CHIEFS UPDATE
The Chiefs yesterday SIGNED FIVE PLAYERS to their practice squad: rookie wide receiver Eric Smith, defensive back Adrian Robinson, defensive back and wide receiver Mike Senters, and defensive linemen Herb Coleman and Kerry
Hicks. The Chiefs had released Smith in their final roster cutout Sunday. He played only one season of major college football at LSU. Hicks was a two-time All Big Eight selection at Colorado.
SPORTS
Story on Page 3B
KANSAS SOFTBALL UPDATE
Kansas head softball coach Tracy Bunge announced yesterday that Marla Looper and Carla Marchetti have been added to the couching staff as assistants. Looper joins the staff
after working one year as an assistant at Iowa State. Marchetti comes to Kansas after working at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Ill. for three seasons as an assistant coach.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1996
TIGER GOING PRO
Just two days after winning an unprecedented third consecutive U.S. Amateur golf title, Tiger Woods announced vester-
day that he would play in this weekend's Greater Milwaukee Open as a professional.
"This is to confirm that as of now I am a professional goffer," Woods said in a statement released through the tournament. He declined to comment further until a press conference scheduled for today, Woods, 20, would have been a junior at Stanford this fall.
TIGER WOODS
SECTION 2
Mother pleads to clear son as bombing suspect
ATLANTA — The mother of the security guard suspected in the Centennial Olympic Park bombing said yesterday she has not heard from the White House — the Justice Department regarding her
tearful plea that officials clear her son.
"So we're just at a standstill," Barbara Jewell told NBC's Today show.
Jewell made her request to President Clinton at a news conference Monday, her first public statement since investigators turned their attention toward her 33-year-old son, Richard Jewell, nearly a month
Atlanta1996
She followed that with two television appearances vesterday morning.
Although authorities have said there are other suspects, none have been named. Richard Jewell has not been arrested or charged.
Catanho was claimed off waivers from
Redskins get new linebacker and release previous one
ASHBURN, VA. — The Washington Redskins signed linebacker Alcides Catancho yesterday. To make room, linebacker Terry Crews was released.
the Redskins practice squad until the Patriots reclaimed him to their active roster on September 13th.
New England. Originally signed as a rookie free agent, he spent the 1995 training camp with the Patriots. He was waived on August 19th last year and signed to
The 230-pound Catanho played in 12 games with New England last season and totaled nine special team tackles.
Record-setting goalie signs with the Phoenix Coyotes
Khabibulin ranked 10th in save percentage at .908 among NHL goal-tenders and tied for 13th in wins. In the playoffs, he earned both Jets victories before the Detroit Red Wings knocked Winnipeg out in the first round
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Coyotes signed third-year goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin to a multi-year contract yesterday. No terms were disclosed.
Khabibulin, 23, joined the then-Winnipeg Jets in 1994, appearing in 26 games with an 8-9-4 record. Last season, he appeared in 53 games, was 26-20-3 and set franchise highs in games, victories and minutes.
Missing football player returns to practice at MU
Williams disappeared on Aug. 18, a day after he told coach Larry Smith he was unsure about his future on the team. His absence spurred rumors that he had quit.
COLUMBIA, MO. — Senior tailback Kenyetta Williams has returned to practice at Missouri with a promise to put his personal problems behind him.
On Thursday, Williams resurfaced from four days at home in St. Louis and asked Smith to reinstate him. A unanimous vote of the university's Players Unity Council returned Williams to the team.
Sore ankle had prevented Williams from practicing the day before he left on the last full day of practice at training camp in Lexington, Mo. He said he was confronting personal issues at the time.
Williams is the only senior in Missouri's tailback corps and one of the team's most experienced leaders.
The Associated Press
Chris Hamilton / KANSAN
Coach doing swimmingly
His athletes succeed in pool and classroom
By Matt Woodruff
Kansan sportswriter
Despite having one of the best coaching resumes of any coach in the NCAA, many people have not heard about the accomplishments of Kansas swimming coach Gary Kempf. There is a good reason for that.
"I don't really like having the spotlight on myself," Kempf said. "I feel that the spotlight really belongs on the kids."
Despite his humble nature, Kempf has accomplished a great deal in his more than 20 seasons as a coach and also as a swimmer at Kansas.
As a member of the swimming team from 1972 to 1976, Kempf won eight individual Big Eight Conference titles.
His success continued when he began coaching the women's team in 1975 and the men's in 1980. He has been named conference coach of the year eight different times, and the men's team has placed second in the Big Eight for the last 10 years.
Kempf is also known for having some of the best academic teams in the country.
"That comes from (athletic director) Bob Frederick and filters all the way down to the Kansas coaches — the message that academics are number one." Kemf said.
"It's also very important because there really is no professional swimming unless you go into coaching. It's really a priority to make sure the athletes get out with a degree."
Frederick said, "Gary and his program have
See Swimming, Page 3.
Kansas swimming coach Gary Kempf, who has coached Kansas swimmers for more than 20 years, is enthusiastic about this year's team and the new Big 12 Conference they will participate in.
Big 12 may prove strong
Chris Hamilton/KANSAN
Kansas senior running back June Henley (20) and freshman linebacker Greg Davis (32) run drills during practice last week in Memorial Stadium. The team kicks off its season 7 p.m. Thursday against Ball State in Memorial Stadium.
New conference faces tougher schedules
Rv Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
A look at the Big 12 Conference schedule shows that teams are going to have a tough time filling up on cupcakes this year.
