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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
5
Sneak attacks help win games
Sophomore Tayler Toilefree is understated, but strong, especially when it really matters. She said she would develop her skills while increasingly building leadership role on the team.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 1B
TRULY FRESH
BY MATT GALLOWAY
mgalloway@kansan.com
twitter.com/themattgalloway
A hair-raising performance
When James Sims' peers see him around campus, the first thing they always ask him about is his retro haircut.
Now after his record-breaking performance against Georgia Tech during Saturday's win, Jayhawk fans have something else to talk to the freshman running back about.
Sims, filling in for injured freshman running back Deshaun Sands, became the first freshman in school history to rush for 100 yards in his debut. He also scored the touchdown that would put the Jayhawks up for good early in the fourth quarter.
Sims
Junior wide receiver Daymond Patterson knew Sims would make difference, but nobody saw the monster game from the backup true freshman coming.
"I didn't have any expectations for yardage, but I knew he was going to produce," Patterson said. "james is a heck of a running, back, and I saw that when he came in. I'm really happy for him. I'm proud of him because he's really put in a lot of work and stepped up, and I'm glad he did when he did."
Sims breaks school record in his college debut against Georgia Tech
Before saturday's performance, fans may have confused a helmet less Sims as an extra from the movie "Hot Tub Time Machine." After all, it isn't often one sees a hi-top fade hairstyle around Lawrence, especially on someone born in the early '90s.
"I just wanted to keep it old school, be a little different." Sims said. "I get laughed at, and I get compliments. I like it, it's just my style."
A native of Irving, Texas, Sims came into camp on the heels of a 1,762 yard, 20 touchdown senior season at MacArthur High School. Sims felt he could contribute right away.
Sims was disappointed when he didn't have a carry in the season opener against North Dakota State, but the first-year back knew his time would come sooner or later.
"He came in and I could tell he wanted to play; he didn't want to red-shirt;" said freshman quarterback Jordan Webb. "I think he proved this week that he deserves to be out there."
"After not playing the last game, I was a little upset, but I knew I had to bounce back and work even harder", Sims said. "I knew my opportunity was going to come, and it paid off."
"It was a great feeling just knowing the fans like me and like everything we're doing with this program," Sims said. "We just want to keep it going."
After the Jayhawks defeated the No. 15 Yellow Jackets, the fans rushed the field and swarmed Sims, among others. Some fans told Sims to keep running while others complimented his unique hairdo. The experience was surreal for Sims, who just last week heard the fans boo his teammates from the sidelines.
BASKETBALL
Children's clinic draws ex-players
Aldrich and Collison participate in clinic held in Wichita for young sports fans
BYTIM DWYER
tdywer@kansan.com
twitter.com/UDK basketball
WICHITA — The Oklahoma City Thunder's "Thunder Rally" this Sunday in Wichita was a basketball clinic for seven- to 14-year-olds. But the kid having the most fun was the biggest one there.
Cole Aldrich — all 6 feet, 11 inches of him — was all smiles as he swatted away shot after shot
Aldrich
Collison
from young fans half his size who were thrilled with the chance to try to get one past their idol.
"We're just having a lot of fun," Aldrich said. "Just having a camp here, that's a free clinic for the guys that come out. And I get to shot block."
kids coming at him from layup lines on either side, Aldrich blocked every shot he could get a hand on to the sounds of laughter and "ooohs" from the participants and their families. The biggest cheer of the day came when a kid snuck a layup under Aldrich's right side when he was distracted with the left.
With the
Aldrich and Nick Collison, a pair of former Jayhawks that will anchor the post for the Thunder
this year, spent their afternoon participating in drills with Wichita youths and answering questions about playing in the NBA.
"Nick as kind of a mentor coming into the league early, I guess, as a young kid — it's just really fun to have him around," Aldrich said.
After answering questions from "Will you sign my shirt?" — yes — to "Who would win a game of one-on-one?" — Collison said they've played to five twice and split the games — the pair split up to rotate through five different stations, spending most of their time in the post and volleyball spiking shots across the gym.
"Me and Cole, personally, obviously have very strong ties to Kansas, playing here in college," Collison said. "We had a lot of fun here, and Wichita is obviously a very big part of the Kansas family."
They also took a little time from their day to talk about their connection to Kansas and the upcoming season for Oklahoma City.
Aldrich, who spent the night before the event in Lawrence, said it's always nice for him to get back to the state he spent his college career in.
"It's a lot of fun," Aldrich said. "Whether we're in Oklahoma City or whether we're in Lawrence, or here in Wichita, they have a great fan base not only for KU, but also for the Thunder. We're just happy, Nick and I, to come back and give back to the fans."
— Edited by Michael Bednar
Former Kansas center Cole Aldrich grabs a rebound during a game last season at Allen Fieldhouse. Aldrich helped with a children's basketball clinic. Sunday with his new team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Ryan Waggoner/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Swallow field-rushing pride to support Hawks
COMMENTARY
As the scoreboard counted down its final seconds Saturday at Memorial Stadium, Jayhawk students eagerly celebrated the victory by rushing the field.
It was an act that at times is controversial, but in this case, was completely justifiable.
After last week, the Kansas football program was about as low as it gets. The team didn' t win a game since Oct. 10, 2009, over 11 months from their win Saturday against Georgia Tech. The week before, the Jayhawks were embarrassed against FCS, formerly referred to as Division 2, North Dakota State. Coach Turner Gill and his players had only one way to redeem themselves and that was to upset the ranked Yellow jackets
No one gave them a chance after last weekend's less than poor performance, but they won and the fans stormed onto the field, screaming, waving their arms and jumping up and down.
When that happens, it normally causes people to say, "Well we are Kansas. We are a proud program. We won the Orange Bowl in 2008 and there's no reason why we should have to be surprised when we beat someone."
Now if we're talking about the basketball program, I would be saying that too. I would never condone students at a basketball game rushing the court. Kansas basketball is one of the best programs in the country and we should expect to beat everyone we play. This isn't basketball however; it is a football program that needs to feel the love from its fans.
After the game, Gill spoke highly of the crowd.
"We appreciate all of their support"
BY MAX VOSBURGH
mvosburgh@kansan.com
twitter.com/MVsports
Rushing the field seemed to be the perfect way for the fans to show that they still support a team that struggled to begin the season.
that they gave us today during the game." Gill said. "It gave us energy. It's like I told the fans, we need all of them to come to our games and give us that energy like they did today"
"That was sweet. That was awesome," quarterback Jordan Webb said. "After last week I didn't know how the fans would be going into today, but they really supported us"
Another thing, no one climbed the goal posts. The students moved onto the field, cheered, took a few pictures and then left. If you're going to rush the field, that's the right way to do it
Rushing the field after that game will be one of the best memories I have at this school. I had the opportunity to do something I never thought I'd ever be able to do. I was standing on the turf at Memorial Stadium. My memories are shared by those who also had the same opportunity. There's nothing wrong with letting a few college kids have fun after a big win like the one after Kansas beat Georgia Tech.
Edited by Leslie Kinsman