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6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY,AUGUST 20,2007
VOLLEYBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
when you roll the bleachers out and it's a real match-like situation, it's a little different."
Bechard said that he thought Wichita natives Jenna Kaiser and Melissa Manda played well in their first appearances as Jayhawks. Denver native Karina Garlington played quite a bit as well. Melissa Townshend, a Topeka native, and Caroline Ferreira Americo, a San Paulo, Brazil native, also made their first appearances.
ALUMNI UPDATE
If you think that an alumni scrimimage is an all-relaxed affair, you haven't seen the Kansas volleyballalumni squad. Led by former Kansasstandouts Jill Dorsey, a 2004 gradu
ate, and Jana Correa, a 2006 graduate, the alums fought hard all game long and even had a few complaints about some questionable calls.
"We've been where they've been," Dorsey said. "We're athletes and we love to compete, whether it's been two weeks since you've picked up a volleyball, or eight months."
Dorsey, a Wellsville native and Kansas' all-time leader in digs with 1,338, surprised her alumni teammates and her former coach by flying in from California at the last minute. Dorsey is currently residing in Hermosa Beach, Calif., and said she played sand volleyball as much as she could.
— edited by Trevan McGee
SPORTS IN A MINUTE
Quick Hits
TENNIS
MASON, Ohio — Top-ranked Roger Federer reached another measure of tennis greatness on Sunday, winning his 50th tournament title by beating James Blake 6-1, 6-4 in the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.
The 26-year-old Swiss star became the fifth-youngest player in history to reach 50, and only the ninth overall in the Open Era since 1968 - to win so many tournaments.
Given the way he's playing, he's eyeing the U.S. Open as No. 51.
Federer almost got the noteworthy win a week earlier in Montreal, where he lost the title match to Serbia's Novak Djokovic in a third-set tiebreaker.
MEN'S GOLF
REENSBORO, N.C. — Tied with two holes to play and seemingly headed for a playoff, Brandt Snekeder needed to make something bold happen. He made the best shot of his short career.
Armed with a 3-iron, Snekeder got within 32 feet on the par-317th and set up a birdie putt that moved him ahead of Tim Petrovic for good, and the rookie finished with a 9-under 63 on Sunday for his first career PGA Tour win, a two-stroke victory at the low-scoring Wyndham Championship.
"I knew I was going to have to birdie one of the last two to give myself a chance," Snedeker said. "The way the scores were going, everybody was getting birdies everywhere."
Snedeker, a 26-year-old Tennessee native and former Vanderbilt player, had the best round of the tournament. He finished at 22-under 266 and earned $900,000.
Petrovic (67) — who was tied with Snedeker with two holes to play — joined Jeff Overton (70)
and Billy Mayfair (67) two strokes back.
WOMEN'S GOLF
EDMONTON, Alberta — Lorena Ochoa won the Canadian Women's Open for her second straight victory and fifth of the season, closing with a 2-under 69 on Sunday for a three-stroke victory over Paula Creamer.
The top-ranked Mexican star, coming off her first major victory two weeks ago in the Women's British Open at St. Andrews, had a 16-under 268 total on the Royal Mayfair course. She earned $337,500 to raise her tour-leading total to $2,636,590.
SENIOR GOLF
"It was just one of those weeks where everything was good from tee to green," Ochoa told the cheering crowd, some waving Mexican flags, as she stood on the 18th green and struggled to lift the outsized two-handled silver mug trophy.
SUNRIVER, Ore. — Mark McNulty coolly shot a 68 to win The Tradition by five strokes, his first victory in a major.
Mcnulty didn't falter until the end, when he double-bogeyed the 18th hole at Crosswater Golf Club. When he missed a nearly 4-foot putt, he joked with the crowd: "Fortunately, I've got a lock."
McNultyfinishedtheChampions Tour event with a 16-under 272. His co-leader going into the final round, David Edwards, shot a 73 to finish at 11 under. D.A. Weibreng finished at 10 under with a 72.
The 3M Performance 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway was postponed by rain and rescheduled for today at noon.
AUTO RACING
Associated Press
MCBEAM (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
are his new sidekicks: The K Crew. If you haven't witnessed how ridiculous the K Crew is in person, well, they could only be described as the Major League equivalent to the Saturday Night Live Spartan Cheerleaders.
But let's not forget our own backyard.
Big Jay is the most realistic Jayhawk you'll ever find, and he gave his all in the Capital One Mascot Challenge. Yet, he always plays second fiddle to fan favorite Baby Jay. I want to know why. Why aren't people more suspicious of this mischievous 'Baby' Jay?
Baby Jay turns 36 this October. How long does it take a Jay to reach adulthood? Secondly, for Baby Jay to exist, there must be a Mama Jay, right? Where is she? And why do the Jays fall down before every basketball game? Something tells me they have a dark past they're covering up.
But the most important question is: Why does this school — or any school or any sports franchise — need two mascots?
One mascot is more than enough and, in some cases, one too many. And that's the conundrum sports and fans are faced with today: When is enough, enough? How much cheesy entertainment will collegiate and professional sports offer fans to distract from the product on the field? When, if ever, will fans get their fill of this athletic window dressing? Is Steely McBeam the end of an era, or can we expect the unveiling of Mama Jay this Homecoming?
To the people of Pittsburgh's credit, some are protesting Steely McBeam and petitioning to have him removed. Steely's success in Pittsburgh could either facilitate or deter the mascot takeover that's now upon us.
Edited by Matt Erickson
Backing up Reasing and Meier is redshirt freshman Tyler Lawrence. The 6-3 left-hander from Shawnee earned the Scout Team Player of the Year award last year but has never played in a game.
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
RUNNING BACKS
Running back is another position at which the Jayhawks have plenty of depth but no established star.
