8B the university daily kansan
sports
monday, february 2, 2004
Patriots outlast Panthers with last-second field goal
The Associated Press
HOUSTON — Houston, we have a champion. Once again, the New England Patriots have Adam Vinatier's foot to thank for a Super Bowl victory.
Tom Brady set up Vinatieri's 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds left to give New England its second NFL championship in three seasons with a thrilling 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night.
Vinatieri earlier missed a field goal and another was blocked. But as he did in 2002 when he kicked the winning field goal to defeat St. Louis on the final play of the Super Bowl, he proved he is perhaps the NFL's best clutch kicker.
Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady celebrated after leading the New England Patriots to a 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Brady threw for 354 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Brady was voted the game's MVP for the second time in three seasons, although he did throw an interception that prevented New England from winning more easily.
The kick prevented the Super Bowl from going into overtime for the first time ever.
Carolina had tied the game at 29 with its third fourth-quarter TD on a 12-yard pass from Jake Delhomme to Ricky Proehl with 1:08 left. Then John Kasay kicked the ball out of bounds to give New England field position at its own 40.
Brady moved the Patriots 37 yards in six plays, hitting Deion Branch to set up Vinatieri's winning kick.
The Patriots led 14-10 at the half, and after a scoreless third quarter, they made it 21-10 on the second play of the fourth on a 2-yard run by Antowain Smith. It capped an eight-play, 71-yard drive featuring a 33-yard pass from Brady to tight end Daniel Graham.
"There have been some heart attacks, but they've come out on top."
Courtsev of KRT
Bill Belichick Patriots head coach
Carolina wasn't about to give up, though, scoring on DeShaun Foster's 33-yard run on a six-play, 81-yard drive. But the 2-point conversion pass was behind Muhsin Muhammad and it was 21-16.
The decision to go for 2 would come back to haunt coach John Fox.
The Patriots seemed ready to put the game away when they got the ball back, but Brady made a rare mistake _ throwing an offbalance pass that Reggie Howard intercepted in the end zone.
Two plays later, Delhomme found Muhammad behind the New England defense for an 85-yard score, the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history, to give the Panthers a 22-21 lead with 6:53 left. Fox again went for the 2-point conversion and failed.
It was the first time since Nov. 23 that New England trailed. The Panthers' lead didn't last long, either.
Brady came back with a TD pass to linebacker Mike Vrabel with 2.51 remaining, and Kevin Faulk ran in for the 2-point conversion to give New England a 29-22 lead.
About two minutes later, Delhomme and Proehl hooked up to tie the score, giving Vinatieri another chance to be a hero.
After the scoring drought to
open the game, the Patriots and Panthers finally got going — 24 points in the final 3.05 of the first half that left New England with a 14-10 lead.
Later, Delhomme led Carolina on a 95-yard drive, tied for second longest in Super Bowl history, capping it with a 39-yard TD pass to Steve Smith, who beat Torne Poole in single coverage.
The Patriots dominated that dormant period and finally took a 7-0 lead on the first of two 5-ward TD passes by Brady.
erage.
That tied it at 7-7 with 1:14 left in the half.
Carolina wasn't finished,
either. Vinatieri squibbed the
kickoff and Kris Mangum
returned it 12 yards to his own
47.
Brady came right back, hitting Branch for 52 yards behind Ricky Manning Jr. to set up the second 5-yard TD pass, this time to Givens.
With 12 seconds and a timeout left, the Panthers crossed up the
Patriots by handing the ball to Stephen Davis, who rushed 21 yards to the New England 32.
After a timeout, Kasay kicked a 50-yard field goal to close the half.
New England looked as if it might get off to a quick start, shutting down the Panthers on their first possession, then moving to the Carolina 13 after Troy Brown's 28-yard punt return.
But Vinatieri's 31-yard fieldgoal attempt was wide right. It
was only the third time he had missed indoors in 34 attempts, all of them in Houston.
It was a night full of surprises Before the second-half kickoff, Justin Timberlake tore off part of Janet Jackson's top, exposing her breast during the halftime show, and a streaker was tackled on the field.
Commercials, halftime show draw more viewers than football action
"There have been some heart attacks, but they've come out on top," said coach Bill Belichick, whose team won its 15th straight game.
Nick Sheeley, Kansas City, Mo., freshman; DIAnn Marosczak, Chicago junior; and Denana Psilopoulos, Providence, R.I., junior, cheered for the New England Patriots in the first half of the 38th Super Bowl yesterday. The three watched the game at Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, 1012 Massachusetts St.
By Dave Nobles
dnboles@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Amid the frozen tundra of Lawrence, the Super Bowl provided a perfect opportunity to search for the ultimate savage football fan.
Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar, 1012 Massachusetts St., which seemed to be a good place to begin this quest, was unpredictably subdued just as the game was set to start.
Bartender Mike Kricsfeld, Omaha, Neb., graduate student, said 60 percent of the bar's revenue had been from carry-out sales in the first quarter. Kricsfeld said that the threat of a winter storm that might shake Lawrence may have played an important part in the sparsity of the crowd.
It was evident that the journey to find the ultimate savage fan might be more difficult than anticipated and that people who were at the establishment were there for varying reasons.
"I just want to watch the men in tight pants," said Bethany McCoy, Hutchinson sophomore. "You're not even a reporter, you're just trying to talk to us."
McCoy's comment sparked the other members of her party to offer their thoughts on the Super Bowl.
"I'm here for the booze and the halftime show," said Becky Eschmann, Topeka sophomore.
