UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesdav. November 20.1996
3B
Kansas to face new challenges in conference
Big12 bounces women favorites around
By Dan Gelston
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas women's basketball team's 11 conference victories last season
may have been good enough to win the Big Eight Conference title, but it would have put them third in the Southwest
Conference. That's the kind of competition Kansas and the former Big Eight teams will face now that they
have picked up four former Southwest Conference teams and merged to form the Big 12. The two conferences have produced two of the game's greatest players in Texas Tech's Sheryl Swopes and Lynette Woodard of Kansas.
THE NORTH
Colorado (26-9 overall, 9-5 conference, second place).
Colorado was the 1995 preseason pick to win the Big Eight Conference, but two regular-season losses to Kansas killed that possibility. The Buffaloes are led by senior guard Erin Scholtz, who was first on the team in scoring with 15.5 points a game and eight rebounds per game. Senior Raegan Scott led Colorado in blocks with 61, which was second in the conference.
Iowa State (17-10 overall, 5-9 conference, sixth place).
Junior forward Jayme Olson, the conference's leading rebounder, returns to help the Cyclones improve on their sixth-place finish. The 6-foot-1 Olson grabbed 219 rebounds last season, an 8.1 per game average. She was third in the conference in scoring with 16.6 points per game.
Kansas State (14-16 overall, 5-
9 conference, eighth place).
It was a nightmare of a season for the Wildcats last year. Head coach Brian Ager was forced to resign and the team forfeited three conference games. The only bright spot was junior Brit Jacobson who led the Wildcats in scoring with a 14.8 average.
Missouri (15-12 overall, 6-8 conference,fifth place).
If there was a team that was in the
middle of the pack it was Missouri.
The Tigers were fourth in scoring,
fifth in defense, last in three-point
percentage, but first in field goal
percentage. Missouri lost leading
scorer Erika Martin and her 19
points per game, but sophomore
Kesha Bonds, who led the team in
field percentage, will return.
Nebraska (19-10 overall, 8-6 conference,fourth).
Junior Anna DeForge, who led the team with 14.8 points per game is returning. If games come down to free throws, like many do, it should go in Nebraska's favor. Last season, three of the top four free-throw shooters were from Nebraska.
THE SOUTH
Baylor (11-19 overall, 3-11 conference, seventh).
Last year was a down year for the 3-11 Bears. Baylor is coached by Sonja Hogg, who is in her second year at Baylor after taking 10 years off from coaching. She coached Louisiana Tech to its first NCAA championship in 1982.
Oklahoma (12-15 overall, 4-10 conference, seventh).
Sooner or later Oklahoma will turn itself around, but it might not be this year. They lost their two leading scorers. They have no returning players who cracked the top 10 in any offensive category.
Oklahoma State (20-10 overall,
8-6 conference, third).
Oklahoma State lost its top scorer and had nobody place in the top-12 of rebounding. This is a young team that will have to rebuild.
Texas (21-9 overall, 13-1 conference, first place southwest conference)
After dominating women's basketball in the 1980s, Texas had its first losing season in 20 years in 1995. But last season saw a return to prominence.
Texas A&M (20-12 overall, 8-6 conference,fourth).
Texas Tech (27-5 overall, 13-1 conference, first).
Texas A&M surprised everybody by winning the SWC tournament and making the NCAA Tournament. That followed a 1995 season in which they won the NWIT championship.
Tech rebounded from a loss to Texas A&M in the SWC final to make it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Junior Alicia Thompson and her 21.5 points per game are returning, but the team lost leading scorer Michi Atdins, the Southwest Conference's female athlete of the year.
Holtz's Irish eyes shine no more for Notre Dame
The Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Lou Holtz,
saying it was the right thing to do,
resigned yesterday as coach of Notre
Dame and is looking for another job.
The resignation takes effect after the season, Holtz's 11th at Notre Dame.
"I cannot honestly give you a reason for my resignation, except to say I feel it is the right thing to do," he said. "People will say there has to be more to it than this, but believe me, there isn't."
"I prayed on it."
During his nationally-televised news conference, the 59-year-old coach said he would complete his duties at Notre Dame and begin searching for work.
"If I do retire it will be because I couldn't find a job," he said.
"There are three items to be covered," Holtz said. He listed those as the game with Rutgers, plans to hire a new coach and his resignation.
Holtz spent the first several minutes of the news conference as if nothing special were taking place. He insisted on discussing Saturday's game against Rutgers, Holtz's final appearance at Notre Dame Stadium.
He spent the next 10 minutes discussing injuries and his team's preparation for the game.
