Section:
B
Trivia question
The University Daily Kansan
What was the last horse to win racing's triple crown, winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in the same year.
Sports
SEE ANSWER ON PAGE 2B
Inside: Florida State looks to overcome the memory of past losses to Oklahoma in this year's Orange Bowl. SEE PAGE 3B
SEE PAGE 3B
Inside: Kansas dropped one spot in the Associated Press top 25 poll this week while Duke remained No.1.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2000
For comments, contact Melinda Weaver or Jason Walker at 864-4858 or e-mail sports@kansan.com WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORT
SEE PAGE 3B
Sports Columnist
Amanda Kaschube
sports@kansan.com
Big Jay has some issues with hygiene
You know him well — tall,
always happy and a great person
to protect you from roving
Wildcats or Cornhuskers.
No, not Eric Chenowith. He has a hard enough time defending himself against the Kansan.
I'm talking about Big Jay, Kansas' official mascot who pumps up crowds at all the football, basketball and even volleyball matches. And while Big Jay does a great job even at the losing football games and blowout basketball games, I do have a problem with the oversized bird — he stinks!
I first detected the stanky odor walking by the target at the two men's and two women's basketball games last week. Seated next to two of my guy friends, I assumed the rank stench was coming from them — it normally is.
Not in the I-play-for-the-Chicago
Bears-so-I automatically-stink
kind of way, but in the I-smell-like-
an-old-Teva way, just like my old
roommate.
But on this occasion, I glanced to my right to see the Big Jay strolling by, not noticing the three children and two adults that passed out behind him. If the smell is this bad on the outside, imagine what the Big Jay himself must undergo each game.
Granted, there has been a rash of games in the past week, and the ventilation system inside the suit is as archaic as Joe Patterno's toupee. But someone either needs to burn it or clean it — and I mean fast.
Those scratch n-sniff stickers could block out even the worst football player's feet — believe me, I've been in the locker room.
This info isn't anything new to Spirit Squad coordinator Cathy Jarzemkoski — she admitted that in the past two weeks Big Jay's smell has come to her attention (how couldn't it?). Better storage facilities, ventilation and a long-awaited date with a cleaning crew could help stop the production of designer paper germ blockers currently being marketed by Nike.
Optimally, Jarzemkoski would like the suit to be cleaned once a month. But high cleaning fees (more than $50 per session) and a tight schedule (eight games in one week) have forced Big Jay to live in a suit that hasn't been cleaned in more than a month!
There's probably scum worse than Terry Bowden growing in there.
Now, as much as I feel sorry for the fans that have to endure the stench, I feel as sorry for the Kansas students who permanently harm their nasal passages week in and week out to pose as Kansas' mascot.
Or else, my winter break plans may include a big bonfire with you-know-who as the guest of honor.
Kaushie in a Floesmoor, Ill., senior in journalism.
If the second-hand smoke at the Yacht Club doesn't kill them, the smell will certainly send them into early-retirement. I have three words: Febreze, Febreze, Febreze.
I understand the financial constraints. After all, Nike has been stingy with their money lately: Athletes receive only one new pair of shoes a week now — please, hold back those tears.
But now is the perfect time to get that suit cleaned — the men's team is out of town this week, and the women don't play until Saturday. I'd be willing to throw in a few bucks to the cause, even on my meager journalism salary.
Please clean the suit — and save hundreds of noses everywhere.
Players seek rebounding dominance
By Michael Rigg sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
The reason behind the Jayhawks' failure in the last two NCAA Tournaments is as clear as the backboard glass to Kansas coach Roy Williams.
"Two years ago, we were in the tournament, and Kentucky gets a second opportunity to make a three to tie it up and we lose the game," Williams said. "Last year, we go one ahead of Duke. They miss a shot. They get a second opportunity to put it in. We lose the game. So we are going to be more demanding than ever on the backboards."
That demand has fallen squarely on the shoulders of the three seniors on the Kansas roster. For the first three years of their careers, forwards Luke Axtell and Kenny Gregory were known more as scorers than rebounders. Center Eric Chenowith, meanwhile, showed flashes of rebounding brilliance but has led the Jayhawks in rebounding only once despite his 7-foot-1 frame.
But all three are out to prove their backboard dominance this season. Gregory, who averaged 3.6 boards per game through his first three seasons, has upped his mark to 7.7 rebounds per game this season. Axelt, whose shoot-first-rebound-later approach rarely carries him to the glass, has upped his average from 2.8 to 3.0 rebounds per game while playing on a severely sprained ankle. As for Chenowith, he finished third on the team last season with 5.6 boards, and he doesn't want a repeat performance.
"I want to lead the team in rebounding," said Cenowith, who does, in fact, lead Kansas with 9.9 rebounds per game. "There's nothing wrong with me saying that. Coach has always said that he's never been mad at a
"Kenny is shooting the ball better, but we need his help on the backboards, especially with the way he can jump." Roy Williams
Kansas men's basketball coach
player for being too selfish on rebounds."
Axtell, meanwhile, set a career high with eight rebounds in the Jayhawks' last game against Illinois State. Apparently, the mark wasn't that big a deal to Axtell, who didn't even know until after the game he had set a new career mark.
Seven of those rebounds were on the defensive side of the floor, which alludes to the fact that Axtell is usually the one shooting the ball on offense, not rebounding it.
