Section:
B
The University Daily Kansan
Getting their money's worth
Sports
The Minnesota Twins, who have the lowest payroll in the Major Leagues for the third consecutive year, have the league's best record at 14-3.
Inside: Kansas senior Pete Smart was named Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week yesterday.
Inside: Three former Kansas football players signed NFL free agent contracts yesterday.
SEE PAGE 2B
TUESDAY APRIL 24 2001 For comments, contact Shawn Hutchinson or Shawn Linenberger at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
SEE PAGE 2B
Guest Columnist
KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Cássio Furtado
sports@kansan.com
Columnists unite to lead Air Jordan back to NBA
When Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly started speculating about Michael Jordan's second comeback more than a month ago, I felt good.
But when Abe Pollin, the owner of the Washington Wizards, said on April 10 he had "a gut feeling" that His Airness would be back, I started daydreaming about it.
As you can guess, I'm a huge Jordan fan.
I have no affection for the Washington Wizards — I'm not even a big basketball fan.
But I'd fly to D.C. just to see Jordan play again.
Many people who think they know about sports have been writing that younger and faster NBA players would beat up Jordan on the court, therefore advising him not to come back.
They have put the best player of all time at the same level as other players — like Clyde Drexler or Charles Barkley — who have recently retired.
They forgot that ford was different. He's better and more determined. He's better.
But simply saying Jordan would be outplayed by the new generation increases my chances of seeing MJ in action for the first time.
I came to Kansas in 1998, a couple of months after his last game against the Utah Jazz in the NBA finals.
Growing up in Brazil, I didn't watch much NBA until five years ago when Jordan, Pippen and Rodman made history by winning 72 games in the regular season.
I was then finishing high school, and coming to the United States wasn't even one of my goals.
Please keep writing that Jordan is old and out of shape. That's the way to do it.
I never thought I would have the chance to see Jordan on the court, but that might change — thanks to America's sportswriters.
Tell readers that he's doing it only because he's desperate, trying to save the Wizards from the trash can of basketball history where they belong.
Or even write that he wasn't so good, maybe because competition wasn't fierce when he played. Sportswriters of America, unite.
Offend Jordan's history and achievements. Trash his character. Maybe recommend that he play amateur basketball. I'm asking you.
Make a Brazilian soccer fan happy. After all, Brazilians don't understand much about basketball.
That might be the reason we disagree about how good Jordan is today.
Jordan is, without doubt, the best player ever to play basketball. And, I argue, still the best out there.
Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Chris Webber are all very good players. Duncan and Bryant already have championships — the others will probably win one or two at some point.
But MJ was, and still is, better than they will ever be.
Sportswriters and columnists, keep up the good work.
When he plays, there's magic in the game. That's something none of these players can offer. They are good, not marvelous.
Keep writing nasty columns and editorials about how shameful it would be for Jordan to come back at 38.
Trash him so much that he has no choice but to wear No. 23 again.
Jordan can be 99.9 percent certain he's not coming back, but I don't believe it. I'm certain he'll come back, outplay everyone and bring life back to the NBA.
I'm 100 percent sure Jordan will make the NBA's new generation look like kids admiring his Airness.
All because of you, sportswriters.
Fartado in *A Patente, Brasile*, sender in journalism and political science.
Jayhawks aim for momentum
By Ryan Malashock sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswrite
Heading into tonight's game against Nebraska-Omaha at 6 p.m. at Hogland Ballpark, the Kansas baseball team seeks to build momentum from the program's biggest win in almost a decade.
The Jayhawks defeated then-No. 3 Nebraska 12-3 on Sunday, recording just their second victory of the season against a ranked opponent and sending the Cornhuskers to their first defeat in 10 games. Before the Jayhawks' remarkable victory Sunday, Kansas hadn't beaten an opponent ranked as high as third since defeating No. 1 Wichita State in 1993.
Baseball America released its weekly college baseball poll yesterday, and Nebraska jumped into the No.1 spot despite a sizable loss to the Jayhawks on Sunday.
who had three hits in Sunday's victory, said the win against the Cornhuskers should not only build the team's confidence, but also draw the respect of other Big 12 teams.
"Beating Nebraska looks real good on our resume," Appuhn said. "We'll be more confident going into Texas Tech next weekend, and I bet they'll prepare harder for us now."
The Jayhawks received another gritty effort from senior Pete Smart against the 'Huskers on Sunday. Making his third start in only nine days, the 6-foot-7 lefthander struck out six and surrendered only three runs on six hits in seven innings. Smart improved to 8-2 with the win and crept closer to his preseason goal of winning ten games.
Smart said that the Cornhuskers weren't on the top of their game Sunday, and that he wasn't sure if they deserved the No.1 ranking.
"From the observer, yeah, the
win looks pretty good," Smart said. "I wouldn't necessarily consider them the No. 1 team in the country. Baylor might be a better team, but it was great to be able to beat them."
