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/ SPORTS / FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I learned that if you want to make it bad enough, no matter how bad it is, you can make it."
- Gale Sayers
North Dakota State's Ben Woodside scored 37 points against the Jayhawks the last time the two schools met. That was, of course, in basketball.
FACT OF THE DAY
Q: Who coached Kansas in the Jayhawks' first season?
Kansas Athletics
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
A: Trick question. The Jayhawks went 1-2 in their inaugural season in 1890 without a coach. Their first coach was E.M. Hopkins, who went 7-0-1 in 1891.
— Kansas Athletics
Don't judge Gill's year too soon
MORNING BREW
As football season kicks off tomorrow at Memorial Stadium, it will also mark the beginning of many other things. There will be overpriced hot dogs and a flood of t-shirt sales, as well as tailgate parties and waving the wheat. But tomorrow is different than most years. Tomorrow Turner Gill will start his legacy at Kansas.
Whether it is fair or not, today's sporting age is one that demands instant success and isn't very patient when losing persists. An example lies in the Kansas City Royals' firing of Trey Hillman. Granted, the Royals haven't been good in a long long time, and it might be a while before they start winning, but he was only given 2 1/5 seasons as a coach before he was fired. I don't mind Kansas City doing whatever they can to try to mix things up and win a few ball games. I'm just saying that the message in sports today seems to be win early or don't stick around.
Gill will be coaching a lot of players recruited by former coach Mark Mangino, however most fans don't take this into consideration. Some will dismiss his coaching abilities if his first season isn't as successful as they thought it would be.
I'm not saying that the layhawks won't be successful this year, and I, like thousands of other fans, will be in the stands cheering them on every game. I'm just saying
BY JACKSON DELAY jacdelay@kansan.com
Not to compare Gill to Mangino, but in 2002 when Mangino came on the scene, KU finished with a 2-10 record. Nonetheless, we all remember in 2008 when the Jayhawks had their magical run and won the Orange Bowl. I'm sure that there were people in Mangino's first year thinking that the two-win team was a joke and wondering if Mangino was a fool. However, success came later. I'm not trying to debate Mangino's coaching abilities, but judging a coach in his first year strictly by wins and losses seems ludicrous.
Gill isn't the only one in this situation, however. Coaches across the nation who take a head coaching job at a high-profile
that fans shouldn't point the finger at Gill and denounce him as a coach if the team's record doesn't match fans' expectations in his first year.
Only time will tell if Gill can put Kansas football back on the map for good and accomplish what he says he came here to do
"I did not come here to use it as a stepping stone to a football dynasty," he said when he was first unveiled as Kansas' new coach, "but rather to create a football dynasty here at KU. Rock Chalk Jayhawk."
team will be under a microscope as well. Brian Kelly will try to bring Notre Dame football back to the glory days, and Derek Dooley will be taking the reins at Tennessee from Lane Kiffin, who will be face pressure of his own at Southern California.
Edited by Joel Petterson
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
TCU braces to open against Oregon State
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
No matter a team's expectations, the season opener leaves most coaches wondering whether they've got all their bases covered.
The sixth-ranked Horned Frogs had their second consecutive spirited practice Wednesday, which saw the team get a respite from the heat.
Gary Patterson is no different, especially with No. 24 Oregon State on tap at 6:45 p.m. CDT on Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
"Our legs and our morale are back," Patterson said. "We needed a day like (Wednesday). We need another one. I don't expect this game to be low-scoring."
led the Beavers with 91 receptions for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns. They both graduated from Lamar Consolidated, southwest of Houston.
"We're going to have to make plays on both sides of the ball," Patterson said. "The team that makes the most plays in the red zone is probably going to be the team that wins."
NEW UNIFORM
UNVEILED
Predicting a high-scoring
"I don't expect this game to be low-scoring."
Nike unveiled TCU's Pro Combat uniform in New York on Wednesday, along with nine
GARY PATTERSON TCU coach
game is likely the result of watching hours of tapes of Beaver wide receivers James Rodgers and Aaron Nichols and running back Jacquizz Rodgers make big plays. Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 1,440 yards and 21 touchdowns as a sophomore last season. His brother James, a senior,
This year the
lizard-skin print in "Night Silver and White" evokes TCU coaching legend Dutch Meyer, who famously said "Fight 'em 'til hell freezes over, then fight 'em on the ice" "Til hell freezes" is stitched into the back yoke of the jersey and on the inner cuff of the gloves.
MLB
Sabathia's one-hitter helps Yankees sweep Athletics
NEW YORK — CC Sabatha pitched one-hit ball for eight innings to earn his major league-leading 19th win, fill-in Curtis Granderson homered twice and the New York Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 5-0 Thursday for a four-game sweep.
Sabathia (19-5) breezed on a steamy afternoon, nicked only by Mark Ellis' clean single leading off the second. Jonathan Albaladejo completed the combined one-hitter in the ninth.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Granderson hit a solo homer and a two-run shot as a replacement for Nick Swisher, who left after one inning because of a stiff knee. Jorge Posada also homered a day after an animated ejection, propelling the Yankees to their sixth straight victory.
