Sports 2
2B | LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012
COMING THURSDAY
TWO-DAY
s +ANSAS 5NIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL HOSTS )OWA 3TATE s 4HE +ANSAS #ITY 2OYALS MEET $ETROIT
SPORTS CALENDAR
KANSAS UNIVERSITY
TODAY • Volleyball vs. Iowa State, 6:30 p.m.
UNC: Williams’ kidney tumor benign The Associated Press
The University of North Carolina said men’s basketball coach Roy Williams’ surgically removed kidney tumor was not cancerous, though he will have a biopsy to ensure a second kidney tumor is also benign. In a news release Tuesday afternoon, the school said tests have determined the tumor removed last week from Williams’ right kidney was an oncocytoma, which is a benign growth often indistinguishable from kidney cancer on X-rays that doesn’t spread like a cancerous tumor would. Williams also has a tumor on
his left kidney, but according to the school, doctors say there is “a good chance� that growth is the same as the one removed Sept. 19. Doctors plan to biopsy that tumor next week and won’t have to perform a second surgery if the tumor is also an oncocytoma. Dr. Eric Wallen, a UNC professor of urology who led the surgical team during 31⠄2-hour procedure, said last week that Williams should be back in plenty of time for the start of preseason practice on Oct. 13. “We are pleased with how well Coach Williams is doing,� Wallen said Tuesday in a state-
By Jim Litke Associated Press Sports Columnist
Remember this a year or two from now, when a video of the final play of Monday night’s Packers-Seahawks game turns up on a blooper reel: It wasn’t all that funny watching it the first time around. Two replacement officials, positioned perfectly on either side of the corner of the end zone, appeared to come up with two different calls. After looking at each other, one waved both arms back and forth, either signaling a touchback or a stoppage of play. The other signaled touchdown. If you tried to stage a photograph to symbolize the confusion that’s dogged the NFL and its games since commissioner Roger Goodell let a lockout of the regular officials spill over into the regular season, you couldn’t have done it any better. The reaction was predictable, overwhelmingly negative, and swift. Anyone still have questions about the integrity of the game? Thought so. Let’s put it this way: If the NFL were a hamburger chain, Goodell would have been fired on the spot. The league’s foot-dragging in bargaining talks with the regular officials was based on the assumption the replacements would get better. In the meantime, it threatened to fine any coach or player who suggested it was worse. After a string of screw-ups by the officials in Sunday’s games, this one ripped the lid off. Somehow, the mildest reaction of the night came from Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. After the Seahawks’ 14-12 win was in the books, he was asked whether he’d ever experienced a more bitter defeat. “Uh, no,� Rodgers replied and left it at that. But why stop there? The replacement officials don’t know the rules. They can’t control the players or coaches. And both are playing them for suckers. Just last week, the league sent around a warning against berating the officials. The coaches and players treated it like a dare. Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan followed the officials into the tunnel in Washington after a loss, hurling curses. Steelers linebacker Larry Foote did the same to a different crew in Oakland. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick tried grabbing an official running by him when the game ended in Baltimore to get an explanation he’s waiting for still. But more than feelings are getting hurt. In separate games, Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was concussed and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo could have been on helmet-to-helmet hits that weren’t called. It was slight consolation for Matt Schaub that the Broncos’ Joe Mays was called for doing the same thing to him, because the Texans quarterback lost a chunk of his left earlobe in the vicious collision.
TODAY • Girls golf at St. Thomas Aquinas Invitational, 3 p.m. THURSDAY • Football at SM North, 7 p.m. • Girls tennis, Sunflower League Invitational at SM East, 9 a.m. • Volleyball at Olathe East, 5 p.m. • Gymnastics at Olathe East Invitational, 6 p.m. • Boys soccer vs. Leavenworth, 6:30 p.m.
health issues in recent years, including occasional bouts with vertigo and back problems. The Hall of Fame coach had shoulder surgery three years ago to repair a torn labrum, which left him to coach several weeks with his left arm in a sling. “There is still work to be done,� Williams said, “but we will continue to deal with that over the next few weeks and get through it with the help of first-rate medical care and the continued support of my family and our extended family and friends through Carolina Basketball.�
LAWRENCE HIGH TODAY • Girls golf at St. Thomas Aquinas Invitational, 3 p.m. THURSDAY • Girls tennis, Sunflower League Invitational at SM East, 9 a.m. • Volleyball at Olathe East, 5 p.m. • Gymnastics at Olathe East Invitational, 6 p.m. • Boys soccer vs. SM South, 7 p.m.
