Thursdav. April 11, 2013
Volume 125 Issue 102
kansan.com
COMMENTARY College players are people, too
College basketball players are neither heroes nor villains. The media, teammates and practically everybody in America have exalted Louisville's Kevin Ware as a hero.
Meanwhile, Kansas fans (alongside much of the nation) have labeled Elijah Johnson as a villain after a silly intentional foul and the act of passing up a potential game-winning layup.
Ware is a good basketball player and a seemingly genuine kid. He exhibited a lot of toughness as evidenced by his words to his teammates as he was being escorted off the court on a stretcher while his tibia was protruding through his skin like something you'd see on the menu at a barbecue joint.
What Ware is not, however, is a hero.
Johnson may not have played his best game when the lights were brightest. In fact, it might have been his worst. If Johnson's season were the Star Wars series, the Michigan game was Episode I: The Phantom Menace. His act of reaching second base, metaphorically speaking, with Michigan freshman Mitch McGary was a play unbecoming of a senior leader. Who knows if he would have made that layup or maybe gotten fouled, but it was unquestionably a better shot than the running 3-pointer Naadir Tharpe was forced to take.
What Johnson is not, however, is a villain.
Johnson is a college student. Ware is too. That didn't stop their stories from taking different directions.
How many of the readers of this column have ever made a mistake? If this were a classroom, I'd expect all hands to be raised to the sky. How many of those same people have had that same mistake broadcasted to the world and scrutinized by strangers?
Using that same analysis, who has ever overcome an injury? Have you ever been considered inspirational because of it?
The media and basketball fans are so quick to label players as heroes and villains, the public tends to forget what heroes and villains really are.
Heroes are those fighting for our freedom overseas. They are the parents who put their own ambitions aside for the welfare of their children. They are the people who show up weekly at a soup kitchen and serve the poor. Ware may someday be a hero, but it won't be for his actions on the basketball court. And it won't be because he was able to show up in Atlanta on crutches and support his friends and teammates.
Likewise, Johnson may someday be a villain. I sincerely doubt it. But if he ever is, it won't be because he committed a ten-second violation or deferred to a teammate.
College basketball should place an emphasis on the "college" part of that phrase. These players are in college. They work hard for grades and suffer through bad relationships; they succeed and they fail. Instead of immediately seeking to label them and sort them as if they are tax returns, we should humanize them.
If we took this approach, wed see Kevin Ware a.d Elijah Johnson for what they are. Basketball players. College students. People.
- Edited by Hayley Jozwiak
PERFECT PITCHING
FRIN RREFMER/KANSAN
Frank Duncan, a junior pitcher from San Francisco, Calif., catches opponent attempting to steal second base during game one of a double header on Friday. KU defeated Niagara with a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth ending in a 3-2 victory.
BACK TO THE HOG
Jayhawks prepare to face Vikings and Longhorns this weekend
FARZIN VOUSOUGHIAN
fvousouehian@kansan.com
After playing Iowa on the road, the Kansas Jayhawks return home to host Missouri Valley College on Thursday, and Texas on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Jayhawks were scheduled to play a second game against the Hawkeyes on Wednesday, but the game was canceled because of rain. Despite having only a one-game series against the Hawkeyes, Kansas coach Ritch Price saw a lot of good things from his team that he wants to carry over.
"It was a really good step forward, and that's part of the growth of this team as we have had some success in the conference." Price said.
Kansas won 8-3 in Tuesday's game against the Hawkeyes. Sophomore Michael Suiter went two-of-four at the plate, stole two bases, scored three runs and recorded an RBI.
Eric Peterson, director of baseball operations for Kansas, was able to make up for Wednesday's cancellation by scheduling a one-game series at home against Missouri Valley College. This gives Price an opportunity to send senior Tanner Poppe to start on the mound as he continues to bounce back after missing two games last month.
The layhawks are 19-12 on the season and look to pick up their 20th win of the season before working on getting better at their 5-4 Big 12 record this weekend.
