Section:
1B
The University Daily Kansan
Game Postponed
Sports
The Kansas and Rockhurst baseball game scheduled for yesterday at Hoglund Ballpark was postponed because of a wet field and cold weather. No makeup date has been announced.
Inside: Where are they now? Catch up with former Kansas All-American Tamecka Dixon.
SEE PAGE 2B
SEE PAGE 2B
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2001 For comments, contact Shawn Hutchinson or Shawn Linenberger at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com KANSAN.COM/CREDITS
Inside: The intramural basketball tournament begins tomorrow at Robinson Center.
Auto racing too dangerous to be athletic
The simple math escapes millions of NASCAR fans.
To me, it seems like a simple equation, take a 1,500-pound metal racing car. Drive it at 200 miles per hour around a circular track with stone boundaries and take away the ability to stop quickly.
Sounds deadly, right? It was for four drivers in the last 10 months. Yet somehow, drivers continue to race and nut themselves in danger.
Driving fanatics say the danger and the flaming crashes make it all that more exciting — it's the quick stops, not the fast speeds, that are the culprits in the deaths. A new $2.4 billion television deal will boost NASCAR's exposure and probably push the drivers for flashier finishes and faster speeds to grab more viewers.
This is a recipe for even more crashes and deaths.
So it completely blows my mind how race car drivers, after witnessing yet another deadly accident on Sunday at the Daytona 500 with the death of Dale Earnhardt, can jump back into their vehicles and take another spin around the racetrack.
Maybe it's because I wasn't raised around racing; instead, growing up near Chicago, I was surrounded with real raw athletic talent. From Walter Payton's dazzling moves at Soldier Field to Michael Jordan's finger rolls and amazing dunks — those were real athletes.
It doesn't seem that hard to grasp a steering wheel and shift gears while checking your rearview mirrors for other cars — it's called driving.
No awesome leaping ability, no lightning-quick speed required. Just sitting in a bucket seat for hours on end, trying to avoid death. No training camps, no physicals needed to join. Just make sure your belly doesn't hit the wheel and you're golden.
Cars weren't designed to travel at speeds so fast that stepping on the breaks to avoid a crash is nearly impossible. I just don't see the thrill.
I've been in two serious car accidents in my life and both times I've walked away because I wasn't traveling at an obscene speed. But after the crashes — one in which my Dodge Neon was totaled by a much larger Lexus 4x4 and the other when I was hit head-on in my Jeep by a smaller two-seater — I was more cautious the next day on the road.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to get behind the wheel on Saturday, less than a week after his father was killed doing the exact same thing. I've heard of jumping back on the horse after you fall, but this is ridiculous.
I'm not expecting the races to stop, but maybe more caution and slower speeds would seem reasonable. When the New York Jets' Dennis Byrd separated his vertebrae in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1992, football games weren't halted. But players used caution and maybe even second-guessed risky moves.
Safety is a major concern in every sport — there is no fail-proof way to avoid it. Even with stricter safety guidelines, including the new HANS device to cushion the head in case of sudden stops, racing is far from safe. The drivers accept it, but why do they continue to play with their lives?
But when the only thing standing between you and a checkered flag is 40 speeding cars zzipping by and edging you out for every inch, that's just plain stupid.
Kaschube is a Fiossemoor, Ml., senior in journalism.
I enjoy watching hockey for the fights, but those guys just get bloody noses. A little bone-crushing in football is par for the course as long as the players wear pads. Baseball players wear batting helmets for a reason.
'Hawks must do without Drew
Ailing Gooden won't play tonight against Colorado
By Chris Wristen sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Sophomore forward Drew Gooden will not play when No. 11 Kansas takes on Colorado at 7 tonight, and the Jayhawks are hoping his absence will not prolong their losing streak.
Kansas (19-5, 8-4 Big 12 Conference) will try to end its twogame losing streak tonight against the Buffaloes, whom it has dominated in the overall series, including 23 straight victories. The Hawks also have won the last 17 meetings in Lawrence.
The meeting in Boulder, Colo., on Jan. 22 saw then-No.4 Kansas edge an emotionally-charged Colorado
85-75 after trailing for most of the game. D.J. Harrison scored 26 points and hit four 3-pointers while Stephane Pelle chipped in 15 points for the Buffaloes, but Kansas junior guard Jeff Bosche countered with five treys and sophomore point guard Kirk Hinrich had 11 assists in leading the Jawhawk comeback.
