Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2010
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ALL-AMERICAN HERO
PAGE 10A
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Junior center Cole Aldrich raises his hand after being honored with the Academic All-American award Monday night in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won 81-68, moving to 27-1 on the season.
Aldrich captures highest honor
BY COREY THIBODEAUX
cibodeaux@kansan.com
What junior center Cole Aldrich has done this season surpasses any kind of award. He impressed his teammates with the character and poise he showed while batting bronchitis and struggling with the death of a grandmother in the early goings of the season. Aldrich didn't complain or make an excuse once.
Despite all he went through, Aldrich persevered to become the No.1 scholar athlete in the nation. ESPN The Magazine announced Aldrich the CoSIDA All-American of the Year Monday, an
award given out to players who have a 3.3 GPA or higher and play significant roles on their respective teams.
"I thought bed made Academic All-American," coach Bill Self said. "I had no idea, because of all the things involved, that he would become the captain of that team."
When Aldrich decided to come back for his junior year, he did it in part because he wanted to help the team with a championship run. On a personal level, he wanted to continue excelling academically.
"He's awesome," Self said. "He came back to school in large part to win and cut down nets again, but also one of his personal goals
was to do this."
On the season, Aldrich averages 11.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game as well as a 4.0 GPA last semester. To him, it all takes the same tireless preparation.
"I try to work as hard in the classroom as I do on the court," Aldrich said. "It's one of those things where hard work continues to pay off."
Fourteen Jayhawks have appeared on the Academic All-American team, but the distinctive All-American of the year award has gone only to Jacques Vaughn in 1997 and now Aldrich this season.
Still, Aldrich wasn't ready to be
compared to his predecessor.
"I don't know if I'm as smart as lacques," Aldrich said. "I think he's a poetry major. We saw him in San Antonio two years ago and he just lets things flow off his lips. I don't quite have that."
Kansas hasn't had anyone named first-team Academic All-American since Ryan Robertson in 1999.
Self said Aldrich would feel the same way.
"Cole exemplifies everything that is right with college athletics," Robertson said in a statement. "As I look back on my own career, it is the one award that sticks out the most."
"This is an honor he will cherish long after his playing days are through." Self said.
During the Oklahoma game, with his mother and father present. Aldrich was recognized for the award, much to his family's surprise.
"I tried to keep it quiet," Aldrich said. "I hadn't really told them. I told my mom before the game and she was really excited."
But Aldrich's father, Walt, had to find out the hard way.
"He found out out there. I didn't tell him," Aldrich said, laughing. "I didn't know they were going to do that out there, but it was really cool to see his face out there."
Edited by Megan Heacock
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Lineup changes with every game based on players' performances
BY MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
There's only so many minutes to go around.
Minutes played vary by the matchup, the history and sometimes the hot hand. Just don't think that such evidence will help solve coach Bonnie Henricksons lineup puzzles.
"That's the package deal with a bench player or sixth man," senior guard Kelly Kohn said. "You never really know."
Henrickson's lineups fluctuate by the day. In a 53-49 loss at Iowa State Jan. 20, junior guard Marisha Brown played 21 minutes. During the next game, only three days later in an 81-69 loss at Oklahoma, Brown sat on the bench for the entire contest.
"If you're on the floor and not producing, you're probably not going to stay on the floor," Henrickson said. "You may have a hard time getting back on the floor if someone is producing in front of you."
Some games Kohn stays invisible serving as nothing more than an exuberant sideline cheerleader in a jersey. Others, she is the first guard off the bench — a pivotal role in an injury-depleted back-court
"Regardless if I play one, two, three, zero or 15 minutes. I've got to have the mind set that no matter what, if my number is called, I've got to be ready," Kohn said.
"In practice, people are more consistent," junior forward Nicollette Smith said. "Therefore it's giving Bonnie a chance to put more people in and give others breathers."
In a 67-60 loss against Nebraska Feb. 10, junior guard Rhea Codio watched the entire game from the sideline. Less than a week later, in a 79-72 victory against Colorado Feb. 16, Codio raked in the majority of the minutes at the point guard position. She came off the bench and played 22 minutes. Starting senior guard LaChelda Jacobs played just 18.
"If you're on the floor and not producing,you're probably not going to stay on the floor."
BONNIE HENRICKSON Coach
In Sunday's 68-51 loss at Texas Tech, Smith started but played just six minutes. Meanwhile, sophomore forward Aishah Sutherland came off the bench and logged 36 minutes, the most on the team.
"The other day, it became a massive foul trouble issue," Henrickson said.
In each game, coaches are allotted 200 valuable minutes that they may spread around as they please. Many teams divvy those minutes into an eight-player rotation.
Junior forward
Nicollette
Smith shoots
a three point
basket at Allen
Fieldhouse
Saturday,
Smith was
two for four
on three point
baskets.
SEE WOMEN'S ON PAGE 8A
1
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
COMMENTARY
BY NICOLAS ROESLER
nroesler@ kansan.com
Keep the hockey stars in Olympics
roesler@kansan.com
twitter.com/roesler8
game against Canada Sunday was possibly the last time fans will get to watch this great rivalry in the Winter Olympics at full force. The National Hockey League — the regular home of many national team stars — will not commit to letting NHL players participate in any Olympics past the 2010 games.
That means no Sidney Crosby playing for Canada. No Alex Ovechkin for Russia. Team USA would be made up of a bunch of Joe Lumberjacks because the USAs entire team consists of NHL players.
The next Winter Olympics will be held in Russia. The NHI said that not nearly as many people would be as interested in those hockey games as they are this year because of the time difference. The games in Russia would be broadcast in the U.S. between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Thirty-three percent of the NHL is made up of international players who want to play for their countries once every four years in the Olympics. The NHL wants to take away this privilege because the players risk injury and the NHL doesn't bring in any revenue during the two-week Olympic competition.
This possible retraction of players is ridiculous. The Olympics is the biggest stage for international hockey.The NHL should treat the games the same way the club soccer world treats the FIFA World Cup.
The NHL is trying to expand its market in European countries by playing six games across the continent next season. Having NHL players in the 2014 games increases the fan base in Europe. That means more money, which is exactly what those owners want.
Many players from financially struggling countries rely on their NHL salaries to support their fami lies. They cannot afford to breach their contracts and play for their home countries. The NHL might capitalize on this predicament.
Soccer clubs base their seasons around the World Cup and recognize the importance of players being able to represent their home countries. The NHL should replicate this idea instead of stingly holding on to its players and money.
"To be a part of that would be a great opportunity and should continue to be an opportunity that NHL players have,"Sidney Crosby, star of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Team Canada, told the Associated Press.
Players relish the opportunity to participate in the Olympics. Taking that away from them puts them in an unfair quandary. They have to decide either to play in the NHL and earn the salary of an NHL player or to give that up and play for their home countries.
As this year's Olympic hockey tournament skates on, hockey fans all over the world should soak in every check and goal as though it might be their country's last. In four years, the big names from the NHL who give their countries hope may not be playing.
Edited by Kirsten Hudson