| SPORTS WRAP |
COMMENTARY
Officiating controversy no surprise
ment. “If everything continues to progress as expected, he should be back to his normal activities soon. In a statement, Williams thanked the medical staff who treated him and said he was “overwhelmed� by the messages of support he had received since the surgery. “I’ve just been blown away by the calls, cards, prayers and well-wishes from people all around the world in and out of the basketball community,� Williams said. “My family and I are thankful to all that have expressed your concerns.� Williams, 62, has had minor
FREE STATE HIGH
U.S. seeks more from Big Three at Ryder Cup MEDINAH, ILL. — No other trio of American golfers has qualified for more consecutive Ryder Cup teams than Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk. Collectively, they have won 146 official tournaments around the world, including 19 majors. That only makes their Ryder Cup record look all the more inferior. They have been the core of the U.S. team since 1997 at Valderrama, where they combined for a 3-6-1 record as the United States lost the cup. Perhaps it was a sign of what was to come. For all their individual achievement, none has a winning record in the Ryder Cup. They have been on six teams together — Woods missed in 2008 at Valhalla while recovering from knee surgery — and the only celebration they shared was that remarkable comeback at Brookline. “I would have expected and definitely wished for a much better record than that,� Furyk said Tuesday. It leads to a question that brings to mind the chicken and the egg. Do they all have losing records because they are playing on losing teams? Or does the U.S keep losing because this triumvirate has losing records? “I think it’s both,� Woods said Tuesday. “In order to win cups, you have to earn points. And we certainly have not earned points. And on top of that, Phil, Jim and myself have been put out there a lot during those years. So if we’re not earning points, it’s hard to win Ryder Cups that way.� The Americans, dressed in navy blue shirts, headed out for the first full day of practice under warm sunshine in the Chicago suburbs. They played fourball matches among the three groups, which was evident when Bubba Watson and his pink-shafted driver drove through a dogleg on the 440-yard 11th hole and over the gallery’s head. He still played that shot (and they won the hole). U.S. captain Davis Love III finally showed his hand — and confirmed some obvious pairings in mind — by sending out Woods and Steve Stricker, Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, Watson and Webb Simpson. Other pairings were Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson, Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson, and Furyk and Brandt Snedeker. European captain Jose Maria Olazabal had Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood in one group; Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia and Paul Lawrie in another; and Mark Kaymer, Nicolas Colsaerts, Francesco Molinari and Peter Hanson in a third.
PRO FOOTBALL
Broncos’ Mays suspended ENGLEWOOD, COLO. — Broncos linebacker Joe Mays received a one-game suspension and a $50,000 fine from the NFL for the hit that
THURSDAY • Girls tennis at Ottawa, 3 p.m. • Cross country at Maranatha, 4 p.m. • Volleyball at Cair Paravel, 5 p.m.
ROYALS TODAY • at Detroit, 6:05 p.m. THURSDAY • at Detroit, 12:05 p.m.
SPORTS ON TV TODAY Baseball
Time
Wash. v. Philadelphia 6 p.m. Oakland v. Texas 7 p.m. Kansas City v. Detroit 6 p.m.
dislodged Texans quarterback Matt Schaub’s helmet and took off a piece of his ear. Mays will appeal the fine and suspension, a person familiar with the process told the Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Broncos hadn’t yet notified the NFL of the decision. According to NFL rules, the appeal will be heard and decided before Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders. Mays drew a roughing-the-passer penalty for the third-quarter hit on Schaub, who left the field with blood flowing from his ear and missed one play before returning. Schaub threw for four touchdowns in Houston’s 31-25 win last Sunday.
