Page 6D Daily Advertiser DEFINIT- ELYNOTIN RACE Olympic skier Bode Miller 37 announcing skip Lauberhorn downhill in Switz erland. Miller has been reco vering from back surgery he had in November. QUOTE OF THE DAY MILLER BY DENIS BALIBOUSE, REUTERS 997 961 902 879 873 USA SNAPSHOTS Coach nears 1K Coaches with the most victories in Division I college basketball: Source NCAA Note Through Thursday TESS QUINLAN AND KARL GELLES, USA TODAY Mike Krzyzewski Jim Boeheim Bob Knight Dean Smith Jim Calhoun SPORTSLINE Robert Kraft threw out a fact Thursday that added context to his New England Patriots. He spared serving up coach Bill record-tying number of postseason wins, quarterback om record tally of posts eason TD passes or the six Super Bowl appearances since Kraft took over as owner. And he see to point out the franchise he paid a then- record $172 million for in 1994 was valued in 2014 at highest in the NFL by Forbes stat: one in 34.
had one home playo game in 34 Kraft told USA TODAY Sports, referring to the period before he bought the team. we lost. Back in 1978, against He should remember. Kraft braved the elements and sat in the stands for years at dilapidated Foxboro Stadium as a die-hard atriots season ticketholder. This piece of his personal history has always illustrated a cert ain connection with his paying customer, but at times like now ith the Patriots hosting the Ind ianapolis Colts on Sunday in the 10th AFC Champions hip Game during reign it also a deep apprecia- ion for what has been built.
average, the Kraft-owned Patriots have a nearly rate of making it to the AFC title game. pretty said Kraft, 73. Since Belichick became coach in 2000, the other AFC East teams have combined for 20 head coaches. When that is mentioned, Kraft comes back with, only hired two coaches in 21 He inherited Bill Parcells, who took New England to a Super Bowl. The other coach he hired was Pete Carroll, who has a title game of his own this weekend with the Seattle Seahawks.
The fact that the two coaches he hired could wind up meeting in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1 you for pointing that he said adds another layer to mantra about his ownership style being predicated on hiring the right people. ne of these days, Kraft likely will face the task of replacing Belichick. And Brady last forever. deal with that later.
need good people, but part of it is that you need Kraft said. Baltimore, we play well for 40 minutes, then in the last 20 minutes we came The playo run is underway at the same time former New England tight end Aaron murder trial is getting started. With Kraft setting the tone, the Patriots have a sterling reputation for building teams with high- character players. The players are even required to engage in a number of community service rojects each year. Despite such emphasis, Hernandez happened.
the biggest disappoint- ent of my 21 years of Kraft said. just sad a bout Kraft savors success Jarrett Bell USA TODAY Sports FOLLOW COLUMNIST JARRETT BELL for NFL commentary and the latest breaking news. USA TODAY SPORTS Robert Kraft The story lines to watch for the remainder of the 2014-15 college basketball regular season: 1 Yes, Kentucky might go undefeated: The Wildcats are bursting at the seams with talent so much so that coach John Calipari began the season with ssentially two complete, di ere nt starting lineups he rotated i nto games. Thanks to its onstrous size, talent and unselfish attitude, Kentucky breezed hrough a daunting non-confer- nce schedule that included Kansas, Texas, North Carolina, UCLA and Louisville. Though the Southeastern Conference has a few programs on the rise and Kentucky knows get every best shot, the league itself among the best or deepest.
That means a very real possibility the Wildcats will enter the NCAA tournament 34-0. 2. Duke has the best player in the nation: Mike Krzyzewski spent the season raving about his incoming freshman center, and when he raves, you should listen. Right out of the gate, Jahlil Okafor was sensational he scored 17 points, grabbed rebounds and blocked two shots against Michigan State in the Champions Classic and he let up. averaging 18.9 points and 9.4 rebounds a game.
Against Elon on Dec. 15, he scored 25 points and had 20 rebounds. Okafor is the most polished freshman big man the sport has seen in some time. 3. The two most interesting teams are in the Atlantic Coast Conference and not the biggest brand names: Virginia is the best team not named Kentucky, and Notre Dame might be the biggest surprise.
