Thursday, January 21, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Track team to compete Saturday
Traditional school rivalry adds competitive edge
By Mike Miller
Kansan sportswriter
The men and women's University of Kansas track teams travel to Manhattan this Saturday to compete in the Kansas State Triangular against K-State and Missouri.
Traditionally a highly competitive meet, the Jayhawks placed third last year with 227 points, only 10 points behind rival K-State.
"This meet is about bragging rights." Schwarte said. "This is about beating someone in another uniform. It's all about scoring points and stepping up."
The Triangular meet is unique in that it provides a matchup where men's and women's team scores are combined. To
win, Kansas needs a solid showing from a women's team that has been plagued by injuries all year.
Sophomore All-American Scott Russell will attempt to repeat his first-place finish in the weight throw, as he set a meet record last year of 65 feet 5 and 1/2 inches, almost two feet longer than his best mark this year.
"With the rivalry there is a lot more incentive to compete well," Russell said. "I've become friends with some of those guys, but this weekend there's nothing I want to do but win."
Sophomore spinner Jabari Wamble captured the 400-meter run last week, and sophomore spinner Eric Patterson and Tywanne Aldridge also will look for top finishes in the hurdles and the 55- and 200-meter dashes.
Sophomore Charlie Gruber and senior Kevin McGinn give the 'Hawks depth in
the middle distance running, while junior thrower Chris Dunback is solid in the weight throw. Junior Garrett Attig won the pole vault title last week in Michigan.
"We're looking for people who have been pivotal for us all year to do more than one event." Schwartz said.
The women's team looks to Andrea Branson, sophomore All-American, to lead the way in the pole vault.
"My goal is to clear 12-6. If I improve on my technique, then I'll probably hit 12-6," Branson said.
She captured the team's only title last week at the Michigan Triangular in the pole vault, setting a new Michigan Track Building record and provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
Tulleshia Rogers placed third in the 600-meter run last week and is looking for more of the same this weekend.
Other field athletes coaches hope will contribute are sophomore Marlea Woodman who finished second in the weight throw last week and freshman Shannon Agee who finished second in the pole vault behind Branson.
Schwartz expects great matchups throughout the meet, but said that some of the events like the pole vault and the men's middle distance could provide some extra drama in an already intense match.
"The rivalry between the schools kicks it up a notch," he said. "This kind of meet provides extra incentive for athletes."
Commentary
Non-conference losses could help Jayhawks
So much has happened since we last met, and I feel it would be unfair to dedicate a whole column to one topic. Therefore, I present to you an assortment of thoughts.
A couple of months ago I wrote, "It would help the Jayhawks to lose a couple of non-conference games." I still believe in the theory, but only to a certain extent. Losses to Kentucky, Iowa, St Louis and
Massachusetts can be an indication of how well the Jayhawk might play in the tournament.
Meaning, while the Jayhawk
Tony
Pacheco
Sports@kansan.com
are still unbeaten in league play, they will not face any of those teams in the tournament. This is the way the NCAA constructs the brackets: to minimize the number of rematches. Furthermore, the non-conference loses were against scrappy teams which fit the mold of opponents the Jayhawks have lost against in previous tournaments. The positives of those losses have been the ability to bounce back and fix problems they've had in the previous game. The question which still remains is: How long can they sustain those corrections? (For example, rebounding against UMass, rebounding against Texas.)
While in San Diego during the break, a man named Rodney, who works for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, acknowledged the fact I was from Kansas and asked if I was a Jayhawk fan, 1, of course, said, "Yes."
Rodney commented, "That freshman point guard is awesome." Of course, he was referring to Jeff Boschee and his performance against Missouri. It's always interesting to hear national perspectives of the 'Hawks.
Speaking of Bosche, I admire the fact he isn't afraid to screw up. Sure he turns over the ball more than any Jayhawk point guard has in a while, but his mentality and willingness to shoot the ball at any time is a plus. He will be the favorite to win Big 12 Rookie of the Year.
At the Texas game the other night, I was lucky enough to have a row of student coaches behind me. If Coach Williams possessed only a fraction of the knowledge in which those jokers verbally displayed on Monday, well let me say two words: National Championship.
Curiosity killed the columnist the other night when six friends and I purchased the pay-per-view boxing match between heavyweights Mike Tyson and Francois Botha. It was interesting and somewhat worth the money. After
the first round, in which Iron Mike tried to break Botha's arm, I began to get nervous. I thought the referee would impose strict no tolerance rules against Tyson and end the fight.
Twice in the first round, Tyson nearly broke Botha's arm after being frustrated with continuous holding. Botha won the first four rounds. When the fifth round came, Botha's strategy drastically changed. He dropped his arms in a careless manner and baited Tyson to lose control. However, Botha left his face uncovered, ducked and step into a crushing right of Iron Mike. It was curtains. Had Botha kept with his strategy he would have easily won the fight. No matter how good you are and no matter how rusty Tyson is, no one could ever doubt his power. Ask Botha, that was the only time Mike landed a solid blow during the fight.
Boxing is a dying sport and the organization needs to realize Mike Tyson is its only big money attraction. On Saturday night the boxing promoters couldn't even sell out a reduced MGM Grand. They need to get behind him, support him, because if they didn't need him, he would have been at home Saturday night.