Sabathia matched his career high for victories and won his sixth start in a row overall. He was in trouble just once, after a hit batter and a walk to start the eighth, but retired the next three hitters in order.
New York increased its AL East lead over 1dile Tampa to $1/2 games. Oakland's loss gave AL West-leading Texas a 10-game bulge.
The big lefty struck out five,
walked three and exchanged a fist
bump with Eduardo Nunez after the rookie made a nice play to start the sixth. Ellis' hit was an opposite-field stroke through the right side.
Sabathia began his day by fanning Coco Crisp, who took an awkward swing at 92 mph heat, which exactly matched the gametime temperature. The sunny weather figures to change in a hurry for Friday's home game against Toronto, with Hurricane Earl expected to bring rain.
Winning in the Bronx has
become almost automatic for Sabathia — he's now 16-0 in 21 starts at Yankee Stadium since the 2009 All-Star breaking the As had been more of a problem —
on April 22 in Oakland. A-Rod angered Braden by crossing the mound while returning to first base after a foul ball, and the two later nipped at each other and the A's sold T-shirts printed with "Get Off My Mound."
Braden and Rodriguez have since patched up their differences. They didn't face each other this time, with Rodriguez still on the disabled list.
Jorge Posada also homered a day after an animated ejection, propelling the Yankees to their sixth straight victory.
Dallas Braden (9-10) left in the sixth inning with heat-related cramps. He allowed two hits and slowly walked off trailing 1-0. He was coming off a four-hit shutout at Texas.
6-8 with a 5.36 ERA in 20 career starts against them.
Braden started against the Yankees for the first time since his dustup with Alex Rodriguez
Posada launched his 17th home run in the second. He trotted past third-base duma Dane DeMuth
without incident — a night earlier, Posada was ejected by DeMuth after arguing a called third strike, then drew a line in the dirt with his bat to show where the pitch
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
was wide.
Braden bent over after a pitch in the sixth, and suddenly there were a lot of people on his mound, including As manager Bob Geren and a trainer. Jerry Blevins relieved and recorded an out before throwing a pitch, trapping Derek Jeter off first base.
Granderson added his 16th and 17th home runs later.
TODAY
Volleyball vs. Akron 12:00 p.m.
Volleyball vs. Arkansas 7:00 p.m.
Soccer at Northwestern 7 p.m.
SATURDAY
Cross Country
Bob Timmons Classic
9 a.m.
Lawrence, Kan.
Volleyball vs. Chattanooga 1 p.m.
Football vs. North Dakota State 6 p.m.
SUNDAY
Soccer Illinois Stater 1 p.m. Normal, Ill.
Men's Golf
Turning Stone-Tiger
Intercollegiate
All Day
Verona, N.Y.
MONDAY
Men's Golf
Turning Stone-Tiger Int
tercollegiate
All Day
Verona, N.Y.
TUESDAY
Volleyball
vs. Middle Tennessee
State
6:30 p.m.
ALUMNUS
Reesing promoting book on KU campus
Former Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing will be on campus tomorrow before the Jayhawks
open their season against North Dakota State.
Reeing will be signing his new book "Rising to New Heights: Inside a Jawhaws
Reesing
Hudle' from 4 to 6 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
If you are unable to attend this book signing, Reesing will also be at Dillon's at Sixth and Wakarasa from 4 to 6 p.m. today and Jock's Nitch, 837 Massachusetts St., from 1 to 3 p.m. tomorrow.
Mike Lavieri
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Illini look to close series against Tigers with upset
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The series between Illinois and Missouri will cease after this season.
That might be considered good news for the Illini.
Illinois enters the season with quite a few questions.
The Tigers have won the last five meetings since 2002, including games that opened the last three seasons. Last season's 37-9 loss began a dismal 1-6 start to the Illini's season.
The way Illinois looks at it, Saturday's game in St. Louis is a chance to end the series with a different outcome.
"We're the underdog" linebacker Martez Wilson said. "We're the dark horses. So expect the unexpected."
The secondary is thin after safety Supo Sanni and cornerback Terry Hawthorne — both projected starters — went down with injuries. That presents some unexpected challenges for new defensive coordinator Vic Koenning.
The Illini also will operate under a system of new offensive coordinator Paul Petrino. And redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase will bring in a new era after four seasons of Juice Williams at the helm.
Scheelhaase, a native of Kansas City, Mo., said he is ready to play in front of a hometown crowd.
"I haven't really had many nervous feelings," he said. "I'm sure when I walk into the (Edward Jones) Dome on Friday the butterflies will start moving around. Staying calm and staying focused, I think that's the biggest thing I have to do."
Missouri has some problems too. The Tigers will be without dismissed running back Derrick Washington, who is facing legal charges. But they still have strong-armed quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns against the Illini last season.
Illini coach Ron Zook praised Gabbert's performance so far.