The Cavaliers are known for their smothering defense, but this season they also boast one of the most cient enses (albeit a slow-paced one). Notre Dame could be an ACC ark horse and a sleeper pick come March after last disappointing season in the eague. Guard Jerian Grant, who missed the second half of last seas on because of an academic issue, is back and better than ever and is urrounded by a veteran supporting cast. The only Irish question mark? Uncertainty surrounding ach Auguste, who play Wednesday at Georgia Tech because of an academic issue. Auguste averages 14.3 points and 6.4 ebounds a game.
4. The Big Ten is a Big mess: The Big Ten su ered a series of urprising losses during non-conference play, from Texas Southe upset of Michigan State to ew Jersey Institute of Technol- stunner at Michigan and Inc arnate win vs. Nebraska. Even conference season has rought shockers, such as Rut- win against a short-handed Wisconsin team last weekend. This is a conference hit hard by early entry and graduation, and it shows.
Michigan and Michigan State appear to be nearly as strong as in years past. Nebraska has dropped since last season. Minnesota, which had appeared to be on the rise, is 0-5 in Big Ten play. As of now, it looks like Wisconsin (at full strength) is the best team in the conference. Beyond that, hard to tell.
Maybe Maryland, in its debut season? 5. Who is this Wichita State? always at least one dominant non-power conference team that emerges to make noise in March. Here are four candidates to do so this season: A. Gonzaga: Mark deepest squad is led by Kentucky transfer Kyle Wiltjer, who is inch- i ng his way into the national player of the year discussion. B.
Wichita State: The Shockers have their signature toughness, and despite losing key players over the last couple of years, again be terrifying come March. C. Northern Iowa: Seth Tuttle is one of the most underrated big men in the nation, and this is aveteran team that can challenge Wichita State in the Missouri Valley Conference. D. Green Bay: The Phoenix likely will need to win the Horizon League to secure an NCAA tournament bid they learned this lesson the hard way in March certainly have a hance to do that, again led by dynamic guard Keifer Sykes.
JAMIE RHODES, USA TODAY SPORTS Coach John Calipari has Kentucky on top of the college basketball world and chasing an undefeated season. The Wildcats, national champions in 2012, were runners-up last season. BASKETBALL READY HITBIG STAGE The confetti has fallen, and college foot- all has crowned Ohio State its champi- n. USA TODAY Nicole Auerbach helps fans turn their attention to hoops. MARK DOLEJS, USA TODAY SPORTS Duke center Jahlil Okafor started fast and let up, averaging 18.9 points and 9.4 rebounds a game.
SCOTT SEWELL, USA TODAY SPORTS Ron Baker and Wichita State are to a 15-2 start after the hockers went 35-1 last season. FIRST WORD THEYSAID IF I HAVE CALLED, A BUZZARD WOULD BE LOOKING FOR YOU IN A.J. Foyt, recounting for Indianapolis a casual all he made after helping to dig a 300-foot-long ditch to his doctor that turned into a triple- bypass and 25 days in the hospital. Foyt turns 80today. MAGIC NUMBER $792,845.68 Cost, as reported by (Louisville) Courier- Journal, of the eight -night trip the Kentucky basketball team took to the Bahamas in August to play against the national team of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and against a French pro team.
About half of the cost was absorbed through ticket sales and donations from boosters who made the trip. TWEET OF THE DAY WHETHER 12 GO OR TAY, RENTIS STILL DUE ON THE 1STAND GONE HAVE MYHALF! (then later) HE RENTIS Ohio State safety Tyvis Powell, tweeting bef or and after oom- mate Cardale Jones announced he was staying in school. ALMOST LAST WORD YEARS HAVE FLOWN BY. BEEN A TIME OF HAPPINESS AND GRIEF, WHERE GOTTEN KNOCKED ON MY BUTTBOTH FIGURATIVELY A ND Fullback Greg Jones, announcing his etir ement after signing a one-day ontr act with the Jaguar the team that dr afted him in 2004. LAST ORD HIS IS IT.
THIS IS MYLAST STOP. THIS IS ITFOR ME. THE LASTTEAM EVER COACH WILL BE THE BUFFALO BILLS, AND I HOPE 15 YEARS FROM Rex Ryan, talking on about his new job. Edited by Reid Cherner FOYT BY BRIAN SPURLOCK, USA TODAY SPORTS GREG JONES (33) BY JIM BROWN, USA TODAY SPORTS.
