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Defender on the attack: Barry Rice takes aim at conference crown | Page B2
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 Page B1
SPORTS & FEATURES
Unfinished business
RUNNING BACK PREVIEW
UK volleyball looks to new horizons in ‘09 By Metz Camfield mcamfield@kykernel.com
Senior fullback John Conner makes a catch against South Carolina at Commonwealth Stadium last year.
STAFF FILE PHOTO
Fullback Conner blazes way for success of team By Ben Jones bjones@kykernel.com
Just because John Conner shares a backfield with UK’s star tailbacks doesn’t mean he gets any of the accolades. Conner, UK’s senior fullback, has made a career of paving the way for others’ success. “I just try to do my job to the best of my abilities,” Conner said. “I know fullbacks don’t get a lot of glory, so I just try to have fun with it and do what I do.” What Conner does is bulldoze opposing defenders to clear a path for his tailbacks. He’s a 5-foot-11, 240-pound steamroller who must sacrifice his body so his teammates can miss one more defender or gain one more yard, especially in short-yardage situations. Conner came to UK as a walk-on but slowly worked his way up and broke into the starting lineup part-time
“Conner is a guy that is a solid
football player. Running, catching, blocking, never really complains about anything. Just does his job and does it, to my mind, as well as any fullback in the country.” RICH BROOKS UK head coach
in 2007. He started 11 games last year and developed into perhaps the best blocking back in the Southeastern Conference. He’s also a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. “Conner is a guy that just is a solid football player,” UK head coach Rich Brooks said. “Running, catching, blocking, never really complains about
anything. Just does his job and does it, to my mind, as well as any fullback in the country.” He’s still relatively unknown, but that’s no surprise considering he has 23 career attempts for 89 yards on the ground over the last three years. Nicknamed “The Terminator” by teammates, Conner will likely still have to earn his due without too many touches. “You know, sometimes you can feel like (you’re underrated),” Conner said. “But as long as I’m helping the team out and we’re doing well as a team, that’s all I’m worried about. “At the same time, it’s some motivation to get out there and get some respect.” Running behind Conner will be senior tailback Alfonso Smith, a gamebreaker who has been spectacular in spurts. Smith’s speed and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield give See Conner on page B2
The UK volleyball team has one thing on their mind: winning the Southeastern Conference Championship. In 2008, the Cats only had to win their regular season finale at home against Tennessee and they would have accomplished their goal and won their first SEC Championship since 1988. The Cats came up short in the finale though, and the Florida Gators were crowned champions for the 18th straight year. “We are coming in with a chip on our shoulder; little bit of unfinished business,” senior setter Sarah Rumely said. “All spring and summer we’ve been training really hard. Everyone’s been here working hard at six in the morning every day. Preseason has been at a different level than it ever has been in the past since I’ve been here. There’s definitely a different focus and mentality on the court that hasn’t been here before.” Under the watch of UK head coach Craig Skinner, the program has advanced steadily since his arrival. After taking over a team with a losing record, Skinner has turned the program around. The Cats have earned NCAA Tournament invites in each of his four years at the helm, a first for the program. In his tenure though, the Cats have never advanced past the second round of the tournament, another goal for the new team. With heightened expectations come heightened standards to which the team is holding themselves. Junior outside hitter Sarah Mendoza pointed to practice saying the competitive level of this year’s team trumps years past and it’s difficult to get kills against each other. Skinner said the depth was the best he’s had while at UK and that the team is both physically talented and gifted competitively. “I really think this team is driven,” Skinner said. “Regardless of what happened last year I just think they’re very competitive and I think they don’t ever want to settle for mediocre practice, mediocre performance and mediocre effort to represent the name on the jersey.” Helping the Cats reach their goal will be another highly regarded recruiting class. New to the team are outside hitter Whitney Billings, middle blocker Alexandra Morgan and defensive specialist and libero Stephanie Klefot. Normally it takes time for the freshmen to adapt to collegiate volleyball and get up to pace. As Skinner and Mendoza said though, the athleticism of this group will allow some of them to find time on the court quickly. For Rumely, the reigning SEC Player of the Year, the motivation of winning that elusive SEC Championship remains the same, but the leadership aspect steps up a notch. In Skinner’s opinion, that job won’t be very difficult. “(She brings) everything from competitiveness, to work ethic, to just being an extremely driven person,” Skinner said. “I think when her teammates are around her – most of them are that same way also – but they don’t want to let each other down and I think Sarah leads by example in that area and her performance on the court usually reflects that.” The Cats will begin the new season in a spot where See Volleyball on page B6
PHOTO BY ADAM WOLFFBRANDT | STAFF
Sarah Rumely sets the ball during a UK volleyball practice. Rumely is the reigning SEC Player of the Year.
Kentucky native to perform during Comedy Caravan who will be performing Wednesday night in the Cat’s Den. In his first performance Will Hardesty became a stand-up comedian because 12 years ago, Hardesty pracit was the only thing he felt ticed until he had his routine down to three minutes of he could do. “Honestly, I’m not sure tight material. When it came if it’s something I ever de- to his actual debut, the roucided on,” Hardesty said. “I tine only took one minute kind of discovered I was and 46 seconds. “I was so nervous, I just fairly good at (stand-up) and I liked it. I have no other rushed the whole thing,” he said. “I went, ‘I’m done,’ skills, so that helps.” But in the beginning, and just walked off stage. I stand-up comedy didn’t said, ‘This is going to be come easy for Hardesty, more work than I thought it was going to be.’ ” Since his first performPHOTO COURTESY OF WILL HARDESTY ance, Hardesty has worked Kentucky native and comedian Will Hardesty will be visiting to become a better comediUK’s campus on Wednesday as an, even placing second in a part of the Cat’s Den Comedy San Francisco comedy comCaravan series. petition, which he said was his most memorable perBy Megan Hurt
mhurt@kykernel.com
formance. “That was the first big thing that happened to me. It was extraordinarily exciting,” he said. Hardesty, a Kentucky native, has also had some bad performances, including one where his material was not welcome in a conservative town in West Virginia. “They were not digging me,” he said. “It was the only time I thought it was going to get violent. I just walked off stage and went home.” Hardesty said he tries to use his stand-up to make a comment about the human condition, and he likes discussing the topics people are not supposed to talk about. “I will be talking (at UK) about all the big stuff,
like religion and politics. I also mostly talk about me, about how I feel about things. I try not to talk about things I don’t know, so I end up mostly talking about myself,” he said. Like most comedians, what Hardesty wants to accomplish with his stand-up is to entertain his audience. “I would like for them to worship me as a god, but that has never happened, so I’m not expecting it,” he said. “But if people have fun, then I did the right thing.” Hardesty will perform his stand-up comedy at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Cat’s Den as part of the weekly Comedy Caravan series. The event is free and open to the public.!
