2B
SPORTS / WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Either it's going to be a great dunk or a great block, ... I think statistics work in my favor. I don't like getting dunked on."
Former NBA block specialist Alonzo Morning
FACT OF THE DAY
Cole Aldrich broke the KU single season record in blocks Monday against Texas A&M. His five blocked shots increased his total to 98 and moved him past previous record-holder Greg Ostertag (1994) who had 97.
Source: Kansas Athletics
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: In how many games this season has Aldrich recorded at least three blocks?
A: 24. He recorded three or more in each of his last eight games. He only fell short of three blocks against Radford and Baylor.
-Kansas Athletics
SCORES
NCAA Men's Basketball:
No. 2 Kentucky 81, Mississippi State
75
No. 11 Michigan State 72, Indiana 58
No. 22 Baylor 88, Texas Tech 70
No. 23 Wake Forest 83, Virginia Tech
87
NCAA Women's Basketball:
No. 4 Notre Dame 71, No. 22 St. John's
76
No. 9 West Virginia 55,
NBA Basketball:
Miami 105, Philadelphia 78
New Jersey 103, Charlotte 94
Detroit 108, Minnesota 85
New York 85, Chicago 118
Dallas 86, Oklahoma City 99
Memphis 95, Phoenix 109
Utah 104, Houston 95
Portland 109, LA Clippers 87
Boston 95, Sacramento 92
Safety of sport in question
MORNING BREW
Amen's luger of the Republic of Georgia died Friday while training for Vancouver's Winter Olympic Games.
Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, was sliding through a practice course at speeds greater than 90 mph, took a sharp turn, was ejected from the course and then thrown into a pole. He died in a nearby hospital hours before the games' opening ceremonies, casting a somber mood on what should have been an impress day.
Since his death, many critics have blamed the sport and its players. They have brought a negative light on athletes and the sports they enjoy playing.
As the old saying goes: "Don't hate the player. Hate the game."
Several different sports carry deadly risks with them, but that doesn't mean we should point fingers or turn our heads away. Rather, we should be more cognizant and find ways to prevent potential hazards.
The varying dangers of baseball include the chance of getting rocked in the head by a 100 mph fastball. We have helmets for that.
In soccer, sprinting athletes bash opposing shins with metal-cleated slide tackles. We have shin guards for that
Luging, however obscure to some,
should be no different.
How difficult or costly could it have been to pad that pole? How damaging to the sport would it be to fully engulf these lugers in a safe and containing course, not one that could eject its subjects into poles?
Don't blame the lugers. Maybe we should start asking questions to the Olympic officials that ignored the pleas of the athletes and accepted a half-assed course.
Maybe someone will start listening now that a man is dead.
BY MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
NBA TRADE DEADLINE APPROACHES
Note to consider: Trades can happen at any time. There is a definite
possibility that a trade is underway as you are reading this.
As we count down the hours to Thursday's NBA trade deadline, there are several contenders out there worthy of keeping an eye on. Because of this summer's long-awaited free agency (Lebron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, etc.), this deadline may strongly influence the future paths of franchises across the league. Below are some teams whose phones will, or at least should be, incredibly busy. Even deadline silence speaks volumes.
The Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James is just a half-season away from his first crack at free agency and still no one knows what will happen. Phoenix appears set on dealing Amare Stoumire, considering the minimal chance it has at re-signing the big man. They might as well get something out of his value while he's still around and rumors are that Cleveland is the front runner for his services. Cleveland General Manager Danny Ferry and Phoenix General Manager Steve Kerr were teammates on San Antonio a while back—they're just one friendly phone call away from shaking the league. After all, it's all about keeping the King happy, right?
Prediction: Cleveland lands Stoudemire, LeBron (boringly) re-signs (as the Nets and Knicks weep) and the Cavs' offense becomes frightening. Rings soon to follow.
The Miami Heat: On paper, no one is in a better spot to splurge than the Heat. They have enough cap room to re-sign Dwayne Wade and rake in an additional
two upper-end free agents. They have the sunny skies of Miami, a heavenly destination for someone looking to ditch, I don't know, Cleveland and Toronto. They have some trading chips: former No. 2 pick Michael Beasley and a somewhat resurrected Jermaine O'Neal. But most important of all, they have the ability to offer playing time with Wade. Next to King James, there is no better offer. Not the aging Kobe. Sorry 'Melo. Maybe someday Durant, but not quite yet.