Holtz is 99-29-2 at Notre Dame — six victories shy of tying Rockne's Irish school victory record — and 215-94-7 overall.
"This will be a very, very emotional week for a lot of people," Holtz said. "I have no desire to become the all-time winningest coach at Notre Dame. The record belongs to Knute Rocke or some other coach in the future. I am comfortable leaving here with his record intact."
Despite rumors that he quit so he could take another shot at the NFL, where he coached the New York Jets to a 3-10 record in 1976 before resigning with one game left, he said he had no immediate agenda.
Lou Holtz
"I have absolutely no plans for the future," he said. "What I will do in the future will be dependent upon the opportunities available to me. But at a present time I have no options, or do I anticipate any."
One scenario had him coaching the Minnesota Vikings if Dennis Green aves, but he dismissed that as speculation.
"It's never once entered my mind," altz said. "I can't say what will happen in the future."
Holtz said he was in good health. A妨rail-looking man, he has had a series of health problems at Notre Dame. He had emergency surgery last fall to relieve pressure on his spinal cord.
condition that could have caused paralysis if left untreated.
While he has no idea who will replace him, Holtz said he hoped it would be one of his assistants. Among the top contenders to take college football's glamour job are Northwestern's Gary Barnett and Irish defensive coordinator Bob Davie.
Irish offensive coordinator Dave Roberts, the former coach at Northeast Louisiana, has made it clear he wants to return to head coaching.
"I hope it is one of my able assistants," Holtz said of his replacement. "If not, I hope the new coach will give serious consideration to retaining our assistant coaches, as they are a special group of people."
The Chicago Sun-Times, citing unidentified sources, reported Monday that Notre Dame wanted Barnett and has agreed to talk with him. But Barnett said such talk was premature.
"I don't think you ever say never," he said Monday. "I don't know at this point in time. I would hope Northwestern wants me here. You never know."
Barnett refused to say if he had been contacted about the job.
"I'm not confirming or denying anything at this point in time," he said.
Others mentioned include LSU's Gerry DiNardo, former UCLA coach Terry Donalue and Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez.
Holtz's resignation ends nearly a week of speculation that he was leaving, which he did nothing to deny. He told athletic director Mike Wadsworth and the Rev. William Beauchamp, the University's executive vice president, at a meeting Monday afternoon, then told his players.
"I think most people kind of expected it," offensive tackle Mike Doughty said. "He said that he feels like he just lost his sons. It was a sad day in his life."
"It was a sad feeling," he said. "There was kind of a gloomy feeling around the room. But he sounded like it was the right thing for him to do."
Free safety Deke Cooper said Holtz didn't even tell his players why he
was leaving.
Holtz said he felt he was leaving the program on solid footing.
"This will be a joyous day for many, emotional for a few, inconsequential to some — but to a small group this is a sad day — but I feel it is the right thing to do," Holtz said. "I have prayed on my decision, so I will not question it."
Holtz's predecessor, Gerry Faust,
said Notre Dame would miss Holtz.
"He's done an unbelievable job there," Faust said. "But I can understand after the years of pressure that he would want to step down."
The 10th-ranked Irish (7-2) have two games remaining — at home against Rugers and at Southern California. A bowl bid, probably the Orange or Fiesta, would close Holtz's career at Notre Dame.
Holtz's past few years at Notre Dame have not been easy. The Irish lost 10 games in their last three seasons — more than the 1988-1993 squads lost combined.
His problems this year were due, in part, to his attempts to update his offense and make better use of Ron Powlus' arm. He abandoned his beloved running game for a spread offense, but his players never adjusted.
By the time he switched back midway through the season, the Irish had lost one game and their intensity. A loss to Air Force, which hadn't defeated Notre Dame since 1985, further frustrated Holtz.
Holtz came to Notre Dame with a reputation for reviving failing programs, and he endeared himself to the Irish faithful by rescuing Notre Dame. When he arrived in November 1985, Notre Dame had lost its place among the college elite after five mediocre seasons under Faust.
Notre Dame came close to repeating in 1989, but fell to Miami in the season finale. Not even a win against top-ranked Colorado in the Orange Bowl could redeem the 12-1 Irish, and Miami won the national title.
In 1988, just three years after he took over, the Irish upset then-No. 1 Miam on their way to their first national championship since 1977.
The Irish went 5-6 in Holtz's first season, but rebounded the next year to finish 8-4 and earn their first bowl bid since 1984.
Troy Davis mulls NFL draft
The Associated Press
AMES, Iowa — When Iowa State running back Troy Davis says he hasn't made up his mind yet on whether to turn pro, coach Dan McCarney believes him.
