6B
Thursday, October 5.1995
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Football team doing just fine, thank you
I really got a kick out of Matt Irwin's column in the Sept. 15 issue of the Kansan entitled "Mason used poor judgment."
I found it humorous because I was reading it from a different perspective than most people. I grew up in a football coach's family. By the time I was 7 years old, we had lived in Tulsa, Okla., Lubbock, Texas, Wichita and Fayetteville, Ark., before we finally settled in Lawrence.
The next 10 years were the most exciting of my young life. I was blessed with the opportunity to watch and be acquainted with some of the best football players Kansas has ever seen: Folks like John Hadl, Gale Sayers, Curtis McClinton, Bert Coan, John Zook, Emery Hicks, Donnie Shanklin, Bobby Douglass, Junior Riggins, John Riggins, Doyle Shick and Stan Kirshman, just to name a few. The majority of those boys were recruited right here in Kansas. I saw a team in 1961 that soundly trounced heavily favored Rice 33-6 in the Bluebonnet Netball. The 1960 team pummeled Missouri 23-7 in Columbia when the Tigers had won nine games and lost none and were ranked No. 1 in the nation. Four out of the 10 All-Americans whose names are emblazoned on the north end of Kansas stadium came from this era.
On Sunday evenings during football season, we would sit around the dinner table while the football coach in our family would marvel at some of the area sports writers who exhibited amazing ignorance about a subject they proclaimed to know so much about — football and coaching it. He especially marveled when they sat in their armchairs on Sunday morning evaluating what the coach did and what he should have done. After all, isn't it easier to evaluate the race and decide who the winning horse is after the race is finished? Anyway, this particular person was well known for his wit and humor so his comments definitely made us laugh.
There were certainly some ignorant prima donna sports writers who entertained us in the evenings, but I can't remember any who did so as well as Matt Irwin. Here we have a wet-behind-the-ears, nosed-tnoted college kid, who has probably never strapped on a helmet in junior high, criticizing the decisions of a major college coach like Glen Mason. This is what would have made the coach in our family break into a week's worth of Sunday chortles.
Coaching and a coach's job are about winning and losing — period. Second guessing a coach's year-old decisions is ludicrous. I sure wish young Matt had been around in the early 60s. He's really a funny little guy.
Young Matt says, "We don't need a scapegoat. We need a winner." Hey, how about a record of 4-0 that includes a convincing victory on national TV and a top-25 ranking?
1973 Kansas School of Journalism graduate, president/publisher of the Wellington Daily News
SPORTS RAP
On the morning of Monday, Sept. 26, the world stopped suddenly, people dropped their donuts and coffee in shock and flocks of birds started to migrate north in confusion. What happened to cause such a reaction?
Jayhawks' ranking a major mistake
Jackson Mitchell
The Kansas Jayhawks were ranked 25th in the Associated Press Poll and 22nd in the CNN-USA Today Coaches Poll. Why? If the sportswriters were to watch the games with a keener eye and the coaches had some knowledge of teams other than their own, then perhaps the Jayhawks would not be ranked undeservedly. Kansas is 4-0 with wins against Cincinnati, North Texas, Texas Christian and Houston. That is a good start, but a closer look at their opponents reveal why they are undefeated.
Cincinnati went 2-8-1 last year, playing such powerhouses as Toledo, Memphis, Northern Illinois and Tulsa. The Bearcats are 4-1 this year and play those teams again in what should be some great games!
North Texas won its first Division I-A game since returning to the level against Oregon State on Sept. 16, which represents the Kansas football of a decade ago. The University Daily Kansan and the Kansas City Star praised the Eagles as a well-coached team on the rise, but even Missouri defeated this team by three touchdowns.
The Jayhawks looked impressive on ESPN against Texas Christian, a 6-5 team last year and co-champion of the Southwest Conference with three other teams — Too bad Texas A&M was on probation.
The Houston Cougars, 1-10 in the Southwest Conference last year, are 0-4 with losses at Florida and Southern California. They also lost at home 19-7 to Louisiana Tech, a team that edged out Division I-AA Arkansas State 28-25 the week after the game.
The Kansas players have nothing to be ashamed of, because they have gone out and done what was necessary to go 4-0; I don't want to take anything away from the perfect start. My criticism is that Kansas should schedule tougher non-conference opponents. The Jayhawks need only two more wins to qualify for a bowl game and have Missouri, Iowa State and Oklahoma State left to play. The team could be 6-5, go to a bowl game, and all of this would be for a season in which the Jayhawks defeated no ranked opponents or any teams with winning records.
