THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
7A
CALIFORNIA (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
Amanda Sellers/KANSAN
Several players from the baseball team grew up in California relatively near to each other and played ball together over the summer in high school. There are 10 California natives on the baseball team.
Kansas high schools and only two attended high schools outside of Lawrence.
This influx of California influence on the Kansas baseball team has become a trend under coach Ritch Price. What's more, the team has started to see results.
The layhawks have won 30 or more games each of Price's four years here at Kansas. Their winning percentage has also increased each of the last two seasons, climaxing with a Big 12 Championship last season.
"When I was hired, one of the things they told me in the recruiting process was they felt they needed to bring in a coach from outside the Midwest who had a hub he could tap into to help turn the program around," said Price, who was named Kansas' baseball coach in 2003.
Since his hiring, Price has followed through. Excluding his two sons, four current Jayhawks come from the San Luis Obispo area where Price coached Cal Poly for eight seasons before coming to Kansas. Four more Jayhawks are from Southern California and the ninth is from the Los Angeles area.
While Price has had the pleasure of seeing this California invasion help put Kansas baseball on the map, the players have had to overcome the culture shock of moving to Kansas
"To be honest, I never thought I would even see Kansas in my life," South said.
Junior shortstop Erik Morrison shared Smyth's sentiments. He had never been to Kansas until his recruiting visit.
"When I got here, I looked around and I could see for miles and miles," said Morrison, an Arrowo Grande native. "I remember thinking, What the heck is going on here? I'm used
to having a sheer mountain cliff in my back yard. There's no mountains or water out here to put me in my surroundings."
The climate also took some getting used to.
"It's cool because you get seasons out here. In California you get one season the whole year." Morrison said. "It's crazy, and the lightening storms, those are sweet."
Dealing with so many changes at once wasn't easy for Morrison and he occasionally got home-sick. Fortunately, although being more than 1,500 miles from home, Morrison had friends on the team who knew what he was going through.
"That's what I'm really happy about. I'm not out here alone," Morrison said. "I've got my best friends out here and guys who can relate to me when I'm down."
Considering the difference between California and Kansas, it's hard to believe Price has been so successful in luring players to the heartland. Price credited the reputation of the Big 12 Conference and Kansas Athletics Department for helping attract players from the West Coast.
In the past, baseball players in California could only be enticed to head east by the ACC and SEC Conferences. Now they head to schools in the Big 12, as well – predominantly Kansas. There are 27 players in the conference who graduated from California high schools, a third of whom go to Kansas. Oklahoma is second in the Big 12 with six California natives.
Morrison said he's been impressed with how aggressively Price has recruited in California.
"It's more about pro teams out
in California, so for coach Price to have that much recognition out there shows he's a go-getter and he's turning heads," Morrison said.
Not only is Kansas finding impact players in California, it's also building a core of players who have played together since they were teenagers.
Morrison said he, along with Smyth, Ryne, Robby, Steve Cochran and Casey Larson, grew up within a 20-minute radius of each other and got to play together during the summer when they were in high school.
Smyth said had been friends with Larson since he was nine years old and met the other four as he got older. Over the course of their summer careers, he said they probably played more than 300 games together. This long history between the California players has proven beneficial to the team on the field and behind the scenes.
Smyth said, because the players are so familiar with each other's abilities and personalities, they know what to expect from one another and they know the best way to motivate each other.
"One of the biggest obstacles to overcome as a team is the ability to mesh together and become one," Smyth said. "The more comfortable you are with your players as friends and as teammates, the better you can perform on the field."
If the last few seasons have been any indication, there will be plenty more California natives finding their home away from home in Kansas.
Kansan sportswriter Shawn Shroyer can be contacted at sshroyer@ kansan.com.
—Edited by Mark Vierthaler
》 SUPER BOWL XLI
Manning relishes media's attention during 'carnival'
BY STEVEN WINE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — For 60 minutes the questions came at Peyton Manning, sometimes several at once, on topics ranging from his childhood to Sunday's game against the Bears.
Facing a semicircle of reporters and cameramen six deep, Manning joked a little, reminisced a lot and seemed to enjoy his first Super Bowl media day.
Still to come are the 60 minutes that matter most, when Manning's Indianapolis Colts play the Chicago Bears for the NFL title.
But while Bears center Olin Kreutz said he might prefer a trip to the dentist over Tuesday's media day, Manning embraced media day as part of what makes the Super Bowl America's favorite carnival.
"I know how hard it is to get here; he said, "because it has been."
Bears quarterback Rex Grossman, said he also appreciated the media attention. He attracted a smaller crowd than Manning, but the questions came in a flurry — including one about whether Grossman found such a flurry of questions overwhelming.
"I've seen it in years past," Manning said from a seat along the sideline at Dolphin Stadium. "You always wish you were up here."
"It's not that big a deal," Grossman said with a smile. "I'm just talking to you guys.
Flanked by two speakers that allowed even the back row to hear, Manning discussed his family, the challenges of his job and the frustration of failing to reach the Super Bowl in the past.
"It's a big game. Everyone wants to know all the subplots to it and every little detail."
athletics calendar
Grossman is a subplot — an erratic quarterback who can only hope his biorhythms peak around kickoff. Manning is the biggest story of the week, which is why his interview session drew the largest crowd.
"For Peyton it has been tough, because all his stats and everything else mean nothing until you reach this game," teammate Dallas Clark said. "He's finally here, which is great, and hopefully he can enjoy this moment."
