This weekend, Iowa State lost to Nebraska and Kansas State defeated Oklahoma State. Columnists from both schools discuss the games. 4B
Former KU football player Charles Gordon doesn't regret his decision to leave Kansas but a recent injury has had an effect on his professional career.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10,2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 1B
NBA
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Nick Collison and the Seattle Supersonics will be in Lawrence on Sunday for an exhibition game against the Chicago Bulls. Collison, a Jayhawk basketball player from 2000 to 2003, said he was excited to play in Allen Fieldhouse again.
Former Kansas forward returns for exhibition game
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
Nick Collison will be back in the spotlight on Sunday for the first time in three years.
Collison, former All-American, will return to Allen Fieldhouse for Sunday's exhibition between his Seattle Supersonics and the Chicago Bulls. Collison played forward at Kansas from 2000 to 2003.
"I'm excited about coming back to play" Collison said. "It'll be good to
be back in Lawrence and play in the fieldhouse"
Collison has been out of the spotlight for nearly his entire NBA career because of various injuries. He missed his entire rookie season after having surgery on both his right and left shoulders. Collison also missed time last season because of a foot injury.
Because he's seen limited minutes in his two seasons of play, Collison said he realized the importance of the upcoming season.
"It's the last year of my deal"
Collison said. "It'll probably affect the rest of my career"
A coaching change before the beginning of last season should help Collison earn that new contract. In the new offensive system under former Kansas assistant coach Bob Hill, the offense focuses on the post players.
The change seemed to have helped Collison; his average points and rebounds per game increased from
his rookie season in 2004.
Last season for the Supersonics,
Collison averaged seven points and
five rebounds per game. He played an
average of 21 minutes per night and
made four starts.
When Collison left Lawrence in 2003, the Kansas basketball program was in a state of turmoil. Just days after a loss in the National Championship game, former coach Roy Williams bolted home to North Carolina, leaving the Kansas job open.
With Williams' departure came the loss of numerous assistant coaches, administrators and support staff who Collison had worked with in his four seasons as a lavish.
Despite the new faces, Collison said Lawrence still felt like home.
"I definitely feel welcome at KU," Collison said. "Everyone is friendly enough to get along."
Even though he won't be in town long — the Supersonics won't arrive until 9 p.m. on Saturday — Collison
said he appreciated the opportunity to play at the fieldhouse one more time.
"KU fans are great," Collison said. "They support you forever. It would mean a lot for us to have great fan support like that."
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschneider@kansan.com.
Edited by Dianne Smith
Injury keeps Meier on bench
FOOTBALL
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
Adam Barmann looks for passing options in the Jahyhaws game against the Agnos on Saturday. Barmann has started three consecutive games in place of injured quarterback Kerry Meier.
With any quarterback controversy all but snuffed out, only one question remains for the Kansas football team. How long until Kerry Meier returns?
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A short answer for that is tough to get.
Mangino said Meier had not progressed as much as he had liked since suffering an undisclosed injury to his throwing arm nearly a month ago against Toledo. It was then decided that senior Adam Barmann would start his third consecutive game.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said he had planned for Meier to return in time for the Texas A&M game on Saturday. But after practice last Wednesday, that plan changed.
As for Meier's return, Mangino said he was still unsure about the specific date.
"The matter of the fact is that he's at least a week away," he said.
The offense sure looked like it could use a boost on Saturday. A week after racking up nearly 600 yards of offense against Nebraska, the offense had only 288 yards against A&M. Kansas put up its second-lowest point total of the season and registered just one first down in the fourth quarter.
Despite the midweek switch at
After having two of the best games of his career in his first two starts this season, Barmann completed barely 40 percent of his passes against A&M. He also took two sacks.
quarterback, Mangino said Barmann wasn't responsible for the loss.
"I don't think our offense was very in sync at all," Mangino said. "I can't blame him for that."
Barmann refused to blame his struggles on taking fewer snaps earlier in the week at practice.
"No, not at all," he said Saturday. "That's not an excuse."
Kansas' game against Baylor on Oct. 21 will not be televised. It will kick off at 2 p.m. in Waco, Texas.
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschnelder@kansan.com.
Football notes
NBA
Edited by Aly Barland
Hinrich eager to play ball once again in Fieldhouse
BY MARK DENT
Similarities between Lawrence and Chicago are hard to come by, kind of like a quiet ride on the El Train. Michigan Avenue has just a few more places to shop than Massachusetts Street and it would be hard to find someone who would confuse Fraser Hall with the Sears Tower.
But one even bigger difference sticks out in the mind of Kirk Hinrich.
"Kansas fans are as good as they come," said the former jayhawk basketball player. "You never ever got booed, no matter what happened. In Chicago, they're a little rougher on us."
Hinrich will get one more taste of his favorite fans Sunday, when his Chicago Bulls play the Seattle Supersonics at Allen Fieldhouse.
It has been three years since Hinrich traded the red and blue for the red and black. The Sioux City, Iowa native was drafted by the Bulls as the seventh pick overall in
the 2003 NBA draft and has since become the franchise's most recognizable player. This season he averaged 15.9 points per game, 6.3 assists per game and 3.6 rebounds per game and led Chicago into the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
As impressive as Hinrich has been in the regular season, he has been even better when the games really count. He ratched his scoring average up to 20.5 points per game and 7.7 assists per game during this year's postseason. The Bulls also gave the NBA champion Miami Heat all it could handle in a playoff series that ended 4-2 in the Heat's favor.
"We came a long way last season and did a great job of competing against them," Hinrich said. "This season we have the ability to go a lot farther than the first round, but it will depend on our mental toughness and coming to play every night."
Hinrich's playoff exploits caught the eye of NBA basketball coach
NBA Exhibition
Who: Nick Collison and the Seattle SuperSonics vs. Kirk Hinrich and the Chicago Bulls When: Sunday at 1 p.m. Where: Allen Fieldhouse Tickets: Student tickets are still available for $10 at the Allen Fieldhouse Ticket Office or by calling 864-3141.
Source: KU Athletics
Mike Krzyezewski, who made him a late addition to the 12-man roster for the 2006 World Championships this summer. The competition in Japan gave Hirinch a chance to make an even bigger name for himself and to pick up pointers from some of the NBAs best.
"The talent level was unbelievable," he said. "I learned a lot and am a better player from the experience."
SEE HINRICH ON PAGE 6B
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