BASKETBALL Kansas' Raef LaFrentz and Jerod Haase spent part of their summers playing overseas, Page 3.
SPORTS ERSITY DAILY KANSAN
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 1995
SECTION B
Athletes are not above law
Lawrence Phillips provides example others should notice
With money comes power. When you're 21 years old and make, or are about to make, several million dollars a year, you feel invincible.
For the most part, you are invincible.
In the NBA, you can make the entire league fall to its knees and beg you to play ball for less than $100 million.
In boxing, you can take $60 out of every American's pocket, just so they can have the pleasure of watching you for 90 seconds.
In the NFL.
you can hold up the progress of an entire team's development, just so you can get an extra million dollars a year.
You also are invited into every single household in the country to sell everything from shoes to hamburgers.
and you can make a ridiculous amount of money doing it.
In the world of sports, you can do all this before you hit the ripe old age of 22.
Being a sports celebrity, college or professional, comes with a lot of perks. You get all the money, the cars, trips and women you can handle.
The problem is that while thousands, or even millions, of women adore you, it doesn't give you the right to knock 'em around a little when they won't do your bidding — even if you are the top Heisman candidate in the country.
Nebraska star running back Lawrence Phillips turned himself in to authorities after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.
What can we expect? Our society puts these athletes on a pedestal, and we expect them to act like model citizens. They have the power of a president and are barely old enough to drink. We look the other way when they smoke marijuana (Warren Sapp), we don't care if they blow some coke (Darryl Strawberry, Barry Word, Willie Wilson), and we don't even care if they cheat on taxes (Tony Dorsett, Darryl Strawberry).
In reality, we probably shouldn't care. This stuff happens in the real world every day. Why should we expect athletes to act any differently?
What we do need to worry about is when young athletes start beating up their wives and girlfriends. They aren't just hurting themselves anymore. They are hurting women, who are in many cases half their size.
The news is always full of young athletes who knocked around some girl. Mike Tyson, Tommy Morrison and now Phillips. Just look at their role models — Robert Parish, Warren Moon and O.J. Simpson. The power is too much for them.
We need to get all these players into some kind of sensitivity encounter group. The irony in all this is, unless you kill the girl or rape her after you beat her up, no one cares.
Finally, someone is taking a stand against it. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne suspended Phillips from Nebraska football indefinitely. Phillips will no doubt wind up in the NFL soon, but at least Osborne did the right thing.
He sent a message to his team and every other athlete that is crossing the line. You can't do whatever you want, to whomever you want, just because you can play a little ball and have a lot of money.
Maybe after this we won't see Phillips or other athletes standing in front of Judge Ico 20 years from now. At least I hope not.
Kansas volleyball looks to smash Wichita State
Jayhawks determined to make improvements
By Bill Petulla
Kansan sportswriter
The long and winding road that the Kansas volleyball team has trudged the last two weeks, battling against three Top 25 powerhouses, will lead them home tonight as the Jay Hawks take on Wichita State at 7:30.
Coming off the Reebok Ball State Tournament this weekend, where Kansas finished 0-3, the Jayhawks hope to improve their 1-5 overall record, but it's going to take a team effort to win.
"We're excited to be home, but everyone is going to have to play well," said Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise. "The seters and passers are going to have to step up."
For Wichita State, tonight's match is not so much about winning as it is about playing well. The Shockers have gotten off to a rocky start, posting a 1-4 record.
"We just want to get there and play hard and hope to come home with a victory," said Wichita State volleyball coach Phil Shoemaker. "Right now playing in conference is more important than playing Kansas."
Other players of note for the Shockers
include senior outside hitter Angie Hallagain, who finished last season with 302 kills, and setter/middle hitter Shelby Spinola, who had 219 kills last year.
According to Shoemaker, strong individual play has not been enough for Wichita State so far.
"As a team we're not performing to the level that we should be right now," Shoemaker said. "When you're a coach and your team isn't playing consistently, that's a big concern."
On the Jayhawk side of the net, Schonewise is focusing on the play of her own team rather than the Shockers.
"We want to put together a match where every player works hard and plays well both physically and mentally," Schonewise said.
