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SPORTS VERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Victims are often forgotten
I lost a lot of respect for Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne on Tuesday.
THURSDAY. OCTOBER 26, 1995
Osborne went back on his word by allowing junior I-back Lawrence Phillips to return to practice and play against Iowa State on Nov. 4. I applauded Osborne when he removed Phillips from the team on Sept. 10 after he was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Now what was a rare example of appropriate discipline in college sports has been tarnished.
A friend of mine disagrees. My
that since Phillips he said he was sorry, paid his fines and should be reinstated. Yes, Phillips has paid his debt to society because he was arrested. However, with the seemingly unending series of offenses being committed by football players toward women, it doesn't seem fair
ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
to either the victim or the image of college football.
Playing football at an NCAA Division-I school is a privilege. Thousands of high school athletes who don't get to play for a school such as Nebraska would do a better job of following the rules.
Sure, Phillips probably has a lot of talent and the Cornhuskers deserve and can benefit from his reinstatement. But he shouldn't continue to be rewarded for breaking the law.
Case in point: Albert Belle. Belle, now a left fielder with the Cleveland Indians, was known as Joey Belle before undergoing treatment for alcoholism and a bad temper. Belle played college baseball at Louisiana State and was an integral part of its successful teams in the late 1980s.
But after Belle was arrested for a barroom brawl during his junior season, LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman kicked him off the team. The Tigers eventually advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Just before the team departed, Belle approached Bertman about rejoining the team, but the coach stuck with his decision.
Although LSU probably could have won the National Championship with Belle on the team, Bertman kept his word. Belle's violation of the law was more important than winning.
I think Nebraska can win a National Championship without Phillips. The Cornhuskers certainly hasn't suffered since his dismissal. The team is deep enough at the running back position to defeat several professional teams. Osborne's reversal of his decision is revolting.
And yesterday, Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder pulled an Osborne by choosing not to take further action against three K-State players arrested on Tuesday. Perhaps because the assault on two men and a dog occurred on Aug. 20, Snyder feels the team is unaffected. Perhaps he wants to wait until their court date on Nov. 1.
I don't think so.
Snyder apparently saw no reason to discipline the players because he already took care of the situation after it happened.
"The disciplinary measures were handled at the time of the incident and are still being administered when they're appropriate," he said in a statement yesterday.
I guess a game with the No. 6 team
i am apt to for punishment.
In my opinion, the reason Snyder doesn't want to keep two of his defensive starters and a backup quarterback out of Saturday's game is because he needs them to defeat the Jayhawks. Winning is more important than justice in college football — at least it is in the Big Eight Conference.
Somehow that just doesn't seem fair.
Think about how the victims of these crimes feel. I'm sure a couple of months aren't enough to erase the pain and suffering these aggressors have caused. Now they get to cavort in front of thousands of fans on the football field and play a game.
SECTION B
By Blll Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
When the Nebraska volleyball team stepped onto the court last night at Allen Field House, almost everyone was impressed by its size, players and winning tradition.
Everyone, that is, except the Kansas volleball team.
Although the Jayhawks lcst to Nebraska last night, they kept each match competitive against the No. 1 team in the nation.
"This was the most emotion and the most heart I've seen (Kansas) play with," said Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise. "We weren't intimidated."
Nebraska coach Terry Pettit also was impressed with the Jayhawks.
"I thought Kansas played very hard," he said. "We just had a little more experience and athletic ability."
Kansas opened the first game with four consecutive points.
"We started so strong that I think we caught Nebraska off-guard," Schonewise said.
However, the Cornhuskers quickly gained their composure and tied the game at five. Following a Kansas timeout, Nebraska ran off 10 consecutive points to win the first game 15-5.
Kansas and Nebraska exchanged leads early in the third game. After Kansas tied the game at 5-5, Nebraska turned its game up and completed the three-game sweep, winning 15-8.
The momentum the 'Huskers had gained in the first game continued in the second game as they stormed out 4-0. But the Jayhawks didn't back down and pulled ahead 5-4. After a see-saw battle, Nebraska finally overcame Kansas to win game two 15-9.
