The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 15

SUNDAY AUGUST 6, 2000 THE SALINA JOURNAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL Sports AL, NL ROUNDUPS C3 OUTDOORS C7 BRICKYARD 400 C8 SPORTS JOURNAL HAROLD BECHARD The Salina Journal Many a tree has fallen for grid guides By now we know who the top teams in the Big 12 are expected to be this season the Cornhuskers, Longhorns and Wildcats. We also found out today how the conference stacks up in the Associated Press preseason rankings, filling out the 1-7-819-24-26 slots. But if you really want to know what's going on in the Big 12 Conference, you have to latch on to your favorite team's media guide. If you want to know that Big Johnny Quickstep from Joe Bob Falls, Texas, loves to eat deer meat out of his helmet on the fourth of July, then you're in luck. As with Karnac The Magnificent, everything you want to know about and a lot more you could probably care less about are in these football publications.

With that in mind, here's a look at what the Big 12 sports information offices have been working on since the end of the 1999 season a ranking of the publications from the biggest to the not so big. 1. Texas 536 pages The Mother Lode, heavy enough to keep any small yacht in place during a monsoon. The sparkling burnt orange-colored cover is just a tasty morsel for Longhorn fans who may need an entire season to get through this novel. There's a 73-page section for "Honors" and another 70 for "This Is Texas Football." 2.

Nebraska 4O8 pages Three All-America candidates on the cover, including quarterback Eric Crouch. A 28-page bowl section with the final 110 pages dedicated to the history of the Nebraska program. 3. Texas 348 pages A traditional cover filled with autographed footballs, bowl trophies, the 1998 Big 12 trophy and Dat Nguyen's jersey. A big disappointment is very little mention of last year's bonfire accident that killed 12 Aggies.

There is no mention of the incident until page 321. 4. Iowa State 328 pages The first question is, why 328 pages? That's 25.2 pages for every win ISU has had in the last five seasons under coach Dan McCarney, who just happens to be on the cover. 5. Kansas 288 pages A montage of crimson and blue action photos from the 1999 season highlight the front coyer.

The first 12 pages are dedicated to Roy Williams staying in Lawrence. Just kidding. 6. Texas Tech 27O pages Easily the worst cover, showing half of a football. The 2000 guide is dedicated to former head coach Spike Dykes, with a 26-page section on "This is Texas Tech." 7.

Missouri 264 pages A glossy gold and black-colored cover featuring four returning players surrounding the Power Cat-like mascot of the Tigers. And no Mizzou publication would be complete without the Golden Girls (page 249, including Salina native Miranda Junge). 8. Kansas State 256 pages The Wildcats have livened up their cover the last couple of years. This year's cover features KSU players running on the field, with the program's bowl trophies pictured at the bottom.

The inside cover, as usual, chronicles the success of the "Bill Snyder Era." 9. Baylor 240 pages The first 28 pages are on "This Is Baylor." New coach Kevin Steele isn't introduced until Page 70. 10. Oklahoma 143 pages Give the OU staff credit. Its regular-season media guide wasn't ready for Big 12 Media Pay in Kansas City, but it still cranked out a 143-page edition for the writers and broadcasters on hand.

That's more than you can say for Colorado and Oklahoma State. Those two media guides haven't reached the Journal's doorstep as yet. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: PRESEASON POLL Huskers nab AP's top spot Kansas State finishes just behind Texas in the No. 8 position By RICHARD ROSENBLATT The Associated Press Just like every other college football fan, Nebraska coach Frank Solich was anxious to know how highly his Corn- huskers would be ranked to open the season. Well, they're No.

1 and defending national champion Florida State is a close No. 2 in The Associated Press Top 25 preseason college football poll. Conspicuous by its absence is Notre Dame, unranked in the preseason poll for the first time since 1986. "We appreciate the fact that enough people think so highly of our program to put us at No. 1," Solich said.

"We finished very strongly at the end of last year and felt we could play with anyone in the country. How it all plays out this year, we'll see." The Huskers start on top for the sixtn time since the AP's first preseason poll in 195O. An ominous note For Nebraska fans, though: Trie CornhusKers have four AP national titles since then, but none in years they started No. 1. Coming off a strong 12-1 season and No.

