SPORTS OREGON EYES KANSAS COACH PAGE 5B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FANTASY SLEEPERS PAGE 5B
MONDAY,AUGUST 20,2007
PAGE1B
KANSAS BESTS ALUMNI IN THREE-GAME SHUTOUT
Anna Faltermieer/KANSAN
in the second match of the name against Kansas volleyball alumni Saturday at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. The current jayhawks won all three matches. The team will travel to Oregon Aug. 24 for the Oregon Invitational tournament.
Present prevails over past
Anna Faltermieer/KANSAN
Senior middle blocker Natalie Uhart and freshman outside hitter Karina Garlington go up for a block during the Kansas volleyball alumni game Saturday night at Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Kansas defeated the alumni in all three matches.
BY RUSTIN DODD
rdodd@kansan.com
Natalie Uhart wasn't tentative. The Lansmg junior wasn't nervous either.
Even though Uhart suffered a season ending knee injury during last year's annual volleyball alumni match, and Saturday brought the one-year anniversary of that fateful night, Uhart was feeling something quite a bit different.
"It was relief." Uhart said.
She was back on the floor, surgically repaired knee and all, as Kansas defeated a team of Kansas volleyball alumni 3-0 (31-29, 30-27, 30-28).
The key for Uhart was to not think about last year's injury, and Coach Ray Bechard echoed those words.
"We tried not to bring it un." Bechard said.
Bechard was more concerned about the play of Uhart and the rest of his team.
"I thought she got better as the night went along." Bechard said, referring to Uhart.
Uhart finished the match with seven kills
and a tipped ball that fell in and clinched the second game of the match, 30-27, for Kansas. Uhart also looked impressive playing along side senior Emily Brown. Brown led the team with eleven kills and finished with 20 assists. Sophomore Brittany Williams had eight kills, including a few highlight reel worthy smashes. Sophomore Katie Martinicch also filled up the stat sheet with 21 assists and 14 digs.
Kansas played well in pressure situations winning each game by a small margin at the end.
"Big points, we were good," Bechard said.
Kansas also showed the ability to come back from a deficit, falling behind early in the third and final game 14-11 before rolling off four consecutive points to take a 15-14 lead.
Bechard also noticed a few negatives. He said he thought his team had too many service errors and too many receiving errors, but that those are areas that can be improved in practice.
FRESHMEN DEBUT
Five freshman played their first game in a
Results
Kansas defeats Kansas Alumni 3-0 (31
29, 30-27, 30-28)
Top Performers
Senior Emily Brown - 11 kills Sophomore Katie Martincich - 20 assists
Kansas Alumni
Kansas Alumni
Jana Correa – 14 kills
Jana Correa – 29 assists
Kansas uniform, and Coach Bechard was glad to get his rookies some court-time.
"The best thing about it is that they got the jitters out" Bechard said. "The freshman have looked really comfortable in practice, but
SEE VOLLEYBALL ON PAGE 6B
>> FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE
Mascots becoming Creepy McWeird
Steely McBeam.
Let me say that again. Steely McBeam.
That's not my porn star name. It's the NFL's newest mascot.
This fall, the overalls-clad Mr. McBeam, who looks like a Simpsonized Bill Cowher, will roam the sidelines for the Pittsburgh Steelers — the fifth-oldest NFL franchise, celebrating its 75th year of existence this season. Those Pittsburgh Steelers. The same Pittsburgh Steelers who recently hired just their third head coach in 38 years are now on their first mascot. The same Pittsburgh Steelers who haven't had a cheerleading squad since 1969 now have a
BY SHAWN SHROYER
KANSAN COLUMNIST
SSHROYER@KANSAN.COM
After decades of serving as a symbol for every blue-collar football fan in America, the once-dignified Pittsburgh Steelers have turned
brand new mascot. That's not a typo.
So, while Steely McBeam is supposed to be the fresh face of the Steelers, it seems he is also the face of a sad new era in sports. Or perhaps Steely is the consummation of decades of mascot steanians.
their backs on those blue-collar fans to cater to the casual fan of the 21st century who doesn't find enough entertainment in the action on the field.
Granted, you have to get past his charm, his hazardous driving habits on four-wheelers and his uncanny knack for air-humping field goals off target, but once you do, you have to think about the logic behind Kansas City Chiefs mascot KC Wolf.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Just take a trip west on I-70.
Steely McBeam is the Pittsburgh Steelers' new mascot. His chiseled jaw was inspired by former coach Bill Cowher.
Far be it from me to question how many wolves actually inhabit the metro, in all my travels across I-70, up I-35 and around I-435, the only one I've seen wears red and yellow zebra-striped sweatpants.
Now, if the Chiefs were to change their mascot to something more representative of their moniker, the NFL would have something going. If Kansas City actually had a chief for a mascot, he could team up with Steely and the Dallas Cowboys mascot, Rowdy, to reunite half of the Village People.
As for KC Wolf's neighbor, Slugger; While I question the quality of the hotdogs he fires into the stands, and how he developed such bulging biceps naturally, he's one of the few things the Royals have gotten right the last 15 years.
What troubles me about Slugger, though.
SEE MCBEAM ON PAGE 6B
FOOTBALL
Mangino names starter Todd Reesing to take season's opening snap
BY ASHER FUSCO afusco@kansan.com
QUARTERBACKS
Todd Reesing is Kansas' starting quarterback.
In a decision made public Saturday,
in a decision made Mangino announced Reesing as the 2007 starter, confirming the suspicions of media and fans.
Reesing, a sophomore, played in only three games as a freshman and threw only 24 passes. But the Austin,
Reesing
Texas, native made a positive impression on the coaching staff in preseason camp. His competitor, sophomore Kerry Meier, started eight games last season. Meier looked hobbled in preseason practices, although Mangino said injuries had no bearing on the competition for playing time.
"We are going with Todd Reeing," Mangino said in a press release. "He has done everything we have asked of him in this offense. He came here ready to go in two-a-days and has really got a good command of the offense."
Mangino stuck to his original plan by naming a starter two weeks before the Sept. 1 opener against Central Michigan. At media day the coach said he would notify the team of his decision well before the beginning of the season.
Reeing is largely untested as a passer, and questions about his ability to see over defensive linemen linger. But he showed deft improvisational skills in a victory against Colorado last season and has looked sharp in practice.
After Reesing worked solely with the first team at an open practice last week, media penciled him in as the unofficial starter. At that point Mangino did not make an official statement but said Reesing had performed well in early practices.
"Reesing has made some strides," Mangino said. "A lot of that has to do with him losing probably 20 pounds and gaining a lot more strength."
If Reesing cannot hold onto the starting job, Kansas can fall back on the most capable backup in the Big 12 Conference. Meier completed a Kansas freshman record 13 touchdowns in 2006. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Meier is big and fast enough to succeed if he can stay healthy.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 6B
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