Section A·Page 12
The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, September 16, 1999
Baylor makes crucial errors
Sports
By Michael Rigg sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
The Baylor Bears are hoping to break into the win column after losing close football games.
One week after losing its season opener 30-29 to Boston College by missing an extra point in overtime, Baylor made a controversial play-calling decision and a crucial fumble on the last play of the game that ultimately led to a 27-24 loss to UNLV on Saturday.
With four seconds left in the game and the Bears leading the Runnin' Rebels 24-21, Baylor coach Kevin Steele elected to have running back Darrell Bush try for one final touchdown, as opposed to simply having quarterback Jermaine Alfred kneel and run the clock out.
As Bush hit a wall of UNLV defenders at the goal line, the football was stripped from Bush's arms and returned 99 yards by Rebel defensive back
Kevin Thomas for the winning touchdown.
touchdown.
After the game, Steele was quick to accept the blame for the gaffe.
"It all rests right here," he said, pointing to himself. "It will go down as one of the great Why did you do it?" questions."
This week, however, Steele has been quick to defend his decision.
"Whether people agree or disagree with my decision is not the point." Steele said Monday. "It's an attitude thing, and the kids wanted to score. We called a time-out right before to make sure it was a safe play."
Steele also said he was aware of the extreme unlikelyhood of a fumble occurring, given the circumstances at the time.
"One coach told me I had a better chance of winning the Texas lottery than have that happen to me," Steele said.
Steele and the Bears will test their lottery-caliber luck again Saturday night at Oklahoma when they take on the Sooners in Norman, Okla.
Nebraska
Fallout continued yesterday from the bombshell news that Nebraska coach Frank Solich dropped Tuesday at his weekly press conference.
At the conference, Solich announced that running back DeAngelo Evans had quit the team and that Eric Crouch would be the full-time starter at quarterback for the Cornhuskers. Previously,
Crouch had been in competition with Bobby Newcombe, who since has moved to wing back, during the first two games of Nebraska's season. In those games, Nebraska defeated Iowa 42-7 and California 45-0 on its way to a current No. 4 ranking in the most recent Associated Press poll.
Solich said just because there were some recent changes in his team, it didn't mean that Nebraska was a program in turmoil.
"There isn't a unity or a chemistry problem," Solich said. "As I see it, our team is very unified. Turmoll shows on Saturdays, and I don't see where that showed on either Saturday."
Solich said that he chose Crouch as the starter because of his performance the previous two weeks and that both Crouch and Newcombe had handled the decision with grace.
Texas Tech
"They came through some hard times, but both have handled it well," Solich said. "We talked a great deal about the situation, and we think this is going to be the best thing for the team."
Red Raider running back Ricky Williams didn't participate in practice this week because he was in his home town of Ducanville, Texas, visiting his hospitalized mother, Diane.
The news of his mother's ailing health was the second piece of bad news Williams has received in the past two weeks. In the Red Raiders' season
opener against Arizona State on Sept. 6. Will i'am s sprained a ligament in his
left knee and may be out for the season.
Williams is due to have a second MRI test on the knee next week, and the extent of his injury will be known better then, according to the Texas Tech sports information office.
Despite the negative outlook on his season, the Heisman Trophy candidate is hopeful he can return for the Red Raiders' game Oct. 2 against Texas A&M.
"Hopefully everything will work out alright," Williams said. "I'm just going to rehab hard and come back for the Texas A&M game."
Edited by Kelly Clasen
Before we get started on the meat of this column, some quick updates from the sports desk.
MegaVision's fun uses abound
Rumor has it that the Kansas women's basketball team is ready to school the sportswriters in a scrimmage during Late Night for what my fellow sports columnist Derek Prater said about professional women basketball players not having
any game.
As I look around the sports desk, I don't think we'd stand much of a chance, in a five-on-five game at least. But if Derek and I were to take on some of the women two on two, there might
be a different story. Keep in mind that I respect your game. The only reason I predict a
Seth Jones sports columnist sports@kansasan.com
sportswriter victory is because my Dad didn't raise a son without serious basketball skills. So I say bring it on women — we'll play. Besides, it would make for a fun column.