The new conference has forced teams to rearrange their schedules to accommodate the new teams. Kansas has gone from four non-conference games last year to three this year.
Last year, Kansas opened its season against Cincinnati, a team that went 2-8-1 in 1995. Tomorrow the No. 25 Jayhawks play Ball State, who went 7-4 last year.
It seems that the days of building up the win total against weak non-conference teams are finished.
Overall, Kansas plays nine teams this season with a .500 record or better, four of which won 10 games each, while last season Kansas played six teams with a .500 record or better in 1995 with only two 10-win teams on the schedule.
See Football, Page 3.
Haase is ready for basketball after productive summer at home
He also spent the summer in the weight room and working on his shooting.
By Evan Blackwell Kansan sportswriter
Orlich said South Lake Tahoe ran five main camps and organized separate camps three days a week for elementary school students.
"It seemed like we had about 10,000 camps." Base said.
For the past 12 years, Jerod Haase has been a part of South Lake Taheo. Calif. basketball.
Haase described his summer in one word:
"He was in our camps since he was about eight years old," said Tom Orlich, Haase's high school coach. "He's come through the ranks and served in all aspects."
The past summer, like several before, the Kansas senior guard worked for basketball camps at his former high school.
Haase's three-point shooting percentage fell from 37 percent in 1994-95 to 29 percent last season, and his overall field-goal percentage plummeted from 43 percent to 35 percent. Haase's points per game fell from 15 to 10.8.
But when the season begins in late November, scrutiny from fans and the media may again fall on Haase's perimeter shooting.
"Productive," he said. "This summer was valuable. I got a lot done."
Along with the shooting slump came pressure, which might have contributed to Haase's shooting woes.
"I'm not really objective because I'm so close to him, but I did get upset," Orlich said.
The criticism Haase faced a year ago also hit Orlich hard.
"It wasn't necessarily something anybody else put on me like the media or my peers," Haase said. "It was pressure that I put on myself."
But Hase improved his game in other areas. He increased his assists and steals and decreased his turnovers.
While remaining close to Haase, Orlich said his days of coaching Haase were over.
would be shaken.
"Really and truly, he's one of his own wrestling editions. Cobb said.
"The last thing he needs is 1,000 people giving him advice," Orlich said. "The best people to give him advice now are his coaches at Kansas."
No coach has known Haase longer than Orlich, and he worried that Haase's confidence
Summer at home has given Haase a positive outlook on the coming season.
"I feel refreshed and ready to go," Haase said. "I'm not really worried about last season. I'm anxious for this season."
...is Ron Powlus overhyped?
Not since Hugh Grant has someone done so little with his talent, yet received so much media attention.
Spring cleaning for the sporting mind
Heisman candidate? Please! Put your money on Tennessee's Peyton Manning.
Let me kick back today, pop in my new Pearl Jam CD and clean out my cluttered sports mind.
...does Emmitt Smith play with injuries every season? From groin pulls to knee sprains, he's injured just about everything. I'm certainly no fan of America's team, but they just don't come any more durable than Emmitt.
...is every Chiefs fan breathing a sigh of relief that they are opening against Houston? The Oilers almost moved to Nashville after last season, and the funny thing is, no one cared.
...is anyone else bummed out that Hulk Hogan is a bad guy in the world of professional wrestling? What are all those little Hulksters going to do now?
...does anyone else miss Craig Kilborn's dry humor on SportsCenter? These new guys, like Rece Davis and Brett Haber, should go back to doing the weather.
..did anyone else notice that the Chiefs' quarterback problem, which cost them dearly in the playoffs last season, has yet to be rectified? And you Chiefs diehairs still think that this year's squad is going to the Super Bowl with Steve Bono at the helm.
Is it just me or...
Sober up!
...does everybody hope that Jimmy Johnson and his Miami Dolphins fall flat on their face this season?
By the way, the Big 12 Conference inaugural game was to have featured K-State and Texas A&M. However, K-State coach Bill Snyder poured until the Big 12 awarded K-State with Texas Tech
...did anyone else catch the creampuffs that Kansas State will do battle with this season? Indiana State, Cincinnati and Rice head the list.
for its opener.
...does anyone else care that Missouri is fielding a football team again this season?
...was learning about the firing of Dallas Green from the Mets about as surprising as flapping on the TV at 2 a.m. and seeing Dionne Warwick's Psychic Friends Network or an Ab Roller infemical?
■...will hockey this season seem a bit empty without the enthusiastic play-by-play calling of Tom Mees?
...is it surprising to anyone else that the most popular sportswriter in the area has backed down from a
challenge to defend his alma mater in a face-off column against a lowly college writer? Don't worry Mr. Whitlock, I'll give you and your Ball State Cardinals a warm welcoming tomorrow.
■ ...does anyone feel a bit leery about the
fact that, the goin to tomorrow's game, the Jayhawks starting quarterback — Matt Johner—has thrown only for 31 more college yards than I have?
...does everyone owe Jacque Vaughn thanks for unselfishly turning down millions to be the savior for men's basketball at Kansas this season? Hey Jacque, ya ever played quarterback?
Hum...maybe that's a little too much to ask.
...did Penn State make USC look like DeSoto High School on Sunday? Not since their conational championship season in 1994 (yes, co-national champion) has the Nittany Lion offense looked so potent.
...does anyone else wish the plans for West Campus would have included a well-groomed, nine-hole golf course?
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