Sophomore Jake Sharp is the most
"I feel like I haven't played in 10 years," Quigley said. "I barely remember the last time I played in a game. It must've been 2004."
experienced tailback on the roster. Offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said Sharp had improved his pass receiving skills and could be a big play threat for Kansas.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Quigley redhirted his first season and suffered a major leg injury before last season. He sat out all of 2006 and practiced as a wide receiver in spring workouts. During the summer,
frustrating road for Quigley since he became a Jayhawk.
"We are going with Todd Reesing. He came here ready to go in two-a-days and has really got a good command of the offense."
MARK MANGINO
Sharp rushed
Sharp's most notable competition for carries is sophomore Angus Quigley. It has been a long and
for 129 yards in a reserve rote nast season. Although he has bulked up since arriving at Kansas, he is profiled as an outside running threat and a safety valve in the passing game.
Quigley and the coaching staff decided he was better suited at his original position, so he moved to the backfield, where he has played well this preseason.
Quigley is one of the most
fullback. He tallied 122 yards on the ground and 70 in the passing game last season.
physically imposing players on the team and shows a combination of speed and power that suggests he could be getting the lion's share of the carries by the start of conference play.
Senior Brandon McAnderson, a team captain and 201 All-Big 12 Second team player, will line up at
"Brandon is a guy that allows us to run the ball up the middle," Warinner said. "He's a great blocker and can also do some things as far as receiving."
The only question is just iow often McAnderson will be utilized. Kansas did not use two-back sets much in its previous offensive scheme. Now that the Jayhawks will be using a new, possibly more pass-heavy offense, McAnderson might only see the field in goal-line and short-yardage situations.
True freshman Carmon Boyd-Anderson impressed the coaching staff enough in August practices to slide into the three-spot at tailback. Mangino said Boyd-Anderson was focused and succeeded because he took football so seriously.
With at least two quality options at both quarterback and running back, Kansas will have the flexibility to mix and match personnel at any time. But Mangino said he would prefer to stick with one quarterback. For now, that quarterback is Todd Reesing.
—Edited by Matt Erickson
The backfield
Name
» NFL
Class
Size
Name
Quarterbacks
Todd Reesing
Kerry Meler
Running backs
Jake Sharp
Angus Quigley
sophomore sophomore
Fullbacks
2006 Stats
5-11,200 pounds 6-3,220 pounds
sophomore sophomore
Fullbacks
Brandon McAnderson
Sam Archer
14 of 24, 204 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
104 of 184, 1193 yards, 13 TD, 10 INT
5-10,190 pounds 6-2,220 pounds
6-0, 235 pounds
6-1, 227 pounds
21 rushes, 129 yards, 6.1 ypc Injured in 2006
31 rushes, 122 yards, 3.9 ypc, 5 TD did not play in 2006
BY R.B. FALLSTROM ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rams save Jackson for regular season
ST. LOUIS — Conserving Steven Jackson for the regular season serves two purposes for the St. Louis Rams.
Last year's NFL leader in combined rushing and receiving yards is fresh for the games that count. His rookie backup, second-round pick Brian Leonard, is getting a lot of work. While Jackson had a ceremonial start in Saturday night's 30-13 loss to the Chargers, lining up for the first play and then heading for the sideline, Leonard got 19 touches.
The Rams (1-1) may have been inspired by the Chargers' decision to hold back LaDainian Tomlinson, the NFLs MVP last year, in the preseason since 2005. Plus they realize how important Jackson, coming off a breakout season in which he racked up 2,334 yards, is to their dreams.
"Every year, because players are bigger and faster and stronger and more expensive, you've got to make a sure guy like Steven Jackson, who is a game-changer, is healthy for
the regular season and the playoffs", offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. "It's important that we have him at the end of the season when hopefully we're making a playoff push."
Leonard will get some snaps at fullback the last two preseason games. He had 49 yards on 17 carries and two catches for 18 yards against the Chargers, after scoring on a 10-yard run in the preseason opener at Minnesota.
"I was more settled down this game," Leonard said. "I knew more what to expect as to the speed of the game, and how these guys bring it."
Quarterback Marc Bulger has been impressed with Leonard's willingness to just move the chains, rather than try for big plays.
"He's not trying to do too much," Bulger said. "He understands that four or five yards is great on first down.
"A lot of young backs are so used to getting so many yards on first down and I think he understands already that you take what they give you."
In two games, Jackson has only
two catches for 8 yards. He wasn't used a lot in the 2006 preseason, either, totaling 17 carries and three receptions. That light warm-up obviously was no factor for Jackson, who finished with a career-high 1,528 yards rushing with 13 touchdowns and an NFL-leading 9 catches for 806 yards and three more scores.
This year Jackson is aiming for 2,500 total yards and the Rams believe a strong backup will help him reach that goal. Linehan said Jackson's playing time will increase "a little bit" for the preseason game Friday at Oakland, which could mean a handful of snaps, with Leonard is expected to get more heavy duty.
Most of the front-line players will get limited or no duty at all in the final preseason game Aug. 30 against the Chiefs.
Tom Gannam/ASSOCIATED PRESS
"Our biggest question is, 'If Steven weren't in the game, who are we going to play?' Linehan said. "I don't have any question about what Steven is going to be able to do."
Both Linehan and Olson noted that Jackson took all the snaps with the first team in practice. They also
Tom Gannon ASSOCIATED PRESS
St. Louis Rams running back Steven
jackson played one down in an NFL preseason
football game against the San Diego Chargers
on Saturday in St. Louis.
point out that it's been a fairly physical camp.
"We saw what we needed to see last season," Olson said. "He took a big leap in terms of being a premiere running back, and we're obviously a different team without him."
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