SportsBeat KC

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SportsBeat KC: Witt homers, Olivares stays hot, Dozier plots comeback, Greinke observes Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

Opening day is two weeks away and the Royals are rounding into shape. Bobby Witt Jr., blasted a titanic home run this week and continues to make his strong case as the starting third baseman.

Nobody is off to a hotter start at the plate than Edward Olivares, and perhaps this will be the year he sticks with the club instead of running the Kansas City-Omaha shuttle service.

Hunter Dozier opened up about his slump last season, and Zack Greinke is soaking in spring training by observing the Royals’ young staff.

We cover all of these topics and more on SportsBeat KC with beat writer Lynn Worthy and columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell.

Story links:

KC Royals pitchers keep noticing surprise guest at their bullpen sessions: Zack Greinke

Kansas City Royals avoid arbitration with several players, but not Lopez or Benintendi

‘What am I doing?’: How Royals’ Hunter Dozier got in a funk (and found his way out)

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SportsBeat KC: Breaking down the huge Tyreek Hill trade (in the short- and long-term) Mar 23, 2022

Show notes

The news is stunning to Chiefs fans: Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, a Pro Bowl player in all six of his seasons in Kansas City and one of the most clutch players in team history, was traded on Wednesday to the Miami Dolphins.

The Chiefs got five draft picks in return, including first-, second- and fourth-round spots in next month’s 2022 NFL Draft. That’s a good return. But Hill is a game-changing talent. And the Chiefs, with some salary cap restrictions, couldn’t come up with a contract that would work for both sides.

On today’s episode of The Star’s SportsBeat KC podcast, Chiefs beat writer Herbie Teope, columnist Vahe Gregorian and host Blair Kerkhoff break down the trade with Miami and what it means for the Chiefs. Can this short-term loss become a long-term gain?

Story links:

Kansas City Chiefs trade superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill to Miami Dolphins: details

With Tyreek Hill gone, where do Kansas City Chiefs go from here? That’s the question

Remembering five impact moments for Tyreek Hill in a Chiefs uniform

Chiefs fans have a mixed reaction to news of Tyreek Hill trade

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Beyond the Bracket Episode 5: NCAA Tournament: Men’s and women’s Sweet 16 preview Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Bracket, a special edition series of the SportsBeat KC podcast that’s here to here to cover everything March Madness.

Each week, I’ll be joined by reporters and columnists from around the country to discuss college hoops. This episode features The Star’s Blair Kerkhoff, Anthony Kristensenof The Columbia Missourian and Augusta Stone, the South Carolina women’s basketball reporter for The State, to discuss an upset-filled start to the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The first part of the episode is dedicated to men’s basketball. Topics of discussion include: Biggest takeaways and surprises from the first two rounds, players that have impressed us the most, predictions for the Sweet Sixteen and Final Four picks.

On the women’s basketball segment we discuss: why there is more parity this season, the biggest upsets through the first two rounds, teams we’ve been most impressed with, offensive concerns for South Carolina and who could win it all.

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SportsBeat KC: How ‘Stank ‘em’ the monkey relates to Kansas Jayhawks’ tournament run Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

Kansas hasn’t played in the Sweet 16 since its Final Four run in 2018. The last time the Jayhawks endured a streak that long was 1998-2000, and the next season, then-coach Roy Williams brought a good-luck charm to the news conference: a stuffed monkey named “Stank ‘em.” Williams put the monkey on his back and the players swatted it off. Get the monkey off his back, get it?

No stuffed animal helped Kansas end its most recent Sweet 16 “drought,” which lasted all of two Tournaments (the 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic). Beat writers Jesse Newell and Gary Bedore break it down on today’s episode of the SportsBeat KC podcast.

They look ahead to Friday’s matchup with Providence and explain why one analyst describes the Friars as college basketball’s luckiest team.

Story links:

Kansas Jayhawks’ Ochai Agbaji ‘not stressing or pressing’ over missed shots in NCAAs

Remy Martin’s huge first half proved pivotal in Kansas Jayhawks surviving Creighton

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SportsBeat KC: Kansas Jayhawks’ next NCAA tourney opponent is Creighton... and Kentucky Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

The first day of the NCAA Tournament produced four victories by double-digit seeds, including the shocker: No. 15 seed St. Peter’s over Kentucky.

Kansas avoided any such upset. The top-seeded Jayhawks rolled past Texas Southern.

Now KU faces a second-round task against Creighton, which defeated San Diego State in overtime Thursday. In this episode of SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, KU beat writers Jesse Newell and Gary Bedore discuss Kansas’ prospects in Round 2.

Also, there’s the matter of college basketball’s all-time victories list. The Jayhawks entered the tournament two wins behind first-place Kentucky. The Wildcats’ loss opens the door for KU to tie Kentucky with a win Saturday. Hear what Jesse and Gary have to say about that race.

Story links:

No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks easily win NCAA Tournament opener. Up next: Creighton

Kentucky upset means Kansas Jayhawks can catch Wildcats on college basketball wins list

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SportsBeat KC: How will new additions Zack Greinke and Amir Garrett help the Royals? Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

Zack Greinke spent his first seven major league seasons with the Royals, the team that drafted and developed him, and now he’ll be in Kansas City for season No. 19.

The Royals signed Greinke to a one-year, $13 million deal this week, but that wasn’t the team’s only mound move. They also traded starter Mike Minor to the Cincinnati Reds for reliever Amir Garrett.

How will this moves impact the Royals? Star columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell break it down on SportsBeat KC, the Kansas City Star’s sports podcast. The show started as a Royals SportsBeat Live.

Story links:

Sam McDowell: Zack Greinke’s return to KC is more than a nice story. It reveals the Royals’ plans

Lynn Worthy: Amir Garrett joins the Kansas City Royals, aiming to prove he’s ‘better now’

From brink of ‘disastrous outcome,’ baseball is back and somehow we can’t stay angry

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SportsBeat KC: Can Chiefs fend off AFC West challengers in free agency? Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

Happy NFL New Year!

Wednesday was the first day of the NFL’s calendar year. But I don’t see any bowl games scheduled. Still, there’s plenty of roster action this week as free agency continues. The Chiefs have shuffled some players, signing safety Justin Reid, restructuring the contract of defensive end Frank Clark and bidding farewell to cornerback Charvarius Ward.

Also, the AFC West continues to load up with the additions of quarterback Russell Wilson with the Denver Broncos and defensive end Khalil Mack with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Beat writer Herbie Teope posts all the moves on the Chiefs tracker on KansasCity.com. He came up for air to break it down on today’s SportsBeat KC.

Story links:

Herbie Teope: NFL free agency for the Kansas City Chiefs. Follow it here.

Pete Grathoff: Two AFC West’s NFL’s “offseason improvement index.” Is it enough to top Chiefs?

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Beyond the Bracket: Get ready to fill out your March Madness bracket Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back to Beyond the Bracket, a special edition series of the SportsBeat KC podcast that’s here to get you ready for the NCAA Tournament.

Each week, I’ll be joined by reporters and columnists from around the country to discuss college hoops. This episode features insiders into two of the top-seeded teams: Jesse Newell, who covers the Kansas Jayhawks for The Star, and John Clay, a columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader who covers the Kentucky Wildcats.

The official bracket has been revealed and March Madness is here. We share our reactions to how the field was seeded, break down each region, discuss what upsets to watch for, explain the best practices in filling our your bracket and give our updated Final Four picks.

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SportsBeat KC: How the bracket might open up for Kansas Jayhawks’ Final Four bid Mar 14, 2022

Show notes

Did Kansas get an easy or difficult draw as the top seed in the Midwest Region? On today’s SportsBeat KC, beat writers Jesse Newell and Gary Bedore break down the Jayhawks’ road to the Final Four. Things could get tricky for KU in the first weekend.

Also, there were some playing rotation developments at the Big 12 tournament. KU won the event, defeating Texas Tech in the championship game, and rolled through the event by getting performances from some non-starters like Remy Martin and Mitch Lightfoot.

How will Bill Self utilize minutes in the highest stakes games?

Story links:

Jesse Newell: Did KU get lucky or unlucky with NCAA Tournament draw? Here’s the answer

Sam McDowell: Why the Kansas Jayhawks’ most important development wasn’t lifting the Big 12 trophy

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SportsBeat KC: Possible Chiefs roster changes + big hoops week for KU, K-State, Mizzou Mar 08, 2022

Show notes

Hello.

After more than three months away from the mic, and treatment for hairy cell leukemia, it’s time to get back to work. That begins with today’s SportsBeat KC podcast. I’m Blair Kerkhoff, and there’s plenty to discuss with Star columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell.

Major college conference basketball tournaments begin this week, including the Big 12 tourneys in Kansas City. Kansas enters the event as the top seed and could meet Kansas State in its first game. Is this the last stand for Wildcats coach Bruce Weber? The same can be asked of Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin, who leads the TIgers into the SEC tournament.

The NFL’s free agency period approaches, too, and we also discuss potential Chiefs moves this offseason.

On a personal note, a heartfelt thanks for your thoughts and prayers that continue to keep my spirits soaring throughout my recovery. It feels great to be back.

Story links:

Sam McDowell: FIve moves the Chiefs should make this offseason

Vahe Gregorian: Unsightly victory may have revealed something about Kansas

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