Tonight the Jayhawks take on Nebraska-Omaha — their first non-Division 1 opponent of the season. The Mavericks, of the North Central Conference, bring an 18-21 record into tonight's match-up.
Sophomore outfielder Jason Appuhn slides in well ahead of the throw and steals second base. The Jayhawks beat No. 3 Nebraska 12-3 Sunday at Haulund Ballpark. Photo by Laurie Sisk/KANSAN.
With Kansas Newman on the horizon tomorrow night, Smart said that he worried about a let-down and that the Jayhawks needed to maintain their concentration for the next two days.
"As a team, we're really going to have to be careful of not flattening out emotion-wise," Smart said. "I've seen it happen. It happened to us last year after we beat Texas. We still have to work hard every day, and we can't be happy with just one big win."
Jeff Davis (2-2) is scheduled to
make the start tonight after working the final two innings in Sunday's victory. Although Davis will start, Kansas coach Bobby Randle said that he
would try to get four or five pitchers action in each of the two games tonight and tomorrow. — Edited by Joy Pilgreen
Softball sisters
Twins facing obstacles as a team
By Brent Briggman sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
"It's been strange how it's worked out," Christi said. "I guess when one of us gets better the other one gets a problem."
Kansas juniors Christi and Shelly Musser have spent the past year fighting problems. Now, the twin sisters are fighting just to get on the softball field at the same time.
The twins from Scottsdale, Ariz., broke onto the scene together as freshman two years ago. They both cracked the starting lineup and enjoyed productive seasons. Shelly was named the team's offensive MVP.
The sisters should be playing games side by side, with Christi in left field, and Shelly in center field. Being healthy at the same time, however, has been problematic.
Christi experienced difficulties first. When she came to school her sophomore year, she lacked energy and had persistent headaches. Her weight started dropping off.
"I was tired all the time," said Christi. "I'd sleep 12 hours a night but never felt rested."
Shelly knew there was a problem. "There was a complete difference in her between her freshman year and last year," Shelly said. "But when I'd try to tell her that, she'd snap back at me."
Christi admits to being sensitive about her condition. Frustrated, she feared she suffered from depression. Her on-field performance reflected the change.
After hitting .268 as a freshman, she dipped to .202 as a sophomore. She struck out twice as often and managed only one extra-base hit, down from seven as a freshman.
"Looking back on it, I was riding her all the time," Bunge said. "I can't imagine what that kid must have been going through."
Kansas coach Tracy Bunge thought the problem was in her head.
See SOFTBALL on page 3B
Christi Musser,
juniert左
fielder, lifts free
weights as her
twin sister
Shelly, junior
center fielder,
spots at
Anschutz weight
room during
afternoon training.
Both players have battled
health problems
this season.
Photo by Laurie
Sisk/KANSAN.
Soccer player suffers another setback
By Aaron Fulk
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Carmel Kaplinger overcame cardiovascular problems and became a dominant force for the Kansas women's soccer team this semester before facing yet another obstacle.
Kaplinger broke her leg during the start of the Oklahoma State game at the KU Spring Classic earlier this month.
"It happened in the first four minutes of competition." Kanlinger said.
She is expected to have a full recovery within 12 weeks.
"The good news is that the injury will not require surgery," said Kansas coach Mark Francis. "It was a pretty clean break, and I told her that it was much better than ligament damage or something which would keep her out for a much
longer period of time."
longer period of time.
Although the injury is a setback, Kaplinger doesn't think it will have any effect on her performance next year.
Neither does her coach.
"It won't affect her," Francis said. "She will still ride the bike and do upper body lifting until she is able to be released."
Kapling: expects a full recovery for next season
The Overland Park sophomore forward
transferred from Louisville this year and helped her team to seven wins in the fall, starting eight games and maintaining a 346 shot-on-goal percentage.
During the spring season Kaplinger
"It won't affect her. She will still ride the bike and do upper body lifting until she is able to be released."
Mark Francis Kansas soccer coach
Although injuries like Kaplinger's can
April 1 was another big day for her as she scored all four of Kansas' goals in victories against Durham Football Academy (1-0) and an Irish club team (3-0) in Memphis. *Tour*
shined. She started by helping her team to a 6-0 win against Southern Nazarene on March 3. Eight days later, Kaplinger scored the Jayhawks' only goal in a tie with Challenge S.C. at Memorial Stadium.
occur during the spring season, Francis said that the spring season is crucial to the team's fall performance.
"Spring is critical competition-wise." Francis said.
The soccer team finished 5-4-2 during the spring season.
"Overall, we had a really good spring." Francis said.
Looking toward the fall, many team members will stay in Lawrence to work out and get ready for their most competitive season and others will play for the new semi-pro team in Kansas City.
kaplinger won't be a part of competition in the summer, but plans to be in a Kansas jersey for the Jayhawks' first match Aug. 18 against Southwest Missouri State.
"I'll be fine. I'll be ready," Kaplinger said.
- Edited by Jason McKee
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