MLB: Royals losing streak hits five with loss to Rockies. 3B
SPORTS
#WINNING Abby Wambach (20) and Heather O’Reilly led the United States to a 3-0 victory over Colombia in the Women’s World Cup. Page 2B.
FOR EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL
B
LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD ● LJWorld.com/sports ● Sunday, July 3, 2011
(785) 843-9211
TOUR OF LAWRENCE
On your mark, get set...
Tom Keegan tkeegan@ljworld.com
Golfing tips: the sequel Seven weeks ago, in an attempt to increase the quality of golf in Lawrence and thereby speed up play, I shared tips accumulated the past 40 years and suggested incorporating them all into one swing. Although the column no doubt enriched the golf experience of several local players, it wasn’t thorough enough, didn’t include nuances that apply to golfers of certain body types and mental-fortitude levels. These all have been attained since moving to Lawrence six years ago and should only be read by those with thick enough skin to handle the truth. The last thing anyone needs is an apologist. If after every horrendous shot a playing partner tells you, “That’s OK, you were just unlucky. Hit another one and we won’t count it,” don’t ever play with that person again. Confront your golf demons. Don’t deny their existence. Before moving to Lawrence, I never competed in a league, a four-ball match or an individual medal-play tournament, all of which I’ve come to enjoy in this great golf town. During those events, I’ve received tips I’ll share. At the start of the second day of a particularly enjoyable annual tournament, as we were leaving the putting clock, my partner slammed the brakes on the golf cart, turned to me and informed, “There’s a long history of people choking on Sunday in this tournament. The last thing we need you to do today is to fall apart. So if you feel yourself getting nervous, just let me know.” Later in the day, while digging my way to China with divots that faced left of third base, diagnostic advice was offered. “You’re moving your chin forward,” my partner informed. “Keep your chin still. That’s your panic move. You’re in a tournament, so you’re panicking. Half the battle is recognizing when you’re panicking. The other half is knowing what to do about it. You need to recognize the signs. If you think about it, your chest is probably tightening. Your throat probably feels like it’s closing up. You’re probably having a difficult time swallowing. It’s important to recognize the signs so that you’ll know you’re panicking.” I so badly wanted to feel tightness in my chest, swelling in my throat. Instead, nothing. I so badly wanted to blame my performance on choking because the alternative — a complete and utter lack of talent — was too depressing, too final a sentence. Oh well, any bad golfer is just a good tip away from improving. Lucky me, one was just around the corner. “They say you’re supposed to start your down swing with your hips,” he said. “That’s the right thing to do with an elastic guy like me, but for a real inflexible guy like you, it’s not the right thing. If you think about it, big guys who are your size and are good golfers, every one of them has an all-arms swing. You’re trying to use your body. It never works with real big guys.” The next summer, the night before a tournament, I informed my partner that I had the greens down pat, was putting really well and would not need any help reading them. “You might think you’re a good putter, but tomorrow, when your (sphincter) is this big (simulates the eye of a needle), you won’t be a good putter,” he said, so vividly seeing the future.
John Young/Journal-World Photos
PARTICIPANTS LINE UP FOR THE START of the Tour of Lawrence’s Kansas University campus circuit race. Lawrence resident Joe Schmalz won the event on Saturday in Lawrence.
