6A
The University Daily Kansan
Editor's Note
The Bracket Breakdown in yesterday's Kansan sports section that was illegible because of a printing error can be found online at www.kansan.com.
Sports
Inside: Former Kansas basketball player Scot Pollard was among five players suspended by the NBA after an altercation.
SEE PAGE 5A
THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2001
Inside: Rick Pitino said Louisville was the only coaching job he was looking into.
For comments, contact Shawn Hutchinson or Shawn Linenberger at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
SEE PAGE 5A
Sports Columnist
Melinda Weaver
sports@kansan.com
KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
'Hawks must make it past second round to win respect
When the NCAA announces tournament brackets, plenty of athletes, coaches and fans have complaints.
This year, no one at the University of Kansas really seemed mad about the Jayhawks getting a No. 4 seed. It seems unfair No. 14-ranked Mississippi got a No. 3 seed in the same region when No. 12-ranked Kansas may have been a little more deserving, but it's hard to complain.
After all, the Jayhawks could have easily secured a three seed with a victory against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Conference tournament semifinals, which was in their grasp until the final seconds of the game.
My complaint is with ESPN2.
I confess, it's my fault I watched the entire two-and-a-half hours of tournament analysis, but I was not happy with what I saw.
And the Jayhawks should be angry as well.
One of ESPN2's tournament tips was to pick the Jayhawks in the first round, in which they have won 17 straight, but to be wary in the second round, in which they have lost three straight.
Does it bother anyone else that Kansas has been perceived as the joke of the NCAA tournament?
First of all, the Jayhawks have not been losing to teams like Rhode Island every postseason, as they did three years ago. Last year, they were a No. 8 seed and lost to No.1 Duke, a team with more talent. Still, the game went into overtime. The same thing happened the year before against Kentucky. The Jayhawks were the underdog, and can't really be faulted for those losses.
The next ESPN2 bracket tip involved picking North Carolina or Duke to reach the Final Four because at least one has been there 12 times in the last 13 years.
Wouldn't it be cool if we could be mentioned in a tip like that? Why is it that outside the Midwest, Kansas basketball isn't mentioned in the same breath as Duke and North Carolina? The Jayhawks have had talented players and good coaching but no big victories.
So after my anger cooled, I decided to help the Jayhawks solve this situation. Like hundreds of other students on this campus, I tried to determine why the Jayhawks can't win the big game.
One constant factor in the last few years' embarrassments is coaching. Is Roy part of the problem?
I saw an interview with Williams a while ago in which he said it wasn't his job to get his players ready for the big games. Then what is his job?
Weaver is a Arlington, Kan., senior in Journalism.
These are kids, not professionals making millions of dollars. They have worries the rest of us have, and the majority won't go on to play at a professional level. They need help mentally preparing for these situations.
This was evident when sophomore forward Drew Gooden went to the free-throw line with 28 seconds remaining in the Big 12 Tournament semifinal against Oklahoma, with the Jayhawks behind by two. The 65-percent free-throw shooter made only one of two.
That's largely a mental problem. Why can't Roy get the Jayhawks' top player ready to make two free throws when the big game is on the line? Games are often won on the free-throw line, and that's something all of them, especially chronically poor free-throw shooter Kenny Gregory, need to be prepared for.
It's not that the Jayhawks don't have talent. In 1998, the year they lost to Rhode Island, Kansas sported names like Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce, players thriving in the NBA.
But in the last few years, Kansas has played like it had nothing to prove. The Jayhawks take the court like they left their heart in Kansas.
Time to re-evaluate that thinking, guys. You do have something to prove. It's time to gain back that national respect and silence all those tournament jokes.
Taming the taunting
Fans could face stiffer fines for abusing game officials
By Sarah Warren sports@kanson.com Kansan sportwriter
Brian Cooper says his job as a referee has been difficult since he began calling games at age 15 in 1993. He's been yelled at, tawdied and cursed for calls he made.
