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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2009
NSAN
2009
SPORTS
9A
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"You don't play against opponents; you play against the game of basketball."
Bobby Knight
FACT OF THE DAY
PRESS year.
Kansas Athletics
Freshman point guard Angel Goodrich's 20 assists in women's basketball's two Junkanoo Jam games last week fell one assist short of the tournament's record.
Q: Where does Goodrich rank in the B12 12 assists?
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
A: First in total assists (41) and second in assists per game (8.2).
Big12sports.com
FOOTBALL Briscoe leads Jayhawks with postseason honor
Junior wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe was named All-Big 12 first team, leading a group of seven Jayhawks who earned conference football postseason honors. The league office announced the honors Tuesday.
Senior wide receiver Kerry Meier was tabbed second team, while five others earned honorable mention selections: freshman offensive tackle Tanner Hawkinson, junior defensive end Jake Laptad, senior quarterback Todd Reesing, junior punter Alonso Rojas and senior safety Darrell Stuckey.
The Big 12's coaches selected the teams, and were not permitted to vote for their own players
Brisco hailed in 84 passes for 1,337 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Meanwhile, Meier caught 102 passes for 985 yards and eight touchdowns.
— Jayson Jenks
SOCCER
SOCCER Kansas City bidding to host World Cup matches
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City officials are looking to bring FIFA World Cup soccer matches to the city in 2018 or 2022.
Mayor Mark Funkhouser on Tuesday signed a host city agreement that would hold soccer matches at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs. St. Louis has already submitted its own bid.
The two cities join 25 other locations that want to be part of the U.S.bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2020.
FIFA would choose the host country in December 2010.
Associated Press
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Ressel wins Big 12 special teams player of the week
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri's Grant Ressel is the Big 12 special teams player of the week after kicking the game-winning field goal to cap a perfect day against border rival Kansas.
The sophomore from Jackson, Missouri, was 4 for 4 on field goals from 43, 28, 37 and 27 yards in the Tigers' regular-season finale. The game-winning kick in a come-from-behind 41-39 victory was Missouri's first since 1972.
Associated Press
Jennings fills Iverson's NBA role
MORNING BREW
With seemingly temporary curtains to the career of one flashy No. 3, in steps the next.
No. 3, in steps the next.
Allen Iverson recently announced his retirement three games into this season after an unsuccessful signing with the Memphis Grizzlies. It was a rocky situation from the start. Iverson was pinched into the sixth man role off the bench behind the promising backcourt of youngsters O.J. Mayo and Michael Conley. So after 15 years and three games, Iverson's practice-bashing, ball-hogging, Jordan cross-overing and highlight-racking career has reached a road block.
The former No. 1 draft pick, rookie of the year, 10-time AllStar, Olympian, MVP and fourtime winner of the scoring title has amassed an irreversible effect on the league. His tattoo-laden arms and neck, ornately-weaved cornrows and constant exercisal of the first amendment helped usher in an era of the NBA with personality and swagger, for better or for worse.
And oh could that man score.
And oh could that man score No one really believes Iverson when he says that his basketball playing days are over. Those speculations are only multiplied after Iverson and his representatives met
with the Sixers in Dallas on the team's road trip Monday. But despite the chances of an Iverson reunion in Philly, the world may never see the same player that used to bounce through defenses and break ankles.
The world first witnessed his excellence in the McDonalds High School All-American game in a showcase where Jennings gave both an ode to the past with a fade haircut and a glimpse of the future with electric speed and a mean crossover.
Cue the horns for the young buck: Brandon Jennings.
After gaining a national spotlight at Oak Hill Academy and then committing to Arizona to play for Lute Olson's Wildcats, Jennings made yet another crossover — he bypassed college and joined a professional team in Rome before earning NBA eligibility. The unconventional decision looked questionable from the start. Jennings averaged just 5.0 points and 17 minutes
But the humbling decision helped Jennings develop a hardnosed work ethic that made him more NBA-ready than the rest of his draft class. While they were living the lives of celebrities and held to NCAA practice limits on their respective campuses. Jennings was running endless suicides.
per game last season for Lottomatica.
Now Jennings, snubbed until the 10th pick of the first round, the 5th point guard taken overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, is out to prove the doubts wrong.
On Nov. 14th, Jennings torched the Golden State Warriors for 55 points, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the
rookie scoring record in his ninth game in the NBA. But Jennings' performance was a much more unique display
compared to the 7-footer's with the smooth hook shot. After all, Jennings is a 6-foot-1 point guard and listed at 169 pounds.
Jennings
He is currently averaging 22.3 points per game and 5.5 assists per game as the new face of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise and
the frontrunner for this year's rookie of the year award — the same award that Iverson claimed in the 1996-97 season.
