Nebraska and Oklahoma State face off tonight, Page 6.
NFL
A look at the Chiefs, Page 3.
SPORTS
U N I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1995
SECTION B
Racism exists in wide world of sports, too
Prejudice of fans is apparent in the way athletes are treated
Racism is not one of the reasons why people like sports.
People like sports because they entertain and provide an escape from reality. People like sports because they are their own world that can be complained about, corrected and dreamed about.
It is much like the real world. Just about everything that is seen in the real world exists in sports, and racism is one of these things.
It exists between owners and management, owners and players and even between coaches and players. Although some may dispute that, it is obvious that racism exists.
But the shocking, less obvious racism is the fans' prejudice toward certain players.
The most recent example of player preference based on race is Dallas Cowboys' fullback
on race is Dallas Cowboys' fullback Davy Johnston.
Johnston's nickname is Moose. It doesn't matter what National Football League stadium Johnston plays in, fans always yell his nickname whenever he touches the football. Denver fans, known to be die-hard Bronco supporters, cheered his nickname and displayed signs with his name on them during the preseason.
That is too far.
Part of Johnston's popularity has to do with being a Cowboy. Part of his popularity has to do with his status as an under-recognized, great player.
But I don't know how under-recognized he can be when everyone yells his nickname, and the media always mentions he is the best blocking fullback in the NFL.
But fans seem to like him for these reasons. They aren't the only reasons, though.
Johnston is white. This is why fans around the country love the guy. Some white fans could not identify with a fullback that was not white. It wouldn't matter that his nickname was Moose or Bo or Zo. And, it would not matter that he was a good fullback because he was a good blocker.
Otherwise, he would be considered a great player that was quiet and just did his job.
He seems like a blue-collar guy only because he is white.
If Johnston was not white, the only fans that would cheer Moose would be in Dallas.
that was quiet and just our job. Fans' racism isn't anything new
Kansas City Royals fans are guilty of it, too. When George Brett was over the hill, no one wanted to see him play anywhere other than Kansas City at the end of his career. And they didn't want him to retire.
He was the best player the Royals have ever had. The farewell he received was understandable, considering the short history of the Royals. Royals fans should be proud of the goodbye they gave him.
Frank White, one of the best fielding second baseman of his era, was shoved out with no protest from the fans.
They shouldn't be proud of how they said goodbye to one of Brett's teammates.
White spent his entire career with the Royals and was one of the few players to start and succeed at the Royals' experimental baseball school. White was known throughout the community and represented Kansas City with class on and off the field.
White was forced out by the Royals so they could bring in a flop of a second baseman named Terry Shumpert, who did not last long.
White had lost a little range, but he still could reach balls that most second basemen could not. He put in just as much time and effort as Brett, perhaps more. White deserved better.
When White was shoved aside, no one cared. When Brett wanted to fade away, fans cheered his every weak at-bat.
The reason is race.
BASKETBALL
Kansas Basketball Notes
Despite the NBA lockout, former Kansas basketball player Greg Ostertag will be making money for playing on a basketball court soon. Ostertag will join Whool Goldberg and NBA players such as John Salley, Gary Payton and Malk Seavis in Hollywood Pictures' "Eddie."
The movie is a comedy about a fan who is named coach of her favorite team as publicity stunt by the owner.
The U.S. Men's World University Games team improved to 4-0 with a 105-81 defeat of Lithuania on Tuesday.
Hanesse guard Jend Haase scored six points in 14 minutes. Haese made one out of three shots from the field and all three free-throws he attempted. Haese also had a rebound and steal.
The seam was assured of pluing in the semiturn round today and tomorrow.
The team played the Czech Republic yesterday
Formulated by Martin spotted after Matt train.
Senior golfer adds spice to team
Rooney brings humor and skill to the links
By Spencer Duncan Kansan sportswriter
For many people, life has a tendency to become routine. It rarely changes, and everyday actions become predictable.
It is this repetitiveness senior golfer Dan Roonev rebels against.
Rooney is a golfer out not only to win on the course but to have fun with life.
Rooney's teammate, Kit Grove,
Lincoln, Neb., junior, acknowledges
Rooney likes to have fun and says it is
welcome.
"His humor is a good thing," Grove said. "Right before a tournament, sometimes it can get really intense." Rooney believes having fun is an important part of life and competition.
"Life can get so monotonous," Rooney said. "You get up, you go play golf, you go to class, you go home, you eat, you sleep. Then you get up and start all over again
There has to be something to break therum.
There has to be something to break that up." Humor is not the only thing Rooney brings to the golf course. Kansas men's golf coach Ross Randall said he saw more than a comedian in Rooney. Randall recognizes an ability to play and a fierce competitiveness.
"He practices more than anybody." Randall
Born and raised in Stillwater, Okla., he remembers when, at the age of 6, he started playing with his dad.
Rooney teammates often see. They witness the confidence Rooney carries on the golf course.
"I had two older sisters, so I wanted to get away from them, and the golf course was a good place," he said
"He's really self-confident," Grove said. "He believes that the team should play up to its potential every time we go out there. Every time he tees it up, he thinks we are good enough to beat anybody in the field."
Rooney played golf in high school, as well as several other sports. But when graduation came, he knew golf offered him the best chance of being a college athlete.
said. "He gets things done. Last spring he was trying too hard in tournments and was really rough on himself. He's too much of a perfectionist."
He just never dreamed he would be playing in this part of the country.
