2B
SPORTS MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN KANSAN.COM
OUOTE OF THE DAY
"I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question."
— Yogi Berra
FACT OF THE DAY
The Jayhawk football team has six players that weigh more than 300 pounds.
Kansas Athletics
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: In 1970, how many players in the NFL weighed more than 300 pounds?
A: One (Gene Ferguson of the San Diego Chargers)
Kansas Athletics
NFL
Eagles QBs step up after McNabb loss
PHILADELPHIA — Playing their first game without Donovan McNabb, the Philadelphia Eagles showed they have capable quarterbacks.
Starter Kevin Kolb was impressive and backup Michael Vick displayed flashes of his old self before rookie Mike Kafka rallied the Eagles to a 28-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in their preseason opener Friday night.
Pro Bowl kicker David Akers made all five of his field goals including a 36-yarder that gave the Eagles a one-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Jaguars backup Luke McCown picked apart Philadelphia's juniorvarsity secondary, throwing for 244 yards and three touchdowns.
Associated Press
NFL
Cowboys unable to convert in red zone
ARLINGTON, Texas — Just in case they didn't already know, the Dallas Cowboys got a reminder of the importance of getting touch-downs whenever they're close
The Cowboys were within 16 yards of the end zone on four drives against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday night, yet managed only three field goals. It came back to bite them when the Raiders got two touchdowns and a field goal in the final 4:58 for a 17-9 victory.
Dallas (1-1) had snaps from Oakland's 16, 13, 9 and 10 without getting into the end zone. One of those drives was stopped on downs, and the others were settled by David Buehler making kicks of 42, 27 and 28 yards.
Oakland went ahead 10-9 with 2:24 left when first-string kicker Sebastian Janikowski nailed a 28-yard field goal.
Associated Press
Miami trio bad for sport of basketball
MORNING BREW
Call me a pessimist, call me a homer, or call me an anti-dreamer — I just can't lie to
dreamer -- I just can't lie to myself. The three-headed Mon-star in South Beach leads me to fear for the future of professional basketball.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the 2010-11 Miami Heat and perhaps the grandest demolition crew that never broke a rule.
Now before you get out of your proverbial beach chair and toss said chair in a vicious manner out of severe disagreement with my previous statements, allow me to relate to all you "dreamers."
I get it.I really do.
First of all, the Miami Heat will be nothing short of a flabbergasting cash crop. They will wake in television ratings like American Idol on fire. "NBA 2K11" might be the best selling and most enjoyable video game of all time. Together, these three will sign so many endorsement deals, they will put Peyton Manning's advertisement total to shame. Forget Obama and that little economic recession thing. The Miami Heat will dominate our nation's attention, basketball fans or not.
Few things will match the brilliance of watching a squad akin to the USA
BY MAX ROTHMAN
Olympic team playing 82 games plus playoffs per year. Throw in Mike Miller, Zydrunas Iglauskus, Mario Chalmers. Eddie House and more, and this team could roll to gold in the summer games.
This is also why they might just ruin the NBA. This team is simply too good. Talented players from far and wide are throwing their names into the hat, praying that Miami Heat president Pat Riley throws a bone (a league minimum contract) their way.
The world of sports has never seen anything like it. We've seen stars take minor pay cuts so that they can return with their beloved franchises. We've seen juggernauts join forces so that they can finally hoist that first championship trophy. But never, and I mean never, have we seen three of the finest athletes in their respective sport combine to form a super squad while still in their
prime. LeBron has never been so good. Same with Bosh. We've likely already seen the best of Wade, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. This is all without a superb supporting cast in their histories.
These three were already considered the best of the best with scrubs like Mo Williams, Michael Bcasley and Andrea Bargnani as their finest complementary pieces.
In Cleveland, LeBron won 66 games with the aforementioned Williams and chump change by his side. In Miami, with Wade, Bosh and the rest, this team should easily trump the 72 win record set by Michael Jordan's 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Brew's 10 best players for the 2010-11 NBA season
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll greets quarterback Charlie Whitehurst on the sidelines during the first half of a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans Saturday in Seattle.
Heck, this team might win it all every single year. Sure, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics and a few other teams catching their stride at the right time might be able to compete with the Heat. But to actually win a seven game series? I don't think so. So the rings will pile up as LeBron and Co. cackle like Dr. Evil on a good day.
It won't be a dynasty. It'll be a monopoly. And it won't be like building houses on Broadway and Park Place. Itll be like building the Yankees in a salary capped league.
1. LeBron James, Miami Heat
2. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
3. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
4. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
5. Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
6. Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
7. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
8. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
9. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
10. Deron Williams, Utah Jazz
NFL
May parity rest in peace.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll energized by return to the pros
Edited by David Cawthon
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEATTLE — Pete Carroll pumped his fists and hugged players, greeting nearly everyone. He ran a lot on the sidelines — on a left knee the 58-year-old had surgically repaired just two weeks ago.
The coach who bolted Southern California in January to resurrect the fallen Seahawks looked like he was having more fun than his players during Seattle's 20-18 preseason victory over the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night.
And all that was before the national anthem. Then he highfived the guy who sang that.
Carroll's first NFL game since Jan. 2, 2000, when he was coaching New England, was more notable for the new leader's energy being as advertised than it was for anything the players' did.
