University Daily Kansan / Friday, March 31, 1989
Sports
13
Heisman-winner Sanders to go pro
Oklahoma State junior running back Barry Sanders, last year's Heisman Trophy winner, is skipping his senior season to play in the National Football League.
NFL's drafting restrictions might be reviewed by courts
OKLAHOMA CITY — Heisman
TKOLEMIA WINNER Barry Sanders will
turn pro, testing the NFL's restric-
tions against drafting underclassmen,
Oklahoma State athletic director
Myron Roderick said yesterday.
"He is going to go pro," said Roderick, who added that the school had notified the NCAA and was in the process of playing him misgible to play next season.
The Associated Press
Earlier, a pro football source told Earlier, the Associated Press that Sanders would be represented by David Ware, an Atlanta-based agent, to take on contract. However, it wasn't clear whether he formally had signed with Ware.
Neither Sanders nor his parents were available for comment. Ware also was unavailable.
Sanders, a running back, will announce his decision at a news conference in Denver tomorrow run by All Pro Sports and Entertainment.
Joni Jay Samuels, a spokesperson for the organization, said it represented Sanders' brother Byron, a northwestern senior. She said Sanders' team skipped All Pro Sports and Entertainment to announce the news conference.
In January, the NCAA placed Oklahoma State on four years probation, barring the Cowboys from bowling and receiving live television for the next two.
Oklahoma State coach Pat Jones also plans to have a short news conference after his team's scrimmage tomorrow in Stillwater.
Sanders is a true junior (He has been at Oklahoma State for just three years) and would be the first such underclassman to attempt to enter the NFL through either the regular or supplemental draft.
If he entered the regular draft, he might be picked as high as third. The Detroit Lions, the team that picks in
that spot, have indicated they might choose him.
In the past, the NFL has permitted underclassmen to enter the draft rather than risk a lawsuit that might eliminate all restrictions. However, most spent four years in school, like Ben Hippon, who had the year of eligibility remaining when he was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the first round last season.
However, whether Sanders would be granted eligibility is questionable. Some league officials have suggested that the league might take a stand in the Sanders case, hoping that it would be unbeld by the courts.
Meanwhile, Sanders will be ineligible to play college football, even if he is barred from the NFL.
"We will notify the NCAA of that intention as far as ruling him invisible for 1988," Roderick said. "This is in the process of being done right by the NCAA, and we institution we are declaring him invisible for 1988 which is the way it works."
Asked Wednesday night if Sanders has an agent, Jones said discuss;ons were taking place but he didn't know how far along they were.
"I am going to wait until Saturday to I say anything." Jones said. "I am not saying I know what is to be said. We will let him say
Jack Mills, an attorney and sports agent in Denver, said, "I think that's true that $'senders is going pro. I think that's the direction he's going. I did have a discussion with him in Stillwater on March 13, and I spoke with his father on the phone, but I don't think I'm going to be the guy (agent)."
Sanders already has decided to sit out spring practice with the Cowboys in order to explore his options concerning the NFL.
Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards and scored 39 touchdowns, both NCAA records, last season.
Altered format doesn't change Jayhawks luck in tennis meet KU loses to Miami in Blue/Gray classic
by Laurie Whitten Kansan sportswriter
The Blue/Gray Tennis Championships in Montgomery, Ala., may be sporting a new format, but Kansas said he didn't like the change
"This is the first major college tournament to play matches this way." Perelman said. "Each of the five singles matches is worth one point, and the doubles match is worth two. All six matches are played on three days, two and a half hours, as compared to six, seven or eight hours before."
The Jayhawks lost to 128-ranked Miami (Fla.) 7-0 yesterday in the first round of the tournament, which ends Sunday and features 15 nationally-ranked teams. In keeping with the tournament's new format, teams are allowed to play only five singles matches and one doubles match, instead of the traditional six singles matches and three doubles matches.
In a traditional tournament, singles and doubles matches are worth one point each.
Pereman said that several colleges had experimented with the new format this year because they thought that by shortening the matches they could attract more students, possibly gain television coverage.
"Their thinking behind this is that people would be more willing to sit through a two-and-a-half hour match," he said. "It's better for the spectators and makes it easier to market the sport for television.
