“He just reminds you so much of Shawn
Kemp in his prime. It’s going to be scary
to see this guy in a couple of years. ”
Bryon Scott on Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire
■ In my opinion
BRIAN SMITH
LEFTY SPECIALIST
'Jeopardy!'
star's streak
has nothing
on sports
Cal Ripken, you ain’t got nothing on
Ken Jennings.
The software engineer who won more
than two million dollars on “Jeopardy!” was
ousted after a run of 74 victories in a row,
concluding the game show’s greatest streak
ever and placing Jennings among the elite.
Ken Jennings and Barry Bonds.
Ken Jennings and Lance Armstrong.
Jennings was on such a streak that I
can’t believe it’s over. I didn’t think that he
would ever lose again. This streak was so
fascinating that I still think it was rigged in
some way, a la the rigged game shows of
the 1950s.
But now I have a better theory: I think
Jennings tanked it. And no, it isn’t really the
greatest streak ever.
Here are some ideas:
Maybe Jennings wanted to hang out with
his boy Ricky Williams and have the most
intelligent, weed-influenced conversations
imaginable.
Maybe Jennings watched some old
school NFL films and wanted to go out
on top like John Elway, Jim Brown or
Barry Sanders.
So in honor of his 74-game run, I’ve de
cided to put his streak up against some of
the most impressive individual streaks in
sports history.
1. Ken Jennings vs. the aforementioned
Cal Ripken Jr.:
The numbers alone are the answer: 2,632
against 74. Let’s say that “Jeopardy!” aired
162 times a year, same as the number of
games in a Major League regular season.
Jennings would have to win the next 2,558
episodes — or for the next 15 and a half
years — to equal Ripken. Or, let’s say that
“Jeopardy!” aired 365 days a year. Jennings
would need to win every episode until 2011
to even get close.
Verdict: Ripken. Do you really think I
would pick Jennings in this case?
2. Ken Jennings vs. Johnny Unitas’
47 consecutive games with a touchdown
streak.
In terms of numbers, Jennings has Unitas
beat. But let’s remember what we’re talking
about. A game show vs. the NFL. Alex Tre
bek vs. 11 defensive players every week. Yes,
Trebek and that pen he wields can strike ter
ror into the hearts of teachers and software
engineers alike, but Deacon Jones standing
on the opposite side of the ball wanting your
head for a mantelpiece ... yikes.
Verdict: The pen is mightier than the
sword, but not an NFL defense.
3. Ken Jennings vs. Wilt Chamberlain’s
seven straight NBA games with 50 points
or more.
I’m sorry. This one is just laughable. Pic
ture Jennings in those ’70s-stylie shorts and
long tube socks.
Exactly.
Verdict: Chamberlain by NBA fashion
default.
SMITH, page 14
■ Men's basketball
I
M
Oregon's Maarty Leunen
(10) and Ray Schafer
surround a New Mexico
player during a victory
earlier this season. The two
freshmen have helped the
Ducks hold all three of their
opponents this season to
under 40 percent shooting
from the field.
Erik R. Bishoff
Photographer
Height increases
increase defense
With an infusion of height this year, the Ducks
reach fourth in the Pac-10 for defensive rebounding
BY CLAYTON JONES
SPORTS EDITOR
While much of the empha
sis this season has been
on the run-and-gun of
fense the Oregon men’s basketball
team thrusts upon its opponents,
this young squad has stepped it
up on the defensive end of the
court as well.
The Ducks have amped up their
defensive intensity and have held
their opponents this season to a
38.1 percent shooting percentage
and have held all opponents to un
der 40 percent.
“I’m happy defensively overall
with this team,” Oregon head
coach Ernie Kent said.
Freshman Bryce Taylor said the
team has been working hard to be
come better defensively.
“We take about half of practice
to work on defense,” Taylor said.