"I know that every call I make is going to make 50 percent of the people mad and I've learned to accept that," said Cooper, Overland Park senior. "If they are making comments about a call, that's part of the game, but what crosses the line is when they make personal comments towards the official or threaten them."
A bill in the Kansas House of Representatives could make threatening or striking a sports official a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, said Rep. Mike O'Neal, chairman of the House iudicary committee.
"This bill could potentially double the fines," O'Neal said. "We have a general law in place for battery, but it doesn't specifically say sports officials."
Cooper, who is also an intern at Gov. Bill Graves' office, said he hadn't been punched by a spectator or coach, but he had come close.
But Cooper said the words struck him the most. Cooper, who calls baseball and basketball games for the Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley School Districts, the Great American Basketball League and the Kaw Valley League, said the number of threats fluctuated depending on the league.
"After a baseball game in 1999, the scorekeeper came up and threatened to strike me," Cooper said. "I had my mask on, so it would have hurt him a lot more than it would have hurt me."
"When I do school games, on the court the players get really intense, but they leave it on the floor," Cooper said. "But in the summer recreational leagues, they don't leave it on the floor. I've had players
come up afterward and tell me that I blew the game for them. I guess the difference is school pride."
And sometimes players take extreme measures to get back at an official, he said.
"I have known refs who have been followed to Taco Bell after a game by players and threatened," Cooper said. "That's scary."
O'Neal said the current law — which carries a maximum fine of $1,000 — also protected other people on the court.
"A coach who is struck by a parent for pulling his son out of the game is protected by the same law that protects the sports official," O'Neal said. "It covers all those situations."
But if the bill is approved, it would affect only battery against officials and not the others on the court. It would include offenses such as hitting an official and possibly the threats that were taken outside the arena — something Cooper said he'd be happy to see happen.
"I think it's good because it'll give a little more protection on the field." Cooper said. "Parents and coaches get caught up in the moment of the game, so with this bill, if you strike an official it won't be
regular battery.
"If'll be bumped up a level, which will hopefully make people think before threatening an official."
- Edited by Jacob Roddy
Kansas shortstop John Nelson prepares to tag an Illinois-Chicago out trying to steal. Nelson hit a solo home run in the seventh inning of the first game, leading the Jayhawks to a 3-2 victory. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
'Hawks douse Flames
Baseball sweeps Illinois-Chicago
By Ryan Malashock
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas (11-9) won the opener 32 on shortstop John Nelson's leadoff home run in the bottom of the seventh innning. In the nightcap, Pete Smart threw a complete game three-hit shutout and improved his record to 5-0 on the season in Kansas' 3-0 victory.
Two senior captains proved to be the difference in the Kansas baseball team's doubleheader sweep of Illinois-Chicago at Hoghund Ballpark yesterday.
Nelson said he was just attempting to start a rally when he snacked his game-winning homer.
"I just wanted to get on base any way I could," Nelson said. "I didn't care how, but I just wanted to give somebody the chance to drive me in. Luckily for me, it went over the fence."
The Flames (3-15) began the first game by taking an early 20 lead. Mark Homco led off the first immin by singing, then stole second base
and came home on Chuck Peters' RBI single. Nelson booted Chris Kerpan's ground ball, allowing Cristi Grandisman to score.
Senior left fielder Doug Dreher's sacrifice fly got Kansas on the board in the fifth inning. Sophomore designated hitter Kevin Wheeler's RBI groundout in the sixth inning tied the game at 2,2 setting the stage for Nelson's seventh inning blast.
Junior Doug Lantz, normally Kansas's closer, won his first start of the season. Lantz pitched a complete game and Limited the Flames to two runs. one earned, on three hits.
Kansas coach Bobby Randall said yesterday's opening game was an indication Illinois-Chicago was a better team than it showed the day before. Kansas blew out the Flames 24-2 on Tuesday.
Smart continued his masters on the mound in the Jayhawks' 3-0 victory in game two. Smart struck out seven in his first complete game and shutout of the season.