It is not the perfectionist in
"Coming from Stillwater, my goal was to get out of the Midwest." Rooney said.
"Life can get so monotonous. There has to be something to break that up."
Rooney, visited other colleges across the nation, but when the time came to pick a place to go, Kansas was his top choice.
When Rooney arrived at Kansas, there was no guarantee he would be playing golf. He showed up as a walk-on. He made the team, but was
Hannah Brazee / KANBAN
Dan Rooney
Kansas senior golfer
redshirted his freshman year. Since then Rooney has gone from low on man on the roster to starter.
teur in Newport, R.I. At the par 70 course, Rooney shot rounds of 75 and 73. He finished with a 148, missing the qualifying mark of 145 by three strokes.
Rooney has competed in 14 collegiate tournaments since becoming a Jayhawk. In seven, he finished in the top 25, and in four, he finished in the top 10.
Rooney recently returned from the 1995 U.S. Ama-
Rooney hopes to play in amateur
Kansas senior Dan Rooney practices his chip shot. Rooney competed at the 1995 U.S. Amateur in Newport, R.I., but failed to qualify.
competition until next August, which is when he plans to go pro. He said he will give it a try overseas.
"Here, the only way to make money is playing on the Nike Tour or the PGA," Rooney said. "There are better opportunities playing in other countries."
Most important to Rooney, though, is what golf has given him. Rooney believes the confidence he now uses to help him succeed was learned on the golf course.
"What hasn't golf taught me?" Rooney said. "Golf has taught me everything."
Cincinnati faces obstacles, then Kansas
By Robert Sinclair
Kansan sportswriter
Bearcats could start opener against 'Hawks without quarterback
For Cincinnati football coach Rick Minter, having the 101st rushing defense in the nation facing the eighthbest rushing team normally would be a concern.
But, that's the least of his problems.
But that is the issue of problems. When Cincinnati rolls into Lawrence this weekend for both teams' season opener, it may or may not be with starting quarterback Eric Vibberts, who is recovering from the arthroscopic knee surgery he had on Aug. 11.
"He's still listed as somewhat doubtful, and we're still playing it by ear," Minter said. "We hope to get the clearance to bring him along, but we might not know until Friday morning."
CINCINNATI SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE
Vibberts, who is from Stafford Springs, Conn., said that he was excited about his progress.
Cincinnati football coach Rick Minter is determined to stop the Kansas backs in Saturday's game, although the Bearcats' *rushing defense* was 101.1st in 1994.
"It iteels pretty strong," the senior said of his knee. "We weren't expecting it to come back as quickly as it did."
The first back-up, sophomore Brent Petrus, has all 11 of those attempts. They came in a 38-7 loss to Wisconsin.
After that on the depth chart is true freshman Chad Plummer and sophomore Joe Walburn, neither of whom have any college experience.
After Vibberts, the experience at quarterback is minimal with three quarterbacks combining for 11 collegiate pass attempts.
Kansas football coach Glen Mason said there was always uncertainty involved with football games, and he wasn't worried about who was taking the snaps for the Bearcats.
"First of all, going into the opening game, you never know what to expect anyway. We are assuming that their quarterback will play." Mason said. "I can't
Vibberts, who suffered a partial dislocation of his left knee during offseason conditioning, is a drop-back passer who considers himself a student of the game. He often spends hours watching film and studying defenses.
believe that they'll change their whole system just for this one game, because if he doesn't play this week, he'll play next week. I'm more concerned about our team than I am their team."
"I'm confident with this offense, and I'm good at reading defenses," Vibberts
said. "I should be. I've been around long enough."
"I think these are two of the best backs we'll face all year — definitely the best tandem," Minter said. "You can talk all you want about passing attacks, but when you lose the ability to run the ball."
Not only does Minter have to worry about his quarterback situation, but he also has to contend with running-back tandem junior June Henley and senior L. T. Levine, who have combined for 3,133 yards during their Kansas careers.
you lose that edge."
Before taking the Cincinnati job, Minter was the defensive coordinator for Notre Dame and helped the Fighting Irish to a 21-2-1 record during his two-year stint.
The coach isn't alone in his quest to improve the defense. Cincinnati defensive coordinator Tim Rose was brought in for that sole purpose. Rose worked for three years with Memphis' defense, where he developed a squad that was ranked No. 3 nationally for total defense twice in the last three years.
Stopping the Jayhawk running attack might be no small task for the second-year coach. However, Minter does know a thing or two about defenses.
The biggest difference between the two schools, Minter said, was that at Notre Dame, 6-5 was considered a travesty while Cincinnati would be ecstatic with such a record.
Mason appreciates Rose's coaching abilities.
"I know that their style of defense will be quite different; I know Tim Rose," Mason said. "They blitz. They put up all different kinds of fronts. I'm sure they'll be very committed to try and 'stop our run."
While most players feel that the changes taking place during the last few years are for the best, Vibberts has mixed emotions about losing the head coach who recruited him.
"I was kind of upset at first," Vibbers said. "It kind of held me back a little bit when he left, you know with new guys coming in.
V
"But Coach Minter has brought us into a new era. We've redone a lot of things from the offices to the locker room."
Another aspect of those changes includes becoming part of a new conference next year, Conference USA. Cincinnati, an independent for 26 years, will join the 12-team conference, which includes Louisville, Memphis and Houston.
>
"You've got to establish an attitude and confidence," Minter said. "I think from a recognition standpoint, the conference will help a lot."
---