2B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
INSIDE SPORTS
Selfs visitprompts surprise commitmentfrom Wright
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Julian Wright, a 6-foot-8 forward from Flossmoor, Ill., verbally committed to coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks over the weekend.
Wright, who is ranked as the 10th-best player overall by rivals.com, received an in-home visit from Self on Thursday, then committed Friday without even visiting KU's campus.
the signing came as a surprise because two weeks ago Kansas was not even on Wright's list of potential schools.
Wright then announced that he narrowed his choices to three Arizona, Depaul and Illinois — but decided last week to let Self talk to him in his home.
Wright averaged 10.4 points,7.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists as a junior last season.
According to rivals.com, he is a quick and athletic defender and excels at penetrating and passing on offense.
The addition of Wright adds to an already talented recruiting class for Self.
Mario Chalmers, 12th-best player overall and No.1 point guard in the nation, has already signed, along with Micah Downs, who is ranked 14th overall.
The Jayhawks have one scholarship still available, which will most likely be offered to C.J. Miles. The 6-foot-5 guard from Dallas ranked 26th overall, and visited the Kansas campus two weeks ago.
— Jesse Newell
Thursday's scores
FLAG FOOTBALL
MEN
DU 1 def. Army ROTC 34-12
■ SAE 1 def. Fighting Armadillos 8-6
Phi Delt A-1 def. Oneders 34-0
WOMEN
AGD 2 def. AGD 1 24-0
ADG 2 def, AGD 1 2-40
ADPirates def, Pi Beta Phi 20-12
CoRec
Beavers def. Sausage Tacos 20-14
8th Floor Ellsworth def. Andy's Army
SAND VOLLEYBALL
MEN
Pi Kap 2 def. Beach Rats (21-15, 22-20)
Beached Whales def. O-Town 4 (21-14,
21-12)
Volleyball Name won by default
Fiji 1 def. Fiji Pledge (21-13, 21-16)
Fiji 1 def. Blken (21-14, 21-19)
LCA 1 def. Blue Chipe (17-21, 21-11, 15-8)
Fiji 1 def. FiliPledge (13-21, 11-26)
Triangle 2 def. Pi Kap 1 (21-14, 21-15)
WOMEN
Kappa Delta Green def. Delta Gamma 2
(21-14, 21-11)
Delta Gamma 1 def. KK Gamma 3 by
forteil (2.0, 2.0)
Source: Rec Services
Kansas athletics calendar
TODAY
Women's Golf at New Mexico, all day
TOMORROW
Soccer at Illinois at noon
Volleyball at UMKC at 7 p.m.
Women's Golf at New Mexico, all day
Catch me if you can
Women's Golf at New Mexico, all day
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004
Rajib Parvez, Bangladesh junior, and Todd Funke, Larned graduate student, chase down a loose ball. The two played in a pickup soccer game Sunday night at Shenk Sports Complex at 23rd and Iowa Streets.
WEDNESDAY
Chiefs did not expect loss
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER — Quentin Griffin might make the Denver Broncos forget Clinton Portis after all.
Denver traded Portis to Washington to get cornerback Champ Bailey, a potentially risky move because Portis rushed for over 1,500 yards in each of his first two seasons.
Griffin ran for 156 yards and scored three touchdowns in his first game as Portis' replacement, lifting the Broncos to a 34-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
Portis was superb in his debut with the Redskins, rushing for 148 yards and touchdown in a 16-10 victory over Tampa Bay. Griffin was just as good.
He dashed and dived his way to touchdown runs of 25 and 47 yards and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Jake Plummer in the first quarter. Griffin even did Portis one better, breaking his team record for most yards on opening day. Portis had 120 last year.
Bailey made the trade look even better,
He tipped away a pass to Tony Gonzalez in the second quarter on the first ball thrown his direction, and intercepted another just before halftime when Trent Green scrambled and tried throw over his head. Bailey even got involved in the offense, lining up for a handful of plays and catching an 11-yard pass in the first half.
it after two teams made it.
It didn't work out that way.
The game was supposed to be more of a defensive matchup than in years past after both teams made changes.
If didn't Kansas City's defense ranked 29th in the league last season, costing defensive coordinator Greg Robinson his job. The Chiefs didn't look any different under Gunther Cunningham.
Denver scored on its first three possessions, Plummer threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns and the Chiefs couldn't keep up with Griffin's jitterbug moves. Denver finished with 415 yards.
The Broncos added Pro Bowlers Bailey and John Lynch in an attempt to get better on defense. They were better than the Chiefs, but still gave up 151 yards and three touchdowns to Priest Holmes.
Kansas City's defense didn't put up much of a fight from the start.
Jason Elam started things off with a 43-yard field goal, then Plummer hit Griffin on a 1-yard touchdown pass to put the Broncos up 10-7. The Broncos kept it going early in the second quarter, moving 50 yards in six plays for Griffin's dashing 25-yard touchdown run.