By losing yesterday, Kansas entered a consolation round and will play 19th-ranked Southern California against Alabama. Trojans were upset by Alabama 4-3.
"My problem is that it's not in the players' best interest. It limits the amount of playing time for everybody."
The Jayhawks are 4-14 on the year and have lost 13 of their last 15 matches.
"This tournament is giving us the chance to play really strong teams before we begin the Big Eight season next week," he said. "I'm sure USC is going to be tough to beat, but I'm glad for the experience."
Kansas begins conference play at home against Oklahoma State on April 8 and Oklahoma on April 9.
4 'Hawks swim to All-American honors
by Brett Brenner
Kansan sportswriter
Glem Trammel paced the Kansas men's swim team on the first day of competition at the NCAA Swimming Championships, setting a school record and placing fourth in the 50-vard freestyle.
The Jayhawks, who had four swimmers Earn All-American honors during the first day, currently are in 11th place with 41 points.
Trammel smashed the school record with a time of 19.88 seconds on his way to a fifth place finish in the preliminary heats. He then bettered the record with a 19.85 to place fourth in the finals.
He broke the record of 20.65 seconds, which was held by teammates Andrew Billings and Dan Mendenhall.
The fourth place finish is the highest ever by a Kansas men's swimmer in the NCAA Championships. Trammel also became the Kansas men's first three-time All-American.
The 200 freestyle relay team of Allan Chian, Billings, Mendenhall and Trammel, placed sixth with a 1:20.08. The four, who also are roommates, earned a spot in the Olympic team in achieving seventh in the preliminaries.
The top eight swimmers from the preliminaries qualified for the championship finals, and the second group of eight earned a berth in the consolation finals. All swimmers that qualify for the championship or consolation finals earned All-American honors.
Other KU swimmers competing yesterday were Jeff Stout and Bob Kelly, who both swim the 100m relay completed in the 4th mickey relay competed in the 4th mickey relay.
Stout finished 52nd in the 200 individual medley with a 1.53.02, and Kelley finished 55th with a 1.53.24.
The 400 medley relay team of Kevin Toller, Trammel, Mendenhall and Billings placed 24th with a 3:20.58.
Trammel said that his All-American finish wasn't unexpected.
"I don't really know if I can say I was surprised," he said. "I've never swam the 50 at a meet like I thought I shocked a lot of people."
"I thought I could go 20.1, but I had no idea about a 19.8. I was thrilled when I touched the wall that opened only 17 of a second out of first.
"When I found out that I was swimming the 50, I started to watch Andrew (Billings), Allan (Chaney) and Dan (Mendenhall) to see how they trained. I owe them a lot of the credit."
He said he didn't expect to slack off for the remainder of the meet.
"I'm going to have the same attitude — go for it," he said. "I'm really looking forward to it. We want to finish in the top 15, and I want to do everything I can to help."
"This is the most points that Kansas has scored," he said. We're in a situation right now where every single point is important."
Kansas coach Gary Kempf said he was very pleased with the first day's results.
"I'm not really surprised," he said. "He's been a big horse for all year. Every time the bell rings, he's out of the gates."
Today, Stout and Tramnel will take part in the 100 backstroke. Kelley will participate in the 400 individual medley, and the 200 team of Mendenhall, Toller, Chaney and Trammel, also will compete.
Kempf said Trammel's performance was not unforeseen.
Kansas senior Glenn Trammel, here at the Big Eight Conference swimming championships last month, placed fourth in the NCAA Championships in the 50-yard freestyle with a school-record time of 19.85 seconds yesterday in Indianapolis.
Blue Devils are hopeful of defeating NCAA jinx
The Associated Press
SEATTLE - Duke can't forget history, so the Blue Devils are determined to change it.
Two times Danny Ferry has been to the Final Four, and two times he has lost, a distinction shared by the two captain Jacob Robertson and Akeem Olaiwan.
Six times Duke has been to the Final Four, and six times the Blue Devils have lost — an NCAA record for futility.
Now, the Blue Devils and Ferry insist they are ready to shed their label of champion losers and just be champions.
"I think we're confident that we can win," Ferry said after he and his teammates landed yesterday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Duke, 28-7, and Seton Hall, 30-6 will play in the first semifinal game tomorrow afternoon. Big Ten rivals
The NCAA Final Four
Michigan, 28-7, and Illinois, 31-4,
meet in the second game with the
winners meeting Monday night for
the national championship.