"We were told to go to the boards," Axell said. "I didn't even know that I had that many until coach told me."
Still, Axell said he knew that he would have to improve his rebounding on offense and that he must be quicker in order to do
"You definitely have to crash fast." Axtell said. "Because when the ball goes to the post, I'm looking for it to be kicked out to me. So if I put up a shot, I've got to be quick to get down there."
Gregory has been quick to improve on both his rebounding and his shooting this season, and Williams said the improvement of both could only help the Javhaws.
"Kenny is shooting the ball better," Williams said. "But we need his help on the backboards, especially with the way he can jump."
See 'HAWKS on page 3B
Kansas senior Eric Chenowith puts up a shot in a game last week against Illinois State. Chenowith, along with seniors Kenny Gregory and Luke Axtell, are trying to be more dominant on the backboards this season. Photo by Justin Schmidt/KANSAN
Senior Nancy Bell prepares to bump the ball after a shot from across the net. Ball averaged 3.59 kills per game for the 15-14 Jayhawks. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/KANSAN
Hitter's skill resonates on team
By Michael Rigg
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Nancy Bell may be relatively short in stature,but she's long on results.
For the past four seasons, Bell, a senior outside hitter on the Kansas volleyball team, has battled regularly against players who had an almost 12-inch height advantage over her 5-foot-10 build.
But while she wasn't the tallest player on the court this season, she was one of the most effective, averaging 3.59 kills per game for the 15-14 Jayhawks.
While Bell's height makes her taller than many women on Mount Oread, Bell is a relative midget in the Big 12 Conference. The Big 12 is known for tall players on the front line, so when Bell squares off against players such as Texas Tech's 6-foot-8 Colleen Smith, Bell must use his smarts instead of her size.
"Growing up, I was always told I was
too small," said Bell, who hails from Orland Park, Ill. "I said, 'Hey, I don't think so.' My favorite quote is that it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."
Kansas coach Ray Bechard said Bell had performed admirably despite being vertically challenged in the Big 12.
"She's not going to out-jump people, so she uses a variety of shots." Beachd said. "And usually, she comes up with the right one."
Bell nailed down an early season upset of Colorado with 18 kills. And in her final game against Oklahoma, Bell nailed 10 kills to lead the Jayhawks to a three-game pistol-whipping of the Sooners.
But Bechard said the statistics and the upset victories wouldn't be the only things he would remember about Bell.
"Statistically, she's the leader in many categories, but she provides a lot of energy and enthusiasm," Bechard said. "And she really brightens your day." She
will be a success as she moves on, and the volleyball program will miss her."
Bell said she would miss the volleyball program, as well, as she prepared for life after volleyball.
"It's going to be strange because I'm not going to have that regular day-to-day schedule that I'm used to," Bell said. "(Volleyball) is something that I've done more than half my life, and to have it be over is suddenly going to be strange."
Luckily, Bell said she was prepared for her life beyond Kansas. Bell will graduate in May as a secondary education major and become a teacher.
Bell glided through the fall semester, posting a 3.0 grade point average en route to collecting second team academic All-Big 12 honors.
But the honor shouldn't surprise anyone who watched Bell this season. In some way, Bell has been head and shoulders above her competition all year long.
Edited by J. R. Mendoza
'Hawks hope to regroup, heal after early setbacks
By Zac Hunter
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Two losses in the first seven games weren't exactly what the Kansas women's basketball team was hoping for when the season began.
But what the Jayhawks (5-2) were hoping for and what actually happened were two different things. Now they have to decide where to go from here.
After playing five games in eight days, the 'Hawks will get a chance to heal their wounds and get in some solid practice time. Kansas has all week before it takes the floor for an exhibition game against Washburn.
"We haven't had a practice in quite a while," said junior center Kristin Geoffroy.
"We want to do some things even in spite of the fact that we've got a lot of new faces."
Marian Washington Kansas women's basketball coach
"And when we do,we have to focus on what offenses we are going to run and what defenses we are going to run."
That leaves less time for fundamentals such as free throw shooting, which cost Kansas dearly in Saturday's loss to St. Joseph. Kansas hit only 5-of-10 chances from the line and lost by three points.
"If you look at the stats, they hurt us at the free throw line," said coach Marian Washington. "We didn't shoot very well."
While the Jayhawks were connecting at a 50-percent clip, St. Joe was shooting a lethal 94 percent, missing only one out of its 17 attempts.
But senior forward Jaclyn Johnson said she didn't understand why Kansas wasn't getting as many attempts as St. Joe's.
With two losses in its last five games, the week-long break for Kansas couldn't have
"I understand that they have points of emphasis, but if they are going to call that little ticky tack on our end, they need to call it on their end," Johnson said. "We're bigger than these girls, and contact is going to happen."
come at a better time, especially because conference play is less than a month away
The 'Hawks have only four games before the Big 12 Conference opener against Baylor.
Kansas was picked to finish fifth by the Big 12 coaches, and early on, the Jayhawks looked forward to proving them wrong. Now, that confidence may be a little bit rattled after a couple of early losses.
Despite that, Washington reiterated that the Jayhawks still hoped to accomplish their goals despite a couple of early setbacks.
"We want to do some things even in spite of the fact that we've got a lot of new faces." Washington said. "I'm trying to keep them real positive because they have been working."
- Edited by J. R. Mendoza