PAGE B2 | Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Senior captain, Defender of the Year wants to add championship to resume By Clark Brooks sports@kykernel.com
With three highly productive seasons under his belt, senior defender Barry Rice has become one of the most memorable UK soccer players in recent history. Rice burst onto the scene as a freshman, totaling seven points with one goal and five assists and earning Conference USA All-Freshman honors. During Rice’s sophomore year, the Parma, Ohio, native led an injury-plagued UK team in minutes, game winners, points and goals, and was voted First Team AllConference and First Team National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Region as well as earning CUSA Defensive Player of the Year honors. “After my second year, teams started to scout and game plan around me when we ran set pieces,” Rice said. “It definitely has made getting open more difficult.” Going into last season, Rice was elected as a team captain along with midfielder Jason Griffiths and keeper Dan Williams. In addition, Rice was named preseason third-team All-America. “Barry has intensity and a great positive energy,” UK head coach Ian Collins said. “His enthusiasm always adds onto the other players, which creates a high performance level. He’s a dominant defender who always leads by example.” Though his offensive numbers declined last season, Rice solidified his reputation as a dominant defender while anchoring a solid UK squad that won 12 games and was C-USA Tournament RunnerUp. Rice’s physical play made the UK statisticians start recording a new category: contested header opportunities. Rice won 87 percent of contested headers, going 189-218 and becoming the first person to win C-USA Defensive Player of the Year twice. “Since teams have begun
CONNER Continued from page B1 him the tools to be a starting back, but nagging injuries have kept him from becoming a major contributor. He’s never carried the ball more than 74 times in any season. Also looking to stay healthy will be junior tailback Derrick Locke, who may be even more dangerous than Smith if he recovers from last season’s injury. Locke was UK’s leading rusher when he tore two knee ligaments against Arkansas. He has insisted he’ll be ready to go for the season opener, but there will still be plenty of questions surrounding him until he takes his first hit. Whoever ends up getting the majority of the carries this season will be in good hands. Asked if there was any chance he wouldn’t make it in the endzone with John Conner in front of him and one man to beat, Smith said he would be in for a touchdown “unless John Conner tackles me.” Whether Conner is ready to pave the way when the
STAFF FILE PHOTO
Senior defender Barry Rice looks to pass the ball during a UK men’s soccer game last season. Rice is a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, the most prestigious award in men’s college soccer. to double or triple team Barry, other guys are left wideopen,” Collins said. “He gets held and grabbed constantly, making it extra hard for him. But Barry is too good of an athlete for people to contain. He is a terrific passer and always a threat when he has the ball. He is just a special type of player who can affect a game either directly or indirectly because teams always have to be aware of his abilities.” Last year, Rice also became the third All-American in UK history, being named to the second-team All-America by College Soccer News season starts could still be up in the air. Conner sprained an ankle he had previously had surgery on in the team scrimmage on Saturday. His status for the season opener is still unknown. Conner is very close with the rest of his backfield and spends a lot of time outside practice with the other running backs. That relationship can show up on-field when a runner gets a boost of confidence and feels more comfortable with Conner in front of him. “Whenever John Conner is in front of me, I just have this extra battery pack,” Smith said. “I know I’m safe when John Conner is in. I know that he’s going to take the most of a blow and I can get behind him. I know if John Conner’s in there, I got the chance to break a long run and take it to the house.”
PHOTO COURTESY UK ATHLETICS
Senior fullback John Conner helps lead UK’s rushing attack, becoming the lead blocker on most plays between the tackles.
and third-team Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Year. He was also selected first-team All C-USA for the second straight year. “Barry is definitely a great defender,” Williams said. “He makes my job easier as a goalie.” Now, Rice is also in contention with 47 other players from around the nation for the most prestigious award in men’s collegiate soccer, the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy. No player from UK has ever won the award. Though Rice has tallied countless individual awards,
he hasn’t won the one that matters most — a C-USA Championship. Along with Williams, Rice hopes to anchor a stingy Wildcat defense that posted an average 0.81 goals per game last season, ranking 36th in the nation. “All the awards are good and all, but they don’t mean anything unless your team is doing well,” Rice said. “We have been close to winning a conference championship and making the NCAA Tournament a few times, so I believe this year’s team has what it takes to accomplish all of our goals.”
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | PAGE B3
Less bang, more style: Bullet-proof couture By Joel Poelhuis McClatchy Newspapers
MIAMI — Buyers usually want more bang for their buck. But for two clothing companies specializing in bulletproof attire, offering clients less bang and more style is the key. Industry pioneer Miguel Caballero opened his first U.S. location last month after 16 years making bulletproof clothing in Colombia. Miguel Caballero USA, based in Opa-locka, Fla., will handle all domestic sales. Dueling for customers' affections is ANXO, a body armor company based in Los Angeles. It will open an office in Coral Gables, Fla., in September. Both companies offer an array of designer leather jackets, polo shirts and formalwear. ANXO offers Italian tailoring, whereas Miguel Caballero is introducing a new line for women that features cashmere and suede. And the object of their mutual desire? Wealthy Latin American business travelers. Both Caballero and ANXO president Eric Dominguez said Miami offers access to that key customer demographic. Being bulletproof isn't cheap, so a steady supply of well-heeled clientele is essential. An entry-level shirt starts at about $1,000, and prices only go up from there, depending on options customers select. Price also goes up with the level of protection, ranging from shirts that stop small-caliber bullets all the way up to those that can handle fire from submachine guns. So why are the two companies ready for a showdown in Miami, rather than Caracas or Sao Paulo? "Latin American people spend their money in Miami, not in their own countries," joked Caballero in a phone call from Bogota. Besides the romantic allure that Miami offers to South Americans, the city is the perfect location to pick up business from Europe and the rest of the United States as well, according to Miguel Caballero USA manager Julian Rubio.
"Sooner or later everybody stops by Miami," he said. Both companies are also eager to tap the U.S. market. Rubio said he has seen an increase in sales to clients who don't face any specific risks but who feel exposed, such as celebrities. For Dominguez, a main draw has come from wealthy families from New York who wear the bulletproof apparel when traveling abroad. Some in the security industry have their doubts about how much demand there is in the U.S. market for the kind of high-fashion products sold by Caballero and ANXO. "It is not on the minds of too many U.S. businessmen," said John Sexton, president of Sexton Executive Security, which provides security for high-level executives, mostly in the States.
