TENNIS The Kansas tennis teams get an earlier start this year. Page 4 NBA Players accept new agreement. Page 6
SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 1995
SECTION B
TCU SPORTS NEWS
Jayhawks set to play on ESPN
Texas Christian quarterback Max Knake, who threw for two second-half touchdowns in a 31-21 win against Kansas last season, comes to Lawrence tonight.
Last year's loss fuels Kansas to make Frogs croak
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
Don't look now, but here we go again.
Once again the Jayhawks are 2-0, but this time around they will be playing host to the Horned Frogs on ESPN.
Last year at this time the Kansas football team was 2-0 and brimming with confidence going into its match-up with Texas Christian.
Contrary to what the coaches might say, avenging last year's loss definitely will be on the players' minds leading up to the 7 p.m. kickoff.
"Revenge factor? Everybody hates to lose. They beat us last year, so I would imagine it's sort of a revenge thing." Kansas senior outside linebacker Keith Rodgers said. "But, we're looking toward the future. They're just another obstacle that we have to overcome."
But last year it was the Jayhawks who were overcome.
After Kansas took a 21-14 lead with 6:43 remaining in the third quarter, TCU quarterback Max Knake and running back Andre Davis, the Southwest Conferences' co-Offensive Players of the Year, sparked the Horned Frogs. Led by Knake's two touchdown passes — one of which was to Davis — TCU scored 17 unanswered points and won 31-21.
Texas Christian football coach Pat Sullivan fondly remembered last year's results.
"It was a big ballgame for both of us. Kansas was ranked (No. 23) and really had a good football team," Sullivan said. "We were struggling for identity, and beating an established team helped our credibility."
But Kansas football coach Glen Mason has learned not to place too much emphasis on the big game.
win the Michigan State, but you lose the TCU game. What's the difference?*
"You have a tendency as a coach to do that. But you know what, they all count the same," Mason said. "You could have gotten me to admit that last year the Michigan State game was more important than the TCU game. But you know after it works out, you
Something else which came out of last year's game was that Kansas was the first of many teams exasperated trying to catch TCU's Knake and Davis.
Knake, pronounced nah-KEE, passed for 2,624 yards and 24 touchdowns last year while only throwing seven interceptions. Davis rushed for 1,494 yards and seven touchdowns. His average rushing yards a game was 135.8 — fifth best in the nation.
However, another aspect of Davis' game was that he had 522 yards receiving. His average of 4.3 receptions a game was second in the conference, almost unheard of for a running back.
"At the same time that you're trying to defend the pass, you're saying, 'Hey, but don't give up the cheap one,' Mason said of TCU's balance on offense. "And then just about when you start to feel pretty good about that, you've got to stop the running game."
While he's appreciative of the two
seniors' efforts, Sullivan is trying to emphasize team unity rather than individual honors.
"If we're successful as a team, then there's enough to go around for everybody." Sullivan said.
TCU's offensive and defensive philosophies are similar to those of Kansas. When they have the ball, the Horned Frogs will use a balanced attack; when they don't, they will focus on preventing the big play, Sullivan said.
Another factor in tonight's rematch will be the national television exposure.
"I'm not going to sit here and tell you our players are not excited about playing on ESPN," Sullivan said. "As coaches we try to say it's just another football game and to keep it on an even keel. That's the way we'll try to approach this game."
Kansas junior tight end Jim Moore is also looking forward to tonight's game and the opportunity for Kansas to be highlighted on ESPN.
"That's exciting. That's what college football's all about: getting a chance to show your team off on national television," Moore said. "Any guy you ask on TCU will say the same thing. It should be a really good game. I think it will probably come down to the fourth quarter."
Night 'Hawks
Are the Jayhawks creatures of the night?
This is the Jayhawks' third ESPN Thursday night game in four years. All three have been at home; the previous two have resulted in victories for the opposition.
In 1992, California defeated Kansas 27-23 before 44,500 fans who packed into Memorial Stadium for the first night game since 1931.
Last year, in front of 48,800 people, Kansas lost to in-state rival Kansas State 21-13.
Kansas defeated Michigan State 17-10 at night last year in front of 48,100 fans.
- Tonight has been designated as Fan Appreciation Night. Admission is free for anyone showing a KUID or an ID from area high schools and colleges.
Jayhawks drop a crucial match to Hawkeyes
By Bill Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
Playing its second match in as many days, the Kansas volleyball team battled Big Ten Conference force Iowa to four grueling games.
However, the Hawkeyes powerful game and some costly mental mistakes by Kansas proved to be too much for the Jayhawks, and Iowa came away with the victory 3-1 last night at Allen Field House.
Wearing all black, the Hawkeyes (4-3) stormed out in game one, beating the Jayhawks 15-3.
"We started out nervous," freshman outside hitter Laura Rohde said. "But as the match went on, we got more confident and once we felt
that we could play with them; we played better."
Looking for a fresh start in game two, Kansas (2-6) clawed its way back, holding off a late Iowa charge to win 15-11.
"We made adjustments after the first game," Kansas coach Karen Schonewise said. "We were passing in spurts, and we needed to adjust defensively."
However, the momentum wasn't with the Jayhawks for long. Iowa burst out the third game 6-0 en route to winning the game 15-9.
"There was a lot of wild momentum shifts for both sides," Schonewise said.
The most physically punishing game of the match was the fourth.
The two teams battled to a 14-14 tie. After a series of back-and-forth side outs, Iowa finally pulled away and won 16-14.
"It all came down to serving and passing," Schonewise said. "Whoever served well and passed well won."
"I was really happy with our play from the bench," Schonewise said. She added that because of the strong bench play, there might be changes to the starting rotation.
