2B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2009
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing."
Dave Barry
Dezmon Briscoe finishes his three-year football career as the school's all-time receiving yardage leader with 3,240 yards.
FACT OF THE DAY
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
-Kansas Athletics
Q: Where does Briscoe rank in career receiving yardage in Big 12 history?
A:Fourth.
Kansas Athletics
VOLLEYBALL Kansas coach named president of association
Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard will start a one-year tenure as president of the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Jan.
1. Bechard will be taking over for Beth Launiere, head coach of Utah Utes.
"It's exciting to once again become involved with the AVCA and its Board of Directors." Bechard said in a prepared statement. "The opportunity to work with the outstanding leadership of this organization at a time where our sport is experiencing so much growth is something I am really looking forward to."
Bechard will conduct board meetings and will serve as a board liaison to the executive director and also as the general chairperson of the AVCA's annual convention. Bechard also served on the AVCA Board of Directors from 1992-98 while at Barton Community College.
— Zach Getz
CORRECTION
In Max Vosburgh's column Friday, it read "With 17 seconds left, Bruins forward Christina Nzekwe was called for an intentional foul as the go-ahead three-pointer left the fingers of Bruins guard Darixia Morris." The intentional foul actually happened the next play on an inbounds pass.
U.S. lucks out in World Cup draw
MORNING BREW
In the world's most important game of bingo last week, the United States scored an enormous stroke of luck.
I'm referring to Friday's FIFA 2010 World Cup Draw, complete with grand musical numbers and Charlize Theron, which assigned the tournament's 32 teams to eight groups. The draw is pivotal for World Cup success — draw an easy group and you can sometimes coast your way into the knockout rounds, or draw a difficult group and you can count on a short stay in South Africa. The field consists of teams from all over the FIFA World Ranking list, from No. 1 Spain to No. 89 South Africa, the automatically qualifying host nation.
So when the U.S. fell into a group with England, Algeria and Slovenia, soccer fans across this country rejoiced. It felt like avoiding a minefield and getting put in a pillow fight instead. Although England is a tournament favorite, relative lightweights Slovenia and Algeria barely qualified from the bottom of their respective groups.
For the first time in recent World Cup history, the U.S. is expecting, instead of hoping, to make it out of the group stage. The top two teams in each group advance, so there's reason to be confident.
But that's exactly why I'm worried. Though my first thought after the draw was to thank the soccer gods, my second thought was "Please don't choke."
See, the U.S. has a history of doing exactly the opposite of what it is supposed to in the World Cup. For example, in 2006, it tied eventual champions Italy 1-1 despite being down a man half of the match, but lost its "easier" match-ups to Ghana and the Czech Republic.
Underdog status has been synonymous with U.S. soccer as long as it has been in existence. And somehow the team seems to triumph when the expectations are lowest. In the Confederation's Cup this summer, the U.S. looked finished after two ugly losses in group play. But it scraped through into the semifinals after a 3-0 victory against Egypt and
In 2002, the boys in red, white and blue pulled a shocking upset against European powerhouse Portugal before tying South Korea and losing to Poland, the worst team in the group.
rode that momentum to a globe-shaking upset over Spain and an inspired performance against Brazil that barely fell short in the second half.
So this favored status is completely new territory for the Americans. Though it's a nice ego boost, it might be a hindrance once the 32 nations take the field June 11. England coach Fabio Capello already said the U.S. will be his team's hardest match in the group stage. When a major soccer power like England says it's watching out for us, you know it's not a typical draw for the U.S.
Obviously the most important goal for the Americans will be to take care of Slovenia and Algeria, as they should, to advance to the Round of 16. But beating those bloody Brits would make it so much more satisfying. It'll
England will also be familiar with several U.S. national team members who play in the English Premier League, like Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore to name a few. Of course, there's also the David Beckham-Landon Donovan connection. The Los Angeles Galaxy teammates claim they've put their squabbles behind them, but the two countries' most famous players will surely have extra incentive to outperform the other on the world's biggest stage.
take classic American gritty play, especially if key starters Oguchi Onyewu and Charlie Davies haven't completely healed from their devastating injuries (Davies was seriously injured in a one-car crash in October, but could possibly return in time for the World Cup, while Onyewu tore a tendon in his knee days later against Costa Rica).
But hopefully, come June 12, the U.S. can add to its rich history of taking it to the English, like the Boston Tea Party, the whole Declaration of Independence thing, and, most importantly, our 1950 World Cup upset, arguably the greatest in Cup history, over the English. It would be another enormous step toward legitimizing our status as a respectable soccer country.
And personally, I'm more than ready to party like it 1950.
Edited by Abbey Strusz
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY No events scheduled
TUESDAY No events scheduled
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
DAY
Men's
basketball:
vs. Radford.
7 p.m.
Women's basketball:
vs. UMKC, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY No events scheduled
SATURDAY
Men's basketball:
La Salle, 1 p.m.