“We don’t recommend it either
way. If it makes the clients feel safer, then it makes sense. If they think there’s a market for it in the U.S., I haven’t seen it.” DAVE ROBINSON
president of Tactical Intelligence International
"We don't recommend it either way. If it makes the clients feel safer, then it makes sense," said Dave Robinson, president of Tactical Intelligence International, an Orlando, Fla., company that provides security for high-level clients worldwide. "If they think there's a market for it in the U.S., I haven't seen it." But a Miami body armor company that has been in the market for more than a decade has seen more demand for bulletproof fashion. Russ Russell, operations manager for Miami-based InterAmerican Security Products, said in the past three years he has seen orders for the company's bulletproof clothing line increase, driven partly by U.S. athletes,
rappers and religious leaders, but mostly by wealthy citizens from South America. Marisha Kelly, spokeswoman for Caballero, said the most popular items in the Miami office are polo shirts and guayaberas, which are light dress shirts. Though the company handles orders over the phone, having a brick-andmorter location is important, Kelly said. "Clients want to see and physically try on the product," she said. Clients who can't arrange to come to the office can try on samples by mail and send them back. Rubio said getting the clothing tailored is important because good tailoring makes the bulletproof padding less obvious to observers. While Caballero and ANXO both have storefronts, neither plans to open at a local mall anytime soon. "If we go to a retail outlet, every Tom, Dick and Harry will want one," Dominguez said. "We try to know who our clients are so (our product) doesn't fall into the hands of drug dealers." Rubio said Miguel Caballero interviews customers about what they will be using the product for and where they will be wearing it. Caballero already has licensed distributors in Bogota and Mexico City. The company's clothes are also sold around the world in high-end shops like Harrods in London. When he began planning for a U.S. location three years ago, Caballero considered Miami, Houston and New York City. While Rubio declined to discuss hard numbers for the company's annual sales, he said it has grown to eight figures, helped by the addition of a Mexico outlet in 2006. Miguel Caballero and ANXO both offer regular bulletproof equipment designed for military and law enforcement personnel, along with their more exclusive items. But Rubio said it's the designer market that's growing. He doesn't expect the ongoing recession to have any effect on sales. "For the people that need this product, this is a small expense."
www.kykernel.com
PAGE B4 | Wednesday, August 26, 2009
behind Walmart on Nicholasville Rd.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MCCLATCHY
Chris Pine stars as Captain James T. Kirk in the new “Star Trek” film, which will be shown for free at Haggin Field on Wednesday at 10 p.m. as part of the Student Activities Board’s Cheap Seats film series.
Brace yourself, Trekkies, the Enterprise is coming to UK By Roy York features@kykernel.com
The Student Activities Board invites you on an intergalactic adventure to boldly go where no one has gone before — all without leaving campus. Students can journey to the edge of the galaxy to save humanity from the forces of evil. In other words, SAB will present a free showing of “Star Trek” on Wednesday at 10 p.m. at Haggin Field to kick off the Cheap Seats film series, a program that shows recently released movies on campus for $1 admission. Students may not be climbing aboard the Starship Enterprise alongside Spock and Scotty, but SAB is certainly giving all it has by providing an event for Trekkies across campus to enjoy. “We are expecting a huge crowd. The first day of classes is over, and we are expecting students to get outside and have a chance to meet new people and take advantage of a free movie,” said SAB Cinema Director Daniel Sigler in an e-mail to the Kernel. The newest addition in the “Star Trek” series has been called the “Star Trek” for the next generation. The film follows the USS Enterprise on its maiden voyage with a younger version of the crew that captured viewers’ imaginations in the 1960s. Producer J.J. Abrams did not have to threaten critics with a Vulcan neck pinch to ensure the film’s success. “Star Trek” has been generally accepted by the Trekkie community and has appealed to an even broader fan base. “Star Trek” holds a 95 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed nearly $256 million at the box office during the summer, according to RottenTomatoes.com. Sigler said the film was an obvious
PHOTO BY RENEE ITTNERMCMANUS | THE STATE
Frank Parker, who doesn’t hide his passion for all things “Star Trek,” having been a fan since the orignal series premiered when he was 13, shows the Vulcan salute.
choice for the opening act of Cheap Seats. “This isn’t your father’s ‘Star Trek.’ This version is aimed toward our generation and not the Trekkies of the past,” Sigler said. “It was one of the biggest movies over the summer.” Seating will be given on a first come, first served basis and students are encouraged to bring their own blankets or chairs to watch the film. “The screen will be so big that there won’t be a bad seat in the house,” Sigler said. He also reminds all Trekkies that a protest from “Star Wars” fans is always a possibility. “We got a call from the Death Star saying that they would destroy the Earth if the movie will be shown,” Sigler said.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | PAGE B5
Stafford, Favre change NFC North quarterback culture By Reggie Hayes The News-Sentinel
Detroit Lions rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 5-of-13 passes with an interception in a 27-10 loss to the Browns. You have to be impressed with the speed in which Stafford has reached traditional Lions standards. Speaking of Detroit, After Brett Favre signed with the Vikings, the Lions immediately sold 2,500 more tickets for their Sept. 20 game. Excited by the increase, the Lions asked the Browns if they would mind bringing Jim Brown back for one last game, Nov. 22 in Detroit.
Was he driving angry?
New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson was arrested last week and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. It's a good thing they don't charge people with aggravated "licensed" operation of a motor vehicle or they'd have to arrest everyone driving in New York. According to the New York Post, Robinson sent a couple of Tweets while he was pulled over. Although he twice used "lol" with his comments, his Tweets seemed a little aggravated, too. Is there a law against aggravated Tweeting?
At least it’s a short enemies list
Former Giants receiver Plaxico Burress, facing two years in prison for attempted criminal possession of a weapon, is preparing for his sentence by meeting with a prison consultant. There's a natural concern that the person Burress shot in the leg might seek revenge through prison contacts. So Burress is advised not to talk to himself.
Erase those memories
After the NCAA stripped Memphis of its 2008 men's basketball Final Four appearance, former coach John Calipari is now 2-for-2 (dating back to UMass in 1996) in having his greatest seasons wiped from the record books. University of Kentucky fans have no regrets about its school hiring Calipari, however. They believe that old chestnut: It's better to have been to the Final Four and been vacated than not to be at the Final Four at all.
General in the vicinity
Indiana University announced it will induct former men's basketball coach Bob Knight into its athletic hall of fame. All areas of the university are wheelchair accessible, but a future wing dedicated to Knight will be flying chair accessible.
