NFL
Former Kansas player arrested, Page 3B. BASEBALL Ryne Sandberg returns to the Chicago Cubs, Page 4B
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 1,1995
SECTION B
Hopes of many on athletes
I felt my way through the dark and found what had been lost since the "Monday Night Football" game. I pressed my thumb against the button in the top left corner of the remote, then quickly slid down and pressed the middle button in the third row. It was a familiar combination — one, eight.
"SportsCenter is on," I thought to myself. It was 2 a.m., and I couldn't sleep. I figured I could use a final dose of highlights before I went to sleep. Maybe the third time is the charm.
I pushed on the polished arms of the brown, leather recliner and slid back into position. I grabbed the Budweiser bottle off the table next to me and took a long, slow pull, never taking my eyes off Dan Patrick. After a weekend without the Chiefs and Kansas' 41-7 loss to Kansas State, I needed some SportsCenter to settle my nerves.
I was depressed.
I leaned forward and grabbed the football that sat on the floor next to the recliner. It was all scuffed up since we had played catch in the street before "Monday Night Football." I spread my fingers over the laces and mimicked a throw
SPORTS COLUMNIST
to a receiver doing an out pattern between the couch and the pool table. I pulled the ball down to my side, as if I had just caught my own pass. I instinctively switched the ball to my outside hand, as if there was an oncoming tackler.
There wasn't one ... there hadn't been for years.
My dreams of catching a gamewinning pass and high-stepping around a defender for a touchdown in front of 70,000 roaring fans ended when I stopped playing football after my freshman year in high school.
Almost eight inches and 80 pounds later, I wonder if I made the right decision.
All my dreams and aspirations in football now ride on the shoulders of my favorite teams. Kansas, Notre Dame and the Chiefs all have to shoulder the burden of carrying my dreams, and thousands of other people's, who never made it on the gridiron.
Players must understand that the reason people are so critical of them is that we are jealous. Since we didn't make it, you have to make those touchdowns and win those championships for us.
That is why fans get on the various bandwagons that are charging through football this season. We want to find a winner and ride them to the championship. We now have to live vicariously through our players and our teams.
The players will have to excuse us. When we complain or criticize, we are only crying because we couldn't do it ourselves.
On behalf of all of us armchair quarterbacks, I apologize to you, the players and coaches.
It is not fair for you to have to shoulder our burden. We are our own.
We'll be playing catch in the street and pretending until Marty Schottenheimer or Glen Mason calls.
Now I really am dreaming
We want to win as badly as you do. The only difference is that we can't do a darn thing to change the outcome of a game, except scream at the television. You will have to endure our criticisms.
Every time you take the field, remember we are behind you, with our dreams of winning the game. You'll just have to do it for us.
Rian Flink / KANSAN
Volleyball teams falling into place
Kansas senior middle blocker Jenny Larson practices at Robinson Center in preparation for the last month of Big Eight Conference games
Nebraska, Iowa State hold top two spots in Big Eight Conference
Kansan sportswriter
By Bill Petulla
Today begins the final month of Big Eight Conference volleyball action.
Although Nebraska and Iowa State are atop the Big Eight standings, no team is out of contention for the third and fourth spots. The top four conference finishers will compete in the Big Eight tournament on Nov. 24 and 25 in Omaha, Neb.
Every Big Eight coach's preseason front runner, Nebraska, has broken away from the pack and left few doubters in its path.
Here is a progress report for the Big Eight as the season heads into the home stretch.
"They are a very balanced and athletic team," Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise said. "They have a great chance at winning at national championship."
The Cornhuskers have won their last 21 conference matches and have yet to drop a Big Eight game this season. The only blown on Nebraska's overall record this season came on Aug. 26 against Stanford.
One surprise in the conference this season has been Iowa State. With a 6-2 conference record, the Cyclones hold second place. Both of Iowa State's losses have come at the hands of Nebraska.
"I've been really pleased with our play this year," Iowa State coach Jackie Nunez said. "In certain matches, we've just been able to find wavs to win."