Sprint Center,
Kansas City, Mo
SUNDAY
Women's basketball:
vs. Creighton,
2 p.m.
NCAA VOLLEYBALL
TOURNAMENT UPDATE
Nebraska (3) vs. Northern Iowa(0)
Nebraska moved one step closer to another national title Saturday as it beat Northern Iowa in straight sets, 14-25, 17-25, 21-25. Freshman outside hitter Hannah Werth led No. 7 Nebraska with a double-.
double. She had 13 kills and 14 digs to go along with a .476 attack percentage. Northern Iowa ended it season with a record of 31-3. The No. 20 team was led by junior defensive specialist Ellie Blankenship with 11 kills. Texas next plays Friday against Texas A&M in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
LSU(2) vs. Texas A&M(3)
Texas A&M went down to Baton Rouge, La., to take on No. 15 LSU Saturday and came away with a big victory. Texas A&M won the game in five sets 18-25, 25-24, 23-25, 25-23, 15-10.
Senior outside hitter Jennifer Banse led Texas A&M with a double-double of 20 kills and 10 digs. LSU ends its season with a record of 25-7. The No.
15 team was lead by senior setter Sam Dabbs who had 64 assists and 11 digs. Texas A&M next plays Nebraska Friday in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
UCLA(1) vs. Baylor(3)
UCLA(1) vs. Baylor(3)
Baylor went into Los Angeles and shocked No. 9 UCLA in four sets, 25-23, 25-22, 29-31, 25-19.
Senior settter Taylor Barnes had
NFL
a huge game for Baylor as she had 8 kills, 50 assists, and 20 digs. UCLA ends its season with a record of 24-9. The No. 9 team was led by freshman utility player Bojana Todorovic who had 11 kills and 14 digs. Baylor next plays California Friday in Gainesville in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
Britt Beasley
Broncos defeat Chiefs,44-13
JOHN MARSHALL
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Josh McDaniels had a strong connection with Matt Cassel from their four years together in New England, and even tried to bring the quarterback with him to Denver.
Now that Cassel is playing for his new team's rival, McDaniels wants nothing more than to beat him. Every time.
Kyle Orton outplayed Cassel, the man who hastened his move to Denver, and the Broncos used a punishing running game to man-
Denver Broncos linebacker Andra Davis (54) break up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Bobby Wade (80) during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. The Cubs lost the game. 44-13
ASSOCIATED PRESS
handle the Kansas City Chiefs 44-13 on Sunday.
"I want to win, I'm a Bronco," McDaniels said. "We're going to have more games against the Chiefs and Matt Cassel. It's going to take a good effort to contain him and stop him every time we play him."
Orton and Cassel — along with Jay Cutler — were at the center of a Melrose Place-like flurry of cold shoulders and heated exchanges during the offseason. The aftermath sent Orton to Denver and Cutler to Chicago, while Cassel ended up in Kansas City.
So far, Orton seems to have landed in the better situation.
Denver (9-4) overcame Orton's three turnovers to win by 30 and keep pace with San Diego in the AFC West. Kansas City (3-9) never stood a chance after Cassel's two interceptions, slumping its way to another dishearing loss.
The Broncos had 245 yards rushing, getting big plays from Correll Buckhalter (113 yards) and two touchdowns from Knowshon Moreno to turn the 99th meeting between the AFL originals into a laugher.
"We were going to run the ball and pass the ball when we can," Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall said.
The difference? Denver's running game.
The Chiefs (3-9) didn't put up much of a fight on the day they retired Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas' number.
The offense was again ineffective,
plugged by poor pass protection,
Kansas City had its second straight defensive debacle, giving up 17 plays of 10 yards or more —413 total yards — and has allowed 40 points in consecutive games for the first time since 1983.
dropped passes and what may be Cassel's worst game in Kansas City. He had a 14.6 quarterback rating before being pulled and the Chiefs finished with a lackluster 222 total yards in their second straight lopsided loss to an AFC West rival.
"I think it's pretty simple; if you drop the ball on offense and throw the ball to thern and you turn it over, you're not going to do very well." Coach chief Todd Haley said.
Cassel and McDaniels were in New England last season, McDaniels as the offensive coordinator, Cassel the capable fill-in after Tom Brady went down in the season opener — against the Chiefs, no less.
They remained linked during an offseason dustup between McDaniels and Cutler, the Pro Bowl quarterback who became upset after learning the Broncos wanted to trade for Cassel.
In their first head-to-head matchup, Orton wasn't great, just better than Cassel.
Orton had an interception on the opening drive — off his back foot into the end zone — and lost two fumbles on blindside sacks. He was efficient the rest of the time in Denver's dink-and-dunk offense, throwing 7-yard touchdown passes to Daniel Graham and Marshall, finishing 15 for 25 for 180 yards.
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