Let’s see some ID
South African 800-meter runner Caster Semenya will be required to take a gender verification test by the IAAF because of suspicions the female runner is a man. This reminds me of that time back in the 1995 when David Stern required Dennis Rodman to verify he was actually from Earth.
Token Vick dog joke
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick could make his preseason debut this Thursday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That figures.
Giants’ corner Ross injured for fall camp By Tom Rock Newsday
ALBANY, N.Y. — When Eli Manning threw a deep pass to Steve Smith early in Tuesday's practice and the receiver was wide open down the middle of the field, it was clear something was wrong. A miscommunication, a blown assignment, a missed coverage. Those would have been correctable. What actually happened was far worse. Lying in Smith's wake, clutching the back of his left leg and writhing on the ground was starting cornerback Aaron Ross. He'd been dealing with a strained hamstring for most of training camp, an injury that had kept him out of the majority of practices. It was just Monday afternoon that he had returned to full participation in the workouts. Suddenly, he was down again, and for who knows how long. "It felt like someone shot me," Ross said after the practice. "It was cramping in three places." Ross had to be helped off the field and to the sideline. He was treated there and soon was able to walk on his own, although with a severe limp. He stayed around for a little while before being taken off the field in a cart. "The poor kid cannot get beyond that," Tom Coughlin said of Ross' recent history with the hamstring. "He starts working his way back, obviously made a sudden move to try to catch his way up to a receiver who was going by him. It's very frustrating because he's not had, really, a lot of time on the field." Kevin Dockery replaced Ross with the first unit for the remainder of the practice. There is no immediate word on the severity or how long Ross will need to recover
from this injury. "Hopefully, it won't take more than 18 days," Ross said, noting that the Giants open the regular season in 19 days. Ross spoke last week about working through the initial hamstring injury, which an MRI showed to be a slight strain. He said the danger of coming back too soon with a hamstring injury is that it can lead to further damage. "I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it," he said then of dealing with the hamstring. "I don't know when it's going to hurt. If I explode, sometimes it hurts, sometimes it doesn't. It's very frustrating. I can walk, I can jog, I can do everything to make it seem like I'm OK. But as soon as I go out there, it lets you know that you're not ready."
“It felt like someone shot me. It was cramping in three places.”
AARON ROSS
Giants’ cornerback
Now it's up to Dockery and Terrell Thomas to be ready. With Ross and Corey Webster missing practices this camp, the two backups who have been vying for the nickelback job have taken plenty of snaps with the first unit. And they've both played well. "A lot of good stuff," Coughlin said of the two. "You watch those two guys practice, and they certainly benefited from the amount of snaps and they haven't backed down a bit. I'm hoping that stays that way." At least for the next 18 days.
PAGE B6 | Wednesday, August 26, 2009
PHOTO BY ADAM WOLFSBANES | STAFF
Junior outside hitter Sarah Mendoza spikes the ball in a team practice on Tuesday. The Volleyball team was voted the No. 21 team in the nation in a preseason poll.
VOLLEYBALL Continued from page B1 they haven’t been since 1993: the top 25. The Cats check in at No. 21 in the pre-
season AVEC Top 25, but still are flying under the radar in the eyes of Mendoza and Rumely. Rumely said while she believes they are better than No. 21, they haven’t proven that yet but this year the fans will definitely see a new team. “We haven’t proven any-
thing,” Rumely said. “We came in second in the SEC last year. That doesn’t mean anything. No one remembers who comes in second every year. We’re nothing right now. We have to come out every game and we have to prove ourselves in everything we do.”
kernel. we do it daily.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | PAGE B7
New women’s soccer coach strives for national prominence By Daniel Diliberto sports@kykernel.com
John Calipari isn’t the only new face in Lexington. The UK women’s soccer team replaced the only coach the program has ever known, Warren Lipka, with Jon Lipsitz, formerly of the University of Charlotte. Lipsitz started his coaching career at Denison University in 1990, where he coached for three seasons. In his final season, Denison marched to the Elite Eight in the Division III national tournament. Lipsitz served as the Director of Coaching and Player Development for the Ohio Premier Girls’ Soccer Club from 1993 to 2005. In 2005, Lipsitz became head coach at the University of Charlotte, where he coached the team to two NCAA Tournament bids in four years. His path has now lead him to Lexington, where he looks to turn a program that has struggled in the recent past into a national contender. “The program is very hollow if not for the players and the time they put in,” Lipsitz said. “It’s important to me that we are a family first, with hard work and sacrifice, we can become a national championship contender in the future.” Lipsitz’s goals for winning don’t just include the X’s and O’s. He believes this year’s and future teams will succeed when there is a vast amount of mutual respect and
PHOTO BY ED MATTHEWS | STAFF FILE PHOTO
Junior Samantha Au, moving the ball up the field against Mississippi State last year, scored a goal in UK’s season-opening win. trust amongst each other. “We treat each other as if we are sisters,” junior forward Giuleana Lopez said. “[We] invite each other over to hang out, watch a movie or eat dinner. It’s important we are close.” On the field, the team looks to improve on a disappointing 2008 season when they finished 5-13-1. Senior defender Julie Hull said the team will use their disappointment from last season as fuel for this year. Focus in the offseason has been set on conditioning and improving on mental and physical toughness. “Fitness is number one,” freshman forward Alyssa Telang said. “Making mistakes at full speed in practice makes the team as a whole a lot better.” “The team is very fit; in a lot better shape since we
started in the offseason,” freshman defender Leslie Twehues said. “There is no time for us to get tired.” The women’s soccer team has eight home matches remaining this season including the UK Tournament, which will be Sept. 18-20. The Cats won their first game of the season on Friday, claiming a 2-1 victory over Cincinnati. Junior midfielder Samantha Au and sophomore defender Jenna Goblirsch each scored in the effort. The Cats are hoping Lipsitz, the first fresh face the program has seen in 17 years, is just what they need to get back on track. “My goal is to start making a name for the program again,” Coach Lipsitz said. “It’s not just about soccer, it’s about representing the Commonwealth.”
