METSPITCHER . . The doctor of New York Mets' pitcher JASON ISRINGHAUSEN found a second irregularity on the New York Mets pitcher's trachea. A growth the size of a golf ball had already been discovered on one lung. UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS Tissue was examined from an irregular mass in his lung, a precursor to actual tissue removal and a biopsy to determine whether the spot is benign. Isringhausen, 24, has undergone three days of extensive testing at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, but remains without a diagnosis. Isrenghausen complained of flu-like symptoms during the weekend in Florida, where he was rehabilitating a broken right wrist, and was flown to New York for testing under the direction of a medical team. FOOTBALL TEAMS PICK CAPTAINS THE KANASS FOOTBALL TEAM has selected five seniors to be team captains next season. They are quarterback Matt Johner, running back Eric Vann and linebacker Tony Blevins, Ron Warner and Jason Thoren. Blevins, Ron Warner and Jason Thoren. The captains were picked by a team vote and will lead the team when practices begin in early August. ROOKIE AWARD FRIDAY, MAY 2. 1997 ALLEN IVERSON was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. Iverson received 44 of 115 votes from sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NBA. Minnesota's Stephon Marbury finished second with 35 votes, and Vancouver's Shareef Abdur-Rahim was third with 25. Iverson, 21, was the leading rookie scorer this year, and his average of 23.5 points placed him sixth overall in the NBA. Iverson may have clinched the award with his streak of scoring 40 or more points in five straight games last month, the longest high-scoring streak by a rookie in league history. SECTION B Michigan player to enter NBA draft is under scrutiny DETROIT — Michigan forward Robert Traylor, whose ties to a university booster are being investigated, will leave school and enter the NBA draft, the Detroit Free Press reported yesterday. The newspaper said the 6-foot-8, 300-pound forward would announce his plans today. A source told the newspaper Traylor has informed coach Steve Fisher he is leaving. Traylor had previously said he planned to finish his education. The Free Press said Traylor is leaving because of an NCAA investigation into the basketball program and an investigation into Traylor's ties to Ed Martin, a Detroit booster. Martin was banned March 10 from the basketball program. Published reports have said at least three convicted drug dealers received free tickets to games through their association with Traylor, which would conflict with athletic department guidelines for player and coach conduct. Forward Maurice Taylor announced last month he would skip his senior season and enter the NBA draft. The university withdrew its scholarship offer to prospect Dionte Harvey Wednesday after learning he had pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct. Fresno man implicated in point-shaving scandal Four gambling sources told the newspaper that Dan Jelladian placed bets through others on at least three games, apparently so the size of his bets would not be known. Gamblers told *The Bee* that Jellidian had to place his bets through others because bookmakers suspected point-shaving at Fresno State and thus wouldn't accept his bets. A federal investigation of possible point-shaving has focused on Jelladian and an associate car salesman, Krikor "Kirk" Vartanian, 27. Both have denied getting players to shave points, a practice by which a player tries to keep the score below the point spread to favor certain ramblers. Two gamblers reportedly gave the government sworn affidavits saying Jelladian offered bonuses to those who made bets on his behalf. One said he was paid $100 for placing a $1,000 bet on the Hawaii game Feb. 1, and another said he got $100 for placing a $1,000 bet on the Wyoming game Feb. 20. Fresno State was favored by 10 points in each of those home games but failed to beat the point spread. BOSTON — Boston Marathon officials yesterday disqualified a couple who won their divisions after they failed to appear on surveillance videos, Lack of video appearance disqualifies fast couple John Murphy, 61, and Suzanne Murphy, 59, of Cypress, Calif., who had clocked fast times for their age group in the April 21 race, were told of the decision yesterday morning. John Murphy had placed first in the division for men ages 60 and older. Suzanne Murphy had been the top finisher in the category for women ages 50 to 59. Boston Athletic Association representative Jack Fleming said the Murphys had registered at all three computer checkpoints along the course of the race but not on videos shot at secret locations. Suzanne Murphy's 3:12:18 was the eighth-best ever among women in her age group. John Murphy's time of 