...race. Lawrence resident takes men’s title By Clark Goble Journal-World Sports Writer
After settling for second place in last year’s Tour of Lawrence Kansas University campus circuit race, Lawrence resident Joe Schmalz desperately wanted to seize the title Saturday. For a majority of the race, it appeared Schmalz, trailing Jonathan Jacob by over a minute with seven laps to go, would fall short for the second straight year. But thanks to a late charge headed by Elbowz Racing teammates Mat Stephens and Heath Blackgrove, Schmalz worked his way into
the lead on the second-to-last lap and held off the field for the victory. He was quick to point to his riding partners after the race, the secTOUR OF ond leg of the LAWRENCE Tour of Lawrence. “Heath rode What: Downtown like 10 men today,” Criterium Schmalz said. “He When: Noon today was keeping me Where: Ninth and calm every time I’d get excited. Massachusetts Every time we needed to do it, he was there covering stuff. It was brilliant.” The men’s professional riders
had to complete 14 laps of the 3.93mile course that started at Budig Hall, weaved through most of campus and finished back at Budig. Jacob held a big lead for most of the race, but fell off the pace toward the end, leaving the door open for Schmalz and his teammates. Schmalz grabbed the late lead on a stretch by Memorial Stadium and maintained tempo until the finish. When riding by the stadium, Schmalz noticed that none of the other riders in the main pack wanted to ride in front. He decided to JONATHAN JACOB LEADS a group (Joseph Schmalz behind in blue) in the seize the reins. KU campus circuit race. Schmalz made Please see TOUR, page 4B a late charge and won the event.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
KU coach Self: Nix one-and-done rule By Gary Bedore gbedore@ljworld.com
“
I’d say leave out of high school or stay three years in college.” — KU coach Bill Self
If Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self had his way, the NBA’s next collective bargaining agreement would include an alteration of the socalled “one-and-done rule.” It’s the rule that requires players to be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school before they can enter the NBA Draft. This rule has led to a batch of players, including KU’s Xavier Henry and Josh Selby, attending college one year, then bolting for the pros. “I’d say leave (for NBA) out of high school or stay three years in
stay on campus for those who don’t declare for the draft following high school graduation. Kansas has had two players in “I don’t like what is in place the last two years bolt for the now. It’s not because we’ve had NBA after their first year: two one-and-dones the last two years. Some people have had more. I don’t think what we have is fair to the kid. We say, ‘Come here to get a degree and help us win, and in turn, when the time is right, we’ll support any decision you make.’ That’s what we’ll say whether it’s one year or two years. The mind-set some kids have coming in is they can be a Xavier Henry Josh Selby one-and-done guy. I can understand that. It’s the landscape of college,” said Self, who would where we live and what we do, settle for a two-year minimum but it’s not the way it should be.
GOOD RULE?
“It should be kids go to school first, and after they go to school and the time is right, they should be able to jump. I think making them stay a minimum of two would def initely help that cause.” Self doesn’t begrudge those rare players with NBA-ready bodies and skills the right to make millions of dollars in lieu of college. “I wish there was some committee saying, ‘OK, if this kid is thought to be a certain pick, then he would be allowed to go,’” Self said. “There wouldn’t be bad decisions. Then after that, I wish Please see SELF, page 4B
LHS graduate Hooper excited for homecoming By Matt Tait mtait@ljworld.com
When former big-leaguer and 1995 Lawrence High graduate Kevin Hooper takes his Wichita Wingnuts on the road, he expects the opposing crowd to be rooting against him. When the Wingnuts, a member of minor-league baseball’s American Association, take on the Kansas City T-Bones at 7:05 tonight at CommunityAmerica
Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan., Hooper’s hoping to hear a few more cheers the road WICHITA VS. for team. T-BONES “I’m excited about it,” said When: 7:05 tonight Hooper of his team’s first trip Where: Kansas to K.C. since City, Kan. the T-Bones joined the American Association this season. “It’s a chance for me to get back close to home.
That park’s a 30-minute drive from the house. It’s gonna be fun. I’m hoping I’ll get to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in a while.” Now in his third season as manager of the Wingnuts, Hooper fully has settled into life as a manager. It wasn’t that long ago that the former Wichita State standout spent most days of the year preparing his body for the grind of back-to-back days of baseball on an almost year-round
basis. Now, the preparation is a lot different. “You gotta find that routine like you did as a player,” Hooper said. “But now my body doesn’t have to be ready to play nine innings. I just have to be mentally ready to manage nine innings.” So which is more difficult, lacHooper played for ing up the cleats and playing in the smoldering sun or calling the Lawrence High and Wichita State shots from the dugout? before coaching Please see HOOPER, page 4B the Wingnuts