Sophomore outside hitter Leslie Purkeypile and senior middle blocker Jenny Larson paced Kansas, a team that played No. 8 Pacific to three close games in the Ball State Tournament.
Purkepyle had 40 kills in the two-day tournament, including 18 against Pacific. Larson also totaled 33 kills. She had 12 kills and 12 digs against Ball State.
Freshman outside hitter Laura Rohde also enters tonight playing strong as she finished the tournament with 34 digs.
Although tonight's match is against a non-conference opponent, it shouldn't be taken lightly. Schonewise said.
"It is important that we play well because we need to start expecting to win matches," she said.
Chris Hamilton / KANSAN
Rower thrives on busy schedule
By Erin Johnson
Kansan sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
Geiger, a senior from Leavenworth, rises with the sun for a 5:45 a.m. practice at Clinton Lake. Following the end of practice at 8 a.m., Geiger heads home before a 9:30 class and remains on campus until about 2 p.m. She returns home to change for practice from 4 to 6 p.m. After the second practice, Geiger hits the books before finally sleeping around 11 p.m.
With all the time Paige Geiger puts into rowing, it's hard to believe she has time for anything else.
For a lot of students, this schedule sounds like a nightmare, but Geiger enjoys it.
Kansas senior Paige Geiger is one of six Jayhawks with four years of roaring experience. Geiger's desire to row at the varsity level brought her back to school this fall.
Even with a lot of her time dedicated to rowing, Geiger was a second-team Academic All-American last year and has maintained a 3.65 grade point average.
"I kind of thrive on being really busy," said Geiger, who also is an alumna of Pi Beta Phi. "It makes me more productive."
Geiger said there weren't any comparisons between academics and athletics, and she likes to keep them separate.
"It's hard to put them on the same plane," she said. "Eventually, academics are going to get me somewhere, but there are a lot of things I've learned from rowing, too."
Geiger said learning to work together as a team, strive toward goals and go beyond limits are only a few of the things rowing has taught her.
"I think anything you can take from a sport, you can apply to life," she said. "You can always correlate sports into life. That's why I like sports so much, because I can always find a way to connect them."
She definitely connected rowing and the University. After graduating in May with a chemistry degree and knowing Kansas was beginning its first-ever women's varsity rowing team, she decided to return this fall to row and work on getting an English degree.
"She's a very good student," Kansas rowing coach Rob Catloth said. "She's been a very successful athlete and more importantly, successful academically, while she's been here."
"Ithink a lot of rowers look up to her," Catloth said. "She's a hard worker. She does what's asked of her. She tries hard to improve herself everyday, and that's
Catloth said Geiger set a good example — both in and out of the boat.
what I'm looking for."
Geiger said she tried to lead by example by working hard in practice and in the classroom. Being willing to put in the time and effort involved with rowing, knowing when to get focused for a race and finding the extra energy at the end of practice are things Geiger strives to achieve to set the best example.
"I if lack the strength and muscle that the next person has, I try to outwork them by giving my all in practice and being more mentally prepared than the next rower," she said.
Geiger said she was one of six rowers who had four years of rowing experience. Three or four rowers have three
years' experience.
This combined experience is what Geiger hopes will help her team win the Midwest Regionals lightweight division this year. Kansas finished third last year in the regatta in Madison, Wis.
She said that winning the regatta would take a lot more than having her leadership and experience in the boat.
"You really have to depend on all eight or nine people in your boat," she said. "Even if you have one person who is outstanding for you, they can't win the race for you. In basketball maybe you have one outstanding player who can carry the game for you, but you can't do that in rowing. It takes everyone."
Senior immersed in school and pool
By Bill Kenealy
Kansan sportswriter
Philipps looks to regain All-American status
Everything is falling into place for Kansas senior swimmer Dan Philipps.
"When you are not a student-athlete, all you have to budget is school and party. Throw four or five hours a day of athletics into your schedule, and it gets pretty tough," he said.
"I've got my priorities in order," he said.
"School, swimming, social. It used to be social, school, swimming.
the freestyleler/butterflier entered his senior year intent on making it his best in the pool and in the classroom.