“It’s one of those things you have
to keep working on, especially our
intensity and our technique. ”
So far it has paid off. In their
opening game of the season, the
Ducks held Idaho State to 51
points, their best defensive game
in an opener since 1982.
The team’s improvement on de
fense has been helped by the in
surgence of 7-foot redshirt fresh
man Ray Schafer.
Schafer brings a presence to the
inside for Oregon, especially when
teamed with fellow 7-footer Ian
Crosswhite.
Though his four blocks this sea
son may not show any kind of dom
inance, his ability to alter shots has
been key for the Ducks.
“It’s not necessarily a blocked
shot (that helps the team),”
Schafer said. “If a guard gets beat
and his guy comes down the mid
dle and I just alter his shot and
make him throw up some junk,
I’ve done my job.”
Another aspect the Ducks have
improved on this season is re
bounding. Crosswhite said Oregon
has struggled with rebounding the
last few years, and Kent has made
it a focus for the Duck big men.
“A big emphasis this season
has been on rebounding,” the
Castlecrag, Australian native said.
“The last couple of years we have
lost some games because we haven’t
boxed people out and rebounded.”
Oregon currently ranks fourth in
the Pac-10 Conference in
rebounding, averaging 38.8 per
game. On the other end, the Ducks
MEN, page 14
■ Pac-10
Oregon, Stanford remain undefeated
Oregon's Cathrine Kraayeveld
comes away with MVP honors
at the Long Island Turkey Classic
BY BRIAN SMITH
SPORTS REPORTER
Heading into the fourth week of the regular
season, two teams — Oregon and fifth-ranked
Stanford— sit atop the Pacific-10 conference
with perfect records.
The Cardinal improved to 5-0 after their vic
tory over No. 11 Texas Tech on Sunday, which
came on the heels of Stanford’s first-place fin
ish in the 2004 Great Alaska Shootout.
In the two Shootout games in Anchorage,
Alaska, the Cardinal’s average margin of victory
was 30.5 points — defeating Eastern Washing
ton 91-50 and Louisiana-Lafayette 67-47.
Stanford’s junior center Brooke Smith averaged
a team-high 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per
game during the recent three-game stretch, in
cluding a career-best 22 points against Texas Tech.
Oregon remained among the unbeaten after
taking home the Long Island Ttirkey Classic title
last weekend.
Oregon senior forward Cathrine Kraayeveld
was named the tournament MVP, with a com
bined 28 points and 18 rebounds in both games.
Erik R. Bishoff | Photographer
Oregon sophomore forward Eleanor Haring, seen here
against Portland, went 10 for 11 against Miami,
registering the 10th best field-goal percentage in a
single game in Oregon history.
The Ducks got some clutch shooting from
junior guard Chelsea Wagner and sophomore
forward Eleanor Haring. Both Wagner and Har
ing scored or tied career-highs with 21 points in
the Ducks’ 79-73 victory over Miami. Wagner
hit five three-pointers, while Haring went 10 for
11 from the field — the 10th best field-goal per
centage in a single game in Oregon history.
UCLA women ranked for first
time since 1999-2000 season
In other non-conference action, UCLA
handed fourth-ranked Texas — who defeated
top-ranked Tennessee a few days before — a
major upset with a 63-60 victory on Sunday
in Pauley Pavilion.
As a result, the Bruins moved into the rank
ings of the Associated Press poll for the first
time since Feb. 21, 2000, when UCLA was
ranked No. 22.
The Bruins’ win over Texas was their first over
a top-10 opponent since the 1999-2000 season,
when they defeated No. 8 North Carolina 69-65.
“I think we’re playing very good basketball
right now,” UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier
said. “It’s so early, but we’re executing and do
ing little things really well. Hopefully, we can
maintain it throughout the year. ”
UCLA's guard Noelle Quinn
named Pac-10 player of the week
One of the main reasons for the Bruins’ vic
tory over the Longhorns was the play of guard
PAC-10, page 14