THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012
PAGE 1C
of a Beach 1990 Rm.364
Pizza
rd St.
-2323
COMMENTARY All of the sports, all the time
It was the block by Thomas Robinson that shook the foundation of Allen Fieldhouse in the last match-up versus Missouri.
Jayhawk strikes gold at the Olympic games in London
It's the start of new season of moments and all eyes will now be on Charlie Weis and the football team.
It was the heartbreak of coming so close to winning a sixth national title for the Jayhawks men's basketball team only to be stopped by the high-flying Kentucky Wildcats in New Orleans.
Every season there are moments etched in the Kansas community.
These are the images that are burned into Kansas fans memory, and rightfully so.
Weis and his staff have clearly brought their own style, far different from Turner Gill's coaching philosophy.
It was the moment where everyone felt some confidence in the football program again when Charlie Weis was behind the podium for the first time in December.
PAGE 2C
He's tightened up the restrictions on the remaining players that did not decide to leave. He's brought in some transfers who are looking for their last shot at college. He's trying to make Kansas fans feel like they have a chance on Saturdays.
It's part of the responsibility of this publication to treat all the sports with coverage and that's something that the entire staff here is committed to this fall.
What I found in covering these two sports was that the recognition might be less, but the hard work and dedication remains the same as any other sport.
The past two years have left hajwak fans numb on fall Saturday afternoono; going through the motions, maybe cheering occasionally when the team strenugetogether a few plays, but knowing that what the result of the game was going to be before the team emerged from the tunnel.
At The Kansan this is what we strive to do. We have the coverage of the major events that people want to hear about, but we also work diligently to report the news for every athletic team during fall 2012.
So even though you'll be looking for the moments at Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse, remember there are other ones out there as well.
Edited by Vikaas Shanker
Football will be the focal point (at least until basketball is in full swing), but there are still, plenty of other stories that are seen throughout this campus that go relatively unnoticed.
Even if the Jayhawks don't make a run at a bowl game, Kansas fans understand that they will be in a better place than last fail.
First, it was the women's soccer team that brought in a slew of young talent and put together one of the better efforts by the program. In three or four years, including a NCAA tournament berth.
My first year on The Kansan, I got that opportunity to see two of those teams up close and personal.
Second, it was the women's basketball team who desperately needed to make the NCAA Tournament after coming up short so many times in the recent past.
They don't always have the largest crowds or get swamped by media members after a game, but they still put out a high level of commitment.
FOOTBALL
Weis overhall brings changes the culture of Kansas football
FARZIN VOUSOUGHIAN
fvousoughian@kansan.com
Following a 1-16 conference record and struggling to fill Memorial Stadium the past two seasons under the direction of Turner Gill, the Kansas football team decided to change their ways and were seeking a new head coach. On Dec. 8, athletic director Sheahon Zenger, hired Charlie Weis as the new leader of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Weis brings 33 years of coaching experience to Kansas, hoping to help the Jayhawks return to their 2008 form when they reached the Orange Bowl.
Since that moment, Kansas has been in major decline.
In fact, Kansas is searching for its first conference win since its 52-45 comeback victory against Colorado on November 6, 2010.
can, to get us as good as we possibly can, as quick as we possibly can. That's what I have to do."
Weis is not hiding from the fact that this football program has a lot of obstacles to overcome.
"I am more motivated than I've ever been to make this program be successful." Weis said during his Aug. 1 press conference prior to opening camp. "There might be more unknowns, but I have the same obligation to the administration, to the fan base and to the university. I have the same obligation to work as hard as I possibly
In the Big 12 Football preseason poll coming on July 19, Kansas was projected to finish in last place in the conference this season.
It was no surprise to Weis as to why the perception of Kansas football is so low. At the same time, Weis knows that a preseason prediction won't be enough to hold his team back and the Jayhawks can change their position in the polls as the season progresses.
"I can't see why they wouldn't rate us last." he said. "Based off of evidence of what they have right now all we've done is hire a new
coach, hire a new staff and change the way business is being done to mirror the personality of the head coach. There has been a big change over of personnel, but the jury is still out. You have to go out and prove it."
Weis has been busy with mass turnover this offseason as 23 players have left Kansas and 27 newcomers joined the program. Of the 27 new students, the most talked about player is senior quarterback Davne Crist.
Despite transferring from Notre Dame, Crist will be immediately eligible due to his completion of undergraduate requirements.
Crist is reuniting with Weis in
Kansas after briefly playing for him in 2009 at Notre Dame, where Weis was the head coach for five seasons.
Along with Crist, senior offensive tackle Tanner Hawkinson and senior defensive end/linebacker Toben Opurum were elected as captains by their teammates in April.
Weis hopes that with some changes in the coaching staff and personnel, Kansas can finish better than where they are expected to end the season. His past players have confidence in him and
SEE WEIS PAGE 3C
BASKETBALL
Jayhawks learn highs and lows of travel
ETHAN PADWAY
epadway@kansan.com
From Aug. 7-14, the Kansas men's basketball team traveled to Switzerland and Paris and played four exhibition games against the Swiss national team and AMW France professional team.
The NCAA permits basketball teams to take a trip to a foreign country to play exhibition games every four years. The Jayhawks had 10 practices together before traveling to Europe.
DELAYED DEPARTURE
The Jayhawks' trip to Europe got off to a turbulent start after weather and mechanical issues with the airplane forced the team to miss their flight from Washington, D.C. to Zurich, Switzerland.
While en route to Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., the pilot of the plane carrying the Jayhawks informed them that due to inclement weather, no planes would be able to take off or land at the airport.
Instead, the lajahawks' flight was rerouted to Pittsburgh, Pa., where the team was then told that a leak in the cockpit would need to be fixed before they could continue on to Washington.
There was a silver lining to the storm cloud, as freshman guard Andrew White was able to see his family for an extended visit. The Chester, Va., native's family drove to Dulles Airport in order to see the jayhaws off on their trip to Europe.
The Jayhawks arrived in Switzerland in the morning of Aug. 7, the day of their first game.
GAME 1: KANSAS 79,
SWISS NATIONAL TEAM 76
A late offensive rebound by senior forward Kevin Young set up a basket by senior forward Jeff Withey to give the jayhawks a 79-73 lead and end the Swiss national team's hopes of a comeback bid.
The Swiss team didn't give up, knocking down a 3-point shot with 1.6 seconds left, but it was too little too late.
Kansas had a 17-point lead with a little over five minutes to go before the Swiss national team came fighting back to make it a game. In the end, the Jayhawks proved too much.
Kansas had four players score in double digits, including Jeff Withey who led the team with 12 points.
SEE EUROPE PAGE 3C
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas forward Perry Ellis dribbles past AMW France player Georgi Joseph when the jayhawks' last contest in Europe in Paris, Sunday. Ellis starred for the jayhawks with 16 points and 12 rebounds, but the team lost to AMW France 79-60.