Tuesday. April 17, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Secondary showing positive signs
Defenders remember past failures, plan different strategies
Kansas cornerback Quincy Roe catches a ball in practice. The Jayhawk secondary could be tested extensively against pass-happy opponents in the fall. Photo by Aaron Showalter/KANSAN
By Jeff Denton
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
All defensive coordinator Tom Hayes could do was smile as his secondary, laden with speed and experience, made play after play in one of his drills. The veteran coach has been pleased with how his guys have performed against the Jayhawks offense — but he knows that this is just the beginning.
The true aerial attack will arrive to Lawrence early in the 2001 football campaign.
"It's a new scheme," Hayes said, who last served as coach of the Washington Redskins secondary from 1995-1999. "The guys are athletic and work extremely hard, but we are not where we need to be."
Kansas opens the season with three consecutive games at Memorial Stadium — the Jayhawks were 3-2 on their home turf last season. While strolling through the first two home contests against weaker nonconference opponents, the Jayhawks secondary was statistically one of the best in the country. It held Alabama-Birmingham and Southern Illinois to an average of 145 yards through the air on 21 attempts, they were tried but not tested.
Weeks two and three have been replaced this season with teams that love to air out the football. They also have potent receiving weapons to haul in the bombs.
UCLA, and two-year starting quarterback Cory Paus, will make the trip from Westwood, Calif., on Sept. 8. Coach Bob Toledo's 8 bruins went to the air at least 30 times in its last 11 games, with Paus often going to receiver Brian Poli-Dixon. The 6-foot-5 Poli-Dixon used his ideal size to shield off smaller defenders — bringing in 53 catches for 750 yards.
Senior cornerback Andrew Davison salivates about a match-up with the bigger Bruin.
"I love the big game," Davison said. "I'll hopefully be on Poli-Dixon the entire time."
"It's a new scheme. The guys are athletic and work extremely hard, but we are not where we need to be."
Tom Hayes
defensive coordinator
The next week's nemesis will be just as active throwing the football. Wyoming's atrocious 1-10 record bears no reflection on its passing game. Their offense generated four offensive touchdowns in three games while chucking the football 34 times a game.
Physical receivers Malcolm Floyd, 6foot-6,205 pounds,and Ryan McGuffey, 6-foot-1,200 pounds,return.
Offensive challenges will only get harder as the season grows older. Craig Ochs of Colorado, Chris Simms of Texas, Kliff Kingsbury of Texas Tech and Nate Hybl of defending National Champion Oklahoma all lead trigger-happy, passing offenses.
"You just have to go out there and play football," senior cornerback Quincy Roe said. "You have to learn how to play bigger than you are."
With lesser known Southwest Missouri coming to Kansas on Sept. 1 in the season opener, Davison knows that the Jayhawks secondary cannot look past any single opponent.
we can't take the first game lightly, you saw what happened against SMU last year, Davison said of SMU's 31-17 trouncing of Kansas in last year's season opener.
2001 KANSAS SCHEDULE
Last year's records in parentheses
Sept. 1 Southwest Missouri (5-6)
Sept. 8 UCLA (6-6)
Sept. 15 Wyoming (1-10)
Sept. 22 at Colorado (3-8)
Oct. 6 at Texas Tech (7-6)
Oct. 13 Oklahoma (13-0)
Oct. 14 Nebraska (9-8)
Oct. 27 at Kansas State (11-2)
Nov. 3 Nebraska (10-2)
Nov. 10 at Texas (9-3)
Nov. 17 Iowa State (9-3)
Opponents 'combined 2000 record: 77-55
Edited by Doug Pacey
'Hawks return on new courts
By Aaron Johnson
By Aaron Johnson
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's tennis team will try to use its original home court advantage as the Jayhawks play their match at the newly refurbished Robinson tennis courts at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow against Nebraska.
of the season in weather per mile.
The No. 48, Jawahres (10-9 overall and 4-5 in the Big 12
Alvamar Racquet Club was the home of the Jayhawks for the majority of their matches in Lawrence this season, but the improved Robinson tennis courts are now open and will be the Jayhawks' home venue for the rest of the season if weather permits.
