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SPORTS / TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
OLYMPICS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jonathan Cole is silhouetted as he performs in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday.
Canada not living up to expectations
ASSOCIATED PRESS
VANCOUVER. British Columbia - Seeing how their neighbors down south have owned the podium so far, Canadian officials are giving up on their goal of winning the medal count at the Vancouver Olympics.
The concession speech by the leader of Canada's Olympic committee - "I'm not going to live in a fool's paradise and think were going to win" - is pretty realistic. Canadian athletes had only nine medals as of Monday afternoon, one less than the Americans' bronze medals.
The United States has 24 medals, most of all countries. Canada was in a three-way tie for fourth.
This white flag is another blow
So Canadians still reeling from
their hockey team's loss to the United States on Sunday. It also stings because of the $117 million and five years invested into an "Own The Podium" program.
based on the knowledge that we have now? Sure I would."
At least the locals still have some measures of revenge. Their men curling team - not as popular as the men's hockey team, but still a source of pride - knocked out the U.S. team Monday, and there's a good chance the countries will meet in the women's hockey finals.
earning the most medals at these Winter Olympics.
With the U.S. guaranteed no worse than silver, that means the Americans can claim 25 medals, matching their total from the 2006 Turin Games, which had been their record for a Winter Olympics not held in the United States.
The Americans advanced with a 9-1 victory over Sweden in the semifinals. Canada was playing Finland later Monday to determine the opponent in the gold-medal game. The final is Thursday.
"I'm not going to live in a fool's paradise and think that we are going to win."
"I think we did the right thing," COC head Chris Rudge said. "Would I modify (expectations)
CHRIS RUDGE
Head of Canada's
Olympic committee
The U.S. Olympic Committee didn't offer any targets for Vancouver, but it seems safe to say the delegation has met or even surpassed the best-case scenario.
To appreciate how well Americans have done, consider that with 37 events left, they are closing in on their record for most medals at any Winter Games.
Jayhawks fall hard to Lady Raiders
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Failure to grab defensive rebounds prove costly for Kansas in the Texas Tech game
BY MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
In practice, coach Bonnie Henrickson demands her team to yell "shot!" directly following every release. The routine helps those away from the ball mentally prepare for a rebound, angle their bodies toward the hoop and block the opposition from the ball.
The layhawks were near silent Sunday.
"I wish I knew," junior forward Nicollette Smith said of her team's quiet behavior. "Otherwise the final score would have been different."
Kansas yielded 21 offensive rebounds. Texas Tech turned them into 20 points and won by 17.
Sunday's 68-51 loss marked the most offensive rebounds that the Jayhawks had surrendered in a single game all season. The undesirable statistic cost Kansas an opportunity to snap a 32-year
losing streak in
Lubbock. The
Jayhawks have
not won at the
Lady Raiders'
home since
1978.
"It's just disappointing," Henrickson said. "We thought we could create
"It helps get the crowd into it, which gives the team more energy," Smith said.
On Sunday, forwards freshman Carolyn Davis and sophomore Aishah Sutherland combined to grab 20 rebounds. As a team, Kansas finished with 37 rebounds, just 1.8 rebounds below its per game average this season. But it also relinquished 40 rebounds to Texas Tech, 5.3 above its per game average this season.
some mismatches inside."
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
"We were just watching the person shoot instead of getting a body into them."
"We have a lot of athleticism, but a lot of times we don't use it to our advantage." Smith said.
By allowing the Lady Raiders to gain so many second-chance opportunities, the Jayhawks' drawbacks affected more than just the score.
Highlighted by freshman guard Monica Engelman's 11 points in the first half, the Jayhawks outplayed the Lady Raiders in just about every facet of the game. Kansas even led 28-20 with under four minutes to go in the first half. But Kansas soon let up four offensive rebounds as Texas Tech went on an 11-4 run to bring the score to 32-31 at halftime. Instead of Kansas holding an eight-point lead
Freshman forward Carolyn Davis pulls down an offensive rebound during the first half. Davis finished with a career high 20 points and led the Jayhawks with nine rebounds the 61-59 victory at Missouri Arena
NICOLLETTE SMITH Junior forward
and supreme confidence at the break, Texas Tech cut the lead to one and brought its momentum into the locker room.
with a 21-6 run to begin the second half. During that run, the Lady Raiders snagged an additional nine offensive rebounds.
"We were just watching the person shoot instead of getting a body
Then Texas Tech broke the game open
into them," Smith said.
For the Jayhawks to solidify their current bubble status to the NCAA tournament selection committee, they might have to retain their old "shot!" shouting ways. Anything to get those boards back.
"We lose to Nebraska and we don't rebound. We lose to Texas and we don't rebound." Henrickson said. "In this league, you've got to be able to rebound on the road." We don't do it."
Edited by Becky Howlett
MLB
Shortstop meets legendary basketball coach
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TUCSON, Ariz. — Troy Tulowitzki was just about to meet legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, and the Colorado Rockies shortstop had an identity crisis of sorts.
Colorado Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca, right, talks to pitchers and catchers at the teams' spring training baseball facility at their first workout in Tucson. Aziz, on Friday.
"Before I got to meet him, I got to talk to his caretaker, and the first thing I asked was, 'Does he even know anything about me, who I am?' Tulowitzki said. "He said, 'Yeah, he's watched some Dodgers games and he's a big fan of baseball.'"
Tulowwitki, 25, gazed in awe at Wooden's basketball memorabilia and the listened as the Wizard of Westwood spoke about the importance of teamwork.
Tulowitzki reported to spring training Monday, three days after visiting the 99-year-old Wooden at his two-bedroom condominium in Encino. Calif. A former high school basketball star, Tulowitzki had always wanted to meet Wooden and wrote him a letter.
Agent Jeff Blank, who represents former Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins, who went to UCLA, made sure the letter got to Wooden.
"And he really stressed that without good players, you're not going to be a good team." Tulowitzki
"When we talked, he went on to say baseball was his favorite sport. I can't necessarily say he followed my career. But he knew a little bit about me. That was awesome."
Tulowitzki said Wooden passed along knowledge that could be imparted to his Rockies teammates and give them an edge, but he declined to be specific.
The Rockies have reached the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. They got hot in mid-September 2007 and won 21 of 22 games to reach the World Series. After manager Clint Hurdle was fired on May 29 last season, the Rockies went 74-42 under manager Jim Tracy and made the playoffs as the wild card.
"I think the most important aspect is having guys buy into the team aspect and doing your part," Tulowitzki said. "If everybody does their part and tries not to do too much, we're going to do alright with the talent we have in
said. "He's probably one of the most humble people I'd ever met from the aspect of saying he wasn't a very good coach ... it was just all his players."
"I hope we get off to a slow start, to tell you the truth," Tulowitzki said. "Both (those) years we got off to a slow start, it ended up pretty nicely."
this room."