2B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2007
athletics calendar
FRIDAY
Baseball vs. Kansas State, 6:35 p.m. Manhattan
SATURDAY
Softball vs. Iowa State, 2 p.m. Armes, Iowa
Track at Nebraska Invitational, All day, Lincoln, Neb.
SUNDAY
Softball vs. Iowa State, Noon, Ames, Iowa
Baseball vs. Kansas State, 3 p.m. Hoglund Ballpark
Baseball vs. Kansas State
1 p.m. Hoglund Ballpark
NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL
Former K-State coach takes job in California Wooldridge to lead UC Riverside program
ASSOCIATED PRESS
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Jim Wooldridge, most recently the head coach at Kansas State for six, seasons, was hired Wednesday as coach at UC Riverside.
The 51-year-old Wooldridge has coached at the collegiate or professional level for 29 years. Before coaching at Kansas State, he was the head coach at Central Missouri State, Texas State and Louisiana Tech.
He also served as an assistant coach to Tim Floyd with the Chicago Bulls in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.
Wooldridge was fired as the coach at Kansas State in March 2006 after the Wildcats completed
a 15-13 season.
His Kansas State teams were 83-90. The Wildcats had winning records in each of his last two seasons after six straight losing seasons.
Wooldridge has a 312-237 record in 19 years as a college head coach. He didn't coach this past season.
"Jim Wooldridge brings a wealth of knowledge about what it takes to build a program and to position a team to not only compete, but to win," Stan Morrison, the UC Riverside director of athletics, said in a statement. "His single focus will be immediately apparent to his players, assistants, and colleagues in the department.
Football program needs overhaul
Something is missing here. Last weekend, Jon Cornish was not drafted by any NFL team
>> GO ROYALS?
drafted by any NPL team.
Not one team thought that Kansas' single season rushing-record holder and the Big 12 Conference's leading rusher was worthy of a draft pick.
Cornish's one drawback during the draft was that he ran a slow 40-yard dash. He ran around 4.6 seconds, and scouts would have liked him to run a 4.4 or even a 4.3. Anyone who saw him during the season would think twice about doubting his speed.
Maybe they didn't draft him because he doesn't wear gloves. At this point I'm still looking for any kind of reason why no team would want this guy.
Think about this. Two seasons ago Kansas had arguably the best defense in the country, led by the best linebacking core in all of college football. None of that team, including former All-American Charles Gordon, was drafted.
In fact, Kansas has had just six" plawers drafted by an NF team
BY ERIC JORGENSEN
BY ERIC JORGENSEN
KANSAN SPORTS COLUMNIST
JEORGENSEN@KANSAN.COM
It is undeniable that Kansas football is in a funk. The Athletics Department is building a new football facility, but-facilities don't recruit players and win games. The most successful recent season ended with a Fort Worth Bowl victory, which doesn't sound too glamorous to any possible four- or five-star recruits.
Do your best to stick to corner-back, but I doubt you'll have much of a choice. So, if it looks like you're heading down the Charles Gordon path next season take this advice: Thrive at cornerback as best you can, pack your bags and head to the draft before you're converted to a receiver and lose all your NFL stock.
The coaches are likely planning on using you as a receiver next season, which is OK. However, do you remember what happened to Gordon? Had he been able to leave after his sophomore season he would have been drafted in the top three rounds as a cornerback,
where he was an All-American. However, in his junior year he was turned almost exclusively into a receiver. He entered the draft after that season.
since 1997. By comparison, Kansas State has had more than 30 players drafted in that same time period.
Fans should try to stay optimistic, though. There is some quality talent on this team. Junior corner-back Aqib Talib is the most talented player since Charles Gordon to play for Kansas. At his current pace he will likely break the streak by Kansas players not being drafted, but I do have some advice for Talib.
Why would any great recruit want to play for a school that's going to spell the end of his career rather than be the launching pad to stardom? A school that could get him drafted is less than two hours away.
Jorgensen is a Baldwin City senior in journalism.
Why would anyone want to play for a school that produces few pros, rarely sells out games, wins no championships and whose biggest thrill is beating a team whose mascot is a giant cat head on some guy wearing a football jersey and tights?
es' heads, especially in the middle of the offseason, but another empty draft don't make Kansas fans feel any better. It feels like Jayhawk fans are willing to give the current coaching staff one more season. If it's more of the same, it will be time to find coaches who can bring the program some excitement and recruits, which would ultimately lead to a rejuvenated fan base and hopefully victories.
Kansas football is in a rut and it needs out badly.
I'm not a fan of calling for coach
Edited by Mark Vierthaler
MLB
Ed Zuroa/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City Royal Mark Teahen arrives at second for a steal past the tag of Los Angeles Angels second baseman Erick Aybar in the fourth inning Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo.
German's home run sparks Royals Kansas City wins for the third time in 10 games; Angels winning streak ends
BY DOUG TUCKER ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Light-hitting Esteban German hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels
on Wednesday night.
German had only three major league home runs in 441 at bats before coming up with one out and runners on first and second in the seventh. The utility infielder knocked Ervin Santana's 1-0 pitch 402 feet over the wall in left for his
first homer in 144 at bats.
Jorge De La Rosa (3-2) went seven innings, giving up five hits and one run, with two strikeouts and a walk as the Royals won for just the third time in 10 games and halted the Angels' four-game winning streak. They also kept Mike Scoscia from passing Bill Rigney to become
David Dejesus tripped in the third with two out and Santana struck out German on a 3-2 pitch. Billy Butler, in his second major league game, struck out with runners at first and third to end the fourth. With
the winningest Angels manager.
fourth and sixth. The right-hander allowed 11 hits and three runs in 6 1-3 innings.
Erick Aybar doubled off De La Rosa leading off the fifth and scored on Chone Figgins' single for the Angels' run.
Joakim Soria
German had only three major league home runs in 441 at bats before coming up with one out and runners on first and second in the seventh.
runners at first and third in the sixth, Santana got Alex Gordon to pop out and retired Butler on a liner to left to end the inning.
pitched the ninth for his fourth save in four chances.
A light rain fell through most of the game, but
Santana (2-4) spent much of the cool, rainy night working out of trouble while the Royals stranded runners at third base in the third,
there were no delays.
Reggie Sanders, after doubling sixth and going to third on Ross Gload's single, came out of the game with a tight hamstring.