4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16,2008
COMMENTARY
Kansas rivalry not up to par
Jayhawk-Wildcat matchup doesn't garner enough attention
Almost everyone who watched the NCAA tournament recognized the often-played Sheraton Hotels commercial featuring the fans of basketball's most prominent rivalries acting with chivalry to one another. Acts such as North Carolina fan allowing a Duke fan under an umbrella during a downpour, a UCLA fan holding an elevator for a frazzled USC fan and a Syracuse fan wiping the ranch dressing off of a Georgetown fan's beard are featured in the commercial.
Though ridiculous in its premise, the commercial's failure to recognize the Kansas-Kansas State rivalry that we value so much in Lawrence reflects the failure nationally—it is not seen as a top matchup. This is why it does not seem strange for me, a KU fan since birth, to be slightly saddened about the early departure of Michael Beasley and, potentially, of Bill Walker from K-State.
Allow me to use an analogy that I think most people will understand: Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. Anyone who watched the Looney Tunes series knows that Wile E. Coyote tried and failed to catch the Road Runner from the show's outset to its finale, despite many complex strategies and unorthodox techniques. In the end, it was always the Coyote whose ideas backfired and the Roadrunner who, just by going along with its routine, sped away to safety. In this particular analogy, Kansas State is Wile E. Coyote and Kansas is the Road Runner.
For 24 years, Kansas continued to thwart Kansas State's valiant efforts. For a long 24 years, the Jayhawks dominated like the Harlem Globetrotters while the
Wildcats stifled jealous looks. A 24-year period of domination, while still entertaining for Kansas fans, did not do justice to the potential that this rivalry could have had.
With the addition of Michael Beasley, suddenly Kansas vs. Kansas
State was a heated rivalry again. Wile E. Coyote had finally found a piece of ACME equipment that had a legitimate chance at capturing the elusive Road Runner.
Beasley immediately
I beg Kansas fans to remember the day that Kansas State came to Allen Fieldhouse. The anticipation was tangible and the spirit was sky-high.
made the rivalry relevant. Before he even began the season, he gave it significance with his now infamous Africa speech. He presented Kansas State fans with new hope and a reason to finally trash talk. And obviously, he helped give his fans something that most of them had never seen in their lifetime: a victory against Kansas in Manhattan. And as tough as that loss was to Kansas fans, it renewed publicity to a rivalry that had experienced some down years.
The reason that the Duke-North Carolina game is always dubbed as the game of the regular season is because it is remarkably even. The only thing predictable in those games is that the outcome will be unpredictable. Both teams have seen great players consistently walk through their doors.
The Dukies lay claim to Grant Hill, Elton Brand, Shane Battier and Christian Laettner. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels counter with Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Vince Carter and Tyler Hansbrough. Before Beasley and fellow superfrosh Bill Walker, what players did Kansas State match up against the likes of Danny Manning, Paul Pierce and Nick Collison? Pervis Pasco? Not a favorable matchup for the Wildcat faithful.
Often lost in the Michael Beasley hype was the key addition of Walker, the No. 7 high school recruit in 2007, according to Rivals.com. Though not a great outside shooter, Walker still found a way to obtain the identity of a scorer, just as Keith Langford did
at Kansas four years ago. And most importantly, he kept defenses from focusing entirely on Beasley.
Walker has not signed an agent and thus will be eligible for a return to Kansas State for his sophomore
season. But if Walker does in fact forgo his final years of eligibility and join Beasley in declaring for the NBA Draft, the rivalry will lose its spark just as quickly as it gained prominence. The rest of the nation will not be as interested in watching Ron Anderson and Jacob Pullen try to tangle with the goliaths of Kansas as they were in witnessing a dynamic duo take on a balanced powerhouse.
I beg Kansas fans to remember the day that Kansas State came to Allen Fieldhouse. The anticipation was tangible and spirit was skyhigh. Jayhawk fans were desperate to see Beasley come into their house and experience the Phog at its finest. He had to be repaid for the injustice he caused the entire town of Lawrence. That is the feeling that Duke fans get every time North Carolina marches into their town. That is the feeling of a pure rivalry, filled with hatred and emotion.
With the loss of Beasley and potential loss of Walker, we will probably be forced to wait another few years for that intense, passionate rivalry to resurface. I would have been thrilled to wait only until next year's matchup.
— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld
MLB
Mariners' sacrifice flies down Royals
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEATTLE — John McLaren didn't need a bat or ball in spring training. He needed a pulpit.
The sermons paid off Tuesday night.
He preached during his first camp as a major league manager about the need to manufacture runs with buns, hitting behind runners and taking extra bases.
Jose Lopez became the 12th player in major league history to hit three sacrifice flies in a game, Yuniesky Betancourt drove in three runs and the Seattle Mariners set a season high for runs with an 11-6 victory over the previously stingy Kansas City Royals.
Lopez added an RBI single while joining Edgar Martinez as the only other Mariners player to have three sacrifice flies in a game.
The Mariners had five sac flies overall to tie a major league-team record. Seattle also did it on Aug. 7, 1988, at Oakland. Colorado had five against Pittsburgh on June 7, 2006.
"My God, I didn't know that. That's really cool," McLaren said, sounding genuinely pleased that his lessons are being used on a team that in recent, playoff-free seasons usually didn't score much without home runs.
Kansas City Royals catcher John Buck hangs upside down in the Royals dugout as third baseman Alex Gordon kneels in front in the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday in Seattle.
"We've preached this since spring training. ... I'm proud of these guys. We're making headway here."
Kansas City entered with an encouraging 8-5 record thanks to a major league-best ERA of 2.46 following consecutive complete games by Brian Bannister and Zack
Grienke. It was the first time the Royals had pitched back-to-back complete games in eight years. A year ago, Kansas City had a 4.75
bite through 79 games.
John Bale (0-3) allowed seven hits and five runs in three-plus innings.
ERA through 13 games.
Broncos sign former Chiefs wide receiver Samie Parker
NFL
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos on Tuesday signed former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Samie Parker to a one-year contract.
The Broncos also signed free agent punter Danny Baugher and
waived wide receiver Derrick Hamilton and tight end Chad Upshaw.
Parker, who was an unrestricted free agent spent
Parker
his first four NFL seasons with the Chiefs, who selected him in the
fourth round of the 2004 draft out of Oregon. He has career numbers of 110 catches for 1,529 yards and seven touchdowns.
Parker caught 41 passes for 56 yards in 2006 before giving way to first-round draft pick Dwayne Bowe. Parker had 24 catches for 298 yards and two TDs last year.
Associated Press
NBA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Carmelo Anthony apologizes for his arrest on DUI charges
BY PAT GRAHAM ASSOCIATED PRESS
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony concludes reading a statement to apologize to his fans and teammates at a news conference in Denver on Tuesday. Anthony was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol at 4 a.m. on Monday.
DENVER — Nuggets All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony said Tuesday he was "truly sorry" for his arrest on DUI charges, and police denied giving him special treatment, even though one officer gave him a lift after his arrest and another drove his car to a city lot.
"I'm here to man up to my mistake, just to let you know that I'm truly sorry for what happened and everything that's going on," Anthony said. "What happened Monday morning was truly and totally unacceptable."
He spoke for about two minutes and left without taking questions. He didn't refer to his notes, appearing instead to speak off the cuff. The team later released a written statement attributed to him.
Hahn said officers also have the discretion to have suspects' cars towed to an impound lot, let a friend or relative move it or move it themselves.
Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said it's "not a standard practice (for an officer to give a DUI suspect a ride), but it is done on occasion and it is not a violation of department policy."
Teammate Allen Iverson stood off to the side as Anthony spoke.
Anthony acknowledged the arrest came at a bad time, hours before the Nuggets clinched their fifth consecutive postseason appearance when the Golden State Warriors lost on Monday night.
"It's kind of bad timing right now, due to the playoffs, due to our team's success," he said. "Once again, I just want to apologize."
Anthony was alone in his silver Mercedes when an officer pulled him over on Interstate 25 early Monday for weaving and falling to dim his lights, police said.
Detective Sharon Hahn said Anthony was arrested after he failed a series of sobriety tests and was taken to police headquarters.
Hahn said a police sergeant then drove Anthony to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Denver. Hahn said it's her understanding that Anthony's fiancee LaLa Vazquez couldn't pick him up because of child-care issues. The couple have a young son together.
Anthony's attorney, Dan Recht, said his client consented to a blood test, but results won't be available for about two weeks. His first court appearance is scheduled for May 14.
Another officer drove Anthony's car to a city lot until it could be picked up, Hahn said.
Officers said Anthony didn't get preferential treatment.
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