SEC credential policy may affect media’s coverage of UK sports By Ben Jones bjones@kykernel.com
The Associated Press and Gannett Co. announced Monday afternoon they would not accept credentials to cover Southeastern Conference sporting events under the current SEC credential policy. Barring a major change in the current credential policy or a change in the stance of the AP or Gannett, these two organizations will not be covering any SEC sporting events this year. Several other news organizations are still mulling their actions but could also choose to reject credentials under the current policy. The Kentucky Kernel is still reviewing its options regarding the credential policy and has not yet decided whether or not to accept the new policy or to decline. The AP and Gannett, which own several major newspapers in the South including The (Louisville) Courier-Journal, The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger and The (Nashville, Tenn.) Tennesseean, rejected the controversial policy even after a revision was issued on Aug. 14. Gannett owns at least one newspaper in each of the nine states with an SEC!member institution. The AP is the world’s oldest and largest newsgathering organization and provides wire reports from games, practices and news conferences to many newspapers and Web sites, including ESPN.com, Yahoo.com and SportsIllustrated.com. Many smaller newspapers also rely on the AP for game coverage of various SEC teams across the South. “We are not signing,” said AP!Associate General Counsel Dave Tomlin in a story from
editorandpublisher.com. “We don’t want to agree to this. We don’t want to go into a stadium under these credential terms.” Some of the major concerns media outlets have raised regarding the credential policy include: ! A ban on live blogging on newspaper Web sites during games. ! A ban on the use of video for game coverage on newspaper Web sites. ! Photographs taken by media organizations during games may only be used for regular news coverage and cannot be sold, archived or used in any other form of coverage. ! Newspapers are required to grant licensing privileges to the SEC and its member universities for all PHOTO COURTESY OF MCCLATCHY photos and other images at the request of the SEC and its member institutions. ! Strict time-based restrictions on the use of pre-game and post-game video and audio. The SEC issued its first media credential policy in early August. Several media organizations raised numerous concerns with the policy and the SEC decided to revise the policy. After reviewing the revised policy over the past two weeks, several news organizations felt many of their concerns were not adequately addressed. The SEC could still issue another revision to the policy, in which case the organizations could change their stance and accept credentials. The policy will not affect the football team’s season-opening contest against Miami of Ohio, as the game is not played at an SEC site and media credentials for that game are issued by Miami of Ohio, a member of the MidAmerican Conference. All other 2009 football games are run by UK or other SEC member institutions.
PAGE B8 | Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sprinter keeps pace with world’s fastest Ever wonder what it’s like to be the fastest person in the world? Rondel Sorrillo might not have a bad idea. Sorrillo, a UK sprinter, recently represented his JAMES home PENNINGTON country of Kernel Trinidad columnist and Tobago in the 200m at the World Track and Field Championships. The 200m competition ran from Aug. 18-20, and runners needed to advance past three heat stages to qualify for the final. In all three stages, Sorrillo drew the same heat as Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. Sorrillo didn’t reach the finals; he finished sixth in his semifinal heat and finished 13th at the Championships. But three times over the span of two days, he raced directly against the fastest man in the history of civilization. And in the face of direct comparison to the incomparable Bolt, Sorrillo fared well. So well at times, the difference between the two seemed intangible. In the first heat, Sorrillo (20.74) finished second to Bolt by four hundredths of a second. That’s point-oh-four, not oh-point-four. Sure, Bolt was jogging — and it seemed like a light jog at that
— but still. At that point in time, the only thing separating Sorrillo from Bolt was four hundredths of a second. What can you even do in four hundredths of a second? Nothing. You can’t do anything. If you get out a stopwatch just to see how fast you can click the button twice, you can’t even get four hundredths. My research showed me 17 or 18 hundredths of a second is about average. Divide that by four, and that was about the difference between UK’s own and Bolt, who has now twice broken Michael Johnson’s 200m world record which many thought to be unbeatable. It’s not limited to us humans; Google can’t even do anything in that span of time, four hundredths. When you search, Google reports back to you how many results it found and how quickly it operated. Google’s best: pointoh-seven. Man nor machine can differentiate the two sprinters’ performances. In the quarterfinals, Sorrillo (20.58) finished fifth to Bolt, the two separated by .17. That’s a little bit more of a tangible margin. After all, you can start and stop your stopwatch as fast as you can in that amount of time. Sarcasm aside, 0.17 is still a pretty thin margin to separate yourself from the fastest man in the world. Sorrillo failed to qualify
for the final; he ran a 20.63 in the semifinals to Bolt’s 20.08 —Bolt still appeared to be jogging. That’s over half a second, which is significant in the track world. But to the rest of the world? If only half a second separates you from the fastest man in the world, I’d say you’re pretty darn close.
tionally on ESPNU. More regional television appearances are expected to be announced soon according to UK Athletics. Whether or not all of the above appearances would happen without the football-driven ESPN deal is debatable. Either way, I’m sure head coach Craig Skinner doesn’t mind.
Quick hits
If you get out a stopwatch just to see how fast you can click the button twice, you can’t even get four hundredths ... and that was about the difference between UK’s own and (Usain) Bolt.
After a long summer break, students should spend Wednesday, UK’s first day of classes, catching up. In the spirit of catching up, here are three quick hits to help get you caught up around UK’s sporting world. And in the spirit of Rondel Sorrillo, I’ll try my best to write each in 20.74 seconds: 1. Last year, UK golfers Andy Winings and Ben Fuqua played their senior seasons together. Winings is now playing professionally, having already won one tournament as a professional. Fuqua, however, applied for and received one more year of eligibility from the NCAA. If Fuqua doesn’t make some noise this season, fellow senior Jordan Blann will. My money’s on both. 2. For one reason or another, UK volleyball is finally getting some well deserved national attention. Thanks to the SEC’s media mega-deal with ESPN, two of the Cats’ matches in 2009 will air na-
3. I was going to use this space to get you caught up on basketball happenings but by the time I finish writing this sentence, John Calipari may very well have posted something new on Twitter, Facebook, CoachCal.com or an entirely new platform. And since fans are so enamored with hearing Calipari’s every thought, I wonder: Could Twitter have saved Billy Gillispie? Ah, probably not. James Pennington is a journalism senior. E-mail him at jpennington@kykernel.com.
