KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 / SPORTS
9A
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I really lack the words to compliment myself today."
- Former skier Alberto Tomba
FACT OF THE DAY
Kansas football is 8-5 in its last 13 non-Saturday games.
Kansas Athletics
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: When was the last time a Kansas freshman (before James Sims) ran for 100 rushing yards?
A: Toben Opurum had 109 yards last season on Sept.26 against Southern Miss.
MLB
Angels fall 3-2 on late throwing error
CLEVELAND — Trevor Crowe scored from third base on a two-out error by third baseman Alberto Callaspo to give the Cleveland Indians a 3-2 win in 11 innings over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
Crowe doubled with one out in the 11th off Bobby Cassevah (0-1) and went to third on a groundout by Drew Sutton.
Brutal ruling costs Lions a game
MORNING BREW
Rule 8, Section 1, Article 4 of the NFL's rule book states: "A player that falls to the ground in the process of making a catch must secure the ball through the entire time he is falling."
To the dismay of Detroit, Calvin "Megatron" Johnson did not follow this rule and his Lions lost (again) 19-14 against the Chicago Bears Sunday.
With 1:32 left in the fourth quarter, Detroit had a 2nd and 10 on Chicago's 25 yard line. Quarterback Shaun Hill (who replaced the injured Matthew Stafford) threw a gem of a lob to the right back corner of the end-zone and Johnson brought it down for a score. After getting two feet in and landing his left knee in bounds, Johnson's right hand (with the football) flailed to the ground as the ball scurried away. The catch seemed like a clear game-winner.
Hill and Johnson both reacted accordingly, sprinting around the field as if the hapless Lions had just won the Super Bowl.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Detroit Lions should know better.
BY MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
The play was reviewed,ruled incomplete and the Lions could not convert on third and fourth downs.
Or, maybe, and just maybe, we could make a logical decision here (as frogs fall from the sky and locusts swarm to my pen).
Now, faithful followers of the NFL, bow to the aforementioned rule book and kiss its imaginary feet.
Mike Pereira, former head of NFL officiating said, "A play from start to finish is a process. When you go to the ground, even after you've caught the ball, you have to maintain possession. The onus is on the receiver to hold onto the ball even after he hits the
ground."
The onus should be on the NFL to change the almighty rule book.
Johnson had possession of the ball when he landed in bounds. He lost control of the ball in a second action, which was part physics, part the beginning of his celebration.
However the rule was enforced and the Lions lost. So, too, did the credibility of the NFL.
Type in "Calvin Johnson, not a TD" on Google or YouTube or wherever else the kids get their visual kicks these days and decide for yourself.
Music from the Vaults
Welcome back to the other side of the Morning Brew, where we break down a lost or as some might say "vaulted" treasure of the music world. So find a snorkel or a shovel or a lantern and come along for the journey
This week, we pay homage to 1971's "Ram" by Paul McCartney. Compared to John Lennon's "Imagine" and "Plastic Ono Band," George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" and even McCartney's own "Band on the Run," this album is highly slept on, but perhaps the finest of all the post-Beatles solo
works.
"Ram On" has a mellow, summery feel, almost encouraging the listener to revisit glorious times past. Its simplistic style is soothing to the busy mind. Better yet, its 57 second reprise might just steal the show.
That is, if not for "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", which rotates through sounds so freely, it sounds like it belongs on Abbey Road. The climax is reached two and half minutes into the song in unpredictable fashion (until you uncontrollably play the song over and over again).
If you can find the bonus tracks, "Oh Woman, Oh Why" brings us back to the Holter Skelter" McCartney of the White Album that we all wish there was more of.
So put down Peppers and Revolver, (you've heard them like a ga-gillion times anyway) and head to the heart of the country with Paul. We can even forget that femme Linda was ever there.
— Edited by Tim Dwyer
VOLLEYBALL
Ryan Waggoner/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard talks to his team during a game against Winthrop last week. Bechard is going for his 200th career victory Saturday night.