The Jayhawks have played well, and I hope the students appreciate and acknowledge that by going to the games. Unfortunately, the lack of quality opponents is a big reason why people haven't gone to the games. I respect Houston, Washington, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Pittsburgh and other schools that might not be as talent as
their opponents, but the athletic departments have made the commitment to get better by playing the teams they aspire to join. My only wish is that the Jayhawks do the same and make the top 25 because of the team's improvement, not a poor schedule.
Thomas Gallagher
Olathe sophomore
Negative columns steal credit away from 4-0 Jayhawks
I am writing this letter in response to the Kansan's recent articles about the football team. I am very disappointed with the negative attitude that the writers have displayed toward the team. The columns by Matt Irwin and Tom Erickson, and also the cartoon on the editorial page were all taking away from the efforts of the team in attaining a 4-0 record.
First, Irwin's article, "TCU Not a True Test," was just ridiculous. Each game poses a test whether the opponent is Florida State or Houston. The players have to be physically and mentally prepared for each game. This can be quite a challenge. So I'd say for us to come out ready for the TCU game is definitely a positive. It was obvious that the 'Hawks were more ready than the Horned Frogs were.
Secondly, I was disappointed with Erickson's article saying that Kansas was the luckiest Top 25 team. Somehow I don't think it takes luck to get in the Top 25. It takes teamwork, hard work and dedication. The 'Hawks have displayed all of these qualities, and because of it, they now stand 4-0. If you haven't been 4-0 since 1981, why are you guys so intent on undermining it? It's a great accomplishment no matter how close the games were, or how good or bad the teams were. It also gives the team confidence going into the conference season, confidence they lacked at this time last year.
Finally, I was extremely upset about the cartoon on the editorial page last week. Yes, Colorado will be a huge test, but you guys made it look like all of us students are fair-weather fans. No matter what happens at Colorado. I will still be home watching intently, cheering the Jayhawks on from a distance. Whether we win or lose, you can bet I'll be at Memorial Stadium the next week doing everything to urge the team on to victory.
The football players work their butts off every day trying to represent this University while you guys are just sitting there writing these articles. As long as they run out onto a football field they deserve our respect and support. With the 4-0 start they've got, it's the least we can do. Good luck at Colorado. 'Hawks!'
Paula Neihouse
Downs senior
Indians build 2-0 playoff lead
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND — Orel Hershiser and the playoffs are still a perfect mix.
Eddie Murray hit a home run, and Omar Vizquel doubled home two runs for the Indians, who need to win only one more game in the best-of-five series.
Making his first postseason appearance since he won the clinching game of the 1988 World Series, Hershiser gave up three hits in 7 1-3 scoreless innings as the Cleveland Indians beat Boston 4-0 last night for a 2-1 lead in the AL playoffs.
The 37-year-old Hershiser boosted his record to 5-0 with a save and a 1.52 ERA in nine career postseason appearances, eight of them starts. He was the MVP of both the NL playoffs and the World Series for Los Angeles in 1988.
Mo Vaughn and Jose Canseco, the third and fourth hitters in Boston's lineup, have gone a combined 0-for-20 with seven strikeouts in the two games.
The Red Sox lost their 12th consecutive postseason game dating back to Bill Buckner's infamous error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, a string that was extended by a heartbreaking 5-4, 13-inning loss in Tuesday night's series opener.
Hershiser, signed by the Indians as a free agent in April partly because of his big-game experience, gave up three singles, walked two and set a Cleveland postseason record with seven strikeouts.
Julian Tavarez and Paul Assenmacher each got one out in the eighth inning, and Jose Mesa got the last three outs.
Boston starter Erik Hanson was nearly as sharp as Hershiser, limiting the Indians to four hits.
But Hanson ran into trouble in the fifth inning when Paul Sorrento walked, went to second on Sandy Alomar's sacrifice bunt and to third on a passed ball.
Kenny Lofton then walked, and Vizquel's double to right-center scored both runners.
Hanson then walked Albert Belle before Murray hit home run with one out in the eighth.
By Hershiser's fourth pitch of the game, the Indians had committed two errors and Hershiser had thrown a wild pitch. He got out of the first inning without further damage, however, then stranded three runners in the second by getting Dwayne Hosey to ground out.
The Red Sox only got one runner to second base against him after that.
PLAYOFF SCORES: Results and linescores from tonight's basketball games. *Scores & More*, Page 2.
Volleyball team loses
BRIEF
Kansan staff report
With nothing to lose but the match, the Kansas volleyball team traveled to Lincoln, Neb, last night to take on No.1 Nebraska.
Nebraska dominated the Jayhawks in three straight games. The victory improved Nebraska's record to 13-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big Eight Conference. Kansas fell to 5-11 overall and 0-3 in the Big Eight.
Kansas' next match will be against Colorado at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Allen Field House.
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