Second, thanks to everyone who e-mailed responses to my column about alcohol at Memorial Stadium. I'll go into the results on that next week.
Third, the definition of hypocrisy: when people profess something they don't believe. For instance, stating that this should and will be a dry campus, then permitting alcohol to be consumed on campus anyway. I didn't need to look it up, either. It's rather simple.
Now, let's talk about the big news in University of Kansas sports. The MegaVision.
The best addition to Memorial Stadium since bathrooms, the new MegaVision packs serious punch. The $3.1 million, 24-by-32 feet video board stole the show on Saturday.
With such a serious toy on the campus, I couldn't help but think of some ways we need to
So without further ado, I present to you Jonesey's "Fun With the MegaVision" list.
use this bad boy.
7. Video Game Tournaments From an Atari 2600 to the new Dreamcast system, what a blast it would be to hook up a game of College Football 2000 on the big screen. Make it an even slower game, and Pac-Man still is munching some real big power pellets. We even can make a celebrity video game tournament. Roy Williams versus Terry Allen in college basketball, then college football. Chancellor Hemenway versus Baby Jay at "Bond."
6. Spanish 105 in Two Hours With these two easy 60-minute tapes, you'll learn Spanish and get your credit for completing nasty Spanish 105. Yo quiero MegaVision.
5. Jonesey Sports Column Theater Admit it, you'd love to see the live action video of your favorite sports columnist reading his column like a poetry reading. I can see a sold out Memorial Stadium now
"Ladies and gentleman, Jonesey has left the MegaVision screen."
4. Limbo Stick If you've been to a Royals game, you know what I'm talking about. We put a bar across the screen, blast some limbo music and put the camera on the fans.
3. "Old Man Drinking" Cam We take a camera up to the luxury suites and get a shot of rich alumni drinking alcohol. We pressure a 70-year-old alumnus to do a keg stand.
2. "Crimson Girl" Cam They just work so darn hard. Let's get them more screen time, okay?
1. Chancellor Robert Hemenway Unplugged Chancellor Hemenway and his acoustic guitar do a 20-minute set with his grand finale being his hit single "Why Alcohol in the Luxury Boxes is Good For You and Me."
Sale ends Schott's 15 years with Reds
Future of Royals Athletics still left to be determined
The Associated Press
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.— Marge Schott's rocky 15-year reign as owner of the Cincinnati Reds ended yesterday when baseball approved the $67 million sale of the team to her limited partners.
On a day of big change, owners also voted to merge the administrative operations of the American and National leagues and put off the sales of the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics, citing the uncertain futures of baseball's small-market teams.
They unanimously approved the sale of a controlling interest in the Reds from Schott, who repeatedly has infuriated baseball with inflammatory statements about minorities and women, to Carl Lindner, who owns the Great American Insurance Co.
The deal, in which 36.7 percent of the Reds' shares change hands, values the franchise at $181.8 million. George Strike and William Reik, two of the Reds' current limited partners, are helping fund Lindner's bid.
Schott couldn't be reached for comment, and Lindner, who attended the meeting, also declined comment.
Owners also unanimously approved a resolution calling on
their lawyers to redraft the Major League Agreement, which governs baseball, to merge the AL and NL in all areas but on the field, where the leagues and divisions will remain unchanged for now.
"Baseball took a very historical step today that it had to do," Selig said.
Since the NL began in 1876 and the AL in 1900, each league ran its own affairs. But the commissioner's office, founded in 1920, has taken an increasing active role, especially since 1984, when Peter Ueberroth had the leagues move into the same building.
AL president Gene Budig, who did not attend Selig's news conference, was offered the job of senior vice president under Selig in charge of educational and government affairs. There was no word if he would accept it.
Interleague play, which began in 1997, provided further impetus. Under the change, umpires, scheduling and player discipline will switch to the commissioner's office, subject to collective bargaining with players and umpires.
NL president Len Coleman, concluding his job had become irrelevant, announced his resignation effective at the end of the World Series and will become a senior adviser to commissioner Bud Selig.
"The role of league president has become like a Studebaker — a good ride while it lasted." Coleman said.
