Sportsbeat Kc

The NFL schedules are out, and who has a tougher opening month than the Chiefs? Four games, three division champions from last season and two on the road. Chiefs beat writer Herbie Teope weighs in on the good and bad of the Chiefs’ 2020 slate, and picks some matchups he’s excited about. One or two may surprise you.After a break, we’ll hear from undrafted free agent punter Tommy Townsend. It’s not often rookie punters are in the spotlight. But Townsend is the leading candidate to replace a legend, Dustin Colquitt. Hear what Townsend had to say about that prospect on SportsBeat KC.Story links:How to follow an “absolute legend?” Tasked with succeeding Colquett, Townsend will tryhttps://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article242546416.htmlChiefs will play in NFL opener on TNF. Here is the full schedule and all of its detailshttps://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article242565301.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In March, Kansas delivered its response to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations, which consisted of five Level 1 violations against Bill Self’s men’s basketball program. On Thursday, The NCAA responded to KU’s response ... forcefully. In 92 pages, the NCAA laid out its case against the Jayhawks.Star beat writer Jesse Newell has been on top of the story through all of the filings and helps break down the NCAA’s latest salvo on this episode of The Star’s daily SportsBeat KC podcast. What’s at stake for Kansas, what are the possible outcomes and what’s next on the timeline? These topics are covered by Newell and host Blair Kerkhoff.Story links:NCAA goes hard at Bill Self. But lawyers say, “it’s only reinforced (his) resolve”Mellinger: The NCAA’s case against KU continues, and KU is continuing to fight the wrong battleNCAA fires back at KU, alleging “egregious, severe” violations by Bill Self’s program Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first Kansas City pro athletes have returned to the practice field. It wasn’t a full-go workout for Sporting KC, but they were one of a handful of Major League Soccer teams to get back to some limited action Wednesday and Thursday. And it felt great, said team captain and veteran defender Matt Besler, even as COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic precautions were exercised, too.On this episode of the daily SportsBeat KC podcast, you’ll hear from Besler, Sporting KC president and CEO Jake Reid, who discusses the financial impact of lost months of the MLS season, and soccer reporter Shaun Goodwin.Story links:Sporting KC players, including Besler, resume workouts at Pinnacle per MLS guidelinesSKC president wants to be first U.S. sports league back, KC to host games as “hub” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not the most talented team Ned Yost had managed or coached, but the 2015 World Series champion was the closest and most clutch. They proved it time and again in the playoffs and World Series, with eight of their 11 victories posted in comeback fashion.Yost joined Star columnist Vahe Gregorian and SportsBeat KC host Blair Kerkhoff in a conversation about how he, the staff and front office had to suffer through some growing pains to reach the top, and how coming up just short in the 2014 World Series served as motivation for the 2015 team.Also, Yost details the decision to return to the mound Wade Davis in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, after a 45-minute rain delay and more than an hour between pitches for his dominant closer.Story links:Ned Yost reflects on Royals’ rise, a vast 90-foot contrast, and when 2015 championship sunk inWhat we remember from the Royals ALDS-clinching Game 5 vs. Astros2015 flashback: Stories, photos, pages from Royals’ Game 5 ALDS clinc