Go Green. Recycle this Kernel.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | PAGE B9
OU linebacker’s amateur status questioned By Mike Jones
McClatchy Newspapers
FORT WORTH, Texas — The lawyer for Oklahoma senior linebacker Mike Balogun said Monday that he is in negotiations with a lawyer for the NCAA to get Balogun's case reheard by the body's amateurism committee in hopes of reaching an out-of-court settlement. At the heart of the ca-se is whether Balogun competed in semi-professional football after turning 21, which would be a violation. "If we can convince the NCAA that the most reliable and credible evidence out there suggests that he did not play after his 21st birthday—and they certify him— that's the best thing for Mike," attorney Woody Glass said. "And that's what I'm trying to get done now." Glass said he hoped for a resolution before the Sooners' season-opening game Sept. 5 against Brigham Young in Arlington and that he felt he had an agreement from the NCAA to expedite the process. "This is all subject to these committee members being available, having all the information and getting on a conference call," Glass said. "We are working to get dates set. My hope is that we never have to go to court because they certify Mike and he finishes out the season and we go on down the road." The NCAA decertified Balogun on Aug.14 in the belief that he participated in a North American Football League game after Sept. 28, 2004, citing evidence that was contrary to sworn affidavits on Balogun's behalf. In the interim, Glass said he preferred to keep the case out of court after he obtained a temporary injunction allowing Balogun to continue to practice until final dispensation. Glass said he felt confident that he could obtain a permanent injunction to allow Balogun to participate, but that he would expect the NCAA to appeal. If that appeal were lost, the NCAA has an option under bylaw 19.7 to force Oklahoma to forfeit any game in which Balogun participated. An Ohio court, however, recently struck down that bylaw in a similar case involving Oklahoma State pitcher Andrew Oliver, who sued the NCAA to regain his eligibility. Glass conceded the process with the NCAA will take some time. "The way I understand the process is that there has to be a submitted proposed finding of fact that the NCAA investigator will prepare with the input of OU and myself," he said. "If we can agree on some finding of fact, it will further expedite the process. It just depends on what they initially propose to us. "Obviously, we're going to be in some dispute on the facts. But if they couch it in a way that, 'Well, this guy has said this,' rather than that being a fact, I could probably work with that a little bit." Assuming the parties cannot reach agreement on findings of fact, the case will go to an internal appeals committee within the NCAA, then to the amateurism committee that has final word. Glass said he has proposed to appear before the amateurism committee, but that would be an exception to procedure.
Beasley enters rehab facility
By Ira Winderman Sun Sentinel
Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley recently checked into a Houston rehabilitation facility, amid concerns about his well-being. Two sources familiar with the situation said Beasley was at the facility before the recent flap regarding a photo he posted to his since-discontinued Twitter account that showed what might be perceived as baggies of marijuana in the background. "Mike is a little down right now because of all that's going on," personal manager Bruce Shingler said Monday. "This is all added stress for him." Under NBA rules, teams are not allowed to comment on the league's substance-abuse policies. However, it has been confirmed through an independent source Beasley has entered into a treatment program. "He's compliant out in Houston, just trying to do everything that is asked of him at this particular moment," Shingler said. "He's OK right now." In addition, it was confirmed Beasley had already been placed in the league's substance-abuse program after being fined $50,000 last year by the NBA for unspecified violations at the league's rookie symposium. While marijuana use was not cited at the time, there was a pungent odor from where Beasley was said to have been. The NBA substance-abuse policy mandates actions for use and possession. It is possible Beasley "checked in" to the facility merely to complete his time in the league's program. Under the league's substance-abuse program, teams are not informed of a player's first two strikes, although Beasley made it known to the Heat he was in the program. A third strike for a marijuana violation calls for a five-game suspension. It is not known if the current situation adds another strike in the program, and whether it would be a second or third strike. There has not been any league notice of such a suspension. However, the Heat's regular season does not open until
Oct. 28, which is when any suspension would begin. "Per the collective-bargaining agreement, we don't comment on any issues with regards to the anti-drug program," NBA Vice President Tim Frank said, making it clear he was not addressing a specific case. Beasley's latest Twitter account, GorillaBeas, disappeared sometime overnight Saturday. That was shortly after he self-posted a photo of a new "SuperCoolBeas" tattoo on his back, which also happened to be the name of his first Twitter account. Inspection of the photo showed two baggies in the background, which some have assumed to be marijuana. "I don't know who took that picture. Obviously, it wasn't Mike taking it," Shingler said. "I really have no clue about that." Before Beasley's Twitter account was closed and erased, these three posts were offered: "Y do I feel like the whole world is against me!!!!!!! . . . I can't win for losin!!!!!!!!!!" "Feelin like it's not worth livin!!!!!!! I'm done" "not feelin this at all!!!!!" The team has been in contact with Beasley since. "I truly think they were taken out of context," Shingler said of those posts. "One thing about the Twitter thing, it can mislead and be misread at times. "He's just so eager to get back to the season and prove to the people and fans and critics that he is 100 percent focused on basketball and trying to eliminate all the negativity." Twitter continued to play a role in the story Monday, with Michael Beasley Sr. posting on his feed, "What Michael jr. Is going thur is just a bump on the road we call life, please pray for him, he needs it. Thank you to all my followers." In the wake of Beasley's NBA censure for his behavior and ensuing cover-up at last summer's rookie orientation, this mostly had set up as a quiet summer for the talented forward taken out of Kansas State. Beasley, 20, averaged 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Heat last season.
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PAGE B10 | Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Too many athletes forced to grow up too fast By Jason Whitlock McClatchy Newspapers
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At some point, we have to go back to allowing young people the opportunity to be kids, to mature and adjust at an appropriate pace. Right now, they're crashing under the weight of expectations and adult-size responsibilities. Michael Beasley always struck me as an overgrown kid who was asked to be a man long before he was ready. His tale of depression and self-medication is quite common in professional athletics, where too many young men have been raised throughout their teens to play the role of father, husband and provider to an assortment of friends and family. We don't know the details of what put Beasley, the Miami Heat's rookie forward and former Kansas State one-and-doner, in a rehabilitation center. We have the "Supercool Beas" back-tattoo picture he tweeted that raised questions about whether there was a dime bag of weed in the background of the photo. And we also have Beasley's postpicture tweets he sent out complaining that the world was against him and that life isn't worth living. The picture and the cryptic sound of the notes posted on Twitter do not tell a full story. They're just a tiny glimpse at a confused kid. What I do know is that many of the filthy rich, seemingly world-by-the-tail athletes we envy are actually quite miserable. You would be, too, if you were in their position. Even in a historic recession, money is not the key to happiness. For young people, money and the pursuit of it often creates far more problems than it solves. And the emotional crash from receiving wealth, material possessions and no happiness is overwhelming for a young person. It's like a woman getting her dream boyfriend to finally marry her and realizing a year into the marriage the ceremony did nothing to slow his wandering, lustful eye. We wish for the wrong things.