"Everything we sent at Nebraska was aggressive," said Kansas senior middle blocker Jenny Larson. "We didn't allow them to get into a rhythm."
Sophomore outside hitter Leslie Purkeypile finished with seven kills, and Larson added five.
Senior middle blocker/outside hitter
Allison Weston led Nebraska with 15 kills.
"We had four great days of practice," Schonewise said. "We practiced hard on serving and defense, and it showed on the court.
After a series of rigorous practices, the Jayhawks saw a few rewards last night.
Kansas senior Jenny Larson returns the ball during the Jayhawks' match against No. 1 Nebraska last night in Allen Field House. Kansas was swept by the Comhuskers 15-5, 15-9 and 15-8.
Steve Puppe /
KANSAN
Soccer coach happy to be here
Lori Walker draws on spirit and strengths in leading Jayhawks
By Jason Strait
Kansan sportswriter
Eyes hidden behind her Oakley sunglasses,
Lor Walker walks along the Kansas sideline.
Kansas women's soccer coach Lori Walker gives instructions during practice yesterday afternoon. Under Walker, the Jayhawks have compiled a 5-0 record against other first-year programs, Walker played soccer at North Carolina before becoming an assistant coach at Maryland.
Loh walker paces along the Kansas sideide. Her team is down two goals, and inside, she's fighting a battle with her worst enemy, losing.
"I hate to lose. I've always had an inner drive to be the best, and I'm not a good loser," she said. "I struggle with that now as a coach. As a player you can crawl into your own little world, but as a coach you can't do that. Too many people look up to you. So I go home at night after a loss, and it gets a little ugly."
Paul Kotz / KANSAN
In January, Kansas landed its first-ever women's soccer coach in Lori Walker. In doing so, it obtained a former player and coach who has achieved at the highest level. And considering her past success and pursuit of perfection, the losing won't last long.
During her collegiate career, the 24-year-old Walker played on three national championship teams at North Carolina. She was the starting goalkeeper in 1989 for the Tar Heels and still holds the NCAA tournament record with a 0.00 goals against average. Walker ended her career in 1991, allowing only 10 goals in 2.206 minutes of play.
It was at North Carolina that Walker found the challenges that would maximize her potential, she said.
"I always describe it as one of the toughest, yet one of the best experiences of my life." Walker said. "It was the toughest because it was the top program. It was the most physically, psychologically challenging environment I've ever been in. But being a national champion and learning all of those lessons you learn with that, nothing will ever replace it."
Walker left North Carolina with one year of eligibility left, the toughest choice she said she'd ever made, to be an assistant coach at Marvland.
At Maryland, Walker coordinated the defense and trained the goalkeepers. During her three-year reign as assistant, the goalkeepers set numerous records, including
fewest goals allowed, and helped vault the Terrapins into the national rankings.
Walker, who is from Albany, N.Y., said leaving her friends and family behind on the East Coast to coach in the Midwest was not something she had envisioned.
"I'm a water and mountains kind of person," Walker said. "Wheat fields is not what I initially pictured, but once I met with (Kansas associate athletic director) Betsy (Stephenson) at a coaches convention, I decided to take a look and fell in love with it. I immediately felt at home."
During her visit to Kansas, Walker took in a traditionally effective recruiting event, a men's basketball game.
"I had a fantastic collegiate experience myself, and I wanted to find a school where
there was that aura around athletics," she said. "Not that the world revolved around athletics, but that the world appreciated what athletics gave us. And that is here at Kansas. Everybody is a Javahawk."
Walker has found her home, and those who hired her couldn't be happier.
Stephenson, who helped recruit and hire Walker, said the process was more of a recruitment.
"We were looking for someone who had the energy and expertise to start a new program," Stephenson said. "Lori was very appealing to us because of the high level she had played and the experience she had at Maryland."
Walker's experience as a woman in collegiate athletics also has played a part in her
success as a coach.
