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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2. 2006
Knee injury benches Jets player
Lennyjanelzi/ASSOCIATED FPSS
Curtis Martin's season, and possibly his career, comes to an end
New York Jets running back Curtis Martin's season ended Wednesday because of a lingering knee injury, but the New York Jets hope the star running back will play again. The bone-on-bone condition in his right knee could jeopardize his future career.
BY DENNIS WASZAK JR.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Curtis Martin tried to outrun the inevitable.
After months of rehabilitation and countless hours working to get back on the field for the New York Jets, reality finally caught up to the NFL's No. 4 career rusher.
"I think this is as good as my knee gets, where it is right now." Martin said Wednesday at a news conference.
The Jets placed the 33-year-old Martin on the reserve physically-unable to perform list with a bone-on-bone condition in his right knee, ending his season before it ever got started and jeopardizing his career.
"I usually deal with things the way they are now, and with the information that I know about my future, it doesn't look like it's too bright as far as me having a further career," Martin said. "And if that happens, great."
It took a few months for Martin to reach the point where he could accept the idea his brilliant career might be over.
"I don't know if it's even possible," Martin said of playing again. "It hasn't been possible up to this point, so I'm not looking forward to saying I'll definitely be back next year. It's a long stretch, I'll put it that way. And that's the most honest answer I can give you."
This wasn't an official retirement announcement, but it sure sounded and looked like one, with cameras flashing every few seconds and at least two dozen reporters packed into the small media room.
"I'm officially not playing this year," Martin said. "Retirement — that may be the inevitable result. I just haven't gotten there yet."
Martin, wearing a brown baker boy hat, royal blue V-neck shirt and dark blue jeans, kept his com-
possession throughout the nearly half-hour news conference. He referred to his career in the past tense a few times, and his outlook on playing again was far from promising. Martin also thanked the team, the fans and even the media in a sign of closure.
"To think that a guy might not be able to play again is devastating," said Derrick Blaylock, who was signed last year to back up Martin. "Aside from football, this is a guy's future. If he's not going to be able to play, that means a lot."
Martin spoke with coach Eric Mangini on Tuesday night, and
said he didn't think hed be ready to practice next week.
"I sat in Eric's office and I said, 'Eric, you know what? I just need one last conversation with the doctors,' I said, 'I even know. I know what they're going to say and I know what the outcome is,' but for some reason I just wanted that last conversation."
Martin, who said he's in game shape and at his playing weight, never got that final conversation, instead talking with general manager Mike Tannenbaum and deciding Wednesday was the day to end months of speculation.
Former Jayhawks sign NBA contract extensions
Two former Jayhawks cashed in big on Tuesday, signing contract extensions with their NBA teams.
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Guard Kirk Hirnich agreed to a five-year contract extension believed to be worth $47.5 million with the Chicago Bulls, and forward Nick Collison signed a multi-year agreement with the Seattle SuperSonics, but the amount was not disclosed.
Texas Speedway made into one of top courses
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FORT WORTH, Texas
— There was a 13-car
wreck in the first turn on
the first lap of the first
race. And the transition
NASCAR drivers hated Texas Motor Speedway. After that inaugural Cup race in 1997, Rusty Wallace said the new 1 1/2-mile track would need "a total reconstruction to get it right." More problems followed when NASCAR returned the next year. Qualifying had to be postponed because of water seeping through that first turn on a sunny day.
"Texas is a great race track," said Matt Kenseth, the points leader with three races left in NASCAR's Chase for the Nextel Cup.
onto the frontstretch was tight and treacherous.
"Frustrating doesn't say it strong enough,"TMS president Eddie Gossage said."It was just so disgusting to go through those early years."
Much has changed since the problematic start — mainly, the perceptions that drivers have about the track. Texas wraps up its 10th season of racing this weekend, and now is considered by many to be one of NASCAR's best venues.
A $4 million restructuring after the 1998 race included modifications of the entrances and exits of the turns and a new drainage system. The track was repaired again in 2001, and the high-banked quadoval has seasoned with plenty of racing since.