We all want to be born with Michael Jordan's, John Elway's and Derek Jeter's physical gifts. A normal childhood and attentive parents are superior aspirations. Your childhood, teen years and early 20s are meant to be spent relatively responsibilityfree. No one is supposed to treat you like a potential lottery ticket, the key to relieving all the responsibility they acquired with bad decisions. Beasley spent his teen years as a basketball prodigy, transferring from school to school in an attempt to stay eligible for a college scholarship and a quick exit to the NBA. Grown men mentored Beasley and coached him in basketball partly out of genuine concern and partly because they knew there was a potential payday or job at the end of the rainbow. You've seen me make this point before, but it's worth repeating: Money and fame have turned professional sports into the movie industry. The games are overrun with stage parents, manipulative agents, conniving coaches and exploitive owners. Kids are in over their heads, particularly kids from one- or no-parent families. And now there's no longer a support-maturation process. There's no safety net. God, I hate to sound old, but America needs to reinstitute the military draft. Eighteen-year-olds used to spend two to four years in a disciplined, supportive environment before being given the freedom to ruin their lives. Great basketball players used to spend two to four years in college learning about the real world before being handed wealth and fame. Kids used to be raised. Now they grow up. And in the process of growing up, they saddle themselves with baby mamas and a boatload of other responsibilities that ensure they'll be perfectly miserable once they achieve their lifelong dream. I'm glad Beasley is taking a timeout and trying to figure things out. Many of his peers are skating along in denial that they need the help Beasley is receiving.
Go Green. Recycle this Kernel. And your homework.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | PAGE B11
Alternative rock band Elbows its way to top of British music scene By Chuck Myers McClatchy-Tribune News Service
The British alternative rock band Elbow finally finds itself "mercifully free of the pressures" of anonymity. All it took was three brilliant records, followed by an overdue commercial breakthrough. "The Seldom Seen Kid" (Geffen), the latest album from the rock quintet (singerguitarist Guy Garvey, bassist Pete Turner, drummer Richard Jupp, guitarist Mark Potter and keyboardist Craig Potter), has reaped well-deserved praise from numerous music quarters, and scored the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2008 and the Best British Group award for the band at this year's Brit Awards. Yet, as any long-time Elbow fan will tell you, "The Seldom Seen Kid" merely represents the latest installment a well-established creative continuum. Recently, frontman Garvey discussed Elbow's success and artistic process, as the group from Manchester wrapped up its latest North American tour. The Mercury Prize represents a significant high point in Elbow's career. But it didn't come easy. The band, which has played together for 18 years, released its debut, "Asleep in the Back," in 2001. The album exhibited a ranging musical dexterity that echoed early Radiohead and the progressive vibe of rock legends like Genesis and Pink Floyd. The record also earned the ensemble its first Mercury Prize nomination. Elbow's follow-ups, "Cast of Thousands" in 2004 and "Leaders of the Free World" in 2005, further underscored the group's talent for moving, potent numbers. The band faced a significant problem with its label, V2, however, during the release of "Leaders of the Free
Elbow front man Guy Garvey performs during a sold out concert in Washington, D.C., August 4, 2009. The band was awarded the Mercury Prize in 2008 and the Best British Group award at the 2009 Brit Awards. Elbow is planning a fifth record for sometime in 2010. PHOTO BY CHUCK MYERS MCT
World." "By the time V2 released that record, they were collapsing," recalled Garvey. "The fact that they were collapsing meant that we'd didn't get the record service the way we wanted ... We're very proud of that record, and still are. But there were Elbow fans in the world that didn't know it was out. It was a huge disappointment. But the first thing we always do when faced with a disappointment or a setback, which has been going on for a long time, is get in the studio and start writing." Any concern the band felt over V2's demise gave way quickly to focus in the studio, and in early 2008, "The Seldom Seen Kid" arrived.
"Mark said a long time ago that you don't need record labels to make records," said Garvey. "And, he's absolutely right. We made 'The Seldom Seen Kid' without a record label, just the five of us, with Craig doing the producing this time. So for this one to be the one that's got the commercial success, the first one we've done completely on our own, in our own studio, makes us even prouder." Each Elbow album furnishes a decided start-to-finish listening experience. Yet the group's records may not reach listeners in their entirety these days due to music downloads. While downloads provide income for recording artists,
Garvey has mixed feelings about the distribution method. "I'd be lying if I said we didn't consider commerciality when choosing singles. But, I would love to be able to bundle an album. ... In download culture, where music is concerned, obviously it's troubling that people are stealing music. At the same time, I've only got a problem with that if you can afford music. If you can afford music and you steal it, then there's a special place in hell reserved for you. "Yeah, but I wish you could only download albums (in their totality)." In the meantime, Elbow has its attention on a more immediate matter — a fifth record planned for sometime in 2010.
PAGE B12 | Wednesday, August 26, 2009
McDermott, Eagles defense already under the gun By John Smallwood Philadelphia Daily News
PHILADELPHIA — So many things to fix, but so little time to get them all corrected. To be honest, right now, you can apply that to all phases of the Eagles — offense, defense and special teams. Still, while no unit has distinguished itself during the first two preseason losses, defensive coordinator Sean McDermott is being watched by Bird backers with a little more scrutiny. He's the rookie coordinator charged with replacing the iconic Jim Johnson. He's the one with no track record. He's the one whose unit has been toasted for 38 points when, presumably, most of the starters were on the field against New England and Indianapolis. Think what you want about head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, but past results have shown that once they get all the players they're counting on healthy, they'll figure a way to get this offense working efficiently. And whether it's fair or not, if the late Johnson were still the Eagles defensive coordinator, we'd think much the same way about the defensive side of the game. But we don't know what McDermott is yet. We can believe that he has been properly prepared for this role, but we don't how he's going to perform. We don't have enough empirical evidence to know if the Eagles' defensive lapses in the first two preseason games are easily correctable with proper adjustments and execution or a sign of something more troublesome. "I do," McDermott said Sunday when asked if he thought he is where he needs to be as a defensive coordinator at this stage. "I feel like I'm on schedule in terms of my development. "It's important that, just like the players, we need to make progress and that includes me, that I develop continually with each week and with each game. As I mentioned before, my second call is better than my first, and my third game is better than my second." That all may be true, but the problem is that whatever McDermott and his defense have been doing, it hasn't been good enough. And if it doesn't get better in the next few weeks, this defense is going to be in for a lot of hurt come Sept. 13 when the Eagles open the regular season at the Carolina Panthers. You can say what you want about the insignificance of preseason games. You can even point out that the Eagles faced future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in those first two games. The facts, however, remain that the Eagles defense has not looked impressive, and that adds more emphasis on the notion that McDermott wants to see his unit play significantly better in Thursday's game against Jacksonville at Lincoln Financial Field.
Considering the primary goal of the last preseason game is to ensure your starters come away healthy for the season opener, the game against Jacksonville will be the final chance for the projected starters to clean up the messes they have left thus far. "On an individual basis and play-by-play basis, there were some outstanding efforts," McDermott said of the Indianapolis game where the starters surrendered two first-quarter touchdown passes to Manning. "Obviously as an overall defense, generally speaking, it wasn't where we needed to be from an execution and fundamental standpoint. We have a long list of items where our focus is right now on areas where we can get better." I find it a bit discouraging that after a full training camp and two preseason games, McDermott's emphasis has to be on the execution of fundamentals. I don't expect the Eagles running on all cylinders right now, but I'd at least like to see them be able to shift out of first gear. "You want to see the ones come out and start fast, No. 1," McDermott said of what he wants his defense to show him against Jacksonville. "You want them to come and establish an attitude and mentality of this defense and execute the defense from pre-snap until the whistle blows." McDermott sounded like a guy confident
“It’s important that, just like the
players, we need to make progress and that includes me, that I develop continually with each week and with each game.” Sean McDermott
defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles
that the issues have been identified and can be corrected. "We've gone back to the drawing board to make sure that we understand what's going on there," McDermott said. "We hope (the problem have been corrected). "That's what you do as a coach. You come back and it provides a learning opportunity and a teaching opportunity. So, we'll treat it as such." The thing is that this is a timed test, and the clock is rapidly winding down before a crucial pass or fail exam will be taken. "We have a long way to go until we are where we need to be," McDermott said. "Even when we are where we need to be, we will still have a long way to go. "(The final preseason games better be enough time) because in two weeks from now we'll be kicking off against Carolina. That's a formidable opponent down there. There won't be any time for it not to be enough time then.”
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott speaks during a news conference before practice at the Novacare Complex in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sunday, August 23, 2009. PHOTO BY DAVID MAIALETTI PHILIDELPHIA NEWS
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 | PAGE B13
Cutler’s return to Denver greeted with indifference By Frank Schwab The Gazette
Denver Broncos fans don't seem to be too anxious to go to Invesco Field at Mile High this week just to boo Jay Cutler in a preseason game. Tickets for Sunday night's nationally televised game between the Broncos and Bears are reasonably easy to come by on the online auction site eBay, and the Broncos haven't gotten any extra national media credential requests. The game will be Cutler's first in Denver since a messy feud with the Broncos led to his trade to Chicago. Even the national television slot is a coincidence. NBC announced its preseason schedule March 30. Cutler was traded April 2. No sets of tickets on the site have been sold for more than $400 recently, and the highest price per ticket was about $150 each for a pair of front row seats. Broncos spokesman Jim Saccomano said
there have been no additional credential requests, although ESPN will have a couple of reporters at the game. Even though television ratings for the game should be very high, that isn't unusual for the Broncos, at least locally. Denver's first game got a 16.5 rating and a 35 share, the second game got a 15 rating and a 32 share, which are good numbers (highest among all programs in the Denver market those weeks), especially considering the late starts. "The ratings ought to be off the wall, but they usually are anyway," Saccomano said. However, the game will be unusual because of the Cutler factor. He'll likely draw a more passionate response than any other Broncos opponent in a preseason game. NBC Sports spokesman Adam Freifeld said although the network wasn't treating the game much differently than other preseason games, there are some good story lines. "It's a preseason game," Freifeld said. "But there's certainly intrigue to it."
Gender:
Sport’s toughest question By John Jeansonne Newsday
When sports talk goes from X's and O's to X's and Y's — chromosomes — the level of expertise falls off dramatically. Amid the furor of some screeching headlines ("She is a He!"), competitors' accusations and track officials' confirmation that they will subject women's world 800meter champion Caster Semenya of South Africa to gender verification tests, most observers appear to be in over their heads regarding the complexities of sexual identity. Almost everything about the issue is fuzzy: Where to draw the biological line between male and female, exactly what standard is used by the track authorities in deeming a female ineligible to compete as a woman, precisely what tests answer such questions. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has asked for reports that will take weeks to review — from a gynecologist, an endocrinologist, a psychologist, a specialist in internal medicine and a gender expert. This is not just about levels of testosterone, chromosomes, external genitalia or possible genetic mutations, experts said. Ross Tucker, a University of Cape Town exercise physiologist, called it "maybe the most difficult ethical debate in sport. Ranging from issues of social acceptance, to the role of urology, to the blurred lines between genetic advantage and unequal competition, it's all there." At the heart of the dispute, of course, are suspicions of whether Semenya had an unfair edge. Only 18, she first
caught the track world's attention in July when she won the African Junior Championships with a world-leading time in the 800 — almost nine seconds faster than she had run a year ago. That startling improvement triggered an IAAF doping investigation, which subsequently found nothing amiss. When Semenya reduced that July personal best by more than a second — to 1:55.45 — at this week's world championship meet in Berlin, two of her beaten rivals publicly complained about her being allowed to compete with women. "Just look at her," demanded Russia's Mariya Savinova. Italy's Elisa Cusma told Italian reporters: "These kind of people should not run with us. For me, she's not a woman. She's a man." Back home in South Africa, a Sowetan tabloid ran a front-page photo of Semenya's birth certificate, clearly listing her as female, and her parents expressed outrage at questions about their daughter's gender. Leonard Cheune, president of Semenya's national track and field federation, called the sex accusations racist, voiced by "the same people who don't want the 2010 World Cup (scheduled for South Africa), the same people who bring black people down and the same people who refuse to believe that Africans can make it on the world stage." The minefield of identifying and banning males attempting to compete as females has been tread before, with inconclusive results. Ewa Klobukowska, the 1964 Olympic 100-meter bronze medalist and member of
Poland's gold-medal relay team, originally passed a socalled "visual verification" test but three years later failed one of the just-instituted, more elaborate gender tests; Poland's world relay record was then struck from the books. Spanish hurdler Maria Jose Martinez Patino failed a test that revealed she was born with a Y chromosome, but her eligibility eventually was restored. The Russian Press sisters, three-time Olympic shot put and discus champion Tamara and her sister Iryna, together set 26 world records but both disappeared from competition when sex tests were instituted at international events in the late 1960s. A more shocking revelation about an Olympic champion came in 1980, when 1932 sprint gold medalist Stella Walsh was shot dead during a 1980 robbery attempt that it was learned, as a result of her autopsy, that she had male sexual organs due to a condition known as "Mosaicism," in which there are both male and female chromosomes. By current rules, Walsh was a man. On Friday, Britain's Telegraph newspaper contacted Andreas Krieger, who won the 1986 European women's shot put title as Heidi Krieger. After years of being required by the East German sports machine to use steroids, Krieger underwent a sexchange operation following athletic retirement. "I feel pity for her," Krieger told the Telegraph. "But what is really absurd is that the discussion about whether she is a man or a woman is being carried out in such a public forum."