3 final ranking, the defending Big 12 champion Huskers received 36 first-place votes and 1,732 points from the 71 sports writers and broadcasters on the panel. The Seminoles, 12-0 last season and the first team to be ranked No. 1 from start to finish, collected 29 first-place votes and 1.72O points. The 12- point difference is one of the closest the tightest preseason poll was 1994 when Florida edged Notre Dame by two points. Florida State coach Bobby 'If you're in the Top 10, you're visible.

Other than that, it really doesn't matter until January." Bobby Bowden Florida State coach Bowden wanted the top spot for one reason "to see how long could go wire-to-wire and Keep it going. "It's nice to be No. 2, though. You want to stay visible," he said. "If you're in the Top 10, you're visible.

Other than that, it really doesn't matter until January." Alabama, the defending Southeastern Conference champion, is No. 3 the Crimson Tide's highest preseason ranking since a No. 2 start in 1993. The Tide received three first-place votes and 1,570 points. Wisconsin, the two-time Rose Bowl winner and defending Big Ten champion, is No.

4, followed by No. 5 Miami, No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Texas, No. 8 Kansas State, No.

9 Florida and No. 10 Georgia. Wisconsin, with its highest preseason ranking, had one first-place vote. Texas had two first-place votes. Solich believes the Seminoles deserve the top spot: "Them winning it all and the number of players they have returning, in my mind, they are No.

1 until someone unseats them." Virginia Tech, a 46-29 loser to Florida State in the national title game at the Sugar Bowl after going 11-0 in '99, is No. 11, followed by No. 12 Tennessee, No. 13 Washington, No. 14 Pur- See POLL, Page C2 Race to the beg Royals outfielder Todd Dunwoody just beats Red Sox pitcher Rolando Arrojo to the bag for an Infield hit during the second Inning Saturday at Fenway Park.

The newest Royal, pitcher Brian Meadows, pitched Innings to earn the victory In KC's 7-5 win. Complete story, page C3. The Associated Press NFL PRESEASON Titans end preseason skid vs. KG Grbac connects with TE Gonzalez on 16-yard score for Chiefs' only touchdown By TERESA M. WALKER The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn.

The Tennessee Titans showed off new receiver Carl Pickens, and the AFC champions ended a preseason losing skid to the Kansas City Chiefs with a 14-10 exhibition victory Saturday night. BELLEVILLE NATIONALS Pickens practiced -with the Titans for the first time only five days ago after signing a five-year, $2O million contract. But he picked up enough trxat he played with the starters for the first two 1O passes, including a 2- 14 yarder from Steve McNair that tied the game at 7. Rodney 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter turned out to be the game-winner as the Titans beat the Chiefs in an exhibition for trie first time since the AKL-NFL merger. Tlie former Houston Oil- ers hadn't won since 1963, losing eight consecutive exhibitions to the Chiefs.

Elvis Grbac was nearly perfect for Kansas City and left with the game tied. He was 8-for-9 passing for 63 yards, including a 16-yard TD toss to Tony Gonzalez on the opening drive with Tennessee getting little pressure on him. Warren Moon did not play at all for Kansas City as coach Gunther Cunningham tried to protect his 43-year-old backup quarterback from a banged-up offensive See CHIEFS, Page CS Tacky track helps Kahne win qualifier Rookie earns prime spot for title race; Boone takes second QRIEM Salina Journal BELLEVILLE A fast, moist track played right into Kasey Kahne's hands in the Friday night qualifying feature at the Belleville Midget Nationals. But that wasn't necessarily good, said Kahne, who took the lead on the first lap and was never threatened on the way to a Belleville High Banks track record. "The track was good tonight," said Kahne, a United States Auto Club rookie, but also the MCI WorldCom National Midget Series points leader.

"I think that helped me a lot. "The track was so tacky that I never got up toward the wall. But I think will be more like it was Thursday." With the victory pole-sitter Hobby Boone was second, and J.J. Ye ley third Kahne earned a prime spot for wiF (P day night's 40-lap championship feature. The top four feature finishers Thursday and Friday nights raced in a poll dash Saturday to determine starting positions on the front four rows.