Gooden had 10 points and 12 rebounds in that game, though, and will not be in uniform tonight. Doctors re-examined his sprained wrist yesterday and a CT scan revealed a healing fracture that will keep Gooden out of action for at least another week.
"This continues to be a big blow for our team and especially to Drew personally," coach Roy Williams said. "He is very disappointed about not playing because he is having no pain at all, but understands this is the best decision for the future."
If the future means that Kansas' second-leading scorer at 15.6 points and the Big 12's leading rebounder at 8.4 boards per contest will return
for the post-season, then that's just fine with Williams. But for now his team will have to take care of business shorthanded.
Gooden's injury, as well as senior swingman Luke Axtell missing the game because of continued back pain, gives the Jayhawks very little depth. A deep Colorado team almost pulled out a victory a month ago, and Williams is concerned about that depth being dangerous again.
"They have balance in their scoring," Williams said. "Pelle and (Jamahl) Mosley hurt you up front, Harrison, (Nick) Mohr and (Jose) Winston and some of the guys they bring off the bench can do it from the perimeter."
Kansas will lean on Boschee's long-range shooting that tallied 19 points against Iowa State on Saturday, but it will also lean on Hinrich's heart. The Jayhawks have been lethargic at times in losing four of their last six games and Boschee said the team needed to start letting its heart show all the
time.
"I think this team is going to respond in a positive way," Boschee said. "This team has a lot of fight in it, and we'll be ready to play."
— Edited by Bernhard Strowe
TONIGHT'S GAME
No. 11 Kansas (19,6) 8-4) vs. Colorado (15-
11, 5-8) at 7 p.m. in Allen Rekthouse.
Series: Kansas kansas 100-38.
Last meeting: Kansas won 8575 on Jan. 22 in Boulder, Clover.
Coaches: Roy Williams — 348-87 in 13th in
at Kansas and overall. Riccardo Pietro —
90
73 in sixth year at Colorado and overall. Probable Knee starters:
Pos. No. PPG RPG
G 10 Kirk Hinchin 11.3,4 RPG
G 13 Jeff Boschee 10.9 2.2
F 20 Ken Gregory 16.2 7.0
F 04 Nick Collison 13. 6.0
C 44 Eric Chenowith 10.3 8.2
Pos. No. Oz Jose Winston G 21 Nick Mohr F 34 Stephane Pelle F 44 D.J. Harrison C 05 Jamel Mosley PPG RPG 3.6 2.9 G 2.1 9.4 2.3 G 1.2 6.8 F 15.8 4.7 C 15.8 7.4
Senior center Eric Chenowith and sophomore guard Kirk Hinrich try to block Iowa State's Jamaal Tinsley. The 'Hawks will look to stop a losing trend at 7 tonight against Colorado. Photo by Jamie Roper/KANSAN
Kansas junior center Dalchon Brown encourages her teammates from the sidelines against Iowa State. This is Brown's first season back since having her son, Jachan Nathaniel Maurice. Photo by Selena Jabara/KANSAN
Life a struggle for Hawk mom
Brown determined to obtain degree and provide for son
By Jessie Meyer sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
It's difficult for the Kansas women's basketball player to talk about because there is nothing she can do to comfort her 11-month-old son, who was recently in the emergency room.
Dalton Brown stares into space and, as she begins a story about an ear infection, her eyes glisten and she looks away.
Dalchon's son, Jachon Nathaniel Maurice Brown, lives 1,200 miles away in Virginia Beach, Va., with his grandparents.
"Every day it's hard. I thought I was going to be there, but I'm not," Dalchon said. "But even not seeing my son doing the first things, growing teeth, walking, talking, I know it's more important getting my education."
Michon and Robert Brown, Sr.,
Dalton's parents, have been caring for
their grandson since August when
Dalton moved back to Kansas, where
she is trying to be the first in her family
to earn a college degree and also to play
Division I basketball.
"We're trying to alleviate as much pressure as we can," Robert said. "He's
Jachon Nathaniel Maurice Brown
going to have the things he needs until his mom can come and take care of him."
Dalchon is determined to make the best of the opportunities she has at Kansas on the court and in the classroom. But her first season back after giving birth has proven much more difficult than she thought.