"It wasn't exactly what it needed to be when we started going there," Kevin Harvick said. "They did whatever it took to make the race track right."
Drivers and their sponsors like more than the fast track. They love the big money and big crowds in Texas, where nearly 200,000 people have attended every Cup race — even 185,000 on a Monday makeup after a rainstout in 2002.
PGA names Ryder Cup captains in advance
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ATLANTA — Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo have competed on the golf course and shared space in a television
tower as commentators. The next
time they square off will be as Ryder Cup captains in two years at Valhalla.
Azinger, a former PGA champion and cancer survivor who played in four Ryder Cups without losing a singles match, has been selected the next American captain, according to two people with knowledge of the appointment.
They did not want to be identified because the PGA of America has not announced its selection, which could come as early as next week.
Azinger did not immediately return a phone call.
He will be in charge of a U.S. team that has iost three straight times to Europe, including record margins (18 1/2-9 1/2) the last two matches. Last month in Ireland, Europe became the first team to win all five sessions of the matches.
The PGA of America had talked to Azinger about being captain for the '04 Ryder Cup — a captaincy that would have gone to his close friend, Payne Stewart, who died in a plane crash in 1999 — but he declined.
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Celtics' legend laid to rest in simple ceremony
FALLS CHURCH, Va. Red Auerbach was buried in a simple graveside ceremony, with Hall of Famers Bill Russell and
John Thompson and commissioner David Stern among those paying last respects.
About 150 family, friends and special guests attended the private burial for the NBA great at the King David Memorial Gardens in suburban Washington.
Auerbach, who won nine NBA titles with the Celtics as a coach and seven more as a general manager, died after a heart attack near his Washington home Saturday at age 89.
Lakers' Bryant sits out season opener
LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant sat out the Los Angeles Lakers' season opener against the Phoenix Suns because
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of soreness in his surgically repaired right knee.
Bryant underwent arthroscopic surgery in mid-July, and missed the Lakers'eight exhibition
games.
He said he wouldn't travel for Wednesday night's game at Golden State, either, but hoped to return either Friday or Sunday.
Before the game, the Lakers signed Brian Cook to a two-year contract extension.
Suspended San Diego Charger out four games
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers must play their next four games without outside line-backer Shayne Merriman.
who decided not to appeal his suspension for testing positive for steroids.
Merriman, who's tied for the NFL lead with 8 1/2 sacks, and his attorney have blamed a tainted supplement for the player's positive test for the steroid nandrolone.
Yankees' Steinbrenner hospitalized
The suspension won't officially begin until after Merriman addresses his teammates on Wednesday. After that, he'll be barred from the team's headquarters until he's eligible to return on Nov. 27.
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was hospitalized for the second time in three year
after becoming ill while watching his granddaughter perform in a play.
The 76-year-old Steinbrenner was taken by paramedics to UNC Hospitals on Sunday, The Daily Tar Heel reported. Steinbrenner was released Monday morning and returned to Tampa, Fla., spokesman Howard Rubenstein said.
Steinbrenner fainted at a memorial service for football great Otto Graham in Sarasota, Fla., on Dec. 27, 2003.
2005-06 Big 12 scoring leader released from Tech
NBA
reasons.
LUBBOCK, Texas
Texas Tech dismissed leading scorer Jarrius Jackson from the basketball team because of academic
Associated Press
BOSTON — A bouquet of green roses topped by a single, unlit cigar sat in Red Auerbach's empty seat at the new Boston Garden on Wednesday night as the Celtics opened the season without him
legacy."
"It was a great honor for me to even know Red," Celtics captain Paul Pierce told the fans from mid-court, surrounded by past Celtic greats. "As we move forward we've got to continue to celebrate his
for the first time in half a century.
Then, Pierce told the sellout crowd of 18,624 there was one thing that Auerbach liked best. "Winning," came the shout from the bleachers.