"Frankly, the system was an anachronism." Selig said.
The owners voted 28-2 to table the $122.4 million sale of the A's to a
group headed by Save Mart Foods chairman Bob Picciniin, and 29-1 to table the $75 million sale of the Royals to a group headed by Miles Prentice.
Only Oakland and the Chicago Cubs voted against the motion to table to the A's sale. The Royals were the only vote.
against tabling their deal
Picciniini's agreement to buy the team from Steve Schott and Ken
Hofmann expires; if it doesn't close, by
bis by
Monday, and his group seemed
stunned.
"As far as I'm concerned, we're out of it," Picincini said. "Unless the present owners put an extension on it, we're dead meat."
Prentice, a New York investor, agreed last Nov. 13 to buy the Royals for from a trust that acquired the franchise following the death of founder Ewing Kauffman in 1993. Since spring, management officials have said they were concerned his bid had too many people and not enough money.
"I was hopeful we would be approved," Prentice said. "We were not rejected. They did not turn us down. That's the important thing."
Selig said no action would be taken on the A's and Royals until after the owners' economic study committee, appointed last January, makes its report. He said the sales weren't approved because he wasn't convinced the deals would ensure the survival of the franchises in their cities for a couple of generations.
However, baseball's economics are unlikely to change until after the 2001 season at the earliest, when the sport's labor agreement with players probably will expire. The economic study committee does not
ensure the players association, which is expected to reject its findings.
The proposed sale of the Montreal Expos from Claude Brochu's group to a group headed by New York art dealer effrey Loria also wasn't
considered. The team and the commissioner's office agreed Friday not to put it to a vote.
Montreal's situation is tied to a new ballpark. Government officials have promised to back $67 million in bonds with $5.3 million in annual revenue from a tourism fund, but baseball says the financing must be completed before it will approve a sale.
"Everything has to be signed,
sealed and delivered." Brochu said.
While a group in northern Virginia has been interested in buying the Expos, Selig said his first choice was to keep the team in Montreal.
"This saga is looking like 'Gone with the Wind,' except we don't have Scarlett O'Hara or Rhett Butler to play in it." Selig said.
Owners originally intended to meet for two days but cut it short, concerned about getting home with Hurricane Floyd heading north.
De La Hoya, however, made it clear that he doesn't think Trinidad is the better man. He doesn't even think the 26-year-old Puerto Rican (35-0, 30 knockouts) is as good as Ike Quartey, whom De La Hoya beat on a split decision Feb. 13.
fight to the end," said the 26-year-old De La Hoya (31-0, 25 knockouts). "May the best man win."
Arum says no to bet on Trinidad match
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — Don King hurled a $1 million challenge to rival promoter Bob Arum yesterday and got a scolding in return.
Trinidad predicts he will win by a knockout, but won't predict a round. His father-trainer, Felix Sr., says it will be the sixth round.
"If Bob Arum will accept, I will bet $1 million that Tito will win this fight," bellowed King, the promoter of IBF welterweight champion Felix "Tito" Trinidad, who on Saturday night will fight WBC champion Oscar De La Hoya, promoted by Arum.
"Don King has challenged me, and I have to say something from the bottom of my heart," Arum retorted. "It's totally inappropriate for promoters or managers to bet on a boxing match. In 35 years in boxing, I've never bet on a fight."
Trinidad, who doesn't speak English, admits to being angered when De La Hoya said some time ago that, "I'm not worth $10 million. That's an insult. How can he say I'm not worth $10 million? I'm worth that and more."
For those who do bet on fights, De La Hoya was a 6-5 favorite to win the most anticipated w尔terweight championship match since WBC champion Sugar Ray Leonard stopped WBA champion Thomas Hearns in the 14th round Sept. 16, 1981, at Caesars Palace.
Then Arum taunted, "Don,
don't you understand that
putting Felix Trinidad in the
ring with Oscar De La Hoya is
risking more than $1 million?"
"I know like all my fights it will be a very tough one, but I
The popularity of De La Hoya,
a Mexican American who grew up in East Los Angeles, is the reason Trinidad is getting $10 million, by far his biggest purse. De La Hoya, who has had $9 million paydays, is guaranteed $15 million.
