K-State of anticipation
Dies ready to put injury, foul-ups behind him
Posted: Monday October 19, 1998 06:26 PM
MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) -- Kansas State forward Manny Dies said Tuesday that his surgically-repaired right knee is almost as good as new.
And he said he's ready to put his off-court problems behind him, as well -- if the media will let him.
"That all depends on how you guys deal with it," Dies said during the Wildcats' annual preseason media day. "If you let it lie and let me play ball, then that's how it is, because I don't plan on any further incidents coming about.
"I think it will eventually go away, after this season gets started."
The 6-foot-9 Dies averaged 15.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots per game as a junior last season, leading Kansas State in all three categories.
Dies was second-team All-Big 12 as the Wildcats went 17-12 and played in the National Invitation Tournament.
But he was also suspended for three games, including the Wildcats' Big 12 tournament opener, after being arrested in Manhattan's Aggieville bar district on February 22.
As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dropped charges of transporting an open container of alcohol and obstruction of the legal process. Dies pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and served four days in jail.
In November 1997, Dies pleaded guilty to damaging property at the apartment of a student journalist who had written two columns in the Kansas State Collegian that were critical of his play.
In one of those columns, entitled "Dysfunctional, can't-miss prospect college basketball's worst," the student referred to Dies as "the worst player in the history of college basketball."
"Now bear in mind I am not saying just K-State basketball, or NCAA I-A basketball but college basketball history," the column continued. "He is the worst."
Kansas State coach Tom Asbury said he expects Dies will take some verbal abuse from opposing fans, but that he doesn't expect the heckling to affect Dies.
"You can dig up something on just about anybody," Asbury said. "So there may be some of that. But we talk to our kids about building a wall out there."
Asbury and Dies both characterized the forward's recovery from his April surgery at between 90 and 95 percent.
"I think they really did a nice job on his surgery," Asbury said. "That surgery can be a little complicated. He broke a piece of cartilage out of his knee and had to have it replaced in two pieces."
Dies was on crutches for about two months after the surgery. He was able to lift weights with his upper body, but was not able to put any weight on the knee.
"It's difficult in that he kind of lost his off-season," Asbury said. "The improvement he made between his sophomore and junior seasons, he didn't have a chance to make between his junior and senior seasons.
"So that may limit his ultimate performance a little bit. We'll never know."
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