Net
Cable
ESPN2 34, 234 ESPN 33, 233 FSN 36, 236
Women’s Volleyball Time
Net
Clemson v. N. Carolina Iowa State v. Kansas Tennessee v. Ky. Mich. St. v. Nebraska
ESPNU 35, 235 MS 37 ESPNU 35, 235 BTN 147
Chris Carlson/AP Photo
JIM FURYK, RIGHT, TALKS TO TIGER WOODS during preparation for the Ryder Cup on Tuesday at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill.
5 p.m. 6:30p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
Cable
THURSDAY Pro Football
Time
Net
Cable
Cleveland v. Baltimore 7 p.m.
NFL
154,230
College Football
Net
Cable
Time
Morgan St. v. N.C. A&T 6:30p.m. ESPNU 35, 235 Stanford v. Washington 8 p.m. ESPN 33, 233 Baseball
Time
Cubs v. Colorado TBA
2 p.m. WGN 6 p.m. MLB
Net
16 155,242
WNBA Basketball
Time
Cable
Playoff game Playoff game
7 p.m. ESPN2 34, 234 9 p.m. ESPN2 34, 234
Net
Cable
College Soccer
Time
Net
Cable
Penn St. v. Ohio St.
7 p.m.
BTN
147
PRO HOCKEY
NHL talks to resume Friday TORONTO — The NHL and its players’ union are to resume bargaining Friday for the first time since the lockout began, although the talks will concentrate on secondary economic issues. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly and NHL Players’ Association special counsel Steve Fehr met Tuesday in Toronto and set up the session, which will be in New York. These will be the first formal negotiations since Sept. 12, when the players and owners exchanged proposals. The lockout started Sept. 16, when training camps were to open.
Clemson .............................91â „2 ........... BOSTON COLLEGE Louisiana Tech ................21â „2 ............................. VIRGINIA Ohio ......................................24 ............. MASSACHUSETTS Ball St ....................................1 ................................. KENT ST NORTH CAROLINA ............24 .................................... Idaho NORTHWESTERN ............... 12 ................................. Indiana PURDUE ............................... 16 ............................... Marshall WAKE FOREST .....................3....................................... Duke South Carolina ................. 21 ........................... KENTUCKY AIR FORCE .......................... 15 ........................ Colorado St Tcu .............................17 ........................... SMU NORTHERN ILLINOIS ........10.............. Central Michigan Ucla .......................................20 ......................... COLORADO San Jose St ......................21â „2 ................................... NAVY Oregon ................................29 .............. WASHINGTON ST Texas ....................... 21â „2 .......... OKLAHOMA ST TEXAS A&M .......................131â „2........................... Arkansas WEST VIRGINIA ....... 121â „2 ...................... Baylor MICHIGAN ST ......................3.................................. Ohio St GEORGIA ............................131â „2........................ Tennessee CALIFORNIA .........................2............................ Arizona St ARIZONA ...............................3............................. Oregon St ALABAMA ............................ 31 .......................... Mississippi Miami-Ohio ........................51â „2 ................................ AKRON CENTRAL FLORIDA ............3................................ Missouri EAST CAROLINA ...............41â „2 ..................................... Utep MIAMI-FLORIDA ..................3.............................. N.C. State Florida St ............................ 17 ................ SOUTH FLORIDA WESTERN MICHIGAN ...... 11â „2 ................................. Toledo Nevada ................................20 ............................ TEXAS ST Louisville ..........................101â „2.............. SOUTHERN MISS NEW MEXICO ST .................4................ Tex San Antonio NEBRASKA .......................... 13 ............................ Wisconsin
THE QUOTE h#AN YOU BELIEVE $OLPHINS WIDE RECEIVER "RIAN (ARTLINE ACTUALLY IMPLIED THAT 4IM 4EBOW HAS DONE NOTHING TO EARN ALL OF THE MEDIA ATTENTION AND HAD THE AUDACITY TO COMPARE THE 'ATOR GREAT TO +IM +ARDASHIAN 1UESTION "RIAN WHO 3ERIOUSLY A NO NAME $OLPHINS WIDE RECEIVER QUESTIONING 4EBOW S FOOTBALL CREDENTIALS 4HIS WOULD BE LIKE "ARNEY &IFE QUESTIONING THE GUNMANSHIP OF -ATT $ILLON v — Mike Bianchi, in the Orlando Sentinel