Both fighters have exchanged barbs, but De La Hoya said there was no animosity on his part.
"I'm thinking it's just another fight," he said. "That's how focused I am."
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The manager of Randie Carver's opponent in Sunday's fatal fight raised questions yesterday about a potential conflict of interest involving Carver's ties to the referee.
Opponent's manager cites possible conflict of interest, says fight needed to be stopped
The Associated Press
"He should have stopped the fight. It's that simple," said Scott Massoud, the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based manager of Kabary Salem, who knocked out Carver in the 10th round of Sunday's 12-round North American Boxing Federation title fight.
Ross Strada, who has acknowledged a close friendship with Carver, has come under fire for not stopping the fight soon enough.
Carver, 24, died Tuesday, two days after emergency brain surgery. An official cause of death has been determined, but relatives requested the information not be disclosed.
Carver, who was repeatedly headbutted in the early rounds of the fight, fell sluggishly to the canvas in the 10th round after taking an overhand right and a straight left from Salem. He tried on four occasions to get up, but could not even get up on his knees.
After referee Strada ruled a knockout, Carver's eyes appeared
Officials with Missouri's Office of Athletics — which oversees boxing in the state and licenses referees — have found "no cause for disciplining the fighters, the referee, the promoter or the matchmakers," said Jim Gardner, a spokesman for the state's Department of Economic Development, which oversees the athletics office.
to roll back in his head, and he lost consciousness. He was rushed to the hospital after paramedics worked on him for about 20 minutes in the ring, but he never appeared to regain consciousness.
Earlier, Strada said Carver looked exhausted in the middle rounds. In the eighth round, Carver looked noticeably tired, and had a hard time getting off the ropes when Salem pushed him.
Carver's supporters were upset by the head butts. Salem was penalized twice in the early rounds for holding, but he was not warned about head-butting.
Strada, whose phone number is unlisted and could not be reached yesterday by The Associated Press, has disputed the number of head butts in the fight and said if there had been something excessive, he would have stopped the bout.
"There weren't 20 hard punches thrown in the fight," Strada said Monday. "I've never seen Randie that physically out of shape. But I can't call a fight because a fighter is tired. That's the job of [the fighter's] corner."
Massoud, who said Salem has been crying and praying since the news of Carver's death, said Carver's friendship with Strada
"If he had stopped the fight and Randie lost, due to the stoppage, he would have been blamed for his loss," Massoud said. "And that's something the referee didn't want. I'm not bad-mouthing [Strada], but we could've been out of there a lot sooner."
Ross Strada
"There weren't 20 hard punches thrown in the fight. I've never seen Randie that physically out of shape."
"He's had tough fights back to back," Kansas City referee Danny Campbell, who has seen a tape of the fight, told The Kansas City Star. "I think he's had too many rough fights."
Fight referee
Strada's claims that Carver appeared tired were underscored by concerns that Carver came into the bout a fatigued fighter, worn out by a series of rough fights — seven matches in the last 11 months.
created a dangerous conflict of interest. Had he known of the friendship before the fight, Massoud said he would have been a little more boisterous in trying to stop the bout.
Before Sunday's fight, Carver had fought twice since winning the NABF super-middleweight title in a 12-round decision May 23. His record was 23-0-1 before the bout.
NABF president Sam Macias said the federation would work with any investigation by state regulators.
It is not unusual, Macias said, for referees to handle bouts involving friends.
Macias, whose group brought two outside judges to Sunday's bout because the fight was held in Carver's home area, said it is up to the state's Office of Athletics to pick referees.
"If you're boxing in a hometown, with gyms being where refres will go to keep their skills up and referee sparring matches, they become friends," Macias said. "I don't think it affects their judgment."
A spokeswoman for Harrah's North Kansas City Casino, which hosted Sunday's televised fight, said the casino was re-evaluating its plans to hold future bouts.
Frank Brancato, a lawyer with a Kansas City firm representing Carver's family, refused to comment yesterday except to say his firm was preparing for an initial investigation into the case.
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