He would love to regain All-American status.
Philippis is a three-time Academic AllBig Eight selection and was an All-American following the 1994 season.
"I'm going to go for it this year, put a lot of effort into it," he said. "My goal is to be
In addition to his personal goals, Phillips is excited about his team's chances.
Philipps expects to excel in all his events, which include the 100- and 200-yard butterfly and the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle.
in the top 15 at the NCAA."
"I'm looking forward to this year a lot," he said. "I'm impressed with this freshman class; they work real hard and they are competitive."
However, the Jayhawks have suffered one setback. Junior freestyler/back-stroker Eric Burton lost academic eligibility. Burton is attending junior college in California, trying to regain eligibility.
Philipps and the other Jayhawks are keeping in touch with Burton and offering encouragement, Phillips said.
If Burton's grades improve, he will be eligible to rejoin the team next semester.
"If Eric can come back, it will be a definite morale boost for us," Philips said.
Philippas he realized that if the Jayhawks were to compete for a Big Eight Conference championship, he and other upperclassmen would have lead the
way by competing at nationally.
Philipps began swimming at age three. By the time he was six, he had joined a swim team at the YMCA. He won the first event he entered.
"That's the key. We have to get three or four people to step up there," he said. "I have to get back up there. Kris Hoffman has to stay there. Another couple of guys have to move in."
For Philippines, swimming is a family affair.
His sister, Coleen, is also a Kansas swimmer. She transferred to Kansas after swimming one year at Illinois.
"I never would have gone here if it weren't for Dan," she said. "It was a big factor."
Coleen Philipps will be in the awkward position of facing her former teammates later this season.
Coming to Kansas means tougher practices and tougher classes for Coleen Phillips. She also will have to adjust to Lawrence life and sharing a campus with her brother, she said.
"I don't see him that much — just at practice or if we go on the weekends," she said. "If 's cool having him around."
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Kansas junior running back June Henley (20) and the Jawahars are gearing up for a Thursday match with TCU.
Jayhawks to battle TCU, time
Shortened practice week hasn't been beneficial in past football seasons
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
After a couple of weeks of hot practice followed by victories against Cincinnati and North Texas, the Kansas football team might deserve a break.
It won't happen, however, since the team will be taking on Texas Christian at 7 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Stadium.
"This will be our third game in 12 days," Kansas junior right end Jim Moore said.
Moore said that Kansas football coach Glen Mason wouldn't have allowed that schedule if he didn't think the team could handle it.
"They're going to take it pretty easy on us at practice this week and make it more of a mental week than a physical week." Moore said.
Of course, just being spotlighted on ESPN might be motivational in itself. Even the offensive line, such as junior center Jim Stiebel, has been looking forward to this game for some time.
"It makes it more interesting knowing that everybody back home, everybody in the Midwest is watching," Stiebel said. "We took each game one game at a time. But I think this is the game that we were really looking forward to when two-a-days started."
The team does have its share of experience with short weeks.
Experience and success aren't necessarily the same thing, however. The Jayhawks lost to the Wildcats 21-13 and the Bears 27-23.
In 1992, the team played California in an ESPN Thursday night match-up. Last year, it was Kansas State that rolled into Memorial Stadium to play under the lights.
"We played down at Tula at night, and we were going to come back and play Cal, and they had a week off." Mason said of the game three years ago. "I came right back and tried to count backwards; I tried to make Sunday like a Tuesday practice. We didn't win the game."
Not only does Kansas have a less-than-stellar history with Thursday night games, but also with TCU. The Horned Frogs lead the series 16-5-4 against the Jayhawks.
Last year Kansas was coming off of a 17-10 victory against Michigan State — which was at home under the lights — when it traveled to Fort Worth, Texas, to face Texas Christian.
The Jayhawks led the Horned Frogs 21-14 in the third quarter. TCU then scored 17 unanswered points, overcoming the deficit and going on to win 31-21.
"All we're trying to do is build some momentum," Mason said. "The week before we were flying on the clouds. Then all of the sudden, one week later you're loading guys on the plane and they're half dead, from an emotional standpoint."