2:43:9 was the second-best marathon result ever posted by a senior U.S. runner. —The Associated Press Hastings (Neb.) University shortstop Rod Hartman makes the throw to first base after forcing out Chad King (44) at second base. Kansas opens a three-game series against Kansas State at 7 tonight at Hollougand-Maupin Stadium. Geoff Krieger / KANSAN The Kansas baseball team is fighting for the last spot in the Big 12 tournament Against Kansas State this weekend, the Jayhawks know that IT COMES DOWN TO THIS By Harley V. Ratliff Kansan sportswriter It has all the makings of a fairy tale ending. Or a nightmare. To overtake the Tigers and secure a post-season birth, Kansas will most likely have to sweep rival Kansas State. The two teams begin the important series at 7 tonight at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium. The Kansas Jayhawk baseball team, just one game behind Missouri for the sixth and final spot in the Big 12 Conference Tournament, heads into this weekend with its back firmly pressed against the proverbial wall. However, should the Jayhawks carry all three games, still nothing is guaranteed. "Even if we win all our games this weekend, we still might not make it in." Kansas coach Bobby Randall said. "We have to win one more game than Missouri and if they sweep Iowa State — then we have no hope." Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, the Cyclones dwell in last place in the Big 12 standings, and the series will be played in the Tigers' backyard. All of which works well for the Tigers. Still, Randall said he expected nothing but the best from his players. "We're going to fight to the last out of the last game," Randall said. "That's been the trademark of this team all season. We've been scrappers all year. We haven't always played well, but we we've fought hard. What else could you ask?" Although K-State has long been out of post-season contention, the Wildcats don't plan on providing an easy win. While the Jayhawks captured the game between the two rivals, it took a two-out, ninth inning single by Mike Dean to finally close out the Wildcats 5-4. Randall expects Kansas State to be more than ready come game time. "It's no guarantee that we will win these games — Kansas State is too good of an opponent to just waltz through them," Randall said. "I expect us to play well, and that's the key. They may be enough — it was earlier in the season." Keeping with a season-long theme, much of Kansas' success will depend on the pitching and defense. Both have struggled to find a winning consistency The race is on The Big 12 Conference baseball standings heading into the season's final weekend. | | Conference | W L GB | Overall | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | *Texas Tech | 22 5 — | | 42 6 | | *Oklahoma State | 19 8 3 | | 37 13 | | *Oklahoma | 16 7 4 | | 32 13 | | *Texas A&M | 17 10 5 | | 36 17 | | *Baylor | 16 11 6 | | 29 19 | | Missouri | 12 14 9.5 | | 23 25 | | **Kansas** | **12 15 10** | | **28 21** | | Texas | 10 14 10.5 | | 27 21 | | Kansas State | 7 20 15 | | 24 22 | | Nebraska | 5 19 15.5 | | 23 30 | | Iowa State | 4 17 15 | | 19 25 | *Clinched Big 12 Tournament spot during the last three weeks. We're going to have to really strap on this weekend and try and take three," shortstop Joe Demarco said. "First thing, we're going to have to pitch and throw strikes. Then we have to play defense and hit the ball all over the yard. That's what it's going to take." Kansas will play host to regionals next weekend By Andy Rohrback Kansan sportswriter The NCAA Central Regional Women's Tennis Championships are next weekend, and the Kansas team is optimistic about its chances. The two teams ranked above the Jayhawks in the tournament, Mississippi and Arkansas, are higher-ranked teams brought in from other regions. Kansas is ranked No. 1 in the region, with Brigham Young University clinging to second place and to the No.4 seed in the regional tournament. The Jayhawks are the No. 3-seeded team in the regional and No. 33 in the nation. The tournament will be at Kansas. For the Jayhawks, the first round will be a matchup against Colorado. Kansas has met Colo- radio twice this season and has won both me e t s , although the most recent was a narrow 5-4 victory. "We barely beat Colorado at the Big 12 Tournament, so right now we're focusing on Colorado," head coach Roland Thornqvist said. The Jayhawks are confident about the tournament, Thornqvist said. "We've done so well, winning nine of Tennis regional Tennis regional The NCAA Women's Tennis Central Regional Championship begins next Friday, and the pairings shape up like this: May 9 May 10 May 11 Mississippi 8:00 a.m. Oklahoma 10:00 a.m. New Mexico 9:00 a.m. Brigham Young 1:00 p.m. Kansas ~1:00 p.m. Colorado 2:00 p.m. Utah ~1:00 p.m. Arkansas Andy Rohrback/KANSAN our last 