Players trade winter woes for island sun
"You feel a small window of opportunity," he said. "While we're here, we sure want to go ahead and win it."
TONIGHT:
Baseball vs. Hawaii-Hilo, 11 p.m. Hilo, Hawaii
The game's most prolific passer is playing in the Super Bowl for the first time at age 30. His father, Archie, was a star NFL quarterback who never had a shot at a title. His brother Eli has not come close in three seasons with the New York Giants.
So Manning relishes the chance Sunday offers.
Baseball vs. Hawaii-Hilo,
7 p.m. Hilo, Hawaii
FRIDAY:
The Kansas baseball team escaped its ice-encrusted home field Wednesday for the sun of Hilo, Hawaii.
BASEBALL
SATURDAY:
Tennis vs. Syracuse, 2 p.m. Winston-Salem, N.C.
The layhawks will play Hawaii-Hilo in today's season opener. This will be the first time Kansas has played outdoors this season.
- Women's basketball vs.
Texas A&M, 6 p.m. College
Station, Texas
Men's basketball vs.
Texas A&M, 8 p.m. Allen
Fieldhouse
Track at Husker Invitational, all day, Lincoln, Neb.
Baseball vs. Hawaii-Hilo,
5 p.m. Kona, Hawaii
"The weather's been a little discouraging from that standpoint," Price said. "I feel like we're game ready to play and the only way we're going to make progress now is actually to get outside."
SUNDAY:
After racking up a 43-25 record in 2006 en route to its first Big 12 Tournament championship, Kansas has spent most of the following preseason in the confines of its indoor hitting facility.
Tennis vs. Wake Forest, noon, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Baseball vs. Hawaii-
Hilo, 4 p.m. Kona, Hawaii
Even when used in tandem with the Anschutz Sports Pavilion, where the team has been working on fielding, the practice space does not compare to the advantage of being on the field.
"They play the hardest schedule in America, they're not a cake walk," junior outfielder Brock Simpson said. "You think Hawaii-Hilo and it's 'OK, they're not even the University of Hawaii,' but they're a really talented club."
NCAA BASKETBALL Charges filed for murder of basketball player
"Baseball's a game that you've got to play it to get comfortable," junior outfielder John Allman said. "You can hack away in the cages all you want. It helps, but getting in that game situation and getting comfortable, that's what's most important."
Last weekend, College World Series champion Oregon State opened its season in Hilo. The Beavers swept the Vulcans in four games.
With the earliest season opener in the Big 12, Kansas will need that offense talent to take on the team that has been outside virtually everyday of the preseason.
Exactly one year ago, Kansas took four of games from
Price said that he doesn't expect his players to be perfect, and would take into consideration that they have not been outside a single day of the preseason. He does want to see his team make improvements each day of the week, and plans to give each starter at least 20 attats, each starting pitcher one start and each reliever two appearances.
Richardson, 26, was found dead in front of his home Tuesday, police said.
BAXTER SPRINGS — Three men were charged with murder Wednesday with the death of former Pittsburgh State basketball player James Richardson.
Jayhawks get first shot at outdoor play with season opener
Charges were filed against Geoffrey Haynes, of Galena; Edward Gordon, of Baxter Springs; and Aaron Graham, of Pittsburg. —Associated Press
"It's really a balancing act, if you will," Price said. "The fact that they're outside everyday with their weather we've got our hands full."
Czyz said pitching coach Ryan Graves was sending his pitchers to the mound to win five games, but the sophomore starter had a little extra incentive of his own.
"You can never go out there, even though we're going to Hawaii, and take it lightly," left-handed pitcher Nick Czyz said.
Hawaii-Hilo. However, they are not expecting an easy sweep.
The 'Hawks offense will have to find a new set of leaders, too. Many of last year's key offensive players are no longer with the team. However, there are plenty of candidates in line to take the reins.
"Last year, I was the one guy that got the loss," Czyz said. "So I feel like I've got something to prove out there, too."
Allman and junior shortstop Erik Morrison each drove in 52 runs last season. Morrison led the team with 14 home runs and sophomore first baseman Preston Land's slugging power put him on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Kansan sportswriter Alissa Bauer can be contacted at abauer@ kansan.com.
that side of the baseball."
"I really like our club offensively," Price said "I actually believe we can be as good as we were a year ago on
Edited by Mark Vierthaler
Game day starters
The Kansas baseball team open its season tonight with a five-game series against Hawaii-Hilo. Zach Ashwood, Nick Czyz, Wally Marciel, Andy Marks and Andres Esquibel will start the games.
Ashwood Game No.1
Game No. 2
Marciel Game No. 3
Marks
Game No. 4
Esquibel
Game No. 5
Source: Kansas Athletics Department
COME PARTY WITH SYRUS AND RANDY FROM MTV'S THE REAL WORLD!
FREE FOOD!
Sponsors include: Jimmy Johns Chipotle Old Chicago Pizza Shoppe Pizza Shuttle Chili's and many more!
Legends Place
Sign a lease and we will waive all FEES! (February 3rd only)
SPRING BREAK TRIP PARTY PACKS TANNING PACKAGES
ENTER TO WIN GREAT PRIZES!
LIVE REMOTE WITH MERRILL FROM LAZER 105.9
tel: 856-5848
LAZER105.9
WWW.LegendsPlace.COM at 23rd & CROSSGATE