The No. 46 jayhawks (hope Conference) hope the new site will aid their momentum going into tomorrow's match against No. 34 Nebraska (15-3 and 3-3).
WOMEN'S TENNIS
- Nebraska at Kansas
- Time: 2:30 p.m.
- Where: Robinson Courts
The 'Hawks, who are
vying for qualification into the NCAA Championships, faltered recently when they were defeated by Tulsa on the road last weekend.
"The girls are ready and really excited to play Nebraska," Hall said. "We know how important the match is, and we definitely need to win this one."
Assistant coach Amy Hall said she was confident about the Jayhawks' chances as they prepared for the final three matches of the season.
The lone senior on the women's squad, Monica Sekulov, focused on the team's recent practices as a positive sign.
"We have been practicing very well lately, and hopefully that will continue into matches." Sekulov said. "We have lost our last few so we need to get a win to get our momentum back."
Momentum tomorrow will be at a premium because the Big 12 Conference tournament is only two weeks away.
"we need to build some of our confidence before we enter the conference tournament," Sekulov said.
Hall said the coaches had focused on building team confidence in order to improve the outlook heading into the tournament. A victory would improve the team's regional rankings.
"If we can get wins at Nebraska and Texas A&M and continue success in the tournament, anything is possible in terms of qualifying for the NCAA Championships." Hall said.
Coaches and players agreed that playing matches on campus would only help the Jayhawks' chances.
"Alvamar is a fine place to play, but it will be nice to have our first actual match at home." Hall said. "It is really good to play on campus. It helps build momentum." Tennis pitie
Edited by Ashley Rock
The Kansas-Nebraska match was originally scheduled for 4 p.m.
Olympic track stars add allure to Relays
By Michael Sudhalter
By Michael Subhater
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
The 2001 Kansas Relays is being touted as an "Olympic Return" with the participation of 22 former Olympic athletes.
Yuriy Syedikh, who holds the world record in the men's hammer throw with a mark of 284-7, is one of those athletes. Syedikh, a former Track and Field News athlete of the year, competed in several Olympics for the Soviet Union and will take part in the Bill Penny hammer throw at 5 p.m. Thursday outside Memorial Stadium.
"As far as athletes
As far as athletes go and as far as the hammer throw goes, this guy is an absolute legend," said Tim Weaver, meet director. "They don't get much bigger than Yuriy, and I hope we have enough field to contain his throws."
Kansas coach Stanley Redwine said the Olympic athletes' presence added something special to the meet.
The Relays will begin tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. with the men's and women's decathlon and heptathlon. The events will end on Saturday with the men's Special Invitational relay.
Some of the other Relays competitors include Ken Brokenburr of Auburndale, Fla., who won a gold medal in the 4x100-meter relay in the 2000 Olympics; Calvin Davis, a 1996 bronze medalist in the men's 400-meter hurdles and resides in Lawrence; Tonna Buford-Bailey, a 1996 bronze medalist in the women's 400-meter hurdles; LaTasha Colander-Richardson, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the 4x400-meter relay and world record holder in the 4x200-meter relay; Sheila Burrell, a 1999 United States Heptathlon champion; Jerome Young, a 4x400-meter relay gold medalist at the 2000 Olympics; and Passion Richardson, a Kansas City, Kan., resident and Olympic 4x100-meter bronze medalist.
"I think it's a great honor for us as a university." Redwine said. "These athletes have earned their place as Olympians, and we hope the fans will show their support and watch these athletes run."