11, that it's going to take a very good team to beat us," Thornqvist said. "If we play well, we can play with anybody." That anybody may include No. 9 Mississippi, the No. 1 seed in the tournament. The Jayhawks' No. 3 seed means they wouldn't play Mississippi until the final round, should both teams advance that far. The Rebels beat the Jayhawks 7-0 in the teams' only previous meeting, February 20 at the National Team Indoor Championships in Madison, Wis. But Thornqvist said that was a different Kansas team than the one that will play next weekend. "We've really improved since then," Thornqvist said. "We're playing much better now than we did at that tournament." "When we played at Indoors, our lineup was changing around," said freshman Brooke Chiller. "We've had nearly the same team lately." Practicing for the tournament won't be easy. The players will have to find time between tests and finals study sessions to prepare for the tournament. "We're going to individualize practice around their study schedules," Thornqvist said. "Our purpose here is to study and get an education. Anything else is secondary." Chiller said it would be a struggle. If Kansas wins the regional, the team will go on to the national tournament at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. There, they would be matched up against the five other regional champions, as well as 10 at-large bids. "We're working around it," Chiller said. "We probably won't practice every single time as a team. Coach always emphasizes that school is the No.1 priority." Women's sports deserve respect Men need to wise up support all athletes Most men hate women's sports. They would rather watch reruns of Little House on the Prairie than Lisa Leslie shoot a jump shot in the Olympics. That's the nature of the beast, and it won't change any time soon. If given the choice between watching Loy Vaught and the Los Angeles Clippers or Rebecca Lobo and the New England Blizzard of the ABL, my man Loy is going to win. That's the nature of my beast. Now, let me interject and say that I am a biased male. But let me make something clear: I will watch women's sports. it's so boring." Oh, I can hear the men now: "But Those are the ones who don't truly minnow. OK, women don't dunk in basket. ball. Gee, what a shame that they actually know how to play pure ball. Most men will not Watching the women's softball team step to the plate in the final inning with the score tied 1-1 is just as exciting as watching the baseball team in the same situation. SPORTS EDITOR Seeing former Kansas guard Tamecka Dixon drive the lane in an overtime game is just as thrilling as watching Jacque Vaughn do the same play. The problem is that too many men are stubborn and unwilling to watch. If you watch,you will see this. But the sports pages are just as much to blame. To the newspaper and television news, women's sports are seldom headliners. Which isn't surprising considering that most sportswriters are men. I have heard plenty of male sportswriters complain that they have to "waste" their time watching women. Call me a crazy male, but I don't mind being around women. But the reality is, women need to accept some of the blame for the slow progress. Face it, how many times have you heard a women say, "I just can't understand sports?" I have never seen any scientific data showing that women are incapable of learning what a free throw If 51 percent of the population of the United States are women, why is just 1 percent of the sports on television women's sports? And women, who are slowly making just as much money as men, aren't out attending their sporting events or buying athletic apparel. But of course, men are the real cause of the problem. Women are not supporting themselves. And it seems that fewer women are the entering area of sports journalism. This trend can only hurt the advancement of women's athletics. or fourth down is. The sad truth is that it will be awful before men watch women's sports. Most men are sexist, a trait that ranks up there with racism in the stupidity category. The WNBA and ABL basketball leagues will not make it without Men should be smart enough to take their daughters to games, but they don't. It is going to be up to Mom. women's support. While it pains me to say it, women must band together. Men have been doing it for years. And it works. Not too long ago a friend asked me why I am so supportive of women's athletics. The answer is simple. I have a mother, grandmothers, aunts and female cousins who I have great respect for. It is hard to comprehend that they have not had the same opportunities that I have had in athletics. I have respect for women and it is for that reason that I will support women's athletics. Besides, I don't like Little House on the Prairie. Comments? E-mail Spencer at sports@kansan.com ---