Although none of the women
the table seemed to be the ultimate savage fan, Jamie Johnson, Lincoln, Neb, sophomore, shed some light on why the onlookers may have been there in the first place.
"If you don't watch it, you feel like you missed out," Johnson said.
She was right. In the minds of many football fans, the Super Bowl is far better than the World Series, NBA finals and the NCAA Tournament combined. Not only does the game have the sports element, but also a business aspect that American people could be interested in.
The only person in the bar with a jersey on of a player on either team,
Jim Snyder, Jacksonville, Fla,
senior said he thought American
workers should get the day after off.
The Yacht Club was significantly emptier than Buffalo Wild Wings, and Courtney Rich, Shawnee senior, said that the threat of snow was again the most prevalent factor.
Joe Claunch, Tacoma, Wash. sophomore, wore New England Patriot Ty Law's number 24 jersey. Claunch said that the event epitomized all things American.
Parking spots were abundant on Massachusetts Street as the quest took a turn for the Yacht Club, 530 Wisconsin St., at the end of the first half.
"I think the media has hyped up the winter storm so people would stay in for the Super Bowl," Rich
"It's probably the greatest thing on T.V." Clauunch said.
said. "That's not how it should be."
Mike Schwakopf, Overland Park senior, said that commercials were the only reason that he was watching as he threw darts at the electronic dartboard.
"I've kind of given up on the game," Schwakopf said.
The game was not over, though,and the only way to cover something like this righteously was to attend a house party.
Upon arrival at the house party, commercials begging for viewers for the upcoming Survivor season were playing an important role in the sentiment, but not for Jamie Pickett, Stockton senior.
"Survivor after the game?" Pickett said. "I won't even watch it."
As the game neared an exciting close, Pickett said that it was the time spent with friends watching the game that was the true prize.
Especially with the potential weather element, Pickett seemed to have the best grasp on the situation. The Super Bowl was a holiday, a time to gather with friends and knock back cold ones during four hours of entertaining television.
As the game ended, the Patriots marched on to victory. The party seemed disappointed, except for one man.
Tramer Ray, Medicine Lodge senior, won a bet with a friend because of the outcome.
"My predictions came true," Ray said. "I'm going to The Outhouse!"
Edited by Michelle Rodick
ISU: Men's basketball loses to Iowa State, begins stretch of games
In the first half, Iowa State made just two of its 12 attempts, but went three-for-four in the second half. In the paint, Homan, Vroman and Damion Staple combined for 28 points and 22 rebounds. The Cyclones' 60.6 shooting percentage in the second half nearly doubled the 37.5 percent the lavhawks shot.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Langford led Kansas with 20 points, including four threepoint field goals. Coach Bill Self said after the game if it were not for Langford's offense in the second half, his team would have not been able to stay in the contest.
Simien was the only other Jayhawk to score in double digits with
The victory was sweetest for senior guard Jake Sullivan. He was a freshman the last time Iowa State defeated Kansas in 2001, when the Cyclones swept the season series from the Jayhawks. At the time, he was just a partial contributor behind senior guards Jamaal Tinsley and Kantrall Horton, but this time it felt more significant.
For Iowa State, Stinson led the way with 19 points and was consistently able to weave his way to the basket in the second half, creating his own shots. He also added 12 rebounds.
11 points. Junior guard Aaron Miles had his second consecutive double-digit assist effort with 11.
"It means the world to me," Sullivan said. "It's what I've
Another spark for Iowa State was Vroman's second half performance. The senior forward had only two points in the first half because three fouls put him on the bench. But he was able to help put Kansas' big men in foul trouble in the second half, scoring 10 more points in the process. The Jayhawks' tallest forwards, Simien, Graves and freshman center David Padgett were able to play longer before getting into foul trouble than they have been recently, but fouls played a key role in the final minutes.
worked four years for. I feel Jamaal and those guys beat Kansas, don't get me wrong, and I feel like we beat Kansas now."
"I definitely know what that's
like, I've been in that position before, I was in that position tonight." Vroman said. "When you get in foul trouble you can't play with the same tenacity that you normally can, because you don't want to get a cheap foul, so that definitely helped us."
The loss starts a stretch of games for Kansas over the next two weeks that includes Missouri, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks know they need every advantage possible in a conference race that will probably come down to the season's final week.
"Road wirs are going to be key"
Simien said. "And this one could catch up with us in the future."
Courtney Kubian/Kansas
— Edited by Louise Stauffer
Tamara Ransburg, sophomore forward, stretched for the ball above Oklahoma State's Trisha Skibbe, senior center. The Jayhawks defeated the Cowgirls 74-61.
OSU: Team dedicates success to Washington, look to Texas Tech
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
and be there for one another."
There were other adjustments for Woodard, who picked up her first victory as a head coach.
Burras
She said her switch from assistant to head coach came with a few
unforeseen difficulties.
Kansas received great pro
Kemp led the Jayhawks, scoring 24 points. Burras added 14 to go along with six rebounds.
"I didn't know whether to stand up or sit down," Woodard said with a laugh, "but it started to flow for me as the game unraveled."
Both finished 5-of-5 from the floor for 13 points, with Ervin grabbing nine rebounds and Hallman passing out six assists.
duction from its bench, as Ervin and Hallman contributed perfect shooting on the night.
The Jayhawks' next action will come Wednesday as they travel to No. 7 Texas Tech. T
he Red Raiders' last loss came last week to Oklahoma State, an 88-87 loss in double-overtime.
J
Kansas will look to carry over its emotion into the Tech game, dedicating it to the woman who means most.
"We knew we had to do it for somebody," Burras said, "and that one person was coach Washington."
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Edited by Nikki Nugent
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