TOMORROW International students follow their hometown teams.
SPORTS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
'Hawks can win North
www.kansan.com
No dominant team in division
BY JONATHAN KEALING
jkealing@kansan.com
KANANAL SPARKWRITER
KANSAN SPORTSWRITER
From top to bottom, the Big 12 North football teams are separated by just one game.
just one game.
Halfway through conference play and two-thirds of the way through the season, no team has emerged as the clear favorite to win the northern half of the Big 12.
Right now, both Nebraska and Missouri control its own destiny regarding the Big 12 Championship game. Both are tied at the top of the North standings.
"We're fortunate to be in a position like, that is, Nebraska," said Missouri
coach Gary Pinkel.
After last weekend's loss to Oklahoma State, Missouri is 2-2 in the Big 12 and 4-3 overall. Nebraska's loss to Kansas State gave it the same record.
While these two teams have slight leads, no team in the North is down and out yet. In fact, formulas for Kansas winning the Big 12 North have been swirling around online message boards since the team's victory against K-State.
"If we take care of our business, all those other things will take care of themselves," said Kansas coach Mark Mangino.
As the theory goes, Kansas needs to go 4-0 in its remaining four games to
SEE NORTH ON PAGE 7A
BIG 12 NORTH STANDINGS
Team Conf. Rec. Tot. Rec.
Missouri 2-2 4-3
Nebraska 2-2 4-3
Colorado 1-3 4-3
Iowa State 1-3 3-4
Kansas' 1-3 3-4
Kansas State 1-3 3-4
REMAINING SCHEDULES FOR SELECT BIG 12 NORTH TEAMS
Date Missouri Nebraska Kansas State Oct. 30 at Nebraska vs. Missouri vs. Texas Tech Nov. 6 vs. Kansas State at Iowa State at Missouri Nov. 13 BYE at Oklahoma at Colorado Nov. 20 vs. Kansas BYE vs. Iowa State Nov. 26/27 at Iowa State vs. Colorado BYE Nebraska plays on Nov. 26, Missouri on Nov. 27.
Nebraska plays on Nov. 26, Missouri on Nov.
Source: www.big12athletics.com
Not only an Olympian
With life settled off the track, Gruber shines on the track
BY FRANK TANKARD
ftankard@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIETER
For Gruber, a runner of untellable talent, believing in his abilities has been a constant challenge. Following a disappointing senior season in 2002, he was ready to hang up his spikes.
In Gruber's career at Kansas, he earned All-American honors five times, counting both indoor and outdoor track. He twice won the 1,500 meters at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships and became the first Kansas runner to finish a mile in under four minutes since Jim Ryun in 1968.
A couple weeks ago former Jayhawk runner Charlie Gruber sprinted onto the Kansas football field and waved to more than 50,000 fans during a break in the game against Kansas State. A few hours before, he'd cruised down Jayhawk Boulevard as the grand marshal of the homecoming parade.
The University of Kansas alumnus was getting the Olympic treatment after competing in the 1,500 meters in Athens this past summer. It might sound like a dream come true, but it wasn't exactly Charlie Gruber's dream, at least not when he finished up his running career at Kansas.
SEE GRUBER ON PAGE 4A
Former Jayhawk runner Charlie Gruber competed in the 1,500 meters in Athens this past summer. Gruber returned to the University after the Olympics as the grand marshal of the homecoming parade.
Possible Kansas recruit going to Duke
Martynas Pocius, a 6-foot-4 guard from Lithuania, announced yesterday he would attend Duke, after Kansas withdrew its scholarship offer.
The high school senior visited Duke's campus this week after attending Late Night in the Phog two weeks
Pocius had narrowed his choices to Kansas and Duke earlier this month.
“Kansas backed out, and it make my decision easier.” Pocus told Jeff Goodman of Theinsiders.com. “I had such a great visit at Duke that I was probably going to go there, any-
ago at Allen Fieldhouse.
He chose Duke after receiving word Sunday that Kansas would no longer offer him a scholarship.
ways."
Pocius said a smaller campus and increased playing time contributed to his selection.
The decision leaves Kansas coach Bill Self with one remaining scholarship after the signing of guards Mario Chalmers, Micah Downs and forward Julian Wright. Self could hold the
scholarship for next season, giving him the option to bring in three recruits, or try to sign a player in the spring signing session.
Freshmen C.J. Giles and Alex Galindo both committed to Kansas in last season's signeting period.
Jesse Newell
--only be attributed to the confidence she has in herself as a coach and as a person. The way she spoke about her team, her coaching style and what she hopes to accomplish as the coach at Kansas was an honest assurance that she expects success and will attain it.
INSIDE THE PARK
JACK WEINSTEIN
jweinstein@kansan.com
Coach has team back on track
Most people have moments when they listen to someone talk, and they don't believe a single word the speaker says. Few, on the other hand, have those instances in which they believe everything someone says.
That's human nature — to be a little skeptical in most situations because most of us follow the mantra: You can't believe everything you hear. My first experience with Kansas women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson was one of those rare moments in which I believed every word that came out of her mouth.
With little knowledge about the fifth coach in Kansas women's basketball history, I wasn't sure what to expect of Henrickson.
Henrickson. However, it was easy to understand what other respected college coaches from around the country thought of Henrickson, as Kansas Athletics Director Lew Perkins mentioned at Henrickson's first press conference last March.
"There wasn't one person that didn't have Bonnie one or two on their list," he said.
There's no doubt Henrickson has big plans for the future of Kansas women's basketball. Her hire may prove to be the best decision Perkins has made during his tenure as athletics director. At least, it should make him more popular when Henrickson's teams start to take on the personality of its coach.
She may be the most articulate person I have ever heard speak in public. Henkickson exudes charisma that can be attributed to his confidence
Henrickson pledged team values of hard work, discipline, communication and re-establishing tradition for women's basketball at Kansas. Her team will also be more proper in its appearance. Henrickson doesn't allow visible tattoos or jewelry during games.
Henrickson's experience also includes five trips to the NCAA tournament in her time at Virginia Tech, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1999, a year in which her team finished with a 28-3 record.
Henrickson spoke with class as she described succeeding legendary Kansas coach Marian Washington and how much of an honor it was to follow her example, to continue a legacy Washington began more than 30 years ago.
Her coaching resume is impressive. Henrickson led the Virginia Tech Hokies to a 158-62 record during the past seven seasons, never winning fewer than 20 games in a single year. In her first year, she led the Hokies to a 22-10 record, a turnaround from a 10-21 season the year before.
Henrickson's demeanor in front of the podium convinced me that she was the right person for the job, and with the knowledge of her coaching credentials and everything that has been said about her in these last couple of weeks, there should be little doubt in the heart of basketball country that the women will soon become a team that's not just worth watching because it will win a few games, but will compete for titles as well.
I assume that the ability to rebuild a program was a key component to Henrickson's hire, and it's something that she is familiar with.
"At Virginia Tech, I was put in a rebuilding position," she said. "I can promise you that I am better prepared to do it now than I was then. I have more resources and commitment."
Weinstein in an Overland Park senior in English.