The Chiefs landed their second first-round pick from the 2017 draft. If this one turns out as well as the first one...The Chiefs have signed Taco Charlton. He was the 28th overall selection of the Cowboys in 2017 and Kansas City is his third team in four years. Also in that draft, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, taken 10th overall.Beat writer Herbie Teope talks Taco Charlton and other Chiefs topics like the release of longtime punter Dustin Colquitt and the upcoming NFL schedule release. After a break, you’ll hear from Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu on how he’s remaining in shape and motivated while remaining at home.Story links:Chiefs agree to terms with still-young former first round draft pick Taco CharltonChiefs 2020 schedule to be released Thursday as part of NFL Network showChiefs Tyrann Mathieu shares story of making Philip Rivers regret his trash-talking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Royals entered the 2015 MLB playoffs with the American League’s best record, but they always seemed to play from behind in the division series against the Houston Astros. Down two games to one and trailing 6-2 as they came to bat in the top of the eighth inning of Game 4 at Minute Maid Park, the Royals and their season were headed to a crushing conclusion.Five runs and one insane rally later, the Royals were back in the driver’s seat.In this episode of our daily SportsBeat KC podcast, Kansas City Star columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian join host Blair Kerkhoff in reliving that division series. They zero in on the Royals’ Game 4 explosion, when Moose and company embodied their familiar exhortation to “keep the line moving.”Also, you’ll hear game highlights from the television broadcast that day and how the Star’s reporters on the scene in Houston described that unlikely turn of events soon after it had concluded. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does Patrick Mahomes think of the fifth-year option exercised by the Chiefs earlier this week, and of the possibility of signing an extension? Also, how much contact does Mahomes have with former teammate Alex Smith? Mahomes addressed those topics and more with reporters on Friday and the responses are here, on SportsBeat KC.Also, there’s an NFL player on the front line of combating the COVID-19 coronavirus and it’s Chiefs offensive guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who owns a doctorate in medicine. Duvernay-Tardif is working in a long-term care facility in his native Quebec, and we hear about his challenges dealing with the pandemic while maintaining a virtual workout routine.Story links:Chiefs exercise fifth-year option on Patrick MahomesIn Laurent-Duvernay Tardif, Chiefs have the most interesting man in the NFL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Beaty stopped being Kansas’ football coach after the 2018 season, but he and the school haven’t quite cut ties. Kansas doesn’t want to pay Beaty a $3 million buyout because the school says he violated NCAA rules. The Beaty camp has disputed the level of alleged violations and wants his contract fulfilled.KU beat writer Jesse Newell untangles the conflict at KU on SportsBeat KC with host Blair Kerkhoff. Other topics covered include the local tie to the latest additional to the Jayhawks’ basketball schedule, pay cuts for coaches and administrators and how the NCAA’s ruling to allow athletes to cash in on their name, image and likeness will impact the university.Story links:Judge: KU must hand over un-aired documentary video, Miles practice footage in lawsuitKU’s Bill Self hopes name, image, likeness rule isn’t start of “Wild, Wild, West.”KU verses Creighton in Allen Fieldhouse is a dream matchup for Eudora’s Mitch Ballock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Royals general manager Dayton Moore is an optimist by nature. Maybe he was simply looking at the bright side when he told reporters earlier this week that he believes baseball is on track to return. “I think we’re getting closer,” Moore said earlier this week. “I’m more hopeful today than I was yesterday. I think we’re really getting close to a plan than we can all rally behind and focus on....”On SportsBeat KC, Royals beat writer Lynn Worthy talks baseball, the Royals, and some of the issues the game will confront like roster size when the game (hopefully) returns.Story links:Royals general manager Dayton Moore sees light at the end of the tunnel for Major League BaseballHow Abraham Lincoln, C.S. Lewis and David vs. Goliath are buoying Royals GM Dayton MooreDoes the disjointed season make it more likely the Royals will fast track prospects?Safe at home but bored, Bubba Starling anxious to resume his fight for Royals roster spot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The business of NFL football has been on display the last few days for the Kansas City Chiefs. They wrapped up a draft and rookie free agent signing period on Sunday. The next day they released veteran punter Dustin Colquitt, who is the franchise leader in career games played and has been one of the team’s most outstanding citizens.Star columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam Mellinger join Blair Kerkhoff to talk about the draft and how local perception might different than the national view. Also how Coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach work well together. Later, you’ll hear from team Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, who met with reporters on Saturday. He spoke to the team embracing the future as Super Bowl champion.Story links:Chiefs release Dustin Colquitt who bids farewell to teams, fans on social media accountsMellinger Minutes: Goodell shines (seriously!), Chiefs surprise, grading the gradesWhat makes Chiefs GM Brett Veach so vital to their success? Let’s start with cohesion Learn more about you

The Chiefs draft haul of six players was widely appreciated by national critics, with most grading in the B-C range. That’s fine. Unlike nearly every team in the NFL, the Chiefs weren’t drafting to fill an immediate need with 20 of 22 starters returning from the Super Bowl championship squad.Still, there were some intriguing selections and perhaps some immediate contributors. Beat writer Herbie Teope breaks down the six drafts selections, from top pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire to seventh-rounder “BoPete Keyes” and how they might fit into the Chiefs’ quest to repeat as NFL champion.Story links:Breaking down the Chiefs’ NFL Draft haul, projecting how each player fits, plus gradesChiefs dive into the free agents. Follow along here to see who is coming aboardChiefs get good draft grades from pundits, but Pro Football Focus rips first pick Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first night of the NFL Draft didn’t offer many surprises but one involved the Kansas City Chiefs. With the No. 32 overall pick, the Chiefs not only selected a position few expected but they took a player that draft experts didn’t have at the top of their lists, LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.Which might make this the best possible pick for the Chiefs. Edward-Helaire fits the mold of what the Chiefs want at that position with his pass catching ability and ball security. Last season, 36 percent of his rushing attempts went for touchdowns and first downs.Star columnist Sam Mellinger joined Blair Kerkhoff for a live pre-selection prediction (hint: we missed), and general manager Brett Veach and Edwards-Helaire joined Chiefs reporters on a conference call.Story links:Chiefs select LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in first round of 2020 NFL DraftThe enduring conflict of digesting Chiefs’ first-round pick (LSU’s Edwards-Helaire)These six plays show new Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s ve

