.
4. "Shampoo is better! I go on first and clean the hair!
Conditioner is better! I make the
hair silky and smooth! Oh really fool? Really!" (Billy in the bath tub)
I'll let the Billy Madison football analogies die for now and bring in the biggest offseason story for our men's basketball team. Xavier and C.J. Henry declared their commitment to Kansas basketball over the summer. It's a little early to say who will go on first and really help the Jayhawks back to a championship, but one thing is certain: The two brothers are going to shine as Kansas basketball stars.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Details continue to develop in Pitino scandal
- Edited by Lauren Cunningham
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In Rick Pitino's words, his equipment manager's wife was welcomed into Louisville's close-knit basketball family.
Beneath the surface, however,
was an explosive secret.
Pitino and Karen Sypher had sex at a restaurant eight months
before she married the coach's confidant, Tim Sypher.
Over the next few years, the three attended the same parties, took basketball trips and tailgated together.
Pitino
despite Pitino's past affair.
What happened over those years is a he-said, she-said story.
Pitino's lawyer said the money was for insurance and he never paid for an abortion.
Pitino acknowledged giving her $3,000 after she said she was pregnant and was getting an abortion, but didn't have health insurance.
Pitino recently denied to police Karen Sypher's contention that he raped her, and authorities declined to prosecute her claims, citing a lack of evidence.
Pitino also told police Sypher didn't display any strange behavior during all of the social events they attended together.
Karen Sypher, 49, was indicted in May on charges of extortion and lying to federal authorities. She has pleaded not guilty.
On Friday, though, Pitino's attorney, Steve Pence, said Karen Sypher was "clearly disturbed and incapable of telling the truth."
According to the complaint, Tim Sypher brought Pitino a written list of demands that eventually escalated to $10 million.
Tim Sypher has not been charged and has voiced support for his boss.
He and Karen are getting a divorce.
Karen Sypher has told police she first met her future husband in a fast-food parking lot, and followed him to his condo to meet Pitino to discuss her pregnancy a few weeks after they had sex.
Karen Sypher has called Pitino, who has guided Louisville, Kentucky and Providence to the Final Four, a powerful man who "thinks he can do anything he wants to."
She claimed Pitino sent Tim Sypher upstairs and the coach sexually assaulted her a second time, a claim the local prosecutors also found to be without evidence.
She told police that she believes
FOOTBALL Marshall, Dawkins return to Broncos practice
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Wide receiver Brandon Marshall and free safety Brian Dawkins returned to practice on Sunday for the Denver Broncos. Marshall had missed over a week of workouts with a leg injury.
She thinks Pitino paid Tim Sypher to marry her.
For a while, she said Tim Sypher "showed me all the attention, did everything right" and the relationship blossomed.
The couple married and have a 4-year-old daughter, though they are now going through a contentious custody battle.
She also has four sons from a previous marriage that ended in divorce about a year before the August 2003 restaurant encounter with Pitino.
In a police interview last month, Pitino said Karen Syphar "married into the Uofl family."
The coach said during the social events, Karen Sypher never displayed any strange behavior.
Karen Sypher told police she hated being around Pitino.
The Syphers' marriage is now headed toward divorce, and their ill will boiled over at a custody hearing this week in family court in Louisville.
Karen Sypher testified that her estranged husband drinks alcohol excessively.
She acknowledged she hired private investigators to tail him during outings with their daughter.
In his testimony, Tim Sypher said he left his wife in March because of the extortion allegations.
"I was in shock, to be honest with you," he said.
Tim Sypher also said Pitino puts money into a college fund for the Sypher's daughter, Annabelle.
Associated Press
"He takes care of a lot of people in that way," he said.
Tim Sypher has known Pitino for more than a decade.
Tim Sypher's mother, Joan Sypher, of Raynham, Mass., told The Associated Press in April that her son's love of sports helped him land a job with Pitino.
He worked for the Boston Celtics from 1997 to 2001 while Pitino was coaching there.
Tim Sypher currently makes $77,000 a year plus bonuses tied to the Cardinals' performance.
"My son was not married or anything, and of course when you're a driver for somebody you have to be available 24 hours, so that's how he got the job," she said.