Jayhawks to focus on consistency
BY IAN CUMMINGS icummings@kansan.com
The volleyball team will be looking for its first conference victory of the year in the Big 12 home opener this Saturday. Coach Ray Bechard will be looking for his 200th win with Kansas. But before any of that happens, the Jayhawks will have to stop a four-match winning streak for the Texas A&M Aggies.
Kansas dropped to ninth in the Big 12 after falling in four sets to Kansas State in Manhattan on Wednesday night. That loss leaves Kansas 0-1 in conference play, though it still carries an overall record of 9-3. In that match, the Jayhawks lost the first two sets to the Wildcats before rallying in the third set with an offensive charge led by junior outside hitter Allison Mayfield.
It was another rally to follow a slow start, as seen in the match against Northern Iowa last weekend. Junior outside hitter Lauren Hagan said the team found more confidence at those points in the game.
"We just know we're better," Hagan said. "We tend to not start off very well and we know we're better than that, and when we're sitting in the locker room we're all looking at each other and we're like
That nearly turned the tide, tying the game 29-29, but Kansas State's blocking ended the set and the match. The rally included an outstanding performance by junior setter Nicole Tate.
'let's go."
The Aggies' four-match winning streak comes from defeating Texas last night and sweeping the University of Denver's Pioneer Classic last weekend, where they topped Jacksonville State, Denver and Gonzaga. Following that tournament, Texas A&M freshman setter Allie Sawatzky was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week. Sawatzky has started every match for Texas A&M in her first season, and ranks
Coach Ray Bechard also described Tate as competitive. "We got a lot of confidence in Nicole." Bechard said. "She brings that competitiveness and the experience of having been in the Big 12 a number of times, and that's difficult to recreate for a young player, sometimes."
Red shirt freshman middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc said Tate was one of the most competitive players on the team. "I thought that Tate did a good job of coming in and changing the tempo of the game," she said. "It doesn't matter whether she starts or not, she's always in that same level."
Meanwhile, junior left-side hitter Kelsey Black leads the Big 12 with 5.17 points per set. She has led the Aggies in kills in every match of the season, making her second in the league with 4.16 kills per set.
Match time for Kansas versus Texas A&M is 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
fourth in the conference with 9.89
cards per set.
WNBA
Seattle completed its undefeated march through the postseason, beating the Atlanta Dream 87-84 on Thursday night for a three-game sweep in the WNBA finals.
Edited by Abby Davenport
Seattle Storm win title over Atlanta
ATLANTA — The Seattle Storm are champions again
McCoughtry's three-point play with 46 seconds remaining cut Seattle's lead to 85-80. Seattle's Tanisha Wright missed two free throws and McCoughtry was fouled by Cash while missing a 3.
Swin Cash scored 18 points to lead a balanced offense as Seattle overcame 35 points by Atlanta's Angel McCoughtry. Lauren Jackson, who had 26 points in each of the Storm's first two wins in the series, had
15 points and nine rebounds and was selected MVP of the finals.
McCoughtry made two of three free throws to cut the lead to three points with 31 seconds remaining.
Each of Seattle's starters scored in double figures.
Associated Press
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY
FRIDAY
Women's Soccer
at Milwaukee
5 p.m.
Lawrence
Football
vs. Southern Miss
7:00 p.m.
Hattiesburg, Miss.
Women's Tennis
KU Tournament
All Day
Lawrence
SATURDAY
Women's Volleyball
vs. Texas A&M
6:30 p.m.
Lawrence
**Women's Tennis**
KU Tournament
All Day
Lawrence
SUNDAY
**Women's Soccerc**
Missouri State
1 p.m.
Lawrence
Women's Tennis KU Tournament All Day Lawrence
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Men's Golf
Kansas Invitational
All Day
Lawrence
Men's Golf
Kansas Invitational
All Day
Lawrence
WEDNESDAY
Women's Volleyball
Nebraska
7 p.m.
Lincoln, Neb.