It’s NFL Draft day! Finally a live sporting event to discuss, digest, get emotional over. It begins tonight with the first round and runs Friday and Saturday. This one will be different with the event taking place in the homes of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and personnel and coaches of each of the 32 teams. It was supposed to be in Las Vegas. But the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic ended those plans.Sports in America shut down in early March, and the NFL Draft is about the first live sporting even to occur since then. We talk Chiefs’ draft possibility and beat writer Herbie Teope makes his final mock draft call for the Super Bowl champion. Also, Vahe Gregorian chats some draft history with host Blair Kerkhoff on SportsBeat KC.Story links:Patrick Mahomes said Chiefs have started “virtual OTAs” and he’s built an in-home gymChiefs pick last in the first round. Here’s are others who drafted 32nd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Running backs aren’t as popular in the NFL Draft as they once were. There might not be one taken in the first round on Thursday. What has become of the running back in the draft? With the Kansas City Chiefs selecting last in the first round, No. 32 overall, could the Super Bowl champion be in the market for a back? They haven’t selected a running back with their first-round selection since 2003.Kansas Star columnist Vahe Gregorian and Blair Kerkhoff discuss the topic on SportsBeat KC.Story links:Chiefs pick last in the first round of the NFL Draft. Here are others who were drafted 32ndNFL Draft primer: How Chiefs are approaching Thursday night kickoff of three-day event Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An NFL Draft unlike any other approaches. Commissioner Roger Goodell will be at his New York home conducting the event. Personnel from the 32 teams will be at their homes. Instead of glitzy Las Vegas, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the draft into a remote operation. But the show goes on, and that’s great news for sports fans, longing for some live sports to follow.Also in SportsBeat KC, Chiefs beat writers Herbie Teope and Sam McDowell discuss the issues with a virtual draft and break down what the Super Bowl champion Chiefs might be seeking in Thursday’s first round. The Chiefs hold the No. 32 pick.Story links:A case for (more!) defense: how the Chiefs might bolster roster though this year’s draftDraft preview: Chiefs will still look at offense. Here are some prospect they might targetChiefs fans: We need sports. The NFL Draft is about to provide some. Join us LIVE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NFL Draft week has arrived and the Chiefs own the first-round slot every team covets, No. 32. Chances are, one of the top dozen or so college prospects won’t be available at that spot, but selecting last in the first round means, unless a trade has been made, you’ve won the Super Bowl.But this looms as a good draft for another reason: The Chiefs already have a solid roster. Unlike most teams in the draft, they won’t be selecting for need. Star columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian explain how the Chiefs put themselves in this position.After a break, we remember Pellom McDaniels, who passed away this weekend. McDaniels played six of his seven NFL seasons with the Chiefs, and was mostly a reserve defensive end and linebacker. His 14 career starts all came with the Chiefs. But McDaniels, 52, lived quite a life as an academic and civic leader after football. He served as a professor at two universities, including UMKC, and has written several books. His was a life well-lived.Story links:This is the stranges

With the NFL Draft on the clock, we turn back the clock to about this time in 2017. The draft approached and the Chiefs held the No. 27 selection. There was some talk of taking a quarterback in the first round for the first time since 1983, but which one. The top rated prospects that year were North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes.Three years later, we know what the scoreboard says. Mahomes has won a regular season MVP and a Super Bowl MVP, leading the Chiefs to the championship in February. Nobody outside the Chiefs facility saw this coming—and show of hands of those inside the facility who envisioned this success so quickly—but there was talk about Mahomes’ potential.Then-Chiefs beat writer Terez Paylor, now with Yahoo Sports, joined Star columnists Sam Mellinger and Vahe Gregorian and Blair Kerkhoff to talk about what we remembered about the days leading up to the 2017 NFL Draft. What did we get right and wrong about the Mahomes’ speculation? Learn mo

The NFL Draft will happen next week from home offices and basements throughout the league. This shut-in setting was created by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken the event from glitzy Las Vegas to the sanctity of home. But the show goes on. It will be one of the few live sporting events to occur in the past month.Chiefs general manager Brett Veach spoke to the challenges of the unique setting, the Chiefs objectives in the draft and took questions about the contracts of defensive tackle Chris Jones, who will play on the franchise tag this year, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.Story links:Chiefs Mock 3.0: Draft fast approaching, we’re sticking with a linebacker at No. 32 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Missouri had just started its spring football practices when the COVID-19 coronavirus hit and things were shut down after three workouts. The situation is difficult for every college football program, but Mizzou was dealt an extra burden because the Tigers are breaking in a new coach and new starting quarterback.So how are the Tigers navigating this dilemma? On this episode of the daily SportsBeat KC podcast, Mizzou beat writer Souichi Terada provides updates on football as well as MU’s men’s basketball program and discusses with KC Star colleague and host Blair Kerkhoff his recent story about the athletic department’s budget.Story links:How would a lost SEC football season impact Mizzou athletics and it’s bottom line?Moving on from recruiting misses, let’s review Mizzou’s basketball roster and needs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spring is in the air, but spring football on college campuses has been grounded. So let’s play a little what-might-have-been at Kansas State and Kansas. If spring football had continued what were the biggest questions that confronted those programs?Beat writers Kellis Robinett and Jesse Newell talk K-State and KU football, along with some other topics like NFL Draft prospects from those schools, beer sales at Kansas State, Kansas and Missouri – that’s from a story by Kellis that appeared over the weekend and is linked to in the show notes – plus the issues with re-starting a college football season. What might it happen, when will the sport return and how might it look?Story links:Fans embrace beer sales at KU, K-State, Mizzou by guzzling Bud Light, Michelob ExtraWhen college football returns, Big 12 should be loaded at quarterback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices