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WWW.KANSAS.COM/SPORTS SPORTS SATURDAY

APRIL 25, 2009
1D

Pioli is Freeman
willing
to take
On NFL Draft day, could be
the man
chances
„ The Chiefs’ new GM
has shaken up Kansas
talent trumps all J ... or not
osh Freeman will probably
join a rare club today. He’s
likely to become a first-
round NFL draft pick.
City’s roster and is likely
to keep making moves Pro teams can’t resist Since the first year of the
draft in 1967, 83 college quar-
terbacks have been taken in the
during this weekend’s
draft. Freeman’s obvious skills first round. Some have been
good, some bad and some ugly.
There have been five years in
BY ADAM TEICHER BY JEFFREY MARTIN which a quar-
Kansas City Star The Wichita Eagle terback was-
n’t taken in

I
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — From t’s July 2006, and Kansas State president Jon the first
the drafting of a college backup Wefald and athletic director Tim Weiser are round. There
quarterback named Matt sitting in the university’s student union. was one year,
Cassel to a daring deal for a The hire of basketball coach Bob Huggins is 1983, in
moody wide receiver in Randy just a few months old, and excitement is build- which six
Moss to Thursday’s unpopular
trade of Tony Gonzalez, Scott
ing for Ron Prince’s first football season as Bill
Snyder’s successor. The topic of discussion is BOB were select-
ed. Three of
Pioli’s approach to player the heightened state of recruiting in both programs. them (John
moves can be
summed up
Huggins might not just land several NBA-quality
players, but top draft picks, too, prospects who could
LUTZ Elway, Jim
Kelly and Dan
in one word:
bold.
depart Manhattan after a year or two. A suggestion is
made to not overlook Prince’s clout, especially after
COMMENTARY Marino) went
on to Hall of
That’s two weeks into the job he convinced heralded Fame careers.
something to Grandview, Mo., quarterback Josh Freeman to back Two quarterbacks —
remember as out of his commitment to Nebraska and become a Georgia’s Matt Stafford and
Pioli, former- Wildcat. Because if Freeman is everything he’s sup- USC’s Mark Sanchez — are
ly the top per- posed to be — a four-star Rivals recruit, the No. 4 projected to be among today’s
sonnel assis- pro-style quarterback in the country — he, too, might first five picks. Stafford will go
Pioli tant to Bill not exhaust his college eligibility. No. 1 to the Detroit Lions and
Belichick at Wefald, the university’s unabashed No. 1 athletic apparently there are a bunch of
New England, embarks today supporter, can’t believe his ears. teams falling over themselves
on his first draft as Chiefs gen- “Is he that good? Do you think there’s a chance?” trying to move up to choose
eral manager. This Chiefs draft Sanchez.
probably won’t go as anyone Please see FREEMAN, Page 4D Kansas State’s Freeman,
outside the tight circle of team whose big body and rocket arm
officials predicts. make him an appealing possi-
“The Patriots really don’t bility, is expected to be drafted
care what other people think,” by either the New York Jets
NFL Network draft analyst with the No. 17 pick or by
Mike Mayock said. “They Tampa Bay at No. 19.
define value as players that are Since quarterbacks are the
going to help them. What the most important players in foot-
Patriots have done better than ball, every organization is look-
90 percent of the teams is ing for the Next Big Thing.
define what is value for them, The Lions, for instance, are
their scheme.” coming off a winless season
It follows that Pioli will season. They don’t have any-
bring the same philosophy to thing close to a proven quarter-
Kansas City. The Chiefs have back. So, even though there are
already seen some of that, legitimate doubts about
including the trade with Stafford, the Lions have been
New England for Cassel, the almost forced to take him
signing of several over-30 play- because, well, he’s a quarter-
ers who turn the youth move- back.
ment on its head, and then the Sanchez is also taking advan-
trade that sent Gonzalez to tage of quarterback jitters
Atlanta. among NFL general managers
Clearly, Pioli isn’t merely
searching for something he Please see LUTZ, Page 4D
can’t define and isn’t content to
take whatever players come his
way. He has a plan and sticks NFL DRAFT
to it. When: Today-Sunday
“Obviously, Scott has been Where: Radio City Music Hall,
in New England for the past New York.
Today’s TV: ESPN, NFL (3-8 p.m.);
Please see CHIEFS, Page 4D ESPN2, NFL (8-10 p.m.)

CHIEFS DRAFT PICKS INSIDE

First round: Pick 3 (3) Detroit will
take quarter-
Second round: Pick 3 (67) back Matthew
Fourth round: Pick 2 (102) Stafford with the
Fifth round: Pick 3 (139) first pick. He
Sixth round: Pick 2 (175) agreed to a
Seventh round: Pick 3 (212); six-year deal for
*Pick 47 (256) Stafford $41.7 million
*Compensatory selection Friday night, 4D.
File photo

ON THE CLOCK: 1. Detroit ... 2. St. Louis ... 3. Kansas City ... 4. Seattle ... 5. Cleveland ... 6. Cincinnati ... 7. Oakland ... 8. Jacksonville ... 9. Green Bay ... 10. San Francisco

Rain leaves WSU in limbo Failure didn’t slow down Franchitti

BY PAUL SUELLENTROP
The Wichita Eagle
WATERLOO, Iowa —
Weather will keep Wichita
State’s eight-game losing
streak alive for at least a few
more hours.
The Shockers led Friday’s
game against Northern Iowa
7-5 entering the sixth inning.
The threat of rain and hail
halted the game at 8:19 p.m.
The rain held off for more
than an hour. When the water
started, it didn’t stop. Two tor-
rential bursts hit the
Riverfront Stadium field and
forced postponement at 9:57.
The teams will resume the
game at 2 p.m. today. The reg-
ularly scheduled game will
follow.
WSU (20-20, 5-5 Missouri
Valley Conference) had the
game in control with one of its
best offensive displays in
recent weeks. The Shockers
scored three runs in the first
inning and led 7-2 entering
the bottom of the fifth.
WSU is trying to snap an
eight-game losing streak, the
program’s longest since the
1970 team lost nine straight.
As it has often this season,
weather intervened. The fore-
cast for today is not promis-
ing. It calls for a 70 percent
chance of rain. It drops to
Please see WSU, Page 3D
WICHITA STATE AT
NORTHERN IOWA
When: 2 p.m. today, com-
pletion of suspended game
followed by scheduled game
Where: Riverfront Stadium
Records: WSU 20-20,
5-5 MVC; UNI 15-22, 3-12
Pitchers: WSU, RH
Jordan Cooper (5-4, 2.53
ERA); UNI, RH Derek Ott
(2-4, 5.44)
Radio: KNSS, 1330-AM
TV: None
BY COLE YOUNG
Kansas City Star
KANSAS
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — When Dario
SPEEDWAY
Franchitti looks back at this weekend a Today
year ago, he can’t help but consider how 12:45 p.m.: Truck
series qualifying
much his career has changed.
The current IndyCar point leader enters 2 p.m.: IndyCar quali-
the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 on
Sunday at Kansas Speedway riding the
fying
3:30 p.m.: Indy Lights
momentum of last weekend’s win at Long qualifying
Beach, Calif., and a fresh perspective on 5 p.m.: Trucks:
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250
his career.
Wind the clock back to April 26, 2008,
Sunday
though, and things really couldn’t have Noon: Indy Lights:
been much different. Kansas Lottery 100
Franchitti was in his first season as a 4 p.m.: IndyCar: Road
NASCAR driver, running races in both the Associated Press Runner Turbo Indy 300
Sprint Cup Series as well as the Dario Franchitti is back on
Nationwide Series, when he suffered a the IndyCar circuit after a „øParking lots open
frustrating season driving a at 7 a.m. each day;
Please see INDYCAR, Page 2D Sprint Cup Series car. gates open at 9 a.m.