UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, November 1, 1996
3B
50 years of hoops for NBA
Retro uniforms to commemorate game's longevity
The Associated Press
Tonight, millions of Americans and Canadians will sit down in their easy chairs for the first televised NBA game of the season. And the newest thing they will see looks like something from 50 years ago.
The New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors will wear old-fashioned uniforms to commemorate the NBA's 50th anniversary. It will be the first of 22 games this season in which teams will go retro.
Fifty years ago today, the New York Knickerbockers and the Toronto Huskies played the first game of the Basketball Association of America. This game was played on a hardwood floor laid over ice at Manle Leaf Gardens.
This time, the floor will be laid over the AstroTurf of the Sky Dome. And the Raptors, instead of
wearing its usual red, white and purple outfits, will wear plain white jerseys with "Huskies" written across the front in blue letters.
New York will wear replica uniforms with light blue letters outlined in orange against a blue background.
The Golden State Warriors, Washington Bullets, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Seattle SuperSonics occasionally will wear retro uniforms during the first half of the season.
With so many familiar faces playing in new places, it's an interesting twist to a season that promises to be a curious mix of old and new
Shaquille O'Neal will wear the purple and gold colors of the Lakers tonight when Los Angeles plays the Charles Barkley-less Phoenix Suns.
O'Neal's free agent move to the Lakers gave him a $120 million, a seven-year contract and was the biggest story in a summer filled with other personnel changes around the league.
Barkley has moved to the Hou
ston Rockets, which has only two players remaining from the team that won the first of its two consecutive championships in 1994. The Rockets open at home against the Sacramento Kings tonight, which will be the busiest night of the entire season
with 14 games scheduled. The Charlotte Hornets are the only team that won't be playing.
In other games, it's Chicago at Boston, Cleveland at New Jersey, Milwaukee at Philadelphia, Washington at Orlando, Atlanta at Miami, Indiana at Detroit, San Antonio at Minnesota, Dallas at Denver, Seattle at Utah, the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State and Portland at Vancouver.
Another 10 games will be played tomorrow night and four more on Sunday.
The moves of O'Neal and Barkley are just two of dozens that teams made in an effort to catch up to the Chicago Bulls, which will return basically the same team that won a record 72 games last season before winning their fourth championship in six years.
After missing most of the exhibition season, Scottie Pippen will be in the starting lineup alongside Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Luc Longley and Ron Harper.
the newest face on Chicago's bench will also be the oldest. Robert Parish, who on Wednesday was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, will coax his 43-year-old body out for another season of the sport he used to play alongside Larry Bird, Rick Barry, Gus Williams and Jo Jo White.
The Seattle SuperSonics, last season's Western Conference champions, will have Jim McIlvaine playing center beside an unhappy Shawn Kemp, who signed a long-term contract two years ago before the league's salary structure became so inflated during the summer.
Off to strong start
Swim, diving team compete in first dual
By Matt Woodruff
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas swimming and diving team will compete in their first dual meet of the season against Missouri at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Robinson Natatorium.
The Kansas coaches said they had seen improvement every week since the season began and hoped to keep things moving in the right direction this weekend.
"Right now we have kind of a theme around here to try and get a little bit better each week," Troy Reynolds, Kansas assistant coach, said.
Last weekend the team competed in the Big 12 Conference Invitational at the St. Peter's Rec-Plex outside St. Louis, Mo. Official scores were not kept but the coaches felt the team was off to a good start.
"I was really pleased," Kansas Swimming Coach Gary Kemp said.
"I think our depth showed itself beautifully. I think we did great for where we are in our training, and
we'll try to continue to move in the direction we need to move in."
Reynolds said the team had been practicing especially hard in anticipation of their first dual.
Kansas Diving Coach Don Fearon said he was pleased with the team's practices in the two weeks since the Big 12 meet.
"Practice right now is one of the toughest parts of the year training-wise," Reynolds said. "We've really been training hard."
"I think we're bringing things around and starting to be more consistent with our bigger dives," Fearon said.
Fearon said Missouri had several strong divers, but he thought the team was ready to compete with them.
The Associated Press
Player tells it like it is
"We just need to continue what we've been doing," Fearon said. "If we can perform this Saturday the way we have in practice this week, then we'll be just fine."
DALLAS — Nate Newton considers himself just another fat guy the Dallas Cowboys could replace at any time.
Last season the team defeated the Tigers in Columbia, Mo. The women's squad won 177-116 and the men's squad won 163-128. The Kansas women are undefeated in the 21 dual meets between the two schools.
In body, maybe. In spirit, never.
in body, maybe in spirit, never.
The loquacious offensive lineman tells it like it is, and he has a certain way of putting things. And if you don't like it — too bad.
Newton's wit and wisdom were on display Thursday for a national conference call. Although he didn't offer any of the side-splitting cracks he's known for, he still put qn a pretty decent show.
But Newton was forced to go on the defensive when the conversation inevitably reached the topic of the Cowboys' off-field image.
"I really don't think about it, sir," said Newton, adding the formal title in obvious sarcasm. "I've got too many football games to play. I just go home to my wife and kids and we have fun."
Back when the seedy side of the
Michael Irvin mess was unfolding, Newton tried quelling matters by saying: "We got us a little place over here where we're running some whores in and out, trying to be responsible, and we're criticized for that, too."