"We are trying to get Poppe on the mound so he can pitch and get his development going coming off of that shoulder soreness," Price said. "It's really important to us that he gets to start this week so we could have him move to the weekend and have him win league games as well."
road, winning only three of 10 away games.
Price also wants to use this game to give the young players in the program a chance to earn some playing time.
But Price looks beyond the road performance and wants his team to be ready for anything Texas throws at Kansas. Price applauded Texas for its pitching and wants to be able to match that this weekend at Hoglund Ballpark.
"We just want an opportunity to get on the field, get our work in and have good quality at-bats," Price said. "It will get us ready for Texas on the weekend."
Texas is currently 18-13 and is 3-6 in Big 12 matches. The Longhorns' biggest weakness this season has been playing on the
"They have as good of arms as any team in America," Price said. If we are going to win the series, we are going to have to get three good quality starts. Last weekend we only got two, and we won two games to win the series, but in order to win series, against opponents like that, you have got to get good starting pitching. Our start ing pitching has to be as good as theirs because that is the strength of their队."
As good as Kansas has been this year, Price has worked on improving fielding, which has been inconsistent for the Jayhawks. Price and pitching coach Ryan Graves have admitted that the pitchers must do a better job of finishing batters with two strikes and two outs.
The biggest key to this weekend's game is smart pitching, which will allow Kansas to become one of the better teams in the Big 12 by the time the weekend is over.
"I think any time you play quality pitching, it comes down to two-strike innings and preventing two-out RBIs," Price said. "That will be the difference between winning and losing."
Edited by Elise Reuter
Spring game will define players' roles
FOOTBALL
FARZIN VOUSOUGIAN
fvousoughian@kansan.com
As the Kansas Jayhawks continue their offseason workouts and prepare for the Spring Game this Saturday, the players are working on figuring out their roles for next season. For junior running back Tony Pierson, he already knows what his role will be on offense under Kansas coach Charlie Weis. Oddly enough, Pierson doesn't expect to run the ball as much.
Last year, 85 percent of Pierson's 138 touches on offense came on the ground. Pierson said that he's spent 80 percent of his time catching passes so far in offense repetitions. Weis sees him as the most versatile player on the team.
"Tony is still clearly the most dynamic running back we have," Weis said. "He might be the most dynamic receiver we have as well. He is a definite pain in the butt for the defense, because he can play detached from the backfield. Tony has shown that he can run legitimate routes, catch the ball, and
most importantly, he can get open. That gives you a chance."
Pierson said he has not spoken to Weis much about what he'll do next year, but he has had conversations with student manager Charlie Weis Jr. about expanding his role. Weis and the Kansas offensive coaching staff want Pierson to have a role similar to former West Virginia wide receiver Tawon Austin.
The layhawks went through the entire 2012 season without throwing a touchdown to a wide receiver. Pierson was co-leader in receiving touchdowns for the team, with two last season.
Austin accounted for over 1,200 yards receiving and 600 yards rushing along with some duties as a return specialist.
Kansas was a one-dimensional football team last year, excelling only in the rushing department. Having Pierson adapt to this role can give Kansas fans a lot to look forward to with the offense in September.
"We obviously have big plans for Tony," Weis said. "We didn't do
Senior running back James Sims led all Big 12 rushers in yards per game, while Pierson was seventh in that category. Sims will predominantly lead Kansas' running game, but the new responsibility for Pierson allows the Jayhawks to keep him active in the offense.
all of that research on Tavon Austin for nothing. This is a copycat business; all of those guys that try to act like all their ideas are original, they are all liars. When you get someone who is doing something really good and you think you have someone that fits that build, then you go and study them."
With West Virginia being Big 12 newcomers last year, Pierson paid more attention to Austin and learned a lot from him. He knows his versatility will be an important asset to the team and he welcomes the challenge.
"We've got the same skill set as each other," Pierson said. "I used to watch Tavon Austin last year. He's a nice player. I liked his role at West Virginia."
- Edited by Kyle Crane
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb hands the ball off to sophomore running back James Sims in the first half Saturday. Sims finished the game with 104 yards rushing.
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