The Broncos weren't much better at the start.
Green hit Eddie Kennison for a 57-yard pass on the game's second play after Lynch bit on an out-fake, and Holmes capped the 80-yard drive by bulling in from the 2.
The Chiefs managed just 93 yards the rest of the half to trail 17-7, but needed just 3 1/2 minutes of the third quarter to get back in it — thanks to Plummer.
His first pass of the third quarter was intercepted by Monty Beisel, leading to Lawrence Tynes' 50-yard field goal. Plummer then tried to throw left-hand to avoid a safety on the next drive. That one ended up in the hands of Shawn Barber and Holmes scored two plays later on a 4-yard run, tying the game at 17 as Plummer stood on the sideline shaking his head.
The Broncos needed just 89 seconds to answer, with Griffin taking off through a big hole and shaking Greg Wesley near the 20 for a 47-yard touchdown run.
Kansas City came right back, blowing the Broncos off the line for 77 yards on seven straight runs. Holmes finished it off, bouncing off Lynch, planting his hand for balance and breaking two more tackles for a 33-yard touchdown run.
Denver took the lead back on Elam's 45-yard field goal, then sealed it on Plummer's 2-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Hape after Griffin juked his way to a 19-yard run.
Chiefs cornerback William Bartee was carted off the field with a sprained neck. Bartee was injured late in the first quarter when the side of his head hit Denver's Rod Smith on the hip during a punt.
GREENE: Jayhawks, friends and beer
After showing me that he was belligerently drunk and had no clue what he was talking about. I played nice and just told him to go back in the bar.
The best part of this? My dad was staring him down the entire time.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1R
Along with my parents, some family friends and my buddies Greg and Max, we headed to the Yacht Club...again.
We walked back to the car, and my dad dropped the quote of the night:
"You know, people can think you suck. Everyone has their opinions. But as long as the people who sign your checks don't think you suck, I think you're all right."
The final stop of the night was with
Greg and Max to my friend Ben's party for one last drink.
All in all, it was a good day. I hung out with some old friends, drank with my parents and watched the Jayhawks dominate the Rockets. Kansas Football is officially an all-day event once again.
Any regrets? Yeah, just that I wish I could have done this more often.
Greene is a Vernon Hills, III., senior in journalism
Rams defeat Cardinals with veteran players' help
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fauk rushed for 128 yards on 22 carries to lead the St. Louis Rams to a 17-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Despite two knee operations in the last year, the 31-year-old running back's steady play helped the Rams overcome three costly turnovers that kept the game close.
ST. LOUIS — Marshall Faulk and Emmitt Smith quieted any talk about last hurrahs.
Faulk, who has missed 11 games in the last two seasons, shared time with Rams first-round pick Steven Jackson, but it was clear who was getting most of the attention.
"He had an outstanding coming-out party." Jackson said. "And I think he answered a lot of questions about his knee."
Smith, the NFLs career leading rusher, also had a resurgent game, running for 87 yards on 16 carries, including an 11-yard touchdown run that put the Cardinals ahead 10-9 in the final minute of the third quarter. Smith, 35, was limited to only 256 yards last year due to injuries.
"Emmitt is a great back, a guy that I idolize, a guy that gets it done," Faulk said. "If you look at him out there you wonder, 'What's he doing playing?' He makes things happen."
Smith took no solace in his effectiveness because the Cardinals lost.
should be winning the game. Jackson also played well in his debut, shaking off a lost fumble on his first career carry after a 14-yard gain. Jackson, the first running back taken in the draft, finished with 50 yards on seven carries.
"I don't have to play the whole game now and all the pressure of the running game isn't on me," Faulk said. "It's kind of a nice change-up when I come out to have him go in there."
ness because the ball over should be winning the game."
have him go in there.
The Rams beat the Cardinals for the fifth straight time and sent Arizona to its 14th straight road loss, but did it the hard way. Each of the turnovers came deep in Arizona territory, and they also ran out of gas at the Arizona 10 and 4, settling for field goals by Jeff Wilkine
Cardinals first-round pick Larry Fitzgerald had four catches for 70 yards, including a 37-yard catch on a flea-flicker from Josh McCown on the first play from scrimmage.
MONI
Rams LB Pisa Tinoisamoa played most of the game after dislocating his right shoulder early in the second quarter.
Notes: Wilkins became the Rams' career leading scorer with 797 points, breaking a tie with Mike Lansford. He also hit his 13th career field goal of 50 or more yards, extending his team record.
Rams rookie DE Anthony Hargrove sustained a mild concussion on the opening kickoff and backup LB Trev Faulk tore a hamstring.
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GARDEN STATE (m)
4:40 7:10 8:40
NAPOLEON DYMNITE (pct)
4:30 7:00 9:30
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