The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 19

'j '-vs- 4 A'S -f V- rVV -r v' -V 1 4 W'-T "v- yi ft' yv 4: -V? y- -tv 'T WWWKANSASCITYCOM THE KANSAS CriY-STAR MARCH17 vT'" llljlt' 1 1 i I S'" wVS'Yivr-v --KV A- rdr4ip CHjSi ii if V-1 EJ 1 be anchoring but I could pop up at any time When someone goes on vacation they may bring me (to anchor) The basis is in die winter time after football season is oven if I want to go somewhere warm and stay for a while I can do it" Dawson requested the change in conversations with Wayne Godsey president and general manager' of SEE DAWSON CS tured sports analyst for the station Dawson the Hall of Fame quarterback who has been reporting sports for Channel 9 since leading the Chiefs to two Super Bowls in the late 1960s told viewers of his dans during Monday night's 10 newscast Dawson will continue to anchor the weeknight sportscasts through the NCAA and then devote most of his energies to Channel 9 during the football season when he also serves as game analyst for Chiefs radio broadcasts Tm too young to Dawson 73 said with a smile on Monday nighfs newscast new role lets me stay connected to the sport I love best football and to the station that launched my television careen JEFF GROSS I GETTY IMAGES North Dakota State Is counting on veterans such as senior Mike Nelson Bison grow into top team Seniors havo mado flvo-yoar plan work for North Dakota State) KlPs first-round NCAA opponent By JL BRADY McCOLLOUGH The Kansas City Star LAWRENCE I North Dakota State's rise from promising Division program to first-round opponent in the NCAA Tburnament provides a lesson in patience Five years ago Saul Phillips signed cm to become assistant coach at a program that wouldn't be eligible for the Division I tournament until 2009 and four freshmen joined him in coming aboard The plan set forth by Tim Miles then North Dakota head coach was to redshirt the freshmen so that they would be seniors on the first Bison team that could play in the postseason Miles left to become head coach at Colorado State in 2007 and it became job to see that vision all the way through This season the Bison joinfed the Summit League and that group of freshmen now fifth-year seniors breezed through it SEE BISON I C4 Hall of Famar will step away from KMBC anchor dask and focus on football analysis By RANDY COVTTZ ThfKaniaiCItyStar Len Dawson waftted to make one thiqg abundantly dean He is not retiring He is stepping away from the anchor after nearly four decades as sports director at KMBG-TV Channel 9) and he will assume a new role fea THE ROYALS Now training reglmon onorglzod catcher John Buck after a scary family situation By BOB DUTTON Th Kansas City Star SURPRISE Aita I John Buck will talk about it now It's a new vear full of spring promise So looking back to last season's off-field torment no longer seems tantamount to a whining excuse for a forgettable on-field summer Especially now Buck points to an overhaul in his professional lifestyle which began as an effort to escape the mental fatigue exacerbated by family problems and those changes now show signs of paying major benefits "It all started with the he said quietly "It was something I did to get my mind off of being away from them I couldn't just sit in a hotel room" Buck chose to join Royals teammate David Dejesus in an extra lifting program under the supervision of TV Hill the chib's strength and conditioning coordinator That led to work with nutritionist Mitzi Dulaa Quickly Buck imipetsed himself and became a passionate devotee to weight training and a to the point where I I up being he said SU BUCK ca proper BUCK'S SPRING BY THE NUMBERS Catcher John Buck has tesn one of the Royals' hottest hittars this spring betting average 'f'' iy-- 500 on-beMperbentege 3 home ruis 8 runs batted in Skies have cleared for Missouri Anderson has lad tha Tlgars out of a stormy period and Is taking thorn back to NCAA Tournament By HIKE DtARMOND The Kansas CKy Star COLUMBIA I From the predawn hours when his star point guard was lying outside a Columbia nightspot with a broken jaw to this moment seems a long time Even if it is barely more than year Mike Anderson's third Missouri basketball team is preparing to open the NCAA Tbumament on Friday as a No 3 seed in MIJ10URI VS CORNELL I WHEN: about 2 pm Friday I WHERE: Boise Idaho in Boise Idaho and Anderson sees the sun shining replacing die I der of discontent and the lightning of discord had to go throiKh some trials and tribulations storms I call it" Anderson said Monday "Now weYe coming out of those storms" Missouri went down to the last day of the Big 12 Conference season with a chance to share the regular-season title After settling SEE TIGERS C4 JOSUKERITHfKAWAjaTVSTAg Royals backup catcher John Buck started a new workout and diet plan last season when he was feeling stress over his family! health luues Thet pien looks as If Ife paying off now r- Rr at e'fcA ttn an Asa AitehRtefi'kiVla -1.