Although a win against the Hawkeyes would have been a confidence builder for the Jayhawkes, Schonewise took the loss in stride.
Schonewise praised the play of freshman outside hitter/middle blocker Moira Donovan and sophomore setter Tiffany Sennett.
Rohde led the Jayhawks with 12 kills and 15 digs. However, she still felt there was room for improvement.
"My hitting was improved, but my passing wasn't that great, so I look forward to work on my passing in the next game," Rohde said. "But without my team I would not have had the statistics I had."
After eight games in two days, Kansas won't have much time to rest as they play host to The Kansas Invitational this weekend.
The two-day tournament played in Allen Field House will feature Texas-El Paso, Cornell and Western Michigan. Kansas will open up with UTEP at 7:30 tomorrow night.
NBA players were smart to keep union
League learned from other sports' mistakes
Michael Jordan, you are not as cool as you think you are. thank God.
More than 225 NBA players stopped Jordan the only way they knew how — at the ballot box. The players' votes were counted yesterday and more than 63 percent of them said no to Michael and his all-star teammates by voting to uphold the NBA players' union.
I can't tell you how happy I am that someone in professional sports has taken notes over the past couple of years. There was a definite lesson to be learned in the past year.
Baseball still is having attendance problems and if the four catch the slightest hit.
SPORTS COLUMNIST
of strike talk again, the game may not survive. And hockey definitely has taken a blow. The NHL owners' lockout has thwarted a sport that quickly was becoming the fourth head on America's ugly pro-sports monster.
Who would have thought it would be NBA players who would do the right thing and play ball instead of crybaby? They are usually the greediest of the lot. Do you think they just want to play ball? Do you think the players have realized their evil ways and are finally going to give the
and are finally going to give the fans what they deserve?
There is an ulterior motive here. It's simple: They want a paycheck. Much to my bewilderment, nothing has changed in the world of sports. Players still are there for the money.
But unlike baseball, NBA players realized the owners were not going to paddle around with them. Most of the players could be replaced easily, and that scared the heck out of them. The guys that fought so hard to get the big salaries didn't want to go without.
The players that voted for union decertification, such as Jordan, Ewing, and other high-dollar men, don't need the money anymore. They have made enough cash and are able to go without pay for the rest of their lives.
But somehow these players have talked themselves into thinking they are fighting the good fight; they have talked themselves into believing that they were taken advantage of by the NBA. What they need to realize is that without basketball, they would be nothing. It's the old adage, "Dance with the one that brung ya." The NBA has written these men into American pop culture and they are far too stupid to realize it.
The NBA created all that, and it is unfortunate that the NBA can't take it all away from them, too. The NBA has brought its league to the forefront of the continent, with only the NFL and ESPN being more powerful. If you need proof of its power, just look in your closet. I bet you've got a Celtics hat, a pair of Lakers shorts or a Nuggets jersey.
Besides these other sins of the son, there still is one that tops them all. I haven't mentioned the fact that breaking a union is about the most un-American thing you could possibly do.
Jordan and friends might as well spit in mom's apple pie and dance around a burning flag while they are at it. Breaking a union needs to be left to the Japanese automakers and Al Capone. Even MJ doesn't have as much power as them.
Regardless of this mess, ladies and gentlemen, we have basketball again. I don't care anymore how it came to be; I'm just glad to have something to watch after football is over ... and you better keep your eye on the Lakers, because they're back.
Cross country teams ready for invitational
By Adam Herschman
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas cross country teams will enjoy a home field advantage for the first time this season on Saturday at the Jayhawk Invitational.
The men's and women's teams will defend their respective first and second place finishes of a year ago at Rim Rock Farm, the location approximately 15 miles northwest of Lawrence where the Jayhawks host cross country events.
The men's victory last year included upsetting cross country powerhouse Arkansas.
However, this year Kansas will be without three of its top finishers from last year's squad.
Schultz also did not run two weeks ago at the Southern Illinois Dual meet because of an injured knee. Kansas placed second.
With the absence of Schultz and senior Chris Gaston, who has been out all season recovering from a broken foot, the men's team will rely on juniors Kurt Aiken, Cord Crisis and Josh Weber and sophomore Brian Watts. Watts was Kansas'
Gary Schwartz Kansas cross country coach
top finisher at Southern Illinois.
Criss and Weber were the only Jayhawks that finished in the top five at the Jayhawk Invitational last year who will be competing this year.
Nine men's teams will be competing against the No. 21 ranked Kansas team in an 8 kilometer race, which begins at 10 a.m. The teams include Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Drake.
The undefeated and No. 19 ranked women's team enters the meet with some momentum after a victory at Southern Illinois two weeks ago.
Kansas was led two weeks ago by junior cap.
McClimon and junior Erin Anderson are the only top five Kansas finishers from last year's Jayhawk Invitational.
Kansas will also get a lift from senior Sarah Heeb, who is expected to run this weekend. She missed the Southern Illinois meet because of personal reasons.
The women will be competing against the same teams as the men except they will face Georgetown instead of Drake.
The women's 5 kilometer race starts at 9:30 a.m. The Jayhawks enjoy the advantage of having practiced at Rim Rock Farm this week and have been able to become accustomed to the uniqueness of the course.
tain Colleen McClimon, who finished second overall, and freshmen Ann Deveaux, Erica Blackwell and Tiffany Spratt.
Rim Rock has many trails, trees and hills, which separates it from the ordinary golf course most teams practice on.
"It's a pretty tough course," Kansas cross country coach Gary Schwartz said.
Alken said he expects a lot of Jayhawk fans to make the short drive to Rim Rock Farm.
"We will have a lot of people supporting us," he said.
Ed Kowalski/Kansas