"I knew that they were a good ballclub and today it showed," Randall said. "They were making all of the tough plays out there. I'm proud of our team. Our offense wasn't there, but our pitching was today."
Smart said he was pleased with his cutting yesterday, but also credited
"He's fifty percent of the key to my success," Smart said. "He calls a great game, and when we're both executing games, games like today happen."
Kansas scored all of its runs in game two in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman first baseman Matt Tribble and sophomore center fielder Jason Appuhn each recorded RBIs in the inning, and the Jayhawks took advantage of three Flame errors.
Randall said Nelson and Smart exemplified the attitude of this year's senior captains.
his catcher, senior Brent Del Chiaro, for part of his success.
"Those guys are hard-nosed, tough
hommes," Randall said. "They play
so hard, offensively and defensively.
They lead everyone by example."
Kansas resumes action on Saturday against Michigan at 4 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark.
Edited by Brandy Strow
BOX SCORES
Guerran Crun
Illinois-Chicago 101 100 0 — 2 3 4
Kansas 000 011 1 — 3 3 2
WP-Lantz, D. 1.1, LP Banks, L. 1.2-S. None, 2B, IC,
Granderson, C, HR-K, Nelson, J (2).
Game Two
Illinois-Chicago 000 000 0 — 0 3 2
Kansas 000 300 1 — 3 5 0
WP-Mart, P. 5O, LP Carlison, S. 1.5-S. None, 2B,
KK-钻石牌, K (IC), RH-爵车, J
Jayhawks hoping to heat up Dayton
By Chris Wristen sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
It's not exactly freezing in Dayton, Ohio, these days — upper 40s to mid-50s — but it's still not quite what No. 12 Kansas had in mind for its NCAA Tournament location.
The Jayhawks (24-6) arrived yesterday to cloudy skies and 52-degree weather, but coach Roy Williams said he was hoping for a toastier environment.
"I've always said that I wanted to go somewhere warm, but that didn't work out, so they're sending me to a familiar place, Dayton," Williams said. "It's the third time in 10 years that I've been to Dayton, so that's fine too."
"Where you play is a good thing to t h i n k about for about 30 seconds. Then you have to turn your attention to playing basketball, and that's
Williams: thinks Kansas can do some damage
what I hope our team is going to do." he said.
Sophomore forward Nick Collison expressed personal concerns with the less-than-sunny Ohio city.
tures should be sub-40 degrees.
But Williams said he expected
his team to part the clouds and
turn up some heat of its own as
a postseason threat this weekend — despite being a No. 4 seed.
"I wanted to go to California because I have never been there before," Collison said. "But for my parents it's better if we play in the Midwest. It would have been nicer to play in Kansas City so my parents would only have to drive a few hours, but Dayton is closer than San Diego."
By game time tomorrow at 6:40 p.m., rain is expected to be falling in Dayton and tempera-
"We can do some damage from there if we play, but if we play the way we played yesterday, then we're not going to do much damage," Williams said a day after losing to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament.
Senior center Eric Chenowith has never made it past the second round during his three previous trips to the Big Dance. He vowed things would be different during this, his final year.
Chenwith said he would be spending his Spring Break inside a steamy Allen Fieldhouse at practice this year instead of watching the games on TV from his couch at home.
"It would be nice to be practicing for the Sweet 16 instead," he said.
NCAA Tournament notes
Kansas' game tomorrow against Cal-State Northridge (22-9) will be the Jayhawks' seventh NCAA Tournament game in Dayton Arena. The 'Hawks are 5-1 all-time in tournament games in Dayton.
Their last appearance in Dayton was in 1995 when they beat Colgate and Western Kentucky. The lone loss was in 1992 to Texas-EI Paso.
No. 5 seed Syracuse should be at full strength for a possible meeting with the Jayhawks in the second round. Leading scorer Preston Shumpert was poked in the eye during the Orangemen's Big East semifinal loss to Pittsburgh. He missed more than half the game but is expected to be back at 100 percent by tomorrow's first-round game against Hawaii.
Edited by Melissa Cooley
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