The young Oklahoma Sooners have raised some eyebrows this season as well. Even with one senior on its roster, the Sooners have beaten Kansas State, Missouri and Kansas all on the road.
"Oklahoma is a young and athletic team," Schonewise said. "They are powerful offensively."
For Colorado, this season is one that it would like to forget. After freshman middle blocker Melissa Schutz went out for the season on a
Big Eight Volleyball Standings
Nebraska 9-0
Iowa State 6-2
Oklahoma 4-3
Colorado 3-4
Kansas State 3-5
Missouri 1-6
Kansas 1-6
*Oklahoma State does not field a volleyball team
knee injury, the Buffaloes loss three of their last six conference matches.
"We've been really up and down this season," Colorado assistant volleyball coach Pii Ai'u said. "We'll play well on some occasions and poorly on others."
The season for Kansas State has been a roller coaster ride. After defeating Colorado to open their conference season, the Wildcats lost three matches, won three and now are riding a two-game losing streak.
For Kansas State volleyball coach
Jim Moore, the answers for the Wildcats' up-and-down season lie on their side of the net.
"We need to take care of the things that we can take care of," he said. "We need to focus on what we need to do."
Missouri has kept some matches close in what was thought to be a rebuilding year. With a roster that features seven freshman, the Tigers played Oklahoma competitively on Oct. 4 and defeated Kansas on Sept. 30.
"Missouri is much improved from last season," Schonewain said. "They have a large freshman class."
Although Kansas is tied for last, the Jayhawks have gained momentum after winning their last two matches. Kansas next match is at Colorado on Nov. 4. The Jayhawks played four competitive games before succumbing to the Buffalooes in Lawrence on Oct. 7.
"I've been pleased with the last week and a half" Schonewise said. "As far as the conference goes, I don't think that we've played up to our potential."
WITHOUT A TEAM TO CALL HIS OWN
By Robert Sinclair Kansan sportswriter
Kansas football coach Glen Mason has been preaching all year that the Jayhawks win as a team and lose as a team.
That's fine, unless you aren't playing much like Kansas junior quarterback Ben Rutz.
"In the beginning, it was difficult," said Rutz, who backs up senior Mark Williams. "Obviously, if you're not playing as much or starting, you probably aren't as excited to win the game as the starters are. But I'm over that now. I understand what I'm doing
— backing up Mark. That's my job right now."
Rutz, who transferred last winter from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Okla., said that it probably was difficult for some of the other junior college transfers to adjust. Making the adjustment wasn't that difficult for Rutz, though, because he already had spent two years at Nebraska and played in four games.
He has played in three games as a Jayhawk, and even though he finally saw some quality playing time in most of the fourth quarter against Kansas State, he wasn't happy with the results.
The back-up role is particularly difficult for Rutz because he was a
"It was exciting getting in," Rutz said. "As far as my performance, I wasn't too satisfied with it. I don't think anybody was really satisfied with the overall team performance."
starting quarterback just a year ago. While playing for the Golden Norsemen, Rutz accumulated 1,613 passing yards by completing 116 of 217 attempts. Not only did he throw for nine touchdowns, but he also scored five on the ground.
He led the team to the National Junior College Association of America championship game against Trinity Valley (Texas). The game was back and forth and, while not a pleasant, was a memorable experience for Rutz. Northeastern Oklahoma lost 24-17 in overtime.
Before junior college, Rutz gained Division-I experience in Lincoln, Neb. After being redshirted his freshman season at Nebraska, Rutz tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee the next spring. Although he was back on the field only five months later and saw action in four games, Rutz decided that Nebraska just wasn't the place for him.
Kansas junior quarterback Ben Rutz warms up before entering the Kansas-Kansas State game. His appearance on Saturday was only his third of the season after being the starter at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M last year.
Not surprisingly, the Nov. 11 Kansas-Nebraska game will be a special one for Rutz. He has friends at Nebraska with whom he still talks on a regular basis.