Oh boy, the NBA lockout has ended. Hello? Hello? Is this on?
Pacheco is an Olathe senior in English
Super Bowl time tough for gambling addicts
The Associated Press
MIAMI — For compulsive gamblers, this is a dangerous time.
The Super Bowl represents a way to win back the money lost on all those bad bats made during the season. And that's why, experts say, the big game is so tempting and the consequences can be so dire.
"This is a very stressful time," said Pat Fowler, executive director of the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling. "Not just for gamblers, but people living with them. It's extremely stressful and a sometimes abusive time for family members."
The council's New Jersey chapter estimates that
at least $85 million will be wagered legally on the Denver Broncos or Atlanta Falcons when they meet in Miami on Jan. 31. Another $4 billion will be bet illegally through bookies, in office pools and between friends.
For compulsive gamblers, trying to stay on the wagon is not easy.
"Here I am trying to remain abstinent and here comes a pal at the office, asking, 'Where's your money for the pool?'" Fowler said.
He said of the typical gambler. "Their futures, their families are being threatened by being in this environment."
The council has found that many women who get hooked on gambling start with the office betting pool at Super Bowl time or during the Final Four of college basketball.
Tom Talley, a reformed gambler and counselor in St. Petersburg, said his business always picked up immediately after the Super Bowl.
"We get more calls after Super Bowl than any other time of the year," Talley said. "This is the last hurrah. Some people are going to put it all on the last game. And that's
when the calls start coming in because you are going to lose. All compulsive gamblers do."
The days leading to the Super Bowl offer an opportunity for authorities to uncover gambling rings. Police in Broward County, just north of Miami, confiscated $93,000 this week and arrested seven people from four book-making sites.
One Orlando man knows how devastating gambling can be. He would wager anywhere between $25,000 to $50,000 a week. Eventually, his life came crashing down. "You alienate the people closest to you," said Paul, who spoke only on condition his surname was not used. "Your money is controlled."
by your betting. You hold back money, that you might use to improve your financial situation. It takes over your whole life. It's like a drug. You don't care about your family or anything. You just want to get a bet down."
Greed is not on the problem gambler's mind. Paul, who had won fortunes only to lose them, said he craved the excitement. When he won, he said, he felt like a big shot.
Those unwilling to accept their problem can bottom out at this time of year.
"If you don't get treatment you are going to get back into the gambling, you are going to ruin your life and end up in jail or committing suicide," said Ed Looney, who runs the Trenton, N.J. chapter of the council.
Compulsive sports gambling is increasing,he said, thanks partly to the proliferation of Internet betting sites.
"We had a 22 year old kid call three months ago. He had maxed out his father's credit card at $18,000 gambling on sports on the Internet," Looney said. "His mom called crying on telephone, asking: 'Is this legal? Can I get my money back?'"
Earl's reprieve sends wrong message, costs LSU players
Continued from page 1B
But Earl found the loophole.
of intent. Any player who signs a letter of intent and then transfers loses one year of eligibility under NCAA rules.
An NCAA report made it official that LSU had committed violations when recruiting Earl. The KU Athletics Department appealed to the National Letter of Intent Steering Committee to give Earl his final year back because the rules allow that any player recruited illegally is automatically released from the letter of intent. Therefore, Earl was not bound by it, and Kansas argued that he should get his year.
He got it. Earl and Kansas found a way for a guilty man to avoid punishment.
Earl is nice, compassionate and a fierce competitor. He also has had a tough life in many respects.
But he is highly intelligent and knew taking money was wrong. While he may have been young, he was not innocent.
He has as much as said so.
He did not deserve the year back
But the situation is not all Earl's fault.
When the Athletics Department appealed for Earl to get his year, it sent a message that what Earl did was OK. There is nothing wrong with giving a guy a second chance. Earl deserved one. And he got it in the year and a half he has had on the court. The Kansas coaching staff should have said thank you to Earl for being here. But they should have said that at the end of this season when it was time for him to get on with his life away from basketball.
Instead, the university has condoned his actions. The NCAA also must shoulder some blame. The NCAA has rules against what Earl did, and other players who have accepted money have been suspended or kicked out of their sport. Allowing Earl and other athletes who have received immunity to suffer no consequences sets up a confusing hypocrisy. Players who have done the same as Earl but who were banned from their game must wonder why Earl is an exception.
The NCAA must close the loopholes allowing players to do what Earl did for an extra year of playing time. If it doesn't, then it is sending a message to young recruits that there are times when taking money is allowed.
When you are in high school and people pressure you to do what they want, regardless of how wrong it might be, there is the temptation to listen. Earl did
The people around Earl are also at fault. The LSU boosters and coaches who knew Earl was being pressured to take money and aid knew it was wrong.
So did Earl's family, who also accepted services.
But the real tragedy is that the players and coaches at LSU, who did no wrong, are suffering the consequences of Earl's actions.
LSU, with a new coaching staff and players who never knew Earl, is banned from 1999 postseason play and has lost six scholarships during the next three years. Those lost scholarships represent six young athletes who won't get the dream Earl abused: The chance to play Division I college basketball.
Earl not only owes them an enormous apology, but he and the KU Athletics Department owe the LSU team a legitimate explanation as to why Earl, the wrongdoer, goes free while LSU players must pay his consequences.
Duncan is a Topeka senior in Journalism and English
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