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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1995)
: : i - • . Sports Tuesday, February 28,1995 Page 12 • . ■ ___._____— School officials discuss Big 12 operations KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Ath letic directors and administrators will meet for two days in Kansas City this week to review the many issues still to be resolved by the Big 12 Confer ence. The presidents of the schools, who will make the ultimate decisions on major issues, will not attend. A spokesman said the meetings today and Wednesday wbuld focus on re ports from subcommittees that have been studying revenue distribution, scheduling, academic requirements, championship locations and a Big 12 football playoff game. The subcommittees won’t neces sarily have final recommendations. The Big 12, which has still not hired a commissioner, plans to begin busi ness officially on July 1, 1996. “Above all, we’ve got to work to make decisions that are in the best interests of the conference,” said Missouri athletic director Joe Castiglione. “That has to clearly re main our focus. We need to build the engine and the interior'before we decide what color to paint this new car.” Nevertheless, signs of tension have been growing between the original Big Eight schools and the four new comers from Texas — Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Baylor and Texas. Many officials in the Big Eight are miffed at talk coming out of Texas that the Big 12 offices could be headquar tered in Dallas. Since 1907, the Big Eight and its precursors have been located in Kan sas City. Kansas basketball coach Roy Wil liams noted his displeasure recently when asked about Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick being a candi date for Big 12 commissioner. “I don’t want him to leave. But if he does get the job, I think he will remember we were the Big Eight and we were doing pretty doggone well,” Williams said. “And we invited these four schools to come in. Now I read that it seems like we were the ones who were suffering, and those four Texas schools with their great care sort of took us in.’It’s hard for me to understand how that happened. “We’re going to move the NCAA office, the Big 12 office, the offi cials’ office, the BCA office, the Alvamar Golf Association office down to Texas because that’s the only place left in the United States of “We’re going to move the NCAA office ... down to Texas. I get sick of hearing that garbage. ” ■ ROY WILLIAMS KU men's basketball coach America. I get sick of hearing that garbage.” Big 8 tourney key to team’s NCAA plans By Derek Samson Senior Reporter Nebraska’s NCAA Tournament chances may depend on the Big Eight Tournament, Nebraska guard Jaron Boone said. The threat of participating in their first National Invitational Tournament could be enough for the Huskers to finish the season strong, Boone said. “It’s something we can thrive on,” Boone said. “We have to get some confidence, win the last two games and then go do something pretty big in the Big Eight Tournament.” Last Wednesday Nebraska traveled to Mis souri, then 18-4, and came away with a 78-75 upset of the Tigers, snapping the Comhuskers’ three-game losing streak. Three days later, the Huskers allowed Colo rado to get its first Big Eight road win in its past 29 tries as the Buffaloes upset Nebraska 80-74 Saturday. The loss to Colorado, which Nebraska coach Danny Nee said was especially tough to take after beating Missouri, might keep the Huskers from making their fifth-straight NCAA Tour nament appearance. “I felt we were turning the comer, trying to be real positive and get some wins,” Nee said. “The circumstances are just not there.” Nebraska dropped to 17-10 overall and 4-8 in the Big Eight, with two games remaining— Wednesday at Kansas State and Sunday against Iowa State in Lincoln — before the Big Eight Tournament. “They’re all must-wins,” Nee said. “Ifyou ’re going to go to the NCAAs, they’re all must wins. We have 17, and I think we need 19 or 20 for sure. You can call them whatever you want, but these are dam important games.” But the loss to Colorado might be what it takes to put Nebraska in the NIT rather than the NCAA Tournament. Boone said it took a comment from Travis Heying/DN Nebraska coach Danny Nee had his players back at practice Monday. “If you’re going to go to the NCAAs, they’re all must wins. We have 17, ana I think we need 19 or 20 for sure,” Nee said. Colorado’s Keith Higgins to make him believe that the NIT might be a reality. “Everybody is hungry because we want to get to the NCAAs, especially now,” Boone said. “Higgins came up to me after the game, and he kind of hurt my pride. He said T guess we’ll be seeing you in the NIT.’ I’ve never been to the NIT since I’ve been here. Maybe he was being realistic, I don’t know.” Center Chris Sallee, who is in his first year with Nebraska, said he had no doubts about Nebraska’s chances. “I think we’ll definitely get in,” Sallee said. “I think we’ll win our last two games and win a couple games in the Big Eight Tournament. I would be disappointed if we didn’t. I want to win the last two games and be the first team to repeat as Big Eight Tournament champions.” After starting the season 14-3, Nebraska has lost seven of its last 10 games. Boone said Nebraska had to find a way to play like it did during its 96-91 overtime win over Michigan State in December if it wanted to make a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. U-Haul, Garden Weasel head forfield of dreams I tell you, babies, law school is for chumps. Let me quickly enumerate the deficiencies of this dork haven for you. • No salad bar • Professors tend to not refer to me by my surname and instead call me “rat-boy” / • All the friggin’ karaoke (and hardly any of that is Pat Benatar) • Frankly, there ain’t enough love in the world to sustain 500 students AND two deans. Behind these oh-so valid reasons. I’d like to announce my exodus from the College of Law and simultaneously declare my intent on becoming a replacement player for the St. Louis Cardinals. Now I know the conventional thinkers among my vast readership may be saying, “Hey Beau, how can you toss aside a perfectly good career for one with obviously no future?” . . Or, “Hey Beau, you’re living m the past. You haven’t played ball for 14 years.” Or even, “Hey, Beau, what the hell is with your hair in that picture?” Well, I’ve heard the criticism, donned a lid and silenced the critics. This is about something that perhaps few of you can understand. To borrow the immortal words from Lionel Ritchie: I have a dream, I have an awesome dream. Anyway, I have dreamt of playing professional baseball for the last 18 —uh, well, days — but don’t let the brevity of my fantasy fool you, I’m serious about it. Here’s the plan: Tomorrow (or whenever I can get it cleared with my probation officer) I will pack the U-Haul, attach it to my scooter, grab Mookie — my pet gerbil, confidant and newly appointed Secretary General to the United Nations — and take off for St. Louis. Once I get to the land of the Gateway Arch, I shall immediately Beau Finley report to one of the spring-training sites and proceed to make my presence felt — that’s right, I’ve decided not to shower. Hey, I figure not having picked up a glove for 14 years could put me in a position to be creative in gaining the attention of die coaches. But fret not sensitive-nose people, as soon as I make the team, I will resume my personal hygiene habits — whatever those are. There is only one problem with all this, however. What is Mook going to do while I’m playing? But I’ve actually figured this one out. He can join the grounds crew. He would be a GARDEN WEASEL. You get it? Just like in the infomercials — Garden Weasel — he’d be gardening, and he’s sort of like a weasel — you get it? Screw it, it was a terrible joke. My life has no meaning, and my hair looks goofy. Yet I must forge on. I figure I’ve got my place in the national pastime. I mean, what team wouldn’t want an under-experienced, out-of shape, neurotic first baseman who hangs out with rodents and looks stunningly like Don King? Um, uh oh. Nebraska women’s golf update: The Husker Hackers now have a court order that prohibits me from writing about them or from being within a 100-yard radius of any of the players’ homes. But I’m not going to let the law deter me from enlightening you, my vast readership, as to the continuing saga that is NU women’s golf. As I assume you all are aware, junior sensation Heidi Wall has been threatening for some time now that she’ll leave the squad and join the professional women’s bowling tour. This journalist, and I use that term excruciatingly loosely, has learned that these rumors shall come to fruition, and she will indeed turn pro. Her bowling debut will be on April 24 in the prestigious Gerald Ford/Chili Bomb Invitational held in some small Tennessee town that has yet to be announced. When asked as to the impetus behind her sports-career change, Wall simply responded by singing Lionel Ritchie. Yes — talented woman and friggin’ articulate to boot. Flaky Is a second-year law stadeat and a Dally Nebraskan sports colanudst