“It’s an honor and a privilege,” said forward John Smith about playin in three Final Fours. This third game will be the last one teammates Ferry and Quin Snyder.
Snyder said that the past put no pressure on the present.
"I haven't been a part of all those teams," he said. "They're different teams every year."
Olaijuwen went to successive Final Fours with Houston in 1832-84 and did not win. Robertson reached the final in 1859 and 1860 without winning.
But this group of Blue Devils feels stronger about its chances this time.
"You can quote me on this," said junior Phil Henderson. "I think we're going to win this thing. I didn't have a clue last year if we'd do well or not. I think you've got some determined seniors in John, Danny and Quinn; you've got some determined juniors and you've got a determined team."
Duke can say at least that it has lost the last three times to the eventual champion: to Kentucky in the title game in 1978, to Louisville in the title game in 1986 and to Kansas in the semifinals last year.
The last two losses were coached by Mike Kryzewski. Before that, the Blue Devils were seminal losers to Kentucky in 1966, runners-up to UCLA in 1964 and seminal losers to Loyola of Chicago in 1963.
Krzyezski said that he had been keeping an eye on his team's nerves and hadn't seen any signs of tension — at least, not yet
"Although three of them have been before, three of them haven't," Krzeyzewski said. "So I watch their faces and see how their light faces look." "But they are not before," Krzeyzewski isn't worrying about the previous six trips, either.
"I think you always want to take advantage of the moment, but you don't want the moment to consume you, or change you in a positive or negative sense," he said. "You want to be at your best for it. You want to be at your best for it. That's all I ask I can live with both—the win or the loss."
Perhaps the pressure is greatest on Snyder, who is living out a dream he shared with Ferry after their freshman year. They hosted the championship in his home town.
"The thought slides in there a lot, but the focus is that it's a basketball game," Snyder said. "If you try to look at it that way, then you eliminate both the hype from the event and the hype from the fact that it's my home town and then you play your best ball."
KU track teams to perform at LSU meet
Turner adjusts to competition by winning 600
by Cynthia L. Smith Kansan sportswriter
Kansas sophomore Janice Turren said she had to adjust to losing after she entered collegiate track competition
She finished second in the 400-meter dash in state competition as a freshman, sophomore and senior at Fort Madison High School in Fort
Madison, Iowa. As a high school junior, she won the 800-meters at the Drake Relays.
"In high school, I didn't get beaty much very much because there wasn't much competition in Iowa," she said. "But sooner or later, I learned to accept it. It takes a lot of pressure off you, not worrying about whether you're going to win or lose but concentrating on the race."
Trer will join the Kansas men's and women's track teams tomorrow for the Louisiana State University Invitational at the Bernie Moore Academy. The teams scheduled to participate include Brigham Young, Southwest
Texas State and Virginia.
Turner won the Big Eight Conference championship in the 600-yard run with a time of 1 minute. 21.76 seconds on Feb. 25 in Lincoln, Neb.
But winning the conference title was not the highlight of her collegiate career.
"It was winning the 600 at the Nebraska Invitational," she said. "It was a big meet with people from all over the country." She is outside of Kansas. I was terrified.
Turner said track competition was not her first goal when considering collegiate athletics. She had wanted to play basketball, but she could be competitive in that sport
at a major university.
Schwartz said he hoped Turner eventually would compete in the 800 meters.
Turner said coaches have encouraged her to run the 800 since high
"She is a natural for the half mile, but her excitement for the half mile is not at a real high pitch." Schwartz said.
"I wouldn't say she's the kind of person who's totally 100 percent into track and that's not necessarily bad," said Kansas track coach Gary Schwartz. "She's a young person, and she doesn't realize what kind of impact she could have on track at a Division I level."
"I just don't think I'm mentally prepared for that event," she said. "I'm physically ready, but that's not the most important part of a race. I have the speed, but I don't think my endurance is up yet."
school, but she has resisted.
Turner said she enjoyed the indoor season more than the outdoor season because indoor meets included the 600-yard dash. But she was excited about the LSU meet because the competition would be challenging.
"The LSU men and women will probably be the strongest by virtue of the fact that they were both conferral officers in national charges." Schwartz said.