On the same night that Jennings' childhood idol was meeting to discuss a final run at his career, the young buck was leading his team to a 99-97 victory over Derrick Rose and central division rival Chicoao Bulls.
In the thick of the playoff hunt and sitting at 9-7, tied for fifth in the east, general manager John Hammond has found the oncelowly Milwaukee Bucks a golden ticket to ride to relevance.
From Iverson to lennings
From Nelson to jennings — funky haircuts, arms camou flaged in tattoos and a vicious cross-over will always have a place in this league.
Follow Max Rothman at www.
twitter.com/maxrothman.
Edited by Tim Burgess
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Wildcats progress after Snyder's return
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANHATTAN — Bill Snyder's first year back at Kansas State ended with a 6-6 record, one win short of the Big 12 North title.
Asked Tuesday if he thought the year was a success or failure, Snyder said he couldn't give a definitive answer.
Kansas State's head coach Bill Snyder follows the second half of the football game against Nebraska, in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 21. Nebraska defeated Kansas State 17-3, winning the Big 12 North championship.
"I don't look at it that way," he said. "There were some very good things that happened and there were things that weren't so good. It was a little bit of all of them. Bottom line for me: it was a disappointing finish, yet I was pleased with progress we had made during the course of the year."
Snyder, of course, has taken the long view at K-State before. When he arrived in 1989, Kansas State was the only football program with 500 losses. The Wildcats began their ascent the next year and starting in 1993, they went to 11 consecutive bowl games. At one point, the losingest program in major college history was ranked No.1.
When he came back before this season, the Wildcats were down on their luck again — just 5-11 in Big 12 Conference play since 2007.
That set the stage for the most lopsided two-game swing by any team in Big 12 history: The Wildcats were handed a 66-14 loss at Texas Tech, but bounced back the next week, beating Texas A&M 62-14 in Manhattan. After a home win against Colorado and a loss at Oklahoma, Kansas State defeated in-state rival Kansas 17-10.
They also had to replace quarterback Josh Freeman, an NFL draft pick, and Carson Coffman got the nod. But he was replaced by Grant Gregory, a sixth-year transfer from South Florida, who led K-State to a win over Iowa State.
It was the first time the
Wildcats had beaten the Jayhawks since the 2005 season.
The victory also left Kansas State alone atop the Big 12 North division. But two losses
to Missouri and Nebraska brought an end to any thoughts of a Big 12 title and a bowl invitation.
"Since we went through theout of season program, Ithink we made
"There were some very good things that happened and there were things that weren't so good."
BILL SNYDER Kansas State coach
to buy into the system, there's room for more improvement in 2010, but not just on one side of the ball.
"I think we have a chance to be better in a lot of areas," he said. "Defensively, that's certainly the case. I think each one of them has to accept the responsibility and foster that commitment. If indeed that takes place, then yes, we have a chance to be a better defensive football team as well as in other areas."
The Wildcats will open next season with a home game against UCLA on Sept. 4.
improvement," snyder said. "Are (the players) completely there
yet? No, I'm quite certain they're not, but they're beginning to understand the commitment aspect of it. They're beginning to understand the emotional and
Perhaps no unit saw more improvement this season than the defense. The Wildcats, who ranked 117th nationally in total defense a year ago, finished this year
mental preparation that's required to have success."
Men's basketball
vs. Alcorn State,
7 p.m.
Swimming UVA Invitational all day, Charlottesville, Va
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
TODAY
Women's basketball vs. UCLA, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY
Swimming
UVA Invitational,
all day.
Charlottesville. Va
Snyder said if players continue
Swimming UVA Invitational, all day, Charlottesville, Va
FRIDAY
frack
Bob Timmons
Challenge,
All day
Spend $20 or more & receive a FREE Sml. order of Pokey Stix
SATURDAY
Women's basketball vs. Northern Colorado, 1 p.m.
Men's basketball at UCLA, 4:30 p.m.
The Chiefs will retire Number 58 on Sunday during halftime of their game with the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium. Fans are being invited to wear their Number 58 jerseys to the game.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The late Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas will be the 10th player in Kansas City Ciynes history to have his number retired.
Thomas had completed his 11th NFL season when he died in February 2000 following a crash a month earlier.
They declined to offer arbitration to left-handed pitcher Joe Beimel and catcher Yorvit Torrealba.
Chiefs to retire number of Hall of Fame linebacker
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have offered salary arbitration to free agent pitchers Rafael Betancourt and Jason Marquis.
If Betancourt and Marquis decline the offers and sign with other teams, the Rockies would receive compensatory draft selections for the June draft.
Betancourt went 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 32 appearances for the Rockies last season.
NFL
Rockies offer arbitration to Betancourt and Marquis
MLB
Associated Press