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SPORTS
21
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN—WEEKLY SUMMER EDITION
www.kansan.com
ATHLETICS
New basketball seating plan brings in millions for athletics
The new priority seating plan has raised between $5 million and $7 million since the middle of May, according to associate athletic director Jim Marchiony.
The response is due to the athletic department's one-time offer to award double points for donations made to the Williams Fund by June 30.
Under the new system donors are awarded points based on such things as money donated, employment at the University and season tickets in other sports.
The ticket holders with the most points will be assigned the best seats.
Marchiony said the response to the new system was overwhelming.
According to the athletic department Web site, more than 4,200 donors contribute almost $5.5 million annually.
Joe Burke
Paralympic to represent United States as archer
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chuck Lear was 9 years old when he shot his first arrow.
Forty years later, Lear was looking for a sport that he could share with his wife. His choices were limited as a double amputee in a wheelchair after he lost his left arm and left leg while fighting in Vietnam.
Lear didn't want to shoot with his teeth like most disabled archers who didn't have use of both arms.
He had received an arm from Kansas City Artificial Limbs about 20 years ago,
When Lear, Lee's Summit, Mo., decided to try archery for the first time in several years, he certainly didn't think it would one day give him a chance to represent the United States at the Paralympic Games. But he'll be doing just that — he leaves for this year's games in Athens, Greece, in September.
SEE ARCHER ON PAGE 22
Return to sender
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan
Grisell Granados Cruz, Querétaro, Mexico, sophomore, returns a backhand on the Robinson courts. Cruz, a member of the women's tennis team, was out last week hitting for fun and showing friend Josiane Lima, KU women's volleyball player, how to play.
Olympic swim team begins to take shape
The Associated Press
LONG BEACH, Calif. — The challenges just keep coming for Michael Phelps.
Peirsol pulled away on the final lap to win in a world record time of 1:54.74 breaking his own mark of 1:55.15 set two years ago. Phelps earned the other Olympic berth, finishing second in 1:55.86.
The world's best swimmer couldn't keep pace with Aaron Peirsol in the 200-meter backstroke and lost for the first time at the U.S. Olympic swim trials Monday night.
"Having a loss like that will definitely fuel me a little bit more," Phelps said. "I
don't like to lose."
Peirsol and Phelps were both under world record pace for the first three laps, matching each other nearly stroke-forstroke. Then Peirsol came off the final turn faster and Phelps said that cost him the race.
"It's going to make me go back to the drawing board and try to change some things," Phelps said. "It gave me sort of a message. I knew what I'm trying to do isn't easy. No one said it was."
SEE SWIM ON PAGE 22
Phelps bounced back to win the 200-meter individual medley, making him the first American male to qualify for five individual swimming events at an
sports commentary
Fred A. Davis III editor@kansan.com
2004 team has chance to make KU history
Kansas football kicks off in 52 days, yet the buzz around the new season sounds like mute bees are providing it. Perhaps last year's surprise finish failed to remind enough fans that it had been eight years since Kansas experienced post-season play. Maybe losing quarterback Bill Whittemore weighs heavier on people's minds than leading rusher Clark Green and tackling machine Nick Reid returning. Whatever the case, this year's team will do well, and has a chance to make history — both good and bad along the way.
Nine bowls all-time, none of them back-to-back. The Jayhawks have been close, going to bowls in 1973 and 1975, and they went to two Aloha Bowls during the Glen Mason era in '92 and '95; yet sustaining consecutive bowl success has alluded the 'Hawks.
The Jayhawks enter this season following a bowl appearance for only the ninth time ever. In the previous eight seasons, the Hawks were never able to make it back to a bowl.
Coach Mark Mangino, in only his third season, is in a fantastic, albeit difficult, position to put his stamp on the football program forever.
As fascinating as heading to another bowl sounds, the road to getting there is peppered with obstacles.
The Jayhawk's 2004 schedule is rugged. Eight of the eleven opponents the Jayhawks will face played in a bowl last year.
For starters, the non-conference
SEE DAVIS ON PAGE 22