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
However, he still hasn't gotten a grasp on Kansas' rivalry with Missouri.
While growing up in Oklahoma City, Rutz was an Oklahoma fan. He developed more of a personal
"I'm gradually getting a feel for it, understanding that it is a big rivalry," Rutz said. "Growing up in Oklahoma and then being at Nebraska, Missouri was never a big game."
interest in Oklahoma State, though, after attending camps there and meeting the coaches.
He's got a quick release," Mason said. "He's a very accurate passer.
While the 6-foot Oklahoman might be polite and soft spoken, the quarterback has a big weapon in his right arm.
He's got similar abilities to a Chip Hilleary, kind of a scrappy-type guy."
Although he is majoring in communication studies, Rutz is quick to admit that, like most college students, he has no idea what the future holds for him.
with athletics," he said. "That was always a goal of mine growing up. I always think about that. I miss it if I didn't. If not, then I try and find the best job I can."
"Hopefully, I can do something
Maybe someday Rutz will be explaining to people how his players won as a team and lost as a team.
If the sneaker fits,wear it,players say
By Matt Irwin
Kansan sportswriter
But there's another side to the image: the players who must adhere to their coaches' choices and wear the shoes.
Shoe contracts. They conjure up images of basketball coaches receiving big paychecks and attending camps sponsored by shoe companies.
[(For) some guys, it doesn't matter what they play in.] Oklahoma State forward Chianti Roberts said. "Once the same starts, you don't notice."
Is it fair, and does it matter?
Roberts wears Nikes that Oklahoma State men's basketball coach Eddie Sutton has chosen. His teammate, forward Jason Skaer, was even more enthusiastic about wearing Nike and about the addition of the Nike symbol on the Oklahoma State uniforms beginning in the 1996-97 season.
"I've worn Nike ever since I was a little kid," Skaer said. "You always see those teams as the high profile teams. It's nice to be one of those teams."
Although Roberts doesn't mind wearing Nike, he does not understand why players cannot make money from the products they wear.
Kansas junior guard Jerod Haase said that it did not bother him that Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams made money from a shoe contract.
"It's kind of weird how these guys make millions of dollars ... and we don't get a cut." Roberts said.
"Coach Williams puts in so much work, I wouldn't care if he was making a million dollars off of it at all," Haase said. "Converse treats us extremely well."
Haase said that Kansas players wore the same shoe style unless it did not fit. Kansas forward Scot Pollard had to wear a different Converse style last season, for example.
Oklahoma State forward Maurice Robinson has had trouble wearing the traditionally narrower Nike because he has wider feet, Roberts said.
Robinson has gone to wearing a shoe that is a size and a half bigger than
"He has tons of them," Roberts said. "It's ridiculous. At the end of practice he sheds his feet on the locker room floor. (There is) skin all over the floor."
Iowa State guard Jacy Holloway said that he also had problems with Nike sneakers. His feet are narrow as well, and he has to tie his shoeelaces so tight that the sides touch. Even the narrow Nike styles cause blisters.
normal. Even then, he always has blisters because his shoes fit poorly.
But the Jayhawks always manage to wear out their sneakers, he said.
Unlike those who dislike their shoes, Kansas players are happy with those provided by Converse.
"The types of practices we go through, I don't think there's a shoe in the world that's going to be perfect," Haase said.
Haase said that the shoes worn by the Jayhawks were light and had enough support, which were the players' two major concerns.
WHO'S NO. 1?
Could this be the year of the Jayhawk? Will UCLA and Connecticut reign again as NCAA national champions? And what about those Wildcats -- the Kentucky Wildcats?
Kansan sports wants basketball predictions
The Kansan is asking for your opinion on the 1995-96 men's and women's basketball seasons — who's hot, who's not and who's No. 1. Letters will be printed a special basketball section of the Nov. 15 Kansan.
Letters should be typed, double-spaced and between 100 and 150 word in length. Please include your hometown, year in school and phone number. Submit letters to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall, by 5 p.m. Friday.
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