Otherwise, McCarney said, why would the junior from Miami still be going to class?
"I think if he had his mind made up he was definitely leaving, he wouldn't be attending class and getting the help that he is right now from a tutor's standpoint," McCarney said Tuesday. "There's no question he hasn't made his mind up yet."
Davis is contemplating whether to return for his senior season or make himself available for the 1997 National Football League draft. He has said he won't make that decision until meeting with his family and McCarney after the season.
McCarney said he'll use that session to stress the importance of Davis' progress toward his degree. He said Davis is doing well in
school and is on track to graduate in the spring or summer of 1998.
"It starts with his education and his degree and not having his progress toward a degree being interrupted," McCarrney said.
There's a lot of examples of that every year of players that go out early and they try to come back and they don't quite get it done and they put it off and they procrastinate and the next thing you know, it's five, six years after they should have graduated and they still don't have a degree. So that's where it starts."
McCarney said that while he'll also discuss other matters with this star, his degree and his academic future is going to be an important part of their talk.
When that will be exactly, McCarney can't say. But it won't be for a few weeks, he said, because Davis has a busy month ahead.
Davis, who needs 40 yards rushing in Saturday's season finale at Kansas State to reach 2,000 for the second time, is a finalist for the
Doak Walker Award, to be presented Dec. 3 in Dallas.
He also is a likely finalist for the Heisman Trophy, which is presented in New York on Dec. 14.
"There's no rush from Troy's standpoint or his family's standpoint to make a decision," McCarney said. "I'm not going to fly to Miami on Monday or Tuesday after the season and make a decision."
Plus, McCarney figures Davis will be selected to The Associated Press All-America team again, which means a trip to Los Angeles for an appearance on Bob Hope's Christmas show. Davis also has to study for finals.
Iowa State's team banquet is Dec. 13, the night before the Heisman ceremony.
McCarney drew Davis, who was fifth in the Heisman voting last year, definitely will attend the banquet.
"I'm afraid it might be an empty house if Troy's not there," McCarney said. "We'll either jump on a jet night or the next morning."
The Associated Press
Major league's labor pains increase as Chicago White Sox sign Belle
NEW YORK — After opposing a labor agreement he said wouldn't hold down salaries enough, Jerry Reinsdorf agreed to a deal that will make Albert Belle baseball's highest-paid player.
"It is perfectly fiscally responsible for us to give him this money because we can afford to give him this money," Reinsdorf said yesterday after agreeing to a contract said to be worth $52.5 million for five years.
"We have to compete under the system that exists. We have an obligation to our fans to try to win. We're trying to win. It doesn't mean I have to like the system," Reinsdorf said.
Union head Donald Fehr assumed the proposed new deal was dead. However, acting commissioner Bud Selig was considering holding another meeting yesterday in Chicago, one owner said, on the condition he not be identified.
When they voted Nov. 6, owners rejected the deal 18-12 — leaving the agreement 11 votes short of the three-quarters majority needed for
ratification.
"If they decide to do a 180, they'll tell me, and I'll deal with it," said Fehr, who hasn't spoken with Selig in a week. "But I don't consider that likely."
Reinford was among the owners who successfully opposed the proposed labor deal, which would have imposed a luxury tax next season on payrolls above $51 million, including benefits.
In this method of counting, the White Sox had a $48 million payroll this year, and Belle would have put them above the threshold.
"It would be healthy if every team could do this" Reindsorf said.
Reinsdorf said White Sox attendance had not recovered from the 1994 strike. Chicago averaged 21,220 fans this season, 19th among the 28 teams.
"It was incumbent on us not to say, 'We're sorry,' but to show them how much we regret what happened," Reinsdorf said. "The person who has to say he's sorry is Don Fehr."
Fehr says Reinsdorf and other hard-liners caused the walkout with their attempt to impose a salary cap
and failure to make a $7.5 million benefits payment following the 1994 All-Star game.
"Mr. Reinsdorf is extraordinarily good at deflecting attention to his own behavior," Fehr said "Who, Mr. Reinsdorf, made the decision not to make the All-Star payment? Who made the decision to demand salary caps? Who committed the unfair labor practices? That's a game he can't win."
Reinsdorf said he still favored a system that would control salaries more.
"I want the people in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Milwaukee, all these small towns, to have a chance for their team to compete," he said. "I'm fighting this fight because I love the game. I want competitive balance, and I want the people in every city in America that has a baseball team to have a chance to see a winner.
"Look at Montreal, competing in the hunt. Gets into August, what does everybody do who's in the hunt? They go out and get somebody. Poor Montreal, they couldn't go out and get anybody. We have a very, very bad system."