Sports Editor:
Hank Hager
hankhager@dailyemerald.com
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
-Oregon Daily Emerald
SPORTS
Best bet
MLB:
Seattle vs. Baltimore
4:05 p.m., Fox Sports Northwest
Hank Hager
Behind the dish
Watch for
fireworks
with Lewis,
UW's Pickett
Ah, I now believe pigs can fly.
Dogs and cats are mating, it's snowing
in Eugene in April, Republicans and De
mocrats are getting along, and Cody Pick
ett and Keith Lewis are going to be team
mates.
Well, so die theory goes. The two were
drafted by San Francisco on Sunday; Lewis
was taken in the sixth round while Pickett
was grabbed in the seventh. Their selec
tions have produced a unique situation in
Santa Clara, Calif., the home of the 49ers.
They could both wear red and gold once
the 2004 NFL starts.
We'll get into that a little bit later. First,
let's look at their history together.
Both are almost afterthoughts in the
drafting process, but the memories they'll
leave their respective schools will last a life
time.
Here's one for the books:
"Keith did not listen to me last year,"
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti told re
porters in November. "We had a little chat
about certain things that I don't agree
with, so he will not be available to the
press or the TV or anybody."
What was Bellotti talking about? Well,
for those with selective memories, Lewis
told Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Ted
Miller "anyone can have one good sea
son."
It shouldn't be hard to figure out who
he was talking about there.
But, alas, Lewis ate his words for the sec
ond straight season. Pickett — although he
didn't play much due to injury — and the
Huskies lit up Oregon for 42 straight
points for the second straight season just
days after Lewis uttered his now famous
critique of the Washington offense.
Lewis also criticized receiver Reggie
Williams, selected ninth overall by Jack
sonville on Saturday.
But Lewis, should he make the 49ers
this season, won't have to face Williams, at
least this year. Although he could very well
do so soon, so watch out for that game. It
should be a doozy.
Getting back to Pickett and Lewis, if
both make the team, it could be a positive
and a negative football marriage in the Bay
Area.
Neither likes one another — no surprise
there — and one knows San Francisco
doesn't need a situation that parallels in
any way the one Terrell Owens created.
At the same time they could be the best
thing that ever happened to the 49ers.
Well, maybe close to the best thing. I don't
think Jerry Rice or Joe Montana can ever be
topped.
Pickett had a poor 2003 season. There's
no doubt about that. He threw for 3,043
yards but was picked off 13 times in 454
attempts. He also threw for just 15 touch
downs, eight of which fell into the hands
ofWilliams.
The season before, though, he proved
he could hold his own. The Caldwell, Ida
ho, native became the first-ever Pacific-10
Turn to HAGER, page 9
Sisters Rachael
(left) and Megan
Kriz (right) have
pushed one
another this
season. The two
compete
individually for
Oregon and have
excelled at their
respective events.
J Erik R. Bishoff
1 Photographer
Siblings keep each other on track
Rachael and Megan Kriz enjoy
competing together as sisters and
teammates on the Oregon track team
By Alex Tam
Sports Reporter
Some families are simply breeding grounds for
athletes. At the Oregon Invitational on Saturday,
one family could be seen competing throughout
the entire day.
In the first event of the evening session, sopho
more Megan Kriz stepped on deck to prepare for
the hammer throw finals amid the strong breezy
winds that blew during the whole meet. Standing
right behind Kriz was her older sister, Rachael, also
a member of the Oregon team.
The elder Kriz watched attentively as her younger
sibling geared up to launch the hammer through
the air. It landed in the grass more than 184 feet
away. That mark ended up setting a new personal
record for the younger Kriz and elevated her to
third on the Oregon all-time list in the event.
"My sister is incredible/' junior Rachael Kriz said.
"She continues to get better, better and better. It's
so much fun, and it's what I feed on most out of
everything here."
The elder Kriz took part in her own events but
was not as successful as she would have liked. She
placed sixth in the high jump at 5-4 1/4. Her best
all you take some and you leave some, and I'd
rather leave this one."
Kriz, though, said she generally enjoys having
her younger sister with her as part of the Oregon
program. Seeing the other compete gives each extra
motivation to perform better.
"Anytime you have a family member on there, I
think the stakes are just a bit higher," Kriz said.
"You go farther and you jump higher ... even
though I didn't do it."
WOMEN’S
TRACK
mark of 139 feet in the
javelin was not good
enough to move her into
the finals.
"I had an off day,"
Rachael Kriz said. "All in
The two sisters are not the only ones from their
family to represent the Ducks. Their older brother,
Adam, also competed for Oregon in the hammer
throw last season. He finished his career as a Pacif
ic-10 Conference champion and a former All
American.
He also participated at the Oregon Invitational
as a member of Team XO and claimed victory in
the hammer.
Younger sister Megan, a transfer from Portland
State; said her older siblings played a huge role with
her decision to move to Eugene.
"It's cool, actually," Kriz said. "(With) Adam and
Rachael, I really wanted to be closer to them."
Rachael is happy they specialize in different field
events. She admits there could be the potential for a
sibling rivalry.
"I'm just glad we don't do the same events, be
cause it could get a little nasty," she said jokingly.
"But it's great having her here."
Contact the sports reporter
at alextam@daiiyemeraid.com.
Oregon ends first day 6th at Pac-lOs
Justin St. Clair recorded four birdies
in the first round en route to a tie
for 16th after the first day of action
By Brian Smith
Freelance Reporter
The Oregon men's golf team finished with an
exceptional opening round at the Pacific-10
Championships on Monday.
The problem was, they still had another
round to play.
By the time darkness forced players off the
par-72, 7,412-yard Gallery at Dove Mountain
Course in Marana, Ariz., the Ducks had given
back much of the progress they made by firing
DUCK
a second round 384 — 16 strokes higher than
their first round.
The Ducks finished the day with a 752 total,
good enough for a sixth place finish.
_ _ For Oregon, it was a
pair of sophomores who
led the way. Kyle Johnson
carded a solid 73-73-146,
good for a tie for 12th.
Justin St. Clair, playing
the best golf of the spring for the Ducks, con
tinued that trend by posting a 73-74-147 to fin
ish in a tie for 16th.
Freshman Matt Ma fired the lowest round by
a Duck with his opening round even par 72. In
cluded with that 72 was an eagle on the 550
yard par-5 16th. After a lengthy drive, Ma struck
a four iron to within five feet of the hole and
drained the relatively easy putt for eagle. Ma
slipped in the second round, falling from 11th
to a tie for 33rd with his 8-over 80.
Sophomore Gregg LaVoie and senior Mike
Sica also could not extend their good fortunes
from the first round. Sica, known for his strong
play in the spring, fired a second round 82,
dropping into a tie for 50th with a two-round
total of 158. LaVoie fell out of the top 20 with a
77 in the second round, leaving him with a 74
77-151 and in a tie for 27th.
Freshman Dustin Pewarchuk struggled with
a 79-80-159 to finish tied for 53rd.
Individually, Washington's Brock Mackenzie
Turn to SIXTH, page 9