On Thursday he insisted, "It don't make no difference what people say."
Newton described the team's critics as "the high-tech, corporate folks" and not "the guy at the filling station"
"He's the one who loves us no matter what we do," Newton said. "The owners make it where he can't even afford to go to the game."
"Running is the key, the answer," he said. "The (zone) blitz is going to come and go. Running is what's going to stay consistent over the years."
As for the game itself, Newton laid out his theory about X's and O's.
Weekend unlikely to yield surprises
The Associated Press
This is the weekend when college football couch potatoes will have no excuse. If there are leaves to rake or early Christmas shopping to be done, tomorrow is the day to do it.
No. 1 Florida is a 34-point choice over Georgia in a rivalry gone as sour as that between No. 5 Nebraska and Oklahoma. The Cornhuskers are favored by 35 points, nine more than the margin by which North Carolina is expected to beat visiting North Carolina State.
The nation's top eight teams are overwhelming favorites. And if the oddsmakers are correct, it will be far from an exciting afternoon — traditional rivalries notwithstanding.
In less traditional games, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Florida State, No. 4 Arizona State, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 7 Colorado also figure to win. Among the top 10, only Michigan State at No. 9 Michigan has the appearance of a close game.
The Georgia-Florida game, aka "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," returns to Jacksonville, Fla., and there is no question who will win.
"Us Georgia fans are just here for the fun," said Karen Smith, who drove down in her motor home expecting to see Steve Spurrier's Gators (7-0, 5-0 Southeastern) beat her beloved Bulldogs (3-4, 2-3)
That has become a habit since Spurrier took control at Florida, and his players are expected to make him 7-0 against Georgia. A victory would tie Spurrier with former Bulldogs coach Wally Butts for the longest run of success in the series.
"big game? Are you serious?" asked Nebraska's Mike Minter, once a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma. "When Oklahoma plays Nebraska ... everybody goes nuts down there."
Perhaps there will be bedlam in Norman, Okla., but likely not a close game. Tom Osborne's Huskers (6-1, 4-0 Big 12) have beaten the once-great Sooners (2-5, 2-2) five years in a row, including 37-0 last season at Lincoln.
North Carolina (6-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) leads the nation in scoring defense at 7.1 per game.
"As long as you don't put that defense in backed-up situations they will be a very, very hard football team to beat," North Carolina State coach Mike O'Cain said.
But in their last three games against the Wolfpack (1-5, 1-3), the Tar Heels have won with offense — scoring no fewer than 30 points in each.
Ohio State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) is a 35-point choice against visiting Minnesota (3-4, 0-4); Florida State (6-0, 5-0 ACC) is a 19-point favorite at Georgia Tech (5-2, 4-2); Arizona State (8-0, 5-0 Pac-10) is a 23-point heavy at Oregon State (1-6, 1-4); Tennessee (5-1, 3-1 SEC) is picked to win by 17 1/2 points at South Carolina (5-3, 4-2); and Colorado (6-1, 4-0 Big 12) by 22 at Missouri (3-4, 1-3).
Those spreads make Michigan (6-1,
1, 3-1 Big Ten) appear under the gun when it entertains Michigan State (5-3, 4-1). Michigan is a mere 8/12 point favorite.
Minnesota at No. 2 Ohio St.
The Buckeyes hope to continue their roll toward an unbeaten season, and Minnesota does not appear to be a stumbling block.
No. 3 Florida St. at Georgia
Bobby Bowden's Seminoles are making just their second and final trip out of the state, and this one could be closer than most believe.
No. 4 Arizona St. at Oregon St.
Jake Plummer and the Sun Devils should have little trouble extending their winning streak. The ultimate goal is to stay unsatched, and hope it can play an unbeaten Ohio State in the Rose Bowl for a possible national championship.
No. 6 Tennessee at South Car-
Peyton Manning, fresh off the Vols' big victory over Alabama, should lead Tennessee over the Gamecocks.
No. 7 Colorado at Missouri in a series fraught with blowout games, the Buffs will attempt to win their 12th straight since Missouri last prevailed, 52-7 in 1984.
Michigan St. at No. 9 Michigan As with many traditional rivalries, this is no walkover — especially because Michigan State is averaging more than 32 points per game.
Jim Jesse learned the importance of living within his means growing up the oldest of 10 children. His family lived on a tight budget and made the most of every dollar.
Living Within Our Means
Jim Jesse believes our government should do the same.
As County Commissioner, Jim Jesse will work for a tight
Paid for by JIM JESSE CAMPAIGN, Paul Davis Treasurer
Vote Jim Jesse for Douglas County Commissioner.
As County Commission budget that benefits all the citizens of Douglas County.
Active . Protective . Responsive
Clean air and clean water do not grow with the population. We need a vigilant, informed County Commissioner who will protect our resources. I am committed to working in a cooperative but firm spirit to do this.
When I am elected to the Comission, you will find me
. Seeking grants and incentives to protect prime agricultural land from urban sprawl.
. Working to bring environmental protection and economic development together.
. Encouraging non-polluting industries.
. Lobbying the state legislature to clean up our rivers.
. Helping landowners to protect sensitive environmental areas.
. Supporting youth organizations that train future county leaders to be good stewards of the land.
Take a neighbor to the polls. I look forward to your votes of support on November 5th, and to serving you, the citizens of Douglas County.