LATEST LINE NFL Favorite ............ Points (O/U) ........... Underdog Thursday BALTIMORE .....................13 (43) ....................... Cleveland Sunday New England ................. 4 (52) .......................... BUFFALO DETROIT ........................... 5 (47) ....................... Minnesota ATLANTA ......................... 7 (49) ........................... Carolina San Francisco ...............4 (40)............................ NY JETS KANSAS CITY ..........1 (44) ............... San Diego HOUSTON ........................12 (45) ..................... Tennessee Seattle ...........................21â „2 (39)....................... ST. LOUIS ARIZONA .......................... 6 (39) ................................ Miami DENVER .........................61â „2 (48).......................... Oakland Cincinnati .....................21â „2 (43)............ JACKSONVILLE GREEN BAY ...................71â „2 (54)................. New Orleans TAMPA BAY .................... 3 (48) .................... Washington PHILADELPHIA ............... 2 (46) ......................... NY Giants Monday DALLAS ............................ 4 (42) ............................ Chicago Bye Week: Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. NCAA FOOTBALL Favorite ............ Points (O/U) ........... Underdog Thursday Stanford .......................... 7 (49) ................. WASHINGTON Friday BYU .................................271â „2 (51) ............................ Hawaii Saturday a-Virginia Tech ..................7............................. Cincinnati CONNECTICUT .................171â „2................................ Buffalo ILLINOIS .............................. 11â „2 ................................ Penn St IOWA ....................................61â „2 ......................... Minnesota Texas Tech ............... 21â „2 .................... IOWA ST
SEABURY ACADEMY
Tulsa ..................................... 14 ............. ALA-BIRMINGHAM UTAH ST ............................171â „2..................................... Unlv Houston ...............................5........................................ RICE Boise St ...............................26 ...................... NEW MEXICO FRESNO ST ........................71â „2 .................... San Diego St Western Kentucky .........21â „2 .................. ARKANSAS ST Troy .....................................91â „2 ............ SOUTH ALABAMA UL-LAFAYETTE ...................6........................... Florida Intl North Texas ......................61â „2 ......... FLORIDA ATLANTIC GEORGIA TECH ................271â „2 ............... Middle Tenn St UL-Monroe .......................171â „2.............................. TULANE a-at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. MLB Favorite .................. Odds ................. Underdog National League SAN DIEGO ..................... Even-6 .................... LA Dodgers PHILADELPHIA ..................6-7....................... Washington CINCINNATI ....................51â „2-61â „2 ..................... Milwaukee NY METS ......................... Even-6 ...................... Pittsburgh ATLANTA ........................51â „2-61â „2 .............................. Miami St. Louis .............................8-9............................ HOUSTON COLORADO .....................51â „2-61â „2 ............... Chicago Cubs SAN FRANCISCO ..........61â „2-71â „2 ........................... Arizona American League NY Yankees .....................9-10....................... MINNESOTA BALTIMORE ....................81â „2-91â „2 .......................... Toronto DETROIT ................... 7-8 .............. Kansas City Tampa Bay .................... Even-6 ........................... BOSTON TEXAS ..................................6-7............................... Oakland CHI WHITE SOX .............61â „2-71â „2 ...................... Cleveland LA ANGELS ........................6-7................................. Seattle Home Team in CAPS (c) 2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
TODAY IN SPORTS 1961 — New York Yankee Roger Maris ties Babe Ruth’s 34-year-old record with his 60th homer, off Jack Fisher of Baltimore. 1981 — Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros becomes the first player to pitch five no-hit, no-run games. This one is a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Astrodome. 1981 — Kelvin Bryant of North Carolina rushes for 173 yards and scores four touchdowns in a 56-14 victory over Boston College, giving him 15 touchdowns over the last three games, an NCAA record. 2004 — Peyton Manning of Indianapolis passes for 393 yards and five first-half touchdowns in a 45-31 win over Green Bay. Manning has the most TD throws in one half since Tommy Kramer in 1986, and the most yards in a quarter, 247, since Boomer Esiason in 1996. 2010 — Denver’s Kyle Orton passes for a career-best 476 yards on 37-of-57 passing in a 27-13 loss to Indianapolis.
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