Jay Drake of Val Verde, Calif, who ranks second behind Kahne in the national points race, won Thursday's feature on a drier, slicker track. While the tacky track helped Kahne get around in a hurry, it cost him valuable experience under more adverse conditions. This is his first trip to Belleville, which boasts one of the fastest half-mile tracks in the nation. "(But) I watched Thursday The Top Twenty Five teams In The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first- place votes In parentheses, 1999 records, total points based on 25 points for a firs! place vote through one point for a 25th place vote and ranking In the 1999 final pod: I Record 12-1 12-0 10-3 10-2 9-4 10-2 2. Florida State (29) 3.

Alabama (3) 4. Wisconsin (1) S.Miami 6. Michigan 7. (2) Kaneas State 11-1 9. Florida 9-4 10.

Georgia 8-4 11. Virginia Tech 11-1 12. Tennessee 9-3 13. inr ssrurtytofi 14. Purdue 7-5 15.

Southern Cal 64 16. Onto 6-6 17. Clemson 64 IB. Mississippi 8-4 Oklahoma 7-5 20. TCU B-4 21.

llSnois 8-4 22. Perm State 10-3 23. Southern Miss. 9-3 24. Colorado 7-5 25.

Michigan State 10-2 Others receiving votes: Ton AIM 138, UCLA 115, East Carolina 75, Oregon 63, Auburn 36, Colorado St 35, Mississippi St. 34, Utah 33, Notre Dame 32, Virginia 26, Marshall 23. Arkansas 22, Georgia Tech 10, ISU 10, Syracuse 9, BYU 7, Minnesota 5, Boston College 3, Kentucky 3, Texas Tech 3, Toledo 3. Stanford 2, Arizona SI. 1, Oregon SI.

1. Pts 1,732 1,720 1,570 1,406 1,392 1,380 1,297 1,276 1.255 1,226 1,044 940 816 751 723 601 599 541 455 404 361 359 224 166 145 Pvs 4 15 5 21 6 12 16 2 25 22 PREP FOOTBALL Coach fights cancer Abilene's Wade will still guide Cowboys despite battle for life By CHRISTIAN ORR The Salina Journal Greg Wade has spent his entire adult life teaching young athletes to never give up the fight. Now, Wade finds himself practicing what he has preached. But his is a much larger fight a right for his life after doctors discovered a cancerous tumor on his leg. Wade, the head football coach at Abi- lene High WADE School, was diagnosed with cancer this siunmer.

While he is planning on guiding the Cowboys on the football field this fall, he has been forced to focus his attention elsewhere for the first time since he began coaching. "It's one of those things where it's going to take some big adjustments," said Wade, who has turned over some football duties to his assistant coaches, but plans to be on the practice Held this fall with the use of a golf cart when two-a- days begin later this month. "My assistant coaches have undertaken a lot of the preparations I usually do at this time of year. There's usually about 20 to 30 hours of work just getting things ready to go and they are having to do that. Fortunately, I have lot of experienced guys that have been around a lot." The tumor was discovered after Wade broke his thigh bone.

Officially, doctors have not diagnosed the specific cause of the cancer because they have not been able to find the origin. "They think that it's a gastro intestinal cancer, but they just aren't sure," Wade said. "They're treating it as that and then will see as we go along with the first round of radiation." Wade has been undergoing radiation as well as chemotherapy treatments for the past three weeks. He said doctors have given him no timetable on the cancer, and he is hopeful that it will go into remission. "Doctors give you a variety of prognosis," he said.

"What they said was if they hadn't caught this, it would have been within six months and I wouldn't have been able to make it. We are hoping, and expecting, to put this into remission." Other than the broken leg, Wade said he feels great and is eager to begin his eighth season as Abilene's head coach and See WADE, Page C2 SUGGESTIONS? CALL BOi DAVIDSON, SPORTS EDITOR, AT 833-0363 OR 1-WO-W7-WW OR E-MAIL AT.