"I think I have a great advantage because I can relate to them on all aspects," Walker said. "I know what it's like to play on PMS. I know what it's like to play when your boyfriend just dumped you. I've been through all those things, so I think I'm a little more compassionate toward them."
With only four games left in the team's first season, Walker has no regrets about her decision to leave her former life behind to start a new one in Kansas.
"This has been one of the best choices in my life, right up there next to not going back to North Carolina for my senior year." Walker said. "I accomplished what I wanted to as an athlete, and now I'm on to different things."
Billy Thomas wants to erase his 'forgotten' label
By Matt Irwin
Kansas sportswriter
Billy Thomas is the forgotten. Javhawk
Thomas has the talent to play for the Kansas men's basketball team, but he doesn't get the same attention his teammates do. Even his coach and the media almost forgot him at the Jayhawks' media day.
"Let's see, we've talked about Jacque, Jerod, Sean, Paul, Raef, Scot, Calvin," Williams said. "About got everybody. I guess Billy's about the only one."
Every member of the Jayhawks two-deep rotation was talked about except for Thomas.
"Ever since I've been playing basketball I've been a sleeper," Thomas said. "Like in high school: I came in in my freshman and sophomore seasons still increasing in numbers; my junior season, I finally got to be noticed; senior season, I got a little better and became recognized by people."
It's nothing new for Thomas. He has always had to prove himself.
Thomas said he didn't mind being unnoticed.
"It doesn't bother me at all. Your actions speak for you." Thomas said. "I think of
KANSAS BASKETBALL
myself as a sleeper. As long as I can get the job done — the name really doesn't mean anything — once I go out and do it then somebody will know and acknowledge me as being capable of winning games."
Averaging 7.3 points and 2.2 rebounds a game last season, Thomas became one of Kansas' best three-point shooters. He made the Big Eight All-Freshman team and ended the season strong with a 17-point performance in Kansas' win against Oklahoma State.
Williams hopes to play Thomas at both shooting guard, or the two spot as Williams refers to it, and the small forward, or the three shot.
"I'm going to try to play him more at the two spot," Williams said. "A lot of that depends on how much improvement he did in the off-season with his ball-handling skills. If he's
Last season Thomas, who had few ball-handling responsibilities, had 24 turnovers and 20 assists in 472 minutes. In comparison, Kansas starting shooting guard Jerod Haase had 98 turnovers and 109 assists in 906 minutes, and Kansas starting point guard Jacque Vaughn had 94 turnovers and 238 assists in 1,046 minutes last season.
improved that — where he's not a turnover waiting to happen — then he'll play a heck of a lot more at the two spot because he slides his feet well enough to defend there."
Thomas said he never saw a problem with his ball-handling but that he had worked on it during the off-season.
"The coaches were kind of skeptical because I didn't handle it that much, and the times I did handle it there were a few mishaps," Thomas said. "I like to handle the ball, but last year I didn't handle it as much because I didn't want to create any turnovers and didn't want anything bad to happen. Getting that year out of the way gave me a little more confidence, and now I'm ready to step up."
After last season and his summer experience of playing in the U.S. Olympic Festival, where he averaged 8.5 points and 2 assists, Thomas said he wanted to show more facets of his
game.
"I really didn't show all that I could do basketball-wise," Thomas said about his play last season. "I can handle it more, go to the basket more, be out in transition dunking the ball — I really want to show all that this year."
Sweet Shooter
Billy Thomas' Career Highs
Points-19 vs. Colgate - (3-16-95) first round of NCA4 Tournament
Three-point field goals- 5 vs. Oklahoma State (3-5-91)
Steals 3 vs. Oklahoma State (3-5-95)
Honors
1994-95 Big Eight Conference All-Freshman Team
CBS Player of the Game vs. Colgate - (3-16)
95)
Career Statistics
Games played-Minutes played 31-472
FG-FGA-Pct. 77-177-.435
3PT-ATT-Pct. 49-126-.389
Rebound avg..2.2
Points avg."