Chris Johnson scored a touchdown to end Tennessee's first drive, on the same field where he became the sixth player with 2,000 yards rushing in a season last January.
He had five carries for 7 yards on Saturday's initial drive. His score came on his third try from the 1, a cutback behind tight ends Bo Scafe and Craig Stevens.
"It felt good to get hit a few times because I really haven't felt that since last year," Johnson said in quotes provided by the Titans at halftime. "We still have some work to do together
with a minute left but Smith threw an interception to Kam Chancellor with 25 seconds remaining.
(but) we'll be ready to go when it matters."
Vince Young, heading into the season as Tennessee's starter after going 8-2 to finish 2009, completed his first five passes for 78 yards. Seattle's Josh Wilson intercepted the sixth and final one, on a comeback route near the sideline intended for Justin Gage at the Titans 39.
Chris Simms replaced Young with 4 minutes left in the opening quarter. The rest of Tennessee's starting offense was out by the start of the second period.
The Titans rallied within 20-18 with 4:39 left on a 1-yard run by LeGarrette Blount and 2-point pass by rookie Rusty Smith.
Seattle's first-team offense produced a 44-yard field goal by Olindo Mare in its three drives. Matt Hasselbeck was 4 of 10 for 26 yards. He was sacked once and had three passes deflected, two by Titans linebacker Stephen Tulloch.
The toasty home crowd on an 87-degree night got its biggest thrill from Mike Williams. The top-10 pick by the Lions in 2005 who ballooned out of the league for two years caught a short pass from backup Charlie Whitehurst midway through the second quarter. Williams, and ran 51 yards untouched for a touchdown.
Tennessee got the ball back
COMMENTARY
Jayhawks to face football upheaval
Q quick. List the first six people who come to mind with regards to the last four of Kagas football
few years of Kansas football.
Here's the six you thought of.
Now tell me where they are.
Here's the six you thought of. Todd Reesing, Darrrell Stuckey, Mark Mangino, Kerry Meier, Dezmon Briscoe and Jake Sharp.
Now let's tell the story.
They are, respectively, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, San Diego Chargers, now living in Florida, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons and trying to latch on in the NFL.
Not a Jayhawk among them.
Not a jay view, but good. Now list the first six people that come to mind with regards to the coming year of Kansas football.
You're stuck at Turner Gill, aren't you? If you got to three, chances are you listed the two favorites for the quarterback position, which says something about the stability of the 2010 Kansas Jayhawks' football season. No one can, with any certainty, say who the starting quarterback will be in, oh, three weeks.
It's OK. Head coach is really the only position in Kansas football that's locked down at the moment
Sophomore running back Toben Opurum was the Jayhawks' leading rusher last year. He was the favorite to win the starting job in a walk this year. He's not on the two-deep depth chart, meaning he's at best third in the rotation. Angus Quigley, back at running back after a one-year move to linebacker, tops the list (Blake Gideon quivers with fear).
Huldon Tharp had 59 tackles as a true freshman in 2009. He's out for the season.
BY TIM DWYER
tdwyer@kansan.com
And of course, there's the quarterback position that is all sorts of wide open. It could be Pick (who, let's face it, should really wear number six, Pick six, Get it?). It could be Webb (who, let's face it, nobody really knew anything about until spring practice).
The point I'm making is that in 2010, with Jayhawk football, the unexpected is all you can expect. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that all but a couple of positions locked down for game one are on the offensive and defensive lines. Skill positions are up for grabs, save for Johnathan Wilson's hold on the top wide receiver spot
Gill's first year as head coach could get ugly at times (and likely will). Or it could be a seamless transition (but likely won't).
With as much turnover as the football team is experiencing, matching last year's 5-7 record would be, in my book, pretty much expected. Going bowling at the end of the year would be impressive.
But like I said, in 2010, with Jayhawks football, the unexpected is all you can expect.
— Edited by Anna Nordling
Eight die in off-road truck racing crash
NATIONAL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — An off-road truck plowed into a crowd and scattered "bodies everywhere" moments after sailing off a jump at a California race Saturday, killing eight people and leaving 12 injured, authorities and witnesses said.
The crash came shortly after
Bachman said eight people died and 12 were injured, several of them seriously. Seven ambulances and 10 emergency aircraft responded to the scene. Most of the injured were airlifted from the area to Loma Linda University Medical Center or St. Mary's Medical Center.
the start of the 8 p.m. PDT race called the California 200, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Bachman.
POKER
2010 LAWRENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
WIN THE TITLE BRACELET!
SUN. AUG 22 • FLAMINGO 501 N. 9TH
INFO & RSVP: www.KansasPokerNews.com
Non-Profit Event Benefits Arthritis Foundation of Kansas
"There was dust everywhere, people screaming, people running." David Conklin, a photographer covering the event for off-road magazines, told The Associated Press.
Conklin said the Prerunner truck was among the first 20 off the line in the race, and had just gone over a jump known as "the rockpile" about two miles into the race.
He said he watched the vehicle sail through the air. Then he turned to watch for other cars when he heard the commotion caused by the crash.
"When I got up to the vehicle I could tell that several people were trapped. There were just bodies everywhere," he said. "One woman with a major head wound (was) lying in a pool of blood. Someone else was crushed beneath the car."
The truck came to a rest upside down with its oversized wheels pointing toward the sky.