6B
Tuesday, February 4, 1997
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Busy between-season inspires contemplation
Football season now is officially concluded, and baseball has yet to begin, but still a ton is happening in the world of sports. Some great college basketball is being played, certain NBA players with green hair are going on rampages and crushing any defenseless cameramen in their path, and just about every coach who ever drew X's and O's on a chalkboard is getting a new job.
0. A couple of weeks ago, I thought only injuries would be able to stop the Hawks. Now I don't think that anything can stop them, especially not a rodent-like player from Missouri named Jason Sutherland.
The AFC's 26-23 overtime victory against the NFC in Sunday's Pro Bowl was the eighth consecutive time that the winner of the game was different than the year before. That is almost as many years in a row that the Pro Bowl has been far more competitive than the Super Bowl. With his spectacular passing and scrambling abilities, MVP Mark Brunell provided several highlights and reaffirmed that he was the AFC's version of Steve Young. The game was so good, in fact, that I almost didn't care that an increasingly large number of marquee players seemed to get hurt between the last game of the season and the Pro Bowl. Hmmm...
If you still haven't seen Jerry McGuire, I recommend it. It is a great movie, and whoever was in charge of casting knew where to draw the line when it came to using real Dallas Cowboys. I think the movie would have lost something if, instead of having Cuba Gooding Jr. shouting, "Show me the money," they had Michael Irvin yelling, "Show me the drugs and strippers!"
Being an Oakland A's fan, I was happy to find out that Bash Brothers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire had been reunited. With the middle of the order secured, the A's now are seeking a premier leadoff man. If the San Diego Padres sign slugger Greg Vaughn, they probably will trade the best leadoff hitter of all time and former A's left fielder Rickey Henderson. Then, with Henderson, Canseco, and McGwire all back in the lineup, the A's can get manager Tony LaRussa and relief pitcher Dennis Eckersley back from the St. Louis Cardinals and
talk starting ace Dave Stewart into coming out of retirement and...oh never mind.
Speaking of baseball, has anyone else noticed that the Royals had stopped promoting the talents of Johnny Damon and the other young players and had turned their attention to newcomers Chill Davis, Jeff King and Jay Bell? Davis is 37, King is 32 and Bell is 31. I guess the much-ballyhooed youth movement has now become the thirtysomething movement.
The Chiefs should do whatever it takes to sign tight end Shannon Sharpe. Not only would it produce the go-to guy whom they desperately need, but it also would be a step toward preventing the Denver Broncos from easily winning the AFC West again next season.
Finally, I would like to commend the Kansas swimming and diving teams not only for competing, but also for performing very well in the last couple of meets. I didn't know Seth Dunscomb well, but I know from my brief conversations with him that he is now in a better place. He was one of the good guys. My thoughts and prayers will be with all of you this season.
Comments? You can e-mail Matt at mwoodruff@kansan.com
LOS ANGELES — In-line skaters have been allowed to participate in this year's Los Angeles Marathon, the first major event of its kind to feature the fringe sport.
The Associated Press
It took three years and plenty of lobbying, but in-line skaters will be present in the 12th installment of the race on March 2.
Skaters to roll in L.A. Marathon
Supporters say the sport is as Southern Californian as a traffic jam. But distance-running purists are aghast, insisting the inclusion of skaters turns the Los Angeles event into a farce.
The driving force behind Los Angeles' in-line inclusion was Nick Mitchell, a 60-year-old Hollywood hair stylist and in-line skating enthusiast. Mitchell happens to cut the hair of William A. Burke, marathon president.
"My barber made me do it," Burke said of his decision to allow skaters into the race. "I couldn't get a haircut without him pounding away on me, assuring me that 'We're human beings too. We're athletes. Why can't we in-line skaters be included?'"
It also made economic sense,
Burke said. The event needed more money to offset expensive purses and costly air fare and lodging bills for top runners who were invited to the race. With a $25 entry fee per skater, marathon officials hope the event will earn between $60,000 and $100,000. As many as 3,000 skaters are expected to participate.
Burke said skaters would participate only in a 10-kilometer exhibition "fun skate" open to the general public. And the in-line event will begin about 45 minutes after the runners start.
Don King to return to court
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A federal judge refused to toss out insurance fraud charges against boxing promoter Don King yesterday, clearing the way for a second trial after a jury in the case could not reach a verdict more than a year ago.
the 65-year-old
promoter
would face up
to 45 years in
federal prison
and
a $2,250,000 fine.
U. S. District Judge Lawrence McKenna said in a written ruling that there was sufficient evidence to permit a retrial, but he did not immediately set a date.
King was accused of faking a contract with Lloyd's of London to collect $350,000 in nonexistent training expenses for a canceled bout. If convicted of nine counts of wire fraud,
In his 45-page ruling yesterday, McKenna noted that he was required by law to take as
McKenna made several criticisms of the prosecution's case. At one point, he quoted prosecutors from
true the testimony of all government witnesses for the purposes of deciding whether a trial should take place.
Don King
the trial record saying that King, as the sole shareholder of his company, was the only person who would benefit from its success.
"A desire for money is a very general motivation to which, one may assume, most of the population is subject and a very doubtful basis on which to find criminal intent," McKenna said.
King was indicted after his company submitted an insurance claim asking Lloyd's of London for $350,000 in non-refundable training fees paid to Julio Cesar Chavez for a 1991 canceled bout with Harold Brazier.
Chavez, former World Boxing Council super lightweight champion, testified that King paid him only $80,000 to train.