On Friday, a jury in Atlanta had found him not guilty of misdemeanor battery against his former girlfriend.
"And at the proper time and the proper place, that will be dealt with," he said.
Dawkins had his right hand heavily wrapped and was wearing an orange protective jersey. Dawkins had been out since Aug. 3 with a broken right hand.
Karen Sypher's attorney, James Earhart, said more of the story will unfold.
OLYMPICS
U. S. gymnast Nastia Luikin performs on the balance beam during the gymnastics apparatus finals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The U.S. Olympic Committee recently decided to delay its own TV project to help resolve issues with the International Olympic Committee.
Plans for Olympic network postponed
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BERLIN — The U.S. Olympic Committee postponed plans for its own television network after objections from international Olympic officials.
USOC chairman Larry Probst said Sunday he has decided to delay development of the TV project until all issues have been resolved with the International Olympic Committee.
The announcement came a day after Probst met in Berlin with IOC president Jacques Rogge to discuss the dispute over the U.S. Olympic Network.
"I took the opportunity to stress our commitment to being good partners with the IOC and assured President Rogge that we
will secure the full support and cooperation of the IOC before we move forward with the Olympic Network," Probst said in a statement.
The IOC criticized the USOC last month for "unilaterally" launching the TV network on July 8, saying it raised complex legal questions and could jeopardize relations with Olympic broadcaster NBC.
"In order to facilitate a productive dialogue, the USOC has decided to delay further development of the network until we have resolved all issues of concern to the IOC."
The IOC welcomed the decision.
"It was a good, positive and productive meeting," ICO spokesman Mark Adams said. "We look forward to having more detailed information on their proposal."
Probst said he and Rogge agreed to meet soon.
The decision is a major boost for Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics.
Had the USOC pushed ahead with the TV plans, it could have hurt Chicago's chances in the IOC vote on Oct. 2 vote in Copenhagen.
The other bid cities are Rio de laneiro, Madrid and Tokyo.
The IOC and USOC have had tense relations in recent years, particularly over the contentious issue of the USOC's share of Olympic revenues.
The IOC accused the USOC of acting hastily by announcing plans
for the network, which was scheduled to go on air next year after the Vancouver Winter Olympics with Comcast as broadcast partner.
NBC holds the U.S. broadcast rights through the 2012 London Olympics. The network acquired the rights to the Vancouver and London Games in 2003 in a deal worth $2.2 billion. NBC has said it plans to be among the U.S. networks bidding for rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi and 2016 Summer Olympics.
The USOC has said the network was a way to keep Olympic sports in front of viewers beyond the games. The project was intended benefit smaller sports that struggle to find air time outside of the Olympics.
NASCAR
Vickers gambles on gas in last laps to win Sprint Cup
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Run out of gas and probably blow any chance at making NASCAR's championship chase — or make a bold move toward title contention by winning the race. After a surprising gamble on gas by his crew chief, Vickers drove conservatively to conserve fuel. Then he pounced
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Closing in on the checkered flag with mostly fumes in his gas tank, there were only two possibilities for Brian Vickers.
when race leader Jimmie Johnson's tank ran dry, taking the lead with two laps to go and holding on to win Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.
"I've got to tell you, when you're coming to two to go, I'm still sweating bullets, no matter how much confidence you've got." Vickers said.
Vickers had confidence in crew chief Ryan Pemberton, but he also had a sick feeling in his stomach during the last few laps.
Vickers won his second career
race, boosted his chances of making the chase and delivered the first checkered flag for Red Bull Racing. It was the second time in two races at Michigan this season that Johnson's crew gambled on gas and lost. Johnson also was in the lead when he ran out of fuel back in June, handing a win to Mark Martin.
"Certainly frustrated," Johnson said. "We've won one race on fuel mileage ever. It's just what we're not good at. I think it's a little too risky for us to even try it."
Jeff Gordon finished second, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Sam Hornish Jr. Series points leader Tony Stewart, who clinched his spot in the chase by starting Sunday's race, finished 17th.
With three races left before the cutoff for NASCAR's season-ending championship chase, the win provided a significant boost to Vickers' chances of qualifying. Vickers jumped one spot in the standings to 13th, and is only 12 points behind Martin for the 12th and final chase qualifying spot.
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