A season of adjustments
The 6-foot-4 center has seen limited playing time as she battles knee and
back problems and struggles to get back into peak physical shape.
"I feel like an old woman," Dalchon said. "I knew it was going to take a while for me to come back to the way I know I can play after having a baby, but it's taking me longer than what I thought."
Even on the days her body cooperates, Dalchon is distracted by constant thoughts of Jachon.
"It really distracts me during practice and before the game," Dalchon said. "And then I know, once the game starts, it's all over and I have to think about basketball."
Dalchon, who has a picture of Jacob hanging from her vanity in Allen Fieldhouse, has played in 18 of the Jayhawks' 24 games this season, averaging 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds.
But teammates said Dalchon's sense of humor and constant encouragement helped keep the team motivated through its multiple rough spots this season.
"She is so encouraging," said teammate and close friend Nikki White. "I know she has a hard time, but she does a pretty good job of staying focused. Even if she's not doing well, it doesn't take away from her helping her teammates."
Although the junior college transfer is frustrated because she thinks she has let her team down, Kansas coach Marian Washington is confident the off-season will lead to good things next year.
"That will give her a chance to get back into the shape she needs to be in," Washington said. "I would expect that next year she will contribute a lot more." Dalton plans to move back to
See PROMISE on page 8B
Goals at Nebraska: continued success, retribution for loss
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
By Jessie Meyer
The Kansas women's basketball team finally has what it's been looking for all season — momentum.
"They have worked hard and they have bounced back after a lot of disappointments," Kansas coach Marian Washington said.
Saturday's upset against then sixth-ranked Iowa State capped the Jayhawks hardest stretch of the season. Kansas faced four nationally-ranked teams in the past five games and came away with two upets.
The Jayhawks are looking for redemption after losing 73-62 to the "Huskers on Jan. 31 in Allen Fieldhouse. But Kansas has not defeated Nebraska in Lincoln since Feb. 2, 1997.
With this momentum, Kansas (10:4, 14-9 Big 12 Conference) heads to Lincoln, Neb., to take on the cornhuskers (11-15, 3-10) at 7:05 tonight at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
"We're going to the Red House, and it'll be difficult," senior forward Brooke Reva said. "They have a very emotional crowd. But I think it's definitely one we can take care of if we put our heads together."
Junior guard KC Hilgenkamp said the 'Hawks were just reaching their potential.
Nebraska, which is coming off a 77-69 victory against Kansas State, brings a young but balanced offensive attack.
"We've shown signs of being this good all season, it's just a matter of bringing it every single game," Hilgenkamp said.
The Cornhuskers start two freshmen and two sophomores, but the lone senior starter, center Casey Leonhardt, poses the most serious offensive threat for the 'Huskers, averaging 13.9 points and seven rebounds.
■ Washington announced Monday redshirt junior Nikki White would not be returning to the team after this season. The 6-foot-3 center has batted numerous injuries while at Kansas, including surgery to replace cartilage in her left knee that forced her to redshirt her sophomore season.
This season White, who has appeared in 20 of Kansas' 24 games and averages 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds, suffered a broken nose earlier this season and later missed two games because of a hipflexor injury.
Edited by Matt Daugherty
TONIGHT'S GAME
Kansas (10,14-4,9) ye. Nebraska (11,15-3,10) at 7:05 p.m. in the.
Bob Dawley Sport Center in Lincoln, Neb.
Series: Kansas leads 40-16.
Last mention: Nebraska won 73-62 on Jan. 31 in Lawrence.
Coaches: Marian Washington — 533-301 in 28th season at
Kansas and overall. Paul Sanderson — 73-50 in fourth season at
Nebraska and 438-170 in 19th season overall.
Pos. No. Books PRG RPG
F 5 Brooke Reves 13.8 7.3
F 4 Jaeen Johnson 16.4 7.7
F 11 KC Hilgenkamp 7.8 2.6
G 15 Jennifer Jackson 10.5 3.3
G 22 Selena Scott 5.6 2.4
Pos. No. I. Griechaly Cepero F. 16.2 5.7 F. 30 Paige Suton C. 3.4 2.6 C. 55 Casey Leonhardt 13.9 7.0 G. 24 Shahidrah Roberts 6.0 3.2 G. 33 Shannon Howell 8.0 2.6
4
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