OLYMPIANS AT KANSAS RELAYS
22 Olympians competing in 2001 Kansas Relay
Melvin Lister – triple jump, long jump
Ken Brokentown – 100 meters, 200 meters
Michelle Collins – 100 meters, 200 meters
Bryce Bailie – double jump, long jump
Sandra Farmer Patrick – 400 hurdles
Robert Howard – triple jump, long jump
Passion Richardson – 100 meters
Calvin Davis – 400 meters
Nathan Leeper – high jump
Ian Wesleyk – 400 hurdles
Andy Bloom - discus sitter – 200 meters
Oliver Colandor Hardrison – 200 meters
Brian Lewis – 100 meters
Clement Chukwi – 200 meters, 400 meters
Bengamin Youla – 400 meters
Fabian Rolling – 200 meters, 400 meters
Jerome Young – 200 meter, 400 meters
Shela Burrell – long jump
400 Hurdles
Pau Tucker – 400 hurdles
Verneta Leslosir – 400 meters
Yury Syedilik – hammer throw
22 Olympians competing in 2001 Kansas Relays
Dick Schaap signs three copies of his latest book for Katie Binter, Wichita senior. Binter, who met Schaap at the Jet Lag Lounge on Thursday, said the books were ripped Father's Day gifts. Photo by James Roper/KANSAN
Edited by Melinda Weaver
Run-ins with 'The Greatest' and Bob Knight give Schaap colorful repertoire of stories
Continued from page 1B
Brown and the Bird
Before the Roy Williams era began at Kansas, Larry Brown paced the sidelines of Allen Fieldhouse.
Brown led Kansas to its second National Championship in 1988 and also introduced Schaap to a Lawrence landmark — The Flamingo.
As the story goes, Brown invited Schaap to go on a recruiting trip to Emporia State. On the trip back to Lawrence, Schaap asked Brown if he had ever heard of The Flamingo, a strip club at 501 N. Ninth St..
Brown said he had occasionally jogged by The Flamingo and could direct Schaap to it. However, Brown did not intend to go in because he didn't consider The Flamingo the type of establishment he should be seen in.
After Brown drove him to "The Bird," he noticed there was only one car in the lot and decided to have a drink with Schaap.
But Brown's attempt at anonymity was spoiled when the only dancer remaining gave a hug to Brown and notified him that she had gone to high school with two of his players.
Jeremy Schaap is a reporter for ESPN, just like his dad. Dick knows that you need thick skin to interview someone with the temper of Bob Knight. But that thick skin didn't make it any easier when his son was embarrassed on national television.
Jeremy and the General
In a one-on-one interview, Knight became agitated with Jeremy's line of questioning and told him, on air, that he had a long way to go before he was as good as his dad.
Although Knight's act wasn't shocking to Dick, it did bother him because he had seen the better side of Knight. a kinder side that
It was a kinder side that enjoyed going to the theater.
"The bad Bob Knight is the one that took a cheap shot at my son." Schaap said.
But with typical Dick Schaap flare, he turned that story into an anecdote that
had the entire room laughing.
He said that a couple of days after the incident he was walking on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, N.Y., and a man leaned out of a phone booth and said, "Hey Schaap, Knight was wrong. Your son is better than you already."
Schaap and The Greatest
Schaap's career has allowed him to know some celebrities on a different level than the public.
Schaap and Muhammed Ali are very close friends, and have been for some time.
The two met when Ali was still known as Cassius Clay and before Clay had even won a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Schaap took Clay out to dinner, which was the first meeting that would intertwine the two for the next 40 years.
"In the cab going up there the 18-year-old Cassius Clay said 'I am the greatest.' And I said, 'Yeah, sure kid,'" Schaap said. "It was his way, and he always did it with a wink. And the funny part is that he was the greatest."
In the cab going up there the 18-year-old Cassius Clay said 'I am the greatest.' And I said, Yeah, sure kid.' It was his way, and he always did it with a wink. And the funny part is that he was the greatest." Dick Schaap
Although Ali's popularity ebbed and flowed like the tide because of his stance on Vietnam, Schaap saw the
Dick Schaap Position Here
"I think he's the most loved athlete I've ever seen,"
courage it took for Ali to take a stand against the war.
And when it was finished,
the public began to see that,
too. The once-maligned Ali is
now a national hero.
Schaap said, "And I think by far he's the most loving athlete. He is the personification of love."
50 years of pleasure
Schaap started working for a daily newspaper when he was 15 years old. Now, 50 years later he is still doing the thing he loves.
In between, he has met thousands of people and even played lacrosse against Jim Brown. But there has been one constant in his time as a journalist — he has loved it all.
“You're so lucky to do what you enjoy doing,” he said. “Too many people I know get up each day hating to go to work. My father worked 40 years in businesses that he didn't really enjoy. He never bitched or whined, but you knew it was no pleasure for him to go to work. For me, it's a pleasure to go to work.”
Edited by Leita Schultes
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