Prediction: They lose out on Stoudemire, sit tight with their fingers crossed until the summer, re-sign Wade and pluck Bosh from free agency.
The Chicago Bulls: Then again, if Wade is upset by his lack of support on South Beach and doesn't re-sign, could he be going back home to Chicago? The South Side native would love playing with Derrick Rose, immediately giving the Bulls the best backcourt in the league. Chicago has the cap room and the trading chips to make this deal happen-former Jayhawk Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng, John Salmons and Tyrus "Toys-R-Us" Thomas.
**Prediction:** The Bulls swing and miss on Wade as he re-signs with the Heat, but ink free agent Rudy Gay. Hey, there's still Rose and the eight seed of the playoffs to look forward to.
Edited by Drew Anderson
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Jayhawk
CAFE
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LAWRENCE
Kansas finished the 2009 season 39-24 and placed fifth in the Big 12 with a 15-12 record in conference play. The Jayhawks also advanced to the NCAA Regions, before falling to No. 4 North Carolina in the championship round of the Chapel Hill regional May 31, 2009.
Texas A&M finished third with 64 points, followed by Oklahoma (57), Oklahoma State (47), Baylor (39), Kansas State (29), Missouri and Nebraska (22) and Texas Tech (20), Iowa State and Colorado do not have baseball programs.
BASEBALL
Preseason poll puts Jayhawks in second
Ben Ward
Kansas has been tabbed by Big 12 coaches to finish second in the conference as part of the league's annual preseason poll. The Jayhawks received 69 points in the poll, including one first-place vote. The team finished behind preseason favorite Texas, who received 81 points, including nine firstplace votes.
Coaches were asked to predict how each team would finish by record, but were not allowed to vote for their own team. Points were awarded to each team based on how they were predicted to finish (nine
for a first-place vote, eight for second, etc.).
The silver lining
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Christoph Sumann of Austria jubilates during the flower ceremony after taking the silver medal in the men's biathlon 12,5 km pursuit race at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. The event was held in Whistler, British Columbia, Tuesday.
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY
No events scheduled.
THURSDAY
No events scheduled.
FRIDAY
Softball vs. Marshall in Gainesville, Fla., 12 p.m.
Baseball vs. Eastern Michigan 3 p.m.
SATURDAY
Softball
vs. Florida in Gainesville,
Fla., 5 p.m.
baseball vs. Eastern Michigan, 10 a.m.
Men's Basketball vs. Colorado, 3 p.m.
Softball vs. Campbell in Gainesville, Fla., 3 p.m.
Softball vs. East Carolina in Gainesville, Fla., 6 p.m.
SUNDAY
Softball
vs. Marshall in Gainesville,
Fla., 10 a.m.
Tennis at Tulsa, 11 a.m.
Baseball vs. Eastern Michigan, 12 p.m.
Women's Basketball at Texas Tech, 5 p.m.
Women's Golf at Kiawah Island Classic, all day
MONDAY
Baseball
vs. Wichita State
5 p.m.
Women's Golf at Kiawah Island Classic, all day
Three Jayhawks get call to NFL combine
Former KU football players Kerry Meier, Darrell Stuckey and
deception biscoe have been invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine Feb. 24 through March 2.
Meier
The combine, which will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, puts players through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel.
Meier was an All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2009 and ranked fourth in the NCAA with 8.50 receptions per
Stuckey
Briscoe
game. He set a school record with 102 receptions.
The Associated Press named Stuckey All-Big 12 First Team. He recorded 295 tackles in his career at Kansas, second most by a defensive back in school history.
Briscoe, who left school after his junior season, ranked fifth in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (121.55) and ninth in receptions per game (7.64). In his final game at Kansas he caught 14 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
In 2008 four Jayhawks were selected in the NFL Draft, including first-rounder Aqib Talib. No Kansas players were in籍 120.
Clark Goble