2B
SPORTS
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The breakfast of champions is not cereal, it's the opposition."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2009
Nick Seitz
FACT OF THE DAY
Kansas wore a Jayhawk logo on its football helmet Saturday for the first time since 1991.
Kansas Athletics
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: What record did Kansas football finish with in 1991?
A: 6-5 under Glen Mason
— Kansas Althetics
Woods cancels meeting with police after wreck
WINDERMERE, Fla. — Tiger Woods canceled yet another meeting with state troopers but, for the first time, talked about his car crash on his Web site, saying it was his fault, that his wife acted courageously and that remaining details were private.
The statement was posted about an hour before troopers were to meet with the world's No.1 golfer at his home inside the gates of Isleworth. A meeting was not rescheduled.
In a tape of a 911 call released Sunday, two days after the accident, a neighbor told dispatchers that a black Cadillac Escalade hit a tree and "I have someone down in front of my house."
Woods' neighbor never mentions the golfer by name, and the call is inaudible at several points because of the bad connection.
"I came out here just to see what was going on." the neighbor, who was not identified, told dispatchers. "I see him, and he's laying down."
NBA
Tim Duncan scores 22 as team defeats 76ers
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan scored 22 points and the San Antonio Spurs won their fifth straight with a 97-89 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night.
Tony Parker added 16 points and the Spurs extended their longest winning streak since last December, when they climbed back up the standings after a similar slow start last season.
Andre Iguodala had 21 points for the Sixers, who dropped their sixth straight. But the skid is being overshadowed by speculation that Philadelphia may bring Allen Iverson back to the city where he became an NBA star.
Associated Press
MORNING BREW
College football fever in South
You probably wouldn't immediately peg my sister-in-law, Laura, for a college football fan. She drives a lime green Volkswagen Beetle, spent just one semester at a major university, and she usually prefers to spend an afternoon shopping rather than playing sports — although she wouldn't be afraid to jump in an intense family football game if necessary.
But the thing is, Laura's from Mississippi. College football is in her DNA.
Thus, when Mississippi State played Ole Miss Saturday in the annual "Egg Bowl," my brother was required to watch the game online and give her play-by-play over the phone during the fourth quarter while she happened to be out of the house. When Mississippi State pulled off the upset against the Rebels, it was like a second holiday for her and the rest of the Bulldog faithful, even though it only meant a 5-7 record for the school.
Growing up in the South, she didn't really have a choice whether to love college football or not. Even she admits she probably wouldn't care for it if she grew up here instead. But she comes from a place where tailgating starts
on Friday night, not Saturday morning. Where learning school fight songs is just as important as learning the ABCs. Where school pride is as much a part of one's blood as family pride.
It's a culture the Midwest — or any other part of the country — can't compete with Suns on.
have great college football — the Border Showdown alone easily proved that. But it doesn't match the atmosphere you'll find in Gator, Bulldog or Crimson Tide country every Saturday.
Part of it is the tradition. Part of it
Friday night lights as it does to Saturday afternoon. According to ESPN, 42 of Rivals' top 100 recruits came from south of the Mason-Dixon Line in 2008, with 15 more coming from Texas. It's simply easier to attract a Florida Texas Georgia senior to a campus that won't be covered in ice come December.
It's no reason to be bitter, though. In the lingering spirit of Thanksgiving, it's important to be grateful for what we do have in the glorious Great Plains. We havent, and probably never will, break into the upper echelon of
is the national championships. Part of it is simply the geography. The majority of the best high school recruits come from the South because the football culture applies just as much to
college football,
but we have something better; variety.
Though the Midwest has its fair share of die-hard football fans, it can't match the states below the Mason-Dixon line for football fervor.
league baseball. Arena Football (though the AFL may never return), even professional tennis and apparently minor-league hockey — all within about an hour's drive. And I probably failed to mention other sports.
So we might not have the NBA or NHL yet, but, as we re-learn at the Thanksgiving table every year, sometimes it's just better not to have everything.
Kansas' location allows it to bring in basketball talent from the Northeast and snag the occasional quality football recruit from the South — like ones named Reesing or Briscoe.
It might be quite awhile before Kansas is mentioned in a discussion of college football's elite. It might not ever happen again. But that's nothing to get down about. If it ever does start to depress you, however, just remember to repeat the official Kansas post-football season refrain: "There's always basketball season!"
Edited by Alicia Banister
The drums of defeat
Missouri lineman Aldon Smith holds the Border Showdown Drum up as a teammate beats his hand against the Jayhawk side Missouri regained possession of the drum after converting a 27-yard field goal for the win Saturday.
Weston White/KANSAN
THIS WEEK IN KANSAS ATHLETICS
MONDAY No event scheduled
TUESDAY
No event scheduled
WEDNESDAY
DAY
Men's
Basketball:
vs. Alcorn State,
7 p.m.
THURSDAY
Women's Basketball:
vs. UCLA, 7 p.m
Swimming:
UVA Invitational,
all day.
Charlottesville, Va.
FRIDAY
Swimming:
UVA Invitational,
all day,
Charlottesville, Va.
SATURDAY
Track:
Bob Timmons Challenge, All day
Swimming:
UVA Invitational,
all day,
Charlottesville, Va
SUNDAY
Women's Basketball:
vs. Northern Colorado,
1 p.m.
Men's Basketball:
at UCLA,
430 p.m.
New Jersey Nets fire coach after losing first 16 games
NBA
Assistant Tom Barrise will coach the team Sunday night in Los Angeles against the Lakers, when the Nets could tie the record for the worst start if they lose.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—The New Jersey Nets fired coach Lawrence Frank on Sunday after losing their first 16 games during one of the worst starts in NBA history.
Frank was in his sixth full season, the longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference and the winningest coach in the Nets' NBA history. But none of those victories came this season, and the team dismissed him with a 225-241 record.
The Nets said a permanent replacement for Frank hasn't been determined.
Associated Press
NFL
Seahawks end road losing streak
BYR.B. FALLSTROM ASSOCIATED PRESS
Justin Forsett set career highs with 130 yards and two touchdowns and the go-ahead score came on the Seahawks' third defensive touchdown of the season in a 27-17 victory over the St. Louis
ST. LOUIS - The Seattle Seahawks ended their road woes in an environment that was far from intimidating, a stadium half-filled at best.
"No matter what their record is, you've got to celebrate, be happy and keep it going," said cornerback Josh Wilson, who had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown near the end of the first half. "If it wasn't for the 'W' I wouldn't be doing this interview with a smile on my face."
Rams on Sunday.
Never mind that the Rams have lost 10 in a row at home and have one victory this season, it was an upbeat Seattle locker room.
Seattle (4-7) had been 0-5 on the road but ended the drought against the Rams (1-10), who have lost 11 in a row at home and 10 in a row to the Seahawks.
"Yeah, that was a step backward," Rams defensive end Leonard Little said. "I think we've got a long way to go, we can't afford to take any steps backward."
Olindo Mare added field goats of 29 and 38 yards, tying the franchise record of 16 in a row shared by Rams kicker Josh Brown.